Can’t figure out how the Minnesota Twins posted a 19-7 record this past month?  With three members – Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Francisco Liriano – on the The Fantasy Man’s All-June team and three others (Michael Cuddyer, Johan Santana, and Joe Nathan) narrowly missing the cut, all pondering and speculation should be rendered mute.  Likewise, the New York Mets offense has been diagnosed incredibly healthy.  Their youthful, über-talented triumvirate of José Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltrán is remarkable.  As such, they’ve made WSW history.  Including the 14 all-month (and year) teams that have come before, never has there been two sets of three teammates.  Fittingly, then, WSW bestows co-Player of the Month awards on Mauer and Reyes.  All hail the Twins and Mets!

C         Joe Mauer, Twins – Another sign Joe Mauer has at least one foot firmly planted on the stage of stardom: his second consecutive appearance on WSW’s all-month squad.

Like his marvelous May, the number one overall selection in the 2001 draft impressed in June, hitting a startling .452 with 18 runs, 42 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, a home run, 14 RBI, 15 bases on balls, three steals, and a stratospheric on base plus slugging percentage of 1.151.  A worthy co-MVP if I’ve ever seen one.

1B       Justin Morneau, Twins – Like his backstop and teammate, Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau has now begun to live up to the hype lauded on him since he was drafted in the third round in 1999.  His June, teamed with Mauer and young fireballer Francisco Liriano, saved the Twins season.  .364, 17, 36, 7, 0, 10, 29, 8, and 1.137 will do just that.

2B       Freddy Sánchez, Pirates – Unfamiliar with Mr. Sánchez?  You’re not alone.  A former Boston Red Sox farm hand, acquired along with current closer Mike Gonzalez for Brandon Lyon, Jeff Suppan, and Anastacio Martinez, Freddy Sánchez has teamed with power hitter Jason Bay to give the Pirates its first two young offensive studs since Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds roamed Three Rivers Stadium.  In June, Sánchez hit .380, scored 17 runs on 38 hits, 11 doubles and 14 RBI for an OPS of .961.

3B       David Wright, Mets – Get used to seeing his name in this spot on these teams.  In the field and at the plate, this kid can flat out play.  Like his career thus far, his June –

.327, 20, 35, 4, 1, 10, 29, 10, 3, and 1.048 – is a prime indication of that.

SS       José Reyes, Mets – Why, when Joe Mauer hit a ridiculous .452 last month, did José Reyes also deserve such prestigious recognition?  Aside from his 14 stolen bases and four triples – season highs for at least 90 percent of the league – he hit .373, scored 28 runs, accumulated 41 hits, 10 doubles, three home runs, nine runs batted in, eight walks, and an OPS of 1.038, remarkable given his predilection to bunt.

LF       Raúl Ibañez, Mariners – One of five – Morneau, Sánchez, Francisco Liriano, and B.J. Ryan are the others – newbies to this squad, Raúl Ibañez has been a fantasy enigma for going on six years now.  What a respite June was, then, for both he and his fantasy owners.  .326, 22, 31, 6, 1, 9, 27, 15, 2, and 1.109 will quickly make managers forget past mediocrity.

CF       Carlos Beltrán, Mets – Last month, The Fantasy Man opined: ‘I doubt anyone will ever doubt Carlos Beltran’s talent – or fantasy moxie – ever again.’  Beltrán than followed his May up with .316, 24, 30, 7, 0, 8, 25, 16, 5, and 1.058 in June.  To which TFM says simply, ‘Amen.’

RF       Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners – Absent from this team since August 2004 – then, amid his record setting 262 hit campaign (and .372 average), his second straight appearance after being named WSW Player of the Month for July – Ichiro makes his triumphant return a little less than two years later.  Arguably back to his dominant form, in June he hit .386 (44 for 114), scored 20 runs, accounted for three doubles, a triple, three homers, and 12 RBI.  He was also a perfect 8-for-8 stealing bases and finished the month with a .936 OPS.

UTIL   David Ortiz, Red Sox – .277, 20, 26, 3, 0, 8, 22, 21, and .974.  That is why they call him ‘Big Papi.’

SP       Francisco Liriano, Twins – Although I pride myself on being a wordsmith, to fully illuminate not only what kind of stuff this kid has but to convey what he unleashed on opposing June batters, I can only provide you with cold, hard data.  Four wins against a loss in 35 innings pitched, from which he surrendered just 22 hits, nine runs, and seven walks.  He struck out exactly one batter per inning, while amassing a 2.31 ERA, holding opponents to a .177 batting average against, and a ho-hum WHIP of .83.

RP      B. J. Ryan, Blue Jays – If A.J. Burnett can stay healthy the rest of the season, the Toronto Blue Jays – thanks in large part to free agent acquisition B.J. Ryan – may have a shot at making the postseason.  No earned runs and just four hits in 12.2 innings?  Almost as impressive as his 15-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .103 BAA, .55 WHIP, and nine June saves.

And now, a word from our readers . . . . :

”Thanks for having the courage to compare eras.  [‘All-Time Fantasy Team’: http://www.atomicsportsmedia.com/article_486.shtml]  Too many writers cop out with the ‘you can’t compare different times in sports.’  I think you are on the money about Babe Ruth. Not enough is made of the fact that this was a guy who could have pitched every fifth day and played outfield the other four while batting third in the lineup. Nobody like him in the 80 years since, even at the minor league level. . . .  How could Mariano Rivera not be the RP, or at least honorable mention?  2.33 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, more broken bats then anyone in history. The only pick on your roster I have a serious issue with.” – Peter Doyle

FANTASY TIP OF THE WEEK: Though still free agents in many leagues, Orlando ‘El Duque’ Hernandez, Scott Olsen, and Matt Cain can capably capture your league’s championship for you in the first weekend of October.

Next Week:  More Sage Advice from The Fantasy Man

Disagree with the TFM?  Believe his advice not so sage?  Think you could easily dominate him in a round-robin fantasy tournament?  Email him – fantasy_man@atomicsportsmedia.com – to talk smack or set the record straight.