xnady.jpgXavier Nady, Pittsburgh Pirates: This one’s pretty simple. Nady has never hit righty pitchers (he boasts a career .744 OPS against righties, versus an .873 mark against portsiders), yet this season he has inexplicably smacked the bejesus out of ‘em (.945 OPS in 88 at-bats). A few weeks from now – likely after he’s dealt back to the left-leaning Metsies – Nady will embody the phrase “regression to the mean.” Meanwhile, out of deference to Xavier McDaniel, let’s put our teensy brains together and see if we can come up with a better nickname for the guy than X-Man. You know, like Son of X-Man.
 
Stats through Sunday: .347 BA/.406 OBP/.542 SLG, 4 HRs, 30 RBI in 118 at-bats
 

clee.jpgCliff Lee, Cleveland Indians: Through his first five starts, Lee’s numbers look like something from one of those little leagues where 19-year-old pitchers with rigged birth certificates mow down prepubescent fifth-graders. But look at who he’s put ‘em up against: the A’s (sluggish offensively), the Mariners (in a two-year hitting slump), the Twins (who frequently approach the plate armed only with swizzle sticks) and the Royals (who have yet to score a run this decade). Maybe Lee has turned a corner, or maybe he has merely benefited from being pitted against bench detritus. What do you think, inspector?
 
Stats through Sunday: 5-0, 0.96 ERA, 32 strikeouts and 2 walks in 37.2 innings

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