There was good dialogue in the comments on my Curtis Granderson 2012 fantasy that I wrote while lip-synching to Taylor Swift. I’ll give you the gist since your clickie finger doesn’t always work so well. I’m paraphrasing, btw. Frequent commenter, Oaktown Steve, said, “Granderson was working the shortest part of the park pretty well last year. I think there’s something to be said for knowing how to take advantage of your home yard. Might have figured it out. When I saw him this year I saw very quick hands inside, especially against left handers.” I said, “And what if pitchers work him away more in 2012 and that short porch (that he had in 2010 that he didn’t work) does nothing for him?” Then Oaktown Steve said, “Different adjustments will have to be made. He gets 100 runs and 100 RBIs with no problem in that lineup.” Then I said, “He didn’t get 100 runs and 100 RBIs in 2010 in a solid lineup.” Then Oaktown Steve said, “His 2010 September was huge and that was portending a huge 2011.” Then I said, “Then is his poor September in 2011 portending a bad 2012?” Then Oaktown Steve said, “I never used the word portending. Are you even using that word correctly?” Then I said, “I’m not sure.” Then Oaktown Steve said, “I didn’t say any of these last few statements.” Then I said, “Yeah, but I have to wrap up this conversation somehow.” Then Oaktown Steve said, “It’s a wrap!” And I said, “Now you owe Bobby Valentine a nickel.” So what can we expect of Curtis Granderson for 2012 fantasy baseball and what makes him overrated?
His HR/FB rate last year was silly. Silly as in too high. Not too high as Cheech and Chong would’ve intended it. His career HR/FB% (with the huge 2011) is 13.9. Last year it was 20.9. Not repeatable, unless Zoltar’s still taking wishes. Last year his K-rate went up and his line drives fell. That sounds like a recipe for disaster that the Barefoot Contessa would not be happy to serve Jeffrey. (BTW, the Barefoot Contessa is wildly attractive to me even though she’s not attractive at all. Is that weird? I feel like everyone should have one totally weird crush, right? I’m jealous of Jeffrey. I’d like to poach her fish! Okay, I’m weird.) Grandy’s BABIP wasn’t totally crazy, but he’s barely a .260 hitter without luck. Okay, and he’s about to turn 31 years old. He’s getting better? Nope. His steals and power are there to an extent, so I’m not totally down on him in the sexual way (not that there’s anything wrong with that). He should be good for 27 to 32 homers and 15 to 20 steals. But because of all the potential pitfalls, I wouldn’t go anywhere near him in the 2nd round as he’s being drafted. Stamped: Schmohawk!
Another Ina Garten reference? This explains why, but Terrence Mann is gonna walk out, for reals.
@centralohguy, Why can’t I have my celebrity crush?
@Grey, More power to you, man. I believe it was T M who jokingly (I assume) said he was never going to read Razzball again (or something like that) after the next reference to her. I do like her recipes, which is a euphemism for recipes.
@centralohguy, I might just change my gravatar to her.
sad how a great value last year is always destined to be overpriced the year after. I’m looking at you Josh Hamilton. We had some good times Grandy, remember me well.
@mauledbypandas, Give Stubbs a chance this year.
Ugh Grey, really with Ina Garten? That stuck up Hamptons bish must look down on you, since I’m sure not all of the food you eat was grown organically in the Hamptons.
@Hardcore Midget, Why can’t I have my celebrity crush?
Oh sweet Ina! She is so happy to cook for Jeffrey and his many boyfriends! I don’t think you have a shot unless you…oh wait, you are always referencing Project Runway…maybe that tart will cook you a tort…
@Wake up, I’m gonna off Jeffrey.
@Grey, I think a cat-fight would suffice
@Wake up, Maybe I can just get him in a fantasy baseball league.
@Grey, I just saw on MDC that he went Napoli, Mauer, Posey in the first 3 rounds. Guess he has got a thing for catchers.
@Wake up, He likes pitchers who throw spitballs, too.
@Grey,
“@Wake up, I’m gonna off Jeffrey.”
say what ??
kudos for the Big reference
@mauledbypandas, Thanks!
maybe the word you were looking for was “foreshadowing”.
@Tony, portend (verb) : to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does.
Either works
Ina does nothing for me but I love me some good Bouillabaisse.
@CT Old School, I hope that’s a euphemism.
@Grey, why isnt it an euphanism? or an eunuch? the latter being what Ina will do to you if you off Jeffrey
http://foodnetworkmusings.blogspot.com/2009/02/ina-and-jeffrey-40-years-together-and.html
@mc serch, Mmm…Brownie pudding.
@Grey, Hmmm, not so much on the Ina, but I suggest you do a Google image search on Nigella Lawson.
@Steve, Rawr
@Grey, Tell me about it. Wait til you hear her accent.
Elsewhere, ever read The Corrections?
@Steve, Is that Franzen? I meant to read it, and never got around to it. Good?
@Grey, Yes. And don’t know. Guy at work is reading it, says it’s good, though not exactly an uplifting read.
@Steve, Not same author (though I think he provides a blurb on the back), but I want to read The Art of Fielding next.
@Grey, Oh, same. I’ve been meaning to order it for a while now.
I don’t see the Ina infatuation, but to each his own (I’d take Giada, if you like the hot-chick-who-can-cook thing). I’m think Grandy’s overvalued too, but 30-20 with good counting stats isn’t all that bad. I know that everyone and his mother loves him this year, but my vote for overvalued schmohawk is Stanton. He’s basically Bruce or Uggla coming off the board in the late second round. At least Grandy chips in some steals with his power and low avg.
@Big Magoo, First you bad mouth Ina then Stanton. Ouch.
@Grey, Just my two cents. Some of us have foot and hulking slugger fetishes, others prefer beer and toolsy, five-cat contributors. We can all get along.
@Big Magoo, Ha!
@Big Magoo, Giada’s pretty, but her mouth is just too wide. I know, I know… better fit, but there’s something about a girl with too wide a mouth that just creeps me out. It’s like her head is gonna split in two and fall off when she smiles.
Man, I should lay off the Nyquil.
@JoeC, Glad I’m not the only one who can claim the big mouth aversion. With her it’s both the big mouth and her manner of speaking. Double whammy.
@centralohguy, Yeah, I dislike the way she overemphasizes the Italian-ness of the names of some of the ingredients like when she says “ricotta” (instead of an Anglicized “ree-kah-ta” she says “ree-koh-ta”).
C’mon, you’re not in Italy and nobody in Italy is watching you!
@JoeC, Giada kinda (hey, almost rhyme!) looks like a dwarf in person. Don’t ask how I know that, okay, I stalked her.
@Grey, I know this is a family show, but still, I have to say, despite her dwarfism and ungainly bass mouth, I still wouldn’t throw her out of bed for reading Matthew Berry’s column.
@JoeC, Agreed, she’s knows how to dress a salad.
@Grey, Did you stalk Giada after you caught her barefoot?
@JoeC, Yeah, Giada is basically a midget with a freakishly wide mouth, but she’s a goddess compared to the majority of the other female “chefs.”
Ugh. I didn’t want Bautista last year, but took him in the third round (32nd overall). I can’t help but be nagged by the feeling that all this hatin’ on Grandy may be history repeating.
Here’s the question though: do you take any pitcher before you take Grandy?
@MStark, Top 100 overall is coming soon… Probably not.
just completed a trade that I have to say was 99% inspired by your writings ….this is in a 5×5 roto, with 12 keepers, and a money league.
My Mike Napoli . David Wright and Dan Haren, for Anibal Sanchez, Elvis Andrus and Evan Longoria……what say you?
@d2bnz, I like it.
@d2bnz, i say i don’t like it for you.
While you get the best possible player this year in Longo, you give up the #2, #3 and, possibly #4 for him.
But I ain’t Grey. His ‘tache is too pretty.
@YourMomsBoyfriend, Nah. He gets the better of the deal in the Longoria/Wright exchange, as well as in the Andrus/Napoli exchange (Napoli’s a good catcher, but a top 5 shortstop beats any catcher) and then gives up some value in the Sanchez/Haren exchange.
Overall, I think he comes out ahead.
@d2bnz, i like that trade for u. i like longo over wright, i like andus over napoli and i think anibel and haren can be pretty close. ss is a wasteland and i think andrus is one of the better ones. nice job!!!
In a 12 team auction, how much would Grey pey for, I mean, Gray pay, I, ugh, damn it. Granderson’s dollar value?
@peter, $29
I miss you grey!
Me: Oh my god oh my god oh my god, I got noticed.
Other me: Yeah, but did you also notice that you were the rube?
Me: What do you mean rube?
Other me: I mean Gray just used you as a foil to make his own argument look good.
Me: I don’t know…that doesn’t sound right. Gray is awesome. He entertains me with his Dennis Milleresque pop cultural effluvia and occasionally insightful fantasy baseball analysis.
Other me: Oh come on man. Gray is a bigshot blogger with literally dozens of readers to entertain. You’re just some schmo who posts in the comments.
Me: So am I a rube or am a schmo?
Other me: You’re a schmube is what you are.
Me: Hey do you think I could get schmube into the glossary somehow?
Other me: My god man you are sad Razzball junkie!
@OaktownSteve, You should really get out more, Steve.
Points though for using “effluvia” in a sentence that didn’t involve poop.
@JoeC,
Re: you should get out more…
I suppose that’s for the courts to decide.
@OaktownSteve, Yeah, it’s tough to be a gangsta.
@JoeC, I really should get out more though. Wife and I run a business and we have two young kids. Stir crazy.
@OaktownSteve, Wow. How do you have time for FB? I have no wife, no kids, no bizness (but I do have a yob) and yet you still schooled me in our RCL league last year!
Obviously you have built a time machine.
@JoeC,
Eh the business is not so hard to run. Really the call girls do most of the work.
@OaktownSteve, Reminds me of that line from the wonderful movie, Hollywood Shuffle:
“Winky-Dinky ho cakes… cause hos gotta eat too!”
@OaktownSteve, Nice rant. Hope you didn’t take offense. I wrote this post back when we were having the discussion.
@Grey,
Was totally kidding. Offense never taken.
@OaktawnSteve, I’m punting schmubes this year as part of my strategy
@Wake up, nice
@OaktownSteve, OaktownRube!!! Congrats for getting your 15 seconds of fame on a fantasy baseball blog. I’ve been trying to get something witty added to the glossary for years with no success.
@OaktownSteve & @Grey; and to think I started reading this article thinking ’99 comments? already?’
@A2K, Ha!
Yeah, Barefoot Contessa… I don’t get it. Maybe it’s the voice, eh?
For me, it’s Rachel Ray. I don’t know why. Maybe it was those sexy pictures of her that got out there. Gets a man to thinkin’. But she’s absolutely annoying as all hell, with her constant “EVOO” refrain.
The girl from Bitchin’ Kitchen though… ho, ho, ho… let’s just say that her kitchen is indeed bitchin’.
Bringing this back to baseball, in the forums we’ve gotten one particular topic to 4 pages. That must be a record. I assume that the forums are not so well-attended because you do such a good job of answering all the commenters (commentators?).
@JoeC, I think Steve has one topic that is like 12 pages long but that’s cause he keeps adding to it. I don’t mind me some Rachel Ray either. I basically just love any woman that can cook.
grey, please bear with me as this league is hard to explain:
in a 16 team league h2h keeper league
i have (so far)
santana, votto, tulo, longo, felix, and d.hudson as my “MAJORS” keepers
chris sale & kenley as my “Prospect” keepers
and matt moore and javy guerra as my “Minors” keepers
I traded for the first 3 picks in the draft…
based on that who would you pick out of jordan zimmermann, alex gordon, logan morrison, drew storen, axford, Jason werth, utley, howie kendrick (prob the top 8 names out there)
thank you
@the grate one, I have no idea what your team looks like from this, but I guess Kendrick, Gordon and Zimmermann.
@Grey, maybe i should have posted like this…does your answer remain the same? thank you!!!!
C: Santana
1b: Votto
2b:
3b: Longo
SS: Tulo
OF:
OF:
OF:
UTIL:
5 SP: Felix, D.hudson, Moore & Sale (both could be used as RP’s)
3 RP: Jansen, Guerra
can play all minors/majors/prospects at once – its just a way to classify keepers based on experience level (can keep up to 6 majors and 2 prospects, 2 minors)
thanks…
@the grate one, That is better. Kendrick, Gordon, Werth… I could see keeping Zimm over Werth, but your staff looks fine already.
@ Grey :
if we’re looking at big girls that can cook ,
i’m going with anne burrell .
a) she’s very clean when working with chicken .
b) and i like a girl that licks her fingers .
d) b>a
@chata, You’re on the clock.
@chata, HA! E) And she looks just like Guy Fieri.
@Grey, i cant stand her plus she cant complete a sentence.
LOVE the “Big” reference. Would you take Braun for Granderson in a non-keeper where Braun does the 50-game suspension?
@The Miracles, Nope
oh might grey,
trade question: 12 team NL only 5×5 dynasty keeper
I give:
Kershaw ($15 – last year), James Darnell $1-5yr), ferderowicz $1-5yr, Rubby De La rosa $10-5yr and casey kelly $2-5yr
I get
Mad Bum $11 – 2yr
Utley $5 – 4yr
goldschmidt $10-4 yr
take it?
@Wise Guy, Looks good for you.
I like how this has turned into a who’s the hottest girl competition. Can’t believe no one has mentioned Padma yet. Now there’s a Lotus. I’d love to smell her bud. But, I can’t help but think about Salman Rushdie everytime I see her now. And speaking of salmon, I’m preparing Ina’s Wild Hand-Caught Salmon, served with an olive oil poached wild-hand-picked pomme frites, and organic wild-caught-dill-scones. Just fabulous!
@Wake up, Padma doesn’t really do it for me. I like my girls big and pompous. Not skinny and pompous. Fine line. Actually, it’s not that fine. It’s bit of a wild, thickly drawn line.
@Grey, You’re right. What was I thinking? I’m over her and her tiger-ravished body, too. I just hope that after she hears of this, she’s able to just put her onesie on one leg at a time, just like everybody else and just keep on chugging. I’m moving on to that chick from Chicago. She’s not that attractive or nice, but at least she’s a controlling biznitch.
@Grey, nice on the thickly drawn line too…as they say…the quickest way from point A to point B is definitely not by way of an Ina dinner party…..
@Wake up, Ha! Chick from Chicago? Catherine Zeta-Jones?
@Grey, oh, current top chef…are you watching?
@Wake up, Oh! Yeah, I picked the Chicago, Sarah girl to win. Though now it looks like it’s a shoo-in for Paul. Maybe my girl will upset him. (BTW, I picked her during the first episode; if I were picking now, I wouldn’t pick her.)
Everyone is absolutely allowed one weird crush; mine is Gary Oldman. Speaking of… I watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy last night. Chef recommends!
@Awesomus Maximus, I just thought of a meme. Someone should put Gary Cole’s head on Gary Coleman’s body with the caption, What chu talkin’ bout, Milton?
@Grey, And put a piece of flair on him for good measure.
Grey No Ogando or Lidge in top MR. Any comment on either?
@Side, Ogando wasn’t much of a starter, contrary to his ERA, and Lidge can’t stay healthy.
@Grey, is Grandy the first ever schmohawk keeper?
@Skeptic, Nope… Guys shoot up the rankings from year to year making them keepers and overrated at the same time.
@Grey, Makes sense. Is there a Luebke fantasy post forthcoming? I get to keep him for a 20th rd pick so it’s a nobrainer but I’m wondering if I should view him as a keystone of my rotation or simply a good value for a 3/4?
Ps why Ina and not nigella? Too obvious thus lacking snarky effect?
@Skeptic, Why not Ina? There’s no Luebke post forthcoming right now, but he’d be a great number 3.
@Grey, She’s like one of those girls that you keep trying to think of what they’d look like if they dropped several pounds/years; been there, done that too many times. Plus the whole I-can-be-such-a-whimsically-rebellious-entrepreneur-because-I’ve-got-a-sizable-safety-net thing bothers me about anybody (though I suppose the same could be said for nigella). She has fantastic recipes though.
@Skeptic,I would love to lay my head between Nigellas cheeks and go to sleep
@steve b, Ha!
Grey,
just curious, I know you did the LABR league last year. What types of leagues do you normally play in? “only” leagues? auction? keeper?
It seems like the majority of people on this site used mixed leagues (which i guess is probably the most popular type of league).
@The Talented Mr. Dope Man, Two Only leagues, 5-7 mixed, all different sizes.
Where are Rudy and Stephen this year? I hope everything is alright!
@Skeptic, Rudy had a kid but he’s around. Working on Point Shares. He has a post coming next week. Stephen couldn’t handle writing once a week, he’s gone.
i love that other British lady that cooks French food.Those accents knock me out.Plus she has 1940′s cartoon music as a background
@steve b, Julia Child?
@Grey, no she’s on the cooking channel
Hey lay off Nigella guys, shes ours!
Still the best chef on tv.
I can see why you’d point to his HR/FB rate and think it is not sustainable so I won’t argue that point, but you should note that his fly ball rate by itself was not abnormal. In fact, it’s been over 40% ever since he was a full time player, was 49.3% in his last year in Detroit (30 homers, bigger park), and has been above 47% three years in a row. We know with that Granderson supposedly made adjustments late in 2009, which we assume led to his break out. We also saw him transform himself earlier in Detroit when he went from a 20/20/20 hitter to more of a flyball hitter. It seems like a progression from being a speedy line-drive hitter to a flyball/homer hitter-a progression which is supported by other stats and a style that fits the new ballpark. The only question is how long it is sustained due to regularly aging. I think the skills are there, it’s just a matter of aging curve.