Here at Razzball, besides doling out fantasy baseball advice, we also host a contest to field the worst fantasy baseball team. The worst fantasy baseball league signups are just about at capacity, but if you’re finding us late in the preseason, you might still be able to get in, or not. I really have no idea. That’s Rudy’s department. But I’m in one of these leagues, so I thought I’d share with you my fantasy baseball worst top 20 list. When I did my worst fantasy baseball rankings, it took far longer than for my other leagues. You literally have to change every single default ranking (except Howie Kendrick who was about 150 regularly and turned out to be about the same after reranking– there’s always one, I tell ya!). Just a few words about these schmohawks, catchers are all bad, excluding about 5 guys, so there’s no reason to grab a catcher early. But, even with that said, I couldn’t lower Kendall past 10th overall. He’s just too awfully good. Also, there were no pitchers in my top 75. Again, there are so many terribly terrific pitchers, it was hard to move Carlos Silva up. Though, I really wanted to. Finally, just because someone is in my best worst fantasy baseball top 20, it doesn’t mean I absolutely hate them. Steals aren’t counted, so Bourn, Taveras, etc. are invaluably bad. Anyway, here’s my fantasy baseball worst top 20:
Hot diggity damn I cannot wait to start playing this game.
“At the 8th pick, the Baron takes… Marco Scutaro.”
Is there a place on the site where the Razzrules are laid out? I’m still a bit shaky on minimum IPs and ABs, etc.
@Baron Von Vulturewins: p.s. Luis Castillo’s been looking surprisingly useful this spring…. though he’s dropped out of the leadoff spot, thank goodness.
@Baron Von Vulturewins: D’oh — got it.
http://razzball.com/2009-fantasy-razzball-leagues-taste-the-schadenfreude/
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Luis Castillo looks great. The injury concerns and his very deep position has him in my top 50, but not top 20 obviously.
Oh man, I’m late to the game, but this looks excellent. Any room left in any of the leagues?
@Hardcore Midget: You need to follow the link in the post and comment on that post for Rudy to hook you up, if there’s room.
@Grey: Long time no talk, were you having trouble sleeping? Hey again, H2H Points League where I missed out a round early on Yovani Gallardo. Would you trade Manny Parra (in my rotation) and Adrian Beltre (sitting the pine while I own Wright, Longoria, and Encarnacion) for YoGa? Encarnacion is my U spot.
My current rotation:
Billingsley, Shields, Danks, Slowey, Parra, and Fausto with only Scott Baker and Maholm on the bench.
@Grey (continued) if it helps, Gallardo is projected to put up 369.5 and Parra at 294.5 and Beltre at 351.
@Juice: Yeah, I’d make that trade.
@Grey: Isn’t that Luis Castillo right there at numero 7, or do mine eyes deceive me?
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Oh, right. Um, who said that last comment? Yeah, I guess my last second rejiggling pushed him up and Kevin Frandsen down due to playing time. My bad.
@Grey – when will the 1b to target drop? did I miss it? if not, I am curious why you haven’t posted it.
@Grey: You going to do a Razz100? Or at least throw a few nuggets of wisdom out for us newbies?
I assume the general strategy is: Find the worst starting player at a position. Draft that guy.
Why oh why did the Royals bench Tony Pena Jr.?
@James: I skipped 1st base because I don’t think people should be taking fliers at first, but then I started talking with Kendry and Kotchman and they got me thinking. Maybe I’ll throw one together for tomorrow.
@Baron Von Vulturewins: It seems too niche for a whole post, but maybe I’ll do one next week. Or maybe Rudy will do one. General strategy is find guys that are extremely valuable for their defense and the manager says things like, “We need him in our lineup.” Oh, and any Texas pitchers.
Off topic but an exploding post-it note just told me that Chris Perez has been shut down for a few days with shoulder soreness.
@Steve: Thanks for the heads up. Seems like it’s definitely Motte or Franklin at this point.
@Grey: John McDonald, come on down!
@Grey: I’m thinking Josh Anderson of Atlanta might be good. I know he has speed and might lead off, but he had 12 RBIs last year.
12.
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Totally! You’ve got the idea. Centerfield is a great place to look. A’la Pedro talking about Karim Garcia, “Who are you, DeWayne Wise? I do not know you.”
@Grey: Swap Perez for Motte?
ugh . . . is Perez dropable or should I stash him?
@Steve: @Doc: Drop Perez. It’s between Motte and Franklin. Really depends on how those two do in the next two weeks and I could see it even going into the season with them. Motte’s a better pitcher so when in doubt go Motte, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Franklin get the job.
EDIT: Typo. Word.
@Grey: If not a blog post, it certainly should be a forum post.
Also, I wish there was an easy way of importing these rankings. Takes fo-ev-a.
@Grey: My RPs in my RCL team are BJ Ryan, F. Cordero, Nunez and Putz… I guess I should drop Putz and take a flier on Franklin (Motte has been drafted)? Or would you just keep Putz?
Endy Chavez in LF would have the potential to be razztastic…
@Freak: Maybe, depends on demand.
@Vince: I’d go Franklin and drop Putz.
@JR: Definitely!
From Rotowire:
With Chris Perez sidelined with shoulder tendinitis, Motte has taken a commanding lead in St. Louis’ closing sweepstakes, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
@Grey: DEMAND!
I run a similar “Bizarro” league, but also award points for GIDP, Errors, and Caught Stealing for the hitters, and Blown Saves for the pitchers.
Julio Lugo was the MVP until he hurt his knee: so many GIDPs and Errors!! (Eric Gagne was great too.) Just putting together the league again for this year and doing my projections… curious to see how are rankings differ.
Dude, Mr. Figgins is gonna hurt your squad by not sucking this year. Just saying he ain’t gonna have a .318 slugging percentage and 21 RBI’s.
Available at 2nd in Yahoo leagues and a great value near the end of the draft.
@Pops: Thanks for the heads up. Yeah, sounds like Motte has the edge, but I don’t think this is over yet.
@Freak: Okay, we’ll see. Rudy thinks concocting your own strategy for this is part of the fun.
@Dave R: Cool… Yeah, we try and make a bit more predictable on the hitting and pitching side. Check out our rules if you like.
@PhillyYorker: 5 HRs from a 3rd baseman is hard to pass up. (Yet, I love Alex Gordon and he had like 17 HRs. Hmm…)
@Grey: You’re probably right — let people fend for themselves.
@Freak: Every Razz for himself.
@PhillyYorker: I kind of like Figgins as a late Plan C at MI in Yahoo, as well. Don’t tell anyone, though.
oh. my. god. it took me like 2 hours to put together a list that is *gasp* SHOCKINGLY SIMILAR to this one. poo. may the efforts of my razzball draftees to not suck be as wasted as those 2 hours
although i had missed this ishikara fellow… and he looks delightfully wretched for first base. 3 homers in under 100 at bats though? Not sure I’m comfortable with that even with so many SOs
@cockyphoenix: Yeah, it’s really no joke. You need to reevaluate everyone. You never thought you’d be be considering where to draft Brian Moehler, right?
@Grey: yeah, and I’m terrified that every pitcher I draft is going to get the manager’s hook for good one day
@cockyphoenix: BP has him in for 350 ABs so you’re looking at 10 to 12 HRs. That’s shockingly good. Aurilla’s an awfully nice platoon guy to partner him with.
@cockyphoenix: Oh, yeah, totally. If you play your cards right, most of your pitchers will be demoted sometime in July.
@Grey: yeah, and you have to get the mileage out of them while they last. Seems like both FA/waiver competition and player turnover will be much higher than in traditional scoring
Players battling injuries are another potential goldmine: “So-so says he can’t feel anything below his right elbow but he’s determined to play through it.” Sign ‘em up. It is the razzball version of a streamer strategy: Stream the injured guys, and throw ‘em back when they look healthy. “Hey, I got 75 razztastic at-bats out of Hideki Matsui before they finally put him on the DL!”
@cockyphoenix: @JR: Yup. You don’t know how long I ran Gorz out there last year, longer than the Pirates I believe.
Then throw in the lousy old guy in a bad hitting park (B. Giles). Cha-ching. Give Griffey more ABs! Hideki’s gonna face Lincecum in interleague? That’s wonderful! It’s much more intensive on the waiver wire.
A suggested celebration when you win a Razzball, RCL or any other league you care to mention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJn5L1nrkL4
@Steve: That’s awesome. I can’t believe the other kid didn’t punch him.
@Grey: And did you notice what the score was?
@Steve: Yeah, which was surprising cause they both seemed like above-average ping pongers.
@Grey: Can’t imagine what dooode would do if he actually won the game, as opposed to just winning a point.
Cody Ransom is a serious sleeper.
Grey- 12 teamer keeping Beltran, Berkman and Kemp and 2 from the following- russ martin, Chipper, pence, KRod bleh.
@Schlitzy: You have to keep two more? If so, Pence and Chipper. They ain’t great though.
@ Grey- thanks and i agree
How come Juan Pierre isn’t in the top 10?
@Erotic Joe: Not enough projected ABs.
Steals don’t count? You’re a vagina.
Awesome. I’m excited for this league.