Larry King’s Fantasy Baseball News & Views (Vol 5)
May 12, 2009
Category: Larry King
USA Today might no longer appreciate the insights shared by Larry King in his long-running column but we at Razzball were thrilled when he accepted our invitation to share his thoughts on Fantasy Baseball….
Greetings fantasy baseballers! I’m tingling all over and I hope it’s because of fantasy baseball…Am I the only one that wants to call that Ranger kid Nelson Cruz Jr? I sure hope he names his son Nelson. Or Caribbean….. If hustling on the baseball field cost 5 cents, Marco Scutaro would have to stock up on nickels…… Don’t worry about Brian McCann – I sent him to my opthamologist Dr. Schneweiss…… I’m glad I don’t own any bases because I’d be afraid Carl Crawford would steal them……. Mr. Rollins may be slumping but he still puts the Jimmies on my baseball sundae….. Am I the only one that wants to call that pitcher on the Cardinals Adam Wainwright III?…. Is goosenfeffer a word?….. The Nats bullpen is equal opportunity these days – it must make President Obama happy….Fare thee well, Jim Bowden. You are a 5-tool human being in my book……Speaking of GMs, wouldn’t it be funny if there was one named Ford? Or Chrysler? Or Lenny?……Am I the only one that wants to call the Florida middle reliever Pope Leo X Nunez?…..Pronounce it tomato or tomahto – it still makes for a delicious juice….. If I was Edinson Volquez’s teammate, I’d nickname him Crazy Eddie because his lack of control is insane. I’d nickname Aaron Harang “Wolfgang” because Mozart loved a good rhyme….. I breathed a big sigh of relief when Casey Kotchman tested negative for swine flu….. I finally found the MLB Network on my cable box and I love it. Harold Reynolds must be drinking from the Fountain of Couth…… Am I the only one that wants to call Cardinals pitcher/lawyer Mitchell Boggs and ask him to take my 5th wife out of the will?….. That new Yankee Stadium is something. I got box seats behind the plate and, before I knew it, I was sitting in the right-field bleachers……. You know why people shortened doughnut to donut? Because there’s nothing ‘ugh’ about them…..
Tags: fantasy baseball
May 12th, 2009 at 11:58 am
gold
May 12th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
The Loudon Wainwright III joke was funny on several levels. He and Larry could be best buds!
Is this really Volume 5 in a series? If there are four more of these posts out there, I will hunt them down like Chipper Jones on the first day of deer season.
http://razzball.com/category/contributors/larry-king/
May 12th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
@Grey: Beautiful.
May 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
classic mug shot. Remove the specs and add a stache – he could be a your brother from another mother. Weird and wacky stuffff!
May 12th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
typo: could be, Btw- funny shiz.
May 12th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Someone had too many Daiquiris
@Thunder Dan: Ah…Loudon Wainwright III…that’s who I had Adam Wainwright mixed up with. I knew there must’ve been a reason. Thank you Mr. Majerle!
May 12th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Quentin out tonite, reason unknown.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
@Elijah: Sore left heel, Quentin will be out until Friday at least.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
@Larry King: I had goosenfeffer for supper last night, delish!
You take a goose, preferably Canadian, stuff it with an old tennis shoe, pat it with olive oil and slow cook it at 300 for 4 hours.
When the timer goes off, take it out of the oven, throw the goose away and eat the tennis shoe.
Bon Appetit!
May 12th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
@Grey: We’re starting Parra tonight, right Thelma?
May 12th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
I have some offense to spare (HR and RBI mostly)…looking to pick up another top line SP.
I give Kemp, Cano, Sherrill and Percival
for
Crawford, F.Lopez, CC Sabathia
I think I pick up runs, SB, AVG… lose some HR and RBI….and obviously 2 closers for CC is a do.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
@NoonTime: That might not be good enough closers for Carsten but it’s fair.
Ultimately though, he may be giving those guys for Kemp and Cano.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
start Slowey tonight?
@BigFatHippo: Mmm… Betcha that makes it so tender! I’m starting him. Prepare to white knuckle your desktop as he racks up the walks.
@NoonTime: It’s fair if steals, Runs and a pitcher is what you need.
@I’m Keith Hernandez: In 12 teams or deeper.
May 12th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
@Grey: The old Chuck Taylors went best with goose, these new Sketchers are kinda tough……….
As for Parra, I have Halladay to offset his WHIP in one league and hopefully Weaver and Hochevar do the same in the other. I’m livin on the edge babeeee!
May 12th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I offered Ibanez and Jurrjends for Tex and he declined it. Would Ibanez, Garza and Morales be more fair or am I overpaying for Tex? thanks in advance
May 12th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
@G: In 3-1 trades you always have to think of who he/she will have to drop. Depending on how deep your league is Morales might not be worth much. I don’t think I would really contemplate that trade unless all three were huge upgrades at each position.
@G: I’d still want Tex there.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Would Lee, Ibanez and Garza be good enough to acquire Tex or am I overpaying. If its fair I will try it out
@G: What Lee?
May 12th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Repost from previous thread – didn’t get my Grey love, though The Baron chimed in and said he’d “be tempted” – which is exactly what I am!
5 man keeper league in a 6×6 league (Standard 5 + OPS). My current keepers are: Longoria, Kemp, Lincecum, A. Gonzalez, Holliday.
Just got offered: Longoria for Jose Reyes and BJ Upton.
This would likely put my keepers at: Reyes, Upton, Linc, Kemp, Gonzo
My debate is really about Power/Speed ratio. Although I see the value of pulling the trigger on this deal, I’m concerned that my Power numbers will suffer as a result. Speed can only take you so far and I need some reassurance in one direction or the other!
May 12th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I give
Gregg, Kevin (P)
Kazmir, Scott (P)
Cabrera, Miguel (3B)
Upton, Justin (OF)
for
Jackson, Edwin (P)
Hernandez, Felix (P)
Pujols, Albert (1B)
Ramirez, Alexei (2B)
Win or Loss?
@The Dude: I’d go for Reyes and Upton. Then you can always flip Reyes for another big bat if you need to.
@Doc: Not crazy about it for you.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
@Grey: Really?
Pujols > Cabrera
Felix > Kazmir
Alexie ?? Upton
E Jackson ?? Gregg
I don’t know how to compare the last 2, since it’s a matter of position and categories (infielder, outfielder, starter, closer). But I’d much rather Pujols/Felix than Cabrera/Kazmir.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
oh shit my bad derek lee..tried to get rid of him earlier but im thinking its a little too late. But would D-Lee, Garza and Ibanez be enough for Tex?
May 12th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Was Adam Jones made this happen!
Lovin me some AJ right now, 2-2, 2 donks, 4 rbi, he’s my MVP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 12th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
@Grey: Don’t look now, but Peavy has run support.
@Mark: Pujols and Miggy is a wash if Miggy is at 3rd which Doc said he is. Alexei is preferable at SS, Doc has him at 2nd. Felix is better than Kazmir. Upton over Alexei, Gregg=Jackson. It’s close. Comes down to the big names and I’d want Miggy. I’d do Felix for just Kazmir/Gregg.
@G: Sure
@Steve: Haven’t turned on the TV yet, Headley bomb? Please say yes.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
@Grey: Regrettably, it wasn’t. 2-run shot from A-Gonz.
@Steve: Bummer.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
@Grey: Fair enough…I was assuming no big positional crunch and on those terms, I want Pujols by a little. I think Kazmir’s toast, so I want Felix. I’m probably undervaluing Upton, I’m just not sure he’s not going to have another long slump this year.
A-Gon dinger, not Headley, sorry.
@Mark: BTW, nice ’stache.
@BigFatHippo: You see your man Ludwick get hurt?
May 12th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Y’all have probably seen this and one must take Ricciardi’s pronouncements with a grain – nay, a small mound – of salt, but he’s saying that even when Ryan comes back, Downs will still be the closer.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
@Grey: Wait a sec….are you seeing my gravatar? The only avatars I see are razzball guys (you, Larry King, etc).
May 12th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
@Grey: Pulled a hammy trying to make a diving catch? DTD
Didn’t see it unfortunately, cable shut off, long story short…….roomie’s been stealing cable.
Is it bad?
@Steve: Hmm… Weird announcement.
@Mark: I have bionic eyes.
@BigFatHippo: I hope it’s bad, but not sure it is.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
It’s been a while since I have owned Tex right from draft day. What a spirit-crushing experience it can be at this time of the year.
*****Frank Francisco has biceps tendinitis.**** I’d grab Wilson. Neither him nor Guardado are pretty, obviously.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Frank Francisco is out with right biceps tendenitis!! Is CJ Wilson really next in line? I’m thinking I’ll drop Kip Wells for CJ.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
2 HR’s for Thome tonight….is he playable in a 12 team league? If only he had 1B eligibility….
May 12th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
@Grey: Blasphemy!
Schadenfreude, jealouschnoid, whatthefuckism, and lots of other words I can’t make up right now.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
@Grey: Thanks Grey.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Add Rasmus b/c of Ludwick injury?
May 12th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Safe to drop Aardsma for C J Wilson, then?
May 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Drop Ray or Tommy Hanson for CJ Wilson?
@Tony B.: Sure
@vinko: I did in one league.
@I’m Keith Hernandez: Neither.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
@Grey: Doesnt look that serious, gonna try and trade for Francisco. Yahoo is so slow to post injury news……..
May 12th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
How does Mauer keep hitting HR’s?
May 12th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Chris Davis 1/2 1 HR 1K, guy really only swings for the fences. Thank god I traded Uggla away in this league or my BA would be in the toilet.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Chien-Ming Wang tossed six shutout innings in his first rehab start Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
May 12th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
@Doc: Yep, 6 K’s and 3 walks.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
When a LM vetoes a deal is the league owners alerted that the deal was vetoed or stopped by the LM or does it just tell them that the trade was vetoed by owners?
I”m a LM in a group where A-Rod was just dealt (pending approval from league) for Bonifacio, R. Soriano and Feliz.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
grey…do you think brandon webb is going to be okay???
in a keeper system would you trade webb for jason bay? or naa…
May 12th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Youk to the DL.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
@Johnny Walker: You can’t veto that trade on your own. Wait for the league vote.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
General strategy question: in a yahoo league, I’m already significantly behind the Max IP projection, mostly because I’ve been holding on to D. Price, and Kershaw refuses to go more than 5 IP.
At what point would you look into trading for an extra SP or spot starting?
May 12th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
@PJTres: Yes, I would do that trade in a heartbeat, esp if you have a chance at winning this year.
@Jobu: If a trade’s there, you do it now. I wouldn’t worry about the Max IP. I’d be more worried about falling behind in Wins and Ks. If you’re doing that, then you need to look at potential trades or picking up pitchers.
@Mark: Thanks for the heads up!
May 12th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
votto hurt now,leg i think,,just waved for help off the field
May 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Hochevarrrrggghhhh!!!!!
May 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
@Grey: 230 Ks in 211 IP so that ratio is fine and dandy, but yea Ws are a bit behind.
Have Price and will probably grab and stash T. Hanson too, so my second 2/3rds or 3/5ths of the year should catch up with IP… but still:
offenses you’d spot start against? SF and OAK spring to mind. Maybe AZ too? (Obviously I’d be rational about the pitcher – No Ponsons!)
I was just roofied!
May 12th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Hocheva screwed my team in a big way!!!
May 12th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
L. Hochevar – I think I am going to sell low here
May 12th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
@Grey: And me. Who does he get next? Gotta hold him for another start, right?
@Steve: You’re a braver man than me. I’m so done with this guy. I won’t be able to walk for a week.
IT WAS THE A’S!!!!
May 12th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Kevin Youkilis – he should be back on tuesday – yea back on the DL
May 12th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Forgot SD in my little message. Sorry Hochevar-dudes.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
@Grey: Ha! Not saying I would hold him, just whether I should.
I have my answer!
What’s worse, my H2H opponent has Cahill…
May 12th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
@Grey: me too, i’m dropping his sorry a** to pick up a Ludwick replacement (who i just aquired in a trade that went through today!!)…Nyjer, Choo, Morales, Cameron, Drew are all on waivers, any suggestions on who to pick up?
May 12th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
bradley is also out there but he’s been sucking pretty hard
May 12th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Zimmerman now has a 30 game hitting streak, is 2-2 so far today. Longest hitting streak for third basemen in the last 25 years.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Watching MLB Network and every cut to Hochevar is cringe inspiring. Drop Branyan for Ian Stewart?
May 12th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
@Paulie Allnuts: I’m rooting for Zimmy, and the Elias trivia is interesting, but I find hitting-streak-hype so incredibly boring. He’s 24 games from the record! That’s, like, the whole streak, doubled. Wake me when he gets to 45.
Like an aluminum pan of Jiffy Pop, Brandon Phillips is warming up nicely. Take that, swine flu!
Sad note: I saw Colorado up 12-1, and instantly jumped to the box score to see how my boy Matt Holliday had contributed. Ah, muscle memory. Those were the days.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Hoffman is yet to allow a run. Boy, that 84 mph change that he throws is devastating…especially when he mixes in the 71 mph SUPER changeup.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Pwnson’d! Holliday singles in a run off my old Razz Mascot!
@Dexter: p.s. yes, pick up Stewart.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Apparently Votto had some problems with “dizziness.” Weird.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Joe Pauer?
May 12th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Grey – are you starting the Wolfman at Philly tomorrow? I mean, I’m not expecting a win or anything – heaven forbid!
May 12th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
@Steve: did you get caught hoch,wang and dinker tonight
May 12th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
@AL KOHOLIC: Yup – got Hoch’d in two leagues and Peavy’d on in two as well.
I do have Cain dealing for me, though.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Fowler or Stewart?
May 12th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
see what trade the comish did with his second team in keeper?right after i posted that about berkman
May 12th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
@Steve: Or at least I did. Jesus.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
@Steve: yea, thats rough..I got Hoch’d but had Ubaldo to level out my stats to a nice 9.00 era and 1.76 whip so far for the week, woo
May 12th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
@Steve: zimm has a good game going,errors cost him but 8 k`s
May 12th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Wow, and to think, I was really kicking myself for not being johnny on the spot with the Hochevar pick up. Not feeling too badly now, since my H2H matchup had him and started him. Doh!
Plenty of wiggle room to spot start Zito now!
May 12th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
@Steve: Same here, in 4 leagues!
May 12th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Trade Greinke for ARod straight up? Still have Haren, Cain, Lowe, Slowey, EJax & Parra for SP.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
“Ham, show me on the doll where Hochevar touched you.”
@JJK: Sure, if you need a 3rd baseman.
@Ham: Ha!
May 12th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I. Hate. Wins.
@Grey: Starting the Wolfman tomorrow?
@Steve: Yeah, unfortunately. Hochevar made we rethink a lot of things. He’s broken me down, Steve!
May 12th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
@Grey: I’m feeling you, man.
No – not like that.
Dude cost me two points in both ERA and WHIP although F-Cord got some of that back.
At one stage today, I had 11 points in all pitching categories, except Wins.
Where I had 2.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
More classic Razzball greatness.
Good laughs after a brutal day of work.
Gracias.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
I used the, “If you’re not starting him against the A’s, why is he on your team,” line to the guy who was leading ERA/WHIP in our league. Grey, thank you sooooo much for giving me this gem of a line, as he just dropped 5 points in the standings.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Gotta love that Loudon Wainwright III joke.
A big SONAVABENCH! to Jim Thome, who, on the first day I bench him all season, goes yard TWICE on me. Even worse, the guy I start instead (Balentien of all people) doesn’t even get to play. SONAVABENCH!
Just not a good day overall, what with Hochevar, Burnett, Masterson and Zimmermannnn starting for me. Sorry but I had to share.
May 12th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
beimelwanged
@cubbies299: It was a black day here at Razzball. Glad it helped someone.
@DrEasy: A very, very dark day. Loudon Wainwright III knows our pain.
@AL KOHOLIC: Nice.
@ep: De nada.
May 12th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Zobrist has been playing some regular ABs recently, is Maddon seemingly willing to give Zobrist some chance now? what’s your take on Zobrist situation?
Also in quartet of Getz, Coghlan, Kelly Johnson & Zobrist, what would you feel is the best combination from here on out?
My money is definitely NOT on Getz, that’s for sure…..