Happy Presidents Day, or as it will be known next year, King Trump Day. Since you’ve got the day off from that job you tell your wife you’re going to every day only to sit in the car beneath an underpass where they filmed 97% of last year’s True Detective, why not get your fantasy on? Not your fantasy where it’s you and that girl from high school in a tub of Alphabet Soup! That fantasy baseball fantasy! Because you know what would be really cool? If you could join a fantasy baseball league that was against, like, 1000 other fantasy baseball teams. But not a 1000-person league, where people are trying to figure out who the back-up third baseman is on the Single-A Astros affiliate, the Corpus Christi Amscrayers. No, this is a 12-person league designed so you compete against eleven other people in your league, then 90 other leagues of twelve. That would be cool. Oh, wait, we’ve done that. It’s called the Razzball Commenter Leagues, and they’re back, and you don’t even have to be a commenter to join it! For a limited time only, get your loved one a fantasy baseball league! That’s right, your hearts go pitter-patter or you’re dead on the inside (my condolences). Since back in June when you abandoned your fantasy baseball team because it was totally sucking and you returned to your cubbyhole of leftover Chinese food and Teddy Grahams, you’ve longed for this day. As Bob Marley sang, this is your redemption song, mon. Or womon, for our five girl readers. It’s time again to join some fantasy baseball leagues. Before you close all of your extraneous porn windows and rush to sign up, let’s explain how these fantasy baseball leagues are going to work. We’re going to have a bunch of leagues and crown a winner from each, then we’re going to crown ONE winner from all of the winners. We will be crowning the winner by taking each team’s points and multiplying it against a ‘league competitiveness factor.’ If you want to see how it worked last year, go here. (You’ll see a name up there that you might recognize as the eighth best — ME!) So we’re going to fill up as many fantasy leagues as we can for the next seven weeks. Each fantasy baseball league will be a mixed league, 12 team, snake draft, roto, 5×5, 5 OFs, one Middle Infielder, one Corner Infielder, one Utility, 9 pitchers, 20 game eligibility, 180 Games Started max, 1000 IP minimum. Like last year, we will again be going with TWO DL SLOTS. The only things you need to change from the default settings is the 180 Games Started and the TWO DL SLOTS. Please be vigilant about having the exact same league rules and setup as everyone else. The lineup is also known as: C/1B/2B/SS/3B/CI/MI/5 OF/UTIL/9 P/3 BENCH/2 DL with 180 Games Started and 1000 IP minimum. The fantasy leagues will be played in ESPN and they will be free to join.
We’re going to start with twenty leagues of 12 and see how we do from there. To join a league… Sorry, again for the people in the back of the room:
TO JOIN A LEAGUE
Click the LINK in the ‘League Link’ column (see below grid) and enter the PASSWORD at ESPN. Emails are there for some leagues, but you shouldn’t need to email anyone. You can join as many leagues as you like. If you join less than ten, people may make fun of you.
TO START A LEAGUE
Please create a league in ESPN based on the league rules reference above. Step by step: Hit Create. Then Create ESPN Custom (middle option), Name League, Change to 12 Teams, Restriction Type: None, Open to All Users, Access: change to Private, create Password, leave as Roto and Snake, Make Draft Date and Time, Create. From Default settings all you have to do is change to TWO DL SLOTS and 180 Starts by pitchers. So, you go to ROSTERS and Click “Edit Roster Settings.” There, change to 2 DL Slots and 180 Starts (the counter will change to 20.0 per slot). Then SUBMIT Roster Settings. Finally, Create Your League! (Important Note: Make sure league is viewable to public but requiring a password to avoid non-Razzballers joining.) When that’s finished, click here. You will be permissioned shortly so you can add your league info to the Google Doc (the below grid cannot be edited from this page). On that Google Doc, you will need to enter your name, league link, password and please UPDATE the number of openings as your league fills up. That’s it. Oh, and don’t use your bank account password. (Here’s a video Jay made to help some noobs. Is noobs spelled with zeroes or oh’s? Hmm, that might make me a noob at spelling noob.) You can start as many leagues as you like. If you start less than ten leagues, again someone could mock you.
THE BIG PRIZE
You win bragging rights. Not just any bragging rights, but the bragging rights that you beat a thousand or so other people, and you can emphasize the “or so” as emphatically as you’d like. What? Not enough? Okay, for this year’s prize we’re taking the bull out of bulloney. We are upping the ante. “Hey, Olympic high jumper, can you jump over this ante?” No, you can’t, it’s been upped too high. LOOK, it’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s our ante! “Excuse me, astronomer, is that a satellite orbiting earth?” No, son, it’s Razzball’s ante. They upped it. This year we are giving away an autographed baseball of the player who is my avatar. That’s right, an autographed baseball of… Well, you have to win to find out who the player is. Next, we’re giving an autographed baseball of the one, the only Oscar Gamble! That’s right, Rudy’s 3rd cousin, once-removed, Oscar motheffin’ Gamble! Finally, the winner will receive a $250 Best Buy Gift card, which can buy just about anything (under $250). I recently bought a TV that sits in the underneath of my toilet seat so when I whizz I can watch TV. Granted, I bought this in a dream I had and I was married to Sofia Vergara in said dream, but this must exist, right? Also, for s’s and g’s, I’ll throw in a Razzball t-shirt because I have 14,000 of these and sewing them together was a bad call; Cougs doesn’t want Razzball bedsheets. But, most importantly, you will be crowned the 2016 Razzball Commenter League Champion. Okay, now sign up…
Are they all daily leagues?
@The Talent Show: Yeah, get in one, or a few!
Hey Grey, what are your thoughts on this trade:
Hey guys, off topic, but I could use your sage advice.
I’m in a 12-team H2H 10×9 dynasty keeper league with no contracts or $ (keep forever). We have 40 man rosters (32 MLB and 8 MiLB).
The offensive categories are: H R HR RBI SB BB K AVG OPS TB
The pitching categories are: IP K/9 K/BB QS W SV+HLD HR WHIP ERA
Each spring we keep 28 guys (20 MLB and 8 MiLB) and we have a 12-round draft. I have an enticing trade offer that I’m mulling over.
I trade Strasburg/2nd round pick (24th pick)/7th round pick (84th pick) FOR Encarnacion/10th round pick/12th round pick
At SP I have – Arrieta/Carrasco/Cueto/Lester/Strasburg
At 1B I have – VMart/Ortiz
I’m enticed with EE’s power. I know he’s 33 and starting his decline phase; whereas, Strasburg is 27 and *could* put it together this year but I’m starting to have my doubts if he’s got that extra gear.
What side would you want to be on? EE or Strasburg?
@Jason: Edwin side
I need some help out there.
As a league manager II just set up a NEW keeper league on ESPN, but I don’t see any information on assigning salaries for players selected in my auction draft. I see that I can set keepers for next year’S draft, but what is the point if you can’t assign salaried contracts for the players you want to keep?
On CBS and Yahoo you can set salaries for keepers then deduct the amount from money available to draft from in the auction draft. But I don’t see the same for ESPN.
Anyone know where I can find this on the ESPN platform?
Thanks.
@Tom: Not sure, maybe someone else can help
@Tom: ESPN is horrible for keeper leagues. I asked Prospect Mike what sites are best for Keeper/Dynasty. He suggested CBS or Fantrax.
@Wheezy: yahoo’s the worst, at least 200 or so out of any top 500 list not in there at all prospect-wise (at least it was end of 2015 season, some names have been added since)
@goodfold2:
yahoo is good if you have little to no prospecting getting done. I have a few leagues on yahoo and they work nicely. As a point of reference they are all 12/14 teams and 25ish players per team.
yahoo has pretty much just the top 50 prospects, and to be honest, for me that s plenty even for a dynasty league. If you are doing just 1 roster (no MiLB roster) it works well since teams can still stash the big names, but keeps people from stashing an entire roster and tanking
Hey Grey!
Quick question for you. In a 16 team 6 player keeper league who would you rather have. Carlos Carrasco or Lorenzo Cain. My current keepers are: J.D. Mart, Lindor, Franco, Chris Sale and Jake Arreita. The cats are ‘SV,HLD,ERA,WHIP,K/9,QS’ and ‘R,HR,RBI,SB,AVG,OPS. Thanks for your help!
@Evan: Cain
@Evan: Cain
Grey!
Great work. Had a question.
In a H2H mixed points redraft league I have two slots for RP. In the RP I have Osuna, Britton and Velasquez as potential occupants. So the question…
Would you drop either Osuna or Velasquez to pick up Belt who is available? He would be a bench bat which I probably don’t need. I have Rizzo at 1B and Polanco in the U. Thanks.
Cheers,
Ante
@Ante GALIC: Thanks! Velasquez
@Grey: Thanks, man! Almost vomited watching this movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1883180/). Saw this one (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2714900/) and it made me think I love good movies made in North America.
Cheers,
Ante
You sign up for an RCL?
@Grey:@Grey: Grey! May God (that includes you and Fantasy Master Lothario) help me. Joined one of Jack’s leagues. My first stab at Roto, it will be a big adjustment from years of H2H though I have passed all the information and all questions everyone has asked you through my memory banks so maybe some Roto information remained. Will be scouring the net for Roto tips on how to win the draft. Our draft is March 16. What’s the best online info for roto leagues?
Also, going to have to find to find a way to rosterbate without my wife asking too many questions. Am a procrastinator by nature so…
Cheers,
Ante
Just beat Jack! The info I give is for roto, hello…
@Grey: Ah!!! And that’s why I’ve been losing in H2H all this time! Damn…Just kidding I know the difference between roto and H2H and of course the league will be super competitive from many standpoints – draft, in-season moves, daily setups – to mention but a few.
We’ll see what happens. I’ll try not to piss off Jack immediately.
Cheers,
Ante
First rule, piss off Jack!
Hey Grey, your pitcher rankings have put me in a position where I’m not sure who to keep. I won my league last year (thanks!) in part by loading up on pitching after I had sealed up offense. I ended the year with these guys, but I can only keep two. I realize what your rankings suggest, but I would imagine determining your keepers requires some thought about who to pair together (i.e. maybe one young, one old-ish?):
Scherzer
Kluber
Cole
Syndergaard
Carrasco
@Skeezix: Scherzer, Cole
Couple problems with these leagues. Since they are free, u have 1/4 of the people stop trying by june so it’s basicly u vs maybe 1 or 2 other competent players. Other is there’s a starting pitcher starts limit not a free agent acquisition limit. So on a daily basis I find my self making several roster changes to maximize output… cutting middle relievers to sign scrubby middle infielders when bats have off days or on full slate days cutting my bench bats to pick up middle relievers who i think would get work that day. Things like that where the active management becomes more important than the quality of the team. it became tiresome and I had like 102ish points most of the season but once my money leagues heated up I didn’t have the time to manage this free league that closely. These leagues should be 10$ buy in. Or more $. Free is for the birds.
@the swinging: Cool
@the swinging: Some people run RCLs that cost money to join
@the swinging: Yes, my RCLs all had at least four quitters in them. Also, my teams sucked as I either drafted bad and/or I have no clue how to play roto. So the whole experience for me was not great.
The only way I will play this year is if I find or create a h2h league with money and some sort of keeper aspect. If that happens, I may join a RCL just to give it another shot.
@Wallpaper Paterson: You can find a money league but they won’t allow arbitrary keeper leagues to be part of this.
I guess the only way you could pull off a keeper RCL is if your league agreed to it this season, then you spin it off next season and run it independently of Razzball.
@SwaggerJackers: You misinterpreted my post.
First of all, I may not play fantasy baseball at all this year. If I do play, it will be because I got into a h2h league that I believe is good.
If that happens, then I would join an RCL for a second league. I would join one of the free ones.
@Wallpaper Paterson: Okay, that makes sense. It’s kind of surprising that someone reading and commenting on a fantasy baseball blog in February wouldn’t play fantasy baseball. It’s an addiction, just go with it!
@Swaggerjackers: he’s always talking about what he’s quitting or not. he’ll be bumming smokes at the bar from friends and non-friends alike by may 10th.
@the swinging: i’m in much bigger than $10 buy ins where owners basically quit by around then too. or go AWOL for maybe a month or so at least. probably about 2-3 per league.
Happy Prez day,
Keeper question:
Which side ya got:
Miggy/Liriano/McCullers vs Cargonz/Cain Sugar/Iwakuma
@nightpandas: Aw, prezii, what happened to that young brother… Miggy side, it’s fairish
@Grey: he went into the night with the wind. I’ll hit him on twitter again
You see where I am?
Gearing up for the 2nd year of my keeper league. 6×6 10 team roto (R,HR,RBI,SB,OBP,SLG and K/QS/ERA/WHIP/SV/IP)….this year and in 2017, we get to keep the player in the round he was drafted (undrafted in the 25th round)…we still need to vote whether they are keepable at 2015 draft spot for 2018 or if we will make the third year ADP…
Todd Frazier – 8th round
Arrietta – 11th round
Joc – 13th round
Xander – 16th round
Syndergaard – 25th round
Which 3 do I keep? Thanks
@Z: Frazier, Arrieta, Noah
Would you pick up Frazier over Franco in a Dynasty league?
Yeah
Signed up for Smokey’s Towering Inferno. Who do I have to kill to get into Grey’s league?
Tehol
@Old School Brother: go find kid a in the bushes outside tehol’s house, he’ll probably have a knife to lend you. tiptoe around kid a’s son (or was it father?) he’s 2nd generation stalking (when you stalk a stalker while that first guy is stalking)
Good morning, when do the keeper rankings come out?
Thank you guys for your entertaining and useful fantasy advice!
Should be shortly on the keeper rankings
Pick one:
I can keep either:
– Kris Bryant in Round 6 (Round 4 next year)
– Rizzo in Round 9 (can’t keep him next year)
– Carlos Correa in Round 15 (Round 13 next year
Correa
The doctor is in, first time in the RCL’s! Feel like it’s the first day of school.
I checked out the Stretch & Bobbito documentary this weekend, it was awesome. You should give it a watch….”Radio that Changed Lives”. Missed the after party though due to 3 degree temperature and snow…..oh, plus I’m old now.
Nice, Noisewater! I almost watched it last week, saw it was gonna cost me money and I cheaped out and watched a documentary about Saco and Vanzetti, which was terrible
All about the wrongfully accused docs now? I still never watched the Investigation Discovery program on Steve Avery.
I also watched the Nas: Time is Illmatic documentary Saturday because I woke up with the TV still on. So good.
You ever watch the Chameleon documentary about the guy who impersonated children? I read about that about 4 years ago and still never watched it.
The thing on Discovery about Avery wasn’t good…Thrown together to ride any buzz from Netflix… Nas one was decent, I watched it a while ago… Chameleon, huh? Never heard of it, sounds like that horror movie Orphan… You ever watch Imposter? That was great
Imposter is exactly what I was thinking of! Chameleon was an actual movie about him, not the doc. I need to see Imposter then?
I’m not a big horror fan but that jut reminded me of Goodnight Mommy. They were saying is the scariest movie ever or something earlier this year.
Yeah, you should check out Imposter it was good… So, this is where I am right now: http://characterchatter.usanetwork.com/wkc/show.php with my mom’s Westie, he’s going for Grand Champion!
You are actually there?!?! As we speak? That is, literally, amazing.
This is the greatest day of my life, and tomorrow my Mom’s dog shows… This is incredible! BTW, my mom’s dog’s grandfather was a grand champion of Westminster…His grandfather is only 4 years old!
Haha, I got nothing. This is all too incredible.
You tailgating and harassing other dogs?
My job is to support my dogbro and talk crap to the other dogs, psyche out and generally diss
“You wouldn’t get your butt sniffed if you pooped chocolate covered roses!” Bow wow!
It’s a slow work day.
You’re mom’s a bitch! No, really.
Yo mama’s hind haunches are so wide. How wide are they?
Yo mama’s got Eukunuba hanging out of her butt! No, really, she does.
I found out my dogbro drinks only Evian, for electrolytes… Not joking…
Super water! I never want this thread to end. Can I get play by play for the next couple days?
Of course, Noisewater, this needs to be shared!
Awesome. Is Best in Show as accurate as I’m hoping?
So which dog should I cheer for whilst I drink Mad Dog 20/20 and taunt the other canines by pump faking a tennis ball throw?
You need to cheer for my dogbro!
How will I know which is your dogbro?
I assume he will be the only one ranking the top 100 pre-show favorites while giving mustaches rides to bitches.
Haha… My dogbro is tomorrow at 10am with the Westies in Ring 2… His name is Max…
If, no when, Max makes it I’ll have to record the event….if my DVR doesn’t laugh at me and try to make me a Match.com profile.
If your DVR has a problem, put it in touch with my enthusiasm
Haha! My lady likes Pretty Little Liars so it would have mocked me all it could by this point.
DVR obviously looks the other way for lay’s choices, so it’ll likely think Westminster is for her anyway
So what’s the scene like there?
Imagine Best in Show, off Broadway
YES! I was hoping you’d say that.
@Dr. Kenneth Noisewater: mad dog lowered it’s alcohol % from 18 down to about 12-13 some years back. much better off with some other ghetto wine (white port for kick, awful taste though, thunderbird-like)
@Grey: I’ve had Impostor in my queue. I’ll move that up with your endorsement. Glad to hear it’s good.
Yeah, it’s great
Is Imposter on Netflix?
@Dr. Kenneth Noisewater: Yeah
It is, yeah
Thanks guys, that will be watched this week.
No problem, Noisewater
trade – BLAKE SNELL AND HEANEY FOR RODON – I get snell and Heaney – keeper league – do you think snell could be better than Heaney
do you think snell could be better than Rodon is the question
Rodon side
Awesome and appreciate! So….good LUCK trying to get sneaky with a bunch of razzballers in your league. So a realistic RCL scenerio could be
Bryant 9th
Springer16th
Bogaerts 37th
Hosmer 44th
Keuchel or Ross 61st
It’s after this it gets tricky for me anyway. At 68th Desheilds (big drop in power)….Schoop K.Davis Pederson(drop in ave. ). At the end of the draft my ave. sucks big time because the rest of my picks are decent players with upside power rbi runs and maybe sb.
My question is how low can my average go and still be competitive? Maybe a better question is…has anyone won the RCL league with a realitivly low average?
Thanks!
Sure, you can win with a low BA, but you need to do well in everything else obviously…
Hey Grey! Got invited to join a long-standing 12-team root keeper league (my first keeper league), where me and 2 other guys are taking over for 3 now-dead teams. To pick our respective keepers (7 each), me and the 2 other newbies are snake drafting across the dead team rosters.
1. Below are the guys I can pick from (I’ve listed in no particular order the non total schmohawks only). Who should I target first when snake drafting?
HITTERS
Matt Duffy $5
Starlin Castro $13
Ryan Braun $27
David Peralta $6
*Ender Enciarte $6
Kevin Pilar $8
Hunter Pence $25
****Jose Abreu $25
***Todd Frazier $16
Logan Forsythe $4
Kyle Seager $17
Cameron Maybin $4
***Joc Pederson $9
**Eric Hosmer $14
**Charlie Blackmon $20
Billy Burns $3
Khris Davis $9
PITCHERS (some good options)
Madison Bumgarner $41
Michael Pineda $6
Jordan Zimmerman $17
Nate Eovaldi $8
*Yu Darvish $14
Cliff Lee $5
*****Chris Archer $8
Luke Gregerson $4
Mike Leake $5
***Luis Severino $8
Adam Wainwright $15
Zack Greinke $30
Kenley Jansen $14
Mark Melancon $8
Roberto Osuna $7
Trevor Rosenthal $17
**Drew Smyly $6
**Stephen Strasburg $16
Alex Cobb $17
2. My plans for this year in the full league-wide auction draft are basically to target Razzball sleepers and spotlighted rookies only, hoping that next year I’ll have better keepers. Does that make sense?
1. Frazier or Archer 2. It does make sense, yeah… You should join an RCL!
@Grey: Thanks! Yeah, I was thinking super cheap talented guys first, who I could hold onto for a while.
I think this year might be the year! I didn’t think I could do more leagues (the keeper makes my third now), but I keep getting more into it!
Gotcha, no problem
Why are you in this post? Come to my newest post
Oops! I was looking at an old post myself, hahaha… My bad
My league is 4×4 roto no Ks for P. Can you name a few guys that ranking would be significantly higher without the k’s.
You need to go to my rankings or https://razzball.com/steamer-pitcher-projections and sort by guys that are low in Ks but high in other cats
Grey, what league are you in??
It’s a secret! Kidding, I’m in the league I’m the commissioner of
@Grey: Ok, just start one more then. do you talk trash in your leagues??
Yeah, of course… Ask JFOH from last year
@Grey: and on here too.
Krush Jr going to Krappy O.co, blech! My shiny gold nugget now looks like a Sun-Maid raisin. He had a 16/11 split last year, which isn’t too disconcerting, but the .296/.190 has me very concerned. I know you’re not that big into home/road splits, but Miller is a launching pad and O.co is where 35HR seasons go to die. Thoughts?
I updated him in the top 40 OFs, I’m not concerned… Miller was obviously better, but he has 30 HR anywhere
@Grey: I was in Pomona for the drag races and my buddy on the east coast was like……. you’re not going to like the news about the trade the just happened. Domingo Santana get a bump now Krush is gone?
Yeah, I moved Domingo up into the top 60 OFs… It’s not news that makes him better, don’t think it hurts him much though either
Davis that is
@Grey: I was actually quite Krushed when I initially heard about it, so thanks for making me feel better about it!
I really think it’ll be a push, he was gonna platoon in Milwaukee and he’s going to be full time in Oakland
@Teddy Heater: you went to the drags? damn, I can hear them from my house I live so close.
In regards to the O.Co and Davis, the park had the 9th best HR% for right handed hitters from 2013-2014, the 2015 data hasnt been updated.
I didn’t go to the drags, see my convo above with Noisewater
@Grey: See my convo below about going to the races with my Dad’s BF. I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this earlier…… My Dad’s BF is first cousins with Teresa Halbach!!!!!!!!!! We were on the ride home and we were talking about something and he was real low key about it (he’s a fishing, hunting, car guy, so not a big TV or internet guy) Kelly and I were like WTF did you just say?!? Do you know how big that story is, blah, blah, blah. We got some good back stories on a lot of stuff that wasn’t in the documentary.
I need to hear about this more
@Grey: Concentrate on trash talking the other Dogs, we’ve both had interesting weekends!
The best is the judges that check their balls… It’s not thankless because I’m thanking them for the laughs!
@Grey: They do everything except check the oil! I was blindly grabbing for the remote last night and accidently ran into a bulldog butthole. Last time I lazily just try to do a couch sweep without looking.
Haha… I haven’t looked up in five hours… Can’t be too careful walking
@J-FOH: JFOH!! I signed up for your initial league so we can battle it out. Thanks for the heads up on the HR info, you’re the go to on that shizz. Love it!! Yeah, the drags were awesome this weekend!! My Dad used to take me back in the early 80’s because he used to sponsor a driver, so I got Nitro in my blood. He passed 15 years ago, so I haven’t had much motivation to go, but his BF found my sister on FB and we reconnected. Needless to say he needed a partner to roll with him and Kelly loves the shizz too, so we had a blast. He dialed us in with the Eliminator Club, so we were 3 rows up on the start line and got all the bells and whistles! They’ll be back in November for the final race of the year if you’d like to join us.
@Teddy Heater: Hells f***in yes! Dude we used to get wasted on top of the parking structure at the NHRA headquarters in Glendora. I always went as a kid, my parents garage is still full of posters I got from the drags in the 80’s and 90’s. My buddy has the best stories because his dad raced in the 70’s and 80’s and you would see pictures of shirley muldowney and dan grrlits in his house. Damn, now I want to go watch two lane blacktop and heart like a wheel.
I live so close that I hear them every year, hell I get mexican food at that little hole on fairplex right next to the fairgrounds. My only problem is I spend so much time in the pits I miss half the races
@J-FOH: I used to love the pits too, but they weren’t the same as a grown up. I think it’s because we can actually drink beer and chat it up instead of waiting in lines for autographs and pictures. You’re definitely going with us! Brett (my Dad’s BF) and I went through a bunch of old pics with my Dad and we had a bunch with Garlits, Prudhomme, Eddie Hill, Kenny Bernstein, Dick LaHaie. My Dad actually ran over Dick LaHaie’s parachute spring in 82-83 Winternationals. I’m bummed I didn’t mention this before, would have been great to have you there, but you’re in for Nov!!
Grey, would appreciate your thoughts on a keeper question…
5×5 H2H. I can keep 5 of the guys below (assume price is similar), what’s your preference order?
Yordano
Tyson Ross
Odorizzi
Salazar
Matz
McCullers
Stroman
Salazar, Matz, McCullers, Stroman, Ross
@Grey: Thanks!
No problem
Anyone else interested in a $100 buy-in RCL?
Active owners only, start to finish.
I only have my work e-mail and don’t want to post that here, but if you leave a reply with your address I’ll be in touch…
I’m sure people will fill it if you put in the notes on the spreadsheet it’s a $100 buy-in
@Grey: Yeah, okay — I should just do that…
I’ll just need to create a new e-mail address first.
Then I would list the buy-in instead of giving the password, right?
Yup, exactly
@Grey: Okay, I *think* I did that correctly. But I’m a noob (or n00b) at creating an RCL, so let me know if I messed something up…
I’ll check later, thanks!
Looks good, Yabu!
cram, that gravitar… assuming that is our belt?
@mauledbypandas: Haha. Of course!
@Cram It: We are going to need some new blood this year if we keep going. Otherwise you may be the belt’s final resting place.
@Cram It: any openings?
@FrankGrimes: in the FCL? there will be for sure if we keep it going. are you interested?
@mauledbypandas:
yea for sure. I had time conflict last years draft.
@FrankGrimes: shoot me an email. Trying to see how many old-timers we can get [email protected]
Haha
@mauledbypandas: Are you registered for our FCL yet? I don’t know if I’m waiting for an email invite or what. Last year’s league isn’t showing up on my ESPN homepage.
@Cram It: JFOH deleted it I believe. I am trying to gauge interest in the old guard and see if we have enough people to rebuild our numbers. I sent an email to what I thought was your mail. Let me know if you didnt get it
@mauledbypandas: Yeah I just saw that email. Ha.
That sucks, I thought he just handed the commishing over to Truss. I guess if you or someone wants to organize a new one, we should be able to get the rest of the original crew and fill in from there.
@Cram It: If you see any of them direct them to me. I sent the email out but you are the only nibble I have gotten back.
@mauledbypandas: Word
@mauledbypandas: I’m say yay
@nick the dick: noted!
@mauledbypandas: I had to delete it, I remember Magoo having issues with when he tried handing champions league over. It was easier just to remove it from mine and let you re-start it. I’ll text Nacho and see if he’s in and also message steveNZ for you.
@J-FOH: thanks, I would like to keep it going, even if it morphs into something a little different. I emailed Nacho, Kid, cram, wake, stevenz, and nick. Looks like we would need a few more. I will probably start recruiting once I hear who is returning.
I don’t blame you for deleting the league, ESPN can be a pain to manage sometimes.
@mauledbypandas: I could jump in if y’all need a few more.
@The Great Knoche: Awesome, give me a little bit to see how many spots we are going to need to fill etc. Stay tuned
@The Great Knoche: Send me an email at [email protected] so I can send out invites once I’ve sorted out how many spots we have to fill.
@mauledbypandas: I’d definitely be interested in the FCL, if it stays intense. I had an e-mail exchange with MattTruss about it earlier today — he can vouch for me, and pass along my e-mail…
@The Big Yabu: awesome, I will let you know when I figure out how many people are coming back. It definitely will still be competitive or we won’t do it!
@mauledbypandas: Cool. And come to think of it, weren’t we in a league together last year? I was “Backdoor Sliders” in Night of the Living Zombinos and Razzball Champions League…
@The Big Yabu: Yup, I wonder what is going to happen to the Champion’s league this year.
@mauledbypandas: What needs to happen to get the Champion’s league going? I was hoping for another crack at that league. Good times.
@MattH: I am not really sure. I was under the impression that one of the writers was going to take it over but I am not sure if that is happening or not. When I did it last year I just solicited from the comments for last years winners. Anybody could do it I guess if the writers are not going to. What was your name in there again?
@mauledbypandas: That was my impression too. Maybe JFOH or another writer could weigh in. I remember you starting it last year in the comments and I just e-mailed you. My name was Johnny Utahs.
You guys should just put it together from last year’s…
@MattH: well if you are interested we might have some spots in the FCL. It will surely be competitive
@mauledbypandas:awesome. I’ll send you an e-mail.
Last year we re-ran this post every week of the preseason, I think this year it should be re-run every other day to get as many leagues as possible. I also think your every day commenters like Ante-Galic and Malicous should have to start a league….and where the hell is the unbreakable Kimmel Scott?
Did you make the cougs a special dinner last night?
I wasn’t home last night… I’m in NY, see convo with Noisewater
@Grey: shut the front door! Damn. That’s awesome
It’s amazing! I don’t think Teddy Heater’s seen yet… There’s 2500 dogs here… It’s mayhem!
@Grey: is grandpa joe in town. I want a selfie
Nah, he’s big pimpin in Florida…
@Grey: damn. sad emoji
I got my fathers day gift from my daughter last night. Rocky came on TV while I was making dinner and she sat down and watched the whole thing with us. Then Rocky 2 came on after and she watched the whole thing so I busted out Rocky 3 and she watched that (actually she passed out about 45 minutes in). It was a proud papa moment to share a childhood staple with your child.
Impressive she lasted through the first one… It’s a bit of a slog for a kid
@Grey: she liked the story which is weird because she is so immature.
I guess it’s not that heady
I aked her again and she really likes Mickey too
Hard to not like the grandpa
@Grey: Good luck Grey, is it at MSG? I work like 8 blocks from there!
Dogbro needs to win his class then it’s off to MSG for the big shizz
@Grey: are you enjoying this white stuff falling from the sky? It’s funny because I was in Joshua Tree like two weeks ago and the locals were telling me how crazy it was that it was snowing.
I brought one set of kicks and a onesie so not really prepared… Ready for it to be 50 tomorrow
@mauledbypandas: wait. You were in so cal and no call?
@J-FOH: Yeah, sorry! I flew in for my brother’s birthday party for a weekend of debauchery in the desert. The moon was howled at vigorously.
Drove straight to LAX the next morning and had a very hungover flight home. Next time!
@mauledbypandas: you should of flown into Ontario…and Im a little hurt, I miss taking some caps and stems and going out to the desert
@J-FOH: Yeah that would probably have saved me some traffic. I actually flew into Phoenix for other reasons, but flew out of LAX. I didn’t even realize you can do Ontario
@J-FOH: it appears scott finally understood that “no” or “don’t” means don’t do a deal. or just stopped getting offers.
For anybody, like myself, who works nights and weekends, I’ve set up an RCL that is scheduled to draft on a Monday (3/14) at 3pm ET.
http://games.espn.go.com/flb/tools/join?leagueId=11731&inviteKey=be027
password is iworknights
Not 3/14! Monday, 3/21 , is the correct date. Sorry for the typo.
14 team keeper league with a $260 budget.
I trade Domingo Santana $8 for Giles $8. Which side?
Works for me
is it less exciting to keep Soler in a points league with -1 for Ks or Buxton and wait…?
Soler would be 15th round and Buxton in 23rd forever.
BTW, Hi!
Hi, Chef! I’d keep Buxton forever
@Grey: i was afraid and hoping you would say that. only problem is i have to get Buxton now….
Although i did get Matz(15th) for Hamels straight up today. That was exciting!
Nice trade!
@Grey: well, just traded Salazar for Buxton in about 2 seconds. Wasnt going to keep Salazar and wasnt going to get much for him so its essentially a freebie like Matz was.
Looks like ill be going in with
Marte(9th rd)
Corey Seager(22nd)
Buxton(23rd)
J-Fer(9th. counts as 10th since i have 2x 9thrd keepers)
Matz(15th)
Should change my team to Upside Express, then midseason i can change it to ‘You MFers just wait until next year’
Haha, nice team name… Join an RCL, Chef!
@Grey: im considering, but i have to decide if i can bear the lack of excitement of a 5×5 roto league.
Im an admitted H2H fanboy. The Sunday excitement of hitting refresh 500 times before 4PM is unrivaled!
You get that excitement every day when switching out half your roster
@ChefBoyRG54: some people find the challenge of the marathon chess match boring. I say then they musn’t like baseball. The RCL is fun because you stream pitchers and batty call all the time to keep your interest, if thats what it takes. I have played both and the luck derived finishes in H2H are insulting to the time put into prep year after year
@J-FOH: i dont disagree with the luck part of the equation. Roto just lacks the divison races, rivalries, and week to week closure before restarting that ive grown accustomed too.
Ive done RCL in the past and am not saying i wont this year, but you hurt my feelings with the ‘must not liek baseball’ portion. Its the only sport i have left!!!
@ChefBoyRG54: sometimes you got to throw punches to get someone back in the fight….they were love punches.
@J-FOH: any room in your league?
@ChefBoyRG54: oh yeah we got.openings
@J-FOH: i prefer your final comment to come from a group of woman, but ill take it at face value
which league is yours and how do i sign up. ill play, but i got dibs on Rickey Henderson
Joined one of Jack’s leagues. My kids and I are going to manage a team.
Nice!
@GhostTownSteve: no mercy on the children of oaktown
Hey Grey
Im up to pick in my 12 team H2H 5X5 keeper league(we keep 10)
So far my team looks like this
C_____ 1B-D.Ortiz 2B-B.Dozier 3B-N.Arenado SS-C.Seager OF-AJ Pollock, J.Bautista _______
Util-M.Sano(3B/OF)______
SP-M.Bumgarner, G.Cole, J.Fernandez
RP-A.Chapman
Best looking bats
B.BELT
A.EATON
K.CALHOUN
C.DICKERSON
A.EATON
K.PILLAR
I.KINSLER
I.DESMOND
J.LUCROY
B.MCCANN
Pitching
T.ROSS
A.WAINRIGHT
G.RICHARDS
K.GILES
C.ALLEN
R.IGLESIAS
MCCULLERS
T.WALKER
Who do you like best for my team? Can you name a few you would consider here? I was leaning towards taking a pitcher here.
Belt, Eaton, Ross, Raisel… You don’t need a pitcher…
Good afternoon Gray,
I guess it is time for my annual keeper league question:
I’m in a league where you are allowed to keep players that have been drafted before they see any MLB service time, for a maximum of 3 years, for the cost of a 10th round pick. You can keep as many of these “rookie” keepers as you want, but the 2nd one you keep costs you a 9th round pick, the 3rd an 8th round pick, etc.
I am definitely keeping Lindor and Rodon with my 10th and 9th round picks, but I’m having trouble figuring out if Yasmany Tomas is worth giving up an additional pick for. In standard leagues I would almost certainly cut bait, but this is a 15-team keeper league(points). We have 25-man rosters, and there is no waiver wire. The only way that we can change our rosters after the season begins is either via trade or during one of the two supplemental drafts that take place during the season. I would essentially be giving up a pick between 106 and 120 for Tomas (and the right to perhaps keep him with a 10th rounder for one more year). Would you keep him or cut bait? He was not awesome last year, but if his bat can live up to the hype from when he came over last year it would be a huge value at that cost.
Thanks, and sorry if any of that was convoluted.
I’d keep Tomas
Hi Grey…..offered C Seager and De Grom for K Bryant…thoughts?
I’d want Bryant
one more thing I would end up with Seagar for extra 2 cheap years
Hey again, Grey! Looks like I got first pick in that “new teams to the keeper league” snake draft I mentioned earlier. Who would you pick first out of the following guys?
Archer ($8)
Frazier ($16)
Abreu ($25)
Stras ($
Allegedly from league members, due to the keeper element, someone like Abreu would go for $40 open market…though that sort of inflation would apply to all guys I guess…
Thanks!
@Duda Want to Build a Snowman?: sorry that was Stras at $16
Frazier, Archer, that order
@Grey: Thanks! Yeah, makes sense taking a cheap bat first, since other pitchers like Stras or Sev ($8) will be around at the bump, and I guess pitchers are always riskier bets than hitters in keeper leagues.
Looking a little ahead, there’s also a $4 Matt Duffy, a $9 Joc, a $14 Hosmer and a $20 Blackmon who will be around by my next picks. Any preferences there?
Thanks again!
Hosmer, Blackmon
Great stuff Grey! I wouldn’t have won my league last year without your help! The way my keepers have lined up, I’m heavy in the OF My hitting keepers are Rizzo (1B), Bautista (OF), Pollock (OF), Frazier (3B), Sano (OF).
I normally like to take the best player available, but I think need to focus on infield early, no? The problem is the early rounds are loaded with high-impact OFs that will be available.
If it’s a 3 OF league then you need to focus on something else… If it’s a five OF league, you can take any bat you want… If you don’t have any SPs, that should be your first pick
@Grey: Sorry, should have specified. It’s a 5 OF league, but we also start 2 at each infield position. I have Scherzer and Kluber as pitching keepers so I won’t be in a huge rush to take a pitcher.
If it’s 5 OF, I’d be fine taking OFs early
Best day of the year.
Great job on the rankings!
Thanks!
TRADE UPDATE WOULD YOU DO THIS OR NOT
BLAKE SNELL – NORMAR MAZARA AND ANDREW HEANEY FOR CARLOS RODON IN KEEPER LEAGUE
Pretty steep for future value
@mrbaseball: I want Mazara
Need your help…
15 team snake draft.
What would be the best #pick to have? 1-15?
Could you tell me your top 3 for this year? Better to be at the top, middle or end this year?
My draft is tmrw.
Thanks!
Middle…6-9
Are bench bats in this year or still out?
I’m not drafting bench bats
@Buffalo Runner: depends on your league and depth of your bench, In deep leagues you probably need one or two to deal with platoony tunes and even in 12 teams that have 5 or more bench spots it might work to your advantage if you do the platoon split time a position. It really depends on your league size, league settings and strategy
I give Greinke and Adam Jones.
I get Dees Gordon and Ian Desmond
Sounds okay, bit steep for Gordon and a guy that might be droppable
@Grey: I’m trying to get Dickerson instead of Desmond. If that doesn’t work what about Schoop or Grichuk?
Those work for me
So do e get any pics/selfies from the dog show?
What do you think? I’m 10% water, 90% selfies
@Grey: but do we get to see them? See any nice pekingese?
The hotel has poop bags at the front desk… This is something special…
@Grey: magical moments in manhattan
Yeah, that’s how I do
Dynasty…Are you trading Severino, Conforto and Dickerson for deGrom. ..Cause I am! Conforto and Dickerson were bench bats anyway so I’ll take the young proven pitcher over the young unproven pitcher. Hallelujah Holla Back..John Brown King of the Burbs.
Yeah, I’d do that
@Grey: Did you win best in show
@JeF WiTh 1 F: and this weather is funded up here isn’t it lol
@JeF WiTh 1 F: *Fucked
Yeah, rolled out the wet, slushy carpet
@Grey: Ha..from 0 degrees to 60 tomorrow
I can’t wait
Tomorrow’s the big day!
@Grey: you better be wearing plaid pants a bright red shirt and a fedora
@JeF WiTh 1 F: Go in there pimp style with that bitch (the dog) lol
You know how we do!
@Grey: Well good luck bro. .my cat Mr.Jinx will keep his paws crossed
Aw that’s sweet!
I need to show the appropriate flash, homeboy!
@Grey: no doubt..pop dat colla
Pimp limp!
@Grey: Ha Ha
ETA on keeper rankings? Thanks
@endershadow: it’s mentioned above as “shortly”.
Hopefully in the next week, ask Ralph
“extraneous porn windows”. best joke all year.
Hehe
Which of these deals do you prefer in a keep forever/no cost league?
A) Tulo for McCullers and Wade Davis
B) Arenado for Bogaerts and Wade Davis
C) Neither
Arenado
@Grey: if he already owns arenado and tulo would he do the tulo one?
Grey, besides Salazar, Lindor, Hosmer, Belt and Odor… Give me a few more names who you want on your team late in the draft…
Grey,
Need some help deciding on keepers. I am in a ten team, head to head points league. For keepers we are able to keep four players at whatever round they were drafted in and this continues every year and there is no limit on how many years you can keep a player. Here is my final roster from last year with the round a player can be kept in, I have the sixth pick in the first round this year in a snake style draft.
Brian McCann (15), Anthony Rizzo (11), Dee Gordon (6), Anthony Rendon (20), Yunel Escobar (20), Chris Davis (7), Adam Eaton (20), Lorenzo Cain (16), David Peralta (20), Madison Bumgarner (7), Jordan Zimmerman (2), Johnny Cueto (13), Alex Wood (9), Marcus Stroman (20), Craig Kimbrel (4), David Robertson (8), Dexter Fowler (20), Hector Olivera (20), Alex Gordon (15), Josh Tomlin (20), Corey Dickerson (2). If I pick two guys from the same round I lose that round pick and the round after. My initial feeling is Rizzo, Cain, Bumgarner, and Stroman or Davis. What do you think is my best bet? Thanks for your help in advance.
@Steve: Id go Rizzo, D.Gordon, C.Davis, Bum
Davis over Stroman. Bats you can re draft late round pitchers. Rizzo, Cain, Madbum good value at 7.
Hey Grey
Which 9 keepers would you protect in this 16 team 6×6 league?
Strasburg, Wainwright, Darvish, Julio Urias, Carlos Rodon
Chris Davis , Jose Altuve, Tulo, Ryan Braun, Gregory Polanco, Jay Bruce
Thanks in advance
Not Bruce or Urias
I noticed that my league is no longer on the masterlist. 11 other people joined and it’s totally full. Was there an issue? Should I post it to the masterlist again? What am I missing?
Thanks
Scroll down the list
@Grey: Thanks, oh wise one.
No problem
@Brokeback:
Oh, they moved down to the 80s rows. Sorry, I found what I was missing. Sorry for wasting your valuable and most precious time.
Is a slow draft on another site, then having the results transferred to the RCL created on ESPN an option?
I apologize if this has already been asked and or answered in the past.
Why not just do an ESPN draft? They take 90 minutes
@Grey: That’s great to know. Just was wondering if the other way was an option as well.
I’m gonna say no on the way you’re suggesting b/c it isn’t fair to the teams drafting in 90 minutes