Cliff Lee not only signed with a team finally, he signed with the team that would give him the most value from the three rumored suitors. (BTW, Rumored Suitors would be an awesome R&B album title. If you’re reading Jodeci, take it, it’s yours.) Carlos Ruiz got a new battery mate and the Philly fans don’t have to throw batteries at anyone until at least 2013. The Adverb’s return to Philly makes me think he can easily be a top ten starter in 2011. The Mess and Gnats can’t hurt that. Even in Citizens Flank he’s pitched, like, Excellent Lee — 2.52 ERA, 1.00 WHIP in 5 starts. The Phillies now have the top three WHIPs for starters in the major leagues last year, with The Adverb coming in first with a 1.00. A 1.00 WHIP in 212 1/3 IP goes a long way to helping a fantasy staff that is filled with Brain Freezes. Wins are obviously unpredictable. Somehow the Phillies have to lose at least 50 games. And Lidge can only realistically be relied on for 10 of them. For 2011, I’d give The Adverb the line of 16-6/2.95/1.05/190. I.e., Fo’ realz? I.e., Day-uhm. I.e., Yup. Anyway, here’s some more moves and what they mean for fantasy baseball:
J.J. Hardy – The O’s aren’t sitting idly by while the Red Sox put together an all-world team. No, sir. They landed J.J. Hardy. You know how you make J.J. Hardy look like an upgrade? Play Cesar Izturis at shortstop the year before. The left side of the infield may hit a combined .240 in Baltimore. They could also hit 60 homers. Hardy could be a nice endgame target in AL-Only leagues. Though a full season of at-bats is far from a guarantee with Hardy. Though II, The Return of Though, in a full season of ABs, Hardy’s should be good for 17 to 22 homers. Though III, The Bride of Though, his average won’t be pretty.
Russell Martin – Yeah, the Yankees are going to play Jesus Montero any year now. Only 2011 isn’t going to be that year. As I’ve been saying for the last two years, the Yankees just aren’t the type of team to turn over catching duties to a rookie. This move will help Russell Martin’s value, but let’s face it his value could only go up at this point. Before, I wouldn’t have told you to ever draft Martin. Now, I could see taking him in the very last round of a draft. I wouldn’t expect a return to his year in 2007 when he hit 19 homers and .293, but a return to a 10/10 year with good Runs and RBIs because of the lineup seems possible.
Hideki Matsui – Signed with the A’s. The porn loving Hideki Matsui said through a translator that he can’t wait to give the A’s his best shot. Matsui’s barely ownable in mixed leagues even when he’s hot, so this is more of an AL-Only blurb. So in AL-Only leagues — meh.
Brendan Ryan – Signed with the M’s. Know how you make this look good to your fans? Have Jack Wilson as your starting shortstop.
Maybe Montero is going to Royalero?
If it was fantasy you’d say the Phils have too much pitching. Anyone think they might trade one for a big bat?
@Elijah: If it gets them Greinke, I could see it.
@Steve: Pretty doubtful.
@Grey: Lol freakin awesome blurb on Matsui. The Phillies rotation is nasty right now. They are now a virtual lock to make the World Series. Russell Martin goes to New York so he can be closer to the stomping grounds of his look-alike, Turtle, from Entourage.
Cliff Lee to Phillies. Unbe-Lee-vable. Greatest rotation of all time?
@ThE sHiT: Ha… He does look like Turtle. Nice!
@Capital City Goofball: It’s definitely up there with the best.
the line up is great if they all stay healthy…..
just imagine the Giants meet back up with the Phillys in the NLDS….
pitching wise its still about a coin flip…. one team gets to an ace, the series can sway real quick….
@Grey: Just to talk about Morrow again for a second, if we’re talking about taking him in the 12th-15th round (as per previous post), that probably makes him more of a 4th starter, no?
Seems a bit early to be taking your 5th.
@Steve: 15th would be 180th overall. 12th would be 144th. Decent sized gap there, but, yeah, I said grab him as a 4th or 5th fantasy starter, so it’s around there. Probably closer to 4th.
@Grey: Yeah, I zipped over 3-4 rounds there like it was nothing.
Like others have said, wouldn’t surprise to see him going earlier than that once we start drafting for reals.
BTW – you’s have to think that anyone rocking up to a Phils game in – say – June 2011 is in with a pretty good chance of seeing a better-than-average pitcher on the hill (emoticon).
@Steve: Yeah, there’s a good chance you’re seeing a top pitcher, for sure. Assuming no injuries and you don’t get Blanton.
@Grey: Hah – be just my luck to get a Contreras spot start.
I SEEN OTHER GOOD ROTATIONS – THEY ALL HAD NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT
1993 Braves
Greg Maddux (20-10, 2.36), Tom Glavine (22-6, 3.20), Steve Avery (18-6, 2.94), John Smoltz (15-11, 3.62)
Record of 104 wins and 58 losses
Braves lostl to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games in the National League Championship Series.
1998 Atlanta Braves
Greg Maddux (18-9, 2.22), Tom Glavine (20-6, 2.47), Denny Neagle (16-11, 3.55), Kevin Millwood (17-8, 4.08), John Smoltz (17-3, 2.90)
Record of 106-56
Lost 1998 League Championship Series (4-2) to San Diego Pades
1971 Baltimore Orioles
Mike Cueller (20-9, 3.08), Pat Dobson (20-8, 2.90), Jim Palmer (20-9, 2.68), Dave McNally (21-5, 2.68)
101-57 – lost world series
Admin question. So a guy doesn’t pay his league fee (supposed to be paid initially) or his transaction fees at the end of the year. Money is paid based on percentages.
Should the five people who money pay on percentages (winner wins 50% and pays 50% of the guys who doesn’t pays cost, etc.), split the cost five ways or another option I’m not thinking of?
@Black Beard: Could everyone pay their own original percentages and end of season percentages, then split the cheap one’s fees equally?
@Black Beard: option B, tell the dude to quit being a DOOSH!
I’ve gotten screwed twice by one guy, owes me $150, its very annoying, especially when we’re college graduates, over the age of 25? I mean come on….
We made a rule in our league that money had to be in PREDRAFT, or you lose your team, set the date like 2 weeks before the draft, moneys not in delete that guys team and find another GOOD OWNER.
Another thing I’ve not used but I’m in a 20 team basketball league that uses something called “League Safe” which you have to pay this online site, it sends a NAG email every frikkin day annoying the piss out of you “reminding” you that you haven’t paid. It’s also nice because its the system and not the commish having to do it. You weren’t allowed to draft until money was paid in that league as well. It was a live draft so that made it kinda difficult to get around.
Good luck man, people who play and dont pay piss me off! thats my two cents for the day!
@Tony: It really sucks when it’s friends and family. Leagesafe worked well for me, even the free options. People who are afraid of online banking won’t like it though. I would recommend manual setup as opposed to express, since it gives you more control over the info your managers enter. As a matter of fact, I have my Leaguesafe prepaid VISA card in my pocket as I wait for a featured keg to be tapped at this bar… thanks, friends and family!
@mr baseball:
You forgot…
1965 Dodgers
Sandy Koufax (26-8) 2.04 ERA 382 K’s
Don Drysdale (23-12) 2.77 ERA 210 K’s
Claude O’Steen (15-15) 2.79 ERA 162 K’s
Johnny Podres (7-6) 3.43 ERA 63 K’s
Team ERA: 2.81 Beat Twins in 7 games.
@Jake in Columbus: haha i think i’ve asked this before but you’re in columbus, OH?
@Grey:
That was what I was implying about Montero.
@Steve: With Lidge coming in and giving up a homer and the ball hits you in the head.
@Black Beard: Should split with everyone.
@Elijah: You implier! Yeah, I figured you were.
@Tony: Three beers later… yeah, not Indiana or Georgia or anywhere else. You banking on doing a tropy again this year? Go Bucks, beat Our-Kansas!
@Grey:
I figured you figured I were!
@19 Elijah Says:
December 14th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
@mr baseball:
You forgot…1965 Dodgers – just posted teams I got a chance to watch during the season –
Sandy Koufax (26-8) 2.04 ERA 382 K’s
looks like a player that Grey might draft – he loves a 400K pitcher
@Grey:
Hey, I coulda told ya if you’d just asked. Lee wasn’t gonna sign with the Evil Empire, he’s a small town kinda guy.
His agent is Derek Braunecker, grew up about 18 miles from me. Derek’s dad is Russ, my brother Chief works for him. Google it………… Russ Braunecker Cadillac.
Try to keep up Grey, Hippo fuckin with ya again……….enjoy
@mr baseball:
If I’m not mistaken, that was (or would have been) the best fantasy year ever by a pitcher, if not ever by any player. Grey has expounded on that crush before as I recall.
382k’s is mind boggling. As is simply throwing 330 innings in a year… Oh and the 0.855 WHIP is pretty decent.
do you think Martin starts realistically? His defense has been getting shaky in LA (maybe due to injury) and Cervelli has been learning the staff and won’t be eager to share his gigantic headed catcher’s gear with a broken hip catcher.
@Moonlight’s Grahams:
I think he starts….but he wont get more than maybe 400 AB’s. I think he’s kinda bleh in fantasy.
@Elijah: Hehe
@BigFatHippo: Ha! You’re on top of shizz once again.
@Moonlight’s Grahams: Yup, he starts just as much as most catchers. About 5 times per week.
If there’s a better name for a hard-throwing, head-hunting K merchant than ‘Don Drysdale’, I’d like to hear it.
BTW, is it weird that I still remembers Drysdale’s guest appearance on The Brady Bunch?
@BigFatHippo:
I heard some fan speculating that Lee purposely strung along the Yanks as revenge for their fans spitting on his wife. Seems a bit of a stretch but maybe it was a factor, only Lee knows for sure.
@Steve:
Yes, you are wierd.
Game 7 of the 1960 WS is on MLB network at 8 PM EST tonight. But I assume everyone here knows about that, because it’s apparently the only commercial MLB network is allowed to run.
@Steve: No, it’s not weird you remember that, so do I. It’s a little weird that you say “I still remembers.”
@royce!: I got Survivor’s next to last episode, can’t do it.
@Grey: Sure you can. It’s on at 5 pm pacific, and replays at 10. Though based on how much they’ve been hyping it and how little else there is going on in baseball since Lee signed, I have a feeling that you’ll have other opportunities to view it.
@royce!: I’ll probably still be working at 5PM PST, but maybe…
@Grey:
Its bad enough I remember the theme song.
@Steve: Love the powder blue pants.
@Grey: I suspect he might be rocking some white loafers too.
Great, great baseball name, though.
1 spot still open for the mock draft. Have about 20 minutes to get in it.
option 1: cliff lee/justin upton
OR
Option 2: josh hamilton/jered Weaver
for the next 3 years in a keeper league?
@Steve: And nude stockings..
@pjtres: 1
@Grey: Yikes.
I bet no one (hitters anyway) made fun of his dress sense to his face.
@Steve: That was the cat’s meow then, no?
@Steve: Wow, two years of 7 homers. I remember in 1931 pleading with my commish to allow Wes Ferrel to be counted for hitting.
@Grey: @Grey: I got Mauer, Jeter, and Bautista in the first three rounds of the mock. My team is gonna rock!
@Grey: You lost me a little bit with that one, but if you say so…
@Terrence Mann: Awesome, make sure you get Billy Butler.
@Steve: Wes Ferrell is the top name on that chart you linked to.
@Grey: Nah – the stocking thing.
@Steve: Oh, I feel like old men who wore white shoes also wore nude stockings that went up to their knees. Maybe it’s me.
@Grey: Nah, not just you. That’s actually what I thought you meant.
Probably not fashion’s finest hour.
So Um someone post the mock then.
@Grey: Care to review it…maybe appoint the teams you like, teams you dislike, teams whose owners were probably drunk.
I kept squinting and rubbing my eyes and I rubbed something in my right eye and its all messed up now heh.
@GopherDay: I’m not going back and forth with that link.
oops. I was too slow. Sorry.
@VinWins: If you want to post your team, I’ll look at it.
I dont know what I was doing here, could be worse.
C J Posada
1b A-Gone
2b Brian Roberts
SS Juan Uribe
3b A Beltre
MI M Scutaro
CI Adam LaRoche
OF Josh Hamilton
OF BJ Upton
OF V Wells
OF C Lee
OF D Span
Util R Davis
SP F-Her
SP CC Sabathia
SP David Price
SP C Zambrano
SP B Arroyo
RP J Soria
RP K-Rod
RP R Franklin
RP D Aardsma
Pretty damn happy with my team, considering the competition.
Gopher Day had the steal of the draft getting Krispie in the 9th. I have no clue where MDC hid that focker.
@GopherDay: @VinWins: @Elijah: Y’all should start a thread in the forums. Can paste a screenshot of the draft grid that way…
@Steve: @Steve: good call
@Terrence Mann:
You never know, Krispie could tank again next year. Certainly isnt much protection in that lineup and hes likely going to lead off…RBI’s wont be good.
@Steve:
Oh thats right, there are forums heh. Grey doent wanna sift either way.
@Grey: Oh, no. I was just apologizing for posting the link when someone already had.
I don’t think a December mock has to be analyzed too thoroughly.
Plus, I did draft Bautista and Butler!
@Elijah: Not crazy about your infield and don’t really like your outfield that much either. Arroyo’s not worth drafting. I like your relievers.
@VinWins: Hehe
@Grey:
C: Matt Wieters (Rd 11)
1B: Adam Dunn (Rd 4)
2B: Ian Kinsler (Rd 3)
SS: Ian Desmond (Rd 15)
3B: Mark Reynolds (Rd 8 )
MI: Ben Zobrist (Rd16)
CI: Justin Smoak (Rd 20)
OF: Carlos Gonzalez (Rd 1)
OF: Ryan Braun (Rd 2)
OF: Krispie Young (Rd 9)
OF: Angel Pagan (Rd 14)
OF: Peter Bourjos (Rd 19)
Util: Logan Morrison (Rd 22)
SP: Yovani Gallardo (Rd 5)
SP: Justin Verlander (Rd 6)
SP: Tommy Hanson (Rd 7)
SP: Max Scherzer (Rd 12)
SP: Clayton Richard (Rd 21)
RP: Rafael Soriano (Rd 10)
RP: Huston Street (Rd 13)
RP: Joe Nathan (Rd 17)
RP/SP: Aroldis Chapman (Rd 18)
@GopherDay: I don’t like your first pick, but I do like your offense so I guess it’s okay. Nice infield and outfield. Your pitching’s also very solid. Looks like a real solid team.
@Grey:
It was really hard to see what I was doing. I have a soft spot for Arroyo as he was really good 2nd half but of course you are right, hes not really draftable. Relievers are the only really good part agreed.
@Grey: I didn’t like my first pick either. I was trying to figure out the drafting thing, looking for Utley. But he was already taken and before I know it 4 seconds left and CarGo is who I’m looking at. Would’ve liked to have grabbed Tex, Prince, or Howard there.
@Grey: 7th pick
ARod
Reyes
Posey
J Upside
Sizemore
Cain
Konerko
Oswalt
Bell
Quentin
Buchholz
Abreu
Carlos Pena
Bay
DLR
Capps
Chacin
Cuddyer
Gio
Wiggington
Webb
Tejada
I know this is a baseball board but if any of you are in ff playoffs on yahoo, Joe Webb is the probable starter at QB for Minny and has WR eligibility. Get him now.
@Terrence Mann:
Hmmm. Yahoo is always kinda cheesy!
Don’t be draftin’ Derek Lee for his power this year. He’s about to sign for the Padres…
@Steve: Where’d you hear that? Looked on MLB Trade Rumors and they haven’t said anything.
“While it’s still possible that Derrek Lee could sign with the San Diego Padres, down the road, it appears that this rumor has no legs. Sources close to PRO Rumors say that D.F. Oliveria of The Spokesman-Review is not credible.”
Lee isn’t going to the Pads.
@Terrence Mann: Team’s pretty reliant on bounce backs, which could happen. Or not. Do like a few of the names on our pitching staff. Hello, Rockies!
@Grey: @Grey: I drafted Sizemore and Quentin thinking you’d love those picks! You were pimping Grady in the 2nd last year. He’s gotta be worth a flier in the 5th. Thought you’d love Pena as late as I got him.
I did take quite a bit of flack in the draft for taking Posey before VMart.
@Terrence Mann: I don’t hate them. I’m just saying you need bounce backs from them. Also, Sizemore was coming off one poor season last year, now he’s coming off two.
@Grey: True. True. Drafting against all these guys that knew what they were doing was tough. Getting bounce back guys seemed like a good idea. Thought about taking Alex Rios in the middle rounds but knew if I did that, you’d hate my team regardless. Hehe.
For giggles here is mine.
C Carlos Ruiz PHI R22
1B Joey Votto CIN R1
CI Justin Morneau MIN R5
2B Rickie Weeks MIL R4
MI Aaron Hill TOR R11
3B Chris Johnson HOU R21
SS Rafael Furcal LA R14
OF Carl Crawford BOS R2
OF Colby Rasmus STL R7
OF Corey Hart MIL R8
OF Adam Jones BAL R10
OF Austin Jackson DET R19
UT Luke Scott BAL R16
SP Adam Wainwright STL R3
SP Dan Haren ANA R6
SP Tim Hudson ATL R9
SP Jonathan Sanchez SF R12
SP Madison Bumgarner SF R18
RP Jose Valverde DET R13
RP Brad Lidge PHI R15
RP Chris Perez CLE R17
RP Brandon Lyon HOU R20
@Smokey: You sniped Hill and Pacman from me.
Only pick I didn’t like is Morneau. He’s already bitching about the fences at Target.
@Terrence Mann: His numbers last year were redonkulous before injury. Ill take the uptick on the road for a .316 ba at home. And at round 5 seems like a steal to me and im a goog christian boy with high upstanding morals.
I play in a 5 player keeper league. Just keep players, no loss of draft picks (there’s something that comes into play next year, but not this one).
It’s a points league , which does favor pitchers just because they put up more points quicker. due to my roster im pretty much forced to keep josh johnson, hanley, braun, and pedroia (i know you don’t like him but in a points league he’s great, was #8 overall at the time of injury last year)
my questions to you is, what do i do with my 5th keeper?
I’m heavily leaning towards youkilis because he plays 3rd base and im a sawx fan. but im trying to keep my bias aside. I traded most my good keeper options for hanley and braun, so my only other options besides youk: garza (on the cubs id be hard pressed not to keep him), jhoulys, mike stanton, or andre ethier. should i pick someone else, or stick with youukkkkk?
@Smokey: I don’t spend picks on average! (And that’s me quoting Grey!)
@Terrence Mann: I didn’t spend any picks on average! I got Donkey and Mini Donkey! I almost drafted MMD too! I’ll be honest, I thought about drafting Craplonco…I seriously thought about it. Then I decided he didn’t do anything but average, so he was lame.
@Terrence Mann: He had 18 hrs in 296 abs. Put that into an average of his games played/abs for his career and he would have hit 37. He batted .344/18/56/.436 OBP/.618 slug. Dude was a beast before injury. 5th round isn’t overspending for a top 10 1b IMO.
RIP BOB FELLER
@Smokey: There’s about five picks there on offensive that seem a bit iffy. I don’t mind Morneau in the fifth at all. Your pitching looks more than fine.
@Mike from Jersey: I don’t mind Pedroia this year. Keep Youuuuk.
@Smokey: Aw, Old Feller’s gone.
@Smokey: You’re probably right. You filled your CI where you could have had a 3B with lesser stats. Probably a good decision where you got him. The combo of the injuries and bitching about the fences scares me a bit, though.
I mean, I took Sizemore in the 5th. Both our picks could blow up and win a league or play 50 games and give us headaches the whole season.
@Grey:
so , we all have our basic strategies that we follow when drafting .
as one (two ?) who subscribe to theories of not drafting pitching too early ,
in a 15 team/6×6 roto , (13 hitters/10 pitchers) , where the extra categories are “walks” and “holds” ,
do you favor drafting pitchers earlier or later than you would in a standard
5×5 ?
I can’t believe you mentioned dead presidents in your headline and didn’t manage to extend your sounds-alike joke with a Lee Halladay Oswalt / Lee Harvey Oswald zinger