Maybe it’s Byron Buxton’s incredible slump, maybe it’s the lack of HRs from Giancarlo Stanton, maybe it’s because I own(ed) Luke Gregerson on way too many team but opening week isn’t going as well as I’d hoped. Don’t get me wrong, I’m giddy to have baseball back and be back on the RCL grind. I’d be lying though if I said getting off to a slow start doesn’t matter week 1. Everyone wants to start the first week leading their league. I always dream of going wire to wire. It’s not happening for me in any RCLs this year, but it’s a long season, plenty of time to win these things. Are you slugging your way to the top of your league via George Springer? Maybe you’ve Kendall Graveman’d yourself to the front of the pack instead. Either way, I hope your roto point floweth over. Trea Turner owners, (I have 1 share) I send my condolences. No one likes a hammy injury for their young speedster. Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Cabrera owners, the support group meeting is tonight at 7 in the basement of the town library. I’ll bring the Cracker Jack, you bring the Big League Chew and we’ll have a prayer octagon.
Already the RCL battle has been waged on the waiver wire as the race to grab that sweet SAGNOF started early. Roberto Osuna made a surprise DL appearance and Jason Grilli was the first add of the year for those seeking cheap saves. Jeanmar Gomez became the first victim of the closerpocolypse this year and to everyone’s surprise it was not Hector Neris, but 39 year old Joaquin Benoit, who got the keys to the 9th from Pete Mackrackhead. I can’t wait to see how long that lasts. Let’s take a look now at which RCL teams are getting an early jump on their league standings:
TOP 10
Typically, this will be a quick view of the top of the Master Standings. Since it takes a couple weeks to get those up and running, this week we’ll just that a look at the top 10 highest scoring RCL teams based on roto points. Here’s how it shakes out week 1:
| TEAM | LEAGUE | TOTAL PTS |
| Team Sullivan | Beddict Believers | 103.5 |
| J B | The Giant and the Jew | 100.5 |
| Skook Trouts | Take On Jay (2) | 100.5 |
| Team Craig | Take on the Jay | 98 |
| 70 MACH 1 | Muscle Car Fanatics | 97.5 |
| All Betts Are Off | Chemically Treated Razzballs | 96.5 |
| MT is better Than KB Easy | RIFB Roto 2017 | 96 |
| Grey is Bae | Sons of Beddict | 95.5 |
| Team Ticky | Take on Jay (3) | 95.5 |
| Small hands | Take On M@ 1 | 95 |
Team Sullivan takes the early lead with 103.5 points. We’ll talk more about them later on. Look at JB! Tied for second overall with the Skook Trouts after one week! Not bad JB, not bad at all. Grey is Bae might not ring a bell, but if you were an RCL Update reader last year you may remember the team “Rudy is Booty”. The team owner has massive respect from this nerd as it came last year that “Rudy is Booty” was actually a computer program that leverages Rudy’s Hittertron and Stream-O-Nator to create it’s daily roster. This year the program is working on at least three team, “Grey is Bae”, “Grey is Fey” and of course, “Rudy is Booty”. If you’re playing against one of these teams, know what you’re up against and prepare accordingly. So far, all three of these teams are leading their league. I’m impressed (and jealous).
Each week we’ll peek in at our resident ‘perts to see who is laying claim to best “expert” RCLer in the land. We’ll take notes, check the standings and generally stalk them. The heading is also hyperlink, so feel free to follow along as we go.
I dropped this little tidbit in the comments a couple weeks ago, but it’s worth revisting here. Post-draft I took the draft results of the ‘Perts League and ran the projections for each team based on a) Grey’s projections and b) Rudy’s Pointshares. The results and the corresponding roto standings can be seen below:
| GREY: | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | W | SV | ERA | WHIP | K |
| Jay | 982 | 264 | 995 | 122 | 0.2684 | 86 | 105 | 3.249 | 1.163 | 1403 |
| Beddict | 1089 | 343 | 1187 | 118 | 0.2699 | 104 | 44 | 3.394 | 1.184 | 1539 |
| M@ | 976 | 283 | 951 | 158 | 0.2664 | 73 | 100 | 3.519 | 1.193 | 1238 |
| JB | 1068 | 267 | 1021 | 216 | 0.2737 | 76 | 185 | 3.457 | 1.165 | 1232 |
| Malamoney | 1062 | 266 | 1012 | 130 | 0.2762 | 109 | 69 | 3.504 | 1.21 | 1620 |
| Grey | 927 | 254 | 970 | 200 | 0.2656 | 90 | 113 | 3.439 | 1.204 | 1489 |
| Ralph | 1063 | 314 | 1115 | 107 | 0.2713 | 84 | 89 | 3.019 | 1.094 | 1295 |
| Maher | 1209 | 321 | 1153 | 196 | 0.267 | 60 | 76 | 3.378 | 1.185 | 959 |
| Cram It | 1077 | 300 | 1058 | 154 | 0.2657 | 73 | 96 | 3.344 | 1.165 | 1056 |
| Rudy | 1153 | 320 | 1191 | 167 | 0.2691 | 78 | 49 | 3.243 | 1.127 | 1159 |
| ME | 1060 | 299 | 1054 | 173 | 0.2715 | 73 | 125 | 3.228 | 1.148 | 1183 |
| Smokey | 1118 | 291 | 1041 | 174 | 0.2704 | 77 | 70 | 3.323 | 1.158 | 1257 |
| GREY: | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | W | SV | ERA | WHIP | K | TOTAL |
| Ralph | 6 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 80 |
| Rudy | 11 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 79 |
| ME | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 76 |
| Beddict | 9 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 74 |
| Smokey | 10 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 73 |
| JB | 7 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 70 |
| Maher | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 64 |
| Jay | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 60 |
| Malamoney | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 58 |
| Cram It | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 56 |
| Grey | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 52 |
| M@ | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 38 |
| RUDY: | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | W | SV | ERA | WHIP | K |
| Jay | 30.1 | 28.2 | 25.2 | 17.3 | 24.9 | 18.1 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 13.4 | 13.6 |
| Beddict | 9.5 | 33.5 | 28.7 | 10.7 | 40 | 10.9 | 5.5 | 21.5 | 15.8 | 8.6 |
| M@ | 29 | 40.4 | 29.4 | 46.8 | 27.4 | 15.7 | -0.7 | 7.2 | 11.6 | 11.2 |
| JB | 18.7 | 14.3 | 10.7 | 61.7 | 28.5 | 12.9 | 37.5 | 15.6 | 15.9 | 7.7 |
| Malamoney | 15.6 | 22.2 | 18 | 7.1 | 54.2 | 16.2 | 13.5 | 8.7 | 4.2 | 14.3 |
| Grey | -13.8 | 9.8 | -2.5 | 28.7 | 23.2 | 4.5 | 8.9 | 14.9 | 7.9 | 5.3 |
| Ralph | 27.4 | 45.5 | 43.9 | 10.6 | 51 | 17.5 | 10.4 | 23.3 | 24.5 | 25 |
| Maher | 29.6 | 23.2 | 17.8 | 39.1 | 24 | 8.6 | 10.3 | 9.9 | 12.6 | 11.9 |
| Cram It | 24.8 | 34.1 | 28.5 | 25.6 | 19.2 | 9.3 | 13.7 | 11.4 | 10.4 | 3 |
| Rudy | 38.2 | 44.6 | 45.6 | 44.2 | 35.5 | 18.8 | 4.2 | 19.7 | 20.7 | 20.2 |
| ME | 30.5 | 35.6 | 37.6 | 38.7 | 35.3 | 15.9 | 19.6 | 17.3 | 20 | 16.2 |
| Smokey | 39.5 | 29 | 26.4 | 45.5 | 29 | 11.9 | -2.9 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 10.7 |
| RUDY: | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | W | SV | ERA | WHIP | K | TOTAL |
| Rudy | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 99 |
| Ralph | 6 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 96 |
| ME | 10 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 92 |
| Jay | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 65 |
| JB | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 64 |
| M@ | 7 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 62 |
| Smokey | 12 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 62 |
| Beddict | 2 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 61 |
| Malamoney | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 53 |
| Maher | 8 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 51 |
| Cram It | 5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 47 |
| Grey | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 28 |
As a note, Rudy was autodrafting most of this draft but set his predraft ranks according to his pointshares. Hence, it makes a lot of sense why he comes out on top there. Besides, if you can’t draft the best team in the league using your own projections…well…you’ve got issues. That makes it curious why Grey is projected for 11th place in his projections and Rudy is projected for 2nd.
After the first week, it’s score one for Rudy’s Pointshares as Rudy finished the week leading the ‘Perts League pack. I can’t wait to see how this one plays out.
TRADES
All the trades that have gone down in the past week. Public ridicule is not only allowed, but encouraged.
| DATE | LEAGUE | DETAILS |
| 4/2/2017 | Man on Third One Out | Team Dawson traded Justin Verlander to $15 Coors Lights for Greg Holland and Blake Treinen |
| 4/2/2017 | Take On M@ 3 | Pitchy Mcpitchface traded Evan Gattis to Rudy is Snooty for Raisel Iglesias |
| 4/4/2017 | Take On M@ 3 | Team GALIC traded Greg Bird to A-Town Aces for Albert Pujols |
| 4/5/2017 | Sons of Beddict | mallorca nadal teachers traded Ian Kennedy to Grey is Bae for Cam Bedrosian |
| 4/5/2017 | We’re All Winners | Another 108… traded Drew Smyly to Rudy is Booty for Cam Bedrosian |
| 4/7/2017 | Beddict Believers | Internet Trolls traded Jose Bautista to Team Ticky for Carlos Gomez and Neftali Feliz |
| 4/8/2017 | Take On M@ 3 | J and G traded Byron Buxton to A-Town Aces for Francisco Rodriguez |
Maybe a glitch in the computer program why Grey is Bae and Rudy is Booty would be trading away Cam Bedrosian for streaming pitchers, but there you go. Leaguemates, take notice!
WEEKLY LEADERS
The best of the best from the week that was.
R – 60 – Earth, Wind, and Fiers (BigThreeSports + Razzball = Love)
HR –20 – Bay View Bashers (Take On M@ 3 (2)), “Khris” Davis (Benintendi Erection Club), Team Sullivan (Beddict Believers) & Your Mom (Take on the Jay 5)
RBIs – 66 – Gomes’ Gnomes (Johnson’s Ornithology E.O.D.)
SB – 14 – Skook Trouts (Take On Jay (2)), Thunder Fish (Night of the Living Zombinos), Donkeycorns Unlimited (BigThreeSports + Razzball = Love) & Westside SON (Razzball Writers League)
AVG – .299 – Gomes’ Gnomes (Johnson’s Ornithology E.O.D.)
K – 98 – Calgary Cannons (My Nightly Fantasy)
W – 8 – Calgary Cannons (My Nightly Fantasy)
SV – 18 – Grey is Fey (Take on Jay) & Grey is Bae (Sons of Beddict)
ERA (Min. 40 IP) – 1.65 – Ralph Ruiz (Rio Ruiz Super League) (in 60 IP)
WHIP (Min. 40 IP) – 0.80 – Grey is Fey (Take on Jay) (in 58.2 IP)
A quick note: We are yet to automate the collection of RCL data without the help of former RCL guru VinWins. So, this week’s data was manually grabbed and only includes the teams leading their leagues. If you did better than any of the teams above during the first week, let me know in the comments. You can find your weekly stats by going to your team page and clicking “More” -> “Active Stats” up at the top. Then click on “Weekly Totals” and Wah-la! I’m including the April 2nd games as part of week 1.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Our weekly shout out to the team that killed it the previous week.
Team: Team Sullivan
League: Beddict Believers
Stats: H/AB: 75/288, AVG: .260, R: 49, HR: 20, RBI: 52, SB: 8
IP: 73.2, ERA: 3.05, WHIP: 1.10, K: 78, W: 4, SV: 8
Summary: The Team of the Week is back! I love shouting you guys and 6 gals out and giving props where they are deserved. There’s no set numbers I’m looking for here, just a team that has displayed dominance on both the hitting and pitching side of the equation. This week is pretty easy, we can look at the top scoring RCL team and clearly see their numbers are superb. Team Sullivan started with pick #5 after Tehol rigged the draft to have the number 1 pick, as usual. With that number 5 pick he snagged Nolan Arenado and followed that up with Starling Marte and George Springer. Odor and Myers followed in the 4th and 5th rounds giving Team Sullivan a beautiful start. Plenty of speed and power to be had with that first five. Nice work Sullivan, let’s hope you can keep it going.
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