Monday 18 January 2010
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Monday 2 February 2009
The Baby Bluenecks
Doing the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) draft for the Dynasty League at the moment. This is my first venture into the MiLB, baseballs minor league system, save for 1 trip to Birmingham Barons last year on '$1 a beer' night, so I'm far from knowledgable and a good few steps behind most guys in the new league.
The MiLB could be equated to the reserve leagues in football/soccer. It's stocked with young talent, and is also the place where older players are sent to get back to match fitness following injuries or if their manager determines they need to work out some kinks in their game.
It's been great fun researching the players, which was part of the reason I signed up for the league in the first place. We have a 15 round draft and I'm awaiting my pick in the 11th so i'm 2/3rds full. Here's the Baby Blueneck roster as it currently stands:
Baby Bats
Cameron Maybin, OF
Alcides Escobar, SS
Justin Smoak, 1B
Desmond Jennings, OF
Hyun Choi Conger, C
Michael Burgess, OF
Neil Walker, 3B
Baby Balls
Jake Arrieta
Jeff Neimann
Daniel Bard
Andrew Brackman
Fairly happy with how it's gone so far. The initial tactic was to target OF. Any readers will be awre that I am worried about the age of my MLB players. It's not by accident I have drafted 3 OF players already. With Huff and Wiggy as my only 3rd base eligible players, getting a young talent at 3rd was a priority too. I pretty much failed on this, missing out on all the top touted guys early on in the draft. Still, I got one I like and there are still 5 spots to fill. I'm hoping that 3 out of my 4 current pitchers will develop into quality Starters, and that Daniel Bard will eventually be the Closer in Boston.
Pretty happy with my team so far - it has a certain balance. Looking across my two squads now, there is a definite need for some back up at 2B. Time to trade, draft, appeal and steal my way to getting that need fulfilled.
Thankd for reading.
The MiLB could be equated to the reserve leagues in football/soccer. It's stocked with young talent, and is also the place where older players are sent to get back to match fitness following injuries or if their manager determines they need to work out some kinks in their game.
It's been great fun researching the players, which was part of the reason I signed up for the league in the first place. We have a 15 round draft and I'm awaiting my pick in the 11th so i'm 2/3rds full. Here's the Baby Blueneck roster as it currently stands:
Baby Bats
Cameron Maybin, OF
Alcides Escobar, SS
Justin Smoak, 1B
Desmond Jennings, OF
Hyun Choi Conger, C
Michael Burgess, OF
Neil Walker, 3B
Baby Balls
Jake Arrieta
Jeff Neimann
Daniel Bard
Andrew Brackman
Fairly happy with how it's gone so far. The initial tactic was to target OF. Any readers will be awre that I am worried about the age of my MLB players. It's not by accident I have drafted 3 OF players already. With Huff and Wiggy as my only 3rd base eligible players, getting a young talent at 3rd was a priority too. I pretty much failed on this, missing out on all the top touted guys early on in the draft. Still, I got one I like and there are still 5 spots to fill. I'm hoping that 3 out of my 4 current pitchers will develop into quality Starters, and that Daniel Bard will eventually be the Closer in Boston.
Pretty happy with my team so far - it has a certain balance. Looking across my two squads now, there is a definite need for some back up at 2B. Time to trade, draft, appeal and steal my way to getting that need fulfilled.
Thankd for reading.
Wednesday 21 January 2009
Complete MLB Dynasty Team
Finally, it is over...
The complete team:
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B Lance Berkman
2B Ian Kinsler
3B Aubrey Huff
SS Mike Aviles
OF Matt Holliday
OF Ryan Ludwick
OF Torii Hunter
Util Joey Votto
SP Jake Peavy
SP Roy Oswalt
SP Zack Grienke
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Johnny Cueto
RP Matt Capps
RP Brian Wilson
RP Grant Balfour
P Chris Carpenter
Bench Shin-Soo Choo, OF
Bench Kelly Johnson, 2B
Bench Coco Crisp, OF
Bench Chris Snyder, C
Bench Ty Wiggington, 3B, OF
Bench Kosuke Fukodome, OF
Bench Jon Garland, SP
Bench Barry Zito, GIMP
Bench Homerun Bailey, SP
Bench Wandy Rodriguez, SP
The complete team:
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B Lance Berkman
2B Ian Kinsler
3B Aubrey Huff
SS Mike Aviles
OF Matt Holliday
OF Ryan Ludwick
OF Torii Hunter
Util Joey Votto
SP Jake Peavy
SP Roy Oswalt
SP Zack Grienke
SP A.J. Burnett
SP Johnny Cueto
RP Matt Capps
RP Brian Wilson
RP Grant Balfour
P Chris Carpenter
Bench Shin-Soo Choo, OF
Bench Kelly Johnson, 2B
Bench Coco Crisp, OF
Bench Chris Snyder, C
Bench Ty Wiggington, 3B, OF
Bench Kosuke Fukodome, OF
Bench Jon Garland, SP
Bench Barry Zito, GIMP
Bench Homerun Bailey, SP
Bench Wandy Rodriguez, SP
For previous details on my picks, please see former postings. Froom now on i'll write in a more quick-fire fashion. Not so much to say about the players in the latter stages of the draft. Enjoy ... and please comment.
Round 15 - Jarrod Saltalamachia. As hard to pronounce as he was to pick. Needed a Catcher, though there is no guarantee Salty starts. There were 10 Catchers off the board already so I took a chance. I will be second guessing myself for not taking Shoppach instead till at least halfway through the season.
Round 16 -Brian Wilson. Best and most secure closer left on the board. An easy pick.
Round 17 - Shin-Soo Choo. My first bench player. Big upside and I didn't expect him to last too long so I took him instead of filling out my pitching roster. I felt I needed some youth at OF too, based on my 3 starters. Am excited about this pick, could look very good in a few years.
Round 18 - Kelly Johnson. Again, bench pick. Similair thought process tp Shin-Soo - excellent potential. Was keen to get some cover at either SS or 2B at this stage in case Kinsler goes down again this year. With Johnson's upside, I don't think I could have picked a better player at this stage. Another pick and player who excites me with his future potential.
Round 19 - Chris Carpenter. A pick that will surely keep me interested in the Cardinals injury report. I made this pick a day or so after talk came out of St Louis that he may close. If he does, I believe that gives me 3 solid Closers. If he doesn't he will start and if the injuries have not effected him too badly and if they don't recur, I could have a top class Starter on my hands for the next couple of years. It's always a risk to draft such injury plagued players, but considering this was the 264th pick of the draft, I'd hope even the most hardened sceptic would give me some lattitude.
Round 20 - Wandy Rodriguez. The definitive Home Boy. I needed to get some SP's on my bench, and I believe his home statistics give him value this late in a draft. As long as i keep him benched for away fixtures till and if I am sure he can improve in other parks, he'll contribute from my bench.
Round 21 - Grant Balfour. Might get some saves this year, might not. I needed to fill that final RP spot and plumped for him. I feel nothing for this pick, neither positive nor negative - it just had to be done. Should it have been done later? Possibly. Oh well, move on move on...
Round 22 - Coco Crisp. Yay, another older Outfielder (stay tuned for this to continue) ! I must say though, i love Coco with the 298th pick of any draft. He's 29, healthy and settled into a team where he will start now. The 'pressure' of Boston is gone, and I expect him to settle into a Young Washington OF nicely. His numbers improved as last year went on too, lest we forget. Crisp hit for a .341 BA over August and September, and then .417 in the playoffs. The more I type the more I like this pick. After the Balfour pick, I needed a kick to get me back in the groove, and the Coco pick has provided it! Let's go!
Round 23 - Homer Bailey. Best name for a Pitcher in all of baseball. Talk about 'there's something in a name...' He's a risky start against anyone in even the biggest of parks, it's undeniable. He's still a young man, though and there is that smidgen of hope he gets somewhere near what early career projections suggested. It's a tiny smidgen though, I must admit. But heck, this is Round 23 - if he doesn't start the season well and I can't trade him to a still-believer, then it's off to the Wire for him, freeing me up a bench spot I may need for the occasional spot start.
Round 24 - Chris Snyder. Forgive me whilst I beat myself like an Opus Dei monk. I had to take a back up catcher with Salty in my starting spot. A bench of 10 allows me to carry one with out sacrificing too much. He is young, should have the spot to himself and has a lot of upside. But I hate hate hate taking a back up catcher. Let the flagellation begin...
Round 25 - Barry Zito. Oh yeah, Zitomania is alive and well. The laughing stock of American sports is my sleeper pick this year. No kidding. After an atrocious start to last year and losing his rotation spot, Zito came back well. His September ERA was 3.15 over 5 games. He went 4-4 in the last 2 months, with 2 no decisions in games the Giants won. These are cherry-picked numbers, for sure but I fancy him to get me 12 - 13 Wins with an ERA just over 4.00, though this may depend on whether or not the Giants can improve their bats with a couple of the FA's still out there. We shall see, but that's why I call him a Sleeper.
Round 26 - Ty Wiggington. Yawn. Needed some cover for 3B and he was the best available. 35th 3B eligible player off the board and the 353rd pick overall - i'm not expecting much, though I do like the coincidence of those numbers. Oh, and he also qualifies for OF and you can never have enough old OF players, right??
Round 27 - Jon Garland I'm at the stage of the draft where I am not doing a lot of research. Without knowing where he is going to play next year, the 14 Wins last year jumped out. K's and ERA are horrible, but at this stage, there aren't many cherries left on the tree. He'll likely end up replaced on my roster from my Minor League team before all is said and done next year anyway. Picked him and wondered what I should target with my final pick of the MLB draft...
...hmmm....
Of course!
An old OF player!
Round 28 - Kosuke Fukudome. I thought someone would have snapped him up by now, but no. He had a strong start last year and if he can repeat that, I am quids in. If not, I took Mr Maybin in the Minor League draft we just started so what the heck...
It's done! Took about a month but the Scotlabama Bluenecks now has a full roster. And I don't think it's all that bad...
Round 15 - Jarrod Saltalamachia. As hard to pronounce as he was to pick. Needed a Catcher, though there is no guarantee Salty starts. There were 10 Catchers off the board already so I took a chance. I will be second guessing myself for not taking Shoppach instead till at least halfway through the season.
Round 16 -Brian Wilson. Best and most secure closer left on the board. An easy pick.
Round 17 - Shin-Soo Choo. My first bench player. Big upside and I didn't expect him to last too long so I took him instead of filling out my pitching roster. I felt I needed some youth at OF too, based on my 3 starters. Am excited about this pick, could look very good in a few years.
Round 18 - Kelly Johnson. Again, bench pick. Similair thought process tp Shin-Soo - excellent potential. Was keen to get some cover at either SS or 2B at this stage in case Kinsler goes down again this year. With Johnson's upside, I don't think I could have picked a better player at this stage. Another pick and player who excites me with his future potential.
Round 19 - Chris Carpenter. A pick that will surely keep me interested in the Cardinals injury report. I made this pick a day or so after talk came out of St Louis that he may close. If he does, I believe that gives me 3 solid Closers. If he doesn't he will start and if the injuries have not effected him too badly and if they don't recur, I could have a top class Starter on my hands for the next couple of years. It's always a risk to draft such injury plagued players, but considering this was the 264th pick of the draft, I'd hope even the most hardened sceptic would give me some lattitude.
Round 20 - Wandy Rodriguez. The definitive Home Boy. I needed to get some SP's on my bench, and I believe his home statistics give him value this late in a draft. As long as i keep him benched for away fixtures till and if I am sure he can improve in other parks, he'll contribute from my bench.
Round 21 - Grant Balfour. Might get some saves this year, might not. I needed to fill that final RP spot and plumped for him. I feel nothing for this pick, neither positive nor negative - it just had to be done. Should it have been done later? Possibly. Oh well, move on move on...
Round 22 - Coco Crisp. Yay, another older Outfielder (stay tuned for this to continue) ! I must say though, i love Coco with the 298th pick of any draft. He's 29, healthy and settled into a team where he will start now. The 'pressure' of Boston is gone, and I expect him to settle into a Young Washington OF nicely. His numbers improved as last year went on too, lest we forget. Crisp hit for a .341 BA over August and September, and then .417 in the playoffs. The more I type the more I like this pick. After the Balfour pick, I needed a kick to get me back in the groove, and the Coco pick has provided it! Let's go!
Round 23 - Homer Bailey. Best name for a Pitcher in all of baseball. Talk about 'there's something in a name...' He's a risky start against anyone in even the biggest of parks, it's undeniable. He's still a young man, though and there is that smidgen of hope he gets somewhere near what early career projections suggested. It's a tiny smidgen though, I must admit. But heck, this is Round 23 - if he doesn't start the season well and I can't trade him to a still-believer, then it's off to the Wire for him, freeing me up a bench spot I may need for the occasional spot start.
Round 24 - Chris Snyder. Forgive me whilst I beat myself like an Opus Dei monk. I had to take a back up catcher with Salty in my starting spot. A bench of 10 allows me to carry one with out sacrificing too much. He is young, should have the spot to himself and has a lot of upside. But I hate hate hate taking a back up catcher. Let the flagellation begin...
Round 25 - Barry Zito. Oh yeah, Zitomania is alive and well. The laughing stock of American sports is my sleeper pick this year. No kidding. After an atrocious start to last year and losing his rotation spot, Zito came back well. His September ERA was 3.15 over 5 games. He went 4-4 in the last 2 months, with 2 no decisions in games the Giants won. These are cherry-picked numbers, for sure but I fancy him to get me 12 - 13 Wins with an ERA just over 4.00, though this may depend on whether or not the Giants can improve their bats with a couple of the FA's still out there. We shall see, but that's why I call him a Sleeper.
Round 26 - Ty Wiggington. Yawn. Needed some cover for 3B and he was the best available. 35th 3B eligible player off the board and the 353rd pick overall - i'm not expecting much, though I do like the coincidence of those numbers. Oh, and he also qualifies for OF and you can never have enough old OF players, right??
Round 27 - Jon Garland I'm at the stage of the draft where I am not doing a lot of research. Without knowing where he is going to play next year, the 14 Wins last year jumped out. K's and ERA are horrible, but at this stage, there aren't many cherries left on the tree. He'll likely end up replaced on my roster from my Minor League team before all is said and done next year anyway. Picked him and wondered what I should target with my final pick of the MLB draft...
...hmmm....
Of course!
An old OF player!
Round 28 - Kosuke Fukudome. I thought someone would have snapped him up by now, but no. He had a strong start last year and if he can repeat that, I am quids in. If not, I took Mr Maybin in the Minor League draft we just started so what the heck...
It's done! Took about a month but the Scotlabama Bluenecks now has a full roster. And I don't think it's all that bad...
Wednesday 14 January 2009
Culture, Sophistication and Class.
Any regular readers of this blog will be well aware of my inherent sophistication, my thirst for culture and my natural standing amongst the echelon of the upper class. Yes yes. Last Saturday there was an event held in Birmingham that one of such noble blood could not pass. A chance to experience fine art amongst fine people whilst dining on the finest of cuisine.
MONSTER JAM 2009!!
It was cool, my first time seeing them. Matthew loved it. He was a touch pissed that Gravedigger lost in the first round of the race segment, but hey ho. Gravedigger won the freestyle so happiness returned. That's won of the great things about having a boy kid around the place - you get to do all these cool things and you can pretend it's all because of the kid. Not sure anyone believed me...Was a fun afternoon out. Earplugs reccommended ... if you're a girl! And wow, my F-150 never sounded so quiet as on the drive home.
Friday 2 January 2009
Happy New Year!
It's 2009!
Saw the New Year in quietly this year. Just myself and Ginger, a bottle of Moet and a box of Ferrero Rocher. Watched the festivities in New York and Las Vegas on the television, including Robbie Kineavel's Volcano jump on the strip. Fast asleep by 01:00.
Happy New Year everyone, and all the best for 2009.
Saw the New Year in quietly this year. Just myself and Ginger, a bottle of Moet and a box of Ferrero Rocher. Watched the festivities in New York and Las Vegas on the television, including Robbie Kineavel's Volcano jump on the strip. Fast asleep by 01:00.
Happy New Year everyone, and all the best for 2009.
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Rounds 13 & 14
Looking at my roster it's pretty clear to me what I need to do in these two rounds. I need to fill that OF spot and get myself a closer. Mission Objective Defined. Time to go forth and conquer.
Round 13
With pick 179 and a space to be filled in OF, it would have been criminal to pass up on Torii Hunter at this point. Again, it's testimony to the youth centric nature of this draft that he is still available at this stage. Looking at the Median Draft Position provided by 'rookies and cream' at The Fantasy Cafe, you can see he has been going around pick 100 in mocks and drafts so far this year. A bargain in the 13th round.
Again, the same fears arise that my team is too old for a Dynasty League, but to win in 2009, it can't be all talent. We do have an MiLB draft coming up so I am really going to have to do well in that. I have the 3rd pick and I expect I know who the first 2 players taken will be, so I have started to plan my youth movement.
Very happy with this pick. Torii's speed is an added bonus to an all round solid veteran player.
Round 14
Needed Saves, Matt Capps was who I considered the best available, so I took him. Nothing really else to say ... so I won't bore you further.
Round 13
With pick 179 and a space to be filled in OF, it would have been criminal to pass up on Torii Hunter at this point. Again, it's testimony to the youth centric nature of this draft that he is still available at this stage. Looking at the Median Draft Position provided by 'rookies and cream' at The Fantasy Cafe, you can see he has been going around pick 100 in mocks and drafts so far this year. A bargain in the 13th round.
Again, the same fears arise that my team is too old for a Dynasty League, but to win in 2009, it can't be all talent. We do have an MiLB draft coming up so I am really going to have to do well in that. I have the 3rd pick and I expect I know who the first 2 players taken will be, so I have started to plan my youth movement.
Very happy with this pick. Torii's speed is an added bonus to an all round solid veteran player.
Round 14
Needed Saves, Matt Capps was who I considered the best available, so I took him. Nothing really else to say ... so I won't bore you further.
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