TSM Fantasy Baseball 2008

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm quite happy with my offence as well. My pitching will have to be above the median to contend for a playoff spot, though.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Meh, everyone loves their team on draft day. It's not until May rolls around and your ace pitcher is complaining about a bum shoulder, your hot prospect is back in AAA and your starting OFer is hitting .200 that things start to get fun.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Agreed with both of cheech's last posts in this thread. We have to build for the future, since we're both expansion teams and competing in a long-established keeper league, where you guys can keep quite a big chunk of your team from last year. The only thing that really upsets me about my team is the instability at 3rd base (Ian Stewart or Brandon Wood HOPEFULLY will get some playing time later this year- especially considering Stewart's hitting has been amazing during Cactus League games), and the injuries my pitching staff has to recover from. Josh Johnson and Chris Carpenter are going to be MIA for me until the All-Star Break at the earliest for me, so I have to play that by ear. I couldn't be more satisfied with the rest of the team, though. I think I got a steal with Corey Patterson and Bobby Crosby in the later rounds for additional depth. Might be looking to do some trades with excessive great players I have (Pujols is up for that, by the way, but I'll need a hell of a 3B like Longoria or Cabrera or something).

[Precious Roy 0]

I don't think my team is a contender this year unless everything breaks perfectly

 

I like my quartet of starters (Webb, Oswalt, Maine, Greinke) but I'll need to add 1 or 2 more. I like my closers (Rivera, Isringhausen) but they are both pretty old and Isringhausen is an injury risk. I do think Rivera is going to have a great year though, Joba setting up for him should create more save opportunities. I love Broxton as a low ERA/WHIP, high K total, holds 70-80 inning guy, and he's next in line to close games. He's a guy I picked as a potential keeper at a reasonable value round wise.

 

My hitting, as it did last year, has too many question marks and not enough big bats. Kazuo Matsui was only a keeper because the pick I gave up for him was worthless, but then I somehow managed to miss all my 2B targets and am stuck with only him at the position. That's bad enough, but now he's going to miss the start of the season with an injured ANUS and knowing how he sucked with the pressure of playing for the Mets, he'll probably suck now out of sheer embarasment.

 

I'm also relying on a rookie catcher, a 2nd year SS with a lot to prove, a 3B who's legitimately great but has a ton of nagging injuries in season, and Carlos Pena who's got to be considered a big gamble. I do like Edwin Encarnacion as a backup for Chipper and potential UTIL man. I like my outfielders individually, but collectively I don't expect enough production out of them. They're all at best 2nd or 3rd outfielders, and other than Jose Guillen (who seems to always fall short of expectations anyway) there's not a power hitter in the bunch. I need 1 or 2 of Damon, Victorino or Cabrera to hit 20+ homers, which isn't impossible but isn't likely either. Hopefully Giambi has a good year and gets 450+ ABs.

 

So my pitching should keep me respectable and I'll win a few offensive H2Hs here and there, but I'm probably playing with an eye on next year.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I grabbed a few players...

 

Joe Thatcher and Lee Gardner are both way more valuable than an iffy starter in Capuano who may not even make the rotation and while I love Braden, I probably wouldn't have kept him and he may not even get a shot down the line this year.

 

Both guys have low ERA, low WHIP, solid number of K's and Thatcher should pitch more than 21 innings this year which will help while also giving me holds and allowing me to not worry as much about the maximum innings limit. They can also help counter a bad outing by one of my SP.

 

Randy Winn was grabbed just to help with the HR and SB although his OBP's been solid. I also like that he'll likely play the whole year so he'll get his share of at bats should an injury strike.

[Guest]

I knew I should've picked Volquez off waivers. Seeing as my waiver spot didn't move up, the person who claimed him had a lower one than mine. ARRRGH.

[the pinjockey 0]

Actually I waited til he cleared waivers, so he was a FA this morning when I grabbed Schilling then him. None of the players remaining were worth giving up my waivers position IMO, so I just waited out waivers and he slipped through. I was pretty surprised.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

For those in need of SP/Pitching help, Orlando Hernandez is on the trading block. He'd also only cost a 17th round pick for you next year if kept I think but don't hold me to that. I'm mainly looking at relievers but will take a hitter as well.

 

I figure I can ride out a rotation of Zambrano/Sabathia/Randy Johnson/Petit a week.

[Brett Favre 0]

I just made you a trade offer but not for El Duque.

 

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is available. He miiight be sent to Triple A if he doesn't win the starting job. I'm looking to package him with someone else to upgrade another position.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I just made you a trade offer but not for El Duque.

 

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is available. He miiight be sent to Triple A if he doesn't win the starting job. I'm looking to package him with someone else to upgrade another position.

 

I countered your offer and explained why.

[the pinjockey 0]

nevermind, it was set for Monday.

[Guest Vitamin X]

If anyone is interested in trading a decent 3B to me, make me an offer. Please!

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Question... with the weekly lineup settings, how's the first week going to be scored (i.e. Boston vs. Oakland)? Say I have Papelbon going... will I net a 0 for the pitching stats?

 

And because I'm a moron (and didn't see this earlier)... I'm making the argument to change weekly lineups to daily lineups next season since this season is too late to change.

[treble 0]

The first 'week' goes from March 24-April 6, so the Japan games are just added on to the first week when everyone else starts.

 

Also, I'd prefer if we stay with weekly roster changes. That's one of the best things about this league, IMO.

[the pinjockey 0]

Agreed about keeping weekly changes. I like not having to remember to deal with the league every single day.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Ive always said that weekly changes cause the league to be dead by the All Star Break but whatever.

 

and as far as VX is concerned over a 3B, I have Beltre that I would consider trading but he really doesnt have anyone Im interested in so..

 

 

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Ive always said that weekly changes cause the league to be dead by the All Star Break but whatever.

 

I tried to look at last year's league but couldn't glean anything in terms of the "manager last check in on X date" because there was nothing there. I also don't want to go by moves made because managers who played the whole year could make few moves.

 

I know this can be the case in Rotisserie leagues where the Top 6-7 spots can be decided by the All-Star Break but not sure on the H2H front.

 

Agreed about keeping weekly changes. I like not having to remember to deal with the league every single day.

 

As for the issue of not wanting to tamper with the lineup daily... you could set the lineup as if for a weekly and then just ignore it for the week as well. This way, if a player does get injured on a Tuesday, you have enough time to bench him without getting a 0 for the rest of the week in that spot. Just because it says daily change doesn't mean that as manager you'd "have" to change the lineup every day.

[Krankor 0]

The original purpose behind weekly rosters was so teams would actually have to make a decision once a week on what players they wanted to play for an entire week. The problem with daily changes is in a lot of matchups winners are decided on whoever wants to either rotate players in off their bench or the free agent list.

 

With pitching it becomes a game of who can make the most moves picking up random starters to fill up your stat categories. With our current format, you have to make tough decisions each week on how many and which SPs you want to go with and how many RPs you want playing. With daily changes it is just way too simple and there aren't any tough choices to make when it comes to starting or benching roster personal because it only has an effect on one day not seven days. With daily changes it’s going to put teams that are trying to develop prospects on their bench at an even bigger disadvantage. With weekly changes I feel I can keep 1 or 2 guys on my bench and see how they’re gonna work out without feeling like they are hurting my team.

 

That is my main reasoning behind why weekly changes are much better than daily.

 

This league usually isn't decided by the all star break. Roto leagues are typically set in stone after the first 2 months. We have 20 teams in this league. You have a new opponent every week of the season until the final 3 weeks of the regular season. If you have a brutal early schedule, in theory, it should get easier towards the end of the season. I know I was at the bottom of the league last year and was still trying just as hard at the end of the season as I was early on.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I suppose you could "stream" in this league but really theres not that much talent on the waivers available to do it on a daily basis that would help that much since theres 20 teams. With only 4 bench slots you also dont have much room to change your lineup that much without waiver pickups and drops, and its not like the NBA where only a handful of teams might play on a given night, usually everyone is playing or off save for rare off days for some teams and 4 game series for others.

 

Of course, the people who take this too seriously (raises hand) would be the ones to well because they will check and make changes daily. Its how Ive managed 6th place and playoffs in the NBA league.

 

The only major reason that everyone would agree with for daily is that it alleviates the dreaded injury on monday that wrecks the whole week and potentially all of your pitching points if its a starting pitcher that gets hurt. With minimum IPs you usually cant afford to have a pitcher miss a start unless you're really lucky with your other pitchers. If you have 2 starters hurt, forget about it.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

I prefer weekly lineup setting. Injuries can happen to anyone at any time. I also did not have problems meeting the min innings requirement last year despite some injuries. its fairly simple

[CanadianChris 0]

I would never vote for daily changes, because I don't have the time to spend on my roster every day. That's why I can't figure out why I join all these other leagues that have daily changes.

[Guest Vitamin X]

and as far as VX is concerned over a 3B, I have Beltre that I would consider trading but he really doesnt have anyone Im interested in so..

 

Yeah Pujols, Johjima, Helton, Manny Ramirez are really useless...

 

So again, if anyone has anything that's actually useful to say/offer to me in regards to a 3B, let me know. Thanks!

[Krankor 0]

I'd offer you something but my options at 3rd are extremely awful right now.

 

I just had to pick up Jack Hannahan off waivers because Scott Rolen just got hurt today in practice... Fractured finger tip and ripped off fingernail.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Made you an offer, VX. I dislike doing 2-1 deals but maybe you'll like the 1-1.

[Bored 0]

I'm offering to trade one of my worst players for anyone's best player. Don't pass up this offer before it's gone!

[Styles 0]

All my top prospects are starting the season in the minors. Every one. Ridiculous.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

and as far as VX is concerned over a 3B, I have Beltre that I would consider trading but he really doesnt have anyone Im interested in so..

 

Yeah Pujols, Johjima, Helton, Manny Ramirez are really useless...

 

So again, if anyone has anything that's actually useful to say/offer to me in regards to a 3B, let me know. Thanks!

 

Well I dont really need Helton or Johjima and Pujols is damaged goods, and Manny is Manny..but I didnt see you parting with any of them without me parting with someone else besides Beltre though and Im not too fond of that idea.

[Guest Vitamin X]

All my top prospects are starting the season in the minors. Every one. Ridiculous.

 

Same here. Both of my 3rd basemen. And Ian Stewart had been doing ridiculous in the Cactus League! Homering left and right. I can't wait till he gets called up. It would take a Garrett Atkins injury or Jayson Nix being totally incompetent at 2nd for that to happen, though. Shame.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

That's partly why I try and shy away from prospects unless I know for a fact they have a starting job sewn up/chance at starting the season (i.e. Mark Reynolds, Daric Barton) or they're taken in the final 2-4 rounds where cutting them for a better shot at winning this year won't hurt as much.

[Krankor 0]

I'm with Harley on this. I try and only grab guys that I consider prospects really late. That way if they work out they are a great value for the next season and if they don't it's not a big deal. Anyone I draft in the first 9 rounds better be giving me some quality, consistent production.

 

I had my eyes on Longoria in the draft but I under no circumstances wanted to take him prior to round 8. I even thought drafting him in round 8 was taking quite a risk on a guy that's unproven in the majors. I should have guessed he would have went earlier than he should have based on how soon Alex Gordon got drafted last year. It seems like everyone always gets overly excited over 3rd base prospects.

 

Oh well, I'll stick with Scott Rolen nub of a finger and Jack Hannahan for now. Hannahan was fairly productive in the season opener.