Akira Plays Short

Fundraising online: Bill Arp Giants

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:14:00 +0000

Akira Catcher Rankings for 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:56:00 +0000

So without further ado, let's kick off 2009 with the Akira Power rankings for the coming season at the eve of the upcoming GM meetings in Las Vegas. Let me start getting the juices flowing with my picks for catcher as some leagues require keepers to be set by December 31st.

Below are my top 25 at the cacher position and you guys can tell me how wrong or (man-up and say) how close or right I am. In either case I need a shrink until baseball season starts again!

These are the AKIRA POWER 25 rankings:
We'll start with the rank, name, team, and then my two-cents.

Here we go.

1 Russell Martin LAD CBS says due to a bad September they don't want to give him the number 1 slot. Whatever! Just like I predicted Soto was going to be the ROY - I am predicting that number 1 catcher for 2009 is going to be the big Canadian kid!

2 Brian McCann ATL. A sweet swinger! Barring any DL stints…B-Mac is the man at number 2 slot.

3 Joe Mauer MIN. What you have seen in the last three years is all he will give you. Will ever be the number 1? Nope, but he is nice enough here.

4 Geovany Soto CHC Has a shot at the number one slot for '09, may 2010. He can keep it warm until my new guy (Matt Wieters) takes over.

5 Victor Martinez CLE. Cleveland will just make him the regular 1B/DH after this year if they want to. I have the name of the next big catcher for Cleveland and trust me he is coming. Just not ready yet. Until then V-Mart warrants to be #5 with Kelly Shop-shooter as the back up.

6 Ryan Doumit PIT. Lets face it many of us love this kid. He finally has a better glove behind the plate and the bat is coming around. Look for him to continue the rise.

7 Bengie Molina SF. Bengie's magic is starting to drop, but the guy gets this spot even with a low avg. If the Giants make the playoffs this year it will be because he's got game calling skills.

8 Chris Iannetta COL Finally! Iannetta gets the starting job and he will run with it. Love this guy!

9 Kelly Shoppach CLE He was traded here as V-Mart's back-up. He gets this spot because V-Mart will not stay behind the dish. Kelly didn't disappoint when he was traded here, but he will get benched or traded onceWieters is ready as I said above with V-Mart being the everyday 1B or whatever guy. Or Cleveland will have to make a move this winter to clear things up before spring.

9 Jorge Posada NYY. High risk high reward is what I say. Still give Jorgie a lot of props. Wants to show he can still play. Only thing is Yanks have two big prospects waiting in the wings and if the Yanks know what is good for them - they will make Posada the full time DH. The boy can still rake!

Ok. Are you ready for this one.....?

10 Matt Wieters BAL. "Oh shit what did you say!?" You heard me! That's right baby without playing a single game yet this spot is given to the next "Bust-out yo". Nope this is not a typo! Move over Ramon 'cause your days are numbered. Wieters will be invited to the show in spring training and kick ass, but the O's will take the Braun/Longoria approach to wait and sign for arbitration purposes or whatever and then bring up around May 1st. The reason he gets the starting job will be about the howitzer he has for an arm not the Pujol-esk bat he will bring.

11 Kurt Suzuki OAK. Reality check here…good enough here for AVG, singles and some bags but he's fantasy play is all but done.

12 Dioner Navarro TB. You know how much I love this guy? He just lacks a little power. Bad ball and gap hitter. Don't know when - if ever - the power will show up.

13 A.J. Pierzynski CHW. Numbers starting to drop, but the vet is still good enough to crack my top 15.

14 Chris Snyder ARI. They say there is no such thing as a second half player yet he continues to suck before July and then he flips a switch and starts to rake after. The only reason Snyder is still around is because Montero is a liability on the field otherwise look for Chris to continue to work to try and keep his job. The D-Backs know Montero is the guy and it is just a matter of time before he takes over.

14 Mike Napoli LAA. Man! This is that guy you love to hate 'cause he is all over. One week he is up and the next week he drops. Got the glove and the bat but you never know which one will show up and when.

15 Jarrod Saltalamacchia TEX. This could be his last chance to shine behind the plate or where ever the Rangers want to put him. I don't care what position he plays. Just give him a full year. Come on Salty don't let me down!

15 Gerald Laird TEX. This year Texas makes the decision not to platoon him and may give him the dish and put Salty at 1B or full time DH. Then he is trade bate around the deadline if Jarrod stays healthy.

16 Brandon Inge. He gets the starting job now and will produce period.

17 Jesus Flores WAS. Ok so my boys in Queens didn't have to buy the Rap CD by Lasting’s, but it wasn't enough to give up on him. That is what they did with Jesus too - my boys gave up on him too soon. Acta knows what he's got.

18 Jeff Clement SEA. I salivated over this guy, but then ran out of saliva because he can't seem to show up. Well I think he shows enough to stay in the line up for '09. So he cracks my top 20 for now or I start drooling again.

19 Kenji Johjima OAK. Say what you will about the power, but it is not why Billy keeps him around. Still has a good enough stick for AVG and RBI's to stay in the line up in '09.

20 Ivan Rodriguez NYY. Posada is the higher risk with his knees and all is why Pudge will stay behind the plate for the glove. It is a win-win situation.

20 Jason Varitek BOS Boras BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…my guy this and my guy that, and he can call a great game.... Whatever bitch, the fucker still can't and won't pass a 230 AVG. Still - gotta give the boy the props....for now.

21 Ramon Hernandez BAL. Maybe the last time you see him at Camdon and chants of "Wieters…" "Wieters…." Is what the fans will start with as soon as he starts fucking up.

22 Yadier Molina STL. Not good enough this year to catch up to his bro this year either.

23 Carlos Ruiz PHI. Cracks the top 25 like Varitek with hell of a season. Can he keep it up?

24 Rod Barajas. "Say what son?" He had a comeback his come back year. And will keep it going as a low end in 2009

25 JR Towles HOU. Will continue to work for AVG and he has some pop too!

There you have it. Don't like it you say? Well let me hear from you people!

True Baseball Crime: The 1927 Yankees

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:41:00 +0000

I love baseball history and I can't get enough of baseball's best team.

Enjoy this short profile about baseball's "Tommy Gun" line up. __________________________________________________
The term was eternally associated with the advent of the Ruth and Lou Gehrig Yankee teams beginning in the mid-1920s, and is commonly recognized to refer specifically to the core of the 1927 Yankee hitting lineup.
Owner Jacob Ruppert is the man most often credited for building the team, although general manager Ed Barrow may have had as much to do with it. In a July series against the Washington Senators, the Yankees beat their opponents 21-1 in one game and prompted Senators’ first baseman Joe Judge to say, “Those fellows not only beat you but they tear your heart out. I wish the season was over.”
Season Results
The 1927 season was particularly spectacular by baseball standards for the Yankees. After losing in the 1926 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, they went 110-44 the next year, winning the A.L. Pennant by 19 games and sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. Only four teams have won more regular season games: the 1906 Chicago Cubs and the 2001 Seattle Mariners with 116, the 1998 Yankees with 114 and the 1954 Cleveland Indians with 111. However, the 1998 Yankees and 2001 Mariners played in 162-game schedules. More importantly, both the Cubs and the Indians lost the World Series in their years, and the Mariners did not reach the World Series in 2001, losing to the Yankees in a five-game American League Championship Series. The 1998 Yankees went 11-2 in the playoffs, sweeping the San Diego Padres in the World Series.
The 1927 Yankees batted .307, slugged .489, scored 975 runs, and outscored their opponents by a record 376 runs. Center fielder Earle Combs had a career best year, batting .356 with 231 hits, left fielder Bob Meusel batted .337 with 103 RBIs, and second baseman Tony Lazzeri drove in 102 runs. Gehrig batted .373, with 218 hits, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, a then record 175 RBIs, slugged at .765, and was voted A.L. MVP. Ruth amassed a .356 batting average, 164 RBIs, 158 runs scored, walked 137 times, and slugged .772. Most notably, his 60 home runs that year broke his own record and remained the Major League mark for 34 years until Roger Maris broke it.

The pitching staff led the league in ERA at 3.20, and included Waite Hoyt, who went 22-7, which tied for the league lead, and Herb Pennock, who went 19-8. Wilcy Moore won 19 as a reliever. The 1927 Yankees would eventually send six players along with manager Miller Huggins and president Ed Barrow to the Baseball Hall of Fame; only the 1928 Yankees had more with 9 players along with Huggins and Barrow. Three other Yankees pitchers had ERAs under 3.00 that season. After sweeping the Pirates in the Series, the Yankees repeated the feat by sweeping the Cardinals in the 1928 World Series. The Yankees remain the only team to ever sweep the World Series in consecutive years, though the Yankee teams of 1938-1939 and 1998-1999 repeated the feat. The Yankees of 1996-2000 would also set a record of most consecutive World Series wins, winning 14 consecutive World Series games that the team appeared in: After being down 2-0 in the 1996 Series, the Yankees rallied to win their next four games; not appearing in the Series again until 1998 when they swept two consecutive years; and then winning the first two games of the 2000 World Series, before losing game 3 to the NY Mets, to end the consecutive streak at 14 games, the 2000 Yankees went on to win the Series in five games.

Lineup and Roster
1927 NY Yankees Batting LineupCF Earle Combs .356, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 231 H
SS Mark Koenig .285, 3 HR, 62 RBI
RF Babe Ruth .356, 60 HR, 164 RBI
1B Lou Gehrig .373, 47 HR, 175 RBI
LF Bob Meusel .337, 8 HR, 103 RBI, 47 2B
2B Tony Lazzeri .309, 18 HR, 102 RBI
3B Joe Dugan .269, 2 HR, 43 RBI
C Pat Collins .275, 7 HR, 36 RBI

The Akira Power Trip: A Quick Report:

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:53:00 +0000

John Bowker - OF - San Francisco
The injury to Dave Roberts has opened the door and Bowker is taking advantage. It is very early, but if you have someone you can drop from your line up, you may want to roll the dice on this guy. By now or as of this post, he should be eligible at 1B. To me, Bowker is a power sleeper. Oh and by the way, came from Long Beach State same as all mighty Evan. Bowker was drafted in 2004 by the Giants before Evan Longoria who was drafted two years later.

Conor Jackson - 1B - Arizona - HOT
I never gave this guy any props last year, but this year…man….is he raking!
Has .300 - 20 home run potential. With the exception of keeper leagues, in a 12 team mixed, I bet he is still available in 60% of all leagues right now.

Wladimir Balentien - OF - Mariners
I watched this guy play in the futures game a couple of years ago and I have now doubts he will be awesome in the big leagues. Problem is – like most prospects in the mariners system – adjusting due to being called up too early.

Watch for him again in late 08.

Delwyn Young - OF - Dodgers
Forget Matt Kemp. What people don’t realize is that Kemp is a Basketball first and baseball second athlete. Look for the LA outfield to be Either, Jones, and Young by end of year or start of 2009 Delwyn, will WYN the job sooner or later. Kemp you ask? Earlier this season, after Torre watched Kemp run the bases with his head down and all out from 1B, to end up sliding in to 3B and finds James Loney there, “Son how old are you?” Joe asked. To which Matt replied, that he was pretty young, I think it was 22 years old. Torre says to him: “Good we have plenty of time to fix that!” Uh yea Joe good luck with that.

Evan Longoria - 3B - Rays
The third-overall pick in the 2006 draft and was a Baseball America AA Minor League All-Star in 2007. Picked to play with Team USA is going to be a beast. Period!

Colby Rasmus - OF - Cardinals
It’s a good thing that it is the Cardinals. Tony La Russa teams always seem to find a way to win so the Cardinals are not in need of the young hitter Rasmus, but could get a call by this season as an injury back up. Look for him to stick in 2009.

Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers
I love those big over six feet power guys. May have problem with his release which usually is an issue with command. That said this 6-3 2-ftty dude will be legit when he becomes part of LA's run to the division title. Watch for him in the second half. Struck out K/9 is up to 7 points. That is a lot of bats he is gonna miss.

David Price - Rays
The lefty was the #1 overall-pick of the 2007 draft and he has big league ready. A small set back with an injury kept him from moving up the minors ladder, but will not keep him from being part of the Rays playoff run in 2009 and a front of the rotation starter that looks like a lefty version of Brandon Webb.

Joey Votto - Reds
Like most rooks, will have his struggles and most with left-handers, his share time with old fart Hatteberg will prove to be a blessing, because the other Dusty old fart will let him play full time and at some point will take over completely.

Daric Barton - Athletics
Can you say 400. hitter boys and girls? This guy will be a batting champ mulitiple times.

Nuf-said.

James Loney - Dodgers - Breakout -
Ahh isn't it nice that Lasorda can breath a little better with how the Dodgers are putting together a better product on the field? Loney reminds him of a young Garvey with the potential of .300-30 HR-100 RBI hitter. Ah yes. Now if he can stop their nightmare at 3B?

Casey Kotchman - Angels -
I've got such a man-crush for this guy! Lefty (like me), especially with the fact that he is still a young hitter. He can be a .300, 40 double, 20 home run hitter if he can just stick for year.

Asdrubal Cabrera - Indians
Furcal reincarnated. Oh but better. Now the starter in that murderers row in Cleveland.

Yunel Escobar - Braves
As a hatter of the Braves, this is why you have to give them props! Better arm than Furcal and just as fast, and way better than Renteria with excellent range. Once he stopped catching the ball with his face at 3B in the brief call up for Chipper last year, Braves brass knew it was time to get the Cuban up and stick him at short. He can also play 2B, & SS as well.

Reid Brignac - Rays
I want this guy on my fantasy team, but I gotta wait a little. Foot injury sidelined him in the minors a bit and that became a problem at the dish, but watch for this guy to sick in 2009 next to all mighty Evan. Let me give you a taste...ready?....word play....what A-Rod is to Jeter, Longoria is to ....that's right. Trust me!

Evan Longoria - Rays
Beast period! Oh yea...sorry. I love this guy.

Andy Laroche - Dodgers
Had better numbers than Longoria with Team USA last year, and can rake with the best of them. Just gotta get started. Currently on the DL shelf.

Michael Bourn - Astros
Ricky Henderson potentional with the third person talk. Seriously. Now if he can do a little better with his OBP.....look out.

Cameron Maybin - Marlins
Look he is just not ready yet. Can't hit the slider away or the biter in the dirt, but will be awesome after he gets past that. If he gets past that. hope.

Jay Bruce - Cincinnati
You can only call a season vet hitting .312 a professional hitter. This 21 ear old will have his picture in the dictionary next to Professional Hitter. He is that good.

Matt Kemp - Dodgers
Can hit, catch and throw. All the makings of a 5 tool player, but once in a while...a dunce with cleats. Hopefully that name will not stick.

Jeremy Hermida - Marlins
Jeremy Hermida. Coming to rake at a ball park near you. Super Power Sleeper and potential trade bait for the Marlins. .275/20/90 this year and .300/25/110 by 2009.

Joba Chamberlain - Yankees
In 2007 he went 2-0 with a microscopic 0.38 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 24 innings. K/9 above 8 and growing, He is just a K's machine out of the pen. As the 8th inning guy, it will be hard for the Yanks to win another championship if they put him in th rotation this year.

Yovani Gallardo - Brewers
Joba if he was in the rotation. Thee plus, plus pitches and still learning at 23.

My Political Two Cent: Your not American if your booing the Prez .

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:47:00 +0000

On March 30th 2008, President Bush met with a mixed reception that evening as he threw out the 2008 inaugural first pitch at the new Nationals Park, built for the Washington Nationals baseball team. With a quick introduction and a wave, President Bush throws a high pitch to Nationals manager Manny Acta and proceeds to shake his hand.
President Bush was invited to deliver the first pitch at the new Nationals home ballpark and got booed!??! What? Come on people!
I don’t care what side you are on as far as the war is concerned, or what political affiliation you are a part of people, you are un-American when you boo the Commander in Chief at a baseball game in your country. If you have the brains (dimwitted as it may be) to do that then you must know that it doesn’t look good to other countries. You can’t take 20 minutes out of your mundane lives to enjoy the significance of this moment? You needed a little excitement so you show up to a ballgame just to boo George W. You can’t boo the Prez someplace else. Noooo. You have to be lazy and show up at a venue that is as American as apple pie instead of going to your congressman or government official to complain or better yet, if you don’t like President Bush that much, vote against him! Oh what a concept huh? You know what bothers me the most is that if I were a betting man, most of you that booed him probably voted for him. And – not only voted for him – did it twice!
Seriously, are you kidding me? It’s opening day (night) and the Prez is throwing out the first pitch! Hello?? I turned on the tube to watch the game not the booing. I wanted to get away from the riggers of life for a little while and enjoy myself by watching a game.
Everyone in the country is tuned into the current presidential race right? I mean, one way or another it will be historical when the delegates are finally chosen. I didn’t want to be involved with politics watching a baseball game on TV. I got enough of that at work around the water cooler. But, no. you had to try and make it political during my game. Do me a favor you political put-heads, sorry pundits, stay out of my baseball game.

Fantasy Smorgasbord: Deep sleepers, a Couple of Prospects, and some Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Early this year, as I prepared for the upcoming drafts – you know, practice by mock drafting and researching players and putting together my plans for the new fantasy baseball season, I asked myself if I had missed anything or was I comfortable and ready to play.
I realized something while I was researching for tips, tricks and strategies – everywhere I went - magazines, newspapers, online, TV, and/or pod casts, all I kept finding and reading and hearing was the end part of most if not all drafts are usually reserved for guys you take and chance on and or fill the rest of your teams spots.

Well I disagree. Some analyst touch on the”end game” picks, but I always think I can do better. In most fantasy drafts: auction, rotisserie, and keeper, I find that there are some players that can give enough to cover any of the aforementioned. Granted they will be hard to find, but if you are like me, you won’t care because you love this game! Some of you are a little freaky and extreme, (Jeff) when it comes to playing, but all in all, you love this game.
What I’m going to do is listed by position, players who are serviceable with potential for a very good average this year, say 280 and above, and 20+ homerun potential, and some guys that people just……forgot that will be very good all around. These are players that no one drafts or will draft late because they rather pick mostly hot prospects or old guys. Oh about these old guys - I think, if a player is past their prime - 32 or more - don't pick them up. There are exceptions to this rule (not much), but most likely they will be drafted already. Look for 1, 2, or guys that are beginning their 3rd year, who may be on the cusp (not Jack Cust) and ripe for sleep mode. When you think you have a player start by taking a long look at a few places. Don’t just check 3 yr averages. Look for trends. Home and Road splits. How they are doing against lefties and right handed pitching. Or look at maturity. Read what the coaches and scouts from other teams are saying also. Anyway let me stay away from rants and let me give my raves:

Catcher: Dioner Navarro
First Base: Nick Johnson
Second Base: Asdrubal Cabrera
Shortstop: Erick Aybar
Third Base: Jorge Cantu
Leftfield: Michael Bourn
Centerfield: Justin Upton
Right field: Jeremy Hermida
DH: Billy Butler
RP: Matt Lindstrom
SP: Andy Sonnanstine

Featured Fantasy Baseball Expert: Jeffrey Bauer – a.k.a. The Sultan Pepper

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:04:00 +0000

In the coming months during the baseball season, I'll be featuring a Q&A with a fantasy baseball expert and cover what type of research, strategy, and analysis it takes to win your fantasy baseball league. I will introduce the type of league first: (i.e. AL only, NL only, mixed, keeper) and then go into a series of questions to help you get the most of the strategy the expert uses going into the draft and tips on working trades, picking up players off the waver wire, and also looking for the top phenom that might be called up next.

_____________________________________________________________________
This week's top expert: Jeffrey Bauer. League of Nations hosted by CBS Sportsline.com Jeff plays in a keeper mixed points league that, as he states, plays like you’re a manager or GM of an actual team that plays as close to the MLB as you can find.

How did you get started with fantasy baseball?
I have been an avid baseball fan my whole life, but when I went to college in 1995 my devotion to the sport went to a whole new level. I started to eat, drink, and sleep baseball. I think it was around the same time that Yahoo! launched their fantasy baseball product. I thought it was the greatest thing. It was really the first time I have ever heard of fantasy sports. It's funny because now I really hate Yahoo’s fantasy (I am a CBS guy), but at the time it blew me away. I thought, "Let me get this straight, you choose real major leaguers and how they do in real life effects your fantasy team, and you can draft any players you want! This is awesome!” I remember the first league I was in; it was with my two roommates, Joel and TC. You can imagine how competitive it must have been. The next year I joined a couple of public leagues and then a few more the following year, now I play in about ten baseball fantasy league's a year.

I know you have been playing fantasy baseball for more than 10 years. Give me an idea of how long it took to win your first championship and some of the pitfalls you had to overcome before realizing you’re the best in you style of league?

Actually, like most fantasy baseball guys, it took me a long time to actually win a league. I was always that guy who would finish 4th or 5th in every league I was in. About five years ago I starting winning leagues and let me tell you, I understand what George Steinbrenner is talking about when he says that anything less than the World Series is a failed season. Three years ago I won six leagues and for the entire off-season my head was in the clouds. But it is not always that easy, last year in a keeper league I am in, I was lingering in 4th place at the beginning of August, saw that I wasn't going to win and traded half my team for next years keepers. I winded up finishing in last place! Sometimes you have to know when to play for next year and cut your loses.

I tried goggling Sultan Pepper and found numerous hits on some old cartoon back in the 50’s I think. Where in the hell did you get that nickname? And more important why do you use it as an alias in your league?

Sultan Pepper was actually my roommate at the time, Jono's, first Yahoo! e-mail account. Since our league was the League of Nations and since I was a manager of the league and the commissioner, I thought it was a good idea to create a fictitious figurehead commissioner and the Sultan Pepper was born. Trust me it is a lot easier vetoing a trade or telling a manager they can't do something when you can sign the e-mail “Sultan Pepper”.

That was pretty clever. How else can someone get creative with running their own fantasy league? What do you create an entire commissioner’s office?

Yes. And yes. Over the years the Honorable Sultan has gotten busy with other things, like our annual "Name that Dirty Team Contest" or our upcoming 4th Annual All-Star Showdown, so the commissioner’s office hired an assistant for the commish, Muhammad al Mumar al Shabaz. Mr. Shabaz now handles most of the day-to-day dealings of the league.

I'm also told that you’re the type of player that likes to win and has no remorse for your competition. Is this a true assessment?

Of course, I hate to say it because I am such a big fan of the game, but nothing would make me happier then Johan Santana (who is not on any of my teams so far this year) getting shot in the neck with a harpoon gun. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want anyone dead, but if he misses four months healing in an Alaskan hospital that is fine by me.

How hard is it to play in a keeper league?

The League of Nations is a tough league because it is really hard to screw any of the other managers out of top prospects and talent. But every once in a while I make a big killing with a trade and I love it. This year is even tougher though because we added a new team to the league for the first time in a few years. Oh, and the manager happens to be my father. So I might go a little easy on him, but probably not.

My understanding, again as I was told, is you come across as a badass, but you’re a stat head at heart (justifiably calling you a nerd is not out of the question) when it comes to fantasy baseball. When you’re invited to play in other leagues, what should players/owners look for first in order to get them started in trying to win their leagues?

I listen to a lot of fantasy baseball podcasts and read all of the magazines and what not and while some are better than others, they all basically are bullshit! If I am in a head-to head 6x6 league, how fricking confusing is it listening to a podcast about player rankings when the "expert" is talking about a 5x5 rotisserie or auction values. Who the hell cares that Albert Pujols went for $52 when I need to know who to take with the third pick in the draft. Speaking of Albert Pujols, I have been mock drafting where he is slipping to 6th or 7th because of his shoulder. Poor A-Pooh! And another thing how is David Wright a top five pick this year? Remember where you heard this - 2009 Wright is an early second rounder! Any way what was I talking about...Oh yeah me being a badass? The only thing I can say for sure is you need to stand out. Everyone now a days has the same information as you do. Everyone knows B.J. Upton is going to be good this year, so don't be surprised he doesn't fall to you in the fifth round.
The most important thing I can say is take chances. I will tell you what I mean, last year in the League of Nations, at the beginning of the draft I came up with a plan to get Johan Santana. The LON is more pitching oriented than most leagues and I really wanted Santana to anchor my rotation. So this is what I did. First I traded Chase Utley and Chris R. Young to one team for Chris Carpenter, Russell Martin, and an earlier draft pick. We do our draft off-line through the league message board (it is awesome, it takes a month) so trading draft picks is common. Then I moved Jose Reyes for Derek Jeter and another earlier draft pick. With the two extra draft picks I got Jonathan Broxton (who led my staff in points, Holds are big in the LON) and Delmon Young. Then I traded Russell Martin, Travis Hafner, and Carlos Beltran for Carl Crawford and David Ortiz and another earlier draft pick which I took Dan Haren. Then I moved Haren, Ortiz, and Phil Hughes to yet another team for Brian McCann and Johan Santana!

So in a span of three days, I traded David Ortiz, Dan Haren, Chris Young, Chase Utley, Russell Martin, Jose Reyes, Travis Hafner and Carlos Beltran! And guess who fucking won the league? Sometimes you have to take chances. I have guys in my league that hold on to players like grim death. Shit, I would trade my mother for the right package!

Your league is a mixed-points based league. It isn't your typical mixed league, so what do you do first in trying to get prepared to win your league?

The LON is a keeper league. Every year we keep 10 players. I am already thinking about my 2009 keepers and we are only half way through the 2008 draft. Most of the other managers don't even think about 2009 until, you guessed it, 2009. That is why some players that were kept this year included Todd Helton and Barry Zito. The league plays very much like the MLB. Most fantasy baseball leagues are just that, a fantasy. I don't see the Yankees trotting out two starting catchers or five outfielders every day. And what the hell is a "middle infielder" or a “corner infielder"? I hate that! And ten starting pitchers this and three closers that. It is unrealistic and it bores me. I don’t see the League of Nations as a fantasy league; I see it more as an alternate universe type of a thing. We are as close to the MLB as you can get; it is just that A-rod is on the 'Lennon Lamphead' instead of the New York Yankees.

And why should Ryan Howard strike out two times, make two errors, and hit into a double play, yet he hits a solo homerun and a double in five at-bats and that is seen as a good day in fantasy. "Well, he went 2-for 5 with two runs, two RBIs, not too bad." Well in the LON that crap would net him negative three. Because in real baseball he hurt his team more than helped it that day.

The biggest thing I can do to prepare for my league is understand the rules. Adam Dunn gets lambasted in fantasy for his low average, but in the LON that doesn't matter as much, his 160 strikeouts matter a whole lot though. I generally plan for the draft way in advance, and I understand the teams I am playing against. I have a pretty good feel for when players are going to be drafted and by what teams. Public leagues are fun, but they are anonymous. I highly recommend starting your own league, tweaking the rules to suit you and your friends, and keeping the same groups of people together for as long as possible. This is the 10th Year of the LON and I really feel it can hold its own against any league out there.

Is there a specific combination of stats for batters and pitchers that should always be looked at when preparing to draft in mixed leagues? (I.e. BA, OPS, WHIP, etc)

I'm stats junky, but sometimes one can get bogged down in analysis. They shouldn’t even let most of these experts give potentials and projections for the upcoming season because it is a bunch of bull-crap as well. If you watch the games and know the players, you can pull a bunch of projections out your butt too and be just as accurate as Bill James. I read all of that sfuff for the fun of it, but I really look at several factors when preparing for a draft. I am a big proponent of where batters bat in the order. I generally stock my teams with, obviously, middle of the order guys or lead off hitters. The nice part about a points based league is that it doesn’t matter how many homeruns your team hits or bases they steal, the only thing that matters is their total points. For pitchers I admit I look at Ks/9 pretty closely but I also take a good look at ballparks, not just do they pitch in a bandbox or whatnot, but what are there home and away splits, little things that that can really be insightful.

You’re a Yankee fan, but don't consider yourself a homer because if a Yankee lands on your team, you can defend/justify drafting the best in that position. What do you say to players who have a tendency in drafting favorite players vs. trying to draft the best regardless of stats?

That's a tough one. I am a Yankee fan and generally wind up with a few on my team every year. I traded Derek Jeter and Roy Halladay for Eric Bedard though in the off-season. Never pick a player based on your heart, your head yes, and your gut sometimes, but never your heart. I am guilty of one thing though; in the 15 odd years I have been fooling around with fantasy baseball I have never drafted a Red Sox. And trust me I know they have had some great players. I just can't imagine sitting there in September watching Jon Papelbon close out the Yankees season and being disgusted at myself for thinking, "Well, at least I got the 12 points for the save."

You’re usually successful in enticing others to trade with you. When you want to make a trade with another manager, some ideas are to send an e-mail, but when do you do that? How should an owner begin an attempt in making a trade offer?

I am big proponent of being aggressive. I send out about 500 trades a season in the LON. I always have about ten trades out to the other managers at all times. I hear a lot of 'experts' say, "You don't want to piss off the other owners." That's why the trick is: send a billion trades; just make them fair. Another owner will never get annoyed with bombarding them with trade offers as long as they make some kind of sense. If you repeatedly send shit like, Vernon Wells and Clayton Kershaw for CC Sabathia and Ryan Braun, then yeah that owner has the right to curse you out and block your e-mail address. But it you send stuff like, Miguel Cabrera and Javier Vazquez for C.C. and Braun, while the other might not like it, it won't piss them off. The best trades to make are with owners that don’t realize what they have. Last year I traded Chris Duncan for Phil Hughes. And while I moved Hughes this off-season in a deal for Cole Hamels, it was still a steal.

Give me a break down of what it would take to make moves in a keeper league?

Not to toot my own horn, but check this out. My keepers in the LON going into December ’07 were:

C-Brian McCann
1B-Adrain Gonzalez
2B-Robinson Cano
3B-Miguel Cabrera
SS-Troy Tulowitski
LF-Carl Crawford
SP-Johan Santana
SP-Roy Halladay
SP-Francisco Liriano (I believe!)
RP-Joba Chamberlain

Not bad, but I thought I could do better, so I went to work. After countless e-mails and trade proposals this is what I did. First, your favorite blogger, Mr. Akira, sent me an offer: Adrian Gonzalez for Mark Texeira. For some reason he thinks Adrian is going to bust out in a big way this year, so of course I jumped on it. I then sent Roy Halladay and Derek Jeter to one of my rivals for Eric Bedard. Then, I traded Brian McCann straight up for Joe Mauer. The guy was a Braves fan and was tired of cranky Joe, but I knew he was valued elsewhere. So I moved Mauer and Torii Hunter (non-keeper) to another team for Russell Martin. Do you see where this is going? Then the first blockbuster, I moved Carl Crawford, Ted Lilly (non-keeper), and Aaron Rowand (non-keeper) for Victor Martinez. Now I had the best two catchers in the league! So I knew one of the other managers really wanted a top catcher, so I traded him Martin for his extra third baseman Ryan Braun! Now I was in position to pull off another blockbuster. Pay attention! I traded Miguel Cabrera, Tulowitski, Cano, and Johan Santana for Utley, Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman, and Fausto Carmona. It was a big improvement to my infield, but I just went from having Santana and Halladay to Carmona and Bebard, and I needed to fix that. So, I traded Zimmerman (I had Braun) and Carmona for Cole Hamels, then moved Hamels and Phil Hughes for C.C. Sabathia. My keeper list was transformed:

C-Victor Martinez
1B-Mark Teixera
2B-Chase Utley
3B-Ryan Braun
SS-Hanley Ramirez
SP-C.C. Sabathia
SP-Eric Bedard
SP-Francisco Liriano
RP-Joba Chamberlain
RP-Jonathan Broxton (our league only has one closer per team and four middle relievers, like the MLB, so having a stud like Broxton to build my bullpen around was great)

Is there anything else you can think of that I may have missed that would help make an impact for that beginning fantasy player looking for an edge playing fantasy baseball in general?

Just a few rants about playing in standard leagues. Why are there only two or heaven forbid one DH spot in your average league? That doesn't make sense. If Utley, Reyes, Santana, Peavy, and K-rod all go down on Opening Day, you are basically finished. In the LON we have ten spots and it works just great. Also, what is with the generic OF position? You know in real baseball they have these things called left fielders and right fielders and center fielders. We find it natural to divide the infield up, yet we lump outfielders into a generic category. That doesn't make sense. I am also a big proponent of having no reserve pitchers. The Washington Nationals don't have nine starting pitchers throwing everyday so why should you. You pitch-and-ditch assholes make the casual fantasy player a non-factor sometimes. Yeah, my WHIP and ERA might be better than yours but I will never be able to compete in Wins and Ks.

You can leave a comment for The Sultan Pepper: Jeffery Bauer at the end of this blog by clicking on comments and Jeff will answer. Or email Akira Plays Short by clicking on the email icon and follow the steps to send your questions in quickly to Jeff.
If you have any questions about the LON rules or the scoring system in the League of Nations or just want to hear honest and informed fantasy advice feel free to e-mail Jeff direct at his league office, jabnj@yahoo.com. Give Jeff as much details and he promises to give you a sincere answer based on your system and your league, not some generic one-liner.
Ok, so Adrian Gonzalez isn't as good as Mark Texeira, but it was an off season offer?!? What?
Have a great season!

Selig has iwasunaware-monocromia!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:10:00 +0000

This could be Bud Selig with an exemption for Iwasunawaremonocromia!

Just when I thought I can start my count down to pitchers and catchers reporting to camp on February 14Th 2008 - without hearing or reading anything about steroids and more Mitchell Report crap, I come across an article in the New York Times recently about players needing an exception for ADD. You know, I'm that old school fan who just hates to hear excuses like this so my first reaction was your all just boneheads!

Baseball player's being exempt from testing because they have ADD. What will they think of next? Seriously? Look I heard about LaRoche and Gorzelanny in Pittsburgh, and I'm not saying it isn't possible, but clearly this is going to be a big loop hole if it isn't already. If nothing is done, I can't wait to find out next years numbers or the next reason to get away from being tested. Here is a possible headline:

BREAKING NEWS: The number of ADD exempt players has risen to 256.

Milwaukee Brewers leading the pack in players being suspended.

A Major League Baseball high ranking official busted in connection with signing off on exemptions for players who need to combat OCD:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The doctor's medical background: Veterinarian.

Bud Selig couldn't be reached for comment. More to follow

____________________________________________

As a kid growing up I only knew of ballplayers that would just show up to the ballpark and play. This reminds me of one of my favorite documentaries which to me, justified historically how baseball should be played. The documentary was called "When it was a Game".

In part I, the narrator brings up an interview with a manager and asks questions about how his ballplayers play the game. The manager calls over one of his players to ask if the player knows any of his stats. The ballplayer said no and walks away. The manager turns to the interviewer and says that's what he loves about his players. They just come to the park to beat the crap out of the other team. That is it. Simple right? Not in this day and age.

Look I get that in order to clear up this steroid era, it has to come out for all to see that something is being done. That said, am I the only one that feels that - once again - baseball will take a hit and drop as the national pastime? Come on people, now we have an epidemic on ADD in baseball? Really? At the recent hearings with the oversight committee, the Congressman that brought this to the forefront was Mr. Tierney of Massachusetts. And during the hearings Mr. Tierney asked the following and the response to me was mind boggling!:

How, Mr. Tierney wanted to know, had baseball allowed this to happen? “We are trying to break down why it happened and how it happened,” Mr. Selig said in response. Mr. Fehr suggested that the attention deficit disorder numbers might be higher in baseball than the general adult population because baseball players have a younger average age.Both he and Mr. Fehr said they trusted the judgment of Dr. Bryan W. Smith, a North Carolina pediatrician with a doctorate in exercise physiology who administers baseball’s drug-testing program and has to approve any medical exemptions. He was not immediately available for comment after the hearing.

Are you kidding me?!? A pediatrician with a doctorate in physiology wasn't available for comment?

You know what this reminds of? Fehr and Selig didn't know what was going on and Dr. Smith not available for comment? Watergate. Yep. Do you know what they are calling these next set of hearings on the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting? The Syringe Generation. What!? Anyway, what will the players think of next right? ADD and OCD coupled with a PhD could result in a low IQ and that just gives me TS: Tourette Syndrome. Because right now I just want to curse the crap out of all this!

The Hall of Fame Picked the Wrong Mustache

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:34:00 +0000

There are some writers, who have Hall of Fame votes to cast, that are starting to vote for Rice.

Why?

The fear factor. Pitchers absolutely hated to face him, and for good reason.
Let us look at Rice's glory years, from 1975 to '86. Understand something, his prime was relatively short, and that he suffered a precipitous drop and early career exit that has probably kept him out of the Hall of Fame.
But Rice was so brilliant during a 12 year dominance that it supersedes the fact that he didn't reach some of the magic numbers that excite Hall of Fame voters, particularly 500 home runs (or, in Rice's case, even 400 home runs).

______________________________________________
MOST HOME RUNS (1975-'86)
Mike Schmidt*
440
Dave Kingman
365
Jim Rice
350
Reggie Jackson*
330
George Foster
321
*Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

________________________________

During those 12 years, Rice was the most dominant player in the American League. Maybe not the best player -- You can argue that George Brett, at that time was the best. But check out Rice from 1975 to '86. He ranked first in the AL in games (1,766), first in at-bats (7,060), first in runs (1,098), first in hits (2,145), first in home runs (350), first in runs batted in (1,276), first in slugging percentage (.520), first in total bases (3,670), first in extra-base hits (752), first in go-ahead RBIs (325), first in multi hit games (640), fourth in triples (73), and fourth in batting average (.304). He also was first in outfield assists with 125. For some reason, Rice has been labeled a lousy fielder, but even Bill James, a leading detractor of Rice's Hall of Fame credentials, concedes that he was a better left fielder than most peopled regarded him.

I'm just sayin' people. A small tidbit of info on why Jim Rice should be in the Hall period. End of story!

Ah...can somebody get to the Old Boys Network and wake them up please?

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Draft day!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:42:00 +0000

It is that amazing time of the year, when you start counting down towards pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. You’re searing through newsstands searching high and low for that first fantasy baseball magazine you want to smell and rub your face on it until the ink starts fading from the glossy cover. “Who will be on the cover this year?” You ask yourself, as if it isn’t always the most popular player or the player with career stats from the previous season.
And you know that when you buy that magazine, it has to be in immaculate condition because you know that after you leave the store holding it tight in a double plastic bag (you don’t want the corners to bend) your going to bend and highlight, and doodle all over it yourself. That’s right people, you know who you are? You want to make believe you’re the best fantasy baseball player there is and you like impersonate RON SHANDLER who use to run to his basement after the World Series to work on player projections for the following year!
Come on as if you didn’t know who I was talking about really. That true hardcore fan. Don’t play dumb now. You guys who can name the opening day lineup for the 1983 Milwaukee Brewers; and can tell George Brett's career batting average against Dennis Eckersley; and who worship Peter Gammons! People please you know you love that old guy. And you will forgive him even if he is a Red Sox fan just to watch him on Baseball Tonight.
Ye, of the dedicated fantasy baseball group, who live, breathe, and eat baseball – have to read about it; they talk about; dream about it; our lives revolve around that magical white sphere that is used on that big ballpark between those white foul lines..
This select group looks forward to this time of year like me – the fanatical fan and for one very special reason. It's something we've dedicated ourselves to all winter long, studying night after night, just waiting for our league to start. It's our passion and the reason we get out of bed in the morning.
Fantasy baseball isn’t a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer, trading baseball cards. It's real competition that is taken very, very seriously. Friendships are nonexistent from draft day to the end of the season because winning the league, at whatever cost, is the ultimate goal!
Well what's the point? You ask. Isn't there better ways to spend free time? Um let me think? No! It’s for bragging rights and money of course. It’s not a game. Money and lots of it is involved. Most leagues' entry fee is $260 per person. And with their money, comes someone's pride and dignity.
And not until the winner is declared, will you stop trying to win. Because that person, that owner, can look at everyone else in the league and say, "I'm smarter and cleverer than all of you. I have a degree in Sabermetrics, (you know you’re lying with that last comment) and now I have your money yea baby!”
Oh there is joy in Mudville if you can win.

Does anybody know that the Caribbean World Series is all the rage now?

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Man! I am all Mitchell Report out. Seriously! I mean it's a soap opera out there. From Giambi and his Johnny Depp "Cry Baby" antics, "I'm sorry really, really sorry." Dude, come on say it! Say it! You big no good actor, but good for 30 home runs and 100 RBIs a season. "Look dad we're a Yankee!" Oh didn't Tejada inject Big G in Oak-town?

...And here comes Big Mac pleading the fifth with his spectacles on in the middle of a spectacle when Raphael got all hyper and started pointing that 500 home run finger. What was it that he said? Oh yea, "I never took steroids in my life!" Man, did he Tejad-it that day right? Here's the kicker he gets busted about 2 weeks later and releases a statement. It read: "Tejada gave me the pills and said they are vitamins". Uh, yea.

Oh! How about Slammin' Sammy, who knew English so well at one point during all those interviews leading up to and during, that magical 66 home run season with spectacle Mac. Remember when he did that sit down in the media room and he ended up quoting Garret Morris of Saturday Night Live? Remember that quote: "Beisbol been very, very good to me".
Pretty good English there right? How come he couldn't remember how to speak English in front of congress? You know people forget how smart Sosa really is. Oh well half corked bat will travel.

Moving on we have on the 'On deck circle', Barry "Why is everybody always picking on me?" Bonds. Um Barry, your baseball cap can cover the polar ice cap. What do you have to say about that? "Yo man, the dude said it was gel for my body joints alright!?"
What!

Now the latest is Andy, who admits to using. "Aw come on. You all didn't think I wuz using'? Did ya?" "I was rehabbing people!" Didn't I hear somewhere that Andy's lawyer was Sammy Sosa's lawyer? Can you say "No hablo espanol"?
BREAKING NEWS: Tejada gets trade to Houston. What!

Then there is the Rocket Man's rocket fuel being tainted. Oh hey Roger, I too, take Viox like they were skittles. Not!

Alright now, are we done here? Can we get to some baseball action? In case you didn't know the 50th Annual Caribbean WS is starting to heat up now and will end with the final four bashing it out from February 2nd to the 7th in the Dominican Republic.

Dude, don’t do a Canseco over playng fantasy baseball for Christ Sake!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:54:00 +0000

You’ve been playing fantasy baseball a few years now right?

And you have never won. Right? I'm sure you ask yourself, what happened at the end of the season when you missed the cash again. Am I right?

Every year you always start with such energy and motivation to do the best you can, but you never ever won the league. The closest you have come to first place was 4th. “Whatever”. You say. You get frustrated and upset and you wonder what you are doing wrong.

Then it begins with ideas in your head about cheating going on in the league. You start looking up all the names in the league. Trying to find trade patterns and now you’re going nuts! Hey you asked for it. Now you’re yelling at yourself because you want to know who is emailing who and what is being said and why you are not a part of it.

“I've got a good team” Says the crybaby. You ask yourself: “Is there a coup in the undercurrents of my league or do I just need culture classes?” Maybe?

Dude, relax already. This game should be played for the fun and the excitement, and the trash talking, and all that is good in the world of fantasy Baseball. For all of you that have pending trades out there....well you just gotta keep waiting and trying. Right FM? Try to figure out what the next guy needs and send an email. Wait two weeks and send a reminder. Don’t send 2, 3, or 4 emails a week. Stop it! You’re becoming a pest already.

Now getting back to your culture Coup d'etat issue...... Let's review some examples that just kill you during the baseball season because you’re wasting time over nothing. You look at the transactions on how players get to other teams' rosters. Interesting? Another team drops a player and a few minutes later the player is picked up by some other team? “Hmm, that’s odd”.

Me? I would’ve said to myself, “Self let that go”
Now you turn to some offers you have made to other teams. “Damn, still there." he says. Well of course you idiot. You just sent that one yesterday. “Man, (You think to yourself) that’s a good offer and that owner would be stupid not to take it.” Dude, take it easy will ya.
You have sent the trades, and the emails, and posted messages to that team owner you’re trying to make a trade with, but you’re waiting and waiting for any kind of response.....and you get nothing. Crap! "Hurry up already", as the sore looser bangs his computer screen.

Then after a few weeks you see some action. What, a quick trade with no problems with two other teams? What the... Oh now your pissed because you look at the names attached to the recent trade, and one of those guy’s is the team owner your trying' to trade with! You hold your breathe, exhale, and you move on the best you can. Once you were told you needed a culture class. A culture class for fantasy freaking’ baseball?!!? Well you know what? You’re going to a culture class buddy. And learn fantasy baseball culture. That's right. You better if you know what's good for ya. For me, I rather kill myself then let this game kill me.
Guys it’s suppose to be fun. Relax and enjoy. Don’t worry what the other team is doing.
Don’t find yourself saying those words from the immortal Charlie Brown - UGH!
Me, I'm a fantasy baseball Homer. D'oh!

I'm the one they call Akira (the baseball fan)

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:12:00 +0000

AKIRA (me, the fan) begins, when what was believed to be an atomic bomb (the steroid era), was dropped on baseball, almost destroying the national past time as we know it and marking the beginning of the end of what should be the last great baseball controversy. We can only hope.

After the Mitchell Report, Major League Baseball has sprung from the ruins of turmoil and deceit, yet again. It will no doubt experience a prolonged period of unrest caused by the political instability and ramifications of this steroid investigation. It will have no choice but to forge on through this issue of usage (allegedly) of performance enhancing drugs done by present and former players.
This steroid era was another destructive point in baseball history, but it will serve as a crutch to make things right again.

I am still a fan. What most fail to realize about the steroid era, is that there is plenty of blame to go around. Major League Baseball, owners, front office, manager’s and coaches, player’s and fans. That’s right the fan too deserve blame. Who was complaining about those “tape measure” bombs by players that began 1996? How would you answer now the question: Were the baseballs juiced? Why did we follow Big Mac and Slamming Sammy in 1998? Seriously? If you asked me about Bonds and his 73, I will ask you: Is that when you woke up? Where have you been before then? Look, the fact of the matter is the Mitchell Report was a well orchestrated “ploy” to end this as quickly as possible. I mean where do we go from here? Nowhere!

It will be ok as always after this era has come and gone and Major League baseball will still recognize me the fan.
The MLB will continue to reach out to me (the fan) and use me as a marketing test subject…to channel Akira, a source of unimaginable power and the cause of the explosion that helped destroy the steroid era.

There is no such thing as a “small market team" or a "mid market team" anymore. All Major League teams are making money. Steroids were never a factor. Did you know that the Florida Marlins are the most successful expansion team in baseball history? That’s right. Look it up. Two World Series championships since they came into baseball and still have the lowest payroll of all? Granted the average appearance was about every 6 years, but it was done. Can you say 2009 Champs? I'm just saying.

Look, I leave you with this: Major League baseball will always try to put blame on others instead of, me the fan. Think about it, if Major League Baseball had a players strike or another problem and tried to blame me; can you imagine if that plan backfires? Major League Baseball will still try to locate and manipulate the source of (the fan's) Akira's power first. We, the fan, endowed with incredible powers as a whole, can make for one destructive bomb a reality. Imagine this: If we as fans could band together we could go on a rampage that could threaten to completely annihilate the MLB. OK, we can dream right? It could happen? We the fan (AKIRA) can be a disturbing vision of the future for Major League Baseball and they know it.

At The Draft Bar: It's my dollar draft 100 for 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:40:00 +0000

Getting ready to drink your Auction Draft?

Don't drink just yet without checking my list and dollar values for the first 100 players that are sure to go off the board.

Let's celebrate. Yeh!

[Dollar values are a work in progress and are being added as I work my way down]

Values are my suggested value I would try not to go over.

That said, you can bid as much as you want as long as you have a plan come draft day.

Dollars values are based on a 12 team mixed league with a $260 budget.

Rank Player Value Team Pos Age

____________________________
1 Alex Rodriguez $57 NYY 3B 34
2 Jose Reyes $51 NYM SS 24
3 Albert Pujols $49 STL 1B 28
4 Hanley Ramírez $44 FLD SS 23
5 Chase Utley $44 PHI 2B 29
6 Matt Holliday $43 COL OF 28
7 Miguel Cabrera $39 DET 3B 25
8 Ryan Braun $37 MIL 3B 24
9 Jimmy Rollins $36 PHI SS 29
10 David Wright $37 NYM 3B 25
11 Ryan Howard $36 PHI 1B 28
12 Prince Fielder $36 MIL 1B 24
13 Johan Santana $35 MIN SP 29
14 Alfonso Soriano $34 CHI OF 32
15 Carl Crawford $32 TAM OF 27
16 Jake Peavy $ 32 SDG SP 27
17 David Ortiz $29 BOS DH 32

18 Grady Sizemore $28 CLE OF 25
19 Ichiro Suzuki $26 SEA OF 34
20 Mark Teixeira ATL $26 1B 28
21 Curtis Granderson $25 DET OF 27
22 Brandon Phillips CIN 2B 26
23 Victor Martinez CLE C/1B 29

24 C.C. Sabathia CLE SP 27
25 Brandon Webb ARI SP 29
26 Magglio Ordóñez DET OF 34
27 Vladimir Guerrero LAA OF 32
28 Carlos Beltrán NYM OF 31

29 Francisco Rodríguez LAA RP 26
30 J.J. Putz SEA RP 31
31 B.J. Upton TAM 2B/OF 23
32 Carlos Zambrano CHI SP 27
33 Cole Hamels PHI SP 24
34 Carlos Lee HOU OF 32
35 Lance Berkman HOU 1B 32
36 Francisco Liriano MIN SP 24
37 Hunter Pence HOU OF 25
38 Troy Tulowitzki COL SS 23
39 Joe Nathan MIN RP 33
40 Russell Martin LAD C 25
41 Justin Morneau MIN 1B 27
42 Josh Beckett BOS SP 28
43 Aramis Ramírez CHI 3B 30
44 Adam Dunn CIN OF 28
45 Nick Markakis BAL OF 24
46 Álex Ríos TOR OF 27
47 Takashi Saito LAD RP 38
48 Chone Figgins LAA 3B 30
49 Jonathan Papelbon BOS RP 27
50 Travis Hafner CLE DH 32

51 Robinson Canó NYY 2B 25
52 Garrett Atkins COL 3B 28
53 Dan Haren ARI SP 27
54 Derek Jeter NYY SS 34
55 Tim Lincecum SFG SP 24
56 Scott Kazmir TAM SP 24

57 Brian McCann ATL C 24
58 Erik Bedard BAL SP 29
59 Chipper Jones ATL 3B 36
60 Manny Ramírez BOS OF 36
61 Miguel Tejada HOU SS 32
62 Carlos Peña TAM 1B 30
63 Fausto Carmona CLE SP 24
64 Carlos Guillén DET SS/1B 32
65 Ryan Zimmerman WAS 3B 23
66 Brad Hawpe COL OF 29
67 Roy Oswalt HOU SP 31
68 Trevor Hoffman SDG RP 40
69 Billy Wagner NYM RP 36
70 José Valverde HOU RP 28
71 Mariano Rivera NYY RP 38
72 Gary Sheffield DET OF 39
73 Eric Byrnes ARI OF 32
74 Hideki Matsui NYY OF 33
75 Bobby Abreu NYY OF 34
76 Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS SP 27
77 Matt Cain SFG SP 23
78 Vernon Wells TOR OF 29
79 Bobby Jenks CHW RP 27
80 Francisco Cordero CIN RP 33
81 Dan Uggla FLO 2B 28
82 John Lackey LAA SP 29
83 Brad Penny LAD SP 29
84 Édgar Rentería DET SS 32

85 Kosuke Fukudome CHC OF 31
86 Jorge Posada NYY C 36
87 Corey Hart MIL OF 26
88 John Smoltz ATL SP 40
89 Ian Kinsler TEX 2B 26
90 Aaron Rowand SFG OF 31
91 Kelvim Escobar LAA SP 32
92 Justin Verlander DET SP 25
93 Aaron Harang CIN SP 29
94 Joe Mauer MIN C 25
95 Hiroki Kuroda LAD SP 33
96 Mike Lowell BOS 3B 34
97 Andruw Jones LAD OF 31

98 Torii Hunter LAA OF 32
99 James Loney LAD 1B 23
100 Matt Kemp LAD OF 23

Funny Fantasy Baseball: I'm DUNN!

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:45:00 +0000

A funny thing happened on the way to work today... When someone says, “A funny thing happened to me on the way into the office this morning…”, how often does a ‘funny thing’ really happen? I mean, is it really that funny? For instance, did you jack-knife or roll your car down an embankment? Or did you run over a pedestrian or poop your pants or throw-up on the inside of your windshield? Not that these things would be funny, just that they seem more likely to happen than something occurring that is actually humorous. So, do we mean ‘funny’, as in peculiar? Or ‘funny’, as in humorous? Well, either interpretation, yesterday morning, a funny thing happened to me on the way to the office. I got Adam Dunn, Dontrelle Willie and Vernon Wells stuck up my nose. It actually wasn't that funny. In hindsight it was humorous, but while it was happening, it was peculiar, rather uncomfortable and somewhat disturbing. I was commuting to work and reviewing, on paper, possible trades that I had made for myself before leaving home. While I was putting it to memory. I also logged how many times Kevin Gray tried to trade me Adam Dunn, Dontrelle, Vernon Wells, and Javier Vasquez for Gallardo, when I sneezed, and a chunk of paper (the log of Kevin’s offers) flew up and lodged itself in between the roof of my mouth and where my nasal passages meet the back of my throat. And it wouldn't budge. It felt like someone just hit me in the face with a hammer. I proceeded to tear up, and hide the fact, that 20 people just noticed this wod of paper fly into my month, and then sneeze wildly something like 40 or 50 times. It wouldn't go up, it wouldn't go down. I probably looked like Linda Blair trying to dis-lodge the devil from my throat, ready to projectile green pea soup all over the place. So what did I do? I ate the rest of my sheet, of course, like anyone would do. I was hoping to push it down, or out. This thus caused a paper-food pile-up in the back of my throat. What the hell man? Is there like a closet back there that I didn't know about? I mean really, where can this stuff go? I can’t believe I was thinking about this to begin with as I’m gagging! When I get to work I ran upstairs and to the bathroom. I throw down my bag, rip open my coat and open the faucet full blast. I start guzzling the water, but just continued to stay there. I was trying to jump up and down in the bathroom as fast as I could and look as inconspicuous as I could. It wasn't easy, seeing how I had tears streaming down my face, “Freaking Kevin!” I was dropping things, snorting and gurgling and coughing and wheezing. I might as well have been Fat Bastard from Austin Powers playing the bagpipes. Paris Hilton would've refrained from her signature; “That’s hot” track and translating it to; “That’s snot”. I got to the bathroom hoping that it wasn't my final resting place, because I heard somewhere that people often die in the bathroom when they’re choking on something because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves in public. Damn it! So, they’ll go to the bathroom to try to dis-lodge it themselves and croak. I didn't want to die on a bathroom floor with this freaking trade offer from Kevin stuck up my nose. I began drinking water, and snorting and gargling it. Nothing helped; I kept tearing and was ready to begin the bargaining process with the baseball fantasy gods. What would I do or give up if divine forces would intercede and dis-lodge this freaking’ crap. I contemplated going to the E.R., but what were they going to do? Stick a fire-hose up one of my nostrils? Because, at this point it would fit. Send troops up there? Because they’d probably fit too. Maybe Halliburton can get a no-bid contract to restructure my nasal passages after the W. administration does a preemptive strike on the ream of paper up there. ‘Cause that’s what it felt like at this time. I’m afraid that if I don’t take this trade log soon – it will come firing out and hurt someone. I began telling people at work that I have paper in my nose, just in case they were wondering. I didn't want go into detail and to tell them that it was my cheat sheet, involving my recent trade with John Koller and my master plan to get back to 7 th place in the league too. I wanted them to know what was going on. But I didn't want them thinking that I was such a dumb ass by telling them that I was dying because of DUNN, WILLIS, WELLS trade offer from Kevin sickness. It is now 42 minutes since I arrived at work and I at my desk now and my voice sounded more nasally than usual and I thought, as painful as this is, it is rather funny, as in humorous – I want people to laugh at this, we might as well get some mileage out of it. So, in the midst of usual morning chatter, I would say, “Ive got paper up my nose.” Most people were very apologetic through their tears of laughter. Others would try to help in someway. One colleague said, “Well, Penn & Teller do a thing where the one who doesn't speak snorts a pea up his nose then brings it out of his tear-duct.” “Well,” I said “are you saying that you can help me bring this paper out of my nose through my eyeball?” “No.” He said, “I just remembered it.”Idiot I thought to myself. “Well, good for him.” I said, “The world needs more people that can do that.” My friend Jeff wanted to eat it when it finally came out. He eats everything. I told him that he probably wouldn't like it because it hadn't been soaked in vodka and wasn't slathered in barbecue sauce and dripping with Italian dressing. All he does is eat, drink and spew out insults. That’s how we like him…drunk and mean. Kind of sounds like T.C. Anyway, the trade proposals stayed there for most of the day. I went ahead with my routine. I didn't have a choice. Anyone that I had to come into contact with I told. “Just so you know, I have a paper in my nose.” They usually looked at me as though I was kidding, until I would say, “No, I’m serious.” It’s almost the end of the day and I think that wod of paper has finally dissolved. I hope so. I also hope that I don’t end up with a sinus infection. Here I was just going to work, nothing out of the ordinary seemed like it was in the cards to make another trade. Oblivious that my cheat sheet was about to have it’s way with me. I guess we never know when a funny thing is going to happen to us on the way to the office, or a not-so funny thing. And my Mother reminds me that things can always be worse. But for now, my future trade predictions stuck up my nose is a pretty funny thing. I’m glad that it wasn't a jalapeno pepper in my butt…that would've been not-so funny.

For The Love of My Baseball Game

noreply@blogger.com (Akira Plays Short) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:41:00 +0000

About six months ago I really was desperate in trying to find an outlet to talk about baseball. My thoughts, views, and opinions. And in so many ways it didn't matter what context it was in. Personal, business, or general. I can pretty much associate anything with baseball. For me, baseball is a large part of my life, especially growing up. So why not start a blog?

For the most part, there isn't a day that I don't think, dream, eat, read, or speak baseball. No seriously. Even in my sleep. I can't get enough. I need games, stats, history, and I need to play it, watch it, and talk it. So what do I do? Instant diary. Cool! Now I need to do a podcast but that is for another time.

Holy Hornus Wagner! You mean I can write my thoughts with style now? Heck ya Harry Cary! So here we are trying to put together a page or so on many things about baseball and sports in general. Check it out man! I'm going to try and get as much content as I possibly can about...you guessed it, baseball. OK and some sports too.

There you have it (for now). Most of what you'll see will be on genera baseball stuff with a twist. Maybe some fantasy tips and strategies. Maybe some player profiles and analysis with general tips on playing the game. And we'll go from there. So I'll end here and leave it to you guys to see what you think.

Take me out to the ballgame and don't forget,
Akira plays short