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Diary of a Fantasy Madman
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Written by Zach Steinhorn
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Sunday, 03 June 2012 00:00 |
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Sunday, May 27 – 8:15 PM
That’s it. I need to solve this closer problem once and for all, hopefully before tomorrow when the next scoring period begins. I just can’t continue to start four closers every week and hurt my chances for strikeouts and wins. The key to succeeding in a rotisserie league is to be as competitive as possible in as many categories as possible. You don’t get extra points for leading the league by 20 saves as opposed to leading it by one save. Pretty straightforward stuff, right? Dealing a closer for either a hitter or a starting pitcher makes a whole lot of sense. So I just offered Santiago Casilla for Daniel Hudson. I know it’s always risky to trade for pitchers fresh off the DL, but he pitched pretty well in his return to the rotation yesterday and should only see a boost in value over the coming weeks.
Sunday, May 27 – 8:34 PM
Wow, that didn’t take long. Rejected. But one thing I like about this particular owner is that he never flat out rejects trade offers without giving a response. And this time the response is in the form of a counteroffer. And I kind of like this counteroffer. It was actually an offer I considered making in the first place before deciding to try for Hudson. Santiago Casilla for Shaun Marcum. Interesting. I don’t see a whole lot of upside in Marcum but I don’t see much downside either. Solid ERA, decent strikeout rate and a very strong WHIP. Walks aren’t an issue with this guy, and I like those kinds of pitchers. My first instinct is to see if I can get more. He’s in dire need of a closer, so maybe he would be willing to part with Hudson if I insisted on it. Then again, maybe Marcum is safer than Hudson. Maybe I should just accept this offer and finally put my mind at ease, returning to my preferred 6 SP/3 RP lineup while knowing that I got value back for a player who I’d probably be forced to bench at some point in the near future. Let me sleep on this. Sometimes that helps.
Monday, May 28 – 10:53 AM
First I take a deep breath. Then I hit Accept. This will work out well for me. I think.
Monday, May 28 – 7:19 PM
This is such a ridiculous story that it’s actually pretty funny, to everyone except for Jonathan Lucroy, his fantasy owners and probably his family. The Brewers’ backstop, who happens to be my starting catcher in my NL-only keeper league, was sent for X-rays on his right hand today after injuring it last night while reaching for a lost sock under his hotel room bed. At the same time, his wife shifted a suitcase over, which then fell on his hand. Really? Hopefully, this isn’t too serious and we can all laugh it off.
Tuesday, May 29 – 7:02 AM
Not funny. I love it when I get this kind of news minutes after waking up while checking my MLB.com e-mail inbox. LuCroy will miss 4-6 weeks with a fractured hand. He now joins Pablo Sandoval, Emilio Bonifacio, Juan Rivera and Laynce Nix in my NL-only team’s infirmary. Not to mention Brian Wilson, who was one of my keepers. Just plain old terrible luck.
Thursday, May 31 – 8:22 PM
Matt Kemp’s previous consecutive games played streak ended at 399. His next one will end at 2, and he’s expected to be out at least a month this time after re-aggravating the hamstring strain that had sidelined him for the past few weeks. I don’t know how I’m still in first place in this league with Kemp, Desmond Jennings and Pablo Sandoval all on my roster. I was so looking forward to getting Kemp back and hopefully extending my lead. So much for that idea. I’ll need to win this league the hard way. And I guess that’s the way it should be.
Friday, June 1 – 10:46 PM
I chose the Yankees over the Mets at a young age, in the early 90’s, before the Yanks won all those championships, so don’t even try to accuse me of being a frontrunner! Anyway, unlike most Mets fans, who despise the Yankees, I want both of my hometown clubs to do well. Tonight was one of those few nights where I was rooting harder for the Mets than I was for the Yankees. I changed channels just in time for the bottom of the eighth inning and reminded Johan Santana that he dare not swing the bat. He listened, and was called out on strikes. I then pumped my fist when Johan’s 134th pitch of the night eluded the bat of David Freese. It took half a century, but the Mets franchise finally had their no-hitter, and I couldn’t have been happier for a fan base that had been tortured over the past 25-plus years by devastating playoff losses, disastrous September collapses and a whole lot of mediocre teams.
Tonight, all the talk will be about Santana’s feat. But how will a pitcher coming off major shoulder surgery respond after being stretched out to 134 pitches? Will he need a few extra days of rest before making his next start? Tomorrow, all the talk will be about his health.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 03 June 2012 07:58 |
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Diary of a Fantasy Madman
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Written by Zach Steinhorn
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Sunday, 27 May 2012 00:00 |
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Monday, May 21 – 6:30 PM
Good problems are better than bad problems, but good problems can still be very annoying. I have too many closers, five of them to be exact. I know that in fantasy baseball you can never really have enough closers, but in a weekly lineup league I generally like to follow the 6 SP/3 RP approach, and one insurance closer is enough. For the second straight week, I’m about to submit a lineup consisting of five starters and four relievers, and I don’t like it, as there’s a point where the gain in saves is outweighed by the loss in strikeouts and wins. But how can I possibly bench Jonathan Papelbon, Joel Hanrahan, Kenley Jansen or Santiago Casilla? They’re all too good to bench. I’m already benching Brian Fuentes, and he’s pretty decent too. I’m stuck, and while the “trade from depth to get upgrades at other positions” advice sounds nice, it’s easier said than done. I’ve already floated out a bunch of trade offers involving Hanrahan, all for naught. I need to resist the urge to make a trade just for the sake of cleaning up my crowded bullpen. I need to get fair value in return. Eventually, an appealing offer will come along, but until then I’ll need to be patient. After all, there is some value in keeping saves away from the competition.
Wednesday, May 23 – 10:45 PM
I’m not a fan of drafting players over the age of 35. They’re greater injury risks and few of them ever earn their full draft day price tag, a price tag that is often influenced more by what they have done in the past than by what they will do in the future. At the same time, I’m not afraid to pick up these guys in-season if I feel the price is right. That’s exactly what I did a few weeks back in Mixed Tout as I shelled out a modest five FAAB dollars for Andy Pettitte. So far so good! Tonight, the 39-year-old earned his second straight win, limiting the Royals to two runs over seven innings while striking out eight. Following a so-so season debut, Andy has allowed just two runs in 15 innings to go along with 17 strikeouts over his last two starts. How many more of these ace-type performances does Pettitte have in him? Who knows. But five dollars for even a mid-rotation starter? I’m a fan of that.
Thursday, May 24 – 10:34 AM
0-for-3. We’ve seen a few too many of those from Johnny Damon ever since he made his season debut back on May 2, and we saw it again last night. In fact, in 18 games this year, Damon has gone hitless nine times and has only one multi-hit game to his record. With 16 homers, 19 steals and a respectable .261 average, Damon didn’t look too old last year. Maybe it’s because he missed all of spring training along with the first month of the regular season as he desperately looked for a team willing to sign him, but he’s looking ancient right now. One has to wonder how much longer the Indians can put up with this. When it comes to earning playing time, the past can only get you so far, and Damon’s leash is getting exponentially shorter by the day.
I don’t care what happens from here on out. Spending 10 bucks on Damon in FAAB will prove to be my worst Tout Wars decision of the season. And it won’t even be close. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking, other than that I needed another power/speed guy in my outfield. But 10 dollars? Well, it was early in my Tout rookie season and I wasn’t really familiar with the bidding habits of my league mates. Sorry, that’s the only excuse I can come up with!
Saturday, May 26 – 8:12 AM
1-for-1 with three walks. Not the most eye-popping stat line from Bobby Abreu last night, but in my NL-only head-to-head points league where walks are almost as valuable as hits, I’ll gladly take it. The 38-year-old Abreu has returned to vintage form since joining the Dodgers, batting .327 with an .897 OPS through 19 games. His playing time will no doubt be cut once Matt Kemp and then Juan Rivera come back, but as long as Abreu keeps getting on base at this rate, they’ll find at-bats for him. Now that’s three FAAB dollars well spent.
Saturday, May 26 – 11:20 AM
Joel Hanrahan for Matt Garza? Nah, he probably won’t accept that. Kenley Jansen, a $3 keeper, for Garza? I’d be nuts to do that. But then again, trying to find the right trade partner is driving me nuts anyway. What about Hanrahan for Daniel Hudson? Santiago Casilla for Shaun Marcum? Casilla for Edwin Jackson? Hmm.
I have a feeling that I won’t be trading a closer anytime soon.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 08:40 |
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Diary of a Fantasy Madman
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Written by Zach Steinhorn
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Sunday, 13 May 2012 00:00 |
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Monday, May 7 – 11:22 PM
I’ve been very lucky with Carlos Zambrano over the past few years. I seem to always pick him up just in time for one of his gems, the kind of performance that reminds us of the pitcher he once was back in his glory days with the Cubs. Tonight was one of those outings, as the Big Z tossed a three-hit complete game shutout vs. the Astros, striking out nine. Fortunately for me, Zambrano was my two-start pitcher add of the week, as I liked his pair of matchups vs. the Astros and Mets, two teams he has done well against over the course of his career.
There was a time when Zambrano was overrated in fantasy, as his consistently high walk totals kept him from earning his perceived ace status, but right now I consider him very underrated. Many owners see him as washed up, and they’re probably afraid that the next suspension is just around the corner. But the solid strikeout rate is still there, and maybe playing for the hot-headed Ozzie Guillen will have a positive effect on Carlos. After all, Ozzie knows what it’s like to throw all those tantrums. He can relate. Maybe the two can even attend anger management sessions together. I’m holding onto Zambrano. He’s off to a terrific start, and I have a feeling he might just stay on my roster for the remainder of the season.
Tuesday, May 8 – 10:12 PM
Now this is unbelievable. My third base spot in Tout must be cursed. Will Middlebrooks, the guy I picked up to replace the injured Kevin Youkilis and has actually given my offense a much needed boost, left tonight’s game early due to hamstring tightness. Being that this is the same ailment that bothered him last week, I’m very concerned. He’s listed as day-to-day, but the way my season is going so far, who knows how long he’ll be out.
Wednesday, May 9 – 9:34 PM
The injury bug can’t seem to go away. Just as I exhaled upon seeing Will Middlebrooks’ name in tonight’s Red Sox lineup, Erik Bedard leaves his start in the second inning with back spasms. Look, when you draft Bedard you know what you’re getting, a tralented pitcher who produces at a high level when healthy. The problem is that he’s spent more time on the operating table than on the mound. We’re at the point where Bedard should be valued as an elite long-reliever. He’ll give you around 100 innings with strong ratios. Expect more than that and you’ll be disappointed. I completely understood all this when I drafted him in two leagues. I’m just bummed out because I lost a bet that he would make it to June injury-free.
Friday, May 11 – 10:35 PM
Call it an embarrassment of riches but I have a major dilemma in my keeper money league. After almost single-handedly ruining my season last year, Adam Dunn somehow found a way back onto my roster. Hey, he was five bucks. How could I have possibly turned that down? He started the season on my bench as I was simply terrified to play him, but now that he looks like the old Adam Dunn again, I’d be crazy to not take advantage, right? There’s one slight problem. In order to start Dunn, I’d need to bench Nick Swisher, who is off to a fine start in his own right. So rather than driving myself insane on a weekly basis choosing between the two, it would surely make a lot of sense to try and work a trade to unload one of them while getting an upgrade at a different position. My league mates seem to be gun shy about dealing their elite players this early in the season, no matter the offer. Andre Ethier and Dunn for Ryan Braun? Not a chance. That proposal was rejected immediately, without even a counteroffer. I couldn’t believe it. Well, I’m not going to grossly overpay just for the sake of clearing up my roster in a league where I happen to reside in first place. Nothing wrong with having depth in case of an injury.
Or two. Or three.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 May 2012 09:04 |
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Diary of a Fantasy Madman
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Written by Zach Steinhorn
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Sunday, 06 May 2012 00:00 |
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Wednesday, May 2 – 8:15 PM
The Kevin Youkilis saga just gets worse and worse, doesn’t it? Earlier today, the Red Sox decided that since their banged up third baseman was missing so much time anyway, it might be a good idea to just place him on the DL and hope he comes back relatively healthy in a couple weeks. It’s official. My decision to draft Youk in both Tout and NFBC was a monumental mistake. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Youkilis makes a few more trips to the DL before this season is through. This guy just can’t seem to stay on the field. At least in Tout there are unlimited DL spots, so I can simply stash him away and pick up a replacement. NFBC is a different story, as there are no DL spots. That’s harsh. Top prospect Will Middlebrooks, who was called up today from Triple-A Pawtucket, is slated to take over at the hot corner, and his career minor league numbers, including this year (.333 AVG 9 HR 27 RBIs in 24 games) jump off the page. I’m leaning towards giving him a shot. Most of the other waiver wire options are really boring. I’ve got a few more days to mull this over.
Thursday, May 3 – 3:30 PM
Drafting the same players on multiple fantasy teams makes a whole lot of sense. After all, these are guys we like, so why not scoop them up in as many leagues as possible? What’s the downside? Well, I’m feeling the downside right now. If Kevin Youkilis is my starting third baseman in two of my leagues, who could possibly be my starter on my other three squads? Could it be Pablo Sandoval? Yup. Turns out that Kung Fu Panda broke a bone in his hand during yesterday’s game, an eerily similar injury to the one that sidelined him for six weeks last season. Although the team says he could be back in as soon as four weeks, I’m bracing for six weeks without Pablo. When it comes to third basemen this year, I’m not counting on catching any breaks.
Thursday, May 3 – 11:40 PM
Wow. When I heard what happened over at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, I had no idea it would be this serious. I thought that Mariano Rivera would miss maybe a few weeks, not a huge blow for the Yanks, who already have two more than capable ninth inning replacements in David Robertson and Rafael Soriano. But a torn ACL? That’s an instant season-ender, and a devastating blow to my NFBC team. But you know what? This is the last thing on my mind. I could care less about fantasy as long as Mariano returns in 2013 and ends his career the way it deserves to end. Going out like this? That would be terrible.
Friday, May 4 – 2:25 PM
Some owners react to injuries to their big name players by frantically proposing all sorts of trades in hopes of completing a swap as soon as possible. Others are more hesitant to trade away value and would rather go the waiver wire route. The severity of the injury of course plays a huge role here, as no mixed league owner would feel comfortable with Chris Johnson or Kyle Seager as their starting third baseman for an extended period of time. That’s why I’m pretty much in frantic mode right now, as Johnson and Seager are indeed the best waiver wire guys in both of the mixed leagues where I own Pablo Sandoval. It’s hard enough to negotiate one trade under time pressure. Try working on two! Oddly enough, Chase Headley is the player I’m looking at in both leagues. Minimal power (except for this year, but I’m not buying it) but an OK batting average and some speed. It just so happens that the Headley owners don’t really need him. He’s not even starting for them, and he’s at least a decent starter. So there’s no way I’ll need to give up anything significant. Or so I thought. While one owner is unsatisfied with my Brennan Boesch or even Jarrod Parker for Headley offer, the other flat out rejects Bartolo Colon for Headley. Maybe I’m crazy, but I thought this was fair. Instead, he wants Jose Altuve. Not a chance! Altuve has been on fire all year, and the more I watch him the more I’m believing in those Dustin Pedroia with less power predictions. The bottom line is that trade discussions are a real pain. Just because you propose a trade for a certain player doesn’t mean that the player all of a sudden has this incredible amount of value. But many owners tend to think along these lines. He wants Chase Headley. Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t be benching Headley. Maybe I’m better off starting Headley over A-Rod. Well, not quite, but you get the point!
Saturday, May 5 – 10:12 AM
Phew. Mariano’s career plans are a secret no more. Rivera, unwilling to let the ACL tear end everything on a sour note, has guaranteed that he will return to the mound in 2013. What a relief.
If only the wait for my two wounded fantasy third basemen could be as soothing.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 06 May 2012 08:42 |
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