* League parameters: 12 team mixed
roto. C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 3 OF, UTIL, 2 SP, 2 RP, 3 P and 5 BN (1 DL spot also
available). Categories are standard 5x5.
Another
week in the very active FantasyMLBTips Fantasy League bites the dust. My team
has managed to move up from 10th to 9th in the last week, but more importantly,
I’ve gained six points. I also got Harden and Lackey back in my lineup, so I’m
ready to make a push. Maybe not for the title just yet, but at least into the
top half of the league.
“I'd like
to dub Jorge Posada the league
prostitute.” These are the words of Ron Vackar, TIPS writer and current league leader
(Rosin Bag Grenadiers). Basically, teams in this league have gone through Jorge
like Hugh Hefner goes through women. I couldn’t agree more. I am one guy who
would like to own Posada, but I won’t waste a waiver claim on him. I have Russell Martin and Posada would be good
depth, but I don’t really need him.
Meanwhile, Mr.
Met was looking for advice on the message board and wondering what player he
should drop to pick up Johnny Damon
in his other league. He was thinking Ken
Griffey Jr., but the consensus was that wasn’t the right play. Don’t get me
wrong — Damon should be owned. He’s not the player he used to be, but he is on
pace to score 100 runs, hit 18 homers and steal 18 bases — and that has value.
My opinion was that Mr. Met should drop Joe
Saunders. The guy has a putrid 3.66 K/9 and a 1.56 K/BB ratio. Both have
been decreasing over his last few starts, and over his last 13.1 innings,
Saunders has walked six and only struck out only four. That’s not a recipe for
success. You can’t trade him because nobody believes in him, and you’ve already
gotten the best part of his season out of him. To me it’s easy: Pick up Damon,
drop Saunders.
The Kelly Johnson debate also continued.
After RBG dropped Johnson this week following his glowing support of KJ as a
stat stuffing second baseman, he was called out by Mr. Met for bashing Mr.
Met’s drop of Johnson last week. RBG’s reasoning for dropping the Braves’
second baseman was that he had Brandon
Phillips, and didn’t need the talented Johnson. According to RBG, it was a
worse drop by Mr. Met because Johnson was Mr. Met’s primary 2B, a point that Mr.
Met refutes by pointing out his ownership of Ian Kinsler, a stat filler in his own right. Nobody can really say
anything to RBG at this point because he’s killing this league — but it’s still
early right now and anything can happen in the world of Fantasy. Let the
bickering continue.
There have
been a ton of moves once again this week, with a few owners using their last
starting pitcher spot like a revolving door, spot-starting pitchers time and
again. Among the surprising drops, besides Johnson and Posada (twice), were Andy Pettitte and Justin Duchscherer. Over the last month, All
Eyez was just spot starting Duchscherer on his deep pitching staff, but Duch is
no longer simply spot-starting material. He should be owned in most leagues, and
Fear the Nut now has the former setup man in ours. While Pettitte could have helped
Vaporizers, he simply didn’t have room for the Yankee because he’s carrying five
closers. Can someone say trade? I know RBG is looking for a closer.
Here are
the standings as of the end of play Tuesday, May 20, 2008. The writers in this
league own the following teams: Rosin Bag Grenadiers (Ron Vackar),
UMustveMisremembered (myself) and All Eyez (Jeff Lowe). Check out the other
blogs about the FantasyMLBTips league to view draft results and draft
commentary by both the writers and the other owners.
WEEKLY ANALYSIS:
Best Pick Up — [5/16] Justin Duchscherer; Fear the Nut — FTN picks up a good pitcher off the scrap
heap and adds a much needed fifth starter to his team.
Worst Drop — [5/18] Kelly Johnson; Rosin Bag Grenadiers — When you make such a big deal about Johnson
being dropped, you shouldn't drop him yourself a week later after the guy goes 8-for-19 in
a five game hitting streak.
Best/Worst Spot Start — [5/16] Shawn Chacon; Standard Errors — 3.1 IP, 0 K, 4 BB, 3 HR, 8 R (5 ER), L. Should have known better than
to get water from that well.
Worst Move— [5/17 and 5/19] The quick pickup and drop of Jorge Posada, does anyone really want this guy?
Rosin
Bag Grenadiers says:
Best Pick Up — [5/14] Eric Gagne; Fence
Riders — Don't count
me as a Gagne fan, but for someone who truly appreciates the service of Todd
Jones as my number three closer (I never thought I'd feel that way), Fence
Riders may also come to truly appreciate this pick up, as Gagne becomes his
badly needed third closer.
Worst Drop — [5/18] Kelly Johnson; Rosin
Bag Grenadiers — After bashing Mr.
Met for his drop of Kelly Johnson a couple weeks ago, it’s only fair that I
punish myself a little for dropping that same Mr. Johnson. I still stand
by Johnson as a top-12 second baseman and feel that someone should make use of
him on their roster.
Best/Worst Spot Start — [5/18] Jon Lester; Standard
Errors — No stat line
needs to be provided here, as we all know what Lester did in carving up the
Royals. I sure wish I could have claimed this no hitter as a piece of my
squad, having drafted him and all. Some expert I am!
Best Move/Non-Move [5/16] Jered Weaver; Vaporizers
— Little Weave is a solid
compliment to an otherwise lackluster supporting cast that the Vaporizers has
put together behind Johan Santana.
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