Hey now, I'm an All Star

Tonight's entry is my mid season report. Just as I am known to put my fantasy sports stuff on the page, when it comes to baseball I also like to take a look back and see how things went from draft day until the All Star break, which is what passes for the mid point of the season, though technically it is a few days after the numerical midpoint. That being said, I start with what I wrote that March day regarding this years draft and I then added how it has went so far. So, Peabody, Sherman, to the Wayback Machine if you will.

 

For those of you that have been frequenters of the blog for more than a year or so, you know around this time of year I hop into a fantasy baseball league. Usually my friend George and I team up, as the league is actually two separate leagues and is broken into an American League only and National League only drafts. George has missed the last couple of years, relegating me to just one team, so I am not sure if I can rely on him for this years National League draft, but the American League draft was this Sunday, and I wanted to make sure I was part of at least half of the festivities. The rules are pretty generic, it is a rotisserie - auction draft with a $260 salary cap to fill 23 positions and then an additional 8 rounds of free agent selections after the completed auction. The final results, with the amount of my winning bid for each player;

First off, George actually did make it to this years draft, though he brought one of his classmates with him, so I am assuming I am on my own, which is fine, there were times when we were working together that I was calling the shots for both teams in the past. This way, by doing this by myself, I am under no pressure to do well, other than the pressure I place upon myself. For the record, at the season's mid points, I am in third place overall, which is good for some cash, and I lead the league in batting average, runs batted in, runs scored and stolen bases, which would be good for an additional $40. Now to break down the individual picks and how I did. (Note: the stats I post are not reflective of how the player has done this year, only how they did while I had them active)

Vladamir Guerrero - 37 (15 homeruns and 50 RBIs at the break, not bad numbers, but you would expect more out of a guy you dumped $387dollars on on draft day)

BJ Upton - 30 (44 RBIs and 27 stolen bases to this point, plus the added bonus that at the beginning of the year he was eligible for being slotted at 2nd base (to qualify for a position you had to play it 10 games last year or 5 this year), next year he will be only outfield, but I like the idea of getting to plug quality outfielder numbers to what is usually a weak infield position.)

Ichiro Suzuki - 32 (This is usually the easiest pick I make on draft day, he is good for runs scored, batting average and stolen bases, this year is no exception, .304 average, 63 runs scored, 34 stolen bases.)

Justin Mourneau - 27 (Would like to see a more homeruns (14 so far) but no complaints about his batting average (.323) or RBI total (68))

Casey Kotchman - 13 (If he would have kept hitting like he did in April, I would be much happier,. His average is decent, but his lack of power (7 HRs) has most weeks relegated him to the bench)

Gil Meche - 9 (My drafting strategy for pitchers is get guys who can get at least 10 wins, if by starting 9 pitchers every week I can get my club in the 90-100 win range, I will roll the dice and take my chances with the other numbers. So far he has just 5 wins for me, his only redeeming quality is the 82 strikeouts, second on my team to this point.)

Matt Garza - 8 (7-5 record and an ERA under 4.00 (3.96) are good enough for a rather cheap investment of $8)

Rocco Baldelli - 5 (The next time I draft this guy, I want someone to reach across the table and just slap the fuck out of me. His history is that of someone who has potential but is injury prone, needless to say I draft him and sure enough, he has a medical condition that may keep him from ever playing baseball again. I did manage to cut him and pick up Jesse Litsch in his spot, who has earned 6 win so far, but man was this a wasted $5)

Alexis Rios - 27 (The problem with drafting potential is that sometimes it doesn't rear it's ugly head. There was all kind of fantasy geek talk about how this would be his breakout year, but other than his stolen bases (22), his homeruns (3) and average (.273) are very pedestrian)

Matt Stairs - 3 ( Dropped when I picked up Grant Balfour two weeks ago, he was okay when I did play him, certainly worth the meager $3 investment (6 HRs, 16 RBI, 21 runs scored))

Vernon Wells - 19 ( Might be dangerous if he could stay off of the disabled list (twice so far this year), with 8 HRs and 40 RBIs in limited playing time)

Kevin Millwood - 3 (I had hoped that for my small investment of $3 I might get the Kevin Millwood who used to pitch for the Braves, instead I got the same one that pitched last year for the Rangers, (4-4, 5.35 ERA, 1.75 WHIP))

Kenji Jojhima - 7 (Another huge disappointment, signs a new contract this year and goes out and posts numbers that are just abysmal, .220 average, 3 Hrs, 20 RBIs, he has effectively found his way to my bench)

Dustin Pedroia - 5 (one of my draft day steals, though not the best one, for a $5 investment I have a guy who is hitting .313, with 9 HRs, 47 RBIs, 67 runs scored and 9 stolen bases. If you would have told me at the beginning of the year I could get a guy who would hit over .300, and have a chance at a 20-20 season (20 HRs and 20 stolen bases) and could score 100+ runs, I would have said you were on crack)

Bartolo Colon - 4 (Not long for my team, he started the season in the minor leagues, so I dealt him for Armando Galarraga (2-2 in 7 starts and a 3.59 ERA), all and all a decent GM move on my part)

Brendan Harris - 3 (A riddle wrapped inside an enigma, wrapped inside a shortstop. Everytime I think this will be the week I bench him, he does just enough to merit the $3 investment I made in him (5 HRs, 32 RBIs, 40 runs scored)

Evan Longoria - 11 (Started the season in the minor leagues, but his bat forced Tampa Bay to promoted him to the big club and he has been Rookie of the Year worthy since the promotion, .273 average, 16 HRs, 52 RBIs, 44 runs, 6 stolen bases. Proof that sometimes it pays to be patient with guys on draft day, as I am sure a few were scared away because he was staring the year in the minor leagues)

Andy Pettite - 4 (Over the last month he has become the ace of my pitching staff, the only guy I have who has double digit wins (10), and leads the team in strikeouts (91))

Joe Blanton - 3 (The opposite of Pettite, this guy is a fucking embarrassment, I regularly bench him now, yet he has still started enough games for me to post a complete suck ass 4-11 record. If ever there was a guy on my team I would trade to Guantanamo Bay for 2 terrorist prospects and a fatwa to be named later, it would be this guy right here)

Clay Buchholz - 1 (This is another, like Longoria I drafted on potential, he started the year poorly (I managed to get a 2-2 record out of him) before being sent to the minor leagues, was just called back up to the Boston Red Sox before the All Star break, so he may get a chance to redeem himself yet)

Mark Buerhle - 2 (Like Millwood, I drafted him based on what he did in the past, unlike Millwood, he has pitched like the Buerhle of old, picking up 6 wins and a 3.68 ERA in games I have started him)

Brian Bannister - 1 (did about what I expected of him going 7-7 over the first half, I tend to use him in weeks where he will get two starts and the matchups give him a decent chance of picking up at least one win, not bad for one dollar)

Greg Zauhn - 6 (took simply because I needed to fill out my second catcher slot, about the same numbers as Johjima in 70 less at bats)

And for free agents

Alexi Casilla (Probably didn't show enough patience with him, as he too began the year in the minor leagues, I dealt him away for Eric Hinske when Vernon Wells went on his first DL stint)

Joel Zumaya (Started the year on the DL, held him as long as I could, eventually dealt him for Marco Scutaro, who I then dealt for Greg Smith, who has been okay for me, posting 3 wins and a 3.50 ERA)

Carlos Quentin (Can you say steal of the draft? Originally scheduled to back up Jerry Owens in Chicago, won the starting job when Jerry Owens was hurt to start the season and has posted MVP like numbers, 22 HRs, 70 RBIs, 62 runs scored, 5 SBs, this is the epitome of a draft day steal, and he didn't cost me anything)

Ross Gload (Never played for me, dealt him for Brad Wilkerson, who I then dealt for Max Ramierez, who I then dealt for Matt Joyce. This roster slot must be cursed or something, though I just picked up Joyce this past week, so maybe I can salvage something out of the spot yet)

Dan Johnson (This guy is testing my patience, but in a good way. Cut by Oakland to start the year, he was picked up by Tampa Bay, when they sent him to the AAA minor league club. He has posted some decent numbers in the minor leagues, I am hoping that Tampa either calls him up or trades him to a team that needs a first baseman, but pretty soon I will have to cut him loose, as all he has done so far this year is eat up a roster spot)

Manny Delcarmen (Solely took as a flyer, by and large middle relievers are useless, they don't pitch enough to get wins, and they don't close games to get saves. I was hoping he might poach an early save or two, when he didn't I dealt him away for Ben Francisco, who has gotten me 7 HRs, 29 RBIs and 31 runs scored since I picked him up)

Brendan Morrow (Another example of me being less than patient, started the season as a middle reliever, was there long enough to see me deal him for Rod Barajas when Greg Zauhn ended up on the 15 day DL. Of course after I dealt him, Seattle's closer, JJ Putz went down and Morrow was promoted to closer, so I have missed out on about 9 saves so far)

Wilson Betemit (This was simply a stop gap pick for me, until Longoria was promoted, he did exactly what I expected, which was little to nothing. Dealt for more guys who have contributed nothing, this is what happens when you are the last pick in the draft I guess)

And there you have it, my midseason report card. I sure hope they grade on a curve this year.