How About Blockbuster Thursday???

ARodsACyssy has agreed to trade outfielder Jermaine Dye and Justin Verlander to the Baby Gorilla's for starting pitcher Jon Lester. This has been the second trade between these two teams this month, and an already active market keeps getting more active.

After 3 weeks of play, ARodsACyssy has gone 8-10 and posted a 5.83 ERA. With the Lester pickup, Mr. 3000 is looking to stabilize a rocky pitching rotation.

"Our team is reeling near the bottom and it was time to mix things up a bit", said ARodsACyssy owner Mr. 3000, "We view Lester as the top left handed pitcher in the league and we had to give up talent to get him".

Giving up Lester so easily may have come as a surprise to baseball pundits, and Gorilla GM PG has acknowledged as much. "It's certainly a gamble, Justin hasn't been the most consistent pitcher recently", said PG, "But I've always liked his style and firmly believe he's going to turn things around this season. We have a lot of faith in him".

In addition to obtaining Verlander, the Gorilla's picked up outfielder Jermaine Dye, who is currently hitting .295 with 6 home runs and 13 runs batted in. Dye looks to platoon with a struggling Chris Young, who has stumbled out of the gate with a .207 batting average, 2 home runs, and only 2 stolen bases.

"With Vlad out, we needed someone to come in and provide some power", added PG, "Our production has waned in the past two weeks and we needed to address that. If Dye continues to produce, he'll see the field. If Chris Young produces, he'll see more at bats. Make no mistake about it, gentleman, this will be a competition".

Gut Check Thursday Evolving

So I've been thinking. Gut Check Thursday only takes into account 3 days of games (and stats). With that, we have 4 days of games left. The essence of any Gut Check is you're making the turn and heading toward the home stretch ("and down the strech they come", so to speak). I have decided it's a better idea to start a regular Gut Check Friday!!! This way, you have 4 days of games in the books, and you're looking toward the final three days going into the weekend. That way, we can have a clearer picture of each matchup and perhaps even see what the emerging trends are for each contest. With that, Gut Check Thursday has morphed into Gut Check Friday. See you tomorrow.

BREAKING NEWS-K-ROD ON THE MOVE

This morning, Client #9 traded pitcher Joba Chamberlain and outfielder Jay Bruce to Jimmy's Daddy for closer Francisco Rodridguez. Client #9 is looking to solidify his bullpen battery, and K-Rod seems to fill that void. Washginton closer Joel Hanrahan was given his outright release this morning from #9 GM Baby Bisho.

"Look, Derek and I sat down with Joel last night after he imploded again. We told him some changes were in the works...we just couldn't go on like this any longer", said Baby Bisho when contacted about the trade.

After playing the struggling Rockpile to a 5-5 tie last week, The Daddy's looked to give his team a power injection while reinforcing his rotation. Hef's hubris clearly indicates that he was not shaken by last week's stalemate, and looks to shake things up in the clubhouse. "I figured what the hell...regardless of what I do, my team will still be better than the Baby Gorillas or Clark and Addison", quipped Hef.

"We really needed to shore up the back end of the bull-pen, and we were long on talent at both OF and SP", added Bisho, "Jay and Joba are both amazing talents...but to get talent, you have to move talent".

Client #9 had signed Joba Chamberlain and Jay Bruce to two-year deals, so The Daddy's saw an opportunity fill a need in both the near and long term. Francisco Rodriguez was inked to a one-year deal earlier this year by the Daddy's.

The eccentric Daddy's GM finished his press conference with some levity, "Plus, I am trying to unload hispanic/latin players as they have a higher probablility of carrying the swine flu".

Monday Recap

The SwinGERS-8
Baby Gorillas-2
The Ger reclaims his rightful position atop PG East, as he manhandled the Gorillas. I'll be honest, I was just happy to walk away with 2 wins. You know you got worked when you're happy to go 2-8.

The Rockpile-5
Jimmy's Daddy-5
Big comeback for Rocky Mike in this one, as he fights his way out of the cellar by one game. His next mission is to overtake the Daddy's 4th place standing. BTW, two of the three Flying Molina's hit over .400 this week. Yadier (Rockpile) hit .421 and Benji (Daddy's) hit .474.

Year2000!-7
ARodsACyssy-3
Big win for Fenway Ed, as 3K sits at the bottom with Yankee Mike. Year2000! sits alone atop PG West, with Client #9 nipping at his heels. Fenway Ed is gonna have to fight to remain in first. Should be a good matchup with T-Dub this week.

Client #9-8
CO Yankees-2
Yankee Mike, you may wanna give Baby Ruth a shot at managing your team, because you're clearly not doing the job. Joey Votto is just dominating for #9, and how about Fukudome sprinkling a little wasabi on the field this week? What a pleasant surprise!

Tallcorn Cobras-8
Hoosier Heat-2
The winner of the sideburn trophy goes to T-Dub. Well done, sir. Great matchup, great hitting, but in the end, T-Dub kept it consistent. They Burnett outing stung on Saturday, didn't it Hackman? Hopefully C.C. can get you off to a good start tonight.

Clark & Addison-8
Lawndale Longhorns-2
This must be how Eli Manning felt when he won the Super Bowl. Or how Jered Weaver currently feels. Or how Greg Maddux feels. Or how Justin Upton will feel. Should I continue? Ok....nice work, Ken Brett.

Gut Check Friday

My apologies again for not providing the PG faithful with Gut Check Thursday yesterday. Work got in the way (if you need proof, turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper and you'll see my handiwork, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHA). Ok, i'll stop gloating, onto GUT....CHECK....FRIDAY!!!!!!

The SwinGERS-8
Baby Gorillas-2
Thank you sir, may I have another? WHACK!!! Thank you sir, may I have another WHACK!!! Thank you sir may I have another?

Jimmy's Daddy-6
The Rockpile-3
Tied-1
My apologies to Curtis Granderson and his family for last week's disparaging comments. I promise I will never say such things again. I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE!!!! With the exception of the saves category, this is a pitching duel. And don't kid yourself, this contest is still very much up in the air. I will add Yadier Molina to my list of sleeper picks that I think will pay off big time (I call it the Shin Soo Choo factor).

Year2000!-5
ARodsACyssy-5
Nothing would piss of 3K more than losing to Fenway Ed. He probably would never admit that, but I know the thought of being bested by a New England hockey player is eating him alive. I'm so happy the score is tied going into the weekend. 3K seems to have the edge in the hitting categories, while Year2000! is cornering the pitching market. 3K, are you getting all numb tonight before you watch Justin Verlander take the mound?

Client #9-6
CO Yankees-3
Tied-1
So far Baby Ruth has been a good luck charm for the New York Yankees, can he be as well for the CO Yankees? This is a pretty mish-mosh matchup, with no rhyme or reason to the leaders of each category. Ian Kinsler needs to drop a few bombs to catch the power numbers of Yankee Mike. It doesn't help matters when one of your stars isn't even on the interstate. It seems speed continues to be the key for Client #9, who is far ahead in runs and steals. Could be the key to this weeks victory.

Tallcorn Cobras-8
Hoosier Heat-1
Tied-1
I call this matchup the Mattingly Cup (since both managers are from Indiana). And like Donnie Baseball, both teams are playing at a very high level. This is clearly one of the more exciting matchups to watch going into the weekend. Can Carlos Beltran and Albert Pujols be having a better week (hitting .667 and .545 respectively)? Same with Victor Martinez (.539) and Bobby Abreu (.416). Little known fact, did you know Bobby Abreu leads the American League in stolen bases with 8? Who knew? I smell 20/20. Hey T-Dub, do you stay up at night like a worried parent trying to shield Cole Hamels from all of threats of the outside world?

Clark & Addison-7
Lawndale Longhorns-2
Tied-1
The battle of the Brothers McCreery. I love it. Especially the verbal jabs being dished out by each side. QBF is certainly on the ropes with the war of words, but leading in really the only thing that matters, the actual matchup. But don't kid yourself, this could change very quickly. Can Brandon Inge, Alex Rios, and Carlos Quentin inject enough power to overtake QBF in hitting categories? Or will Manny be Manny, Papi be Papi, and Ryan Howard...well..not continue to do what he's doing this week? BTW, did anyone see Brandon Inge's defensive flubs yesterday? Last week, Harold Renyolds was talking golden glove. Not so sure after last night's performace. Hey Clark & Addison, let me know if QBF is getting to you. We can certainly find a new nickname for you.

Yes, Yankees-Red Sox this weekend. You know what? I'm kind of sick of the rivalry myself. All of the major players are gone for the most part (especially on the Red Sox side) and it seems they have taken a sacred battle and turned it into a cash cow. It's almost like what Jackie Mason did to Bushwood CC in Caddyshack 2. Does that make ESPN a bunch of fonzanoons?

Gut Check Thursday

Sorry fellas, but we're gonna have to do Gut Check Friday instead this week. Big day at the Cook County Board (a circus, of sorts). Be sure to check back tomorrow morning, i'll give a rundown of this week's matchups heading into the weekend.

Now Batting For The New York Yankees...

.....the centerfielder.....#24......Ryan Como (Bob Shepard voice).

Congrats to Yankee Mike (and Yankee Shannon) on the birth of their son, Ryan Michael Como, born this morning (I believe, either that or last night). He checked in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce and is 20.5 inches. Let's hope the Yanks win one tonight in his honor.

Welcome to the world, Ryan (and to the greatest fandom in the history of sports, the New York Yankees). I hereby give you the PG nickname, "Baby Ruth".

Tuesday Musings

Phew...rough day yesterday, huh boys? Last night I took the private jet out to 3K Estate and with arbitrators worked out a detente of sorts. I caught 3K on Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN where he said, "Everything has been worked out, we're both on the same page and committed to making this the best league it can be". And with that..let's talk baseball!!!

Yes, it's true! Director Steven Soderbergh is making Moneyball into a movie. I have heard that Brad Pitt has signed on to star in the movie as Billy Beane, and comedian Demetri Martin (of Comedy Central fame) has been inked to play stat guru Paul DePodesta. Someone caught Fenway Ed waiting in a line at the movie theater box office. Easy fella, it starts shooting this summer.

What is up with the injury bug? The list is a who's who of fantasy rainmakers. Brandon Webb, Vladimir Guerrero, Melvin Mora, Jed Lowrie, Dice-K, Alex Gordon, Ervin Santana, John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar, Hiroki Kuroda, Xavier Nady, Ryan Doumit, Chris Carpenter....the list goes on and on. I was going to include Rocco Baldelli in that list but 1. are you really surprised? and 2. I wouldn't classify him as a fantasy rainmaker. A natural disaster, yes, but not a rainmaker.

Yankee Stadium....wind tunnel or abberation?

I heard something interesting this morning. Kansas City is atop the American League Central in spite of being last in the American League in runs scored. Does anyone have faith that the Royals pitching can keep them in the AL Central hunt?

The White Sox visited the White House yesterday, and conspiculously absent was manager Ozzie Guillen. The Chicago rags tried to explain it away, saying he had already planned a visit to his home in Miami. Yeah, right. This is the second time he has declined to meet with a U.S. President. Sounds like someone is fearful of Hugo Chavez (other than President Obama).

Monday Recap

A few housecleaning issues-

1. I received an e-mail from New Linc re: placing people on the injured list and co-commissioner T-Dub and I have decided to raise the roster limit to 27 (allowed two players to be on the injured list and having the ability to pick up two replacements for said injured players). Keep in mind, this doesn't allow you to just pick up two players (as the limit for reserve players is not being raised). The reasoning is it may cause a manager not to put a player on the injured list and picking up a free agent which, in turn, does two things 1. allow to manager's team to compete at the level they would like and 2. spend money on free agent pickups to replace the injured player. So it will cost no money to place a player on the injured list. But if you decide to place someone on the injured list and pick up a free agent to replace him, it will cost you $0.50 to add and $0.50 to drop (when the injured players comes off the injured list).

2. T-Dub sent me an e-mail re: max number of starts your pitching staff can acrue in one period. T-Dub is correct, the maximum number of starts is 7 and minimum number of starts is 5. Last week, Client #9 had 8 starts and this week Year2000! has 8 starts. I am not going to penalize teams yet but as of next week, you will be penalized for going over (or under) the limit.

Now, the scores...

Baby Gorillas-6
Clark & Addison-3
Tied-1
And amazing power onslaught ended with the Gorilla's (23 total home runs between the two teams)coming out on top. Pitching certainly decided this, with the Gorilla's going 4-0-1 in those categories.

The SwinGERS-5
The Rockpile-4
Tied-1
Ger, your 15 minutes is up, time to vacate the PG East throne. Good win though, the SwinGERS still impress with their hitting. Rocky Mike still waiting for a win, need to get those bats going.

Lawndale Longhorns-6
Jimmy's Daddy-3
Tied-1
New Linc carries the day, with a power surge being the deciding factor. Carlos Quentin's 5 homers and 9 RBI are indicative of the type of production the Longhorns threw up. The Daddy's need more Raul Ibanez and less Curtis Granderson.

ARodsACyssy-5
Hoosier Heat-4
Tied-1
Big win by 3K, and I mean big. Despite the very close score, the win gives 3K the confidence boost he needed. Hey 3K, looks like you drafted the Wang pitcher (hey oh!!). Keep ya head up, Hackman. A .500 overall record is nothing to be ashamed of.

Year2000!-6
CO Yankees-2
Tied-2
Fenway Ed simply threw Yankee Mike a beating this week. Stellar pitching from Johan and Halladay lead Fenway Ed to a 2.82 ERA. Yankee Mike's hitting is fine, he simply needs more power production.

Client #9-7
Tallcorn Cobras-2
Baby Bisho's master plan for fantasy domination came together this week as #9 won decisively against the Cobras (with perhaps too much pitching from Baby Bisho). Notable is Client #9's whopping 13 stolen bases (with 6 alone from Ian Kinsler). Who would have ever thought Zach Grienke would bounce back from depression and become one of the game's best pitchers?

This week's matchup's-

Baby Gorillas at The SwinGERS
The Rockpile at Jimmy's Daddy
Year2000! at ARodsACyssy
Client #9 at CO Yankees
Hoosier Heat at Tallcorn Cobras
Lawndale Longhorns at Clark & Addison

The battle of PG East commences...let's do this, Ger.

Gut Check Thursday

Clark & Addison-5
Baby Gorillas-4
Tied-1
Up for grabs-Every category
This is an absolute tit for tat slugfest. In any other week, 8 homers by Thursday would be more than enough to carry the day (considering the runs and rbi it would bring). Not this week. QBF has paced PG and then some (overtaking him in RBI and runs). Two homers each by Andre Ethier, J.J. Hardy, and Adrian Gonazalez have been met with 2 bombs by Michael Young and homers by Ichiro, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Rickie Weeks. I have a feeling this matchup will be decided on the mound, with C&A and PG sending their horses out for a run this weekend. Stay tuned.

The SwinGERS-6
The Rockpile-3
Tied-1
Up for grabs-HR, RBI, R, SB, K, W, SV
Still wide open in this contest as well, with The Ger jumping out to an early lead. Kevin Youklis continuing to provide quality production for the SwinGERS, with Ryan Ludwick, Nick Markakis, Justin Morneau, and Freddy Sanchez following close behind. The Rockpile's bats have stalled out of the gate, and rumors are Rocky Mike is livid. Aubrey Huff has been the most consistent bat (as evidenced by his .384 batting average this week), as he waits on his big guns to come through (the Texeira hat trick last night was painful to watch). Lots of pitching left in this matchup, but all things being equal, The Ger may stay atop PG East.

Lawndale Longhorns-8
Jimmy's Daddy-1
Tied-1
Up for grabs-BA, HR, R, K, ERA, WHIP, W, SV
New Linc has been in Lincoln since Lincoln's had small faces. But there's nothing small about his production this week. After an embarrasing week 1, New Linc looks to totally redeem himself. Carlos Pena was a Yankee killer this week, looking like the Carlos Pena of old. Carlos Quentin is doing his best Jose Canseco impersonation this week, belting out two bombs of his own. How could Linc not love that outing by Scott Kazmir earlier in the week? It doesn't get any better than that. Oh wait, yes it does....and the Daddy's Ted Lilly is the proof. I've gotta tell you though, that Milton Bradley injury is hurting Hef big time this week (Derrick Lee's .714 average may ease the pain a bit). Is it too early to predict that the bullpen's will settle a very close battle?

Hoosier Heat-5
ARodsACyssy-3
Tied-2
Up for grabs- Everything except ERA
Bravo, 3K. The bats are alive and well in Lake Villa this week. Is there anyone hotter than Brian Roberts right now? He's really proving to be a boon for Mr. 3000. Mr. Hackman is no slouch either. With almost a .300 average heading into the weekend, he's gotta be felling good about his chances. Add to that he's has good Yankees going (Burnett, CC) while 3K has bad Yankee going (Wang). Between Wang and Verlander, I can just see 3K watching this weekend, on the edge of his couch, holding his breath, crossing his fingers, popping Valium like they're skittles. 3K, if you go into cardiac arrest, can I have your flat screen and Brooklyn Dodgers autographed baseball?

Year 2000!-7
CO Yankees-2
Tied-1
Up for grabs-BA, RBI, K, ERA, WHIP, W, SV
I've been meaning to tell Fenway Ed, get a new team name, the Red Sox have won two world series in the past 5 years. Get over it. Here's a suggestion...how about Liam's Bombers? Travis Snider, Adam Jones, Kelly Johnson, Delgado...absolute beasts!! I keep harping on him, but Adam Jones...what a pickup. I don't think he's going away anytime soon. Hey Yankee Mike, three of your top power hitters seem to be taking the week off. If they can come through, and you can get some quality outings from Peavy, Oswalt, and Dempster..you might make this close. Of course, that would require Doc Halladay, Johan, and Ricky Nolasco to lay eggs.

Client #9-6
Tallcorn Cobras-4
Up for grabs-Everything sanz SB and K's
I like #9's style. His forte is to go with some late round, below the radar picks that produce big numbers. Zach Grienke, Joey Votto, Matt Kemp, guys like that. Of course, the Ian Kinsler's of the world don't hurt either. The cycle? 6 hits in one game? 5 runs? Send that man to the showers because that it absolutely filthy!! All he needs is Jesus Flores' and Fred Lewiw to produce, and he'll be considered the Billy Beane of PG Sportsworld. T-Dub is hangin tough, and looks to make this a game. He moved Jeter, or "The Mancrush" as I like to call him, into the lineup at the right time. Pujols, Adam Lind, and and Jason Bay have been contributing as well. Question-are Soriano's fantasy numbers hurting you by having him hit leadoff? Perhaps you should have the former governor send Lou Pinella a lineup suggestion....oh....wait wait wait...he already did that!!

And We're Off...

Yes, Nick Swisher pitched for the Yankees last night. Yes, Nick Swisher homered last night. He also worked the concession stands, did the radio play by play AND color commentary and laundered everyone's uniforms after the game. I would appreciate it if we just move on and act like last night never happened. Oh, and one last thing, I'm not a baseball expert by any means, but someone should tell Joe Girardi that he probably should have a long reliever on his pitching staff.

BTW, Gabe Kapler, you should be ashamed of yourself. How in the world do you get rung up by Nick Swisher?

Free agent Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle yesterday, well done!! I wonder how long it's gonna be before he gets picked up as a free agent? A few things here- 1. I like the fact that O-Dawg hustles around the bases after hitting a homer. No cadillacking it, no stutter-step at each base, none of that. Straight up bid-ness!! 2. How much of a deal are the Dodgers getting for Hudson? Did the O's overpay for Brian Roberts or did the Dodgers get O-Dawg for a song?

I knew karma would catch up to me when I drafted Jon Lester. Damn you Beantown!!!!

Hey 3K, so far so good on that trade we made (for everyone involved). Pleasure doing bidness with you.

The only thing more impressive than the 5 bombs the Gorilla's hit yesterday is the fact that C&A is pacing me with 3 of his own. And i've gotta be honest, Linc, your 10 RBI are starting to worry me a bit.

How ironic, I question Team Spitzer's pitching staff and lack of stikeouts just yesterday and they go out and punch out 30 in one day. Well done guys.

Let's practice our phonics. PG is to Jon Lester as Yankee Mike is to Mike Pelfrey. Note to self, never look for a starting pitcher in boys town. Got it!!

Something tells me that this fantasy season is going to make a Yankee fan out of Hoosier Heat. He's rooting for AJ and CC and most likely cursing Jacoby Ellsbury(if he isn't, he should be). This has to be the way God intended it.

Hef, give me a call if you want to unload a closer.

Here come the Longhorns, the mighty, mighty Longhorns. Last week the chip was successfully installed on their shoulders. I'm afraid they have something to prove this week.

I'm wondering if T-Dub would ever sit Jeter in place of Miguel Tejada? .207 is pretty tough to swallow.

The Rockpile had a day like the New York Yankees. Abysmal pitching, lackluster hitting. Let's move on....

We're all very impressed, Ger. Kevin Youklis is leading the AL in hitting. Too bad Ryan Braun is hitting like Lloyd Braun. And I'm not talking about the assistant to Mayor Dinkins Lloyd Braun. I'm talking about the nut ball, Chinese gum chewing, landmark movie theatre frequenting, serenity now Lloyd Braun.

I knew I should have drafted Travis Snider!! And the Shin Soo Choo experiment continues with success. Looks like he's putting a little extra MSG on his bat (zing pow!!!!).

Week 1 Recap

And yes, Fenway Ed, that pitch WAS intentional. Give Bobby Abreu a break, his wife cheated on him on Venezuelan national TV!!!

Baby Gorillas-6
The Rockpile-3
Tied-1
Ask and you shall receive, I suppose. Andy Pettite and Brett Myers came through with sterling performances this weekend (each earning a win). And wouldn't you know it, the Rockpile's Joe Saunders served up two bombs to the Red Sox and took the loss on Saturday. Recently benched Howie Kendrick and Mike Napoli had big weekends, as newly acquired Ryan Doumit and Emilio Bonifacio look to fill their shoes.

Tallcorn Cobras-8
ARodsACyssy-2
T-Dub waltzed his way through the week, winning handily 8-2. Heck, when you drop 12 bombs and strikeout 53 batters, that tends to happen. Simply put, 3K just had a bad week. With an average hovering at .200 and an ERA over 5...it's not hard to believe the score. Look for 3K to shake up the lineup, with his bench players (notably Nelson Cruz, Josh Fields, and Jon Garland) putting up very productive numbers. And for T-Dub? He's on cruise control.

CO Yankees-5
Hoosier Heat-5
Congrats to Mr. Hackman for absolutely turning it on this weekend. AJ? Check!! CC? Check!! George Sherril? Gotcha!! The CO Yankee pitching staff couldn't get out of neutral, and Hoosier caught up. Cano, Cantu, and Dunn gave Yankee Mike solid production all week, he need needs for figure this staff out (will Kiroda get a spot start this week?).

The SwinGERS-7
Longdale Longhorns-3
The Ger took this week easily, and stands alone atop PG East. The Longhorns were able to snip a little bit and stave off the massacre. Chase Utley, Rafael Fucal, Alex Rios, and Cameron Maybin help them take the steals category, while Kevin Gregg and Jonathan Broxton helped them win in saves. The difference in this one was straight up offense. Every single position player (save Ryan Braun) hit at least one homer. Now that's impressive. Keep swinging those bats, sons of Ger. You'll be swingin in the championship before long.

Jimmy's Daddy-6
Clark & Addison-4
Who's your daddy, Linc? Why it's Hef, that's who. But not by much. Perhaps he's your step daddy. C&A made up a lot of ground this weekend to close the gap a bit and make it a race. 2 home runs, two strikeouts, a win, and a save were the difference in this being an entirely different story. Goes to show you just how important every pitch is in this league (and how important it is to start the right players each week).

Year 2000!-6
Client #9-4
This was a pretty competitve match all around. Team Spitzer didn't get the offensive production they were looking for and that lead to their demise. A few important notes here. The lack of runs and strikeouts for Client #9. Is this going to be a problem for them? If so, look for some tinkering down the road. Del Gado del got it this week (as did Adam Jones and Kelly Johnson and Shin Soo-Choo. A decent start for the Fenway faithful, all he needs now is Matt Wieters on a bus to Philly.

Friday Ramble

The league saw it's very first trade of the season late yesterday. The Baby Gorillas sent relief pitcher Heath Bell to ARodsACyssy for catcher Ryan Doumit. What do you guys think? Who got the better end of the deal?

I'm sure everyone has checked it out, but the MLB channel's nightly programming is absolutely awesome. Harold Renyolds is the best and i've gotta tell ya, Dan Plesac is thoroughly entertaining.

I believe it was Shane who asked what would happpen if someone's player died during the season (in a very tounge in cheek manner). I cannot believe it actually happened (although Nick Adenhardt was a free agent). Such a sad story.

Did anyone see Giants hurler Joe Martinez get hit in the cabeza by a Mike Cameron line drive yesterday? It was pretty brutal (Mike Cameron was visibly upset after the incident).

Gut Check Thursday

It's time for the first installment of gut check Thursday. It is here that we recap the matchups heading into the weekend and provide lively discussion.

NOTE-Congratulations to Derek The Long Legged Mack Daddy (Client #9), who's wife gave birth to an baby girl yesterday (Cassidy Lucile). Also, special birthday wishes to Fenway Ed, who turned 62 on Tuesday.

The Rockpile-5
Baby Gorillas-3
Tied-2
Categories up for grabs-HR, R, SB, SV
This has been Rocky Mike's match all week long. Strong outings by Felix Hernandez, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Joe Saunders have provided a solid foundation for victory. It is uncanny just how the Baby Gorillas have mirrored the New York Yankees in terms of pitching this week. If the Gorillas are gonna make any headway, they need King Felix and Joe Saunders to give it up on Saturday and for Andy Pettite and Brett Myers to shine.

Tallcorn Cobras-9
ARodsACyssy-1
Categories up for grabs-HR, SB, K, W, S
What can you say, utter domination. T-Dub has been able to combine great hitting with great pitching. It doesn't help that 3K has hiccuped his way through the week. The young Marlin staff gave Schofield the performances he needed, with Pujols and Soriano providing the power. Keep an eye on Jose Lopez, I think you're gonna see some great things from him this season. As for 3K, Brian Roberts and JD have hit the ball well and....well...let's move on.

CO Yankees-8
Hoosier Heat-1
Tied-1
Categories up for grabs-K, ERA, WHIP, W, S
If Mr. Hackman is going to make up any ground this week, he's gonna have to do it on the mound. Yankee Mike's squad (led by Cantu, Dunn, Cano, and Damon) have just been too tough to compete with. If I'm Hoosier Heat, I'm praying for stellar outings by A.J. Burnett and C.C. Sabathia (along with solid bullpen help). It looks like Mr. Hackman and I will be praying for the same things this weekend.

The SwinGERS-8
Lawndale Longhorns-1
Tied-1
Categories up for grabs-SB, R, W, ERA
Who put the GRRRR in SwinGER....well, Ger did of course!! And what a week it's been. Nick Markakis hitting .714, Youklis....625, Braun and Sanchez each with 2 bombs. Just an offensive orgy. But this is an interesting matchup moving forward. The Longhorns can possibly snipe their way to victory here. And I think the key is going to be with his speedsters (Maybin, Furcal, possibly Rios) and his horses (Sonnastine, Broxton, Gregg, and Motte). But if Ger keeps this pace up..it's lights out.

Jimmy's Daddy-8
Clark & Addison-2
Categories up for grabs-BA, RBI, SB, K, ERA, W, SV
This is one of those deceiving scores, as the tides could change at any given moment. If you're Hef and Linc, you've gotta be glued to the flatscreen all weekend long. Both teams have given C grade performances, and it's just a matter of time before someone breaks out. Hef is sitting on Hanley, Pedroia, and Ibanez and C&A is patiently waiting on Manny, Ryan Howard, Victorino, and Longoria. Everybody take cover...bombs are about to drop!!! Be sure not to ignore the pitching here, there are still 6 combined starts left in this one.

Year2000!-8
Client #9-2
Categories up for grabs-HR, SB, K, WHIP, W, SV
Lot of great offensive production from Fenway Ed's squad, and great pitching as well. Adam Jones has simply wowed me this week. What an exciting guy to have on your squad. Funny that i'm mentioning Adam Jones on a team that includes Josh Hamilton, Aramis Ramirez, Delgado, and Salty (he's been that good). Client #9 puts forth a stellar pitching performance this week. I especially liked when Zach Grienke went up in Carlos Quentin's grill. But he's gotta get it done at the plate. To even come close, Jose Reyes, Jay Bruce, and Corey Hart have to readjust.

Opening Day Musings

The Gorillas are hitting very well but the pitching is abysmal. Now Brandon Webb is nursing a stiff shoulder. After last nights outing, he deserves a stiff fist to the face. The Rockpile is the exact opposite. Absolutely stellar pitching (especially from a svelte Felix Hernandez).

The Cobras are taking it to 3K, with Brad Hawpe leading the way (somewhere Rocky Mike is snickering). Cliff Lee threw up a shitburger, but T-Dub has time (and the horses) to recover. 3K's club was absolutely enemic (with the exception of Brian Roberts). Roberts, however, looked like a Mary running down the orange carpeting during the opening ceremonies, so we'll call it a wash. Seriously, is Detroit cursed?

Yankee Mike checking in with a early skunking possibility. Very level day for the the Colorado Yankees. If I were grading, I'd give him a C+ (C for Cantu). Hi, Mr. Hackman, it's PG, it's around 11:32 on Tuesday...didn't know if you knew, but we started fantasy baseball this week...you should probably let your players know.

The highly touted Longhorns of Lawndale are losing to the basement dweller of last season. For all of you rational thinkers who will say, "hey, we've just had one day of games"....I say, "that's right fuckers, so stop ripping on the Yankees".

A tight race for the Daddy's and Linc. Hanley coming through big time for Hef and Chris Ianetta providing the power for C&A. Fantasy rule #2,543...never draft a red headed pitcher.

I'm sure #9 is calling me a moron for blasting his Ian Kinsler draft pick. He certainly cannot say that for Ryan Zimmerman. Hey Fenway Ed, wouldn't it be great if Taylor Teagarden gave Jarrod Saltalamachhia the old Nancy Kerrigan? BTW, I'm calling it right now...Shin Soo-Choo will be the star of this team. BONZAI!!!! (yes Ed, I'm aware he's not Japanese).

Happy Opening Day

Merry Christmas, baseball fans!! Opening Day is finally upon us. Here's a shot taken this morning of yours truly and PB in the kitchen of the Midwestern White House. I hope everyone got their lineups set yesterday, because we're full steam ahead today. Anyone taking off of work today? I am languishing in the office (not a good thing). Please don't send me any texts, emails, or calls today (as I am DVR'ing the Yankee game). Any communication with me will be met with utter silence. A few notes-

So glad I took Brett Myers this season, he served it up like Chuck Sheen in Major League. And of course, Rocky Mike had to have Brian McCann (who belted the first homer of the season). Chipper Jones helped stop the bleeding for me though. Hey 3K, Mike Gonzalez on the mound looks just like you in the batters box. What is that, the hispanic two-step? I want to know how many people were scrambling for Jordan Schaefer last night (congrats to 3K for his diligence).

I'm sorry, I hate the Mets and question their orientation, but I think I like Citi Field better than the new Yankee Stadium. There, I said it.

Come on guys, let me know your Opening Day plans.

Last Minute Annoucements

Ok, guys, I think we're all set for the season. By now you should have a spreadsheet in your in-box that shows everyone's players under contract. Waivers is officially turned on, and the season starts Sunday evening. Be sure to check out the very handy calender feature on your fantasy frontpage (on the right side, under the players poll).

REMINDER-THE DEADLINE FOR SETTING YOUR LINEUP FOR THE WEEK IS 7:35PM EST ON SUNDAY (the Atlanta-Philly games starts at 8:05AM EST).

Here's this week's match-ups-

Tallcorn Cobras at ARodsACyssy
CO Yankees at Hoosier Heat
The SwinGERS at Lawndale Longhorns
Clark & Addison at Jimmy's Daddy
Baby Gorillas at The Rockpile
Client #9 at Year2000!

Hey Rocky Mike, Cutler isn't gonna be the only thing you lose this week!!!!

BTW, Cubs-Yanks on MLB Channel tonight. First game at the new Yankee Stadium.

Snails Pace

I believe the 3K in Mr. 3K refers to how many days it is taking him to sign his players. Hey, 3K, stop gambling with other general managers and start negotiating with your players!! So as we patiently await for Prince Anthony to fill out his roster, let me remind you that the season starts Sunday night. I'm excited and everyone else should be too.

Has there been any trade offers made yet? Is anyone angling for a roster revamp this early?