Baby Bisho's Crib Talk

We all have em'...those players that you: dislike, hate, abhor, loathe, and completely shudder at the thought of them

A) Playing for your favorite team

B) Playing for your fantasy team

Those guys that you'd immediately replace in the line-up before the game or season while playing Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on SNES, or any other baseball video game that used the REAL players. Yea....those guys!

Here's my list, and a snippet

10.) Armando Reynoso - That mustache...and he was TERRIBLE

9.) Danny Darwin -THAT mustache...and I think he was the oldest player in MLB from 1994-1999.

8.) Hal Morris - That batting stance...like swallowing tacks

7.) Kent Tukulve - That 1987 Topps card with that stupid Pirates hat and glasses

6.) Glenallen Hill - Those white shoes..and he wasn't playing for the A's

5.) Omar Daal - Yuck

4.) Jason Kendall - There's just something about not being able to hit the ball past the SS

3.) Jamie Moyer - I'll say it...I could rake a double off of him...RETIRE

2.) Darren Oliver - As I said back in the Sigma Chi house to PG in 1998..take him behind the barn and shoot him. FYI...it's 2009 and he is still being paid to throw 82 mph CHEESE

1.) Louis Sojo - C'mon...you knew it was coming. This guy was my poison...HATED him..not for being good, but for being that BAD (lifetime OPS of .650), and pouring himself into a uniform for 13 years!

Open Thread Friday

Has anyone ever tried wi-fi on an airplane? It's a life saver (especially after missing your 6am direct flight to Boston and have to now go through Hotlanta). Consider this open thread Friday. If anyone is interested in doing Recap Monday, shoot me an email. Also, looking forward to another T-Dub power ranking in the near future.

Linc’s Rumblings, Whispers & Rumors

Back in the day when pine tar, caffeine pills, and a Big League Chew sugar rush were the closest thing an MLB player had to a performance enhancing drug a young Linc would bicycle down to the local dime store and purchase as many baseball card “wax packs” as his coin filled Velcro wallet would allow. With at least 3 friends hovering over each shoulder a little Linc would tear open pack after pack, discard the brittle chalk covered pink tooth chipper the Topps corporation bribed the FDA to call gum, and shuffle through each package of 12 randomly assorted cards hoping to find the 4th graders holy grail of baseball - RUSTY KUNTZ!

Unfortunately, lady luck deemed me unworthy of such a joy and I was left to use my keen negotiating skills to acquire Mr. Kuntz via trade. For the low, low, low price of my brother’s Storm Shadow GI Joe action figure and a Diamond Kings Eric Davis, Mr. Kuntz was at last mine - all mine!

Moral of the story you ask? Well, not everyone is so fortunate to find their own Rusty Kuntz. Sometimes, you have to swallow hard, steal from your younger brother, and give up something to get something.

As such, the following is this week’s rundown of MLB rumblings, whispers, and rumors the way Linc hears ‘em:

Doug Davis (SP) - Arizona appears to be one of the early trade deadline sellers and a middle of the order starting pitcher will always have value with the Rangers, Mets, and Phillies all possible destinations. A return to Milwaukee is also a possibility but unlikely and the Brewers are looking to land a veteran SP with playoff experience.

John Garland (SP) - sticking with our AZ theme, Garland is only committed to the D-backs for 1 year. Rumor has it LA is interested as a nice addition in the Dodgers 5th rotation spot.

Nick Johnson (1B) - Thirty seconds after the opening pitch the Nationals were in the NL East cellar. It is no secret Johnson can be had with the Mets and Red Sox obvious possibilities. Johnson would be an adequate replacement for the Mets with Delgado on the DL or could serve as the BoSox DH replacing Ortiz and Baldeli. I’ve also read where Texas may be interested in Johnson as a replacement for ubur-whiffer Chris Davis but with Justin Smoak lighting up the minors I don’t see it happening.

Adam Dunn (1B/OF) - I swear I’m not making this up but San Francisco thinks they actually have a shot at the wild card and are a big bat away from sparking their offense. While Dunn’s defense makes him most attractive to AL teams as a DH, the Giants are getting nothing out of Travis Ishikawa and Dunn would provide some much needed power and name recognition to their no name offense.

Derek Lee (1B) - According to the San Francisco Chronicle the Giants called the Cubs about Lee when Lee was slumping and Hoffpauier was hot - ok luke warm. The Cubs shot down the deal as SF was only offering Jonathan O. Sanchez and a PTBNL.

Takashi Saito (RP) - Yes, there has been a Tak Saito sighting! Rangers need a middle reliever and the Red Sox are rich in pitching. I’ve heard Saito to the Rangers for Hank Blalock is a possibility with Beantown using Blalock much like they would Johnson in the analysis above.

Huston Street (RP) - This one writes itself. If the Rocks run out of gas before the deadline and become sellers Street and his $7 million a year contract are out of the mile high city. Rumor is the Cubs are interested but payroll may be an issue with the team for sale. Tampa Bay’s closer by committee is working - for now - if Tampa starts to make a solid push look for them to make a hard run along with the Yankees who covet Street as a set-up man and Rivera insurance policy.

Jonathan O. Sanchez (SP) - You have to give the Giants credit for trying. One man’s trash may be another man’s treasure but Sanchez has been downright awful this year. The usual desperate for starting pitching suspects are out there. Rangers I’m looking at you, but Linc has learned that prior to his DL stint Cleveland was scouting Sanchez. Keep in mind this is the same team that traded for Anthony Reyes.

Matt Holiday (OF) - Each year one name becomes synonymous with the trade deadline. 2009 will be the year of the Holiday. Where he will land is speculative at this point. Big money market buyer and seller teams need to be fully established but rumors have mentioned the Cardinals, Tigers, Giants, and Yankees as possibilities. I even heard one rumor having him going back to Colorado for Atkins and others should the Rox prove to have staying power. Logic should eliminate the pretenders from the contenders but if the Cardinals pitching holds up and the Cubs continue to be - well - the Cubs - I could see there being validity to the rumor of Holiday to STL (with the A’s picking up a portion of the salary) in an effort to protect Albert in the batting order with the Redbirds shipping the A’s a prospect, Ankiel or Ludwick, and the ever popular PTBNL.

Tony's Take

3-in-1 time at Tony's Take. I'll make it brief but a few things I want to touch on -

1) There hasn't been a trade in our fantasy league since 5/1! Not since the Ervin Santana for George Sherrill swap (nice one Hoosier) have two teams come together with a little ante. I know I've thrown a couple feelers out there but haven't gotten anywhere past the exploration point of talks. So what gives? Do the owners in this league prefer to just take flyers on free agents off the scrap heap instead of crafting a blockbuster. No reason to answer #9, we all know your strategy.

2) Manny was suspended for 50 games right? So why does he get to start his rehab assignment today. I think a suspension from the league should be a suspension. Meaning no minor league games, no workouts at the ballpark, no entry into the clubhouse. If he wants to stay sharp during his suspension then he needs to go find some high school field to take BP. If he then needs a rehab stint it starts after the 50-game suspension. Baseball is too lenient on these offenders who test positive.

3) Oh yeah, Donald Fehr....don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out!!!

4) At what point during the season do you look at your respective teams off-season acquisitions and label them "bust"? I'm just wondering as I look at Milton Bradley .247 hitting line and 16 RBIs and we're 70 games into the season. Just can't help but wonder if the Cubs would of done the smart thing and signed Bobby Abreu (.292, 35 RBIs) for a pittance of the cost where they might stand today.

OK, that was 4 items but it bears repeating...Donald Fehr.....go suck an egg!!

3K

Open Thread Monday

Sorry guys, but I had a rough night last night. I got food poisoning and I'm just getting around to feeling normal again (was up all night last night harfing).

Special thanks to 3K and The Ger for attending Political Baby's baptism.

Let's do an open thread recap Monday. I'll start off.....3K, you smoked me. I'll admit it. I'm ashamed, I don't know who my team is anymore.

Gut Check Friday

Cornholers-5
Baby Gorillas-5
Your classic see-saw battle. Gorilla's dominating at the plate and 3K is toeing the rubber like a champ. I envision Maverick and Goose on the beach volleyball court, going tit for tat with Iceman and Slider (in one of the gayest scenes in cinematic history). Every fruity spike by Maverick is dug out by a glistening and sun soaked Iceman. As I reapply my mirrored aviator sunglasses and look across the net to see 3K spinning his laptop on his finger, I know this is gonna go down to the wire. And make no mistake, I will hop on my crotch rocket and drive off to Charley's house a victor come Sunday. I just hope she'll let me take a shower when I get there.

The SwinGERS-6
Client #9-2
Tied-2
What a fun matchup to follow. The Ger, fresh from a vacation to the Magic Kingdom, comes home to a nice lead against the Fighting Spitzers. He's running on all cylinders and if he keeps this up, he may just get back to .500. And don't get me wrong, Baby Bisho is throwing up some quality numbers too. This contest is akin to the extremely suspect race on the beach between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in II. Both giving everything they had, pushing each other to the limits, searching for the true eye of the tiger. Let's just hope they don't hug each other incessantly and frolic in the surf afterward.

Lawndale Longhorns-8
Year 2000!-1
Tied-1
I can just picture New Linc sitting on his throne in Lincoln, Illinois, pawing a frothy can of Schlitz, bellowing out an sadistic laugh (picture Dr. Evil in Austin Powers). Where did this guy come from? What looked like a rotting carcas a month ago is now the second coming of Mickey Rourke. Just don't thank your dogs at any award shows. Meanwhile, Ed is looking like the old Mickey Rourke after one of his "professional boxing matches". Somewhere between 9 1/2 weeks and Johnny Handsome, Fenway Ed (like Mickey Rourke) is toasting to innocence lost as he watches his team go the way of Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man.

Clark & Addison-5
Hoosier Heat-4
Tied-1
This is as close as it can possibly get, two second place teams forced to do battle. I am reminded of Chip Douglas and Stephan Kovacs standing shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the ring of Medieval Times. As I sat on the edge of my couch, riveted by the improbable showdown, I could not begin to fathom who would merge victorious. This matchup is clearly in the same league.

Tallcorn Cobras-5
Jimmy's Daddy-3
Tied-2
The feature matchup of the week. The one we've all been waiting for. An extravaganza, of sorts. As T-Dub and Hef saunter to their laptops each morning, "You're The Best" by Joe Espisito blares in the backgrounds of their minds. This one is for all the marbles (which at this point in the season, is bragging rights). And right now, T-Dub is looking a lot like Johnny Lawrence in the beginning of the All Valley Tournament, vanquishing schlubs at will. Cut to Hef, who, like Daniel LaRusso, is holding his own too, drubbing poor man's Cobra Kai's, like the token black guy and the overweight and underappreciated fat guy. Will this end up like the movie, with Hef throwing the old crane kick on T-Dub on Sunday night? Or will it end as it should have been scripted, with Johhny tearing Daniels head clean off and beating Miyagi to death with it. Stay tuned.

CO Yankees-5
The Rockpile-4
Tied-1
Speaking of Daniel LaRusso, Yankee Mike (for those who don't know, he looks eerily like Ralph Macchio) is winning!!! And not only winning, winning decisively! It looks like The Rockpile is going the way of Wes Mantooth (cue Brian Fantana holding up two fingers). At the beginning of the week, it looked like Rocky Mike was circling the CO Yankees on his ten speed, with Yankee Mike urging his team to keep a tight perimeter. As the week has gone on, Yankee Mike has sent a message to Rocky Mike, and that message was this...let's dance dickweed. And as they head into the weekend, the CO Yankees have another message...come get a taste.

Question

Does anyone use Twitter here?

Chopping Wood With The Railsplitter

Good bye, study hall…hello, curve ball. Bryce Harper’s parents have decided to pull him out of high school so as to fast track his professional baseball career. Bryce, as you’ll recall, is the Sports Illustrated-dubbed “Chosen One”…a 16-year old who hits 500+ foot homers and is clocked in the high 90s on his fastball. Ron Harper (no, Bulls fans, not that one) announced that he will remove his son from high school, have him get his GED and then enroll him in a community college. All of this will then make him eligible for the 2010 draft, and who knows, maybe he and Stephen Strasburg will team up and make the Nationals 2-1 favorites for the 2011 World Series title.

This move sets a dangerous precedent in my eyes. The Harper’s are making a wise move as their son’s stock will never be higher, however, my concern is that other parents will mimic this course of action the next time little Johnny goes 3-4 with 5 RBI’s. Of course, that is an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.

So, chop away faithful followers of the PG blog. Do you agree with the Harper’s move by striking while the proverbial iron is hot? How do you feel about them prioritizing financial gain over educational development? What happens if this move backfires and Bryce is the next Schea Cotton?

Recap Monday

Tallcorn Cobras-7
Baby Gorillas-2
Tied-1
I should be so lucky to get a split decision, as I predicted on Friday. T-Dub and the Cobra's show just why they are #1 at PG Sportsworld. And it was Indians pitchers Cliff Lee who single-handedly turned a 5-4 game into a 7-2 blowout. 9 strong innings, three hits, six strikeouts, and a big win last night against the St. Louis Cardinals. And taking a no-no into the 8th? Damn you, Cliff Lee. Damn you.

Client #9-5
The Rockpile-4
Tied-1
Absolutely nothing changed since Friday in this matchup, and the Fighting Spitzers squeaked out a victory against Rocky Mike and The Rockpile. For Rocky Mike, this is a moral victory, who's pitching staff was absolutely awesome this week. From his starters to his closers, it couldn't have gotten any better. Client #9 continues to fight tooth and nail for second place, and remains a 1/2 game out.

Year 2000!-6
Clark & Addison-4
Fenway Ed hangs on to defeat Clark & Addison as the Railsplitter is hanging onto .500by a thread. If anything can make me happy about this, it's the Yankees manhandling Johan Santana yesterday at the Stadium. If the Yanks can't beat the Red Sox, by God, i'll take them beating one of Fenway Ed's fantasy baseball players.

Cornholers-5
The SwinGERS-5
First of all, let me preface this by saying that I have not heard from 3K since before he departed for Las Vegas. My attempts to get in touch with him this weekend via text message went unanswered. Through word of mouth, I learned that he cleaned up at the craps tables (to the tune of thousands of dollars). And not only that, he fills the gap and is able to eek out a tie in fantasy baseball. Like Cliff Lee, damn you 3K. Damn you.

Jimmy's Daddy-8
Hoosier Heat-1
Tied-1
Bad ass? Yes. Pimpy? Indeed. 9-1? Not quite.....8-1? Absolutely. I believe, Hef. I believe!!!!

Lawndale Longhorns-6
CO Yankees-3
Tied-1
It's official. New Linc is out of the cellar. It's official, I am going to go put my head in an oven.

Gut Check Friday

Baby Gorillas-6
Tallcorn Cobras-4
Is it too good to be true? The Gorilla's were shot out of a cannon this week, getting off to an early (and big) lead. As the week has gone on, they have literally left the building, with the Cobras playing catch-up. Offensively, it's anyone's ballgame at this point. PG needs Adrian Gonzalez to catch fire, and where the heck has Mike Napoli been? Meanwhile, the Cobra's certainly need Pujols and Soriano to pick it up, brutal numbers there. Right now, pitching is clearly the Gorilla's forte, putting up a nasty 1.97 ERA. Can Cliff Lee, Josh Johnson, and Matt Cain save T-Dub's week on the mound? We could be heading for a split decision.

Client #9-5
The Rockpile-4
Tied-1
Pretty close race here, with the Fighting Spitzer's closing out the stolen base category early, and Rocky Mike seemingly sealing ERA and WHIP. This battle is going to be won with the bat. And it's anyone's ballgame heading into the weekend. Adrian Beltre has been on FIRE for Baby Bisho, with Justin Upton dropping a few bombs to boot. And I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Scotty Pods and the week he has been having. Great pickup, #9. Rocky Mike has really been enjoying Mark Texeira since he got out of his early season funk (it's great hitting in front of A-Rod, isn't it?). I wonder if The Rockpile is regretting the Uggla pickup. Very Ugg-ly recently. If Lincecum can recreate Paul Maholm's performance this week, The Rockpile may be tasting victory.

Year 2000!-6
Clark & Addison-4
The song, "Some Guys Have All The Luck" comes to mind right now. A big Red Sox sweep of the Yankees, Year 2000! leading a second place PG East team, if I were Fenway Ed, I'd hit the boats this weekend. Between Fenway Ed and Shin Soo Choo hitting birds like he's Dave Winfield, I don't know what to think. Batting average and wins may be sewn up already, but there is still a lot of fantasy baseball to be played here. Seriously, what is up with Marco Scutaro? That little guinea is having a season!!! Seriously? Marco Scutaro? Meanwhile the only thing Railspiltter is splitting is his batting average.....in half!! Abysmal weeks for Evan Longoria, Shane Victorino, and Ryan Howard. And I think Ben Zobrist is the Marco Scutaro of Clark & Addison....only the steroid version. Hey oh!!!!!!

The SwinGERS-6
Cornholers-3
Tied-1
As I write this, The Ger is anxiously awaiting an accolade filled recap of his matchup against 3K. 3K, meanwhile, is lying face down in a pool of his own vomit somewhere on the Las Vegas strip, with glitter all over his face and a pocket full of moth balls. Speaking of pockets, the Ger has batting average, RBI, and wins already safely in his. 3K is gonna need to roll 6 (categories) the hard way if he wants to walk away with a win this week. Nice to see Troy Tulowitzki playing to his potential this week for The Ger, with Ryan Braun equally as impressive. They're clearly Hard Rock status. Manny Delcarmen? He's more Golden Nugget this week. 3K needs to get those bats going if he wants a turn around of any kind. Kendry Morales and Juan Pierre are hitting like Danny Gans....now. Javy Vasquez put up 12K's like Danny Ocean after the heist. I feel bad for John Danks...he reminds me of myself at the blackjack table...getting a 20 and watching the dealer hit blackjack. Nothing worse than a hard luck loser. Barring any unforeseen incident (which includes 3K making it out of Sin City alive), watch for the Ger to walk away with all the chips.

Jimmy's Daddy-6
Hoosier Heat-3
Tied-1
Received an early call from Hef this morning, who referred to his team as "bad ass", "pimpy", and guranteed a 9-1 victory. That's typical Daddy hubris, and judging by the numbers, he could be right ("could" being the important word there). Never count out Mr. Hackman, who is experiencing a power outage and is in desperate need of someone (anyone) to start dropping bombs. The Daddy's are taking advantage of the Heats poor production, all but guranteeing RBI, runs, ERA, and WHIP. Keep in mind A-Rod, Hanley, and Pedroia have had awful weeks thus far (look for them to break out this weekend). Ted Lilly pitched his ass off this week, as did Jered Weaver and Gavin Floyd. Is there a chance the Heat can turn around a really bad week and make this a fight? Not likely...look for the Daddy's to coast to victory (but not at 9-1).

Lawndale Longhorns-6
CO Yankees-3
Tied-1
Keep pitching, Yankee Mike, that is going to be your only way to keep this close. New Linc is just basking in the sun and soaking it all in. Life is good when you're winning, and the Longhorns are proof positive of that claim. The air is crisper, the beer is tastier, and it seems like it's never going to come to an end. And when you have Pablo Sandoval RAKING like an old man in October, it's hard to come down off that high. With Chase Utley and Carlos Pena providing the power, it looks as if the Longhorns will run the table offensively. Different story on the mound, though, with Yankee Mike putting up some very impressive numbers. Dempster, Pelfrey, and Peavy all throwing very well (amazing they didn't get a win between the 3 of them), and Mo and Brian Wilson providing a little rolaids. If the CO Yankees scrape and claw (and maintain their pitching categories), they may be able to pull off a split.

Chopping Wood With The Railsplitter

In the Godfather: Part 1, Michael and Sonny Corleone discuss the best retaliation for the assassination attempt of their father. Michael claims that he will kill two men who, in part, are responsible for the attempt. Sonny tells Michael that he is making this personal, and then Michael retorts this classic line, “It’s not personal, it’s just business.”

Last Wednesday, June 3rd, the Atlanta Braves released longtime ace, Tom Glavine. Glavine played 17 seasons for the Braves and compiled the following numbers:

- 244 wins
- 3.41 era
- 52 complete games
- 22 shutouts
- 5 seasons of 20+ wins

After rehabbing a shoulder injury, Glavine was set to return to the mound last Sunday (coincidentally, young Tommy Hanson got the start). Glavine had thrown a combined 11 scoreless innings in his last two minor league rehab appearances, including six scoreless innings for Class A Rome on the evening before his release. "Our evaluation was he would not be successful," Braves GM Frank Wren said of Glavine's major league outlook.

Glavine’s response was classic. "Based on my performance?" Glavine asked, repeating Wren's assessment. "Well, my bad, I just threw 11 scoreless innings. Was I supposed to throw a no-hitter and strike out 15? That's never been my style of pitching." Relationships are now strained to the point where Braves president John Schuerholz issued an apology for the way in which Glavine’s release was handled.

So does a longtime contributor to an organization earn the right to be treated differently, or should this be all about “business”? Should Schuerholz have issued that apology? What do you make of Wren’s statement? Each of us can find an example of this from our favorite team so what’s your take?

Baby Bisho's Crib Talk

Pinocchio: Father, whatcha crying for?

Geppetto: Because... you're dead, Pinocchio.

Pinocchio: No! No, I'm not.

Geppetto: Yes. Yes, you are. Now, lie down...

Pinocchio: But father, I'm alive. See?

[Looks at himself]

Pinocchio: And... and I'm... I'm real. I'm a real boy!

Geppetto: You're alive! And... and you are a real boy!

Lists are fun, Lists spark debate, off we go

I thought it would be enjoyable for all of the puppet master GM's to compile a list of the "All 1980 & Beyond Team", steroids aside. Here's mine Stromboli's

LF - Ricky Henderson
RF - Barry Bonds
1B - Albert Pujols
SS - Alex Rodriguez
DH - Dave Winfield
CF - Ken Griffey Jr.
3B - Mike Schmidt
C - Mike Piazza
2B - Roberto Alomar

SP1 - Pedro Martinez
SP2 - Randy Johnson
SP3 - Nolan Ryan
SP4 - Roger Clemens
SP5 - Greg Maddux
SetUp - Dennis Eckersly
CL - Mariano Rivera

Draft Day Afternoon

The biggest day of the year for some 18 year old high schooler. A life changing moment for a college arm that can hit triple digits. Get ready for the 2009 MLB Draft!

I have to be honest this will most likely be the highlight of my 2009 from a sports viewing standpoint. Major League Baseball Network has taken hold of the draft and will be hosting it from Studio 42 in New Jersey. Each team will have a representative present and Selig will be announcing picks from a podium at home plate. I can only imagine the amount of in-depth coverage that will be present. Just being able to pry the coverage away from ESPN is a victory in my book.

With the immense amount of coverage available for the 2009 draft class I haven't even begun to crack the nut. We all know about Stephen Strasburg and his impending 1st overall pick to the Nationals - who will be represented by Devo White, but what about the Mariners who will then have 1 minute to decide who they will take? Follow that up with the Padres, Pirates and Orioles and the top 5 could be walking away with some decent talent. And seriously, when are the O's going to be good again? I certainly hope it's soon, so they can take advantage of Wieters, Jones and Markakis.

What about the 5 clubs that will have a pair of first-round choices: the Nationals, Mariners, Rockies, D-Backs and Angels? You expect to see the first 3 teams grabbing more young talent but a team like the Angels who seem to be a perennial contender these days grabbing 2 first rounders?

Who will come out with the best draft class? Outside of Strasburg who is the next big star out of this draft? And how many of you will be tuning in later this afternoon (5pm EST start) to take in the new and improved draft?

3K

Recap Monday

Hoosier Heat-10
Baby Gorillas-0


Lawndale Longhorns-7
Client #9-3

Jimmy's Daddy-8
Year 2000!-1
Tied-1


The Rockpile-6
Cornholers-3
Tied-1


Tallcorn Cobras-6
SwinGERS-1
Tied-1


Clark & Addison-6
CO Yankees-4

Chopping Wood With The Railsplitter

They are the future of professional baseball and will one day sit on my fantasy squad. I will inevitably curse them when they are injured and sucking. That’s right gentlemen, they are Division I baseball players. So why don’t I care more about them and their sport? I mean, I love baseball and I love college sports…so where’s the disconnect? Is it because I compare their sexiest asset (the World Series) to that of “The Tournament” and “The BCS”? Probably, but I think it is much more than that. Over the course of the last week some truly remarkable performances took place on the college diamond and I haven’t batted an eyelash at them:

1) The Fighting Shoplifters defeated Ohio State 37-6. FSU had 38 hits, 66 total bases and only 2 misdemeanors. They led 32-0 by the 5th inning for the love of Peter Warrick!

2) Stephen Strasburg took his first defeat of the season as Virginia dropped him to 13-1. The kid has 195 strikeouts in 109 innings and has been as dominant as any college player in recent history, yet I would venture to say there are some who follow this blog who have no idea who this wunderkind is. Admittedly, I didn’t know until 3 weeks ago.

3) Texas outlasted Boston College 3-2 in 25 innings. Here’s my favorite part, Texas reliever Austin Wood tossed 12 1/3 innings of no-hit ball! Think about that, in a sport where a comparable team scores 32 runs by the fifth inning, this kid channeled his inner Nolan Ryan and handcuffs his opponent for a game and a half.

I’ve really tried to delve into why this sport doesn’t entice me, so I first needed to figure out what exactly does a sport need to give me before I become an unconditional follower. The answers all pointed to one aspect…ACCESS.

Before being moved to ESPN in 2009, it was a fact that the college world series got less CBS play than Coy and Vance Duke’s rebel rousing days in Hazzard County. One weekend? Hell, the Little Leaguers get just as much, if not more, time on ABC. I’m not searching TSN-Biloxi or any other obscure channel to try to find regular season college baseball either. It’s the lack of availability and my unwillingness to search that has me so far removed by the time the post-season rolls around and by then, all interest is lost.

Go to espn.com sometime and scroll over “All Sports” and you’ll be shocked what you find. College basketball and football have their own section and so does, wait…what? Women’s college basketball has their own link? Bingo. It is not until you click on the “College Sports” that you will find baseball articles sharing the headlines with women’s softball, men’s lacrosse and men’s golf.

With college post-season baseball in full swing, I decided to shoot over to my favorite wagering site to see what the action was, and much like the Longhorn’s bedroom in Lawndale …there wasn’t any. I can bet on NCAA futures for both basketball and football (both 7+ months away), but I can’t pull the trigger on a sport that wraps up in the next few weeks?

I think it is simple to see why college baseball ranks right up there with rugby and hurling in my eyes…I was never exposed to it. Now, I know there are some college baseball alums on the blog so what is your take? Are there some who feel this way about another sport?

Breakfast With T-Dub

We all share a common ground here as owners in PG’s Sportsworld, and that’s a passion for the game of baseball. That passion spills over into fantasy like the boiling lava from the mouth of the volcano … winning is everything, failure is embarrassing, and obsession is generally accepted, if not encouraged. We want to be on top, and make no mistake it will eat us alive if weak, and can cause a man’s chest to puff if strong.

I remember to this day reading a book about the colorful Leo Durocher, heck, probably for a book report if I had to guess, (perhaps BookIt was involved, with a delicious personal pan waiting in exchange for that glorious ticket for all the hard work) … but I digress. Back to the point, I always thought this quote was spot on (and yes, I had to google it for the sake of integrity, save I butcher it trying to paraphrase) … Here goes:

“If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I’d trip her. Oh, I’d pick her up and brush her off and say “Sorry, Mom” … but nobody beats me”, Leo Durocher.

Classic. (Side thought, would you really trip your mother to win something? I have to think I would strongly consider it, given the right circumstances.) That said, with the established theme being ‘win at all costs’ … let’s introduce a first edition of power rankings, based on franchise performance through the first eight weeks of baseball. The proverbial cream has risen to the top in some cases, while others find themselves face down rounding third … hard to believe it can be said just eight young weeks into the season, but a couple of those guys might already be realizing there isn’t a chance in hell of standing up and making it home by playoff time … without further adieu:

“Nationals” Guard Division – the worst of the worst, be it luck, momentum, skill …

#12 – Lawndale Longhorns: Harken to the likes of the 13 win Nationals (minus the pre-season favorites tag), their pre-season acclaim was wide-spread, but it hasn’t translated to success. Predictor’s (cough … Bisho’s …) golden child has found little to shine about to date, and may need to be thinking about next season … perhaps the “Lawn” needs a good ole-fashioned landscaper to come in for a visit. I do feel bad looking at the YTD’s for NewLinc … no one should have to deal with a pretty solid roster in theory all batting sub-.300, save … get this … Pablo Sandoval. Soto makes my blood boil.

# 11 and 10 – CO Yankees and The Rockpile – This is going to rest a tie in the lower third b/c the basement of PG west might be good for 4th … dare I say, 2nd … in PG East. But these two teams lack an identity to-date … The CO Yanks are in a powerhouse division with good closers (not common throughout the league), but stuck between ‘built for power’ or ‘built for avg/speed’, and find themselves in the basement because they are always hanging around, but never dominating categories. The Rockpile has one heck of a fun pitching staff to look at on paper, and given his division, could rise out of this position pretty easily … Our first upside sighting.

Casio Division – could they buy a rolex? Maybe not … but a Bulova isn’t out of the question, is it? Then why do I look at these roster and see no shine?

# 9 through 6 – Cornholers, Baby Gorillas, Year 2000 and the SwinGERS – I struggle to find something to talk about here. Games will be won … but I see a lack of the luster we all strive for, and maybe its from injuries, too many White Sox players, the futures/youth bug during the draft, any of the above … I think moves have to be made. J-Ger has a really fun pitching staff, but being down 1 every week in saves before it starts is what they call an ‘uphill battle’. Rest easy in this group, though, the playoffs are just a little bit of consistent play away from this pack.

Andy Richter Division – You tried to make PG East a place that fans wanted to watch, stand up on your own if you will, but the only way anyone will watch you is because of PG West … er … Conan.

#5 – Clark & Addison – Though battling for the top spot in PG East, I can’t sit here with a straight face and call Railsplitter a contender when I see either Tim Wakefield or Sean Marshall STARTING on that fantasy roster. Liriano, Ramirez and Ortiz doin’ what they’re doing … or shall I say, what they’re not doing … C&A have shown a tremendous depth and could be dangerous when/if those guys do what they do.

#4 – Jimmy’s Daddy – Great balance in the hitting categories has helped offset the storm of mediocrity on the pitching side. The Daddy rests in first for PG East, and rightfully so. This team is good enough to be battling for 3rd or 4th in PG West, so should be proud of that (thank God I can focus on PG West now) …

# 3 through 1 – Hoosier Heat, Client #9 and Tallcorn Cobras – It is fun when depth is not injured, a lucky closer or two gets added, a subtle trade adds strength … when the proverbial pieces fall into place – these teams certainly have had these attributes to date. I’d dare say these three will be battling it out for PG West supremacy, and then have to avoid a playoff letdown. Speaking of … I get the feeling that Client #9 might be the Cubs of our fantasy world. He is always good, but I don’t remember seeing him in the finals or a championship game – I may be wrong, but strong to the playoffs and out like a light, that’s my Cubbies ... am I wrong about #9? And … in pre-season predictions, Lawndale Longhorns were Kelly Kopowski to Hoosier Heats Lisa Turtle – NO RESPECT. Dude, she was hot … why did no one give her a chance? Guess the point of 1 through 3 together is this, consistency exists here, and though there is a decisive leader in the clubhouse ……….. he still has to come back out and play a lotta holes. I’d be shocked if these teams are hanging around in the end, though.

The Life And Times Of Mr. 3000:A Novel

Welcome back to Tony's Take! The gag order has been lifted and I'm glad to announce that I hope to be coming to you on a weekly basis with baseball tidbits, and a fluttering of jab's more then likely aimed at the commissioner of the league, heh. Although for the first week, lets keep it light as I give a report on the quaint town of Kansas City.

From being greeted at MCI with a celebrity sighting of Dennis Hof - from the HBO series Cathouse - who seem to be dropping off some talent at a local strip club because I also saw him at the airport on my departure sans the prostitute/stripper. To driving the long-way back to the hotel and seeing Habitat for Humanity hard at work, I'm pretty sure I took in all the sights that KC had to offer. From the she-male sighting to the cop walking around some bushes with his hand on his gun and saying "don't make me shoot you", I received the full cultural display of the midwest town.

I spent Saturday morning visiting the Negro Museum - they make an explicit point in NOT calling it the Hall of Fame. They also held interesting hours as evident by the accompanying photo. For my part there wasn't enough original articles. I'm sure it's a issue of even finding the stuff, but it would be cool if they had an actual game-worn jersey (instead of what looked to be replicas) or some of the original bats and gloves worn. When I did come across some baseballs with Negro League stars autographs, like Jackie Robinson or Willie Mays, I couldn't help but say "got it"!

Kaufmann Stadium is quite a nice, pleasant place to take in a ballgame.....in a minor league sort-of-way. For most of my time spent in the park I felt like I should be watching a Spring Training game, or a AAA game. Maybe it's the open outfield aspect and the fact that the upper deck doesn't extend all the way to the foul poles but the park feels quite small. It definitely played small on Friday night as the White Sox put a whippin' on Brian Bannister. We sat right behind home plate a section over from the scouts so I spent the majority of the game trying to determine who the scouts were monitoring. Was it Clayton Richard? Is Kenny Williams looking to swing a deal??

Saturday afternoon was Negro League day at the ballpark. Got my KC Monarchs jersey which was the giveaway and then watched the ballplayers attempt to manage the bagginess of their throwback uni's. Chicago American Giants vs. the KC Monarchs. Brian Anderson seem to be wearing Cecil Fielder's pants, if Cecil was playing today! Chris Getz meanwhile did his best Cap Anson impression, all he needed was the mustache. Which led me to think - if I was a player and knew a throwback was coming up in a week or two I would definitely grow my facial hair to resemble the time period. I would be sporting the rolled mustache!! And if I was pitching that day I might break out a few arms-swinging, high leg-kick pitches to really get into it. I would definitely play catch before the game, in front of the dugout, in quick-time just like I use to see in the old films from the day. Had front row just beyond 3B for this game which the Sox came back to win in the top of the 9th.



Also....
Ballpark fare was decent. Took in the normal hot dog, cracker jacks, peanuts and beer one night. The other night I had the rib platter in section la-ti-da. For $10.50 I got corn cob, 3 ribs, baked beans, cornbread and burnt ends (a KC thing).
Great scoreboard...HD rocks!
No fights incurred. Although the guy 2 seats next to me had a chance at foul ball that he dropped and it fell to the field. In his defense a guy from 2 rows back came down, into our row and bumped him. That leads me to my question of the day: Is it appropriate to enter a different section/row in an attempt to retrieve a foul ball?

BREAKING NEWS

You know, I've always thought of myself as a man of the people. As the old saying goes, "To rule a people, one must walk among them". And that certainly, in my opinion, has translated to the world of fantasy baseball. What other league do you know that provides it's managers a forum to voice their opinions, offer insight, and shape the league that is, after all, their own. A people's league, if you will. If were were German, we'd be hailing "Volk Bund!!" (for all of you morons out there, that means "people's league" in German).

I am proud to announce that here, on PG Sportsworld's blog, starting this week, every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, a column will be penned by guest bloggers! That's right, managers from around the league will take the reins and give their thoughts on everything from our fantasy baseball league to the sport of baseball in general. There really are no parameters, as long as it's baseball related, it's jake with me!!

This week, we have an all-star lineup coming at you. Tuesday will be handled by Mr. 3000, Wednesday will be penned by the Almighty T-Dub, and Thursday will be rounded out by Railsplitter (Clark & Addison). Starting next Wednesday, Baby Bisho will assume the duties of Wednesday blogger. If anyone is interested in take a day, please let me know, as we'd love to have you.

Remember, this is our league, the people's league.....Volk Bund!!!!!!!!

Monday Recap

Before I begin the recap, I will be making a big annoucement later today on the blog so stay tuned. Here we go-

Baby Gorillas-5
Year 2000!-4
Tied-1
This matchup goes to show you just how much every at-bat matters. The Gorilla's won the week from Orlando Hudson's first at-bat last night versus the Cubs at Wrigley. His RBI single broke a 32-32 tie in the RBI category, handing PG a big win. I find it fitting that Fenway Ed was on hand at Wrigley to witness it. Fenway Ed, consider yourself gorilla-d!!!

Clark & Addison-4
Client #9-4
Tied-2
Another very close matchup that ended in a tie. Client #9's staff wrung up a whopping 70 batters. WOW! That Sox-Royals game had to hurt yesterday, as a Grienke win would have translated into a Fighting Spitzer win. And if it weren't for Matt Kemp's bomb last night, Clark & Addison would have won the runs category. Talk about a close game!! Meanwhile, Railsplitter (QBF's new nickname) pounded out 11 homers (with Ryan Howard hitting 4 by himself)this week. Both teams remain in second place in their respective leagues, and live to fight another day.

Cornholers-8
Lawndale Longhorns-1
Tied-1
What a week for 3K. A 32nd birthday is celebrated, a trip to Kansas City (and Sox series victory) is enjoyed, and an ass kicking of Linc is dispensed. The Cornholers lineup is hitting well (and even their ERA is coming down a bit). Things are looking up for the Cornholers, as they set their sights on passing Year2000! for sole posession of 4th place in PG West. Meanwhile, the dog days of summer come early for the Lawndale Longhorns. They didn't put up half bad numbers this week either, they were simply beat.

Hoosier Heat-5
The SwinGERS-4
Tied-1
Hoosier Heat truly showed his mettle by defeating a early surging SwinGERS last week to remain in third place of PG West. Despite horrible pitching by Mr. Hackman's staff, he won just enough categories to seal a victory. The key, you ask? Stolen bases, as the Heat swiped a total of 9 last week to win the category decisively (every other category was relatively close). The SwinGERS should not be down, they're still only 3 games out of PG East (2 games under .500, but 3 games out nonetheless).

Tallcorn Cobras-6
The Rockpile-4
T-Dub makes a dramatic comeback against Rocky Mike and The Rockpile this week, to remain solidly in first place of PG West, and showing the league that each week is not a sprint. Great outings by Matt Cain and Chris Volstad this week sealed the lions share of the pitching categories (and the win) for T-Dub. Tough loss for Rocky Mike, who was riding a high after last week's win. Like The Ger, not to fret, you're only 5 games back.

Jimmy's Daddy-6
CO Yankees-2
Tied-2
The Daddy's are back atop PG East with a big win against Yankee Mike and the CO Yankees. I'm sure Hef was happy with his .300 batting average and 3.18 ERA, riding the hot hand of Ted Lilly and Jared Weaver. But the lineup is a force to be recokened with. A-Rod, Hanley, Granderson, Pedroia....even Blalock getting into the act. Poor Yankee Mike....in the cellar of cellars (with the closest team in another time zone). Is it time for the CO Yankees to retool? Do I see some trade offers in his future?