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?