Shawn Childs and Greg A. Live Chat Wednesday, 6 PM ET

eddiejag · Post by **eddiejag** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:41 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

I'm looking at the USA Today Mixed Draft League that will also be unveiled in the special fantasy baseball issue, two weeks from now. It's a bit surprising, but interesting. We have yet to have a pay league with Albert Pujols NOT going first overall, but he went second in this league. Lawr Michaels of Mastersball.com and an NFBC competitor this year, took:

1. Hanley Ramirez

Youkalis pick 12 cant be a money league.

2. Albert Pujols

3. Ryan Braun

4. Alex Rodriguez

5. Matt Kemp

6. Chase Utley

7. Miguel Cabrera

8. Tim Lincecum

9. Mark Teixeira

10. Evan Longoria

11. Prince Fielder

12. Kevin Youkilis

Thoughts? Invite team 12 to come to Chicago. [/QUOTE]

headhunters · Post by **headhunters** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:57 am

dan- according to gecko that guy already is in chicago. geez

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:58 am

In your own keyboard challenged way, Eddie, you make a great point.

Mocks done by experts and industry fellas are useless even unto themselves. Most follow 'party lines', while others backup off the wall picks with numbers that support their pick.

BUT, and it is a big BUT, most of these experts and industry fellas would be doing these differently were money on the line.

Maybe magazine mocks make for mocks being mocked.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:00 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Shawn,

After each and every draft, I beat myself up for one thing or another. Makes me wish I had the bravado of a Gekko I definitely reflect back and look at a draft and see where I made mistakes. It probably bothers me more after the season. You would think over time that you would get better at drafting at minimizing mistakes, buy something always seems to trip you up.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:01 am

Okay, where is my LABR partner in crime? Shawn, are you here? I'm ready when you are.

If you can, lead off the proceedings with any answers you may already have. I'll type in one more funny story from our NL auction. Ready?

Go Shawn go....

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:01 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

How do you usually feel after a draft, be it an auction or a serpentine? The auction are tough because of timing. Sometimes you just can't see the future. After the auction unfolds, you can see where you wish you made some adjustments in your bidding or player calls. In AL or NL league, you are going to have three or four holes. You have that you can fill in a couple as the season goes. If you start the year with 9 solid bats and 5 holes (part time players), you might need to have fix three holes before halfway through the season. In a trading league, you will see team swings in performance a lot. Each team will decide where they want to put their holes during an auction.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:02 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Do you look at the possible holes as soon as the draft is completed? With our AL team, we have four holes in our lineup - Aviles, Smoak, Byrnes, and Taylor. Aviles and Byrnes will get some at bats. Mike Aubrey slide in for Smoak and Clete Thomas for Michael Taylor. Thomas might be more productive than more than most people think because Austin Jackson will have some growing pains for sure. I don't consider Adam Moore a hole because he should do enough to beat most second catchers in the league. If he struggles, we have another young player in J.P. Arencibia. The keys for the AL team are Delmon Young and Matt LaPorta. We tried to roster Michael Brantley to pair him with LaPorta. Any production out of the Byrnes/Taylor slots will be a bonus.

The NL team we took a holes catcher in the auction. We knew we were going to spend a lot of money for stars and we didn't see a top catcher in our plan. we wanted to lock up one job. I know Quintero is in the mix, but I don't respect his bat. The other clear hole is Pedro Alverez. We will be able to slide Jacobs to corner when he qualifies (5 games) and most likely Gary Matthews to UT to get some at bats. for now, we'll use Chad Tracy if he makes the team.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:03 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Go back and see where you may have improved?

I'm always looking to see where I could have done a better job. I plan more than most in auctions. So if I have a bad plan, I will have bad results. I've seen many teams lose at the draft table.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:04 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Have you ever looked back, and said, "That was the best I could have done." I don't think I've have had that perfect draft or auction, but I came real close in 2007 NFFC auction. I ran away with the league before losing by .8 of a point in the semi finals. Auctions are great equalizers. It's tough to get everything covered in the auction.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:05 am

Originally posted by KJ Duke:

Shawn must be tring to get Reyes out of his system before the real drafts begin. Everyone can be Gekko for a day..right?

The Mighty Men · Post by **The Mighty Men** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:06 am

Originally posted by Gekko:

Childs - How much concern do you have for Pujols's back condition?

Pujols has been left out of the Cardinals' spring lineups since Monday and was scratched at the last minute this afternoon. He told reporters that his back is weak. How long has he had a weak back?

Oh, about a week back.

(3 Stooges, circa 1942)

[ March 10, 2010, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: The Mighty Men ]

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:07 am

Okay, so here goes another NL Auction story with Shawn:

So before the AL Auction League we practiced some of the bids where I was the field and he was our team. I'd say a number and see if he would go higher. That way we were on the same page on how much we'd pay for some of the top stars.

On Sunday night before the NL Auction League, we were heading to the auction and going down the elevator when I said let's practice one more player. "Tim Lincecum, $32." He says "$34". I say "$35". He says I'll let you have him.

So we're at the auction and Lincecum is one of the first 10 or 12 players thrown out. The guy from Yahoo, Brad Evans, throws him out at $35!! Seriously. I turn to Shawn and say meekly "damn" knowing that Shawn wanted to build the staff around him. The auctioneer goes "Tim Lincecum for $35, going ONCE, TWICE" then Shawn says "$36". I turned to him and said "We just practiced this one!!!" We both laughed and had our staff ace.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:07 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

1. Why did you laugh after I gave you that staredown when you said "$26" for Jose Reyes? Was laughter appropriate after we just bought Rickie Weeks for $16?

I have other questions, but I need to get my aggressions out at hoops right now. Someone else is paying for your dirty deeds this past weekend!!

I don't think you were paying attention to me at the time when Reyes was being counted off at $25. I took my hands and shook them like I was playing craps. It was time to roll the dice. We went into the draft we looking to roster Tulowitzki for $31. The top talent at each position was coming off the board. When Reyes was on the clock, I got the sense that Tulowitzki might go for a higher price than we could afford and we might miss on him. I took one shot at Reyes at $26. As he was being rung up, Greg's blood pressure was rising. Based on the news in spring training, he was looking good before his thyroid problem. I was confident the thyroid problem wouldn't be a factor at the time I made the $26 bid. If he plays well early, he will be an asset on the team and the trading market.

bigdaddyk · Post by **bigdaddyk** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:08 am

Which late bargains were you guys really happy with in the AL and NL?

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:08 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

2. Explain why you went $31 for Tulowitzki right after we got Reyes for $26? I'm not asking why we took Tulo, just asking you to explain to the group why we didn't want the Rotoworld.com team to get him at $31. There was logic to this one and I'm all for it, but it will be good to explain to the masses what Rotoworld.com was doing and how we didn't want them to beat us at our own game. After we bought Reyes, Troy Tulowitzki was called out. As I watched the bidding on him, I wanted to see who would end up with him. When he was being counted off at $30 to Wolf/Colten, I decided I didn't want him to land on their team. The Rotoworld team of Wolf and Colten had won a few leagues in the AL/NL. I knew they were an aggressive team with their core players and would work the trade market. I bid $31 to put the asset on our team and take him away from a top contender in my mind. They settled for Stephen Drew at $23. In the AL we were bidding against them for B.J. Upton. We would both battles, but we will have to wait and see if we can win the war.

Another funny moment was when Tim Lincecum was called out. We went into the auction looking to buy him for $33 or $34. On the way down in the elevator, I told Greg I would go $35 on him and I wanted to be on the odd numbers. The person who called him out used $26 as the opening bid. The next bid was $35. Halladay was already bought for $29 so in the heat of the battle I said $36. I lot of things go rolling through your head in a three second period. Our plan was to own him. So rather than miss on him, we spent more and cut the price of our two pitcher.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:10 am

Originally posted by The Franchise:

1. Would you have drafted different if Greg was not sweating profusely next to you?

No...Greg knew where we going in both auctions. The Reyes bid was a change up for sure. We would have spent that money in the outfield or maybe third base.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:11 am

Originally posted by The Franchise:

2. Was there a particular team that you were impressed with both AL and NL? The auction didn't have draft boards and we didn't use a computer to track teams. We had our plan and didn't really pay attention to how other teams have developed. We were aware on the dollar amounts late in the game.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:13 am

Originally posted by Gekko:

Childs - Who closes in Minny? Is this a LABR question?

Eric Karabell did an article about this. He's going with Rauch. Here's the link:

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/in ... c_baseball

I think he is on the right track and I'm sure Larry is happy man right now.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:15 am

Originally posted by Gekko:

Childs - How much concern do you have for Pujols's back condition?

Pujols has been left out of the Cardinals' spring lineups since Monday and was scratched at the last minute this afternoon. He told reporters that his back is weak. I haven't thought about it for a minute. Unless I have the first or second pick, I won't think about it.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:15 am

Originally posted by CC's Desperados:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

1. Why did you laugh after I gave you that staredown when you said "$26" for Jose Reyes? Was laughter appropriate after we just bought Rickie Weeks for $16?

I have other questions, but I need to get my aggressions out at hoops right now. Someone else is paying for your dirty deeds this past weekend!!

I don't think you were paying attention to me at the time when Reyes was being counted off at $25. I took my hands and shook them like I was playing craps. It was time to roll the dice. We went into the draft we looking to roster Tulowitzki for $31. The top talent at each position was coming off the board. When Reyes was on the clock, I got the sense that Tulowitzki might go for a higher price than we could afford and we might miss on him. I took one shot at Reyes at $26. As he was being rung up, Greg's blood pressure was rising. Based on the news in spring training, he was looking good before his thyroid problem. I was confident the thyroid problem wouldn't be a factor at the time I made the $26 bid. If he plays well early, he will be an asset on the team and the trading market. [/QUOTE]No, I saw you do the "roll of the dice" before you made the bid. You said you have to gamble to win. I remember that. But I thought you were talking about the Lincecum $36 bid and the Weeks bid at $16 that just followed, not the next bid on Reyes!!

That really got my blood pressure going.

I actually have a serious thyroid condition, as does my son, brother, sister, mom and both grandparents. I know that with medication he will be fine. I didn't mind that and actually like the Reyes acquisition now. But damn, you made my blood pressure become the new malady for yours truly!!

Now I have an active thyroid and HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE!!

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:15 am

Originally posted by headhunters:

shawn- the yankees have said it is an "open competition" for the 5th starter role between joba and hughes. with joba now having given up 503 runs in 5 innings how many more shellings before hughes is named the starter? if joba continues to get shelled and is named the starter was the competition as "open" as the bidding for government contracts is with the city of chicago? I'm on record as saying Hughes wins the job. Hughes wins the job draft accordingly.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:16 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

I'm looking at the USA Today Mixed Draft League that will also be unveiled in the special fantasy baseball issue, two weeks from now. It's a bit surprising, but interesting. We have yet to have a pay league with Albert Pujols NOT going first overall, but he went second in this league. Lawr Michaels of Mastersball.com and an NFBC competitor this year, took:

1. Hanley Ramirez

2. Albert Pujols

3. Ryan Braun

4. Alex Rodriguez

5. Matt Kemp

6. Chase Utley

7. Miguel Cabrera

8. Tim Lincecum

9. Mark Teixeira

10. Evan Longoria

11. Prince Fielder

12. Kevin Youkilis

Thoughts? Invite team 12 to come to Chicago. [/QUOTE]Damn..I thought that's why you went to St. Louis.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:18 am

Originally posted by CC's Desperados:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

2. Explain why you went $31 for Tulowitzki right after we got Reyes for $26? I'm not asking why we took Tulo, just asking you to explain to the group why we didn't want the Rotoworld.com team to get him at $31. There was logic to this one and I'm all for it, but it will be good to explain to the masses what Rotoworld.com was doing and how we didn't want them to beat us at our own game. After we bought Reyes, Troy Tulowitzki was called out. As I watched the bidding on him, I wanted to see who would end up with him. When he was being counted off at $30 to Wolf/Colten, I decided I didn't want him to land on their team. The Rotoworld team of Wolf and Colten had won a few leagues in the AL/NL. I knew they were an aggressive team with their core players and would work the trade market. I bid $31 to put the asset on our team and take him away from a top contender in my mind. They settled for Stephen Drew at $23. In the AL we were bidding against them for B.J. Upton. We would both battles, but we will have to wait and see if we can win the war.

Another funny moment was when Tim Lincecum was called out. We went into the auction looking to buy him for $33 or $34. On the way down in the elevator, I told Greg I would go $35 on him and I wanted to be on the odd numbers. The person who called him out used $26 as the opening bid. The next bid was $35. Halladay was already bought for $29 so in the heat of the battle I said $36. I lot of things go rolling through your head in a three second period. Our plan was to own him. So rather than miss on him, we spent more and cut the price of our two pitcher. [/QUOTE]Your story is close, but just off a few bucks!! In the elevator you went from $32 to $34 and stopped at $35. Yeah, you're right Evans did jump that bid to $35 rather than throw him out and then you killed him when you said $36. He hated us all night. He wanted Alvarez and a few of our $2 pitchers, so that was fun!!

Good job on that. We had more killer winning bids in the NL than the AL. That part is always fun and usually it was the $2 winning bids that pissed guys off. We made that $70 work pretty good for us over the last 18 players.

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:19 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

I'm looking at the USA Today Mixed Draft League that will also be unveiled in the special fantasy baseball issue, two weeks from now. It's a bit surprising, but interesting. We have yet to have a pay league with Albert Pujols NOT going first overall, but he went second in this league. Lawr Michaels of Mastersball.com and an NFBC competitor this year, took:

1. Hanley Ramirez

2. Albert Pujols

3. Ryan Braun

4. Alex Rodriguez

5. Matt Kemp

6. Chase Utley

7. Miguel Cabrera

8. Tim Lincecum

9. Mark Teixeira

10. Evan Longoria

11. Prince Fielder

12. Kevin Youkilis

Thoughts? I'm hoping for this field on Sunday.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:22 am

Originally posted by Purple Helmets:

I was fortunate enough to be in the draft room on Sunday night while Greg and Shawn were bidding on their NL team. I don't think I've ever seen Greg as stressed or concerned as he was after they drafted Reyes and then subsequently got Tulo as well. Greg, I hope you were able to put a smile on your face before the draft/night was over.

Kevin, I'm glad you were there for that moment. You have to admit, my face was BEAT RED at that point. Amazing.

Hey, many thanks to you for hooking Shawn and myself up with a great room at the Phoenix Sheraton Downtown. Folks, Mr. Schiller is the best and if you ever want to go to a baseball game in Phoenix and stay at a 5-star hotel, this is the place. We had an awesome time at dinner on Friday night with Mike Sheets, Eric Karabell and the three of us just talking baseball for 2+ hours and we thank you Kevin for setting us up for dinner. Great restaurant there at the hotel.

We wish we could have spent more time with ya, but we had two titles to win. It was also great to see Chris Schinker and Steve Fiore at the ballgames. Great group of guys we have in the NFBC and this was a great time to see a few old friends. Thanks all.