Edwards Bay Fox Pen 2017 Blog

[Edwards Kings]

Or if the Magic 8 Ball is working well, or Ouija Board, or tea leaves. Given the Braves upcoming schedule, the Garcia trade to the Twinkies may represent an upgrade for your bench. No replacement for Kershaw...but then again who could be...but probably, with Estrada, better than what is available in the FA pool.

Good luck, brother, at least until I figure a way to catch you!

[Doctor Who]

Yea that top guy has a killer team . I refer to that top guy as Mr. Olson or sir as we aren't even close to being on the same level with his fantasy prowess in both sports! He is just toying with us further by making us thinking Kershaw going down is a factor to him. Like a cat bored with sleeping at the top of his perch to come down to play with our emotions.

[Deadheadz]

Feel free to join my pity party....

Someone please explain to me why we should listen to 'experts'?

More than one podcast I listen to told me Howie Kendrick is now nothing more than a bench bat and should be reserved unless you have no one else or a Washington IF becomes injured.

Tonight he went 5-for-5 with a HR and was caught stealing. This guy isn't playing like a bench bat but there he sits, on my bench.

And what happened to the proposed rule change where MLB managers were supposed to announce callups before their first game of the week? Braves have benched a productive Bump Phillips and called up Ozzie Albies to take his place. Albies on my bench and Phillips active.

What else can I whine about? John Lester has more HR than Kyle Schwarber in August.

[Edwards Kings]

I hear you, brother! Last night was a hard night for a lot of teams (Carrasco, Sale, Allen). I actually had Kendrick in due to necessity (two outfielders on the DL), so last night was a little lucky for me.

The Albies thing was personally disappointing. I had tickets to last nights Gwinnett Braves game and was looking forward to seeing Acuna, Albies, and Swanson play. Ooops...Albies called up. I can only think that once Swanson shows he has his head on right (I think his defense got him sent down more than his offense or lack there of), the Braves plan to have most of August and September as a trial/preveiw of what 3/4 of the infield will look like next year (Swanson, Albies, Freeman). Phillips cost the Braves practically nothing, so either as a platoon at 3B the rest of the season or pushed through waivers to see if the Braves can get anything for him would not be surprising I guess. Phillips stock is definitely down barring injury or trade.

On the Gwinnett Braves and Ronald Acuna. Man, that kid looks GOOD! Love his approach to the plate. Got hits in his first three AB, all with two strikes, and against some major league level gas (Mike Wright - 93 to 95 mph and Chris Lee - 95 to 98 mph). And Acuna is not cheating with his swing...I mean his shoes better be tied well because he gets to the zone quickly and does not hold back. His three hits were two line drive singles and a double going the other way. Probably had a fourth hit, but the first base ump called him out on a close play (so close, Acuna got tossed for arguing).

What do the Reagan years, Madonna, Boy George, MTV, and Kris Medlen have in common? They live in the 80's. Showing some 88-89 MPH cheese last night to set up low 80's slider and a high 70's change-up (he seemed to work on the slider and change-up in alternate innings) Medlen was good against the tides. Never saw the score board (inaccurate I know) show 90 mph or more once. 7.0 IP, nine K's and with the exception of Chris Johnson (two-run HR, double, three RBI's), had the Tides (six players with significant MLB playing time) totally off balance. Not sure he would make a viable starter on most teams after two TJS and without a few more MPH on the fastball, but can really seem him as a valuable middle reliever, probably this year.

[Deadheadz]

Phillips stock is definitely down barring injury or trade.

I had hoped with Freeman moving back to 1B full time it could mean they try out Phillips at 3B.
Today I hear he's taking grounders at the hot corner, so maybe his value will rebound.

[Edwards Kings]

So I haven't really been around much for a while. I have been doing a short term assignment, back and forth to the west (left) coast for three weeks (two around LA and one north of Seattle in nice little towns called Kirkland and Everett) and finally a few days west of Montreal. I think I may have worn out my welcome in California and Washington with my opinions on guns, grits, how much Coca Cola is better than Pepsi, and the obvious dominance of SEC football, but one thing I definitely took with me. While in Washington, my hotels only carried Mariner games. I had to listen to the Mariner broadcast team (Root Sports). OH MY WORD...they were horrible. The shallowist, homey-ist, most uninformed I have ever heard and this from a guy who has to suffer through the Braves Chip Carey!

While in Montreal, I caught a bit of a baseball game broadcast in French. I don't speak French. I liked the French broadcasters better than the Root broadcasters. I feel so bad for the Mariner fans...they deserve better.

[Gates]

Damn Wayne
Should have told me you we're in MTRL, could have help you with French
Nothing beats listening to a baseball game in French

Gaëtan

[Edwards Kings]

Damn Wayne
Should have told me you we're in MTRL, could have help you with French
Nothing beats listening to a baseball game in French

Gaëtan

Believe it or not, my friend, I thought about reaching out to you (not sure which part of Montreal you live in), but I did not find out until a few days before I was going and even then was only in town for a few days (flew in Sunday, out J.E. Trudeau on Wednesday). I was staying West Island (Baie D-Urfe) and working in Kirkland.

Next time for sure...do they serve grits in Montreal, or do I have to eat poutine all the time?

[Gates]

You were really close actually. We live 5 minutes away from the airport, in Dorval. Next time. You can eat anything you want in Montreal, with Poutine of course

Gaëtan

[Edwards Kings]

So, against what would be anyone's rational judgement, I am heading back to the west coast to Northeastern Washington state and may have to stay over a weekend. Of course, the Mariners are in Houston that weekend, so I might head up to Vancouver since I have never been.

Anybody got any touristy-type ideas of what to see/do in Vancouver?

[Gates]

So, against what would be anyone's rational judgement, I am heading back to the west coast to Northeastern Washington state and may have to stay over a weekend. Of course, the Mariners are in Houston that weekend, so I might head up to Vancouver since I have never been.

Anybody got any touristy-type ideas of what to see/do in Vancouver?

I would say Stanley Park, the Vancouver aquarium, the Science World at Telus, there is a lot to see... The Vancouver Island is very nice and if you have some time, Tofino is beautiful...

Gates

[Edwards Kings]

So, against what would be anyone's rational judgement, I am heading back to the west coast to Northeastern Washington state and may have to stay over a weekend. Of course, the Mariners are in Houston that weekend, so I might head up to Vancouver since I have never been.

Anybody got any touristy-type ideas of what to see/do in Vancouver?

I would say Stanley Park, the Vancouver aquarium, the Science World at Telus, there is a lot to see... The Vancouver Island is very nice and if you have some time, Tofino is beautiful...

Gates

Thanks Gaëtan! I will have the better part of two days to wander around and I think some time on Vancouver Island/Victoria is going to be on the agenda.

[Edwards Kings]

It should be a movie…”The Fourteen Year Virgin”…



We have fifteen teams so odds are (all things being equal…which they aren’t) I would win a league one of the first fifteen years and I just made it. And I am very happy about it and my wife is happy about it because I will not bitch all winter. And one more thing…the way I won really means I still have no clue as to what I am doing.

Sounds weird, yes? Not really. Given how I drafted my team, what SHOULD have been my team strengths, and what ended up being what carried me…well, I just missed too many things and got too lucky in other areas to call it skill. Run away now because what follows is an ad nauseam review of my team.

But first, thanks to all the guys in the league. It turned into a three horse race for much of the season, but no one seemed to quit and I had a lot of fun (of course you twit…you won).



Anyway, when I drafted this team, I concentrated much of my early team on getting a balanced offense that would not have any issues with power. Of course, being the genius I am, power (HR/RBI) ended up being my worst categories and kept me out of overall money. I ditched starting pitching in the first ten rounds after the second round and my starting pitching ended up being one of two true strengths of this team (the other being speed, but at least I planned for that).

Position by position:

Catchers: I did not value catchers much this year, but neither did the rest of the league. Only eight catchers were off the board by the time I drafted Wieters in the 13th. Four more went before I grabbed Vogt in the 16th. Seems like almost every catcher was better than they were (though I dropped Vogt and picked up Christian Vazquez, who seemed to go 4-4, and the BoSox would punish him by sitting him for three days). Catchers were a black hole this year and I was in the bottom of the pit. Good news is you can get over a couple of bad catchers as most catchers are bad catchers.

Cornermen: Before the draft I made a case for Nolan Arenado being the first pick in the draft. I ended up with the seventh pick and but my pick where my mouth is and grabbed Arenado. You can grab Trout, or Harper or Kershaw or whoever had the really hot year the year before your current draft and you may get the #1 player. I don’t really care to get the #1 player. Be nice, but for my first round pick I want as solid and steady and high level as I can get. So .300/40/130/100+ average or so over the last three years hitting in the middle of the Colorado lineup and will turn 27 next April? Yes…sign me up next year too.

My next cornerman was Evan Longoria. I picked him over Justin Turner in the 10th. Always plays (600+ AB each of the last five years). Only 31 this year. 30+ HR in two of the previous four years. .270+ BA the previous two years. Let’s just say he missed on the HR binge this year and had an off year or at least one of his de minimis years. Not crushingly bad, but not what I needed. The stats I got out of the position (mostly Longoria) were .265, 71 runs, 20 HR, and 86 RBI.

The last was Mike Napoli. I had Napoli two years ago…he sucked. I missed him last year…big time power. I had him this year…he sucked. Some trend. For a 17th rounder, I thought he would put me over the top power-wise. I held on to him until they put him on the bench for good in September. I gave up him as a full-time starter around Week 9 and went with FA pick-up Logan Morrison ($13 on 4/16 so I missed a little of his early thunder). He was my only player really to catch the “surprise” power wave. For the third cornerman, the combo was able to get over 500 AB, 33 HR and 79 RBI’s. Not bad. The not good is 65 runs (not crushing) and a .221 BA (pretty ugly).

As a group, the cornermen gave me a .2656 BA, 234 Runs, 90 HR, 293 RBI and also tossed in 12 SB.

Middleinfielders: I reached a bit for Dee Gordon in the third round but the gamble paid off. With 60 SB, he is the reason I ended up with so many SB points. The .305+ BA and 100+ runs are also plus-plus. Thought I had the RBI/HR deficiency covered, but ended up not. Still, great production.

My second MI was Starlin Castro (18th round) and I was loving it until his second hammie injury. I dropped him and never picked him back up when he got healthy. Replaced him with Matt Carpenter (way underperformed my 5th round investment and certainly didn’t catch the power-wave), who had been in my Utility spot. Carpenter never really took off this year. Also a sprinkling of Howie Kendrick. Still, I was able to get 551 AB with .281 BA, 94 Runs, 21 HR, and 71 RBI’s. No help in SB, but not bad for a MI spot.

Lastly was one of my miracles, Andrelton Simmons. He was a bit of a panic pick (shortstop…I need a shortstop?) in the 26th round. He played and played well. For the position (a little Dansby, a little Ketel tossed in) and my third MI position ended up with nearly 600 AB, .267 BA, 79 runs scored, 16 HR, 72 RBI’s (pretty close to a miracle) and another 16 SB.

As far as a MI group, pretty strong with a .2860 BA, 285 Runs, 39 HR, 174 RBI and 77 SB

Outfield: My first was Andrew McCutchen (4th round). I was high on him this year to return first round numbers. He wasn’t bad and had one really hot month, but with a .279 BA, 94 Runs, 28 HR, 88 RBI, and 11 SB, he at least produced some numbers equal to his draft spot. Another player who did what you could reasonably expect, but power-wise didn’t really catch the wave.

I went for power with Trumbo (7th round) as my second outfielder. I didn’t expect Trumbo to hit 47 again. I also didn’t expect only 22 from him and only 66 RBI’s. The crappy BA is not a surprise, but in my book he just sucked. Mr. Trumbo…step into this room…there is someone I want you to meet….



I expected a rebound of sorts from Lorenzo Cain (9th round) and got it. The .300 BA was needed. He scored runs (86), hit a few dingers (15) and stole bases (26). The RBI’s were certainly a disappointment (49), but the other numbers made Cain (like McCutchen) a top 15 outfielder in my estimation and not bad for a #3 outfielder.

With the way the Yankees outfield was seemingly going to be set up this year, I drafted Jacoby Ellsbury (19th) and Brett Gardner (21st but as an aside, these two were part of a four round Yankee run). I expected these two to combine into one outfielder depending on who was healthy or who got dinged if Hicks got hot. As it turned out, I used Gardner in this spot all but three weeks. No monster power surge, but a .2671 BA, 94 Runs, 19 HR, 62 RBI and 25 SB for my fourth OFer spot is something I would not mind penciling in again for next year. Players like Cain, and Simmons, and Gardner on top of Gordan gave me a great base that played well (would have been REALLY well some other years) this year but did leave me short HR and RBI given a few other of my power-plus guys disappointed.

I was going to use Ellsbury here until he got hurt and had picked up Avisail Garcia (24th round) as a backup outfielder or potential Utility player but instead used him as my fifth OFer for all but about 4 ½ weeks of the season. I missed some of his early week production, but for the positon (with a touch of Ellsbury, Kendrick, and Olson), I got .3195 BA (really unexpected but needed), 84 Runs, 20 HR, 79 RBI and 12 SB. Just good across the board help out of what can be a drag position.

My OFers collectively gave me a .2801 BA, 444 Runs, 104 HR, 344 RBI and 76 SB line. This was good, but a couple of years ago it would have been REALLY good.

Utility, like most years, had a lot of ins and outs. Matt Carpenter was the main guy here (while his production was off, especially at BA, his positionality allowed me to mix and match with my bench more than I normally would) early with Napoli (5 weeks), Kendrick (3 ½ weeks), Olson (1 ½ weeks), Candelario (1 ½ weeks) and even Morrison (1/2 week) pitching in for the last half. I got .2537 BA, 95 Runs, 34 HR, 95 RBI and 3 SB. This is the best production I have every gotten out of this position.

I had four weeks out of five (between Weeks 7 and 11) that were monster and vaulted me up the Overall board. Too bad I couldn’t catch more lightning after the ASB, but if you notice one thing that truly must fall into the luck column is that other than Castro, there were very few of my drafted guys who spent much time on the DL. Sure, some played through injuries (Carpenter) or basically lost relevance as the season wore on (Trumbo, Napoli), but over all this is what a healthy team looks like and is the primary reason I was able to get 100+ more AB than any other team in my league (7,745 AB on the season). My points for BA (13.0 and 75th in the overall), Runs (14.0 and 28th), and SB (14.0 and 10th) elevated my team to third most batting points in my league (way, way behind KJ Duke and Todd Whitestone, who both had 69.0 total points for offense and top 10 overall for batting points) despite poor showing (relatively) in HR (286…once a good number…7.0 points and 327th overall) and RBIs (997, 6.0 and 247th).

My pitching staff was really a concern. I only hoped to be able to cobble together enough SP to be competitive in the league. Riding Kluber (2nd round), Ray (3rd SP taken by me in the 12th round) and Severino (5th SP taken by me in the 20th round and after my third “closer” Jenmar Gomez), I put together a league leading pitching staff and generated 68.0 league points (good for 20th overall and was top 10 until a mini-collapse in the last two weeks). This is blind luck. Yes, I targeted Kluber (a bit reluctantly as he was so overused in 2016 and was the last of the my potential true impact early round starters) and Ray and Severino (but not as much as guys like Maeda, Tallion, and Paxton). Even more surprising was I got there with two real misses (Harvey in the 11th and my second SP taken and Cotton in the 14th and my fourth SP taken). I also drafted Matt Andriese in the 22nd round to be my sixth, planning to go with three closers for much of the first half. Andriese was great for me for eight early season starts (5-0), but then he got hurt. Harvey proved he didn’t have it (was ok for the first three weeks, but by the end of Week 9 was out of my rotation for good after 10 GS). Cotton was in, pitched poorly, was out, came back, still pitched poorly. I kept him for longer than I should (he has “stuff” you know?), but really never gave me much on 10 GS I used him on.

So basically I was scrambling to fill at least three SP spots most of the year (some a little more when Kluber and Ray missed a few). Early, with decidedly mixed results, I used Jesse Chavez, whom I drafted in the 25th round. The 11 GS was too much to use him. Jason Hammel (15 GS…bought him twice, once for $24 and once for $3) was another decidedly mediocre starter I used. He did well for me last year and I kept hoping he would recapture the magic. He didn’t. I actually got good yardage out of RA Dickey (12 GS and only cost me $1) but his win percentage (surprise, surprise) was not good.

I did get good usage out of Colin McHugh after the ASB (10 GS, he won half of them, and cost me $26) but the star SP pick up was Zack Godley (20 GS, $35). He gave me ERA, WHIP, and K support, though he won only five games. I used a rolling combo of 13 pitchers for 28 GS, most of which were not good. All this mediocrity only proves how good Kluber, Ray, and Severino were.

I used three closers for about 16 of the weeks, two for eight of the others and one (Kimbrel, 6th round) the last two weeks. Kimbrel I had tagged to a rebound to the top tier and he proved me right. David Robertson (8th) I had tagged as an underutilized closer on a bad team (right) who would blossom when some playoff bound team put him in a closer situation at the trading deadline (wrong). I drafted Jenmar Gomez (15th) and he lasted a week. Because of this, most of my FA money went for closers despite trying so hard to avoid it. Addison Reed (15 Saves and one win) cost me $357. I had him targeted earlier when I could have gotten him for a song, but missed my chance. After he was also traded to obscurity, I picked up Sam Dyson ($107) and he got me another 11 saves. I spent on others (Shane Greene $81 and barely used and Mike Minor who I wish I had used in the last week but never used at all).

For the year I ended up with a 3.767 ERA (14.0 points and 56th overall), 1.203 WHIP (15.0 and 23), 97 Wins (12.0 and 100th with 83 of those wins coming out of starters over 210 GS), 1,536 K’s (15.0 and 10th and a miracle), and 74 saves (12.0 and 141st).

It may take you to next March to read all this dribble and believe it or not I have more (what the league averages were, et al), but I feel like, in so many ways, Forrest Gump and Dan Semsel…



At the end of the day, I won my league, made it as high as 3rd in the overall during the middle of the year, and I have, in 14 years, never been able to say either of those things. See you in 2031….

[DOUGHBOYS]

Wayne, I know your Dad is proud in so many ways.
What makes this thread wonderful is the passion you show for our hobby.
Like me and others, this passion takes hold of us and doesn't let go for six months. We can try to explain it to loved one's but it finishes being a colossal waste of time.

Many of us have been rooting for you. I know I have for many, many years.
There is nothing better than the first, right?

You touched on expectations during your post. It just shows how wrong we can be, yet having it turn out so right.
I drafted three pitchers and two catchers (post coming later on that) with my first five picks in the Main.
My team was going to control the pitching stats and try to finish at the halfway mark of most hitting categories.
Wrong.
Second overall in rbi, top 20 in homers.
Pitching? Not so great.
It's part of the reason why I despise the word 'value' and how it is used during draft season.
We know anticipated value. We have as much idea of real value as we have about the mole on a starlet's ass.
In other words, we'll see neither!

Anyway, I thought I would offer you a little rip on 'value' and a lot of congratulations for a long coming Win.
CONGRATULATIONS!

[Edwards Kings]

Thanks Dan!

And you know...I think I will keep the name.... I was able to dig up something new this year with it...

[Wolfpac]

Great job on winning your league, I've enjoyed reading your blog for years! Maybe next year we will be in the same main event league, you never know.

[Edwards Kings]

I would look forward to it. Next year odds are I will be drafting out of NYC...my eldest will be wrapping up a two year visit to NYU, so I figured Dad would make an appearance.

[Bronx Yankees]

Wayne, congratulations on your Main Event victory. It was great meeting you in Vegas last year and I look forward to seeing you in NYC next March. Like Vegas, it's a great time. Also, I enjoy your write-ups - hope you keep doing them next year.

Mike

[KJ Duke]

Congrats Wayne, no doubt you'd win one eventually and happy for you but I was hoping it wouldn't be the league with me right behind you.

I mastered 2nd place this year, 3 of them among my primary leagues with no wins. My team finished 8th overall in batting points but couldn't get W's and pitch ratios were mediocre. It's funny I felt good about pitching going in and you were worried, yet our teams were mirror images with you having the great pitching stats. My other second place main had the pitching, need some better luck getting both working at the same time ...

[Edwards Kings]

Wayne, congratulations on your Main Event victory. It was great meeting you in Vegas last year and I look forward to seeing you in NYC next March. Like Vegas, it's a great time. Also, I enjoy your write-ups - hope you keep doing them next year.

Mike

Thanks Mike! I have drafted in Vegas, Chicago, Tampa/Orlando. Time to add NYC this March!

[Edwards Kings]

Congrats Wayne, no doubt you'd win one eventually and happy for you but I was hoping it wouldn't be the league with me right behind you.

I mastered 2nd place this year, 3 of them among my primary leagues with no wins. My team finished 8th overall in batting points but couldn't get W's and pitch ratios were mediocre. It's funny I felt good about pitching going in and you were worried, yet our teams were mirror images with you having the great pitching stats. My other second place main had the pitching, need some better luck getting both working at the same time ...

Thanks KJ...and you could have thrown a net the size of a pocket handkerchief over you, Les and I for most of the year. It really could have gone either way until Kluber/Severino/Ray seemed to hit another gear in August...K's and Wins started rolling and the ratios really solidified. I think that ended up being the difference maker.

As always, I really enjoyed being in the league with you and feel very fortunate that I could achieve against such competition.

[mbendar16]

Wayne,
You may have been in the NFBC since the beginning, but Edwards Bay Fox Pen is 1 for 1! I'm sure the dedication of this team name to your dad made this title a little more special. CONGRATS!

[Edwards Kings]

Wayne,
You may have been in the NFBC since the beginning, but Edwards Bay Fox Pen is 1 for 1! I'm sure the dedication of this team name to your dad made this title a little more special. CONGRATS!

Thanks! I am glad folks seem to enjoy the blog, though I went dark on in mid-season when I was on the road.

And I know what my Dad would say (smirking of course): " 'Bout damn time, JR!"

[Philly High Hopes]

Wayne,

I'm a little late to the party, but congratulations on the league title. You pulled out to the lead and really never looked back. Job well done. I'm already looking forward to 2018.

Dave

[Edwards Kings]

Wayne,

I'm a little late to the party, but congratulations on the league title. You pulled out to the lead and really never looked back. Job well done. I'm already looking forward to 2018.

Dave

Thanks Dave!