Jeff Butler Wins NFBC XII Title & The $50,000 Grand Prize

[Greg Ambrosius]

Jeff Butler of Grafton, Virginia emerged as the debut champion of the NFBC XII in 2012, winning the $50,000 grand prize and his $4,000 league prize in the process. Jeff is another NFBC veteran who won his April 1st Online League with 103 points and then had a fantastic last few weeks to vault into the lead this week and earn the title. He finished with 2,146.0 points in the overall competition, or 85.16 percent of the available points. GREAT JOB JEFF.

Congrats should also go out to Joe Berg for finishing second in this competition, just 33.5 points out of first place. Great run Joe. Also in the Top 5 were Dave Potts and Chad Schroeder, who were both competing for overall titles in the Main Event and the NFBC XII, while giving it a run at the $75,000 cash bonus. And right behind them in fifth place was NFBC Hall of Famer Lindy Hinkelman. Great job everyone and congrats to everyone who cashed in this debut 12-team Main Event.

Here's the Top 100 teams from the NFBC XII in 2012:

NFBC XII Top 100 Teams In Overall Standings:
1 EM 33 BO Jeff Butler XII Online April 1 1 pm ET League 1,138.0 1,008.0 2,146.0 -12.5
2 Money Joe Berg XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 1,184.0 928.5 2,112.5 -5.5
3 Low Talkers Dave Potts XII Las Vegas-St. Louis March 23 League 1,018.0 1,041.5 2,059.5 -6.0
4 Cocktails and Dreams Chad Schroeder XII April 4 2 pm ET League 1,059.0 994.5 2,053.5 +7.5
5 Hinko d Mayo Lindy Hinkelman XII Las Vegas March 31 4 pm PT League 848.0 1,193.0 2,041.0 -5.0
Gabe Hinkelman
6 MORON + WAY-D Matthew Shepherd XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 1,216.5 812.0 2,028.5 +22.0
7 Scruffinator XII David DiDonato XII March 27 9 pm ET League 1,127.0 852.0 1,979.0 +20.0
8 Against The Grain XII 403 Bill Strickler XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 898.0 1,073.0 1,971.0 -15.0
9 The Villa Grove-Nashville Connection Matthew Anderson XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 943.5 1,000.5 1,944.0 -8.5
Richard Kulaski
10 Hollandlowe Terry Holland XII March 27 9 pm ET League 884.0 1,026.5 1,910.5 -22.5
Jeffrey Lowe
11 Lawnscape Unlimited,Inc. Bill Madden XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 1,075.0 835.0 1,910.0 +27.0
Roger Martin
12 JK ALL THE WAY Kyle Brinkmann XII March 27 9 pm ET League 1,065.0 837.5 1,902.5 -7.5
13 CODMEN StephenJohn Jupinka XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 825.5 1,063.5 1,889.0 +38.5
14 XII-Balls Deep-3 Kris Carroll XII New York April 1 1 pm ET League 949.0 936.0 1,885.0 -1.5
15 Incredible Hulking Us OL XII Michael Edelman XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 933.5 943.0 1,876.5 -20.5
16 XII-Balls Deep-4 Kris Carroll XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 992.5 882.5 1,875.0 -23.0
17 Cocktails and Dreams Chad Schroeder XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 996.5 871.0 1,867.5 +10.0
18 Money Joe Berg XII Online March 30 7 pm ET League 748.5 1,105.5 1,854.0 -45.0
19 RoundTrippers! Rick Thomas XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 974.0 864.0 1,838.0 -1.5
20 Quahogs XII Stephen Jupinka XII Mahwah-St. Louis March 24 League 846.5 990.5 1,837.0 +2.0
21 Bleacher Bums Joe Friedlander XII New York April 1 1 pm ET League 729.0 1,106.0 1,835.0 +2.5
22 SportsDraftDaily.com (CC) Shawn Childs XII Las Vegas-Mahwah-Online March 25 League 1,036.0 799.0 1,835.0 -7.5
23 Sultans of Smack Stephen Fiore XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 1 815.0 1,016.0 1,831.0 +6.5
24 Team Silver Rob Silver XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 2 1,072.5 753.0 1,825.5 -2.5
25 G1AZM Mike Tott XII Online March 30 7 pm ET League 912.5 911.5 1,824.0 +6.5
26 Pine Tar Pros- XII.2 Greg Headrick XII Online March 31 7 pm ET League 880.5 940.0 1,820.5 0.0
Tytus Parsons
27 Flopped the Nuts Michael OBrien XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 1,064.5 746.5 1,811.0 +4.5
28 ZAZIE and CATCH Jared Namenson XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 753.5 1,055.5 1,809.0 -8.0
Tom Zarogiannos
29 Cocktails and Dreams Chad Schroeder XII Las Vegas March 30 10 am PT League 621.5 1,170.0 1,791.5 +21.0
30 Team Zwickel David Zwickel XII Las Vegas-Mahwah-Online March 25 League 958.5 832.0 1,790.5 -20.0
31 Against The Grain XII 331 Bill Strickler XII Online March 31 7 pm ET League 1,059.0 728.0 1,787.0 +21.5
32 Vegas Vandals Sam Erickson XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 1 1,114.5 654.0 1,768.5 -6.5
Ryan Atkins
33 Sir Fantasy Tony Wilhelm XII Las Vegas-St. Louis March 23 League 787.0 964.0 1,751.0 +8.0
Derek Pierson
34 Cleveland Dustmites - RotoSaurus Jacob Halusker XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 2 696.0 1,049.5 1,745.5 +3.0
35 Money Joe Berg XII April 4 2 pm ET League 839.5 902.0 1,741.5 -41.0
36 Baseball Stars Ryan Coghill XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 1,040.0 700.5 1,740.5 -13.5
Rob Simon
37 Bud Frogs Donald Haworth XII Online April 1 1 pm ET League 714.0 1,009.0 1,723.0 +16.0
38 Team Potentially Irate Brothers Ross Longood XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 980.5 735.5 1,716.0 +15.0
39 TOWNIES John Rundle XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 733.0 969.5 1,702.5 +7.0
40 Tyng Cup 75 Andrew Palace XII New York April 1 1 pm ET League 643.5 1,057.0 1,700.5 -22.0
41 True and Correct Andrew Edenbaum XII Las Vegas-Mahwah-Online March 25 League 676.5 1,019.0 1,695.5 +9.0
42 sip the juice john lemke XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 842.0 852.0 1,694.0 +8.0
43 Thennis III thad shirley XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 1 793.5 898.5 1,692.0 +20.0
44 Glenneration X Glenn Lowy XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 1,027.0 664.0 1,691.0 -31.5
45 Piggy Dohn Terrell XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 769.0 906.5 1,675.5 +13.5
46 Mr. Braunstone Clark Olson XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 2 1,104.5 562.5 1,667.0 +5.0
47 Air Lar Larry Schechter XII New York April 1 1 pm ET League 984.0 674.5 1,658.5 -3.5
48 Two 84 Gators and Sons#1 Marc Meltzer XII Online March 23 7 pm ET League 961.0 697.0 1,658.0 +12.5
49 853-OKG Dave Clum XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 2 917.5 731.5 1,649.0 -16.5
50 No Matter What Carl Borgatti XII Online March 23 7 pm ET League 1,060.0 585.5 1,645.5 +13.0
51 XII-Balls Deep-2 Kris Carroll XII New York March 31 7 pm ET League 845.5 798.0 1,643.5 +19.5
52 ~KJ~XII.1~ KJ Duke XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 739.0 903.5 1,642.5 +3.0
53 batterBing-batterBoom 12 Bob Mazur XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 952.5 676.5 1,629.0 -22.0
54 Bama/Robinson XII Andrew Robinson XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 1 759.0 867.0 1,626.0 +15.5
Kenneth Norred
55 SportsDraftDaily.com (CC) Shawn Childs XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 741.5 875.0 1,616.5 -1.0
56 Brooklyn Deckers Rob Silver XII Las Vegas March 30 10 am PT League 1,200.0 413.0 1,613.0 -0.5
57 Dutch Mafia John Pausma XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 799.5 813.5 1,613.0 -14.5
58 Darth Vander XII David Van XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 634.0 966.5 1,600.5 -7.0
59 The Cartel XII Ronny Mor XII Las Vegas March 31 4 pm PT League 657.5 938.0 1,595.5 -8.0
60 Bens Bombers Avi Weisfogel XII Online March 31 7 pm ET League 990.0 595.5 1,585.5 -12.0
61 Team Keikoan Scott Keikoan XII April 4 2 pm ET League 730.5 850.0 1,580.5 -9.5
62 G&B Enterprises Paul Gromek XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 1,030.0 545.5 1,575.5 +13.0
63 MINGALING Scott Fleming XII Mahwah-St. Louis March 24 League 791.0 784.0 1,575.0 +15.5
64 American Pickers Dennis Dale XII Online April 1 1 pm ET League 965.5 591.5 1,557.0 -18.5
65 Glenneration X Glenn Lowy XII Las Vegas March 31 4 pm PT League 745.5 807.5 1,553.0 -17.5
66 Gil Morgan Graham DWK XII Online March 30 7 pm ET League 904.0 640.5 1,544.5 -26.5
67 Spartacus 12 Bob Mazur XII Las Vegas March 30 10 am PT League 634.5 909.0 1,543.5 -22.5
68 JK ALL THE WAY Kyle Brinkmann XII Mahwah-St. Louis March 24 League 890.0 643.5 1,533.5 -32.0
69 Tiger Blood II Donald Warner XII Las Vegas March 30 10 am PT League 699.0 833.5 1,532.5 +15.5
70 Team Keikoan Scott Keikoan XII Las Vegas April 1 10 am PT League 930.0 597.5 1,527.5 +7.5
71 Glenneration X Glenn Lowy XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 1,068.5 457.5 1,526.0 -7.5
72 Incredible Hulking Us NJ XII Michael Edelman XII Mahwah-St. Louis March 24 League 505.0 1,017.0 1,522.0 +4.5
73 Cocktails and Dreams Chad Schroeder XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 570.0 948.5 1,518.5 -5.0
74 Midfield Thinkers XIIOnl Jody Earley XII Online March 31 7 pm ET League 760.0 758.0 1,518.0 +4.0
75 Team Cameron Mike Cameron XII Online March 23 7 pm ET League 520.0 993.5 1,513.5 -18.0
76 Sack XII OL Ken Magner XII April 4 2 pm ET League 582.5 913.0 1,495.5 +9.5
77 The Left Idea Jaime Baird XII Online April 1 1 pm ET League 916.0 578.5 1,494.5 +36.0
78 Turn Two Derek Pierson XII Las Vegas-Mahwah-Online March 25 League 513.0 979.5 1,492.5 -30.5
79 Baseball Furies Mike Massotto XII New York March 31 7 pm ET League 1,007.5 482.5 1,490.0 +6.0
80 Jerzee 2 Jace Reed XII April 4 2 pm ET League 991.5 495.5 1,487.0 +5.5
81 Team LV 2 Michael mcelroy XII Las Vegas March 30 4 pm PT League 2 698.5 775.0 1,473.5 +58.0
82 PhillyCheeseSteaks-NY-XII Harry Smith XII New York March 31 7 pm ET League 594.0 877.5 1,471.5 -30.0
John Hogan
83 Cocktails and Dreams Chad Schroeder XII Online March 23 7 pm ET League 665.5 795.5 1,461.0 +29.0
84 Team O`Connor Mike O`Connor XII Online April 1 1 pm ET League 754.0 707.0 1,461.0 -26.5
85 Cold Mountain Trevor Washko XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 758.0 696.5 1,454.5 -14.0
86 Incredible Hulking Us NY XII Michael Edelman XII New York March 31 7 pm ET League 638.5 816.0 1,454.5 -8.5
87 Team Travis Les Travis XII March 27 9 pm ET League 424.5 1,001.0 1,425.5 -7.5
88 XII-Balls Deep-1 Kris Carroll XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 537.0 886.0 1,423.0 +17.5
89 Trojans 12 Eric Mudd XII Las Vegas-St. Louis March 23 League 467.5 948.0 1,415.5 +13.5
90 ALL-IN XII Jeffrey Dobies XII New York March 31 7 pm ET League 630.5 781.0 1,411.5 -43.0
91 Team Eroh Herb eroh XII Las Vegas-Mahwah-Online March 25 League 632.0 779.0 1,411.0 -7.5
92 Oak XII Scott Jenstad XII Las Vegas March 30 1 pm PT League 796.5 611.0 1,407.5 -30.5
93 Glenneration X Glenn Lowy XII March 27 9 pm ET League 818.0 579.5 1,397.5 -6.0
94 Lil Sam Kinison Lil Katt XII Online April 3 7 pm ET League 2 703.0 694.5 1,397.5 +5.5
95 ~KJ~XII.2~ KJ Duke XII Las Vegas March 31 4 pm PT League 889.0 501.0 1,390.0 -31.0
96 Xoloitzcuintles douglas chrisman XII Online March 31 7 pm ET League 692.5 684.5 1,377.0 -10.0
97 Team Brady Don Brady XII Las Vegas-St. Louis March 23 League 780.5 594.5 1,375.0 +9.0
98 Marital Bliss Vance Wittie XII Chicago March 31 6 pm CT League 658.5 715.0 1,373.5 +0.5
99 Team Keikoan Scott Keikoan XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 569.5 799.0 1,368.5 -12.0
100 NO, HE HAS KILLED ME ON TOO MANY TEAMS! Jon Stadtmueller XII Las Vegas-Online March 24 7 pm ET League 576.0 788.0 1,364.0 +14.5

[Greg Ambrosius]

Jeff Butler also won an NFBC Online Championship League title and finished 16th overall in the Online Championship. He also finished 2nd in an Online Championship League. I think you've got that 12-team format figured out, Jeff. Heck, Jeff doesn't have much time to enjoy this title because he's already fighting for an NFFC title. Jeff, undefeated in the NFFC Online Championship League, too? Wow, great job.

I'll start the CONGRATULATIONS now and I'm sure many others will follow with their CONGRATULATIONS. Great job and now you are the first champion in our 12-Team Main Event.

[Money]

Well done Jeff. You are a very deserving champion. I learned a lot watching you manage this thing down the stretch. Great Great Season!!!

Congratulation to Chad as well as he led most of the season. Chad's pitching let him down the past month or it really would've been a dogfight to the end between the two of them.

Great job guys!!

[low talkers]

Jeff, congrats on a fantastic team. You really pulled away down the stretch and deserved the win. Also a great job by Joe making a late push to come in 2nd. It was a lot of fun to compete in this contest, the Top 5 were really close the last month, and it was an honor to be up there with great players like Chad and Lindy as well.

[Bob Enzyte]

Great job, Jeff. You had quite the finishing kick. Way to go Joe, being the runner up. Dave and Chad in 3rd and 4th. Congrats.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Jeff Butler drafted from the 3rd spot in his only NFBC XII lead and won the overall title despite whiffing on an early season FAAB pickup. Let's look at his solid draft from the 3rd spot and then analyze his FAAB:

Jeff Butler NFBC XII, EM 33 BO
NFBC XII ONLINE APRIL 1 1 PM
[/b]1. Albert Pujols
2. Justin Verlander
3. Adrian Beltre
4. Josh Hamilton
5. David Price
6. Buster Posey
7. Matt Cain
8. B.J. Upton
9. Tommy Hanson
10. Drew Stubbs
11. Billy Butler
12. Brian Wilson
13. Drew Storen
14. Jason Kipnis
15. Kelly Johnson
16. Matt Capps
17. Lorenzo Cain
18. Angel Pagan
19. Alex Rios
20. Bud Norris
21. Justin Smoak
22. Alfonso Soriano
23. Bartolo Colon
24. Marco Scutaro
25. Mike Aviles
26. Aaron Harang
27. Ramon Hernandez
28. Luis Mendoza
29. Glen Perkins
30. Rod Barajas

Because of Brian Wilson's injury, Jeff was on the lookout early for a new closer and he went aggressively for David Robertson once Mariano Rivera was injured. He spent $626 on Robertson, who soon lost his job to Soriano. Anyway, he still made some key pickups in FAAB that led to his overall title:

Addison Reed $26
David Robertson $626
Ernesto Frieri $34
Kendry Morales $14
Norichika Aoki $3
Dan Haren $127 (in July)

CONGRATS JEFF!! Great job on building a solid pitching staff with two possible Cy Young winners and an offense with a possible MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. Very impressive.

[Glenneration X]

Congrats Jeff. Unbelievable stretch run to pass and beat out some of the acknowledged best of this game.
Great job also Joe. You said the 12-teamers were your game and you went out and proved it. Nice job and you should be very proud.