Welcome To Stevieland Wins Week 3 Prize

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:26 am

Congratulations to Welcome to Stevieland in Las Vegas League 8 for topping the NFBC field in Week 3 with 2,783 points.

Big weeks offensively from Nick Johnson (.435-2-3), Ryan Howard (.412-3-6) and Morgan Ensberg (.409-6-11) led the way for the top finish. On the mound, Greg Maddux and Jose Contreras each won a pair of games while Francisco Rodriguez picked up 3 saves.

For finishing first last week, Welcome to Stevieland wins a Steve Carlton autographed baseball courtesy of Tri-Star Productions. Congratulations again to Welcome to Stevieland and good luck to everyone in the NFBC this week.

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:10 am

In a career of great teams and near first place finishes, the Welcome to Stevieland team finally has some good fortune.

Congrats on a great week guys- Ole Chest and family are always rooting for you.

If I am not mistaken you all have taken that team from the bottom 15 to the top 15 in a week or so. Something tells me it will stay near the top.

Now can you just email me the secret code to his underground shelter that Carlton inscribed on the ball. Thanks

Joe Sambito · Post by **Joe Sambito** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:08 am

Thanks, Chest. It is a long season, but it is nice to get out of the gates strong. Our first week had an eery feeling like the final week last year, but the last two weeks have been much better.

Keep your Chest up. The 'stache just needs to get the offense cooking. I see that you grabbed Crazy Carl, he had a nice week for us last week, so hopefully he'll keep it going.

sportsbettingman · Post by **sportsbettingman** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:54 am

I remember that team!

Congrats Joe!

~Lance

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:09 am

The way Chris Stephenson and Andrew Nolan see it, they have some unfinished business to take care of in the NFBC this season.

And they’re hoping a big week last week will be the impetus toward doing just that.

Stephenson and Nolan’s Welcome to Stevieland team in Las Vegas League 8 topped the field in Week 3, finishing with 2,783 points. It was the second time in three years the duo has put together a first-place finish in the weekly competition. However, without a league title to add to their resume they admit they’re feeling a bit empty inside.

“Last year, we were in first heading into the final week only to fold like the Cleveland Indians and finish third,” Stephenson said. “This year we feel we have a chance to do something if we can stay healthy and catch a few breaks.”

They certainly were rewarded with some huge offensive performances last week. Morgan Ensberg continued his sizzling start, batting a robust .409-6-11. Nick Johnson (.435-2-3) and Ryan Howard (.412-3-6) also stepped up at the plate. On the mound, Greg Maddux and Jose Contreras each won a pair of games while Francisco Rodriguez picked up 3 saves.

Stephenson said their Draft Day gameplan was the same as it has been in previous years of the NFBC: Take the best available player for the first 10 picks.

“We never really assess our situation until the first break,” he said. “It helps us stay focused the research we did all winter and keeps us away from being reactive in the early going.

“Picks 10-20 we start to fill in the gaps based on a quick team analysis and during picks 20-30 we start taking some chances.”

One thing the pair didn’t expect was for the top-rated pitcher in fantasy to fall to them with the 13th pick in the first round. But that’s exactly what happened and they were only too happy to snap up Johan Santana at that spot.

“The fact we have started strong and Santana is 0-3 makes us feel even better, like we still have an ace in the hole,” Stephenson said. “(Jimmy) Rollins has also been slow to start but we are confident he will get on target.

“We were also able to get considerable value late with Greg Maddux (18th round), Nick Johnson (19th), Tim Wakefield (20th), Kevin Youkilis (21st), Carl Everett (25th) and Tim Worrell (27th). Those guys probably won’t remain as valuable as they have been but getting contributions from late-round picks is very important.”

Stephenson owns a management consulting firm in Seattle while Nolan works in the front office of a family based construction company. He also celebrated the arrival of his third child and first son (Ryan Nolan) just three weeks before Draft Day in Vegas.

The pair have been with the NFBC since its inception and they continue to enjoy everything the industry’s only high-stakes, multi-city fantasy baseball event has to offer.

“We will continue to stay a part of the event,” Stephenson said. “The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament and the NFBC draft is a can’t miss weekend and a fixture on our calendar for years to come.”

For finishing first last week, Welcome to Stevieland wins a Steve Carlton autographed baseball courtesy of Tri-Star Productions.