Creative Sports pretty sad!

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Thu May 27, 2004 3:18 pm

Buster, So you made your point that you think I don't know what I'm doing. That your much smarter than me. Being that I didn't look at your web site until you put on our league page to insult me I wouldn't have known. I guess thats what I deserve for trying to compete with the best.

I'll save my money next year and stay home. No point in paying big bucks just so some hot shot fantasy guy can rake you over the coals on the internet. For others that would like to see how great creative sports is take a look.

http://www.creativesports.com/newsmanag ... &zoneid=44

http://www.creativesports.com/newsmanag ... &zoneid=44

PittIsIt95 · Post by **PittIsIt95** » Thu May 27, 2004 5:52 pm

Sorry dude, his writeup was not putting you down. He just stated he would not do it that way. And I AGREE.

Why the hell would you exhaust all your FAAB units this early in the season. I understand not being able to use them later in the year if you can improve now, but now your team is handcuffed for the season. Hopefully, you have learned from this and will go a different route next year (if you return).

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Thu May 27, 2004 7:16 pm

Walla Walla:

You missed the point, big time.

My column did not insult you.

I did not comment about your incessent complaining. There was no mention of complaints about "your soft spoken draft facilitator," "Ron Shandler," "Jolbert Cabrera," "STATS," or "Krause pimping football."

I didn't write that you did not know what you are doing. I didn't even infer it. And, certainly, I didn't write that you did not belong in this league.

Rather, I commented that running out of FAAB in May was not a recommended method of free agent acquisitions.

I put this out to CREATiVESPORTS.com's readers, and as the season progresses, I will update the readers on your team's progress, and on mine as well. If I see another alternative action by anyone, including the esteemed Zola, Ravits, etc., I will put it out to the readers.

I don't plan on insulting anyone, but only informing readers of differing theories. More often than not, those theories do not work.

Personally, I don't think that your method will work, but my opinions do not matter in the long run, only the stats will determine who wins and who doesn't.

We may find that you team is injury free, and Tim Redding becomes a stud. We may find that you needed a few bucks to pick up bodies later in the draft and couldn't do it because you shot your wad on Redding.

Yours was a strategy different from the other 14 of us in Las Vegas #3, and I imagine, different from the other 194 owners.

You may beat me. I may beat you. None of us will know until this season is over. However, as I wrote, your unorthodox method is one that I wouldn't recommend.

That is all. I wish you the best of luck, and quite frankly, hope you finish 2nd overall, looking up at only one team... mine.

Thanks for reading. New Outside the Batter's Box columns are posted every Thursday at CREATiVESPORTS.COM. Don't wait until Thursday, as the daily content on CS is pretty amazing.

Buster

a · Post by a » Fri May 28, 2004 1:09 am

Walla,

I read the article, I don't see that he slammed you in any way. He is pointing out a team that spends its FAAB in May ultimately hurts itself down the road. He just happened to have an example of that stategy and used it. I also believe you need to save FAAB for later in the season.

I'm just pissed that Creative had nothing to say about me, I was 190 overall in early May and climbed up to #45 several days ago. (I since had the pitching staff from hell all pitching on the same day... Maddux, Redmond, Lopez and Percival) and dropped me 20 spots and then a light day yesterday that dropped me another 10. But I'm expecting a strong finish .

Walla, you should have only bid 250 for Worrell, then you would of had FAAB left over for the season

I thought nobody would beat my 251 I placed.

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Fri May 28, 2004 3:31 am

I admit I reacted badly. In the future please at least give me some warning if my team is going to be written about as a learning example. Being asked for my input would have been nice also.

nnoy · Post by **nnoy** » Fri May 28, 2004 4:35 am

Props to you guys for the most entertaining non-Gekko exchange of the season to date.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Fri May 28, 2004 5:23 am

Walla:

I welcome your input. I am always interested in writing about different theories and the rationale behind such theories. From our reader’s feedback, they too are interested in different theories, myths, etc. If you read back some of the archived columns, you will see that I often look at such topics. For example, I did a statistical analysis on the alleged rookie wall in basketball, and determined that no such wall exists, at least for the first ten picks over the past five years.

If there is a method to your madness, i.e., spending all 1000 FAAB prior to the end of May, I don’t see it. From e-mail to date on the column, the readers don’t understand it either. So, perhaps it is best that I put a synopsis of your rationale in next week’s column.

Understand though, imagination is often better than reality. Perhaps the readers have imagined strong and supportive reasons for your FAAB spending. Once you give them the rationale, and if the rationale doesn’t strongly support your alternative spending, there will be nothing left to the imagination. I will also make a comment or two about your rationale. Since I don’t know your thinking, I don’t know if the comments will be positive, neutral, or negative. If you read past columns, you will see that I am anything but a cynic.

Please feel free to either post your reasoning, or send me an e-mail at [email protected] .

Buster

CREATiVESPORTS.COM

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Fri May 28, 2004 7:07 am

Hey Buster. You called someone out on flawed managing. No need to apologize.

a · Post by a » Fri May 28, 2004 9:02 am

Gordon, why don't you shut up???? You go around voicing you opinions and being a complete idiot, but yet, you do not have the balls to tell us your team.

bowlingfool · Post by **bowlingfool** » Fri May 28, 2004 10:28 am

Walla, I just read Buster's article and have to agree. So, Walla, why did you spend all 1000 FAAB already?

Balticsquids · Post by **Balticsquids** » Fri May 28, 2004 11:22 am

I have to agree with your First responce . All this god damm guy(walLa walla) does is complain .......and bitch ...He babe we just won 400 Million bucks and we now own the Yanks ......O **** but ill have to pay taxes ......lol unreal

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Fri May 28, 2004 12:35 pm

I wish. Even I couldn't complain about that. LOL!

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Fri May 28, 2004 12:54 pm

Don't want to break my arm patting myself on the back, but lost in the Walla Walla controversy was the "Raul Mondesi Update" wherein Outside the [Batter's] Box correctly predicted that Mondesi would sign with the Halos.

Walla's explanation will be found in next Thursday's Outside the [Batter's] Box, exclusively at CREATiVESPORTS.com

[ May 28, 2004, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Buster ]

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Fri May 28, 2004 3:23 pm

So I guess my bid in the AL auction of 500 using the rest of my money will be a a bad move too.

Moneymaker · Post by **Moneymaker** » Fri May 28, 2004 3:26 pm

Two things:

1. It's in a team's best interest to grab the best guys as early as possible, no matter what the price.

2. Gekko is the man.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Fri May 28, 2004 6:21 pm

I like the FAAB process - its a lot like the stock market.

Just because you discover a stock that you like, you don't immediately invest all of your capital in it. You've got to balance the potential payoff against the risk that your present feeling of confidence and urgency needs to be balanced against both future alternatives that will be sacrificed, and the risk that your the current view may not be the prevailing view days, weeks, or months from now.

You've also got to consider how that investment looks to other participants, and adjust the price you're willing to pay accordingly. In short, I am interested to hear Walla's response, but I can't imagine any rational (winning) explanation for his strategy.

Walla, if you invest your capital the way you spend your FAAB, I would suggest you contact me for some professional money management before your net worth also reaches $0.

[ May 29, 2004, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: KJ Duke ]

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat May 29, 2004 1:40 am

Spending all FA $ this early in the season is a dumb move. No explanation needed.

Vegas Gambler, as I said before, if you don't want to hear what I have to say, then DON'T READ MY POSTS. It's a simple concept. Move along. Thanks

Snord35 · Post by **Snord35** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:55 pm

Spending all of your FAAB Money early good or bad? Well last week I spent all but $10 of my FAAB to pick up FA Dontrelle Willis.

For me I see this is a good move and I'll list my reasons why.

1. On Sunday My team (Cheap Seat Chuggers) was in last place. Don't think I have to say much more on that; I needed help for my team. But in my defense so people like Gekko don't take this the wrong way my team has been living on the DL, C Mauer, C Laird, 1B Erstad, 2B Durham, SS Nomar, SS Furcal, OF G. Anderson, SP Nomo. Also pitchers Colon, Nomo, and Pineiro have not been playing well this season.

2. I have a backup Starter (if not on the DL) for every position except Catcher.

3. I feel Willis can have a solid season this year. All this talk about him and his 2nd half blunders is just stuff fantasy writers throw out so readers have something to chew on.

4. My team does not have any big holes that some rookie or other FA can fill. As for rookies I don't see any big name guy in my need positions (CI). The big names are already in the bigs and taken, Morneau, Kotchman, and Youkilis. Upton's name has been thrown around but I already have 4 SS's (Nomar, Furcal, Everett, Graffanino) and as far as Rookie Pitchers I don't see the next coming of Mark Prior anytime soon.

5. Something like 4 of the top 5 teams in Chicago 2 is under $400 for FAAB. The guys on top don't have a lot of money to spend if another Good Player is dropped. As long as they keep blowing their money on the next to be named closer or the hot bat of the week I'll be ok.

So those are some reasons why I feel spending my FA budget was a good move. Granted I have to play the rest of the season with my fingers crossed, and can only make 10 moves but for a guy that is on the edge of being out of this thing it looks like a good move now. It's a big gamble I know, but hey isn't this why we joined the NFBC?

PS this is how I spent my FAAB

Week 1

Gerald Laird 135 (Fill in for Mauer)

Enrique Wilson 26 (Fill in for Nomar, Yankee starter, looked good at the time)

Week 2

Adam Everett 111 (Wilson bad Everett good)

Damian Millier 4 (Needed another Catcher)

Week 3

no moves

Week 4

Matt Stairs 14 (good bench player)

Week 5

Cliff Lee 90 (Bye Bye Brian Anderson)

Mark Bellhorn 25 (Durham DL need 2B)

Week 6

Kyle Lohse 3 (Took a chance has had good seasons)

Week 7

Tim Redding 10 (Was turning his season around)

Week 8

Rod Barajas 63 (Laird out needed Catcher)

Mark Grudzielanek 22 (On DL but team weak at 2B)

Week 9

Darin Erstad 33 (LaRoach out need 1B)

Tony Graffanino 19 (off DL Grudz & Durham on DL)

Julio Franco 3 (LaRoach out needed 1B)

Week 10

Dontrelle Willis 432 (Good Fill for Nomo)

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:14 pm

Originally posted by Snord35:

Well last week I spent all but $10 of my FAAB to pick up FA Dontrelle Willis.

I needed help for my team. But in my defense so people like Gekko don't take this the wrong way my team has been living on the DL Willis is a good pick and you did the right thing by not using all of your FA$. You can still make some moves. Well done.

Buster · Post by **Buster** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:08 pm

Snord35:

Well done. Really well done! You did EXACTLY as you should. Willis is worth spendingalmost all of your FAAB.

By saving 10 FAAB, you still can get replacement guys. If you have an injury or a guy that just stinks up the place, you can afford to get someone else. You got the guy you wanted/needed, and you didn't handcuff your team in the future. Perfect!

Unlike Walla Walla, you can still make moves. If I had written a how-to column, I couldn't have written it any better.

I hate to agree with Gekko, but when he is right, he is right. This time, Gekko is completely and positively right.

Good job, again.

Buster

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 6:28 pm

the issue should not be how much was spent on willis, but rather why are there teams out there dropping a player like willis?????????

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:17 am

Originally posted by :

the issue should not be how much was spent on willis, but rather why are there teams out there dropping a player like willis????????? Whatchou talkin' bout Willis?

D

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 9:31 am

I think Walla's point in this whole thread has been that he's trying something new... He's not used to this format at all and when he saw an opportunity he jumped on it.

I think he realizes saving $4 for emergency fills would have been wise, but at the same time - how is he SUPPOSED to feel when you put a glass lid over him and point to him as an example of what NOT to do?

You can claim you weren't mocking him all you want, but it's pretty weak to explain that you 'had' to use his name and team name explicitly because it doesn't sound as sincere and honest to use 'this guy in a league somewhere.' as your verbage. You could have written that article MANY different ways without making it a personal slight. Unfortunately, you chose not to - and then have no remorse whatsoever and in fact feel vindicated by the 'facts' that you point out and ignore the person that was hurt in the exchange.

You won't find many people agreeing that Walla did the right thing - but I don't agree that you did the right thing either, Buster.

Dyv

nnoy · Post by **nnoy** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:57 am

I made a point to seriously flame the team that dropped Willis on our league’s message board. He’s a bottom tier team and my initial thought was he most know one of the guys near the top and was pulling a Richard Hatch by forming a secret alliance and asking for a little “kick-back.” It was good to see Todd’s last-place team land Willis, but there still is no excuse for him EVER to be dropped in a league like this. The team that dropped him got Tim Harikkala; Good move / Bad move?

Dyv · Post by **Dyv** » Tue Jun 08, 2004 1:49 pm

Originally posted by nnoy:

I made a point to seriously flame the team that dropped Willis on our league’s message board. He’s a bottom tier team and my initial thought was he most know one of the guys near the top and was pulling a Richard Hatch by forming a secret alliance and asking for a little “kick-back.” It was good to see Todd’s last-place team land Willis, but there still is no excuse for him EVER to be dropped in a league like this. The team that dropped him got Tim Harikkala; Good move / Bad move? Err.. Bahahaha