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We have code words in fantasy baseball. We see them all the time. They are words grouped together or by themselves that mean something different to us than normal folks. Here are a few examples:



'Is Expected to be'



To the public this would mean a very good chance of something happening.

To us... danger!

An example would be,

'Brandon Webb is expected to be sidelined a month'

or a football headline I just read,

'Wesley Welker Is Expected to be alright for Regular Season'



'Is Expected to be' knocks down guys on our draft lists and makes us cuss during the season.





'Upside, Potential, High Ceiling'

To most folks, they would think an Einstein or President.

To fantasy folks, it is a player who has tools but hasn't displayed them at the highest level.

The player with these definitions attached are usually guys who kill in the minors, and flounder, or are mediocre at the Big League level.



'The Potential of Brandon Wood is Hard to Pass on'

or

'Travis Snider's Upside is Enticing'





'Hopes'

Any time a player uses this word, you can count on him being out longer than thought. In effect, it means the opposite to a fantasy player than real-life folks. Here are a couple from the last few days:



'Geovany Soto Hopes to miss no time with sore foot'



'Jimmy Rollins Hopes to get back in the lineup tomorrow'



'Hopes' usually means 'no hope'





'He'll Be Fine'

Usually said by a Manager. This is a lot like 'hopes', in that it is the opposites of the words themselves.

Anytime a Manager uses 'He'll be Fine', it means that player is doing badly and the Manager hasn't decided how to handle him yet.



'Phillies Manager on Lidge, "He'll Be Fine" '





Last a bone to pick...



Carl Crawford got hit in the nuts with a ball.

I'm not sure, but I think the same happened to Huston Street last night.



In Crawford's case, without video, I heard that he was hit in the stomach, the right abdominal region, and his side.



In Street's case (of which I still don't know exactly where he was hit), I have heard the stomach, abdominal region, midsection, side, and last night, pelvis, on the local news.



Why can a reporter say his ankle has swollen to twice it's normal size, but not say the same about his testicles?

It's not like we'd need to see verification!



Would it be so bad for a reporter to say,

"Carl Crawford took a ball to the cajones tonight. It did not look good. Crawford is Hoping to play tomorrow"

At most, it would be more informative.

At the least, amusing.



[ July 28, 2010, 12:20 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

Addendum-



'Interested in', 'kicking the tires on', 'in discussions with', 'Are making a push for', 'In the market for'



To normal folks, these are terms used, for instance, when buying a car.



For fantasy players, they are media buzz words for-

I don't know what the Hell is going on, but I can throw a guess out there too.





'Sell High, Buy Low'



To regular people, it would mean trying to get the best possible deal.



To fantasy players, it refers to a Roto Wonderland, where even Albert Pujols could even be a 'Buy Low' candidate after a bad game.



[ July 28, 2010, 05:14 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

I agree that sport reporters failed to reveal all they knew about those injuries to Crawford and Street.



Last summer, when Adrian Beltre was hit in the testicles, it was widely reported in the Seattle press, which is normally the kindest and most censored of all local baseball media centers. The amount of swelling was reported as well as the fact that he ended up almost losing one testicle.



I think the reporting was good for a variety of reasons, including encouraging young ballplayers to wear a cup (Beltre was not wearing one).



Beltre is tough but not so bright.



Beltre's initial response to his injury was different than Street's. He stayed in the game and played hurt, before being placed on the DL the next day.



Beltre still refuses to wear a cup, probably the only thirdbaseman in the majors who doesn't. Not the smartest ballplayer, he is, after all, the only pro hitter I know who always asks the umpires for an appeal of his own checked swings.