With the calendar making its turn into June, here's a quick update on my teams at the fantasy season's 1/3 mark......
Diamond League - 6th place, 79 points
From day to day, I could end up sitting almost anywhere in the standings as they remain extremely tight between most of us, only 13 points seperating 2nd place from 11th. I write most of us because first place is completely out of reach with Particelli holding a 40 point advantage over 2nd while running away with this league. A very impressive job thus far Bobby.
Personally, I can't seem to get over the hump of mediocrity for this league. I was the one who paid a small fortune to pick up Adam Dunn a couple weeks back after Juprinka's public drop of him as power's been a year long weakness for this team. However, Grandy's short lived return left me at par. Perhaps, Hanley's 2nd return this coming week will tip the scales for me in those power categories. As far as pitching, a perfect example of my mismanagement there is that after holding Luke Gregerson as a CIW through the seasons's 1st two months, I finally dropped him last weekend for the immortal Chad Qualls only to see Huston Street almost immediately go on the DL.
Ultimate Auction - 1st place, 119 points
I'm pretty proud of my efforts here through the early part of the season as I still feel like somewhat of a novice in the auction format. Unfortunately I don't have a Particelli sized lead here and Jim Ferrari's been hot on my heels in recent weeks. I really want this one as both an accomplishment as I'm still looking for my first championship in either a premium league or the auction format, and in regards to ROI as winning this league alone would guarantee this entire season as a profitable one.
Main Event - Las Vegas - 4th place, 97.5 points, 91st overall
This team was 1st in its league and 18th overall during my last update at the season's quarter pole. However, it followed up its great April with a very shaky May. This team has suffered through the worst of my mismanagement this season as my two big FAAB buys here were Dee Gordon and Kevin Gausman.
Hopefully, Gausman will turn it around later today against the Tigers.
I'm not feeling too confident however.
Two of the three teams that have passed me since the last update are run by the Great Lindy and dynamic duo of Nolan/Stephenson. I can't afford another month like May in June.
Main Event - Online - 6th place, 94 points, 182nd overall
This is the team I'm covering for BHQ and I wonder if they're rethinking their decision.
June could be a big month for this team as it's another that will benefit from Hanley's return next week and should see the return of Aaron Hill, Corey Hart, and Peter Bourjos as well before the month is out. However, this team did lose its best performing pitcher in Tony Cingrani due to the mismanagement of Dusty Baker (at least it wasn't me this time
), so there's some work to be done there.
Main Event - NYC - 2nd place, 101.5 points, 102nd overall
A team that I just can't seem to keep healthy, I don't think I've had one week this season that the starting lineup's given me a full slate of games without one or two players within it joining their fallen comrades in missing games. The latest being Kemp and Crawford this week. Last week it was Victorino and Utley hitting the DL and Montero being demoted. The week before it was etc. etc. etc. Partially due to these injuries, the hitting for this team has been a tremendous disappointment thus far, but the pitching has performed well above expectations and has carried it during the season's early going. Even though Bumgarner and Medlen have both been scuffling a bit lately, thanks to the efforts of Minor, Teheran, Holland, Corbin, Griffin, Nolasco, and Lackey, pitching's been the least of my worries.
Coming out of the draft, I thought John Hogan had the league's best team and he recently raced past me into first place for this league. He'll be tough to catch.
KJ's MLBC Salary Cap League - 1st place, 117 points
The general theory for this format is that you either have to spend big and go for one of the top 3 league finish cash spots or go real cheap and try for the Manager of the Year cash spot which is based on a formula that rewards the best finish compared to price paid. The one thing that was generally acknowledged is that you couldn't play it half way. Of course one drafter still did, Bruce Pucci. And of course, he's currently 2nd in this league, right on my ass at half the cost, and pretty much just making a mockery of that general theory.
Max's 1000 Slow Draft - 13th place, 70.5 points
My one absolute disgrace this year. It kills me that I can't even try to fix it through FAAB. I just have to sit and watch it wallow in horrid ineptitude.
It's gotten so bad that I've even fallen below Massotto in the standings for this league.
Joe Berg's 12-Team Super - 3rd place, 75.5 points
3rd place is kind of a sucky place to be in a league that pays out two spots.
Juprinka's starting to get comfortable in 1st place in this league's standings. Particelli's holding 2nd and Dobies is right behind me in 4th. A tough group to try to make a run against. My hitting here has been competitive but the pitching's had trouble getting it together, mostly due to the starts of Verlander and Medlen. Not that they've been awful, but in a 12-teamer you need your aces to be aces, and through the early part of the season both haven't. If they turn it around however and start pitching like they did last season, I might have a chance to make a run here. If they don't, I'll be lucky to hold onto even my current sucky 3rd place position.
XII Las Vegas - 6th place, 66 points, 87th overall
This team's starting to come around after its brutal April. I do believe it's tougher to make up ground in a 12-team league when compared to a 15-teamer because even though its easier for you to repair your issues through FAAB in a 12-teamer, its easier for the teams you're trying to catch as well.
XII Online - 2nd place, 88 points, 15th overall
With my NYC XII scuffling a bit lately, this team has replaced it as my highest in the overall standings. Unfortunately I am competing in this league against Eric Green, the owner of the team currently 3rd in the XII overall. I believe this may be my most strongest and most balanced XII however. It does have a couple weaknesses, but if I can address them I'm hopeful this team can make a run.
XII NYC - 1st place, 84.5 points, 21st overall
Two weeks ago, this team was in 2nd overall. Injuries, regression (there's that evil word Doughy
), and some bad decisions have unfortunately hurt this team since. Hopefully I can turn it around and get this team back on the track it appeared to be on just a couple weeks ago.
Online Championships 3/17 Draft - 5th place, 73 points
This team seems cursed. It's the one that drafted both Hanley and Headley the days before their preseason injuries. The bad luck just continued with the early season injuries to Greinke, Cuerto, Billingsley, Brett Anderson, Aaron Hill, Maybin, Jim Henderson, etc and the recent demotions of Jesus Montero and Dee Gordon (though those may be blessings in disguise.
) This team has managed to stay within striking range within its league, so if and when the luck turns, maybe it can make a run.
Online Championships 3/31 Draft - 4th place, 79 points
Another team crushed by injuries lately to Price, Ogando, Josh Johnson, Bryce Harper, Aaron Hill, etc, somehow it's only 5 1/2 points out of 1st. The wonders of 12-teamers.
You didn't think I'd go through an entire update without writing that somewhere, did ya Joe?
FBPC Main Event - 6th place, 82.5 points, 41st overall
This team's been slowly sinking over the past few weeks and is another that's been battling injuries all season. Hanley returns next week however and hopefully the other key pieces on the shelf are not far behind and can fuel a turnaround.
Two months down, a long four months to go. It feels like the season just started, but before you know we'll be done. Noone says it's early anymore. It's more than past time to get these teams firing on all cylinders.