Organic and Catchers

[DOUGHBOYS]

I promise that this post will be about fantasy baseball. Just give me this paragraph to rant about something close to my heart...

I love Doritos. Always have, always will. I'll also branch out to other chips. Man does not live by Dorito alone!
Today, I opened up the sales papers and there it was. My face got flushed. My stomach formed an immediate vomit reaction.

ORGANIC TOSTITOS

Never, ever have I been so disgusted.
Images of cow poop on my chips. Chips are like hot dogs, I don't wanna hear what goes into them!
Never, ever have I heard of one fella dying from pesticides on his chips. Not one.
It is a chip producers job to mangle vegetables like corn and potatoes so badly, that they taste great in chip form in a bag.
Don't TELL me it's organic! Cowpoopitos?
These chips will be summarily dismissed by me, just like baked chips or, the all time worst...unsalted chips.
Unsalted chips , you know what unsalted chips is?
I'll tell you what unsalted chips is!
Imagine that your penis is detachable. Eating chips is like having sex with your penis attached.
Eating unsalted chips is like you not only having sex without your penis, but your dog is pulling and chewing at it in a corner.
Health police, STAY OUTTA MY FRIGGIN' CHIP AISLE!
YOU'RE NOT WANTED OR NEEDED!
And oh yeah, don't even think that I don't see what you're doing with crackers! I see you!
Thank you.

I've been in several hundred drafts this off season. I exaggerate. Wait, maybe not.
Inevitably over-expectancies of a player crop up in each draft.
I like to think that when somebody drafts a player, it adds five home runs onto expectations.
The process is understood as everybody is proud to roster the player chosen.

For some reason though, I've felt a little upset over some of this bravado. I haven't typed anything in chat to let drafters know my angst. I've kept it to myself.
For me, the worst is the boasting about taking catchers. One drafter chimed that Evan Gattis would be a 35/100 hitter after drafting him.
I asked him why. He explained that Houston is better for homers and that Gattis won't get hurt in the outfield or dh'ing.

In another draft, Buster Posey was taken early. The drafter explained that getting catchers early was part of his strategy. That catchers were an overlooked position in drafts....And that Buster Posey was the only catcher capable of 30/100/.300
Apparently, he hadn't met the Gattis drafter.

And yet in another draft, a drafter of Devin Mesoraco 'expected' a 30/100 year from him.
Just once, I'd like to see somebody say that they are expecting a 29/98 season from a player.
Why does it all have to be even numbers?
Almost s if 30/100 is twice as good as 29/98...but I digress.

So, with that backdrop, can anybody tell me how many times any of these catchers have hit even 30 homers?
If saying 'zero', you are correct.
In fact, when was the last time ANY catcher hit 30 homers?
Go ahead think, I'll wait.
Que the Jeopardy music.
dum' dum' dum duh' duh 'duh' dum' dum' duh' duh' dum' dum' dum' duh' duh duh duh' duh'duh' dum' dum' dum' duh....
Ok, it was the steroid ridden Javy Lopez in 2003 when he hit 43 homers in little over 400 at bats.
Do the PED math.

And how many catchers since Javy have had 100 rbi?
The number goes up by one.
Posey had 103 rbi in 2012.
In most years, including last year, catchers didn't even get to 90 rbi.
Last year, only two catchers, Posey and Mesoraco even had 80 rbi.


Catchers are, at most, a three and a half category player. Most, like I, only consider then a three category player.
They have little speed, leaving out stolen bases.
And they don't hit near the top of lineups leaving runs scored as constantly lacking.
It's stretching it by even calling runs a half category.
And batting average may be a half category too. They don't get as many at bats as other players. So a real bad or good average has less effect on a team's batting average.
Only three catchers scored even 60 runs last year. Lucroy, Posey, and Gomes.
Did you notice that except for Posey, the names changed?

Now, there are some who say, 'Get your catching early, it'll be a big advantage!'
So, lets try something.....
First, we will allow that Posey is the leader of these catchers. And for that, he is being taken in the second round.
That price is very high.
Afterall, Posey's line was .311/72/22/89/0
If we take a fella from another position like Jayson Werth, his line is similar with .292/85/16/82/9
Essentially, we are paying 6-10 rounds for the privelege of having them at the catcher position.
Is is worth the price? I don't know.

As for the other catchers, how do we get this advantage that some speak of?
We can take Mesoraco and Gattis in the fifth and sixth rounds.
Going off last years numbers, that would give us a 47/132 using last years numbers.
But I can get a catcher a little later in the draft, then A LOT later in the draft, take Brian McCann and Mike Zunino and still get a comparable 45/135.
Is that Mesoraco/Gattis money well spent at the fifth and sixth rounds?
I don't think so.
Those drafters are losing out on two premium players by strengthening a weak position. Premium players have a chance to outdistance other players at their positions.

Catchers tend to cluster in their statistics.
24 catchers hit from 10-25 homers last year.
16 catchers had 50 rbi. None had over 90.
23 catchers had 40 runs, but only three of those had more than 57 runs scored.
I just don't see it.
I don't see the advantage of taking catchers early 'to get an edge'.
It doesn't come down to taking catchers early as much as it comes down to taking the right catcher.
And we can say that about any position.

[Edwards Kings]

Totally agree. I am waiting to take two out of the fat part of the bell-curve.

[Raskol]

Oi, wait until NorCal reads this....

[NorCalAtlFan]

Oi, wait until NorCal reads this....

lol. shhh.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Oi, wait until NorCal reads this....

Uh oh, Bryan must like his catchers.
And that's ok.
It's a helluva lot better than backing organic chips.

[rockitsauce]

If I buy something that isn't organic by mistake I throw it out the goddamn window

I'm a put it to you like this Dough, your daughter probably wouldn't fare too well against you in a competition like the NFBC, but when it comes to nutrition she turns the tables on you 180 degress cuz you don't know shit from shinola mi amigo

[Edwards Kings]

Organic, smorganic! I am with Doughy on this one. If it tastes good? EAT IT! Never done me no harm!



"Gotta practice...some guy named Mikey comin by for lessons!"

[headhunters]

dough- read what warren buffet said about his diet and being 84- the 6 years old diet. fantasy- for me it is always the 2 c's- catchers and closers. get 'em right- i do well. get 'em wrong- 12th place- or worse.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Ha! I just read that, Mike. I've always admired Buffet. Now, even more.

David, since my daughter is a registered dietician I've faced every argument that could be made for that health crap.
To me, organics is merely replacing chemicals with cow or horse or dog shit. AND, they charge twice as much for the poop!
How is it 'natural' that waste from animals is good? They don't even want it!

Organics entering the chip aisle is like Isis entering a 'Cum By Yah' recital. They're not wanted or needed there.
The two groups don't mix. They can co-exist, they just need to know their freakin' place!
If it truly is organic, how can ANY chip have a shelf life of over a week? You gotta have the chemicals!
Organics are a lie in an attempt to double prices.
They say, 'We are what we eat'. If that is the case, I'll be the chemicals, somebody else can be the cow shit.

[rockitsauce]

A man who eats hot dogs is gonna tell ME about eating shit

I will not even try to persuade you of the errors of your ways nutritionally speaking (I'm sure your poor daughter has done her due diligence)...I'd probably have better luck convincing you to take 2 C's inside of the top 10 rd's than to eat healthier

But I still love ya big guy...you too Wayne, you 'ol hambone sumbitch

* true story, while visiting Joey in NC he took me to a diner where I got a vegetarian platter. The waitress brings me out some mashed potatoes, succotash, stewed tomatoes, and green beans...WITH BACON IN IT. I said to her, "there seems to be something in the green beans". She cackled, " oh, that's that ol hambone, haheeehahe".

I'd probably never return (def not to that diner but NC in general) but I do like to go back and see this one

Rockit & NellieMay

UncleDandNellie.jpg (7.88 KiB) Viewed 3743 times

[DOUGHBOYS]

A man who eats hot dogs is gonna tell ME about eating shit

I will not even try to persuade you of the errors of your ways nutritionally speaking (I'm sure your poor daughter has done her due diligence)...I'd probably have better luck convincing you to take 2 C's inside of the top 10 rd's than to eat healthier

But I still love ya big guy...you too Wayne, you 'ol hambone sumbitch

* true story, while visiting Joey in NC he took me to a diner where I got a vegetarian platter. The waitress brings me out some mashed potatoes, succotash, stewed tomatoes, and green beans...WITH BACON IN IT. I said to her, "there seems to be something in the green beans". She cackled, " oh, that's that ol hambone, haheeehahe".

I'd probably never return (def not to that diner but NC in general) but I do like to go back and see this one

UncleDandNellie.jpg

Ha! What a cutie!

Truth be told, David, you can eat sewage, and I'd still think you were a good dude.
'They' have it wrong.
We are not what we eat. ' They' just say that to make eaters like myself feel bad about ourselves.
What we eat has nothing to do with the character and integrity of a man.
I can eat chips (non organic). You can eat a vegetarian platter (without bacon).
In the end, food is just food.
You'll probably live longer than I do, but I'll be smiling wider when we leave!
Until that time, guys like you will increase that smile.

[Edwards Kings]

It's our genes. My family (outside of the ones who don't live past "Hey guys, watch me do this!") typically are experts in any one or more of the following:

Drinking
Smoking
Extramarital affairs/divorces
Seasoning meat (hambone, streak-o-lean, salt pork) to give those veggies cooked to death a little "extra"
Fried foods (in bacon fat preferrably but those with a healthy leaning copious quantities of Crisco)

And they all make it to their 90's. I actually like plenty of vegatables to go with my BBQ and even like steamed broccoli! I figure I am good until 110, at which time if my wife predeceases me, I hope to be shot by some irate husband.