Deep Fantasy Thoughts...,,,,If Three Feet Tall

[DOUGHBOYS]

Is it just me, or is the WBC starting to resemble the NFL's Pro Bowl?
Darvish, Iwakuma, Aoki, and Choo already stating they won't play.
While Johnny Damon and Javy Vazquez may use the games to get recognized again.
It seems these games have made a turn in the road from the world's best players to the world's largest tryout to get in a Big League uniform.

Jeffrey Loria is an American capitalist. Plain and simple.
It's easy to hate the guy if you're a baseball fan. At the same time, he is using his ownership to make money, not as a hobby like some other owners seem to do.
If there is an opposite of George Steinbrenner, Loria comes the closest.
If some youngsters flourish and the Marlins contend in a few years, the press will again call him a genius.
He could care less whether he is called a jerk or a genius, as long as he's a rich jerk or a rich genius.

Screw Billy Hamilton.
Look at the Toronto Blue Marlins speed.
They have Reyes, Rajai Davis, Emilio Bonafacio, Maicer Izturis as possible starters with Anthony Gose on the bench.
And that is without mentioning Brett Lawrie.
Which I just did, so he didn't go without mentioning afterall.

The good news is that Scott Baker signed with a National League team.
The bad news, it was the Cubs.
'Home run Baker' with the winds blowing out at Wrigley.
His peripherals and W's may play better in Minnesota, even if it was the American League.

The Red Sox sign David Ross. Ross is like Brendan Ryan. We admire them as baseball players, but pretty much disregard them as fantasy helps.
What it does signal in a fantasy sense, is that Jarrod Saltalablahblah will be peddled this spring.
If he lands in Texas, his stock rises. Same with the Yankees. But, it's tough seeing a trade with the Yankees.
His stock still rises a little with a trade to the White Sox.
A trade to the Rays does not raise his stock and since Cincy, Colorado, and Philadelphia are not in the market for a catcher, a trade to the National League will lower his stock.

I admire Bill James. He's been great for baseball and has even made the baseball stodgy stand up and look at statistics in different ways.
Just the same, most of us would kick his ass in a fantasy baseball league.
Every year, he predicts that minor leaguers will do the same things in the Big Leagues as they were doing in the minor leagues. He may have scored a coup with Trout last year, but on a consistent basis, he gets his ass kicked.

Jason Giambi doesn't get the Rockies Manager job.- STRIKE ONE!
Giambi doesn't get the hitting coach job either.- STRIKE TWO!
Giambi is looking for a place to play, a probable....STRIKE THREE! YER OUT!
I like Giambi. But, he may have to find a heritage in his family and play in the WBC.

In early 50 rounders, Craig Kimbrel will be overdrafted. Possibly as high as the second round in some drafts.
It's because of the unknown. Several teams don't know who their Closer is now or have ones that can be replaced by others.
Kimbrel is security that no other Closer offers, so he'll go higher. It's human nature.
In March, when Closers are more defined, Kimbrel will still be the first Closer off the boards, it'll just happen two or three rounds later.

Whenever somebody day dreams about Billy Hamilton getting over 100 stolen bases for Cincy, I think about Todd Frazier.
I think about Scott Rolen and his ever slowing bat in the lineup, while Frasier's much younger ass was on the bench.
Even during important playoff games.
I think about the frustration of owning Hamilton being managed by Dusty Baker.
Pass.

And, today is my birthday.
I'm old, that's how old I am.
I still 'pump Ethel'. (Only guys near my age will get that) That's how old I am.
I'll treat myself the same way I have for the last umpteen birthdays. I'll crack open my new Bill James Handbook that my wife always buys for me, read it, take it all in, and then smile as the family tries to make a big deal out of me getting even older tonight.
Great Stuff.

[swampass]

Happy Birthday!

i want to thank you for all the interesting and entertaining reads you so tirelessly write. I moved away from fantasy football a few years ago and Im having a real hard time getting away from baseball this offseason. I want to thank you for making it even more difficult.

happy bday and thanks again
Chris

[DOUGHBOYS]

Thank you, Chris!
I'll keep writing them as long as there are those who want to listen
It's funny, I thought I'd miss fantasy football terribly when I got away from it.
I don't.
Fantasy football is a Wham Bam thank you Ma'am thing. And it's a luck thing with your partner, she may be good, she may have an STD. Sex only once a week, with maybe a little on Thursday or Monday.
Fantasy Baseball is woo'ed, courted, long walks talking, then the marriage of drafting, and continuous sex for six months without having to call a doctor.
Bliss.

At the same time, I want baseball season to be here almost as soon as the World Series ends.
Fantasy baseball has gone from being followed seven months of the year to all 12 months if we want to.
I'm happy with that!

Thanks again.

[Schwks]

Belated happy Birthday Dan. You are one of the few things that help he get from October through February.

[Outlaw]

Happy Birthday Dan!

Mike

[DOUGHBOYS]

Thanks Doug and Mike, much appreciated!