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I got a spam e-mail today. Nestled in between the 'how to make your penis two to four inches larger' (hey, I'm just glad it works, thanks) and 'Cindy is horny and wants to see you' (she doesn't wanna see me, she wants to see the answerer to the first ad)spam e-mails, it stood out like a sore....thumb.
It was titled, 'Don't Draft Mike Trout!'
Obviously designed to catch the fantasy eye, I opened it and it listed in detail 12 reasons not to choose Mike Trout.

In some ways, excellent advertising. It caught my eye. I opened it, I read it, and then summarily dismissed it.
In some ways, stupid advertising. I thought less of the site after reading it, unless you have a top three pick, there's nothing to worry about, and at the end, I felt it was more of a stunt than informative.

On the field, Trout will be followed more than any player this year. He won't be the wonder player he was last year under any circumstances. Now, we have something to compare Mike Trout to....Mike Trout.
Last year, he was a bolt of lightning that electrified baseball and fantasy baseball.
I don't care if he lives up to last year's stats. I just want him to have the same dynamics. I want him to again capture the imagination of baseball lovers in that they're seeing another Mickey Mantle.
It's what we asked of young superstars like Mantle and Mays from the past. Then of course, there was no fantasy baseball.
Numbers were just numbers, and we'd know they'd be there in the end.

Now, if Trout doesn't hit 30 homers, or steal 50 bases. or hit over .300, some folks will consider it not a repeat of his first year.
It's silly.
Can't we just enjoy him?
He's fun to watch. Let me repeat that, he's fun to watch. Both offensively and defensively. We can't say that about Cabrera, or Braun, or Cano. All of those players are great. Excellent at their craft. But none of us keep an eye on them no matter where they go on the field.
Sometimes we look through a fantasy eye a little too much. Trout can have as good of a year in hitting 15 homers and stealing 40 bases. He might contribute in other ways in possibly leading the Angels farther into the playoffs or World Series.
Critics will say that he wasn't as good and maybe pat themselves on the back.
Again silly.
His year was amazing. To predict that he won't be as good fantasy-wise is like predicting Seinfeld will never have another show as good as the original.
And like Seinfeld, he doesn't have to.
We'll just enjoy watching the show.

You know who I like to watch play is Swisher. Not so much his play but what he's doing when he's not playing. Guy likes to have fun. It should be fun. He's mugging for the camera. Always talking to the guys on his team. Doesn't seem like he would ever like to be anywhere else.

He's been a part of some good teams with the A's and the Yankees. I like to think about the real team when I think of fantasy. What's their mood going to be like? Swish teams play loose. There's some interesting guys on the Indians. Kipnis, Asdrubal, Chisenhall, Santana. Interesting to think what would happen if this team found a little something.

Anway, I like watching Swish. It's all a game. Should be fun.

One other side note about Swisher. He's a surprisingly good first baseman. Good hands. Average at least footwork. Good stretch and good instincts. Always thought he was a better 1st baseman than an outfielder.

Count me in as a Swisher fan too. Some players seemingly take their talent for granted and it changes their outlook.
Swisher looks like he is grateful everyday for being a ball player. His exuberance spreads to whatever team he is on. He makes uber-professionals such as Pettitte, Jeter, and Teixeira, smile. The Indians and their fans are lucky to have him.

I'm trying to think, who in baseball is the anti-Swisher? The most selfish, or surly? The guy who just gives off bad vibes even in interviews when trying to be 'on his best behavior'. Of course, this would be guess work. We don't really know these players.
But for me, some who put off that air of arrogance.
Some at the top of my list...
Josh Beckett
Hanley Ramirez
Russ Martin
Mat Latos

Who makes your list?

I'm trying to think, who in baseball is the anti-Swisher? The most selfish, or surly? The guy who just gives off bad vibes even in interviews when trying to be 'on his best behavior'. Of course, this would be guess work. We don't really know these players.
But for me, some who put off that air of arrogance.
Some at the top of my list...
Josh Beckett
Hanley Ramirez
Russ Martin
Mat Latos

Not sure this is exactly alond the lines your thinking, but what about ARod. The very best thing about him you could say is that he's pittiable. But when you think of the contempt he's shown for the game, not to mention the truth, hard to feel any sypmathy. Seems like a class A jerk.

OaktownSteve wrote:Not sure this is exactly alond the lines your thinking, but what about ARod. The very best thing about him you could say is that he's pittiable. But when you think of the contempt he's shown for the game, not to mention the truth, hard to feel any sympathy. Seems like a class A jerk.

Agreed.
He exudes arrogance. I remember a time when Bonds-haters couldn't wait for ARod to pass him in lifetime homers, so that the record wouldn't be tainted by a cheating jerk.
And look what happens...