Live Chat Today With Greg Ambrosius At 3 p.m. EST

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:49 am

Yeah, I'll handle this one today and I have a feeling the Nielsen ratings will be sky high. I can only stay for an hour as I forgot that I have an NL-only Experts Auction League later this afternoon. It's an online auction at www.fantasyauctioneer.com and I'm the defending champ. Honestly, I left that auction last year with what I thought was a terrible team, I barely made any in-season moves and I basically won wire-to-wire. It was one of those incredible teams where I had nary an injury, which is impossible to duplicate in a one league setup.

Anyways, I digress. I'm ready to handle today's chat, answer any and all questions about the NFBC, auction leagues or anything else. Even life in general, since I'm a guy that has seen it all.

Bring on the questions and I'll return after a healthy game of hoops. Don't make me sweat any more than I have to.

Quahogs · Post by **Quahogs** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:12 am

now why do images like this pop in my head ?

Nutty Scrats · Post by **Nutty Scrats** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:35 am

Hi Greg. Hope you weren't dunked on too much! Just curious when you draft when, if at any time, do you consider position scarcity? Or is it just best available player and let see how the chips fall. Just looking for different points of view. Thanks in advance.

Ed

Paperboys · Post by **Paperboys** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:48 am

Now that we seem to have 330, what are the odds that we get to see the draft orders before Monday?

Walla Walla · Post by **Walla Walla** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:50 am

Greg, Any truth to the rumor that a hit man is tracking down UFS??

[ March 09, 2006, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: Walla Walla ]

Red Sox Nation · Post by **Red Sox Nation** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:02 am

Hi Greg,

Besides the money "which is huge" have the previous two main event winners taken advantage of their fame? Were they invited to expert fanatsy leagues, etc?

Jason

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:24 am

Originally posted by Quahogs:

now why do images like this pop in my head ?

You obviously haven't been to Iola, Wisconsin recently, have you?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:28 am

Originally posted by Ed:

Hi Greg. Hope you weren't dunked on too much! Just curious when you draft when, if at any time, do you consider position scarcity? Or is it just best available player and let see how the chips fall. Just looking for different points of view. Thanks in advance.

Ed Ed, it's almost always best player available for me, but I'll admit that this year in serpentine drafts I've been taking a speed shortstop just about every time. Even in LABR this weekend, I wanted a speed shortstop in the NL, but the pricing was just too high for me. So my answer is that I'm aware of certain positions that fall off quickly, but if an outfielder is available with much more upside, I still take that player over another at a weaker position.

I would think most people draft that way.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:28 am

Originally posted by Paperboys:

Now that we seem to have 330, what are the odds that we get to see the draft orders before Monday?

It's possible, how's that for an answer?

Top Dawg · Post by **Top Dawg** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:34 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

quote:Originally posted by Paperboys:

Now that we seem to have 330, what are the odds that we get to see the draft orders before Monday?

It's possible, how's that for an answer?

[/QUOTE]I will take a slow "possible" over a fast "no" every time.

Pete

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:37 am

Originally posted by Walla Walla:

Greg, Any truth to the rumor that a hit man is tracking down UFS?? No need to pay to have that done. I'm too cheap for that.

I won't get into yesterday too much, but I think there are professional ways you can handle yourself on a board and still make your point. I didn't think that was the case yesterday. NOBODY wants to protect the integrity of this event more than me and we have done that so far and will continue to do that going forward. We realize that with four cities there's a chance that everything won't fall perfectly and teleconference hookups are possible. We can make those work without inconveniencing those who signed up early and we will do that. But posting things like "then I want a refund" and "have you checked with your partner (MLB)" wasn't what I expected from an NFBC member. Maybe I'm too sensitive, but I didn't think it was right and I'll just leave it at that.

If you snooze you lose. We may have to turn some folks away as we're obviously well above 330 right now. Tampa just won't fill perfectly, it looks, and thus we'll see what happens today and maybe tomorrow and see if 330 is the right number. But since nobody knows how I'm going to reach that total, nobody benefits from signing up last.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:43 am

Some Brewer Q's ...

Odds that G Jenkins stays heathly enough to get 500 quality (full-strength, not 1/2-injured) AB's?

Same for B Hall?

Are Capuano and Turnbow as good as they showed, or is a decline likely?

mgk2004 · Post by **mgk2004** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:43 am

Greg ... were you at the 1982 game when the Brewers clinched the World Series berth against the Angels? Just wondering if we may have run into each other on the field during the celebration! (I still have the infield dirt from County Stadium that I scooped up and put in my pocket that day) ...

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:44 am

Originally posted by Red Sox Nation:

Hi Greg,

Besides the money "which is huge" have the previous two main event winners taken advantage of their fame? Were they invited to expert fanatsy leagues, etc?

Jason Well, yes and no. Artie Rastelli was featured in Lindy's 2005 Baseball Annual and I tried hard to get him in LABR, but it didn't work. We didn't get Brian Oldenski enough publicity either, but I think he is touting the Baseball Forecaster as a tool that helped him win the NFBC.

I've said this before and I'll say it again, my ultimate goal is to create or acquire a fantasy sports online content site that will feature our champion gamers as columnists. Yeah, it's neat to read a column from an industry guy like myself or Tom or Nate Ravitz or someone else, but none of us have ever won $100,000 playing fantasy baseball. As a die-hard player, I want to read something from that dude!! And I want to read something from the Ultimate Auction League champion and something from one of the four back-to-back NFBC league champs. And I want to read a Top 100 voted on by the original members of the NFBC. That kind of stuff.

I'll settle down now, but that's what I envision for this division and I'll get it done someday.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:51 am

Originally posted by KJ Duke:

Some Brewer Q's ...

Odds that G Jenkins stays heathly enough to get 500 quality (full-strength, not 1/2-injured) AB's?

Same for B Hall?

Are Capuano and Turnbow as good as they showed, or is a decline likely? Jenkins is injury prone and won't stay healthy all year. Odds are against it. That's why it was important for Melvin to acquire Koskie as Hall can play everywhere and the team now has more depth and more versatility. Hall will get his 350+ at-bats, trust me. Watch Corey Hart as this guy could get a lot of outfield bats and will hit against left-handers while platooning with Fielder at first base. I happily nabbed him for $1 in NL LABR.

As for Capuano, his strikeouts were solid, his control was okay and he's still just 27. He won't win 18 again as he had 35 starts last year, but he will be solid, just not spectacular. Turnbow reminds me of Pete Vukovich in a lot of ways, although he obviously throws harder than Vuke ever did. I don't trust guys like Turnbow or Jenks, guys with good fastballs who suddenly put it all together. I stay away from them the next year, but that's just me.

Big Cat · Post by **Big Cat** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:53 am

Greg, at last years draft we got to meet Ed Kranpool which was really cool. Is any former baseball player set to be at the NYC Hilton on 3/18?

JohnZ · Post by **JohnZ** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:53 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

quote:Originally posted by Walla Walla:

Greg, Any truth to the rumor that a hit man is tracking down UFS?? No need to pay to have that done. I'm too cheap for that.

I won't get into yesterday too much, but I think there are professional ways you can handle yourself on a board and still make your point. I didn't think that was the case yesterday. NOBODY wants to protect the integrity of this event more than me and we have done that so far and will continue to do that going forward. We realize that with four cities there's a chance that everything won't fall perfectly and teleconference hookups are possible. We can make those work without inconveniencing those who signed up early and we will do that. But posting things like "then I want a refund" and "have you checked with your partner (MLB)" wasn't what I expected from an NFBC member. Maybe I'm too sensitive, but I didn't think it was right and I'll just leave it at that.

[/QUOTE]Tom was not very professional in his response to GG. His response violated Rule 16 and was plain rude.

It all started there and others feel the same way and have posted so today on that thread.

How's that for professional?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:54 am

Originally posted by mgk2004:

Greg ... were you at the 1982 game when the Brewers clinched the World Series berth against the Angels? Just wondering if we may have run into each other on the field during the celebration! (I still have the infield dirt from County Stadium that I scooped up and put in my pocket that day) ... Nope, I wasn't at Game 5. I didn't make it to any of the playoff or World Series games as I was an aspiring sports editor at the time making $9,800 a year. True story. But I lived in the outfield that summer and was there for the whole weekend series against Baltimore when we went up like four games with seven to play. We then went to Boston where I think Ned Yost hit the famous home run and then lost the first three games at Baltimore to fall to a tie with the Orioles heading into the final game of the regular season. I was glued to my TV that beautiful Sunday afternoon, just like I'm sure you were. Thank you Robin, Benjie and Sutton.

Big Cat · Post by **Big Cat** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:57 am

I think tom handeled it correctly. There was no reason for that guy to get so out of hand. Every year, for the past 2 years, Tom and Greg and the whole staff have handeled everything to do with this league Top Notch and I know that I am not the only owner who feels that way.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:58 am

I hate to jump into this but how exactly was my response to Gordon unprofessional and rude. I replied to the question with the correct answer. I think people here know that I'm neither unprofessional nor rude on these message boards. Honestly, to think that based on my response stuns me.

If Gordon has a problem with my answer he knows he can always talk to me personally. He and I have a very good relationship and I'd like to believe he knows I wouldn't be rude to him or treat him in an unprofessional manner.

Sorry for the hijack Greg.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:58 am

Originally posted by Big Cat:

Greg, at last years draft we got to meet Ed Kranpool which was really cool. Is any former baseball player set to be at the NYC Hilton on 3/18? No, we didn't do that this year. Several folks said they'd rather have some munchies available than a guest speaker, so that's what we're doing this year. It was tough for enough people to come early in New York and listen to our speaker and the same thing happened in Chicago. Even Vegas was tough because our guest speaker arrived during the Friday auction leagues when not everyone could hear him.

As we grow this event and work with MLB.com, we'll address this again and see how we can make the live events and the entire weekends more enjoyable. So anything is possible in the near future.

viper · Post by **viper** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:59 am

is it all right to make any comments about the 3/7 $500 league draft? spcifically a SURPISE early pick . .i think you know which one I'm talking about

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:00 am

Originally posted by UFS:

quote:Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:

quote:Originally posted by Walla Walla:

Greg, Any truth to the rumor that a hit man is tracking down UFS?? No need to pay to have that done. I'm too cheap for that.

I won't get into yesterday too much, but I think there are professional ways you can handle yourself on a board and still make your point. I didn't think that was the case yesterday. NOBODY wants to protect the integrity of this event more than me and we have done that so far and will continue to do that going forward. We realize that with four cities there's a chance that everything won't fall perfectly and teleconference hookups are possible. We can make those work without inconveniencing those who signed up early and we will do that. But posting things like "then I want a refund" and "have you checked with your partner (MLB)" wasn't what I expected from an NFBC member. Maybe I'm too sensitive, but I didn't think it was right and I'll just leave it at that.

[/QUOTE]Tom was not very professional in his response to GG. His response violated Rule 16 and was plain rude.

It all started there and others feel the same way and have posted so today on that thread.

How's that for professional?

[/QUOTE]Next question.

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:01 am

Originally posted by Big Cat:

I think tom handeled it correctly. There was no reason for that guy to get so out of hand. Every year, for the past 2 years, Tom and Greg and the whole staff have handeled everything to do with this league Top Notch and I know that I am not the only owner who feels that way. about 324 of us agree with you- it is a tough call but the person that is making the call has great judgment, no worries-

I thought your computer may give you an error messsage if you tried to type Kessenich and unprofessional in the same sentence but I was wrong.

viper · Post by **viper** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:02 am

is "hails from parts unknown" east or west of the mississippi???