Live Chat With Greg Thursday At 2 p.m. EST

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:29 am

Originally posted by Joe Sambito:

Who is 2nd for line for saves in SF? I have no faith in Benitez, but the rest of that bullpen is rather ugly. What is your best guess, Robb Nen? I don't think they have a clue right now and that's something that spring training will decide - if not the regular season. I really think Benitez gets traded.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:30 am

Originally posted by The Lollygaggers:

With the Cubs signing LH Cliff Floyd, how many at-bats do you think RH Matt Murton will get this year? He's going to lose ABs to Floyd without question. But he'll still start 4-5 times a week and will log plenty of ABs. So don't push the panic button on Murton. He's still a good sleeper pick and you know Floyd won't stay healthy.

Vander · Post by **Vander** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:35 am

Originally posted by Chest Rockwell:

quote:Originally posted by Joe Sambito:

Who is 2nd for line for saves in SF? I have no faith in Benitez, but the rest of that bullpen is rather ugly. What is your best guess, Robb Nen? I like Greg Minton- remember him he went like 2 and a half years without giving up a homerun in the early 80's.

I do not think Greg or anyone on the planet has a good answer to your question. To me Brian Sabean is the most overrated GM in the game. [/QUOTE]Sabean is awful. If he has a plan it's invisible to me. Steve Phillips was awful too. Most teams have no chance with out a good gm. This is where to insert a picture of Tampa's gm's both past and present. The Yanks and Red Sox are not their biggest problems. A good look in the mirror might help.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:59 am

Okay, I'm alive and well. I had Tom help me with some of the questions because I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it back for this. But I'm here and I'll take a crack at these questions as well and you can compare notes. Keep 'em coming as I have an hour to do this. Thanks everyone.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:02 am

Here is a question to top the hour...which team will be the most active trading or trading for players in the spring?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:03 am

Originally posted by bjoak:

Are there any updates on what sponsors will be providing NFBC goodies this year and what we will get? The free bar at the draft is a favorite of mine. Can't remember if I ate a doughnut last year, but I'm pretty sure ESPN wireless won't be back. Okay, I have to take this one first because it's nearest and dearest to my belly. Trust me, I like the drink sponsors more than you guys!

Here's the deal: The Department of Justice has wiped out the offshore gambling sites faster than anything we've ever seen the government do. The bust last week of NETeller founders has basically killed the offshore industry for now. There are no sponsors lined up for our event at this point and obviously we'll have to try to align ourselves with more traditional companies as the other well is dried up and gone. We sure hope to provide the goodies we've done in the past, but as I sit here now I honestly can tell you that it's possible we won't be able to do it. We'll keep trying and figure out something.

Our industry is facing a seismic change right now and it's affecting everyone. Consolidation is going on big time right now and the smaller sites that had free content and relied on those ad dollars are now looking for partners. I've been in this industry for 18 years and I've never seen such change in the past four months that I've seen now.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:05 am

Let's make a deal! I am pretending to be a MLB GM and like many of our favorites, I cannot locate my own backside with both hands, but I know I need an outfielder. Which team has a glut of ML calibre outfielders that I can beg them to trade me?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:07 am

Originally posted by Gordon Gekko:

greg - some player questions...

1. what type of production do you expect from andy marte

2. who gets more saves wickman or m.gonzalez

3. Garza or Bonser

4. can oliver perez be dominant again this year

5. does Greinke rebound this year Let me try a few here:

1. Marte obviously has talent and the physical skills, but this is definitely a work in progress. I think even the Indians will admit that. He's still just 23 and he progressed well at each level the longer he played there. He was awful when he was first called up to Cleveland last year and settled in a bit, but I see a .260 average at best this year with maybe 15 homers. Too much of a work in progress for my tastes.

bjoak · Post by **bjoak** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:08 am

Greg, how has the result of the CDM lawsuit affected the fantasy industry so far?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:11 am

Originally posted by Gordon Gekko:

greg - some player questions...

1. what type of production do you expect from andy marte

2. who gets more saves wickman or m.gonzalez

3. Garza or Bonser

4. can oliver perez be dominant again this year

5. does Greinke rebound this year 2. Wickman, but Gonzalez has the best upside. This is it for Wickman before he just eats himself out of the league. Funny sidenote: My sister is actually his interior decorator at his palace in Wisconsin!! True story. She told me after the 2005 season he was going to retire. So much for inside information!

3. Bonser. He's a year ahead on the curve.

4. No. The control was better during his time with the Mets, but he's not fooling anyone anymore. 129 hits in 112 innings means he's coming in with that straight fastball too often.

5. Yes. Whatever personal problems he had last year hopefully are gone and he should have actually been promoted in September, but the Royals didn't want to lose that year of eligibility. He will rebound in 2007.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:11 am

Originally posted by Tom Kessenich:

quote:Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

I believe you posted that we are losing Tom to NY this year. Who will be the boss in the world renown "Home of the 2007 NFBC Champion" (Tampa)? Steve Bloedow will be running the event from Tampa. Scott Kelnhoffer will be hosting things in Chicago. [/QUOTE]Great! I look forward to meeting Steve and be sure to remind him that we get one free drink ticket for every year we have participated in the main event!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:15 am

Originally posted by BudFox:

Give me the Ben Sheets 2007 stats? After season is over do you think he gets tradded to the Yankees? We projected 13 wins, 189 Ks, a 3.66 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Now, to win 13 games he'd have to start 30, since you know he'll finish under .500 (13-14, likely!). That's almost an impossibility, considering he started 17 games last year. But it's possible that he could start 25 games, go 13-8 and average a strikeout per inning. I probably won't have him on any of my teams this year, but I wouldn't mind grabbing him.

No way he goes to the Yankees. With today's astronomical prices, Sheets is now a bargain for Milwaukee.

The Lollygaggers · Post by **The Lollygaggers** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:18 am

Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

Let's make a deal! I am pretending to be a MLB GM and like many of our favorites, I cannot locate my own backside with both hands, but I know I need an outfielder. Which team has a glut of ML calibre outfielders that I can beg them to trade me? Ding! Ding! Ding! Who are the Milwaukee Brewers? Mench, Jenkins & Brady Clark crowd an outfield that already has Hall & Hart good enough to hold down starting positions. All three should be on the table to anyone looking for another OF. As a bonus, Clark can play CF.

RODGER · Post by **RODGER** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:19 am

GREG--

With regards to FREE AGENT BIDDING, will you be implementing the adjustment to enable more legitimate conditional scenarios as was suggested last year? Specifically, will the method for placing bids be changed from the system of the past, with the emphasis for each bid on the player to be acquired, to the more appropriate format where the emphasis of each bid is on the player to be released?

As you know, this change unquestionably gives all teams more flexibility and has a truly zero negative effect of any kind.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:19 am

Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

Greg,

From what you have seen in the two or three months you have been participating/witnessing mock drafts/magazine drafts/guru drafts, whose stock is on the risk (i.e. being picked earlier and earlier) and whose stock is on the decline (slipping a few picks or a round) since the end of last season? Good question. There's no doubt that Chase Utley's stock has risen as fantasy players have noticed the HUGE dropoff at second base after him. He's definitely going in the Top 10 these days, usually at 7, 8 or 9. I have the eighth pick on Tuesday in an experts league draft and would take him there again, just like I did last month.

I think Jason Bay has fallen more than I expected. In Tuesday's NFBC draft, he went 26th, which I think was a bargain. Despite the steals, Chone Figgins seems to keep dropping, too. Again, on Tuesday in the NFBC draft he went 37th. I know he didn't have the same season as 2005, but 2006 wasn't THAT disastrous, was it?

Those are just a few I've seen.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:24 am

How will the surgery Podsednik recently had impact his value? I mean, I know it can't hurt and the ChiSox haven't that enamored with him anyway, but given his speed potential, does he move out of the top 10 rounds?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:25 am

Originally posted by bjoak:

Greg, how has the result of the CDM lawsuit affected the fantasy industry so far? Whoa, I'll grab this one next.

Well, the CDM lawsuit obviously was a positive for fantasy companies as it finally settled the dispute over who has the rights to statistics of finished games. However, ALL of the leagues have joined MLB and the MLBPA in the appeals process and they joined together in an amicus brief to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month, so the question still hangs over the industry. They definitely have an uphill battle to get the initial decision overturned, but you'll see some games licensed this year and some that aren't.

The NFBC continues to be licened by MLBAM and we are working with them to get added exposure on MLB.com. We were licensed by the NFL Players Association for football in 2006 and we'll see what happens this year.

Interestingly, the lack of a barrier to entry could create a Wild, Wild West this football season in the high-stakes marketplace. With no license to apply for, anyone can promote a big dollar game and probably promote the biggest grand prize they can come up with. It's going to be a buyer beware season for fantasy players, that's for sure. I'm not saying all of the newcomers won't be responsible, I'm just saying that this decision allows most anyone to enter without that barrier that was there before.

This has a long ways to go yet, but CDM definitely won the first round. We'll see what happens.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:26 am

Originally posted by The Lollygaggers:

quote:Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

Let's make a deal! I am pretending to be a MLB GM and like many of our favorites, I cannot locate my own backside with both hands, but I know I need an outfielder. Which team has a glut of ML calibre outfielders that I can beg them to trade me? Ding! Ding! Ding! Who are the Milwaukee Brewers? Mench, Jenkins & Brady Clark crowd an outfield that already has Hall & Hart good enough to hold down starting positions. All three should be on the table to anyone looking for another OF. As a bonus, Clark can play CF. [/QUOTE]What would the Brewers want in return? They seem to have quality (Koskie?) or young talent at about every position.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:28 am

Originally posted by Edwards Kings:

I believe you posted that we are losing Tom to NY this year. Who will be the boss in the world renown "Home of the 2007 NFBC Champion" (Tampa)? Yeah, here's the starting lineup for us this year:

Las Vegas: Myself, Jill and Chris Adamski

New York: Tom, Mary and a new guy, Chris Nerat

Tampa: Scott Kelnhofer (was in NY last year) and crew

Chicago: Steve Bloedow and Scott Fragale

We obviously have other KP workers and temp helpers in each city, but that's the starting lineup. If we can land a title sponsor, we'll work on those liquid refreshments!

Kimo · Post by **Kimo** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:29 am

Greg,

It looks like MLB has sold the rights to DirecTV

Extra Innings only on DirecTV.

DirecTV is available to about 15 million subsribes.

Cable is available to about 75 million.

Do you think this will hurt the growth and fanbase of baseball and fantasy baseball might take a hit.

I will miss watching 5 games at a time.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:32 am

Originally posted by Top Dawg:

Is this the year "King" Felix earns his crown (lets say 16 wins, 200K's and a sub 3.75 ERA)? You know what, I really think it is. If you watched him pitch last year, he just looked like a confident kid who thought he had the stuff to walk on the mound and beat anyone. I'm not sure he had a game plan with each hitter and as a result he threw a lot of pitches per inning trying to strike everyone out. I thought he was too cute and I can remember watching some games where he had thrown 90+ pitches by the fifth inning. I really think those were 191 strenuous innings last year.

This year he needs to allow more balls to be hit early in the count and not try to strike out everyone. He still will be 20 on Opening Day and his future is incredibly bright. I think everything is in his favor (ballpark, talent, health) and this could be a very, very solid year for King Felix.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:36 am

Originally posted by Joe Sambito:

Who is 2nd for line for saves in SF? I have no faith in Benitez, but the rest of that bullpen is rather ugly. What is your best guess, Robb Nen? I don't have the answer to this one yet. Tyler Walker again?? Maybe. Or would they convert a rookie like Todd Linecum to that role? Probably not, but it bears watching.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:38 am

Originally posted by The Lollygaggers:

With the Cubs signing LH Cliff Floyd, how many at-bats do you think RH Matt Murton will get this year? Better question: How many at-bats will Floyd get? That guy was a mess last year. Murton had 455 at-bats last year and showed enough promise to keep him in left field fulltime. I can't predict it will happen, but the Cubs have a good thing going in Murton and they should just let this 25-year-old progress. I'll say 400, but I'm sure the under will win.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:39 am

Greg - will the bars of NY get me to drink too much?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:41 am

Greg - who does better in the main event this year...me, cc despadros, or eddie gillis? Be honest. Thanks