Let's Talk

[DOUGHBOYS]

I want to start a thread where we can just talk about any baseball talk we want.
I'll bring up some subjects, but feel free to talk about whatever you want to concerning baseball.

I'm totally floored about Jose Ramirez this year. To me, he is the biggest surprise of 2017.
Judge, Bellinger, Mancini, and all the other rookies are pleasant, but there was no utter surprise. Each have shown signs of power in the minor leagues.
Ramirez has played like a first round choice at many positions.
Good for his owners.

Speaking of multi-positions, there seems to be a lot more positionality in players this year. I believe this is because most teams want more versatility in lineups.
It makes lineups much easier and for those that draft multi positional players as a priority, they may have to downgrade it as being a huge part of their game.

Gary Sanchez bat looks so short while Aaron Judge's bat looks long...

Doug Fister? Doug Fister?....

Martin Perez has won his last seven games.
He is one of those pitchers where we say, "If I FAAB him, he'll get blown up!"

I believe Joey Gallo will hit more home runs over his career than Aaron Judge.....

I still think that the World Series will be a re-match of the Indians and Cubs...

At this moment....Corey Kluber is the best pitcher in baseball...

With each passing year, I have less respect for the Mets 'organization'.....
So much so that I will 'nick' a player under draft consideration, for playing with the Mets...

I give players that don't play well for my fantasy teams, girls name.
Trea Turner turns to Tina Turner...
Eva Longoria, a natural....
Kevin Jepsen was Judy
Mean, but it makes me feel better when they make fantasy teams worse....

CC Sabathia thought it unfair that players would bunt on him....clearly taking advantage of a situation...
Sabathia now knows the angst of what his arrival means to the buffet owners in the NY area....

And a football note...
Two real good defenses and a 42-27 game...
The ball is juiced

[Gates]

In the "this one looks like a great matchup" category:

Bridwell facing Oakland back to back after a run of 8 of 9 starts with 2 or less earned Runs

Result: 13 ER in 6 innings

Corbin facing San Diego after a run of 2 ER in the last 35+ innings pitched

Result: 8 ER in 4 1/3 innings


Gates

[rkulaski]

Let's talk...

Does the premature draftulation league still exist and is it expected to start on October 2nd?
Or has Greg got dc signups up and running so early now that there is no longer a need/interest in the premature league ?

[DOUGHBOYS]

Let's talk...

Does the premature draftulation league still exist and is it expected to start on October 2nd?
Or has Greg got dc signups up and running so early now that there is no longer a need/interest in the premature league ?

Hi Rich, congratulations on a swell Main Event team!

The PreMature E-Draftulation League is getting together for yet another year.
As far as I know the signups for DC's will still have to wait until October.
The planned first draft choice for the PreMature will be on September 30.
As always, I will post the first few rounds on the Message Boards and the scribes in the league will use the draft for articles of their own.

I believe there will be a good amount of turnover in the first round.
Here is the top 15 from last years draft....

1 Trout, Mike (OF,UTL, LAA)
2 Betts, Mookie (OF,UTL, Bos)
3 Kershaw, Clayton (P, LAD)
4 Altuve, Jose (2B,MI,UTL, Hou)
5 Bryant, Kris (3B,OF,CI,UTL, ChC)
6 Arenado, Nolan (3B,CI,UTL, Col)
7 Goldschmidt, Paul (1B,CI,UTL, Ari)
8 Machado, Manny (3B,SS,MI,CI,UTL, Bal)
9 Harper, Bryce (OF,UTL, Was)
10 Turner, Trea (2B,SS,OF,MI,UTL, Was)
11 Donaldson, Josh (3B,CI,UTL, Tor)
12 Scherzer, Max (P, Was)
13 Rizzo, Anthony (1B,2B,MI,CI,UTL, ChC)
14 Bumgarner, Madison (P, SF)
15 Correa, Carlos (SS,MI,UTL, Hou)

Bumgarner will get punished for being a poor dirt bike rider.
Bryant will get punished for not following up on an MVP year.
Donaldson will get punished for not being the past Josh Donaldson.
Trea Turner will get punished for diminished positionality and not showing the power from last year and showing us his hospital side.
Correa will get punished for missing time.

It should be interesting to see who replaces these players.

Every year during drafting season, the term 30-30 is thrown around loosely.
Again, unless a player goes on a home run or stolen base binge, there will be no 30-30 player.
The closest would be Altuve with a 23/31 output.
As of today, there are only three players who have achieved 20-20 status.
Altuve, Elvis Andrus, and (knock me over with a feather) Mike Trout.

Trout's status as the number one pick in most drafts is secure.
As is Altuve's top five status.
Andrus will soar in this year's coming drafts.

CAN'T WAIT!

[DOUGHBOYS]

Doubling up....

Only one of the top 20 doubles leaders in Major League Baseball has 30 home runs....Nolan Arenado

Mike Napoli has 29 homers.....11 doubles

Jose Peraza has 116 hits....only nine are doubles

Albert Pujols has 14 doubles. It will be the lowest total in Pujols career.
Pujols is at the point of his baseball life where he needs to hit a triple to get a double.

Miguel Cabrera's doubles (21) will be his lowest output since his rookie year.
His strike outs (100), even with less at bats, will match his usual yearly output,
His batting average (.250) will be the lowest of his career.
Raise your hand if wanting to start your 2018 team with Miguel Cabrera.
Yeah, me neither.

AJ Pollock has 27 doubles, six triples, and nine home runs.
42 of his 93 hits have gone for extra bases.
His owners are still scratching their heads that, somehow, Pollock has only had 32 rbi.

Alcides Escobar has 30 doubles. That is the only good thing I can say about Alcides Escobar.
Escobar has four homers and four stolen bases (CS, five times)
Escobar is a volume play.
You see, Alcides Escobar has not missed a game this year.
For other players, this would be considered a feat.
For me, it leaves me to question the sanity of his Manager.

[rkulaski]

Thanks Dan on the compliment to my ME team. Would you believe I'm third in the league?

If a spot is open or opens in the premature league, I'd like to throw my name into the ring. I participated in the first premature league (if my memory is correct) and would like to give it another go.

If there aren't any spots open, I'll enjoy seeing results from the first few rounds.

Speaking of Andrus, I did an Andy Saxton auction in February. Started with Altuve, added B Hamilton early as well. Midway through the auction I bid $9 for andrus. Thought to myself what I am I doing... he just didn't fit the construct of the team. Last thing I needed was more speed and no power. He's had some year!

[headhunters]

hey- my K- i know i had a bad year- but at least give me credit for drafting blackmon in round 1 at pick 13. maybe those picks were from one of your other 200 drafts!

[headhunters]

ya- we need to get Rich in this league- if no one drops out- do you want to share a team Rich? $62.50 each!

[Deadheadz]

Speaking of multi-positions, there seems to be a lot more positionality in players this year. I believe this is because most teams want more versatility in lineups.
It makes lineups much easier and for those that draft multi positional players as a priority, they may have to downgrade it as being a huge part of their game.

We saw 2 more players last night join the 2018 multi-eligible player ranks, Wilmer Difo and Jose Martinez.
That brings the number of players with at least 20GP in at least 2 positions to: 50

Add to that another 22 who are 1-5 games away from gaining their 2nd positon eligible for 2018. Okay a few like Freddie Freeman are nearly guaranteed to not gain M/E status.

Of the 50 already multi-eligible 28 of them have Second Base plus at least one more position.
After 2B, only OF (24) and 3B (23) have more that 20 players who are multi-eligible.

[DOUGHBOYS]

I've had 10 replies out of 15.
So far, everybody is coming back.

Don Mathis (probably having trouble in Florida)
Lawrence Liebman (bad e-mail address?)
John Pausma
Gary Cutler
Scott Waggoner

Those five have still not responded in case they haven't checked their email and come across this post.

[rkulaski]

ya- we need to get Rich in this league- if no one drops out- do you want to share a team Rich? $62.50 each!

Hey Mike thanks . Got an email from Dan that there was a spot open for me. I think I'm all set. Appreciate the offer as I would've taken you up on it .

[rkulaski]

As of today, there are only three players who have achieved 20-20 status.
Altuve, Elvis Andrus, and (knock me over with a feather) Mike Trout.

Paul, Tommy, and Whit knocking at the door of the 20-20 club.
Whit has a fair chance to join Jose as an exclusive member of the 20-30 club this year.