NFBC Weekly Profile - Stephen Jupinka

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:39 am

If there’s a common denominator to first-place teams in fantasy baseball this year it may very well be Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez was the value pick to beat all value picks. Although he was a top-flight starter going into most drafts, few could have predicted the level of dominance he has delivered so far this season.

As a result, Jimenez owners are likely doing a lot of watching from atop of their league standings this year. So it’s no surprise that with $100,000 on the line in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship, there’s a Jimenez owner sitting atop that event’s standing as well.

Stephen Jupinka can only hope the ride lasts a couple more months.

Jupinka is an NFBC veteran who is enjoying one of his finest seasons ever in the Classic event. As of Tuesday morning, he remained in first place in the event due in large part to the impressive impact Jimenez has delivered thus far.

“It’s like something in that game in the 90s. Where’s Ubaldo?” he said. “Find the team with Ubaldo on it and most likely that team is near the top of the standings. He probably has 30 percent of the team’s wins and is propping up ERA and WHIP in a big way. I was familiar with him from last year so when I needed a starting pitcher in my draft, he was there and I took him.”

Smart move, without a doubt.

This isn’t Jupinka’s first brush with the top of the NFBC’s overall standings. He spent two months atop the leaderboard in 2008.

“I even had a 300-point lead in late July,” he recalled.

If that experience taught him anything, however, it’s that there is still plenty of baseball left to be played before the $100,000 winner is determined.

“Thinking of the $100,000 is pure folly – especially in June,” he said. “Players’ production dies. What led you up probably won’t be the ones who keep you up. You need to integrate fresh blood but it’s hard to juggle with a seven-man reserve. I do like how my team is constructed, though.”

The team construction has worked well to date despite Jupinka faltering on his closer’s approach. Although Francisco Rodriguez has been his usual stellar self, drafting Brad Lidge in the 13th round hasn’t worked out as well.

“I had him in 2008 too,” Jupinka said. “I pulled a Bruce (Springsteen) and I was trying to recapture a little of that glory of. I just don’t do closers well.

“What has worked is that out of my first 16 picks, only Asdrubal Cabrera, Lidge and Jorge De La Rosa were duds. The rest have worked out well. Every once in a while, the pitcher lines one up the gap.”

Jupinka has also done well working the Waiver Wire. Among his top additions in free agency so far have been Angel Pagan, Jason Vargas and Trevor Cahil.

“I’m in a league with a lot of tough NFBC veterans so I came up short (in free-agent bidding) quite a few times,” he said.

A longtime fantasy player, Jupinka is married with three children. He works as a controller for a commodity trading company on Wall Street.

It’s no surprise to see Jupinka residing near the top of the NFBC standings considering he has long been one of the top players in the event. He began the year ranking 16th on the NFBC’s All-Time Money Winner’s List.

Not only is he enjoying a standout season in the Classic, he’s also currently third in the Auction Championship as well.

“This was my first NFBC auction,” he said. “Shawn Childs’ prices were spot on but I spent too much too fast. Getting Pujols, Crawford and Upton left me scrambling for the $1 bin way too soon.

“The overall (auction) title is a tall order. (Michael Cortese) has built a monster and I can’t fathom adding on another 200 points to catch him. I’ll take my chances in the Main instead.”

That’s probably not what everyone else in the Classic wanted to hear.

[ June 23, 2010, 08:06 AM: Message edited by: Tom Kessenich ]

LONG GONE · Post by **LONG GONE** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 6:43 am

WOW Stephen Jupinka!

This article was the best one! That Steve Jupinka his a maundering day fantasy legend. He reminds me of Derek Jeter, just wins everything. It's nice to see a write up on the legend.

Most run to see how Childs teams are built. I run to see how Jupinka's are built. I've looked at this Jupinka's teams for years and they are constructed year in and year out better then any one's. Team Construction is this guy's middle name. He's an absolute master.

Greg!!! We need to get Jupinka on some of these pre season chats.

eddiejag · Post by **eddiejag** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 7:34 am

I agree with Long Gone Jupinka is one of the best at putting teams together and running the waiver wire.Im in the same NJ main league with him and its been a blast competing againest him.After doing a draft he is always a team i will look at and keep close dibs on as the season goes on.

good luck running your teams, Eddie G

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:02 am

Originally posted by LONG GONE:

WOW Stephen Jupinka!

This article was the best one! That Steve Jupinka his a maundering day fantasy legend. He reminds me of Derek Jeter, just wins everything. It's nice to see a write up on the legend.

Most run to see how Childs teams are built. I run to see how Jupinka's are built. I've looked at this Jupinka's teams for years and they are constructed year in and year out better then any one's. Team Construction is this guy's middle name. He's an absolute master.

Greg!!! We need to get Jupinka on some of these pre season chats. I agree, Steve is one of the all-time best at this game and we will make him a star this off-season on Sirius, in our magazines and in our Live Chats. He's our Lifetime Standings leader BEFORE this year, so he's certainly no hidden gem. He's been good year-in and year-out and he knows how to win league titles. Now he's trying to win the overall.

The one thing I admire about Steve is that no matter if he drafts early in the year or late in the year, in auctions or Draft Champions or main events, his teams are always RIGHT THERE. He rarely has any clunkers. He's always in the money and competing for titles.

Take a look at his roster this year and you'll see what I mean:

1st in Las Vegas League 5 of the main event, 1st overall

2nd in Atlantic City 2 of the main event

2nd in the 3/21 Super League

1st in the Atlantic City Auction, 3rd overall

1st in the $325 Slow Draft League #1

4th in the $325 Slow Draft League #2 (top three win free entries)

4th in the $325 Sow Draft League #3

2nd in $125 Slow Draft

5th in $125 Slow Draft

And best of all, he's a better guy than he is a fantasy player!!

He's the type of person and player we're proud to have in the NFBC and you are right Kelly, we need to promote him more during the off-season. And the good news is that we'll be able to do that with Steve and all of our top players thanks to the association with Sirius/XM and our own magazines. We're going to have a lot of fun this off-season, but there's still a lot of season to be played before then.

Congrats Steve on the fast starts, but remember that finish line is still a long ways off in the horizon!!

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:40 am

I'm sure Steve won't mind this call-out in his thread, but as I looked up all of Steve's teams I noticed another owner who is having a solid, solid NFBC season and is going h2h with Quahogs in several of these leagues. I hope he doesn't mind the shout-out, but kudos to Rick Thomas of Lewes, Delaware, who is also having another solid season.

RT's 2010 resume looks like this so far:

1st 3/21 Super League

1st Shawn Childs League

1st $325 Slow Draft League #3

1st Live Double Play 3/28

2nd $325 Slow Draft League #2

2nd Online Double Play 4/4

3rd Las Vegas League 4 main event, 38th overall

6th Diamond League, 5 points out of third

That's some doing against some tough, tough competition. Kudos to RT on another solid start.

I've had the time to look at a lot of league standings today and it's been fun. I see a LOT of familiar names at the top of league standings, but there's also a lot of new names, too. That's what makes the NFBC so much fun to compete in. Good luck all the rest of the way.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 8:56 am

Every time I see the Jupinka name, my mind plays the theme song from Jaws.

Spartacus · Post by **Spartacus** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 1:28 pm

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Every time I see the Jupinka name, my mind plays the theme song from Jaws. I met him in Vegas this year Dan. Really a very nice guy, y'know the kind you don't mind losing to. Which, come to think of it, is actually pretty convenient

Glenneration X · Post by **Glenneration X** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 1:38 pm

Again...how annoying is this guy?

Not only don't I want to be in the same league with Jupinka, I don't even want to be in the contest. You know one top spot is already taken.

As I stated a little differently earlier in another thread....

Steve, just freakin' impressive.

Glenn

Spartacus · Post by **Spartacus** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 1:52 pm

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Every time I see the Jupinka name, my mind plays the theme song from Jaws. I met him in Vegas this year Dan. Really a very nice guy, y'know the kind you don't mind losing to. Which, come to think of it, is actually pretty convenient

Quahogs · Post by **Quahogs** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:11 pm

Great job Tom. It took you no time to turn my drivel into something interesting. You ever write for a living ?

Thanks for the nice words guys. Means alot coming from such quality folks.

You may want to hold off on that appearance contract Greg. All that good cheer went down the turlet thanks to Niese tonite. Have him in 4 big NFBC leagues. Huge lead, great game thru 3. Rain? great.

Mets lead up to 10-0 but takes 1/2 hour to do it. He comes out for the 4th

But oh he's not quite the same

Night ruined.

Edwards Kings · Post by **Edwards Kings** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:06 pm

Way to go, Steve! Excellent draft, excellent in season management! And a nice guy too!

rkulaski · Post by **rkulaski** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:07 pm

I don't know Stephen at all but congratulations on a great start with all your teams as you near the half way point... GREAT GREAT season so far.

Good luck too in the main for the 100k. My main even team is downright horrible! At least my other teams are doing well so I am having a mini-quahog-esque type season.

By the end of the 2010 season, if Quahogs finishes strong, is he the best NFBCer of the decade?

[ June 24, 2010, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: rkulaski ]

swampass · Post by **swampass** » Thu Jun 24, 2010 1:48 pm

congratulations on the weekly win. any chance that the overall standings will add a weekly breakdown? it would be great to see how your team stats match up vs the overall numbers. this was a very fun feature last year and im sad to see it no longer available.

are there still features under work? or is this the final product for the year?

thanks.. and best of luck the rest of the way.. jut not too much...