JD Fantasy Baseball 2006

[Rob]

Yeah - given my luck they'll tack 5 games on because Barrett had the audacity to appeal.

[Rob]

"Damon said his hamstring problem was connected to his lower back problem. It has nothing to do with his aching left shoulder, his painful right elbow or the cracked bone in his right foot."

Looks like my team is as banged up as Dressel, the difference being that I've got one guy who's injured 5 times instead of 5 guys who are injured once.

[Dressel Rebel]

"Damon said his hamstring problem was connected to his lower back problem. It has nothing to do with his aching left shoulder, his painful right elbow or the cracked bone in his right foot."

Looks like my team is as banged up as Dressel, the difference being that I've got one guy who's injured 5 times instead of 5 guys who are injured once.

Man, I don't know.  You're getting to be even with me maybe, but perhaps just because my team is healing.  Take a look at players I've had/have and their injuries:

C   Josh Willingham - strained hand, DL'd and dropped
1B  Jim Thome - strained groin, missed games, missing interleague games
2B  Jorge Cantu - Lost 1 1/2 months with broken foot
3B  Eric Chavez - lost time with infection, pulled ass and hamstring
SS  Felipe Lopez -  HEALTH 
OF  Gary Sheffield - Torn up wrist, out for the year, dropped
OF  Carlos Beltran - Missed 3 weeks with hammy, knee
OF  Carl Crawford -  Missed time with shoulder, knee
OF  Jonny Gomes - sitting with shoulder ailment, BA plummeted 60 points
OF  Nick Swisher -  HEALTH
SP  Rich Harden -  Missed a month with pulled back, now 2 more months with elbow
SP  Ben Sheets -  Brewers just need to admit they murdered him and buried his body
SP  Jake Peavy - shoulder tendinitis
SP  Mark Prior - yet to pitch this season
RP  Eric Gagne - elbow ****** up, DL'd and dropped

The one element of my team that has remained healthy, as it will reflect in my league leading saves, is my closer corp.  Um, except Gagne.


Let's see your's Zod

 

[Dressel Rebel]

Yesterday on my way to work I was thinking about the way I was playing fantasy baseball in the 90's, with a group of guys in school.  We did the stats manually, every Sunday with the USA Today Baseball section.  By Sunday night we had to call in our lineups for the week, so it was beneficial to call in your starting pitchers who had 2 starts in the week (i.e. Mike Scott pitches Monday, then Saturday).

I can remember maybe 1 or 2 times tops that I ever had to call the commish and bench someone for an injury.  And this is over years and years of fantasy baseball.  It just seemed like nobody ever got injured like this back then.

I really think the parade of chemicals like steroids these guys are on is weakening their ability to battle injury, and recover from them.

Back in the early 90's, a Superstar player was one who hit .300 with 30 HR  100 RBI, or someone who would hit *GASP*  .330 at the plate.  Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs used to go in the first couple rounds because they would hit .330 and hit 15 HRs to boot!!  Bobby Bonilla was a stud.  Joe Carter and Andre Dawson were our A-Rods and Pujols.

All these drugs are inflating the hell out of the numbers, but I think it's also increasing the need to add on new wings to the infirmary.

[Morgbug]

I wish I could complain about injuries.  My guys seem like they think June is a holiday month   Brutal output, save my starting pitchers last week. 

[Dressel Rebel]

I wish I could complain about injuries.  My guys seem like they think June is a holiday month   Brutal output, save my starting pitchers last week. 

I was thinking about your offense when I was observing A-Rod's offensive struggles during the Yankee games.  I pull away from you in HRs a little when he suffers a power outage.  When he is hitting HRs, you're right on my ass in that department.

Your pitching has been much better, I've watched your ERA and WHIP drop over the past couple weeks.

Obviously as you can see from the above list, I have 4 aces who are big time W, K, ERA, WHIP guys who really got whacked with injuries.  At the end of April I thought I would be dominating all 5 pitching categories by now.  Clearly, that hasn't happened.

However, with the acquisition of AJ Burnett, Mark Prior coming back this Sunday (both fanned 10 batters at AAA rehab starts this week, Burnett no hit the bastards), Rich Harden declaring he'll be ready right after the All-Star game, I still think that my pitching rotation could be the juggernaut in this league and be dominant through September.

But then again, I thought that in April 

[Rob]

My injury situation is at least ten times worse than Dressel's


Matsui - who blew his wrist into a million pieces.

Brian Roberts missed a few weeks with a groin pull - he's back but isn't performing at the level that he was before.

Damon, despite 5 separate nagging injuries, hasn't missed many games - hopefully he won't start to.

Halladay missed a few starts early in the year.



I mean, I could barely count all that on one hand.

[Dressel Rebel]

I've heard enough out of you 


One rare ray of sunshine did poke through the clouds today though:

Jun 16 Harden (elbow) could resume throwing late next week after team doctors determined the ligament sprain wasn't as severe as initially thought, the Contra Costa Times reports.


Thank goodness I didn't drop him last week in favor of the Big Disappointment (see Scott's pitching rotation now).

Why is Harden significant?

Last year: 2.53 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 121 K's/128 IP, 10-5 (injury shortened year)

Now, hows abouts them 3 other starters who are supposed to be producing those numbers...

[Rob]

Now, hows abouts them 3 other starters who are supposed to be producing those numbers...

See:  Mark Teixeria

[Dressel Rebel]

Now, hows abouts them 3 other starters who are supposed to be producing those numbers...

See:  Mark Teixeria

Well, Peavy, Sheets, and Prior are just injured. 

Teixeira is healthy.  He is going to go on a rampage at some point this year and finish with nice numbers.

[Rob]

Maybe that explosion is about to happen...

Teixeira working on glitch in swing

ARLINGTON – With an assist from hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo, Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira said he's identified the mechanical issue in his swing that has caused a significant drop in run production.

Now comes the tough part: fixing it.

Teixeira and Jaramillo spent a lot of time together on the just-completed road trip trying to create a little more lift when Teixeira hits the ball. Teixeira said his swing is flattening out as he approaches balls, and the head-on impact leads to line drives, but not fly balls that can carry.

Looks like he just earned himself another few weeks of fantasy playing time...

[Morgbug]

Bah....

[Rob]

I appreciate the offer Brent, but the only person I'd consider trading him for on your roster is Rodriguez - despite my incessant bitching about his lack of production so far.

And a trade for A-Rod is problematic for me (even if you were willing to give him up) because I've got two solid 3B already in Wright and Rolen.

Let me know if you want to trade Hernandez... I still can't freaking believe I cut him over Barrett - probably because I had him on my team last year and he got injured and never really did much for me.

[Dressel Rebel]

On May 7th Ben Sheets had an MRI that concluded his shoulder was structurally sound.  Fast forward 5 weeks.  Where the **** is he?  Still no timetable for his return.

[Dressel Rebel]

Well my Randy Johnson for Brett Myers trade with Scott is complete, and tomorrow, they pitch head to head!  Should be a fun watch on ESPN, 7 PM, Phils vs. Yankees.


I have to say Scott, your move really boggles my mind.  Granted, Brett Myers had 2 rough outings in the past 1 1/2 weeks.  But prior to that, he had a 2.90 ERA on the year and a 1.27 WHIP.  60 K's in just under 80 IP, not bad.  Last year Myers was one of 8 major leaguers to strike out 200 batters as well.

Look at Randy Johnson.  His ERA was double that.  He's 43.  He is not Roger Clemens.  Randy Johnson is a straight up has been.  Oh he's awful.


With the Myers move, suddenly my rotation is gearing up for lights out domination:

Jake Peavy
Rich Harden (All Star break return)
AJ Burnett
Mark Prior
Ben Sheets (All Star break return)
Brett Myers
--------------------
Josh Johnson (if necessary)
Dan Haren ( if necessary)


Soon we will be seeing what we should have been seeing before all the injuries hit in April.

Be ready for a dramatic change in the standings in the 2nd half.