Spewings by Snot

(Note from Blog - from time to time Blog will allow other members of the CPL / VAFL to contribute to Blog's awesomness. Here is the first submission from Snot on the Ball. If anyone would like to be heard, please let Blog know and submit away)

Well, we’ve arrived at the 3 most boring sports days of the year. A time when we can literally feel the fantasy withdrawal in our blood. I can’t tell you how upsetting it is to check my team and see nothing but empty space next to all my guys. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from still checking my team 12 times a day. Anyway, I thought I’d throw in my 2¢ about some random stuff.

▪ There is no “cents” key on the keyboard. You need to open the Character Map to find the symbol. I would have never have guessed. Have we become a nation opposed to “change”?

▪ I’m re-watching “Band of Brothers” with the wife this week. So far I’ve noticed Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), James McAvoy (The Chronicles of Narnia, Wanted) and Tom Hanks (If you pause at the 31:47 mark of “Crossroads” you can see him in the upper left of the screen) show up at random times. This is still the greatest thing that has ever been put to film.

▪ Terry Francona is the coolest guy in Boston sports today. He deserves so much credit for all he does. Class.

▪ It’s great how much you can goof off when your boss is in another state for the day (he he he).

▪ Why is it that all of today’s sports writers present their articles in bullet-point format? Oh, wait…

▪ 15-inning all star games should be exciting to watch. 15-inning all star games that end after 1:30 in the morning are not exciting to watch. Start. At. 7:00.

▪ Seriously… how can this not give you chills…
2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded…Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant. We're supposed to be surrounded.

▪ Chris Berman, really, please… go away. Go talk football. If I have to hear, “Back, Back, Back” one more time we may have another “oooohhhh nooooo” moment.

▪ How the hell did the AL win that game last night? Go back and look at the starting lineups for each team and tell me how the NL did not win by 15 runs.

▪ Without further adieu, I present the official CPL all star rosters. 8 position players. 1 DH. 2 SP and 2 RP for each of the 2 divisions. And in accordance with one of the most ridiculous all star traditions, each team must have at least 1 fantasy all star.

Those Who Can

C – Geovany Soto (Jobu’s Hats For Bats). It’s been a terrific season for the Jobu’s rookie catcher and one of the best steals of this year’s draft. 16 HR and 56 RBI make his a valuable fantasy player at any position.
1B – Lance Berkman (Jobu’s Hats For Bats). Berkman seems to always be underrated, but this year he is showing everyone just how good he can be. 22 HR, 73 RBI and a .347 AVG are all incredible numbers, but it’s the 79 Runs and 15 SB that make the Big Puma the #1 guy in the game.
2B – Ian Kinsler (Regulators). As much as it pains me to not start Mr. Utley here, I’ve gotta give it up for the beneficiary of Josh Hamilton’s success, err… I mean Kinsler. Seriously though, a .337 AVG, 84 Runs and 23 SB make him the #2 rated player in the game. A potential franchise-keeper for Regs.
SS – Hanley Ramirez (Snot on the Ball). A 40-40 pace, .311 AVG and 80 Runs scored from the SS position prove that the #3 player in FLB will be a franchise-keeper for many years. And just think, Regs coulda traded for him last year if he wanted…
3B – Chipper Jones (Slump Chumps). Larry J has suffered through some injuries this season, but the chase for .400 has certainly been one of the best stories of the baseball season. A .376 AVG and solid peripherals (56 R, 18 HR, 51 RBI) placed him in the top 5 for much of season.
OF – Josh Hamilton (Snot on the Ball). The feel-good story of the year. 21 HR and 95 RBI so far, plus another 28 HR in round 1 of the HR derby. No one has driven in 170 Runs in a season since Jimmie Foxx in 1938. Could this be the year?
OF – Grady Sizemore (The Swine Nine). Grady and Hanley are the only 40-40 candidates out there. The peripheral numbers are down a bit (60 Runs is good, but not what we hoped for) and the AVG isn’t where you want it (.273), but the Indians leadoff guy just keeps getting better and better.
OF – Nate McClouth (Snot on the Ball). McClouth has hovered around the top 10 on the player rater for most of the season, and it pays off with his 1st CPL all star appearance. A terrific, balanced attack (69 R,19 HR,65 RBI,11 SB,.288) has made him a legitimate keeper candidate.
DH – Jose Reyes (The Swine Nine). Relegated to DH duties thanks to that other SS in the “Can” division, the speedy Reyes is still having a terrific season in his own rite. The #9 player on the rater has seen his SB totals drop a bit (32), but his .302 AVG and 10 HR have been a pleasant surprise.
SP – Cliff Lee (Slump Chumps). Sent to minors last season and now one of the best pitchers in the game? Baseball can be funny sometimes. People keep waiting for Lee to drop-off from his dominant start, but it never happens. 12 Wins, a 2.31 ERA and increased K/9 totals. He is certainly deserving of the Those Who Can starting nod.
SP – Tim Lincecum (Snot on the Ball). Lincecum has entered the elite SP realm this season by posting a 2.57 ERA, 9.37 K/9 and a surprising 11 wins. If he can stay healthy, look for this youngster to dominate the pitching categories for a long time.
RP – Joakim Soria (Jobu’s Hats For Bats). This years “where the hell did he come from” closer has been dominant all season, racking up 25 SV and a microscopic 1.47 ERA. Throw in a great WHIP (0.72) and K/9 (9.63) and you have one of the few closers that could realistically be considered “keeper-level”.
RP – Brad Lidge (Snot on the Ball). Narrowly selected over Jobu’s other dominant RP Kerry Wood, Lidge has been blowing opposing hitters away this season. His 12.38 K/9 is tops among closers with at least 10 Saves, and his 1.12 ERA proves that he can dominate the best hitters in the game.


Those Who Can’t

C – Brian McCann (Bounty Hunters). The highest rated catcher in Yahoo! (#75) has bounced back nicely from his disappointing 2007 season, already matching his 18 HR total. Throw in a .302 AVG and 53 RBI and you have the only “Cann” on the “Can’t” roster. (Hello? Is this thing on?)
1B – Derek Lee (LL Longball). The first member of the “Longball Infield” is having himself another terrific season. Anyone who thought his 22 HR in 2007 was a sign for decline was most certainly wrong. 15 HR, 63 Runs and a .306 AVG place him among the best first basemen in the game; though he may only be the second best on his own team (see DH).
2B – Dan Uggla (LL Longball). Uggla’s 23 HR and 59 RBIs are second only to Chase Utley at the 2B position. Throw in a .286 AVG and 58 Runs and you have 3rd ranked player at a position that has traditionally been viewed as weak. Certainly a keeper if he can get over the emotional trauma of making 3 errors in the MLB all star game.
SS – Michael Young (LL Longball). While the drop-off in the SS position between the 2 division is substantial, Young has put together a solid season as usual. Ranked #59 in the game, he has a .302 AVG and a solid 63 Runs. Throw in a double digit pace for HR and SB and you have a valuable member to any fantasy infield.
3B – Alex Rodriguez (Legends). The numbers are down a bit (although, not really) because he missed some time to the DL, but AROD will continue to dominate FLB for years to come. Expect a huge second half in the power numbers and probably a few strippers as well (Dude. Madonna? Really?)
OF – Carlos Beltran (BOB’Z BOYZ). The lone representative from the cellar dweller of the Can’t division, Beltran has steadily had himself a terrific season. The fact that he hasn’t been traded to The Swine Nine is actually quite amazing. The only offensive keeper on his team has 15 HR and 15 SB to go along with 67 Runs and 66 RBI. Definitely a keeper.
OF – Ryan Ludwick (Papi’s Space Cadets). Maybe the biggest offensive shock of the FLB season, Ludwick has thrived on a diet of meatballs for most of the season. His 60 Runs, 21 HR and 65 RBI have helped carry PSC to the #4 seed at the break.
OF – Jermaine Dye (Legends). Dye is very quietly having yet another terrific season. So quiet that there is really not much more to say about him. 21 HR, 56 RBI and a .306 AVG put him in the top 30 in the game.
DH – Ryan Howard (LL Longball). Talk about a 2nd half player. Howard started the season looking lost, but has fought back to be one of the best run-producers in the game. 28 HR and 84 RBI more than compensate for the .234 AVG, but even that has been climbing slowly these past few months. Oh yeah, he’s also on pace to break the all time single-season strikeout record, so here’s hoping!
SP – Roy Halladay (Papi’s Space Cadets). The incredibly talented “Doc” Halladay has always been overlooked in the fantasy game because his strikeout totals could actually hurt a team. No more. A healthy 7.44 K/9 very nicely completes the best pitching performance of the first half. 11 Wins, a 2.71 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP are fantastic numbers, but it is Halladay’s inning-pitched totals that allow him be such a force in a league with 3 quality-rate categories (ERA, WHIP and K/9).
SP – Dan Haren (Legends). Underrated by many (including yours truly) because of a poor second half in 2007 and a new hitter-friendly ballpark, Haren has been nothing short of awesome this season. His 8 Wins and 2.72 ERA perfectly complement a 0.95 WHIP and 8.02 K/9. Ranked #13 overall.
RP – Mariano Rivera (Bounty Hunters). Is it possible for one of the all-time greats to have his best season at the age of 38 (and not be juiced)? Mo has been nothing short of incredible this season as evident by his 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 10.63 K/9. When a closer is ranked #17 overall, he is certainly doing something special.
RP – Joe Nathan (Bounty Hunters). Nathan narrowly edges his BH teammate Jonathan Pabelbon for the final roster spot on the TWC’t team. A 1.13 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 10.44 K/9 complete what may be the most dominant bullpen the CPL will ever see.