Couldn't let this one pass
While perusing websites just to read up on the latest Red Sox news, I came across this article from Anthony Rieber of Newsday. The article is about Yankees DH/OF Hideki Matsui, and the basic gist is that while Matsui is a great guy, he's a huge liability on their roster because he's stuck at DH because of his bad knees. He's blocking the spot from being used in rotation by Jorge Posada and Johnny Damon, and Alex Rodriguez as he comes back from his injury, and the outfield rotation and... everything.

Now, I'm not saying he's wrong. I'm saying he's right. But I said it first. While reading the article I thought: Wow, that sounds awfully familiar. So I went digging back through the archives of this blog.

Sure enough, on the third page back I tracked down this post that I made on November 15, 2007. That's right... I made essentially the same observation - and thought it out even further - sixteen months earlier.

( Let's update that old post, shall we?Collapse )

Current Mood: annoyed

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A few Sox notes, and a moratorium...
So first: as should be obvious by now, I'm not posting all that often, and that's not going to change. I recently started a Science Fiction/Fantasy Magazine, and it's eating up all my time. That's an actual business, so it has to take priority over hobbies like this blog. I'll still update here, but very infrequently.

( RED SOX!Collapse )

Current Mood: tired

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Red Sox Notes
( >A couple of quick Red Sox notes:Collapse )

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Your 2009 Red Sox
So now that the Red Sox season is officially over, let’s have a look at their 2009 team:

( As they stand nowCollapse )

( What they needCollapse )

( other considerationsCollapse )

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Historic doesn't mean good...
Case in point, Francisco Rodriguez's "historic" 2008 season. K-Rod notched 62 Saves, easily breaking the previous record of 57. Now some people are saying that Rodriguez deserves the AL MVP (but not the Cy Young?).

Even ignoring all the starting pitchers and hitters, Francisco Rodriguez wasn't even CLOSE to being the most dominant relief pitcher in the AL, let alone the majors. ( Want proof?Collapse )

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And the award goes to...
Not me, so who cares?

My team folded pathetically during the semifinals (seriously, 3 HR total in a week?). I ended up with dominating numbers in the consolation finals - I would have beat either of the guys who were in the Finals. I ended up with third place. Just like last year. Freakin' lame.

So now that it's all over, I thought I'd throw out a few Bests and Worsts of my Fantasy year.

( Bests & Worsts of 2008 FantasyCollapse )

Current Mood: unsatisfied

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Epstein, how'd ya do it?
With the recent announcement that Theo Epstein will sign a 3-year extension with the Red Sox, I thought I'd take a quick look at the player Theo let get away this past offseason: ( The Johan Santana dealCollapse )

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Like last year all over again...
Last year, my fantasy baseball team came in third in the regular season. I won the first round of the playoffs easily, but in the second round I tied with my opponent 6-6. It was decided by a completely random pointpreak: who had the best ERA. It could have been any of the categories, but it was one of the exactly 50% my opponent won.

The regular season in fantasy BB ended today. I actually ended up with the most overall category wins (148) in the league. I was trying to catch the 1st-place guy, who I started the week 1 1/2 games behind. I ended up 8-4 this week, and he was 7-5:

My final #s: 148-102-14
His final #s: 146-99-19

I won 2 more categories, but lost 3 more. Final result: I missed out on 1st place by 1/2 game. If I'd tied any 1 category I lost, or won any 1 category I tied, ANY TIME DURING THE SEASON, I would have had a "virtual" tie with him; but my winning more overall games would have given me the tiebreaker. And there were times this season when I tied K's, Runs or RBI, or lost by 1. One more in those categories during the right week is all it would've taken... Or if Melvin Mora hadn't tweaked his hamstring and had gotten his usual 25 AB instead of 10 this week, I might have caught RBI's this week (lost by 5).

ARGH!!!

Oh well. I did take 2nd, and the top 2 get byes the first week of the playoffs. So I get a week off, and then only have to win one week to reach the finals.

Current Mood: disappointed

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Finally a good decision!
Not that the Red Sox have made a ton of bad roster decisions over the last several years, but there is a trend in baseball to let the "veteran" players with the expensive contracts start, even when there's a young player who's just flat-out better.

So I was very pleased to see this article at baseball prospectus (must be subscribed to read). Short version: The Red Sox have decided That Jed Lowrie is fully capable of being their everyday SS next year; they will shop Julio Lugo in the offseason.

Lugo hit .268 with just a .685 OPS in 261 AB this year, and committed an atrocious 16 errors while looking simply lost in the field. He's currently on the DL with a hamstring injury, and may not return this year.

While I respect Lugo's dedication - he really plays hard every day - he simply isn't good enough any more to be a starting SS. MAYBE in the NL, but not for the Red Sox. A guy with a career OPS+ of 88 needs to provide stellar defense, and Lugo can't even do that. But Lowrie has been solid defensively, and has hit .299/.364/.474 in 154 AB. I have to say, seeing Pedroia/Lowrie as the Red Sox' middle-infield combo for the next 4 seasons (until Pedroia's a free agent) sounds very pleasing.

The Red Sox would have to eat most or all of Lugo's salary, but I look at it this way: they'll be paying that money anyway. If the better player is taking the field, that's the important thing. So if the Sox can send Lugo away, pay most of his salary, get a decent prospect in return, and play Lowrie, it's better than giving Lugo starting time, or having him angry while sitting on the bench.

Current Mood: pleased

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Fantasy, and I suck at blogging
Apologies for being so absent. This month has been a complete wash in terms of me getting things done, on account of my family and I going on vacation at the beginning of August.

Today is the first day of the LAST WEEK of fantasy baseball's regular season. ( It's been very up-and-down for meCollapse )

Current Mood: pleased

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Looking ahead: Red Sox in 2009
Now that the stupid Manny saga is finally over, I thought I'd look at it a bit and then look further, since it affects at least the 2009 season as well.

( The tradeCollapse )

( Next YearCollapse )

Current Mood: excited

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I'l make a non-fantasy related post soon, I swear...
...but for now, ( I have a bit of a problemCollapse )

Current Mood: tired

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A bit of silliness, plus fantasy
First, I want to express my love for baseball articles with headlines like this one from thenewstribune.com:

Winning is top priority of Mariners manager Riggleman

While all the other managers of major league baseball teams are more interested in doing crosswords, taking drugs or hunting poontang, Riggleman is all about winning, man!

*****

( A harrowing week in fantasy baseball...Collapse )

Current Mood: relieved

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A good week
The week before the All-Star break was a good one: the Red Sox reclaimed first place in the AL East, and I had a 10-1-1 week in fantasy to boost my first-place lead to 7.5 games.

( My moving and shakingCollapse )

Current Mood: pleased

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Mike Lowell... remember him?
How come Boston fans are so excited about J.D. Drew, but no one's talking about Mike Lowell? Okay, yes, Drew is finally earning his $14m per year, but how about the $12.5m for Lowell?

( Lowell's producingCollapse )

Current Mood: pleased

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A few fantasy notes
( movementsCollapse )

Once the All-Star voting is announced, expect a rant about how fan voting is the worst possible way to pick All-Stars.

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A couple quick notes on my fantasy team...
12 weeks into the regular season (with 10 to go), I'm holding onto a 7-game lead in first place. Of course, it was a 16-game lead 2 weeks ago. My team has been declining badly.

( more about what I've been doingCollapse )

Current Mood: tired

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Jemele Hill, the amateur draft
( Jemele Hill SuspendedCollapse )

( the #1 pick in this year's draftCollapse )

Current Mood: bitchy

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Schilling's done
( Curt Schilling's doneCollapse )

Current Mood: blah

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The more things change...
( A few words about Instant ReplayCollapse )

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