Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 26

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Blue Jays (.471, 6 R, 5 HR, 10 RBI) - Encarnacion is one of six everyday players in the Blue Jays' 2010 lineup who is a threat to hit 25 homers going forward. Honestly, if they keep this group together and shore up their bullpen, the Jays could be scary next season.
  
• NL Hitter: Ben Francisco, OF, Phillies (.412, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB) - I would have liked to have picked Matt Kemp, the longtime Rider who homered in each of the last five games of the season, but the batting average and the power/speed combo from Francisco has a lot of value.
  
• AL Pitcher: David Price, SP, Rays (1 W, 9 K, 0.00/0.67) - Price has had a great year, which was not wholly unpredictable, either. The guy has top-tier stuff. Honorable mention for Neftali Feliz, who had a win and two saves in three scoreless innings of relief.
  
• NL Pitcher: Nelson Figueroa, SP, Astros (2 W, 13 K, 0.00/1.34) - Kind of a high WHIP, but he's one of only three guys with two wins over the past seven days. And 13 strikeouts is nothing to sneeze at.
  

Upcoming Posts

Over the next couple of days, I should have a few different posts for you, including:

• MLB playoff predictions
• My end-of-season awards ballot
• This week's Redskins Report Card

So, look forward to that.

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 25

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Mike Aviles, 2B/SS, Royals (.313, 9 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 SB) - It was so nice of Aviles to stop by again. His 2009 was horrible, but he seems to have put that behind him, and he's having a nice season. Wouldn't count on many multi-homer weeks out of him, though.
  
• NL Hitter: Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pirates (.481, 6 R, 3 HR, 15 RBI) - Between Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates have a couple of young guys talented enough to have long, productive careers...for the Red Sox and Angels.
  
• AL Pitcher: Matt Thornton, RP, White Sox (2 W, 1 SV, 8 K, 0.00/0.20) - I relish the rare opportunity to highlight a reliever in this feature, particularly when it's not a true closer. Thornton is one of baseball's best relievers, and he's having a great season...again. I'd be surprised if he didn't at least get a chance at the closer's gig next year in Chicago, or elsewhere.
  
• NL Pitcher: Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies (2 W, 9 K, 1.69/0.69) - Halladay has been the most consistently effective pitcher this season. We've seen bursts out of Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Johnson, Carlos Zambrano, and Max Scherzer, but all season long, it's been Halladay. I'm glad he'll finally get a chance to pitch in the postseason.
  

Preliminary Keeper Lists

As a favor to all of my fellow owners, I've decided to put together my personal assessment of each team's top 8 players, in order. Granted, this can change over the course of an offseason, based on team changes and just changes in my opinions, but this is my current evaluation. Use this information as you will.

Those Guys

1. Alex Rodriguez, 3B, Yankees
2. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres
3. Josh Johnson, SP, Marlins
4. Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins
5. Shane Victorino, OF, Phillies
6. Jonathan Sanchez, SP, Giants
   
7. Daniel Hudson, SP, Diamondbacks
   
8. Bobby Abreu, OF, Angels

Columbus DamKnights

1. Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees
2. Joe Mauer, C, Twins
3. Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins
4. Michael Young, 3B, Rangers
5. Torii Hunter, OF, Angels
6. Corey Hart, OF, Brewers
7. Grady Sizemore, OF, Indians
8. Travis Wood, SP, Reds

Akron Pronks

1. Tim Lincecum, SP, Giants
2. Jayson Werth, OF, Phillies
3. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Indians
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Red Sox
   
5. Chris B. Young, OF, Diamondbacks
6. Victor Martinez, C, Red Sox
7. Brian Roberts, 2B, Orioles
8. Drew Stubbs, OF, Reds
   

Cleveland Enforcers

1. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies
2. Josh Hamilton, OF, Rangers
3. Jose Reyes, SS, Mets
4. Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies
5. Davis Price, SP, Rays
6. Francisco Liriano, SP, Twins
7. Max Scherzer, SP, Tigers
8. Clay Buchholz, SP, Red Sox
   

Mercer AutoWreckers

1. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds
   
2. Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners
3. Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies
4. Hunter Pence, OF, Astros
5. Heath Bell, RP, Padres
6. Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
7. Adam Dunn, OF, Nationals
8. Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees

Vandelay Industries

1. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays
2. Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals
3. Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners
4. Curtis Granderson, OF, Yankees
5. Yovani Gallardo, SP, Brewers
6. Aaron Hill, 2B, Blue Jays
7. Nick Swisher, OF, Yankees
8. J.A. Happ, SP, Astros

Huber Heights Heroes

1. Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees
2. Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies
3. Matt Cain, SP, Giants
4. Dan Uggla, 2B, Marlins
5. Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Red Sox
   
6. Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros
7. Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers
8. Adam Jones, OF, Orioles

Stewies SexyParties

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
2. Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
3. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates
4. Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
5. Cliff Lee, SP, Rangers
6. Roy Oswalt, SP, Phillies
7. Tim Hudson, SP, Braves
8. Colby Rasmus, OF, Cardinals

Feisty Mosquitoes

1. Carl Crawford, OF, Rays
2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies
3. Matt Holliday, OF, Cardinals
4. Justin Upton, OF, Diamondbacks
5. CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees
6. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Nationals
7. Brandon Phillips, 2B, Reds
8. Trevor Cahill, SP, Athletics

Riders of Rohan

1. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers
2. Jon Lester, SP, Red Sox
3. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers
4. Alex Rios, OF, White Sox
5. Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers
6. Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
7. Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, Blue Jays
8. Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers

Dunedain Rangers

1. Buster Posey, C, Giants
2. Jered Weaver, SP, Angels
3. Austin Jackson, OF, Tigers
4. Dan Haren, SP, Angels
5. Andrew Bailey, RP, Athletics
6. Neftali Feliz, RP, Rangers
7. Brian McCann, C, Braves
   
8. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Red Sox
   

The Usual Suspects

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
2. David Wright, 3B, Mets
3. Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers
4. Mat Latos, SP, Padres
5. Johan Santana, SP, Mets
6. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Rockies
7. Jason Heyward, OF, Braves
8. Nelson Cruz, OF, Rangers
   

Parachute Express

2010 Redskins Report Card - Week 3 vs. St. Louis Rams

Rams 30, Redskins 16

This will be a tough one to write.

Offense: D+

Donovan McNabb didn't have a terrible game, though there was more than one instance where his accuracy left something to be desired. The interception he threw was a stupid pass, and he deserves all the credit for that one. His passing touchdown to Santana Moss, though, was also mostly a McNabb feature, so at least there's that.

Maybe the most frustrating thing about Sunday's offense was that the run/pass split was so pronounced. Last week, I could understand it; the Redskins' passing offense was clicking. But this week, with the passing game kind of hit-or-miss, and the running backs (Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain) pretty much kicking ass, why did the team continue to ignore the ground game? There were 17 rushes versus 33 passes, and one of those rushes was a scramble by McNabb. So the play-calling provided more than double the number of pass plays as run plays. I worry that Mike Shanahan might establish a potentially effective gameplan during the week, but not react to game-day circumstances.

Defense: F

They gave up 30 points to the Rams, including 16 points in the second half, when Steven Jackson was injured. There's no excuse for that.

Special Teams: C+

Devin Thomas was again an effective kickoff returner, offering a lot of the consistency that Rock Cartwright provided in the same capacity last year and for several years. But the story of the special teams was the injury to Josh Bidwell in warmups that forced Graham Gano into punter duties. One of his punts was blocked, and he seemed to outkick his coverage on more than one occasion. I don't blame Gano for that; I blame the NFL.

I understand that there's a motivation to have a limited roster size, but 45 people on game day means that you only have room for one backup at each position, even though those backups also play on special teams. In such an injury-laden sport as football, doesn't it behoove the NFL to make sure that we're not stuck in situations where we watch ineptitude? I'm not necessarily saying that Gano was inept, but he certainly wasn't good. I think they should expand overall rosters to 65, and expand game day rosters to 55. Let each team have a 3rd string QB and a backup K/P, every day.

Overall: D

The Redskins seem to always find a way to sucker-punch their fans. Last year we got a couple, the worst of which was their crumble against the Saints. This year, after beating Dallas and putting up an offensive display against Houston that we haven't seen in years, they barely show up against the Rams.

It is definitely not easy to be a Washington sports fan.

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 24

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Indians (.458, 8 R, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 2 SB) - This is the kind of across-the-board production you expected out of Choo when you drafted him. Granted, three of his home runs and seven of his RBI were in one game, but hey, you started him, right? Right?
  
• NL Hitter: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies (.381, 8 R, 5 HR, 14 RBI) - In all honesty, I might take Jayson Werth's week (.417, 9 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB) over Tulowitzki's, but it's at least a tie with Tulo at shortstop. Plus, I wanted to mention that Tulowitzki has 34 RBI in September...with over a week to go. Ridickydonk.
  
• AL Pitchers: Ervin Santana (1 W, 13 K, 1.06/0.76) and Jered Weaver (2 W, 9 K, 1.98/0.88), SPs, Angels - It's nice to see that, even though the Angels are all but eliminated from the playoff hunt, these guys are pitching their asses off. And they're both under the control of the Angels until 2013, so there's plenty of reason for optimism going forward.
  
• NL Pitcher: Matt Cain, SP, Giants (1 W, 7 K, 0.00/0.46) - Cain offered a couple of fantastic starts as the Giants head into the home stretch towards the playoffs. They're a game up in the division, and they'll need their stacked pitching staff (Cain, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, and Barry Zito) to lead the way. Lord knows their offense can't do it.
  

2010's Biggest Disappointments (Non-Injury)

As you may remember from last week's post, I talked about the players who've come out of nowhere to be fantasy forces this season. But just as often, players are highly rated at the beginning of the season, but end up being very disappointing. Some of those have been due to injury (Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury...gosh, no wonder Boston is gonna miss the playoffs), and I won't be talking about them. Let's focus on the guys who appear to have let us down for no good reason.

Once again, I'll be mentioning where these players were drafted in our keeper league (though a lot of them just rate as "keepers," which can only really mean they were viewed as being roughly among the top 96 players).

• Aaron Hill, 2B, Blue Jays (.209, 64 R, 24 HR, 63 RBI, 1 SB), keeper - Hill was a huge surprise in 2009, posting career-highs nearly across the board. This year, he's been able to hold onto his power, but his batting average and on-base percentage have plummeted, resulting in considerably lessened run production. No idea what to think of him next year.
• Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs/Braves, (.258, 77 R, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 1 SB), keeper - The most shocking part of Lee's 2010 swoon is that his batting average dropped so much. He came in as a .284 career hitter, and hadn't dropped below .270 in a decade. Lee can blame Aramis Ramirez a little bit, but he's also in his 14th major league season. It's possible he's just slowing down.
• Adam Lind, OF, Blue Jays (.234, 54 R, 22 HR, 71 RBI), keeper - Lind has played mostly designated hitter this year, but he's been more of a designated fly-outter, perhaps due to reduced plate discipline. He passed last year's strikeout total in mid-August, and he's on pace for 17 fewer walks than last year. I'll say this, though: if Toronto can ever get their offense firing on all cylinders, they're going to be scary.
  
• Mark Reynolds, 1B/3B, Diamondbacks (.203, 77 R, 32 HR, 84 RBI, 7 SB), keeper - Reynolds was a huge producer in 2009, posting big numbers in HR, RBI, SB, and K. Yes, strikeouts. And today, that seems like his undoing. Because when you can't pick out good pitches from bad, you end up costing both your real life team and your fantasy team. Reynolds' 2010 has been a reminder of the risk you run when you punt batting average.
• Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Cubs (.241, 58 R, 23 HR, 76 RBI), keeper - Ramirez was particularly awful before the All-Star break, hitting .207 in 237 at-bats, dragging your average to the bottom of a well. What's particularly heart-breaking about that is that his batting average was a big part of why you draft Ramirez in the first place; he hadn't been below .289 since 2003 (the year before we started our keeper league). Ramirez does have two Middle Earth Fantasy Baseball League titles...maybe he's getting lazy.
  
• Pablo Sandoval, 1B/3B, Giants (.264, 59 R, 12 HR, 60 RBI, 3 SB), keeper - Sandoval was looking like the next...well, I don't know, but the next something good. He hit .330 with pop in 2009, his first full season, and a lot of us thought he might be very good. I do remember thinking that, even though I liked him, he was overrated in drafts, always going well before I'd have taken him. I certainly didn't expect this kind of drop off, though. Here's hoping he turns it around next year.
• Javier Vazquez, SP, Yankees (10 W, 118 K, 5.05/1.37), 1st round - I don't know why I'm saying this was a surprise. We all knew that, with a return to the AL, Vazquez would be back to his old ways. The one thing we can say we're surprised about is that his strikeout rate is way down. He's got the worst K/BB ratio of his career, and the worst K/IP since, wait for it...his other season with the Yankees.
  
• Matt Wieters, C, Orioles (.256, 37 R, 11 HR, 53 RBI), keeper - Wieters had shown enough flash last season that he warranted being kept, based on pedigree and potential. This year, his future is a little more in doubt. He started the year particularly awful, and though he's bounced back a little in the second half, he's not hitting at nearly the clip we'd expect out of a keeper quality catcher.
  

2010 Redskins Report Card - Week 2 vs. Houston Texans

Texans 30, Redskins 27

At halftime, with the Redskins up 20-7, I was on cloud nine. Neil Rackers hit a field goal to bring the Texans within 10, then Donovan McNabb answered right back with a great passing touchdown to Chris Cooley. I was giddy. Then I watched in horror as the Redskins gave the game back to the Texans. Could I take some positive things away from the game? Sure, and I'm sure the team will. But...damn it.

Offense: B+

The passing offense was tremendous. McNabb looked extremely comfortable, the offensive line did a good job of holding a pocket for him, and the receivers generally did well to get open and make plays. Four different players had at least 60 receiving yards, and six players had receptions of at least 20 yards.

However, there's still room for improvement, specifically with the run game. Four different players had rushing attempts, and Mike Sellers, who had zero yards on one rush, was the second best runner on the day. Clinton Portis averaged just 2.5 yards on his 13 carries, though he did manage to get into the end zone twice. With just three rushing first downs, the Redskins were unable to pound the ball forward late in the game, when they needed to kill clock. That opened the door for the disappointment that was to follow.

Defense: C

In terms of big plays, this Redskins defense was better than any we've seen in a decade. Five sacks, one interception, and several more big tackles, and it seemed like everyone on the defense made at least one important play, from Adam Carriker to Brian Orakpo to Carlos Rogers. LaRon Landry in particular was flying around the field, causing problems for the Houston offense. The problem was that Houston found ways to get passes completed to make up for all those sacks.

They did a pretty good job stifling Arian Foster, the AFC Offensive Player of the Week last week, and they did generate a lot of big plays. If they can combine their bend-don't-break performance from week 1 with their sack-happy performance in week 2, they'll be a force.

Special Teams: C

I'm not going to blame Graham Gano for his two misses. The first one was blocked on an outstanding play by a Texans defender, the second one was a 52-yarder that he actually hit the first time, but was negated because of a Texans timeout. I don't know how I feel about the rule that allows for these last-second timeouts on field goals, but I know that I was frustrated when I saw it happen, even before I saw the ball go through the uprights on the first attempt.

The return game was fine, not exceptional, but fine. Coverage was very good on kickoffs (particularly on kickoffs that Steve Slaton elected to take out of bounds at his own 1 yard line), so-so on punts.

Overall: B

While I'm obviously disappointed that the Texans came back to win, this game offered Redskins fans a lot of things to feel encouraged about. McNabb looked fantastic, and Jim Haslett might have finally figured out what to do with Landry. Next week's game in St. Louis becomes very important, because the Redskins have to show they can beat the teams they're supposed to beat...since a lot of their games this season are going to be against teams they're not supposed to beat.

2010 NFL Wrap Up - Week 1

This will basically be the same thing that I did much of last year as part of my Redskins Report Card. I'm splitting it off from that because...well, I could tell you it's so that my content is properly organized, but it's really just so that I have posts more frequently.

Around the League

• Minnesota did not look like the same team that took New Orleans to the brink in the NFC Championship game last season. Do we attribute it to the absence of Sidney Rice, or to the fact that Brett Favre had a practice and a half before the game?
• I can't believe the referees stole that touchdown from Calvin Johnson and the Lions. This whole "process of the catch" concept is asinine.
• The Dolphins won 15-10 over the Bills. A win is a win, but it's the Bills...
• Green Bay's Mason Crosby kicked the longest field goal in franchise history in a 27-20 victory, but the story here is that Kevin Kolb, the anointed heir to Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia, was ineffective, and is now hurt and unlikely to play in week 2. So, Michael Vick is a starting QB in the NFL again.
• Eight catches, 64 yards, two TDs. Yeah, Wes Welker is back.
• Seattle laid the lumber to San Francisco. I get the impression that Mike Singletary would be a good coordinator, or a nice interim option, but might not have the knack for being a head coach for the long haul. Just an impression; the 49ers will probably win nine straight now.
• Peyton Manning was 40/57 for 433 yards and three TDs, and he wasn't the story on offense on Sunday's loss to the Texans. Arian Foster ran for 231 yards and three scores. See ya, Steve Slaton.
• Baltimore's offense was erratic, but generated twenty first downs. On the other side of the football, they allowed just six first downs in a tight win over the Jets. If they can learn to hold onto the football, there's no reason the Ravens can't go to the Super Bowl.
• For me, the big question after week one is this: are the Chiefs legit, or are the Chargers in trouble? One thing is certain, though. If you own Jamaal Charles in your fantasy league, no need to worry about that handcuff.
  

Buck

Eddie Trash Talk

Rock Band 3 Setlist

The Rock Band 3 soundtrack has been released (view it here). When compared with my Ultimate Rock Band 3 Setlist, there are two overlaps: Cold as Ice by Foreigner, and Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. I also managed a few band overlaps (David Bowie, Steve Miller Band, Dire Straits, etc), which may not "count" when it comes to predictions, but definitely make me look forward to the game.

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 23

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Coco Crisp, OF, Athletics (.389, 6 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 9 SB) - Yes, you read that correctly. Nine stolen bases for Crisp over the past seven days. He's got 27 steals since the All-Star break, and he's likely made a difference for some team in your fantasy league. I know I sure wish I had grabbed him.
  
• NL Hitter: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies (.346, 9 R, 6 HR, 11 RBI) - Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez are powering another late-season charge by Colorado. Can you imagine how good the Rockies would be if they could win games in April and May?
  
• AL Pitcher: Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers (2-0, 18 K, 1.80/0.80) - If Verlander could bump his April (1-2, 5.53 ERA), both he and the Tigers would be looking good. As it is, the Tigers are destined for .500, and Verlander will just be another very good pitcher.
  
• NL Pitcher: Brett Myers, SP, Astros (2-0, 18 K, 0.64/0.79) - If you're looking for the best pitcher since the All-Star break, you have to consider Myers. He's having a career year in a low pressure situation in Houston. He'll be virtually impossible to value in next year's draft.
  

I often try to find a way to choose players who aren't also Yahoo's highest ranked players over the past week, but this week, that was impossible. These four guys were a cut above.

2010's Biggest Surprise Performers

Every year, players come out of nowhere to have career years, and help carry their fantasy owners to victory. Vinny Castilla's 131 RBI in 2004, Esteban Loaiza's insane 2003 (21-9, 207 K, 2.90/1.11), and Brett Myers this year, they all came out of nowhere to provide substantial assistance to fantasy teams. Here are a few more guys who've had unexpected explosions this season, along with where they were drafted in our super keeper league:

• Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, Blue Jays (.262, 96 R, 46 HR, 110 RBI, 7 SB), undrafted - In four full seasons (three in Pittsburgh, one in Toronto), he topped out at 16 HR, 63 RBI, and a .254 average. This year, he leads the American League in home runs, and is second in RBI and walks. Not bad for a four-time castoff.
• Trevor Cahill, SP, Athletics (16 W, 98 K, 2.61/1.05), 22nd round - Cahill was the fifth-to-last player drafted, which means that almost every team had 14 chances to nab him. Then, Cahill was waived early, so everyone had another chance to nab him. So...we're all pretty stupid for having not done so.
• Tim Hudson, SP, Braves (15 W, 122 K, 2.62/1.13), 18th round - I still see Hudson as a guy who's unreliable from year to year, and doesn't produce the kinds of strikeouts you'd like out of a starter. But with those wins and ratios, you learn to love the minimal strikeout production.
  
• Aubrey Huff, 1B/OF, Giants (.294, 90 R, 24 HR, 81 RBI, 6 SB), undrafted - Remember back in 2004, when Huff was the next big thing, a hotshot third baseman for the Rays? Or in 2008, when he was a great comeback player for the Orioles? Well, nobody in our league did, where Huff was undrafted, and remained a free agent until June 21st. The Pronks can't justify keeping him, but he's been a solid producer.
• Paul Konerko, 1B, White Sox (.322, 85 R, 36 HR, 104 RBI), undrafted - Is Konerko's power production surprising? Not overwhelming so, he's got two 40-homer campaigns on his resume. But him posting a career-high batting average at 34, after three mediocre years, that's surprising. Still, it's also surprising that the guy keeps going undrafted, when he's shown year after year that he can be a useful source of power.
• Mat Latos, SP, Padres (14 W, 174 K, 2.43/0.99), 18th round - Latos was actually a guy that fantasy experts projected to do pretty well this year (as you can tell by the fact that he was drafted in our league), but nobody expected this kind of performance. He's Yahoo's fourth-rated pitcher, and twelfth-rated player overall. Wowie zowie.
  
• Angel Pagan, OF, Mets (.287, 73 R, 10 HR, 60 RBI, 33 SB), undrafted - I know, for my part, I looked at Pagan several times early this summer, because I needed speed, but my outfield was too heavy for me to justify adding a guy who I'd have trouble starting. Turns out, I probably should've made room. Pagan has been a consistent if not flashy producer, and speed can be tough to acquire.
• Carl Pavano, SP, Twins (16 W, 111 K, 3.47/1.14), undrafted - Perhaps the most insane part of Pavano's very solid season is that the Twins seem to have expected it. They traded for him last season, then made him a reasonable arbitration offer and brought him back for another season. How did they see what apparently nobody else saw...or at least remembered, from his mastery of the Yankees in the 2003 World Series?
  
• Martin Prado, 1B/2B/3B, Braves (.313, 97 R, 15 HR, 65 RBI, 5 SB), undrafted - Prado was interesting to a lot of teams because of his position eligibility, and he was nabbed up in April. That eligibility, along with his consistent production at the top of the Braves' lineup, has made him a valuable part of the AutoWreckers' charge towards the top 3.
  

2010 Redskins Report Card: Week 1 vs. Dallas Cowboys

Redskins 13, Cowboys 7

It's a fine morning, isn't it? Any morning after a Redskins win is pretty good, but after a win against Dallas, the air smells a little sweeter, the traffic moves a little quicker, the coffee is a little more Irish...err, that might just be me. Was it a pretty win? No sir. But a win is a win is a win.

Offense: D+

Donovan McNabb's first game as a Redskin wasn't exactly a huge performance. He had more incompletions than completions, averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt, and didn't lead the team on any touchdown drives. But for his first game, I wasn't too disappointed. I mean, he definitely put some passes in the grass that could've been completed, and his longest pass was just 24 yards. But he seemed more comfortable and confident than Jason Campbell ever was for Washington. Part of that is experience, but part of that is also just the raw knowledge that you can make the plays you want to make.

The running game, however, was atrocious. Take out McNabb's 17-yard scramble, and the team rushed for 72 yards on 21 carries, a paltry 3.4 yards per carry. Clinton Portis had a crucial 18-yard run late in the game to help set up Graham Gano's second field goal of the game, but other than that, he and Larry Johnson were utterly useless. It's a new offensive line, so hopefully the development of chemistry is the only hangup here, but I don't think I'm alone in thinking that we might be watching the decline of Portis.

Defense: A-

I don't think you can say enough about how well the Redskins' defense played. The Cowboys are one of the most vaunted offenses in the NFC, and deservedly so. The talent is all there for this team to score fifty points on any given Sunday. Holding that offense to seven points is reason to be excited. Moreover, the defense just looked good. They had pressure on Tony Romo for much of the game. The stat sheet reflects only one sack, but of the twelve penalties called on the Cowboys, several were holds and false starts, forced by the constant pressure that Jim Haslett's defense was putting on Dallas.

Also worth mentioning is that Dallas made a series of bonehead mistakes at the end of the first half, and Washington's defense capitalized. With eleven seconds left, and on their own 36 yard line, the Cowboys elected not to take a knee and go into halftime down 3-0. Romo dropped back, but as his pocket crumbled (a regular occurrence last night), he scrambled and made a swing pass to Tashard Choice. Choice was immediately wrapped up, but rather than go to the ground, he tried to fight his way free. Redskins defenders swarmed to the spot, and DeAngelo Hall ripped the ball out of Choice's hands, then picked it up and returned it all the way to the house.

Last year's Redskins would've found a way to kick that ball out of bounds...

Special Teams: B

There was a botched field goal attempt that looked like it might have been the difference in the game, but thankfully it wasn't. Obviously you don't want that to happen again, but with the first new long-snapper in like a decade, a little bit of growing pain isn't completely unforeseeable. Furthermore, the kicking team did convert on a 49-yarder in the fourth quarter, and those are the kinds of kicks you want your kicker to be able to make.

Devin Thomas showed a lot of flash in his kick returns, and he may have found a spot where he can contribute, even if he's not the wide receiver we were all hoping he'd be. Josh Bidwell punted well enough, nothing noteworthy.

Overall: B+

I feel okay about this season's prospects. Again, stifling these Cowboys is an impressive feat by this defense, and if the offense can catch up, the Redskins could challenge for a playoff spot. Gotta get that running game moving, though.

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 22

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Jim Thome, UT, Twins (.455, 5 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI) - Thome is certainly capable of making the most of limited opportunities. With eleven at-bats and just three starts last week, Thome made his presence known. Thome is probably a guy who deserves more consideration as an all-time great than he gets.
  
• NL Hitter: Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies (.567, 6 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB) - Here's some food for thought: in one week, seven days, Gonzalez raised his batting average from .326 to .340. He was 17/30 in the past week. Ridiculous.
  
• AL Pitcher: Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners (1-0, 17 K, 0.00/0.73) - A pair of scoreless outings put Felix in the discussion, and the 17 strikeouts sealed the deal. In a season of disappointments for Seattle, it's nice to know that their ace is as good as advertised.
  
• NL Pitcher: Tommy Hanson, SP, Braves (1-1, 7 K, 1.38/0.62) - In a crowded field, I'll take Hanson as my pitcher of the week. He had a phenomenal game against the Mets, and pitched well enough to win against the Pirates most nights. Others who merit distinction: Brian Wilson (5 SV, 0.00/0.60), Roy Oswalt (2-0, 13 K, 2.70/1.05), and Ian Kennedy (1-0, 11 K, 1.80/0.87).
  

Projected Final Standings

Yes, we here at Joe & Joe do occasionally pay attention to baseball in a non-fantasy capacity. In that spirit, here are my projected final standings (my preseason predictions are here for your reference/humiliating remarks, and the current MLB standings are here):

• AL East: New York Yankees - I'm standing by my pick...mostly because, I mean, come on. They're going to win the East.
• AL Central: Chicago White Sox - I feel like speed is a little more useful in September against rookie pitchers who don't know how to deal with it, and the White Sox have some scary speed.
• AL West: Texas Rangers - Shockingly, the Rangers have a balanced team, and have for all intents and purposes wrapped up the West.
• AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays - A near career year by Crawford and the emergence of Longoria as an elite hitter have the Rays sniffing the division title.
  

• NL East: Philadelphia Phillies - Now that they've caught up with the Braves, I really don't see any way they don't take the crown.
• NL Central: Cincinnati Reds - Six games up on the Cardinals, I don't think they'll collapse. But if anyone would...the Reds would.
• NL West: San Francisco Giants - Maybe pitching still wins championships?
• NL Wild Card: San Diego Padres - And maybe it also wins wild card berths?
  

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 21

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Marcus Thames, OF, Yankees (.429, 7 R, 6 HR, 11 RBI) - I would have liked to have given the award to my very own Alex Rios (.367, 8 R, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SB), but those six home runs are too much to ignore. Thank goodness, by the way. We'd all hate for the Yankees to suffer a power outage with Alex Rodriguez on the shelf.
  
• NL Hitter: Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins (.536, 9 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SB) - It's rare that you find such a no-brainer pick for the player of the week, and it's particularly surprising when you consider some of the other weeks people have had. Stephen Drew (.500, 11 R, 4 HR, 9 RB) and Carlos Gonzalez (.478, 8 R, 4 HR, 11 RBI) both have been outstanding, but Hanley's obscene batting average and his speed contribution put him a cut above everyone else.
  
• AL Pitcher: Gi0 Gonzalez, SP, Athletics (2-0, 11 K, 1.38/0.92) - It was kind of a tough week to pick the best AL pitcher, because nobody really had crazy strikeouts, which is usually my tie-breaker. Gonzalez was at least second in K's this week, and had a pair of wins and an excellent ERA and WHIP. Kudos must be extended, however, to Rick Porcello, who gave up just one run and just six base-runners over 14 innings in a pair of wins. His paltry 8 strikeouts, though, means you're just pleased, not super-pleased.
  
• NL Pitcher: Carlos Zambrano, SP, Cubs (2-0, 15 K, 0.71/1.11) - Remember when Big Z was yanked from the starting rotation? Now, do you remember when he was a top 10 starting pitcher in fantasy baseball? We're closer to that now than the other thing...well, okay, maybe not. But Zambrano has definitely bounced back from his rough spring.
  

Riders, Ranked

I had an idea for a different feature this week, but it's better suited for closer to the end of the season. So, for kicks, I'm going to rank my entire team, top to bottom. Obviously this is subject to fluctuations, and should only be used for entertainment purposes.

1. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (.342, 94 R, 33 HR, 107 RBI, 3 SB) - Arguably the best hitter in baseball. Notice I said hitter, to eliminate the stolen base aspect of his opponents.
   
2. Matt Kemp, OF (.253, 68 R, 22 HR, 74 RBI, 18 SB) - I'm holding onto the idea that Kemp can be the 30/30 guy I need, but it does seem like discipline may be a problem, plate and otherwise.
   
3. Jon Lester, SP (14 W, 176 K, 3.12/1.18) - Trading for Lester was maybe the most excited I've ever been about acquiring any player. I was jazzed when I traded for Miguel Cabrera, but Lester is the apple of my eye.
   
4. Alex Rios, OF (.295, 78 R, 19 HR, 78 RBI, 28 SB) - I'm glad that, even though I tried my damnedest to get the Pronks to draft Rios, he ignored me.
   
5. Clayton Kershaw, SP (11 W, 180 K, 3.01/1.24) - It looks like pitch count continues to be a problem for Kershaw, because he's stifling opponents, but he can't stay on the mound long enough to pick up wins. I hope he'll find a way to keep striking guys out, but doing so more quickly.
   
6. Prince Fielder, 1B (.269, 80 R, 28 HR, 68 RBI, 1 SB) - The problem with Fielder has always been that, historically, heavy guys are hard to trust. Mo Vaughn, David Wells, Papa Fielder, they all seem to fluctuate a lot in their performances. So yes, this season does worry me some.
   
7. Ian Kinsler, 2B (.298, 55 R, 6 HR, 38 RBI, 10 SB) - Kinsler is hurt every year. Kinsler is good every year. These are the facts.
   
8. Zack Greinke, SP (8 W, 152 K, 3.81/1.21) - Greinke has come way back down to Earth after last year's Cy Young campaign. But the strikeout rate is still good, and he's got free agency coming up soon...which is a good thing as long as he doesn't go to the AL East. I don't want him having a break down when Yankees fans start booing him.
   
9. Jose Bautista, 3B/OF (.266, 88 R, 42 HR, 99 RBI, 6 SB) - A trade deadline acquisition that was supposed to help me try to make up some points going towards the end of the year. The thing is, he's really been killing the ball all year, and I watched him on TV this weekend. He looks like can hit. Which means it looks like I have to start thinking about whether or not I can keep him.
   
10. Phil Hughes, SP (15 W, 122 K, 4.12/1.25) - He's been the best source of wins on my team, but he's so up and down it kills me. Literally. Figuratively.
    
11. Carlos Lee, OF (.251, 56 R, 19 HR, 77 RBI, 3 SB) - One of my more disappointing players this year (though Chris Davis will take the #1 slot on that list), Lee has finally started to show flashes of what made him a keeper for me in the first place. Too little, too late brother.
    
12. Alexei Ramirez, SS (.287, 70 R, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 8 SB) - I can't see a scenario in which I keep him, but he's been rocket hot recently, and his numbers at shortstop could be intriguing.
    
13. Ian Kennedy, SP (8 W, 140 K, 4.22/1.25) - Initially, he was supposed to just be someone I grabbed for a few starts then waived. Three months later, he's still on my team. I know he doesn't look like a keeper today, but if you add two good starts to his current numbers, he's suddenly very interesting.
    
14. Omar Infante, 2B/3B/SS/OF (.343, 53 R, 7 HR, 38 RBI, 6 SB) - So, Charlie Manuel is apparently pretty smart. The most controversial All-Star pick of my lifetime could, if he gets enough plate appearances, earn himself a batting crown. Another I could never keep, but I can't argue how well he's performed for my team.
    
15. Rajai Davis, OF (.272, 49 R, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 39 SB) - A fairly meaningless trade at the deadline sent Vernon Wells to the Heroes for Davis. It should be of comfort to you, Heroes, that this right where Wells would fit on these rankings today, too.
    
16. David Aardsma, RP (0 W, 25 SV, 46 K, 3.95/1.20) - I could've seen a scenario where I put some blame on Aardsma's shoulders for my disappointing 4th or 5th place finish this year, but really, he's been as good as I should have expected. No, Trevor Hoffman is my villain, and appropriately so.
    
17. Hong-Chih Kuo, RP (3 W, 7 SV, 57 K, 1.29/0.80) - The throw-in on a trade with the Mosquitoes, Kuo is in line for some saves down the stretch as Jonathan Broxton has hit a rocky patch. He's been insanely good in middle-relief, and if he's able to translate that to 9th inning work, look out.
    
18. Matt Thornton, RP (3 W, 5 SV, 64 K, 2.66/1.10) - Thornton may be on the DL, and he's had a couple of rough outings, but overall he's been excellent. I was excited to be able to acquire him mid-season, and guys like him and Benoit have reminded me of the value of elite middle relievers.
    
19. Kevin Gregg, RP (1 W, 30 SV, 52 K, 3.35/1.32) - I picked up Gregg back when I thought I had an outside shot at the title this year. Oh well.
    
20. Stephen Drew, SS (.276, 70 R, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 6 SB) - Drew literally joined my team today. He's been on fire, so that's cool, but he's basically just a guy to sit on for the rest of the season.
    
21. Ryan Theriot, 2B/SS (.290, 63 R, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 18 SB) - Theriot had been a target of mine all season as a potential trade acquisition. The trade never happened, but Theriot had a terrible stretch mid-season and became available on waivers. He's not been awesome, but he's been fairly productive when I've had him in my lineup, so that'll do.
    
22. Joel Hanrahan, RP (3 W, 2 SV, 79 K, 3.81/1.11) - With his numbers, you wouldn't have thought he'd be available after being designated the closer for the Pirates. But he had a couple of terrible outings, and the league got scared off. Having been essentially eliminated from contention, I know no fear. Get out there, Hanrahan.
    
23. Joaquin Benoit, RP (0 W, 1 SV, 64 K, 1.49/0.68) - Just a very good middle reliever who's been on at least one or two other teams, as is often the case with very good middle relievers. You always wish they'd have been on your team all season, though. That kind of production over a season is a dream.
    
24. Jake Westbrook, SP (7 W, 107 K, 4.51/1.33) - Yes, I was excited to grab him when he got traded to the Cardinals. And yes, I've started him every time his turn in the rotation has come around. But I know he's worthless long-term. I'm not stupid...well, not that stupid.
    

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 20

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees (.385, 8 R, 4 HR, 14 RBI) - Cano is putting together a nice little season here. His run production has been outstanding all season, but 14 RBI in a week? Obscene.
  
• NL Hitter: Omar Infante, all positions, Braves (.452, 8 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB) - I'm not even kidding; Infante has started at least five games at three infield positions and two outfield positions this year. He was maybe the most controversial All-Star selection ever, but since the break he's hitting .379 with 4 HR, 11 RBI, and 20 R.
  
• AL Pitcher: CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees (2-0, 17 K, 1.38/0.85) - Sabathia continues his fantastic run as a home Yankee, chalking up two more wins and improving his Cy Young resume. I'd have to say he's the front-runner right now, but nobody has been overwhelming in the American League. This looks like a classic RACE TO THE FINISH!
  
• NL Pitcher: Roy Oswalt, SP, Phillies (2-0, 15 K, 1.93/0.86) - Oswalt seems to be trying to remind people that, before the Astros went into the crapper, he was a pretty damn good pitcher. It's nice to see him able to thrive in a pennant race again, and between him, Roy Halladay, and Cole Hamels, Philadelphia has got a pretty daunting rotation to throw at anybody this postseason...if they can just get past the Braves.
  

No bonus coverage this week, folks.

Completing the Circle?

The Dream Team was honored at the Hall of Fame last week. Only two of the members of the 1992 Olympic basketball team are not already in the Hall as individuals: Chris Mullin and Christian Laettner. (Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen were inducted this year.) Should Laettner and Mullin be in the basketball Hall of Fame as well? Let's have a look.

Christian Laettner

Laettner had a nice NBA career, averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds per game over his first five seasons. But he played on some really bad teams, including the near-expansion Timberwolves and the donkey ass Wizards of the early 2000's. His only sniff of a championship caliber team came with the 2004-2005 Heat as a role player, his final NBA season. The team lost in the Eastern Conference finals to the Pistons.

But if Laettner were to be considered for the Hall of Fame, it would be based on his college performance less than his NBA career. He was the best player on the best team of his era, hitting clutch shots, and frustrating fans of the Michigan Wolverines and their "Fab Five" superstar recruiting class. He's the only player ever to start in four consecutive Final Fours. He holds the record for most points scored in NCAA Tournament play.

The logical comparison case is Bill Walton. Walton's NBA career bore a resemblance to Laettner's, featuring averaging about 16 points per game in his first five seasons, but he was definitely a better defensive player. Walton pulled down 12+ rebounds per game in each of his first four seasons, and had 2.5+ blocks per game in three of those four campaigns. Perhaps most importantly, his teams were a lot better than the Timberwolves ever were.

Walton also had a more illustrious college career, being the centerpiece of the unreal 88-game winning streak by UCLA in the mid-70s. And there's the main difference between Walton (a HOFer) and Laettner: hardware. Walton managed to garner an NBA MVP trophy in 1978 (not sure how, with just 19 points and 13 rebounds per game, and only playing in 58 games). He's also got two each of NCAA championships and NBA championships, and he was named Finals MVP in 1977 for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The reality is that Christian Laettner doesn't come close to Walton in terms of overall performance; Walton was a better college player, and a far better professional player than Laettner. Perhaps a better comparison to Laettner would be Vin Baker (who by the way was my favorite player in Electronic Arts' Live '95 game for Super Nintendo).

Verdict: Not a Hall of Famer.

Chris Mullin

I chose to review Mullin second because he's basically Laettner, except better. Mullin was a superstar at St. John's, winning Big East Player of the Year honors three times in his four years, as well as being named an All-American three times. Additionally, he won Olympic gold in 1984, eight years before he did it again with the Dream Team.

Mullin was drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1985 NBA Draft, in a draft that saw power forwards or centers get drafted with 15 of the first 17 picks. He contributed immediately, sliding into the starting lineup by the middle of his rookie season, and 14 points per game. His scoring average increased over his first four years, up to a career high of 26.5 in 1988-89. He scored at least 25 points per game over the next four seasons as well, guiding the Warriors to five consecutive playoff appearances. He also made better than 50% of his field goals, remarkable for a spot-up shooter.

His performance over this period earned him his spot on the 1992 Olympic team, and he took full advantage. He may not have provided any memorable highlight reel dunks or passes, but Mullin was the 4th leading scorer on a team of legends, despite starting only two of the team's eight games.

Unfortunately, injuries took away parts of four seasons, as Mullin missed 140 games over that period, preventing him from building on his Olympic success. By the time he was fully healthy and able to play a full season's worth of games, he was 33, and his skills had begun to fade. He'd never again break 15 points per game, and his career faded out of memory.

So how do we judge him? Comparing him to Walton is pretty fair; he was a dominant college player who had success in the pros. Walton picked up an MVP trophy, but I'd say Mullin was more productive, so we'll call their NBA careers, production-wise, a wash. So the question is this: Does Mullin's Olympic and college success measure up to Walton's college dominance, and the NBA title he pulled in?

Answer: Almost. Walton's NBA championship is impressive, and he was clearly an integral part of the team, rating second in scoring and first in rebounds and blocks on that Trail Blazer team. But I can't give top credit to Mullin for either of his two Olympic golds, for the same reason I don't assign much value to Walton's second title with the Celtics in 1986. Mullin was important to his two gold medal teams, more important than Walton was to those Celtics, but not nearly as important as Walton was to the Portland team.

The final piece of the puzzle is this: While Mullin was a prolific scorer, he never led the league in scoring. Granted, this was during Michael Jordan's heyday, but if a player is going to be elected to the Hall of Fame as a prolific scorer who never won a title (in the NBA or college), he'll have to have led the league in scoring at some point. If Dominique Wilkins can't get in, neither can Mullin.

Verdict: Not a Hall of Famer

I think it's important to note that, specifically with Chris Mullin, this isn't a slouch we're talking about. He's one of the all-time greats, maybe the second-best player in Warrior history behind Wilt Chamberlain, and certainly their best player since moving out west. But the Hall of Fame isn't (and shouldn't be) about being a good player, or being the best player over a short period for one time. It's about being a legend. And we should reserve that for the elite.

And yes, I'm looking at you, baseball.

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 19

Does it bother you guys when I don't do these posts on Mondays? It should. I'm not going to be any better about it, just saying, you should be pretty pissed.

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Michael Brantley, OF, Indians (.375, 7 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB) - This is the kind of across-the-board production those of us who were watching Brantley at the beginning of the season were hoping for. The .203 season average and only 143 at-bats...not so much.
  
• NL Hitter: Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins (.556, 5 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI) - That caliber of batting average is always great to see, and when you partner it with as many homers as anyone over the past week, the pick is kind of a no-brainer. As in, pick anyone else and you don't have a brain.
  
• AL Pitcher: Felix Hernandez, SP, Mariners (1-1, 20 K, 0.00/1.09) - Felix was a party to one of the weirder SP games this year on Sunday. He gave up six hits (one home run) and four walks over 6.2 innings, yet allowed zero earned runs. The problem, of course, was six unearned runs, but as fantasy owners, those are just runs that affect your chance at a win. Fantasy-wise, he's your pitcher of the week in the Junior Circuit.
  
• NL Pitcher: R.A. Dickey, SP, Mets (1-0, 7 Ks, 0.00/0.22) - While you could pretty reasonably argue that Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 15 Ks, 2.13/1.03) has had a better past seven days, I'm going with Dickey. He's having a career year, and at this point, with 2.43/1.15 ratios and by far his best ever K/BB ratio (2.4), he should really be on a team in most leagues (he's only 39% owned right now).
  

Buy-Backs

We had an interesting situation crop up in our fantasy baseball keeper league this past weekend, as a result of some new trade clauses. There was a buildup this season over the course of three trades, each including a variation on a concept.

The first trade (completed about 8 weeks ago) included The Usual Suspects sending Daniel Bard and a second-round pick to the Huber Heights Heroes, in exchange for a few pitchers. The trade included the following clause:

If Daniel Bard is kept by any team, the second round pick is sent back to the Suspects, in exchange for their 4th round pick.

Fast forward to last weekend, when two teams (one of them being my own Riders of Rohan) decided to take this concept a step forward. A trade of Jose Bautista, Mariano Rivera, and Kevin Gregg for Jonathan Sanchez and Carlos Marmol included the following additional features:

Riders of Rohan also trade their 10th round pick to Those Guys.

Additionally, after the season has concluded, Those Guys have the option (before 31 December, 2010) to reacquire Jose Bautista in exchange for the 10th round pick, previously acquired from Riders of Rohan.

A few hours later, the following trade was made:

Cleveland Enforcers trade Trevor Hoffman and their 2011 2nd round pick to Huber Heights Heroes for Matt Cain. After the season, Heroes have the option to reacquire Cain in exchange for their 2011 4th round pick.

And we realized we had a problem on our hands. The Enforcers and Heroes' trade was basically just a rental of Matt Cain for the remainder of the season, and most of the league (including the Enforcers and Heroes, by the way) felt the trade was in bad taste.

In the short term, we decided to force renegotiation of both trades from this past weekend. Long term, we're trying to figure out a couple things. How far do we want our brand new "conditional pick" ban to go? Should the Bard trade be revisited? What should the language of our rules addendum say?

I'm asking, what do you think?

How To Say Goodbye

There comes a time in 75% of fantasy baseball owners' seasons at which they have to come to terms with the fact that they can't win the title this season. Maybe you invested heavily in Kevin Youkilis, Chase Utley, and Jacoby Ellsbury. Maybe you had a kooky strategy that backfired (and we should really look at some of those kooky strategies sometime). Or maybe there's just a super team in your league that's opened up such a lead that it's insurmountable.

Whatever the circumstances, at some point you realize this isn't your year. For me, that moment was when Clayton Kershaw gave up six runs to the Nationals last Friday. As Adam Dunn's second home run of the night cleared the fence, I realized, "There's just no way. It's over." And as the tears flowed (along with the rum), I started to look forward and think, "What now?"

As our league is a keeper league, we have a whole separate set of circumstances to consider, and that usually mitigates any rash decisions (like crazy trades or waiving players who piss you off). But you'll still see some curious moves by teams out of the mix; that's a result of frustration, and an attempt to exert control over this team that's the cause of the frustration.

So, when it comes to handling your roster after the moment of truth revealed your inevitable failure, I've encountered several approaches over the years. Here they are, along with my take on them.

1) Laissez-faire

The first instinct, and not a wrong instinct, is to simply ignore your team for the remainder of the season. Set a lineup, throw your best pitchers in, and start reading fantasy football material.

Advantages:
- It's fair. You're not targeting categories that could help or hurt specific owners.
- It's easy. There's literally zero effort after you set your lineup.
- It frees up your time. You can put it into fantasy football, as many owners do, or you can do something really outlandish and JUST WATCH BASEBALL. :)

Disadvantages:
- It's passive. As much as you may hate your fantasy team, it's still your team. This tactic means you're admitting that you wasted all of the time you put into this team.
- It's no fun. Don't forget that we all play fantasy sports to have fun. This strategy puts an end to any fun you could be having.

2) Play to Win (even though you can't)

Listen, just because you can't win doesn't mean you stop trying. Look at major league baseball teams. The Kansas City Royals continue to fight in August and September, the Detroit Lions keep at it every December, and the Memphis Grizzlies...well, I can't attest to the Grizzlies, but most other teams try to win most games, even when a championship is out of the picture. You can do the same with your failed fantasy baseball team. Try to grab any points you can, try to improve your finish in the standings, and run out your best team every day.

Advantages:
- It's fair. Other teams can't be mad at you for trying to get any points you can. If they do, give them the line from Saving Private Ryan: "Earn this."
- It's freeing. You can take some chances if you have a gut feeling. Feel like starting a rookie pitcher going into Yankee Stadium? Go for it.

Disadvantages:
- You're risking further disappointment. Hey, just because you know you're not going to win doesn't mean you won't be disappointed when the final days come around and you're 22 points out of first. You can set mini-goals (win a category, surpass a point total), but it's not easy to play out the string.
- You're not saving any time. You'd like to be able to devote your time to something else after you've realized you can't win, but this strategy means you're still on top of your team every day. It's a tactic for the die-hard.

3) Vengeance

Over the course of a season (or several seasons, if you're in an annual league), you'll inevitably butt heads with another owner/owners. Maybe they talk a lot of trash, or they made a trade that you thought was unfair but couldn't get your league to act on, or they just irritate you in your own trade negotiations. Whatever the reason, there's a guy you just don't want to see win. And it just so happens he's three steals ahead of you. This strategy says bench your boppers and put in speed guys to take that point, and any others you can find.

Advantages:
- It's goal-oriented. You definitely have a specific task you're trying to accomplish: failure by another team. Having that kind of defined direction can be gratifying.
- It's fairly easy. You can tell where you can take points from most teams. And generally you can adjust your lineup to focus on the statistics you need.

Disadvantages:
- It's sinister. Let's be clear: this is not a strategy for someone who wants to be thought of as a good guy. You're going to be one team's nemesis after this, and in all likelihood, you'll be generally disliked throughout the league as a result. So much so that...
- ...it could backfire. Remember, nothing rallies support for a cause more than taking the opposing side. There's always the possibility that a third team throws points towards your target team, in an attempt to "counter" your moves.

For the most part, people seem to find themselves somewhere in between #1 and #2, still going through the motions, but paying less attention to fantasy baseball. I actually have yet to find someone who legitimately embodied #3, but I wouldn't put it past any of you. Snakes in the grass, all of you.

I prefer #2, which probably comes as a surprise to some of you, who considered me the closest thing to a supervillain that you'd find in your lifetime. True, I enjoy being loathed, feared, etc., but, especially in our keeper league, I prefer to be thought of as a competitor. My goal, always, is to gain points. Sometimes that'll affect teams at the top, and that's how it goes. But going for a higher finish in the standings is the only goal I can feel good about, so that's what I'll do.

And I'll see you next year.

Back on the Radio

In case you missed it, I had a radio show with special guest Chris Reed last week, reviewing the tumultuous NBA offseason. Go here to listen.

Looking forward, I'm hoping to provide radio shows to preview all of the upcoming sports seasons (basketball, football, hockey). If you think you'd like to co-host, drop me a line at joe.joe.sports@gmail.com.

Finally, I'm looking at doing a "stretch run" fantasy baseball show. Again, if you'd like to co-host, let me know.

Vote in the poll!

Twi-Night Doubleheader - Week 18

After a five-week hiatus (for personal reasons), we're back in business. Because of the hiatus, we'll do a player of the past week and a player of the past month.

Fantasy Players of the Week

• AL Hitter: Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees (.320, 5 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI) - Tex is slugging .724 in the month of August, a relief to everyone who drafted him early and watched him meander through the first three months of the season.
  
• NL Hitter: Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies (.423, 7 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SB) - Four multi-hit games in a week will generally put you in a good position to make my list.
  
• AL Pitcher: Brandon Morrow, SP, Blue Jays (2-0, 26 K, 3.14/0.84) - Morrow actually had a very average game against Tampa Bay on the 2nd (W, 5 ER, 9 K), but yesterdays' complete game 1-hitter with 17 strikeouts nudges him above Trevor Cahill, who gave up no runs in two starts but managed just 6 K over 17 innings.
  
• NL Pitcher: Ted Lilly, SP, Dodgers (2-0, 11 K, 2.77/0.54) - It was neck-and-neck between Lilly and Tim Hudson (2-0, 9 K, 0.64/0.93), but the extra strikeouts along with the insane 0.54 WHIP set Lilly apart. Also, what an impressive first two starts for Lilly after being traded to L.A. at the deadline. He looks like he'll be a nice acquisition down the stretch.
  

Fantasy Players of the Month

• AL Hitter: Jose Bautista, 3B, Blue Jays (.323, 21 R, 11 HR, 30 RBI, 1 SB) - Admit it. We all expected Bautista to fade away like so many other first-half phenoms. But he's hitting .260 now, after hitting just .233 through July 18th. Since then he's had eight multi-hit games, and his power hasn't faded at all, hitting ten home runs in that stretch. I don't know how to look at him going forward, but he's a superstar hitter right now.
  
• NL Hitter: Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies (.375, 21 R, 9 HR, 20 RBI, 6 SB) - He's had three 4-hit games in the past two weeks, including a game in which he hit for the cycle. Most notable about that game is that his final hit was a walk-off home run. He's clearly not fazed by pressure.
  
• AL Pitcher: Francisco Liriano, SP (4-0, 39 K, 1.62/1.14) - Gavin Floyd has provided a nice rebound for loyal owners (or more likely speculative wavier-wire crawlers), but I'm going with Liriano. The extra strikeouts overcome the difference in ERA and WHIP in my book. The Twins will be counting on Liriano to anchor their staff (with Carl Pavano???) down the stretch.
  
• NL Pitcher: Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies (4-1, 49 K, 2.35/0.89) - As if I needed another reminder of how foolish it was for me to trade Halladay for a second round pick in our keeper league (which translates out to a 10th round pick in a normal league). I got backed into a corner, and nobody would trade for Ian Kinsler...oh who am I kidding, there's no excuse. Enjoy him if you've got him.
  

In case you were wondering, yes, this means I'm back. So look forward to a couple more posts later this week.