Akira Plays Short

Versatile and Slammin'!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Can you name Who is the only player with at least a .300 average, 25 home runs, 100 RBI's, 95 runs and 15 stolen bases in each of the past three seasons?

A-Rod?
Nope. He hit only .290 back in '06.

In an interview I did last year with fantasy baseball expert - and 8 time 'League of Nations' Champ - Jeff "The Sultan" Bauer stated that David Wright will NOT be a Top 5 3B in the next 2 years. Guess he was wrong. Call him versatile.

Am I a homer? Maybe, but the numbers don't lie. Wright has suffered a down-turn a little - this season, but has since rebounded with the unlikely addition to the Mets line-up in Gary Sheffield. If ya'll recall, it was Wright who gave Sheff a call and said it would be awesome if he joined the team.

Gary said yes and joined the team. Just by showing up, Sheff had sparked and loosened them up. He gave hitting pointers, answered questions about strategy, talked work outs, went about his business as he has always done. Those who wanted more just watched how a pro did his work. And all this from the bench. Call him Slammin'.

The team now is a mess with over $120 mil worth of players on the DL. Opportunity came knocking for Sheff as he was slid into the line-up in the 4 hole. What happened? An imediate return for those batting before him.

David Wrights' slump was over, but the now considered (GULP) AAA team is still struggling. Will the team hang on in time for the starters to return?

Well the Phills, have no bull pen and starting pitching sucks. And even Cole Hamel isn't a lock everytime he takes the mound.

Braves? I don't think so. Forget the Nats, and that leaves the Marlins.
The Marlins!? Not again.
Florida looks like they may have all the pieces back to hold and win the division. Crap!

In the meantime, the team will have to rally around Versatile and Slammin' until something gives.

The Fantasy Man's Snake Draft Plan Exposed!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Got a great question to day in the email. So good I thought it would be wise to throw it out there for everyone. I know this is nuts and up for some arguements as I am sure I will get the usual hate mail and comments here but this is a draft plan I am personally following in 12 team, 5x5, roto, mixed leagues this season. Say what you want, but yes, I fully intend on winning with this set up. So much in fact, that I have no problem spreading the advice around! We all know a draft can take a turn for the worse, but if you stay on course and have back up options at every pick, you can make this work and have a pretty sweet team. Enjoy!

Oh, by the way, we just loaded the first new daily fantasy baseball leagues at www.FANLEX.com !! This of course goes along with the $100 Prize April HR Derby FREEROLL that is , um, free to join! Check it out!

The Question: Mike, Last year you provided a Podcast where you listed what position/players you would take in each round. I won a league last year following it. Of course I misplaced the paper where I had all the information. Can you help me out?

The Answer: Of course! I'll make it rain for you right here.... here ya go...... this is the plan I am following. It allows for top notch hitting and solid pitching if you make the right picks. Here it is in a nutshell....

R1 - Power, any position - A top 2 pick I go Pujols, at 5-6 I think about Cabrera and Braun, after that its Howard, Tex, Hamilton, Berkman. I dont care about position scarcity in mixed leagues. I care about power scarcity. Get power early, find steals later. Thats my motto.

R2 - More power, any position - an early round two you can probably grab Tex, Berkman, Holliday, CLee. Late R2 you can grab Fielder, Soriano, Beltran, etc.

R3 - Carlos Quentin or Matt Kemp. Quentin for more power, Kemp for some speed.

R4 - AGonzalez, Mourneau, Jason Bay and if all gone, I might steal Brian Roberts for speed and position scarcity.

R5 - Geovany Soto or Brian McCann. If Soto/McCann is gone, go with Big Papi. If both gone, go with Dan Uggla for 2B or MI.

R6 - grab Papelbon if he's still there. If not, shoot for VMart or Martin if there. Otherwise, take the next best hitter. Maybe Ellsbury if he falls, you can jump on Votto or Chris Davis. Many options.

R7 - Grab a SS (if you didnt grab Hanley, Reyes or Rollins in the 1st).... Drew, Furcal, Tulo, Jeter, Hardy, Peralta.

R8 - Grab a Joey Votto or Chris Davis if you have the 3B (for Davis) or the CI (for Votto)open. Or, if you missed on Roberts or Uggla and have the MI spot open, grab the remaining SS of that group in R7 I mentioned. If all gone or your MI is filled, look at Cano at 2B. If your 2B is filled, go with the best closer available....from Nathan, Rivera, Lidge, Soria. If those guys are gone, go with another hitter like Votto, Chris Davis, Dye, DLee, Delgado, Wells or any quality hitter that has dropped.

R9 - Grab the next best closer on the board..... Valverde, Jenks, Fuentes, Ryan, Marmol, Broxton if you still need a second closer or even if you need the 1st. If you have both, go with the best SP.

R10 - Grab your second closer or if you already have two, go with the best SP.

R11 - If a Johnny Damon, Dye, Hawpe, Wells slip...grab one if you have room. Otherwise grab a SP

R12 - SP

....... from there, start to fill in your team as needed. Hopefully, after you grab two closers by rounds 9 or 10 and then you start filling in SP's. You should be able to get guys like Burnett, Volquez, Gallardo, Nolasco, Cain, Myers, etc. guys with potential. Dont worry about the 2 or 3 open hitter spots, there's lots of cheap talent late at every position........ such as....and to name only a few ;) ......

C - Bengie Molina, Saltalamacchia, Navarro, Suzuki and even Olivo might be decent
1B - Blalock, Guillen, Jacobs, Kotchman, Morales
2B - Weeks, Sanchez, Casilla, Lopez
3B - Blalock, Guillen
OF - Ankiel, Werth, Tavares, Maybin, Dukes, Adam Jones, Milledge, Gomez, Bourn.... there's a ton!

Hope that helps!
It's not perfect but you'll contend if you come up with the right players! The rest comes with great team management!

Para mi Rodriguez: to my Rodriguez: An open letter by an A-Rod fan

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Crap!
Damn!
Are you freakin' kidding me?!? You have to be the dumbest richest ball player on the face of this earth!
Oh. Right. You are.

You know Alex, I gotta tell ya', I've read, listened, and was told so much about this that I thought I was gonna Oou-up. Seriously, I mean...wow!

On a scale of shockers for me, it was right up there with Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee dying! I mean I was just floored. Devestated! And I'm not a Yankee fan, but I gotta tell ya, I'm still looking back when the news first broke and I had no words.

I don't know what should I do with my 2006 WBC USA Rodriguez jeresy. And then you dummy-head... you go and pick the DR as the team you want to play with this year.
Oh ye me! Listen to me...how stupid is that?? You knew that if you would've said USA this year that it would've tainted the USA team! You knew that! Why did you say anything?

Bro really? Jeeze. Part of me wants to burn it that Jersey now...I swear.
But you know I won't do it because I know I can do better on eBay. Kidding.

Now your running away. Plain and simple. First a cist then hip problem, a-la Chase Utley and Mike Lowell. You know what you got? Right? Your stressed out dude. Next thing we're gonna hear is ya got shingles. Who your gonna blame for that? Oh yea, 'Like a Virgin...touched for the very for time...' 52 year old chick! Is she really 52?

Oh man, did ya scrape your tongue at least?

Why are you running? Is it because of the tell all book about to come out. Dude we are tired of the steriods. Nobody cares. Ok the break up with your high school sweetheart does not help and leaving your kids even for a little while is stupid too. But Madonna and steroids. Really?
Alex? Really?

I'll say this, I'm not giving up on you like I have not givin up on Pete Rose. I'll say it like Pete likes to say it..

"Some day that sum-bitch will be in the hall. Hopefully".
Keep hope alive Petey! Some day you will be reinstated.

Now Alex, do what you gotta do to get healthy and then come back and bust your ass by showing everybody who you are and what you are really made of?

Forget the dumb-ass interview with Peter Gammons, by the way, who I admire, so I guess you picking the hall-of-famer helped a little. Surrounding yourself with the right image helps a little bit, but you looked like an ass. How do you not prep better for that?

I guess your press conference - confession was a little better and then, what the hell man! Who the hell told you to use the cousin line? Brilliant! That was hilerious.

Well I guess that was smart. Now Congress can't say anything 'cause you didn't do it in this country. At least you kept your visa.

Anyway, at least you man-up'd better than Jason. glad he is back with Oak-town.

So now what is it? 4 weeks. 6 weeks? Just so you know I predicted as soon as the story broke to my friend Jeff - June 1st.
Hey Jeff I told ya. And that is if he is lucky. Drop him down to a 5th round pick and then stash him on the DL for now.
Me? Fantasy trade bait baby.

Alex please fix yourself and fast. I'll be here waiting.

The Fantasy Man: All the Players I Don't Pay Attention Too!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Posted: 29 Jan 2009 11:04 AM CST

It's nothing personal, but there's some players in a fantasy baseball draft or auction that I never seem to pick. There's some players I simply don't trust or some names I just can't stand to look at on my fantasy team roster. I'm sure they're great guys personally, but in fantasy terms, I just can't seem to pull the trigger.

You might want to grab a cold drink (I like soda with ice...nice and crispy!), have a seat and get comfortable because there is a good chance you may want to curse me out by the time you're done reading this. Below is a list of the players I just don't like on my fantasy team. Hopefully I can justify why I won't choose these players! Keep in mind however, players we despise on our rosters can still be fantastic picks when undervalued which in turn make great picks. But, sometimes, like I said above, I just can't pull the trigger. Like Ed Rooney said, "I don't trust this kid any farther than I can throw him!" Let's start at the top....

Lance Berkman - .300/35/110/10 is the average projection you'll get for Berkman. Those are fantastic potential numbers, but I'm just not a believer. Whether it was the year he got hurt or last year when his first half was amazing and the second half, well, not so good. No trust here. I'd rather grab Mark Teixeira, Matt Holliday or Prince Fielder in the early second round or dare I say, stretch on Carlos Quentin. Berkman is also technically on the downside of his prime turning 33 in February. Probably a year or two left of top production but he's not the most agile player and I just can't seem to hit the draft button. No offense Lance.

Carl Crawford - What's up with this guy?!! Turns 27 last August and hits 8 HR! Jeez. Here's a guy that we've been touting for years waiting for that big break out. I mean he's still 27 for most of the season so that break out could happen this year as he enters his prime, but there's that word again... "could". I want to know if it is or not! I might still grab Crawford in the 4th round if he slips but I almost rather grab the sure thing in Ichiro Suzuki or take a risk and stretch on Jacoby Ellsbury. I have a feeling Ellsbury will be more productive than Crawford in 2009.

Russell Martin - I know, sounds dumb right? Fact is, I feel there is more potential to grab Brian McCann, Geovany Soto or Joe Mauer over Martin. If not, I'd rather just wait until the end of the draft and pick up two between Bengie Molina, Kelly Shoppach, Kurt Suzuki, Jeff Clement, Yadier Molina, Taylor Teagarden, Max Ramirez, etc. See? We have options late. Martin is a solid player and a top notch fantasy catcher, but I like Joe Mauer because he can bust out a .330+ batting average assuming he stays healthy or I like Brian McCann or Geovany Soto because both have 25+ HR/100+RBI potential with .280+ batting averages. More upside between these 3 than with Martin. .300/15/90/10 is nice, but I like to shoot for the stars!

Scott Kazmir - I used to love the potential of Kazmir. Still do, but here is a case where I like a guy so much I just won't draft him. Simple as this.... Kazmir is a high K guy, high BB guy, not enough innings guy, so therefore not enough wins guy! End of story. Pick Francisco Liriano or John Lackey or even take the risk on Felix Hernandez over Kazmir in the 5th-7th rounds of a normal draft.

Chris B. Young - Young, athletic, superstar potential says it all, but a .230 batting average is a bit disheartening. He has 20/20 or even 30/30 upside, but after a sweet 2007 (despite the low BA), be bombed a bit in 2008. There's still plenty of time to break out here but he's a superstar in the K department and unless he works that out, you'll get the same thing you had last year!

Delmon Young - Uggh! He's only 23 but he's the now the Carl Crawford of 7 years ago. All that potential, or so it seems, followed up by marginal numbers. So far the experts have had it wrong on this guy. !0HR and 14RBI in 2008, that just doesn't cut it for me. Yet, he'll still be picked in rounds 9-13. Too early for all that left over hype from 2 years ago.

Brett Myers - Every year I pass up Myers even when he's at a great value. I just don't believe he can repeat that big 200+K season and even so, his ERA and WHIP weren't super fantastic that year anyway. Solid yes, super fantastic, no. Then, in 2007 when he had hurt his arm, it cost him the season, bounced back and forth to the bullpen and he never had that surgery. I feel like that one year I draft Myers, that arm injury will return. That is why I am not high on him in 2009.

Trevor Hoffman - Here's a guy who can get you 40+ saves and probably a 1.20 or less WHIP, but he's in line for a 4.00+ERA and I simply can't deal with that this year. Plus he's super old. I'd rather grab two top notch guys in rounds 9-11 then to wait another round or two for Hoffman.

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Rookie Status gone, but not Forgotten!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:33:00 +0000

The Fantasy Man and FantasyBaseballExpreess.com Presents:
Adam Cohen

This is a list of players that have lost their rookie status but should not be forgotten. Basically they are going to be players who did not fair well in their first try at the major leagues but still have the ability to succeed as early as this year. These are guys you could take a late round flier on in your league and come out looking like a genius.

Jeff Clement: He got 204 at bats this season and managed to just barely stay over the Mendoza Line, batting .227. In that time he only hit 5 HR while slugging just .360. There is no question he struggled more than many of us would have liked to see. Word out of Mariner world is that Clement is going to get plenty of run at catcher and will be the DH when he isn't behind the plate. That is exciting news from a fantasy perspective. It means that when he gets a day off from behind the plate to rest his knees, he will still be in the lineup. Eventually he may move to 1b, but for now the Mariners plan to keep him at C and he has an amazing power bat for a C. If this guy gets 500 at bats this year he is a definite 20 HR candidate, he could also find himself batting near the middle of this lineup if he starts hot. Odds are he'll hit for a lower type average in the .250-.260 range, but for a catcher with 20 HR ability, that is great.

Wladimir Balentien: Another Mariner with great power. This guy has been touted throughout the minors as a guy who could hit 30 in the major leagues. This guy literally flirted with the Mendoza line in his 243 major league at bats last season. He finished with a .202 batting average. As of now Endy Chavez is penciled in as the left fielder, however this team is so bad they have to give their young guys a shot and see what they got. Baltentien may start the year as the 4th OF, but he should get plenty of at bats and could figure in at DH while Clement is behind the plate. If he can get 500 at bats this year he as the ability to hit 25 or more HR, the problem is that it will likely come with a .230-240 average. He will not be a fantasy stud, however can be a very cheap source of power if you need it. Keep an eye on him in spring training, if he gets a job from the get go, he'll likely be a fantasy impact.

Delmon Young: Many fantasy people are down on Young. Here is what you do know: he was projected to be a 30/30 type player, and has fallen far short of that each year of his career. What you may not realize is that he has still averaged a .289 batting average, with 12 HR and 12 SB while averaging over 80 RBI a season. What this means is that he still hits well in the middle of the lineup, just hasn't developed his home run power yet. With young hitters, power is usually the last thing that develops in terms of their tools (generally plate discipline is the hardest thing to find in a youngster). This guy could be poised for a break out season in power. He will be hitting near the middle of the lineup again and even if he does not break the 20 HR threshold for another year, he should be counted on for double figures in HR and SB while holding down a nice batting average and a good total of RBI.

Alex Gordon: This was another can't miss prospect that has so far missed. Many people around fantasy baseball consider this guy a bust. I am not ready to give up on him yet. He was rushed to the majors, sure he performed well, but we was rushed. Not only that, he was rushed with tremendous pressure. He was the franchise savoir. Over his two full seasons in the majors he has averaged just 66 runs, 15 HR, 60 RBI and 12 SB, while batting just .253. He has been very pedestrian compared to his hype. Bottom line is that he is only 24 years old and now has 2 years of experience in the major leagues. His team is starting to get better, he is getting more protection. He was supposed to be a carbon copy of David Wright, and although I don't see this as a reality at this point, he can be a Wright-lite type player. He had a great second half of the season although it was cut short by injury, his batting average was .277 and raised his slugging percentage to .496 from .407 pre all-star break. He also snagged 6 of his 9 stolen bases in his shortened second half. I'd predict that a .275-70-20-80-10 type season is not a stretch for this kid in 2009.

Billy Butler: Another Royal who had big things expected of him for 2008, who fell quite short. He struggled so badly in the first half of the season that he was actually demoted. Before being demoted he hit just 2 home runs and slugged just .330. He went down the minors and figured things out and came back to the majors and went on a terror. His average climbed to .305 while he slugged .476. This translated into 9 HRs in just 210 at bats. If you take just his second half numbers and translate it into a full season of 600 at bats, he was on pace for 26 homeruns with his above .300 average. The news for him during the off-season is that Kansas City traded for Mike Jacobs to come in and play the 1b position. This moves Butler to DH for good which hurts his value some in fantasy leagues. This guy will realize his potential this year though so take a late round flier on him. .300-70-25-90 type season is coming.

Steven Pearce: He has been touted as a 30 HR potential bat for a few years now. However, the Pirates outfield has been a little crowded and has not provided the opportunity for him to get sufficient playing time. In his limited time in the majors he has yet to show the 30 HR power we heard of, however continued to show it during his time in the minors. With Nady now out of Pittsburgh, Pearce is penciled in by many to play right field. If he does win the job out of spring training look for him to be a possible power supply during your season. I'd say it's a bit early in his career to say he'll hit 30 HR, but 20 is not out of the question. Assuming he wins the starting job I'd expect a .270 average with 21 HR.

Jeff Francis: Coming off the best season of his career, Francis found himself hitting the DL for the first time in his major league career. This landed him quite short of the near 200 IP we have come to expect from him. He showed that his 6.9 K/IP strike out rate from the year before was a little fluky as he returned closer to his career average with a 5.9 posting this past year. Going into this year he will not be the ace of staff, as Aaron Cook has taken that over. This should lead to a little less pressure on Francis and I fully expect him to take advantage of that. I doubt he will reach his career high of 17 wins or beat the 165 Ks he had that year either. However I think he could end the year with 13-14 wins and 140 Ks. He's never had a season with an ERA under 4.16 or WHIP under 1.29, and that won't change this season. Don't expect anything much higher than those two numbers though.

Anibal Sanchez: The key for this guy is to stay healthy. If he can stay healthy he will be in a position to contribute for fantasy managers. With the emergence of other starting pitchers in the Florida rotation, he is penciled into the fourth spot in the rotation, which will take the pressure of pitching at the top of the rotation off of him. Throughout his minor league career he has been a great strikeout pitcher and I see no reason that this will not translate into the majors. In his two previous stints in the majors he had pedestrian strike out rates, however last season in 10 starts he was up at 8.7 K/IP. This is not the 22 year old kid who through a no-hitter a few years ago, he is 24 and has battled through injuries each of the past two years. He won't be as good as he looked that rookie year where he posted and ERA under 3.00 in 17 starts. He should be able to keep his ERA under 4.20 and contribute nicely in strikeouts. This Florida team surprises people every year with their win total so this guy reaching 14 or more wins this season would not be a complete stretch.

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this article, let me know if there are any others you guys can think of by leaving a comment below...

Adam Cohen

Move Over Pudge My Man Crush on Wieters is Bigger than it was for You

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Man Blast for a Double

Not since, Ivan Rodriguez or Mike Piazza, have I gone gagga for this new catching prospect. Say what you want about Russ Martin, McCann, or one of my favorites Geo Soto.

Matt Wieters OMG! Let me drop some knowledge on my prediction about the guy that can break Mike Piazza records. And I'm a Mets fan!
How about Six foot five, two hundred and thirty pounds (I love reading numbers spelled out), switch hitting catcher that has so much patience he will drive pitchers crazy. That said - don't be surprised when he will be in the top 5 for getting hit by a pitch. Hey Matt, no prob, just head over to the Don Baylor store for padding.

He just got rid of Ramon Hernandez and is still the front runner to start out of spring training. The O's may pick up some guy just to be the back up just in case, but I have no doubt it will not take long for Matt to jump in.

Regarded as the best position player in last years draft, it didn't take long for Baltimore to say... Um Ramon.. you don't have to go home, but ya got ta get up outa here! Possibly the best college catcher in recent memory, combining good defeense, and high average. Oh did I mention - very good power?

The O's did give him a record signing bonus because he is a Boras guy, but Baltimore knew it wasn't just anyone.

Am I wrong? Let me know what you think.

Trash Talking: It’s What's on Deck.

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:39:00 +0000

Can you tell you boss to go fly a kite? Can you tell your parents to “go to your room!”? Can you tell your girlfriend your about to leave her for the next 6 baseball months? No probably not, but you can dream! Now that the 2008 season is upon us, it is time to throw a little garbage around.

Gar-bage (noun): Gar*bage [ga’arbij]
1. Discarded food waste, or any other unwanted or useless material.
2. Nonsense
3. Talk or writing that is worthless nonsense or lies
4. Somebody who or something that is considered totally worthless
5. Someone who has never finished in the top five
6. Somebody who keeps Freddy Garcia

Sound familiar? Which one are you? That’s right I’m talkin’ to you, all of you! Because 2008 is not only going to be about hits and RBIs, it’s going to be about how much trash talkin’ you can dish, or in your fantasy baseball league, your Commissioner can take! Some of you have taken some lumps last year, like I did finishing 8th in a 12 team league. Where do you find yourselves finishing in 2008?

1st. YOU???
2nd. One Year Wonder
3rd. Perennial contender (again)
4th. More lucky than good
5th. Aspiring wannabe
6th. Blind squirrel
7th. The Roto-Rooter
8th. Drafted all kids
9th. Trusted Randy Johnson
10th. Drafted an all Japanese team. (kidding but seriously - I know Japan won the World Baseball Classic but come on!)
11th. No Hablo espanol
12th. Has to go to the library to check his team online.

So, get ready ladies cause it’s on. And your league commish is looking to repeat as the Top Dog! Hey, will it be another second place let down? Boo-hoo. So close yet so far away? What’s up baby?!? Or can you finish any lower? Hey guy in 10th place, you want to trade me Albert Pujols for Sammy Sosa? Sure. Or you in 7th place, the only thing bigger than your team's ERA last year is the size of your monstrous skull. Hey dude, I guess money can’t buy you a fantasy title. And what about the last place team? Good ol’ last place team… remember... it can’t get any worst!
Let the games begin....

How To Start and Play in a Keeper League: Easy Pt: II

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:30:00 +0000

So I wanted to be clear about something…. I am not knocking other formats of fantasy baseball play. On the contrary,

I play in all the other formats, but I like keeper leagues the most. Point’s keeper leagues are the best.

I will save that for another time. However, let us continue on with my next segment on how to play or start a keeper league.

_______________________________________
Part II: Determining roster guidelines

A - Managers who are happy-go-lucky
There are different levels of dedication when it comes to keeper leagues. If you are just starting out… stick with the best available (consistent) players early in your draft. Then work with serviceable players so you can stay within striking distance in your league. The number of players kept from last year should be the best in there positions. Try to fill out positions you need, but if a player falls to you that is a must have, take a chance on the player (best available) then stash them as a reserve if at all possible.
If you end up being the commish, and idea is to limit the number of reserves on each team.
In such formats, owners tend to retain stars or fast-rising players. You may choose to place restrictions on which players can be held - for example, only players selected after a certain round are eligible, or players can be protected for only a set number of seasons.
__________________________________________________________
B – The Kill-or-be-killed Competitive owners
For those who eat, sleep, dream, talk, shit, live and breathe fantasy baseball, keeper leagues can add a new level of killer play. For instance, you can decide to form a full-retention league (all players owners wish to keep at their required salaries) or one in which each squad can select a very large number of players to keep. Obviously, the more players retained means the fewer available in the draft.
Greater (or no) limits on keepers mean you must implement deep or even unlimited reserve rosters. Going further, you may even choose to split them into two categories: a traditional bench and a minor’s roster.
With more spots to retain players, owners should not only focus on stars but also young players with high upside. The restrictions placed on keepers can mirror those discussed in the league chat room, or they can be tweaked in any number of ways.

Many leagues strive for realism; hardcore keeper leagues, like the one I’m in, give the owners the chance to mirror the role of a real general manager.

How to Start and Play in a Fantasy Keeper League: In four easy parts

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:53:00 +0000

I’m a little tired of all the freakin’ BS that fantasy players, analyst, experts, and podcasters say about keeper leagues not being as good as other fantasy format play. What ever. Let me drop some knowledge about Keeper leagues because I know there are many of us out there looking for a good keeper league to play in because if you knew how to start one you would not be reading this right now. Let me break in down in four easy parts to get you started on how to play or start your own.
I have been fortunate enough to get into one league with the coolest commissioner around. The League of Nations has been around for 10 years and it started with only 3 guys. First on Yahoo Sports and now on CBS Sportsline. I think one of the reasons it has done so well is because, of the owners and the commish, but also of the scoring system. It is the closest thing to real baseball I’ve come across. And I'm not saying this because I play in it. It is a good keeper system. One of the challenges we have is you can only have 6 players on the bench and none of them can be pitchers! That is right – you draft, trade, or FAAB a rotation of five starting pitchers a closer and four RP and that is it. The funny thing is it slants more toward pitching than it does hitting. What I like a lot about keeper leagues – depending on your league rules – (is why we call it keeper league in the first place DUH) - you get to keep 4 to 8 players on average from one season to the next. In my league, the commish ran with the idea about keeping as many players as the LON has been in play. So it has been 10 years so we get to keep 10 players. That is another reason I like this format the most too because in regular leagues, you don’t start from the beginning.

So let us begin with part I:

The basics
Understand this: If you are the one starting the league or want to join for the first time, get out that snickers bar, ‘cause your not going anywhere. I mean let’s face it if you are ready for a keeper league then you are committed to stay for a while. This is most important. Keeper leagues are long-term commitments. Think about it – a good keeper league should also have a small roster of minor leaguers too. So you are not just focusing on the upcoming/current season but by July – depending on where you are in the standings – you are thinking about the following year as well. In addition if you’re starting the league yourself stay away from crazy guys with no commitment and ass-wipe dispositions. You want your league to survive right?
Probably the way to start a keeper league is to expand on a league you’ve been in or played in last year. That way you have a good feel for the guys you are going to kick out or not invite and keep/invite the ones that you are.
When you start a league try to keep it simple and expand the league as you become more familiar. Then if you feel you are becoming a better commish kick somebody out of the league for the hell of it! Kidding. Just keep it fun.
Make sure you start a keeper league in the off season and your drafting from the beginning. It would be unfair to try to keep players from the year before – especially when the scoring system will change from standard to custom. Always start with the rules and make sure it is settled before the draft. Also – make an executive decision on how many players to keep for the following season. You do this because as soon a team is starting to tank – a good owner will start working trades before the deadline and the wire before all the sleepers and the hot prospects are taken.
This ends part one.
If you have questions send them or wait for the other 3 parts. Just so you know I am starting the first ever Akira Plays Short league and I’m looking for a few good players. Send me a comment about this article or that you are interested in joining the first ever APS league.

Does Anyone Know if Emily Post Wrote About Fantasy Baseball?

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Can you hear the words that are coming out of my blog!?
Akira Plays Short is back (officially)!

Yes I know I had enticed you a little bit with the rankings and some other small things, but now Akira Plays Short is back for ’09 and so I ask you, are you ready for the new season of fantasy baseball and other rants? Some of you are starting to wake up – hello? - And some of you are looking for things to read or have been keeping up since the GM meetings in Vegas. Or you are like me – playing fantasy football already checked out with a crappy team sittin’ at 3 and 10, knowing your not making the playoffs this year – and working on your keeper list for the 2009 season.

Keepers are due people so let’s get to work. I always want to start with a little reminder about playing with manners:
You’ve been playing fantasy baseball for a couple of years now and you have never won. You ask yourself, what happened? Every year you always start with such energy and motivation to do the best you can, but you never ever won the league. The closest you have come to first place was 4th. “Whatever”. You say. You get frustrated and upset and you wonder what you are doing wrong.

Then it begins with ideas in your head about cheating going on in the league. You start looking up all the names in the league. Trying to find trade patterns and now you’re going nuts! Hey you asked for it. Now you’re yelling at yourself because you want to know who is emailing who and what is being said and why you are not a part of it.

“I’ve got a good team” Says the crybaby. You ask yourself: “Is there a coup in the undercurrents of my league or do I just need culture classes?” Maybe?Dude, relax already. This game should be played for the fun and the excitement, and the trash talking, and all that is good in the world of Fantasy Baseball. During the season, if you find yourself making a trade and it feels like forever for an answer, but it has only been 5 days…dude…just wait alright? Send a reminder email and keep waiting. Still no answer, move on, but leave the offer up. Try to figure out what the guy needs, but if you think it’s fair, leave it alone. I would wait for another two weeks to send another reminder if you still have sleepless nights. Just don’t send 2, 3, or 4 emails a week alright? You’ll be acting like a dork. Seriously - you’ll come across like a pest. Nobody likes a pest. Now getting back to the culture Coup d'etat issue...... Let's review some examples that just kill you during the baseball season because you’re wasting time over nothing. You look at the transactions on how players get to other teams' rosters. Interesting? Another team drops a player and a few minutes later the player is picked up by some other team? “Hmm, that’s odd”.

Me? I would’ve said to myself, “Self let that go”. It was nothing. You just wasn’t fast enough on the waver wire is all that happened.
Now you turn to some offers you have made to other teams. “Damn, still there. Well of course you idiot? You just sent that one just yesterday. “Man, (You think to yourself) that’s a good offer and that owner would be stupid not to take it.” Dude, take it easy will ya.

You have sent the trades, and the emails, and posted messages to that team owner you’re trying to make a trade with, but you’re waiting and waiting for any kind of response.....and you get nothing. “Crap! Hurry up already”. Then after a few weeks you see a quick trade with no problems with two other teams. Now your pissed because you look at the names attached to the recent trade, and one of those guy’s is the team owner your trying' to trade with! “Damn it!” And you go for a brew to calm you down.You move on dude. ‘Cause a fantasy baseball culture class is what you will need next.
“I need a culture class on fantasy baseball playing?” Uh…yes.
You’re going to learn fantasy baseball culture and etiquette.
If it was me, I’d rather kill myself then let this game kill me.
Guys it’s suppose to be fun. Relax and enjoy. Don’t worry what the other team is doing. So let me leave you with this:
Don’t find yourself saying those words from the immortal Charlie Brown - UGH!
Me, I favor Homer. Doh!

Akira Catcher Rankings for 2009!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:56:00 +0000

So without further ado, let's kick off 2009 with the Akira Power rankings for the coming season at the eve of the upcoming GM meetings in Las Vegas. Let me start getting the juices flowing with my picks for catcher as some leagues require keepers to be set by December 31st.

Below are my top 25 at the cacher position and you guys can tell me how wrong or (man-up and say) how close or right I am. In either case I need a shrink until baseball season starts again!

These are the AKIRA POWER 25 rankings:
We'll start with the rank, name, team, and then my two-cents.

Here we go.

1 Russell Martin LAD CBS says due to a bad September they don't want to give him the number 1 slot. Whatever! Just like I predicted Soto was going to be the ROY - I am predicting that number 1 catcher for 2009 is going to be the big Canadian kid!

2 Brian McCann ATL. A sweet swinger! Barring any DL stints…B-Mac is the man at number 2 slot.

3 Joe Mauer MIN. What you have seen in the last three years is all he will give you. Will ever be the number 1? Nope, but he is nice enough here.

4 Geovany Soto CHC Has a shot at the number one slot for '09, may 2010. He can keep it warm until my new guy (Matt Wieters) takes over.

5 Victor Martinez CLE. Cleveland will just make him the regular 1B/DH after this year if they want to. I have the name of the next big catcher for Cleveland and trust me he is coming. Just not ready yet. Until then V-Mart warrants to be #5 with Kelly Shop-shooter as the back up.

6 Ryan Doumit PIT. Lets face it many of us love this kid. He finally has a better glove behind the plate and the bat is coming around. Look for him to continue the rise.

7 Bengie Molina SF. Bengie's magic is starting to drop, but the guy gets this spot even with a low avg. If the Giants make the playoffs this year it will be because he's got game calling skills.

8 Chris Iannetta COL Finally! Iannetta gets the starting job and he will run with it. Love this guy!

9 Kelly Shoppach CLE He was traded here as V-Mart's back-up. He gets this spot because V-Mart will not stay behind the dish. Kelly didn't disappoint when he was traded here, but he will get benched or traded onceWieters is ready as I said above with V-Mart being the everyday 1B or whatever guy. Or Cleveland will have to make a move this winter to clear things up before spring.

9 Jorge Posada NYY. High risk high reward is what I say. Still give Jorgie a lot of props. Wants to show he can still play. Only thing is Yanks have two big prospects waiting in the wings and if the Yanks know what is good for them - they will make Posada the full time DH. The boy can still rake!

Ok. Are you ready for this one.....?

10 Matt Wieters BAL. "Oh shit what did you say!?" You heard me! That's right baby without playing a single game yet this spot is given to the next "Bust-out yo". Nope this is not a typo! Move over Ramon 'cause your days are numbered. Wieters will be invited to the show in spring training and kick ass, but the O's will take the Braun/Longoria approach to wait and sign for arbitration purposes or whatever and then bring up around May 1st. The reason he gets the starting job will be about the howitzer he has for an arm not the Pujol-esk bat he will bring.

11 Kurt Suzuki OAK. Reality check here…good enough here for AVG, singles and some bags but he's fantasy play is all but done.

12 Dioner Navarro TB. You know how much I love this guy? He just lacks a little power. Bad ball and gap hitter. Don't know when - if ever - the power will show up.

13 A.J. Pierzynski CHW. Numbers starting to drop, but the vet is still good enough to crack my top 15.

14 Chris Snyder ARI. They say there is no such thing as a second half player yet he continues to suck before July and then he flips a switch and starts to rake after. The only reason Snyder is still around is because Montero is a liability on the field otherwise look for Chris to continue to work to try and keep his job. The D-Backs know Montero is the guy and it is just a matter of time before he takes over.

14 Mike Napoli LAA. Man! This is that guy you love to hate 'cause he is all over. One week he is up and the next week he drops. Got the glove and the bat but you never know which one will show up and when.

15 Jarrod Saltalamacchia TEX. This could be his last chance to shine behind the plate or where ever the Rangers want to put him. I don't care what position he plays. Just give him a full year. Come on Salty don't let me down!

15 Gerald Laird TEX. This year Texas makes the decision not to platoon him and may give him the dish and put Salty at 1B or full time DH. Then he is trade bate around the deadline if Jarrod stays healthy.

16 Brandon Inge. He gets the starting job now and will produce period.

17 Jesus Flores WAS. Ok so my boys in Queens didn't have to buy the Rap CD by Lasting’s, but it wasn't enough to give up on him. That is what they did with Jesus too - my boys gave up on him too soon. Acta knows what he's got.

18 Jeff Clement SEA. I salivated over this guy, but then ran out of saliva because he can't seem to show up. Well I think he shows enough to stay in the line up for '09. So he cracks my top 20 for now or I start drooling again.

19 Kenji Johjima OAK. Say what you will about the power, but it is not why Billy keeps him around. Still has a good enough stick for AVG and RBI's to stay in the line up in '09.

20 Ivan Rodriguez NYY. Posada is the higher risk with his knees and all is why Pudge will stay behind the plate for the glove. It is a win-win situation.

20 Jason Varitek BOS Boras BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…my guy this and my guy that, and he can call a great game.... Whatever bitch, the fucker still can't and won't pass a 230 AVG. Still - gotta give the boy the props....for now.

21 Ramon Hernandez BAL. Maybe the last time you see him at Camdon and chants of "Wieters…" "Wieters…." Is what the fans will start with as soon as he starts fucking up.

22 Yadier Molina STL. Not good enough this year to catch up to his bro this year either.

23 Carlos Ruiz PHI. Cracks the top 25 like Varitek with hell of a season. Can he keep it up?

24 Rod Barajas. "Say what son?" He had a comeback his come back year. And will keep it going as a low end in 2009

25 JR Towles HOU. Will continue to work for AVG and he has some pop too!

There you have it. Don't like it you say? Well let me hear from you people!

True Baseball Crime: The 1927 Yankees

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:41:00 +0000

I love baseball history and I can't get enough of baseball's best team.

Enjoy this short profile about baseball's "Tommy Gun" line up. __________________________________________________
The term was eternally associated with the advent of the Ruth and Lou Gehrig Yankee teams beginning in the mid-1920s, and is commonly recognized to refer specifically to the core of the 1927 Yankee hitting lineup.
Owner Jacob Ruppert is the man most often credited for building the team, although general manager Ed Barrow may have had as much to do with it. In a July series against the Washington Senators, the Yankees beat their opponents 21-1 in one game and prompted Senators’ first baseman Joe Judge to say, “Those fellows not only beat you but they tear your heart out. I wish the season was over.”
Season Results
The 1927 season was particularly spectacular by baseball standards for the Yankees. After losing in the 1926 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, they went 110-44 the next year, winning the A.L. Pennant by 19 games and sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. Only four teams have won more regular season games: the 1906 Chicago Cubs and the 2001 Seattle Mariners with 116, the 1998 Yankees with 114 and the 1954 Cleveland Indians with 111. However, the 1998 Yankees and 2001 Mariners played in 162-game schedules. More importantly, both the Cubs and the Indians lost the World Series in their years, and the Mariners did not reach the World Series in 2001, losing to the Yankees in a five-game American League Championship Series. The 1998 Yankees went 11-2 in the playoffs, sweeping the San Diego Padres in the World Series.
The 1927 Yankees batted .307, slugged .489, scored 975 runs, and outscored their opponents by a record 376 runs. Center fielder Earle Combs had a career best year, batting .356 with 231 hits, left fielder Bob Meusel batted .337 with 103 RBIs, and second baseman Tony Lazzeri drove in 102 runs. Gehrig batted .373, with 218 hits, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, a then record 175 RBIs, slugged at .765, and was voted A.L. MVP. Ruth amassed a .356 batting average, 164 RBIs, 158 runs scored, walked 137 times, and slugged .772. Most notably, his 60 home runs that year broke his own record and remained the Major League mark for 34 years until Roger Maris broke it.

The pitching staff led the league in ERA at 3.20, and included Waite Hoyt, who went 22-7, which tied for the league lead, and Herb Pennock, who went 19-8. Wilcy Moore won 19 as a reliever. The 1927 Yankees would eventually send six players along with manager Miller Huggins and president Ed Barrow to the Baseball Hall of Fame; only the 1928 Yankees had more with 9 players along with Huggins and Barrow. Three other Yankees pitchers had ERAs under 3.00 that season. After sweeping the Pirates in the Series, the Yankees repeated the feat by sweeping the Cardinals in the 1928 World Series. The Yankees remain the only team to ever sweep the World Series in consecutive years, though the Yankee teams of 1938-1939 and 1998-1999 repeated the feat. The Yankees of 1996-2000 would also set a record of most consecutive World Series wins, winning 14 consecutive World Series games that the team appeared in: After being down 2-0 in the 1996 Series, the Yankees rallied to win their next four games; not appearing in the Series again until 1998 when they swept two consecutive years; and then winning the first two games of the 2000 World Series, before losing game 3 to the NY Mets, to end the consecutive streak at 14 games, the 2000 Yankees went on to win the Series in five games.

Lineup and Roster
1927 NY Yankees Batting LineupCF Earle Combs .356, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 231 H
SS Mark Koenig .285, 3 HR, 62 RBI
RF Babe Ruth .356, 60 HR, 164 RBI
1B Lou Gehrig .373, 47 HR, 175 RBI
LF Bob Meusel .337, 8 HR, 103 RBI, 47 2B
2B Tony Lazzeri .309, 18 HR, 102 RBI
3B Joe Dugan .269, 2 HR, 43 RBI
C Pat Collins .275, 7 HR, 36 RBI

The Akira Power Trip: A Quick Report:

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:53:00 +0000

John Bowker - OF - San Francisco
The injury to Dave Roberts has opened the door and Bowker is taking advantage. It is very early, but if you have someone you can drop from your line up, you may want to roll the dice on this guy. By now or as of this post, he should be eligible at 1B. To me, Bowker is a power sleeper. Oh and by the way, came from Long Beach State same as all mighty Evan. Bowker was drafted in 2004 by the Giants before Evan Longoria who was drafted two years later.

Conor Jackson - 1B - Arizona - HOT
I never gave this guy any props last year, but this year…man….is he raking!
Has .300 - 20 home run potential. With the exception of keeper leagues, in a 12 team mixed, I bet he is still available in 60% of all leagues right now.

Wladimir Balentien - OF - Mariners
I watched this guy play in the futures game a couple of years ago and I have now doubts he will be awesome in the big leagues. Problem is – like most prospects in the mariners system – adjusting due to being called up too early.

Watch for him again in late 08.

Delwyn Young - OF - Dodgers
Forget Matt Kemp. What people don’t realize is that Kemp is a Basketball first and baseball second athlete. Look for the LA outfield to be Either, Jones, and Young by end of year or start of 2009 Delwyn, will WYN the job sooner or later. Kemp you ask? Earlier this season, after Torre watched Kemp run the bases with his head down and all out from 1B, to end up sliding in to 3B and finds James Loney there, “Son how old are you?” Joe asked. To which Matt replied, that he was pretty young, I think it was 22 years old. Torre says to him: “Good we have plenty of time to fix that!” Uh yea Joe good luck with that.

Evan Longoria - 3B - Rays
The third-overall pick in the 2006 draft and was a Baseball America AA Minor League All-Star in 2007. Picked to play with Team USA is going to be a beast. Period!

Colby Rasmus - OF - Cardinals
It’s a good thing that it is the Cardinals. Tony La Russa teams always seem to find a way to win so the Cardinals are not in need of the young hitter Rasmus, but could get a call by this season as an injury back up. Look for him to stick in 2009.

Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers
I love those big over six feet power guys. May have problem with his release which usually is an issue with command. That said this 6-3 2-ftty dude will be legit when he becomes part of LA's run to the division title. Watch for him in the second half. Struck out K/9 is up to 7 points. That is a lot of bats he is gonna miss.

David Price - Rays
The lefty was the #1 overall-pick of the 2007 draft and he has big league ready. A small set back with an injury kept him from moving up the minors ladder, but will not keep him from being part of the Rays playoff run in 2009 and a front of the rotation starter that looks like a lefty version of Brandon Webb.

Joey Votto - Reds
Like most rooks, will have his struggles and most with left-handers, his share time with old fart Hatteberg will prove to be a blessing, because the other Dusty old fart will let him play full time and at some point will take over completely.

Daric Barton - Athletics
Can you say 400. hitter boys and girls? This guy will be a batting champ mulitiple times.

Nuf-said.

James Loney - Dodgers - Breakout -
Ahh isn't it nice that Lasorda can breath a little better with how the Dodgers are putting together a better product on the field? Loney reminds him of a young Garvey with the potential of .300-30 HR-100 RBI hitter. Ah yes. Now if he can stop their nightmare at 3B?

Casey Kotchman - Angels -
I've got such a man-crush for this guy! Lefty (like me), especially with the fact that he is still a young hitter. He can be a .300, 40 double, 20 home run hitter if he can just stick for year.

Asdrubal Cabrera - Indians
Furcal reincarnated. Oh but better. Now the starter in that murderers row in Cleveland.

Yunel Escobar - Braves
As a hatter of the Braves, this is why you have to give them props! Better arm than Furcal and just as fast, and way better than Renteria with excellent range. Once he stopped catching the ball with his face at 3B in the brief call up for Chipper last year, Braves brass knew it was time to get the Cuban up and stick him at short. He can also play 2B, & SS as well.

Reid Brignac - Rays
I want this guy on my fantasy team, but I gotta wait a little. Foot injury sidelined him in the minors a bit and that became a problem at the dish, but watch for this guy to sick in 2009 next to all mighty Evan. Let me give you a taste...ready?....word play....what A-Rod is to Jeter, Longoria is to ....that's right. Trust me!

Evan Longoria - Rays
Beast period! Oh yea...sorry. I love this guy.

Andy Laroche - Dodgers
Had better numbers than Longoria with Team USA last year, and can rake with the best of them. Just gotta get started. Currently on the DL shelf.

Michael Bourn - Astros
Ricky Henderson potentional with the third person talk. Seriously. Now if he can do a little better with his OBP.....look out.

Cameron Maybin - Marlins
Look he is just not ready yet. Can't hit the slider away or the biter in the dirt, but will be awesome after he gets past that. If he gets past that. hope.

Jay Bruce - Cincinnati
You can only call a season vet hitting .312 a professional hitter. This 21 ear old will have his picture in the dictionary next to Professional Hitter. He is that good.

Matt Kemp - Dodgers
Can hit, catch and throw. All the makings of a 5 tool player, but once in a while...a dunce with cleats. Hopefully that name will not stick.

Jeremy Hermida - Marlins
Jeremy Hermida. Coming to rake at a ball park near you. Super Power Sleeper and potential trade bait for the Marlins. .275/20/90 this year and .300/25/110 by 2009.

Joba Chamberlain - Yankees
In 2007 he went 2-0 with a microscopic 0.38 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 24 innings. K/9 above 8 and growing, He is just a K's machine out of the pen. As the 8th inning guy, it will be hard for the Yanks to win another championship if they put him in th rotation this year.

Yovani Gallardo - Brewers
Joba if he was in the rotation. Thee plus, plus pitches and still learning at 23.

My Political Two Cent: Your not American if your booing the Prez .

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:47:00 +0000

On March 30th 2008, President Bush met with a mixed reception that evening as he threw out the 2008 inaugural first pitch at the new Nationals Park, built for the Washington Nationals baseball team. With a quick introduction and a wave, President Bush throws a high pitch to Nationals manager Manny Acta and proceeds to shake his hand.
President Bush was invited to deliver the first pitch at the new Nationals home ballpark and got booed!??! What? Come on people!
I don’t care what side you are on as far as the war is concerned, or what political affiliation you are a part of people, you are un-American when you boo the Commander in Chief at a baseball game in your country. If you have the brains (dimwitted as it may be) to do that then you must know that it doesn’t look good to other countries. You can’t take 20 minutes out of your mundane lives to enjoy the significance of this moment? You needed a little excitement so you show up to a ballgame just to boo George W. You can’t boo the Prez someplace else. Noooo. You have to be lazy and show up at a venue that is as American as apple pie instead of going to your congressman or government official to complain or better yet, if you don’t like President Bush that much, vote against him! Oh what a concept huh? You know what bothers me the most is that if I were a betting man, most of you that booed him probably voted for him. And – not only voted for him – did it twice!
Seriously, are you kidding me? It’s opening day (night) and the Prez is throwing out the first pitch! Hello?? I turned on the tube to watch the game not the booing. I wanted to get away from the riggers of life for a little while and enjoy myself by watching a game.
Everyone in the country is tuned into the current presidential race right? I mean, one way or another it will be historical when the delegates are finally chosen. I didn’t want to be involved with politics watching a baseball game on TV. I got enough of that at work around the water cooler. But, no. you had to try and make it political during my game. Do me a favor you political put-heads, sorry pundits, stay out of my baseball game.

Fantasy Smorgasbord: Deep sleepers, a Couple of Prospects, and some Leftovers

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Early this year, as I prepared for the upcoming drafts – you know, practice by mock drafting and researching players and putting together my plans for the new fantasy baseball season, I asked myself if I had missed anything or was I comfortable and ready to play.
I realized something while I was researching for tips, tricks and strategies – everywhere I went - magazines, newspapers, online, TV, and/or pod casts, all I kept finding and reading and hearing was the end part of most if not all drafts are usually reserved for guys you take and chance on and or fill the rest of your teams spots.

Well I disagree. Some analyst touch on the”end game” picks, but I always think I can do better. In most fantasy drafts: auction, rotisserie, and keeper, I find that there are some players that can give enough to cover any of the aforementioned. Granted they will be hard to find, but if you are like me, you won’t care because you love this game! Some of you are a little freaky and extreme, (Jeff) when it comes to playing, but all in all, you love this game.
What I’m going to do is listed by position, players who are serviceable with potential for a very good average this year, say 280 and above, and 20+ homerun potential, and some guys that people just……forgot that will be very good all around. These are players that no one drafts or will draft late because they rather pick mostly hot prospects or old guys. Oh about these old guys - I think, if a player is past their prime - 32 or more - don't pick them up. There are exceptions to this rule (not much), but most likely they will be drafted already. Look for 1, 2, or guys that are beginning their 3rd year, who may be on the cusp (not Jack Cust) and ripe for sleep mode. When you think you have a player start by taking a long look at a few places. Don’t just check 3 yr averages. Look for trends. Home and Road splits. How they are doing against lefties and right handed pitching. Or look at maturity. Read what the coaches and scouts from other teams are saying also. Anyway let me stay away from rants and let me give my raves:

Catcher: Dioner Navarro
First Base: Nick Johnson
Second Base: Asdrubal Cabrera
Shortstop: Erick Aybar
Third Base: Jorge Cantu
Leftfield: Michael Bourn
Centerfield: Justin Upton
Right field: Jeremy Hermida
DH: Billy Butler
RP: Matt Lindstrom
SP: Andy Sonnanstine

Featured Expert: The Fantasy Man

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:05:00 +0000

For the next few weeks we will be featuring fantasy experts answering your questions about what you need to ask yourself going into your darft. On deck: The Fantasy Man.

The Fantasy Man has been featured on fantasy baseball magazine, he has The fantasyman podcast you'll find everywhere, including iTunes.

His site: Ask the fantasy man is rapidly becoming the preferred free strategy tips site for fantasy baseball advise.

___________________________________________________________________

The Fantasy Man

Would you drop Pujols?

Posted: 17 Feb 2008

About two weeks ago I posted on this blog about the situation with Albert Pujols and his bum elbow. Now, two weeks later, I'm stuck with a decision to keep Pujols @ $45 for this season in one of my keeper leagues....

Here's my current list of possibilities:
Albert Pujols $45
Ryan Howard $24
Victor Martinez $15
Mike Lowell $1
Alex Gordon $4
Chone Figgins $26
Jake Peavy $27
Grady Sizemore $40
Oliver Perez $1
Kevin Slowey $1
Matt Garza $1
Carlos Zambrano $23
Felix Hernandez $20

Those are the hopefuls. This is an 8 keeper league, 12 team, $260 salary cap, roto, mixed, 5x5 league but it only has 1C, 4 OF and 7 P as opposed to the normal 2C, 5OF and 9P. All ofther positions are the normal. The rest of the salary goes to 5 bench players.

So the narrowing process begins and here are my thoughts....
1. I have plenty of high powered stars in Pujols, Howard, Sizemore and Peavy. All are expensive but I feel I can keep all and still have a good auction in the end because a lot of the cheap players I like to target should be available.... but wait...
2. Matt Garza is the first one to go. With all of this talent, there is no need to keep Garza and Slowey and Perez. So Garza is out.
3. Howard is an obvious keeper at $24.
4. Figgins is a bit overpriced but SB's are at a premium in this league so I'll hold onto him at $26. But now I have the league's top power threat and a 50+SB guy and my SB horse which works towards my drafting for categories strategy.
5. I've been trying to trade Peavy at $27 all off-season but nobody is biting. He's on the block and a borderline keeper at the moment.
6. Mike Lowell is a no brainer keeper at a buck.
7. Hernandez and Zambrano will both go for $18-$23 at the auction, so there's no point in keeping them if I can get just get them again later for the same price. The object here is to keep whats undervalued.....which is SB's, saves, and top notch cheap players who will go for plenty more in the auction. With this being said, I love the potentials of Oliver Perez and Kevin Slowey, both who could put up better than expected numbers this season and worth the risk at $1 each.
8. VMart at $15 is half the price he should be so he's another no brainer.
9. So far we have Howard, VMart, Figgins, Lowell, Perez, and Slowey which leaves two spots for Pujols, Gordon, Peavy and Sizemore.
10. With Sizemore, he's at market value and may be a few dollars cheaper in the draft so I am feeling like I can drop him and go after him in the auction if he's at a good price.
11. Peavy at $27, considering some people think he's better than Santana (Crazy people think that), considering the year he had in 2007, $27 is a great price nontheless so I think I will keep him. The deciding factor here is that I don't want to go into the auction with just Slowey and Perez even though I already know that Zambrano and Hernandez will be available.
12. That leaves us with Pujols and Gordon for that 8th spot. Obviously, price wise, Gordon is undervalued at $4 and Pujols is at about market value at $45. What I do know about this league is that most managers don't overpay for power and big names. Last year I drafted Mark Teixiera for $30, that's undervaluing a big power bat. So, with that being said, I'm thinking if I really wanted Pujols, I can still get him in the $40-$45 range. However, now with the elbow scare, I'm not sure I want to take a $45 risk. So what I plan to do is drop him, hope everyone else shys away from Pujols and grab him at a price under $40. Then, even if he gets hurt and misses half the season, there's a possibility I could have Pujols for under $40 when he returns in 2009...if that's the case. Even if he plays half the season in 2008, I'll get those stats and then I will just find a replacement which shouldn't be too hard.

So with all of that being said, here are my 8 keepers for this particular auction league I am participating in....
1. Ryan Howard $24
2. Victor Martinez $15
3. Mike Lowell $1
4. Alex Gordon $4
5. Chone Figgins $26
6. Jake Peavy $27
7. Oliver Perez $1
8. Kevin Slowey $1

What do you guys think?? Comments/ Suggestions?

Find this advice useful? Subscribe to The Fantasy Man FEED at www.fantasybaseballexpress.com/fbeFEED.htm

FM

Featured Fantasy Baseball Expert: Jeffrey Bauer – a.k.a. The Sultan Pepper

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:04:00 +0000

In the coming months during the baseball season, I'll be featuring a Q&A with a fantasy baseball expert and cover what type of research, strategy, and analysis it takes to win your fantasy baseball league. I will introduce the type of league first: (i.e. AL only, NL only, mixed, keeper) and then go into a series of questions to help you get the most of the strategy the expert uses going into the draft and tips on working trades, picking up players off the waver wire, and also looking for the top phenom that might be called up next.

_____________________________________________________________________
This week's top expert: Jeffrey Bauer. League of Nations hosted by CBS Sportsline.com Jeff plays in a keeper mixed points league that, as he states, plays like you’re a manager or GM of an actual team that plays as close to the MLB as you can find.

How did you get started with fantasy baseball?
I have been an avid baseball fan my whole life, but when I went to college in 1995 my devotion to the sport went to a whole new level. I started to eat, drink, and sleep baseball. I think it was around the same time that Yahoo! launched their fantasy baseball product. I thought it was the greatest thing. It was really the first time I have ever heard of fantasy sports. It's funny because now I really hate Yahoo’s fantasy (I am a CBS guy), but at the time it blew me away. I thought, "Let me get this straight, you choose real major leaguers and how they do in real life effects your fantasy team, and you can draft any players you want! This is awesome!” I remember the first league I was in; it was with my two roommates, Joel and TC. You can imagine how competitive it must have been. The next year I joined a couple of public leagues and then a few more the following year, now I play in about ten baseball fantasy league's a year.

I know you have been playing fantasy baseball for more than 10 years. Give me an idea of how long it took to win your first championship and some of the pitfalls you had to overcome before realizing you’re the best in you style of league?

Actually, like most fantasy baseball guys, it took me a long time to actually win a league. I was always that guy who would finish 4th or 5th in every league I was in. About five years ago I starting winning leagues and let me tell you, I understand what George Steinbrenner is talking about when he says that anything less than the World Series is a failed season. Three years ago I won six leagues and for the entire off-season my head was in the clouds. But it is not always that easy, last year in a keeper league I am in, I was lingering in 4th place at the beginning of August, saw that I wasn't going to win and traded half my team for next years keepers. I winded up finishing in last place! Sometimes you have to know when to play for next year and cut your loses.

I tried goggling Sultan Pepper and found numerous hits on some old cartoon back in the 50’s I think. Where in the hell did you get that nickname? And more important why do you use it as an alias in your league?

Sultan Pepper was actually my roommate at the time, Jono's, first Yahoo! e-mail account. Since our league was the League of Nations and since I was a manager of the league and the commissioner, I thought it was a good idea to create a fictitious figurehead commissioner and the Sultan Pepper was born. Trust me it is a lot easier vetoing a trade or telling a manager they can't do something when you can sign the e-mail “Sultan Pepper”.

That was pretty clever. How else can someone get creative with running their own fantasy league? What do you create an entire commissioner’s office?

Yes. And yes. Over the years the Honorable Sultan has gotten busy with other things, like our annual "Name that Dirty Team Contest" or our upcoming 4th Annual All-Star Showdown, so the commissioner’s office hired an assistant for the commish, Muhammad al Mumar al Shabaz. Mr. Shabaz now handles most of the day-to-day dealings of the league.

I'm also told that you’re the type of player that likes to win and has no remorse for your competition. Is this a true assessment?

Of course, I hate to say it because I am such a big fan of the game, but nothing would make me happier then Johan Santana (who is not on any of my teams so far this year) getting shot in the neck with a harpoon gun. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want anyone dead, but if he misses four months healing in an Alaskan hospital that is fine by me.

How hard is it to play in a keeper league?

The League of Nations is a tough league because it is really hard to screw any of the other managers out of top prospects and talent. But every once in a while I make a big killing with a trade and I love it. This year is even tougher though because we added a new team to the league for the first time in a few years. Oh, and the manager happens to be my father. So I might go a little easy on him, but probably not.

My understanding, again as I was told, is you come across as a badass, but you’re a stat head at heart (justifiably calling you a nerd is not out of the question) when it comes to fantasy baseball. When you’re invited to play in other leagues, what should players/owners look for first in order to get them started in trying to win their leagues?

I listen to a lot of fantasy baseball podcasts and read all of the magazines and what not and while some are better than others, they all basically are bullshit! If I am in a head-to head 6x6 league, how fricking confusing is it listening to a podcast about player rankings when the "expert" is talking about a 5x5 rotisserie or auction values. Who the hell cares that Albert Pujols went for $52 when I need to know who to take with the third pick in the draft. Speaking of Albert Pujols, I have been mock drafting where he is slipping to 6th or 7th because of his shoulder. Poor A-Pooh! And another thing how is David Wright a top five pick this year? Remember where you heard this - 2009 Wright is an early second rounder! Any way what was I talking about...Oh yeah me being a badass? The only thing I can say for sure is you need to stand out. Everyone now a days has the same information as you do. Everyone knows B.J. Upton is going to be good this year, so don't be surprised he doesn't fall to you in the fifth round.
The most important thing I can say is take chances. I will tell you what I mean, last year in the League of Nations, at the beginning of the draft I came up with a plan to get Johan Santana. The LON is more pitching oriented than most leagues and I really wanted Santana to anchor my rotation. So this is what I did. First I traded Chase Utley and Chris R. Young to one team for Chris Carpenter, Russell Martin, and an earlier draft pick. We do our draft off-line through the league message board (it is awesome, it takes a month) so trading draft picks is common. Then I moved Jose Reyes for Derek Jeter and another earlier draft pick. With the two extra draft picks I got Jonathan Broxton (who led my staff in points, Holds are big in the LON) and Delmon Young. Then I traded Russell Martin, Travis Hafner, and Carlos Beltran for Carl Crawford and David Ortiz and another earlier draft pick which I took Dan Haren. Then I moved Haren, Ortiz, and Phil Hughes to yet another team for Brian McCann and Johan Santana!

So in a span of three days, I traded David Ortiz, Dan Haren, Chris Young, Chase Utley, Russell Martin, Jose Reyes, Travis Hafner and Carlos Beltran! And guess who fucking won the league? Sometimes you have to take chances. I have guys in my league that hold on to players like grim death. Shit, I would trade my mother for the right package!

Your league is a mixed-points based league. It isn't your typical mixed league, so what do you do first in trying to get prepared to win your league?

The LON is a keeper league. Every year we keep 10 players. I am already thinking about my 2009 keepers and we are only half way through the 2008 draft. Most of the other managers don't even think about 2009 until, you guessed it, 2009. That is why some players that were kept this year included Todd Helton and Barry Zito. The league plays very much like the MLB. Most fantasy baseball leagues are just that, a fantasy. I don't see the Yankees trotting out two starting catchers or five outfielders every day. And what the hell is a "middle infielder" or a “corner infielder"? I hate that! And ten starting pitchers this and three closers that. It is unrealistic and it bores me. I don’t see the League of Nations as a fantasy league; I see it more as an alternate universe type of a thing. We are as close to the MLB as you can get; it is just that A-rod is on the 'Lennon Lamphead' instead of the New York Yankees.

And why should Ryan Howard strike out two times, make two errors, and hit into a double play, yet he hits a solo homerun and a double in five at-bats and that is seen as a good day in fantasy. "Well, he went 2-for 5 with two runs, two RBIs, not too bad." Well in the LON that crap would net him negative three. Because in real baseball he hurt his team more than helped it that day.

The biggest thing I can do to prepare for my league is understand the rules. Adam Dunn gets lambasted in fantasy for his low average, but in the LON that doesn't matter as much, his 160 strikeouts matter a whole lot though. I generally plan for the draft way in advance, and I understand the teams I am playing against. I have a pretty good feel for when players are going to be drafted and by what teams. Public leagues are fun, but they are anonymous. I highly recommend starting your own league, tweaking the rules to suit you and your friends, and keeping the same groups of people together for as long as possible. This is the 10th Year of the LON and I really feel it can hold its own against any league out there.

Is there a specific combination of stats for batters and pitchers that should always be looked at when preparing to draft in mixed leagues? (I.e. BA, OPS, WHIP, etc)

I'm stats junky, but sometimes one can get bogged down in analysis. They shouldn’t even let most of these experts give potentials and projections for the upcoming season because it is a bunch of bull-crap as well. If you watch the games and know the players, you can pull a bunch of projections out your butt too and be just as accurate as Bill James. I read all of that sfuff for the fun of it, but I really look at several factors when preparing for a draft. I am a big proponent of where batters bat in the order. I generally stock my teams with, obviously, middle of the order guys or lead off hitters. The nice part about a points based league is that it doesn’t matter how many homeruns your team hits or bases they steal, the only thing that matters is their total points. For pitchers I admit I look at Ks/9 pretty closely but I also take a good look at ballparks, not just do they pitch in a bandbox or whatnot, but what are there home and away splits, little things that that can really be insightful.

You’re a Yankee fan, but don't consider yourself a homer because if a Yankee lands on your team, you can defend/justify drafting the best in that position. What do you say to players who have a tendency in drafting favorite players vs. trying to draft the best regardless of stats?

That's a tough one. I am a Yankee fan and generally wind up with a few on my team every year. I traded Derek Jeter and Roy Halladay for Eric Bedard though in the off-season. Never pick a player based on your heart, your head yes, and your gut sometimes, but never your heart. I am guilty of one thing though; in the 15 odd years I have been fooling around with fantasy baseball I have never drafted a Red Sox. And trust me I know they have had some great players. I just can't imagine sitting there in September watching Jon Papelbon close out the Yankees season and being disgusted at myself for thinking, "Well, at least I got the 12 points for the save."

You’re usually successful in enticing others to trade with you. When you want to make a trade with another manager, some ideas are to send an e-mail, but when do you do that? How should an owner begin an attempt in making a trade offer?

I am big proponent of being aggressive. I send out about 500 trades a season in the LON. I always have about ten trades out to the other managers at all times. I hear a lot of 'experts' say, "You don't want to piss off the other owners." That's why the trick is: send a billion trades; just make them fair. Another owner will never get annoyed with bombarding them with trade offers as long as they make some kind of sense. If you repeatedly send shit like, Vernon Wells and Clayton Kershaw for CC Sabathia and Ryan Braun, then yeah that owner has the right to curse you out and block your e-mail address. But it you send stuff like, Miguel Cabrera and Javier Vazquez for C.C. and Braun, while the other might not like it, it won't piss them off. The best trades to make are with owners that don’t realize what they have. Last year I traded Chris Duncan for Phil Hughes. And while I moved Hughes this off-season in a deal for Cole Hamels, it was still a steal.

Give me a break down of what it would take to make moves in a keeper league?

Not to toot my own horn, but check this out. My keepers in the LON going into December ’07 were:

C-Brian McCann
1B-Adrain Gonzalez
2B-Robinson Cano
3B-Miguel Cabrera
SS-Troy Tulowitski
LF-Carl Crawford
SP-Johan Santana
SP-Roy Halladay
SP-Francisco Liriano (I believe!)
RP-Joba Chamberlain

Not bad, but I thought I could do better, so I went to work. After countless e-mails and trade proposals this is what I did. First, your favorite blogger, Mr. Akira, sent me an offer: Adrian Gonzalez for Mark Texeira. For some reason he thinks Adrian is going to bust out in a big way this year, so of course I jumped on it. I then sent Roy Halladay and Derek Jeter to one of my rivals for Eric Bedard. Then, I traded Brian McCann straight up for Joe Mauer. The guy was a Braves fan and was tired of cranky Joe, but I knew he was valued elsewhere. So I moved Mauer and Torii Hunter (non-keeper) to another team for Russell Martin. Do you see where this is going? Then the first blockbuster, I moved Carl Crawford, Ted Lilly (non-keeper), and Aaron Rowand (non-keeper) for Victor Martinez. Now I had the best two catchers in the league! So I knew one of the other managers really wanted a top catcher, so I traded him Martin for his extra third baseman Ryan Braun! Now I was in position to pull off another blockbuster. Pay attention! I traded Miguel Cabrera, Tulowitski, Cano, and Johan Santana for Utley, Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman, and Fausto Carmona. It was a big improvement to my infield, but I just went from having Santana and Halladay to Carmona and Bebard, and I needed to fix that. So, I traded Zimmerman (I had Braun) and Carmona for Cole Hamels, then moved Hamels and Phil Hughes for C.C. Sabathia. My keeper list was transformed:

C-Victor Martinez
1B-Mark Teixera
2B-Chase Utley
3B-Ryan Braun
SS-Hanley Ramirez
SP-C.C. Sabathia
SP-Eric Bedard
SP-Francisco Liriano
RP-Joba Chamberlain
RP-Jonathan Broxton (our league only has one closer per team and four middle relievers, like the MLB, so having a stud like Broxton to build my bullpen around was great)

Is there anything else you can think of that I may have missed that would help make an impact for that beginning fantasy player looking for an edge playing fantasy baseball in general?

Just a few rants about playing in standard leagues. Why are there only two or heaven forbid one DH spot in your average league? That doesn't make sense. If Utley, Reyes, Santana, Peavy, and K-rod all go down on Opening Day, you are basically finished. In the LON we have ten spots and it works just great. Also, what is with the generic OF position? You know in real baseball they have these things called left fielders and right fielders and center fielders. We find it natural to divide the infield up, yet we lump outfielders into a generic category. That doesn't make sense. I am also a big proponent of having no reserve pitchers. The Washington Nationals don't have nine starting pitchers throwing everyday so why should you. You pitch-and-ditch assholes make the casual fantasy player a non-factor sometimes. Yeah, my WHIP and ERA might be better than yours but I will never be able to compete in Wins and Ks.

You can leave a comment for The Sultan Pepper: Jeffery Bauer at the end of this blog by clicking on comments and Jeff will answer. Or email Akira Plays Short by clicking on the email icon and follow the steps to send your questions in quickly to Jeff.
If you have any questions about the LON rules or the scoring system in the League of Nations or just want to hear honest and informed fantasy advice feel free to e-mail Jeff direct at his league office, jabnj@yahoo.com. Give Jeff as much details and he promises to give you a sincere answer based on your system and your league, not some generic one-liner.
Ok, so Adrian Gonzalez isn't as good as Mark Texeira, but it was an off season offer?!? What?
Have a great season!

Selig has iwasunaware-monocromia!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:10:00 +0000

This could be Bud Selig with an exemption for Iwasunawaremonocromia!

Just when I thought I can start my count down to pitchers and catchers reporting to camp on February 14Th 2008 - without hearing or reading anything about steroids and more Mitchell Report crap, I come across an article in the New York Times recently about players needing an exception for ADD. You know, I'm that old school fan who just hates to hear excuses like this so my first reaction was your all just boneheads!

Baseball player's being exempt from testing because they have ADD. What will they think of next? Seriously? Look I heard about LaRoche and Gorzelanny in Pittsburgh, and I'm not saying it isn't possible, but clearly this is going to be a big loop hole if it isn't already. If nothing is done, I can't wait to find out next years numbers or the next reason to get away from being tested. Here is a possible headline:

BREAKING NEWS: The number of ADD exempt players has risen to 256.

Milwaukee Brewers leading the pack in players being suspended.

A Major League Baseball high ranking official busted in connection with signing off on exemptions for players who need to combat OCD:

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The doctor's medical background: Veterinarian.

Bud Selig couldn't be reached for comment. More to follow

____________________________________________

As a kid growing up I only knew of ballplayers that would just show up to the ballpark and play. This reminds me of one of my favorite documentaries which to me, justified historically how baseball should be played. The documentary was called "When it was a Game".

In part I, the narrator brings up an interview with a manager and asks questions about how his ballplayers play the game. The manager calls over one of his players to ask if the player knows any of his stats. The ballplayer said no and walks away. The manager turns to the interviewer and says that's what he loves about his players. They just come to the park to beat the crap out of the other team. That is it. Simple right? Not in this day and age.

Look I get that in order to clear up this steroid era, it has to come out for all to see that something is being done. That said, am I the only one that feels that - once again - baseball will take a hit and drop as the national pastime? Come on people, now we have an epidemic on ADD in baseball? Really? At the recent hearings with the oversight committee, the Congressman that brought this to the forefront was Mr. Tierney of Massachusetts. And during the hearings Mr. Tierney asked the following and the response to me was mind boggling!:

How, Mr. Tierney wanted to know, had baseball allowed this to happen? “We are trying to break down why it happened and how it happened,” Mr. Selig said in response. Mr. Fehr suggested that the attention deficit disorder numbers might be higher in baseball than the general adult population because baseball players have a younger average age.Both he and Mr. Fehr said they trusted the judgment of Dr. Bryan W. Smith, a North Carolina pediatrician with a doctorate in exercise physiology who administers baseball’s drug-testing program and has to approve any medical exemptions. He was not immediately available for comment after the hearing.

Are you kidding me?!? A pediatrician with a doctorate in physiology wasn't available for comment?

You know what this reminds of? Fehr and Selig didn't know what was going on and Dr. Smith not available for comment? Watergate. Yep. Do you know what they are calling these next set of hearings on the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting? The Syringe Generation. What!? Anyway, what will the players think of next right? ADD and OCD coupled with a PhD could result in a low IQ and that just gives me TS: Tourette Syndrome. Because right now I just want to curse the crap out of all this!

The Hall of Fame Picked the Wrong Mustache

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:34:00 +0000

There are some writers, who have Hall of Fame votes to cast, that are starting to vote for Rice.

Why?

The fear factor. Pitchers absolutely hated to face him, and for good reason.
Let us look at Rice's glory years, from 1975 to '86. Understand something, his prime was relatively short, and that he suffered a precipitous drop and early career exit that has probably kept him out of the Hall of Fame.
But Rice was so brilliant during a 12 year dominance that it supersedes the fact that he didn't reach some of the magic numbers that excite Hall of Fame voters, particularly 500 home runs (or, in Rice's case, even 400 home runs).

______________________________________________
MOST HOME RUNS (1975-'86)
Mike Schmidt*
440
Dave Kingman
365
Jim Rice
350
Reggie Jackson*
330
George Foster
321
*Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

________________________________

During those 12 years, Rice was the most dominant player in the American League. Maybe not the best player -- You can argue that George Brett, at that time was the best. But check out Rice from 1975 to '86. He ranked first in the AL in games (1,766), first in at-bats (7,060), first in runs (1,098), first in hits (2,145), first in home runs (350), first in runs batted in (1,276), first in slugging percentage (.520), first in total bases (3,670), first in extra-base hits (752), first in go-ahead RBIs (325), first in multi hit games (640), fourth in triples (73), and fourth in batting average (.304). He also was first in outfield assists with 125. For some reason, Rice has been labeled a lousy fielder, but even Bill James, a leading detractor of Rice's Hall of Fame credentials, concedes that he was a better left fielder than most peopled regarded him.

I'm just sayin' people. A small tidbit of info on why Jim Rice should be in the Hall period. End of story!

Ah...can somebody get to the Old Boys Network and wake them up please?

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Draft day!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:42:00 +0000

It is that amazing time of the year, when you start counting down towards pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. You’re searing through newsstands searching high and low for that first fantasy baseball magazine you want to smell and rub your face on it until the ink starts fading from the glossy cover. “Who will be on the cover this year?” You ask yourself, as if it isn’t always the most popular player or the player with career stats from the previous season.
And you know that when you buy that magazine, it has to be in immaculate condition because you know that after you leave the store holding it tight in a double plastic bag (you don’t want the corners to bend) your going to bend and highlight, and doodle all over it yourself. That’s right people, you know who you are? You want to make believe you’re the best fantasy baseball player there is and you like impersonate RON SHANDLER who use to run to his basement after the World Series to work on player projections for the following year!
Come on as if you didn’t know who I was talking about really. That true hardcore fan. Don’t play dumb now. You guys who can name the opening day lineup for the 1983 Milwaukee Brewers; and can tell George Brett's career batting average against Dennis Eckersley; and who worship Peter Gammons! People please you know you love that old guy. And you will forgive him even if he is a Red Sox fan just to watch him on Baseball Tonight.
Ye, of the dedicated fantasy baseball group, who live, breathe, and eat baseball – have to read about it; they talk about; dream about it; our lives revolve around that magical white sphere that is used on that big ballpark between those white foul lines..
This select group looks forward to this time of year like me – the fanatical fan and for one very special reason. It's something we've dedicated ourselves to all winter long, studying night after night, just waiting for our league to start. It's our passion and the reason we get out of bed in the morning.
Fantasy baseball isn’t a bunch of guys sitting around drinking beer, trading baseball cards. It's real competition that is taken very, very seriously. Friendships are nonexistent from draft day to the end of the season because winning the league, at whatever cost, is the ultimate goal!
Well what's the point? You ask. Isn't there better ways to spend free time? Um let me think? No! It’s for bragging rights and money of course. It’s not a game. Money and lots of it is involved. Most leagues' entry fee is $260 per person. And with their money, comes someone's pride and dignity.
And not until the winner is declared, will you stop trying to win. Because that person, that owner, can look at everyone else in the league and say, "I'm smarter and cleverer than all of you. I have a degree in Sabermetrics, (you know you’re lying with that last comment) and now I have your money yea baby!”
Oh there is joy in Mudville if you can win.

Does anybody know that the Caribbean World Series is all the rage now?

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Man! I am all Mitchell Report out. Seriously! I mean it's a soap opera out there. From Giambi and his Johnny Depp "Cry Baby" antics, "I'm sorry really, really sorry." Dude, come on say it! Say it! You big no good actor, but good for 30 home runs and 100 RBIs a season. "Look dad we're a Yankee!" Oh didn't Tejada inject Big G in Oak-town?

...And here comes Big Mac pleading the fifth with his spectacles on in the middle of a spectacle when Raphael got all hyper and started pointing that 500 home run finger. What was it that he said? Oh yea, "I never took steroids in my life!" Man, did he Tejad-it that day right? Here's the kicker he gets busted about 2 weeks later and releases a statement. It read: "Tejada gave me the pills and said they are vitamins". Uh, yea.

Oh! How about Slammin' Sammy, who knew English so well at one point during all those interviews leading up to and during, that magical 66 home run season with spectacle Mac. Remember when he did that sit down in the media room and he ended up quoting Garret Morris of Saturday Night Live? Remember that quote: "Beisbol been very, very good to me".
Pretty good English there right? How come he couldn't remember how to speak English in front of congress? You know people forget how smart Sosa really is. Oh well half corked bat will travel.

Moving on we have on the 'On deck circle', Barry "Why is everybody always picking on me?" Bonds. Um Barry, your baseball cap can cover the polar ice cap. What do you have to say about that? "Yo man, the dude said it was gel for my body joints alright!?"
What!

Now the latest is Andy, who admits to using. "Aw come on. You all didn't think I wuz using'? Did ya?" "I was rehabbing people!" Didn't I hear somewhere that Andy's lawyer was Sammy Sosa's lawyer? Can you say "No hablo espanol"?
BREAKING NEWS: Tejada gets trade to Houston. What!

Then there is the Rocket Man's rocket fuel being tainted. Oh hey Roger, I too, take Viox like they were skittles. Not!

Alright now, are we done here? Can we get to some baseball action? In case you didn't know the 50th Annual Caribbean WS is starting to heat up now and will end with the final four bashing it out from February 2nd to the 7th in the Dominican Republic.

Dude, don’t do a Canseco over playng fantasy baseball for Christ Sake!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:54:00 +0000

You’ve been playing fantasy baseball a few years now right?

And you have never won. Right? I'm sure you ask yourself, what happened at the end of the season when you missed the cash again. Am I right?

Every year you always start with such energy and motivation to do the best you can, but you never ever won the league. The closest you have come to first place was 4th. “Whatever”. You say. You get frustrated and upset and you wonder what you are doing wrong.

Then it begins with ideas in your head about cheating going on in the league. You start looking up all the names in the league. Trying to find trade patterns and now you’re going nuts! Hey you asked for it. Now you’re yelling at yourself because you want to know who is emailing who and what is being said and why you are not a part of it.

“I've got a good team” Says the crybaby. You ask yourself: “Is there a coup in the undercurrents of my league or do I just need culture classes?” Maybe?

Dude, relax already. This game should be played for the fun and the excitement, and the trash talking, and all that is good in the world of fantasy Baseball. For all of you that have pending trades out there....well you just gotta keep waiting and trying. Right FM? Try to figure out what the next guy needs and send an email. Wait two weeks and send a reminder. Don’t send 2, 3, or 4 emails a week. Stop it! You’re becoming a pest already.

Now getting back to your culture Coup d'etat issue...... Let's review some examples that just kill you during the baseball season because you’re wasting time over nothing. You look at the transactions on how players get to other teams' rosters. Interesting? Another team drops a player and a few minutes later the player is picked up by some other team? “Hmm, that’s odd”.

Me? I would’ve said to myself, “Self let that go”
Now you turn to some offers you have made to other teams. “Damn, still there." he says. Well of course you idiot. You just sent that one yesterday. “Man, (You think to yourself) that’s a good offer and that owner would be stupid not to take it.” Dude, take it easy will ya.
You have sent the trades, and the emails, and posted messages to that team owner you’re trying to make a trade with, but you’re waiting and waiting for any kind of response.....and you get nothing. Crap! "Hurry up already", as the sore looser bangs his computer screen.

Then after a few weeks you see some action. What, a quick trade with no problems with two other teams? What the... Oh now your pissed because you look at the names attached to the recent trade, and one of those guy’s is the team owner your trying' to trade with! You hold your breathe, exhale, and you move on the best you can. Once you were told you needed a culture class. A culture class for fantasy freaking’ baseball?!!? Well you know what? You’re going to a culture class buddy. And learn fantasy baseball culture. That's right. You better if you know what's good for ya. For me, I rather kill myself then let this game kill me.
Guys it’s suppose to be fun. Relax and enjoy. Don’t worry what the other team is doing.
Don’t find yourself saying those words from the immortal Charlie Brown - UGH!
Me, I'm a fantasy baseball Homer. D'oh!

I'm the one they call Akira (the baseball fan)

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:12:00 +0000

AKIRA (me, the fan) begins, when what was believed to be an atomic bomb (the steroid era), was dropped on baseball, almost destroying the national past time as we know it and marking the beginning of the end of what should be the last great baseball controversy. We can only hope.

After the Mitchell Report, Major League Baseball has sprung from the ruins of turmoil and deceit, yet again. It will no doubt experience a prolonged period of unrest caused by the political instability and ramifications of this steroid investigation. It will have no choice but to forge on through this issue of usage (allegedly) of performance enhancing drugs done by present and former players.
This steroid era was another destructive point in baseball history, but it will serve as a crutch to make things right again.

I am still a fan. What most fail to realize about the steroid era, is that there is plenty of blame to go around. Major League Baseball, owners, front office, manager’s and coaches, player’s and fans. That’s right the fan too deserve blame. Who was complaining about those “tape measure” bombs by players that began 1996? How would you answer now the question: Were the baseballs juiced? Why did we follow Big Mac and Slamming Sammy in 1998? Seriously? If you asked me about Bonds and his 73, I will ask you: Is that when you woke up? Where have you been before then? Look, the fact of the matter is the Mitchell Report was a well orchestrated “ploy” to end this as quickly as possible. I mean where do we go from here? Nowhere!

It will be ok as always after this era has come and gone and Major League baseball will still recognize me the fan.
The MLB will continue to reach out to me (the fan) and use me as a marketing test subject…to channel Akira, a source of unimaginable power and the cause of the explosion that helped destroy the steroid era.

There is no such thing as a “small market team" or a "mid market team" anymore. All Major League teams are making money. Steroids were never a factor. Did you know that the Florida Marlins are the most successful expansion team in baseball history? That’s right. Look it up. Two World Series championships since they came into baseball and still have the lowest payroll of all? Granted the average appearance was about every 6 years, but it was done. Can you say 2009 Champs? I'm just saying.

Look, I leave you with this: Major League baseball will always try to put blame on others instead of, me the fan. Think about it, if Major League Baseball had a players strike or another problem and tried to blame me; can you imagine if that plan backfires? Major League Baseball will still try to locate and manipulate the source of (the fan's) Akira's power first. We, the fan, endowed with incredible powers as a whole, can make for one destructive bomb a reality. Imagine this: If we as fans could band together we could go on a rampage that could threaten to completely annihilate the MLB. OK, we can dream right? It could happen? We the fan (AKIRA) can be a disturbing vision of the future for Major League Baseball and they know it.

At The Draft Bar: It's my dollar draft 100 for 2008!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:40:00 +0000

Getting ready to drink your Auction Draft?

Don't drink just yet without checking my list and dollar values for the first 100 players that are sure to go off the board.

Let's celebrate. Yeh!

[Dollar values are a work in progress and are being added as I work my way down]

Values are my suggested value I would try not to go over.

That said, you can bid as much as you want as long as you have a plan come draft day.

Dollars values are based on a 12 team mixed league with a $260 budget.

Rank Player Value Team Pos Age

____________________________
1 Alex Rodriguez $57 NYY 3B 34
2 Jose Reyes $51 NYM SS 24
3 Albert Pujols $49 STL 1B 28
4 Hanley Ramírez $44 FLD SS 23
5 Chase Utley $44 PHI 2B 29
6 Matt Holliday $43 COL OF 28
7 Miguel Cabrera $39 DET 3B 25
8 Ryan Braun $37 MIL 3B 24
9 Jimmy Rollins $36 PHI SS 29
10 David Wright $37 NYM 3B 25
11 Ryan Howard $36 PHI 1B 28
12 Prince Fielder $36 MIL 1B 24
13 Johan Santana $35 MIN SP 29
14 Alfonso Soriano $34 CHI OF 32
15 Carl Crawford $32 TAM OF 27
16 Jake Peavy $ 32 SDG SP 27
17 David Ortiz $29 BOS DH 32

18 Grady Sizemore $28 CLE OF 25
19 Ichiro Suzuki $26 SEA OF 34
20 Mark Teixeira ATL $26 1B 28
21 Curtis Granderson $25 DET OF 27
22 Brandon Phillips CIN 2B 26
23 Victor Martinez CLE C/1B 29

24 C.C. Sabathia CLE SP 27
25 Brandon Webb ARI SP 29
26 Magglio Ordóñez DET OF 34
27 Vladimir Guerrero LAA OF 32
28 Carlos Beltrán NYM OF 31

29 Francisco Rodríguez LAA RP 26
30 J.J. Putz SEA RP 31
31 B.J. Upton TAM 2B/OF 23
32 Carlos Zambrano CHI SP 27
33 Cole Hamels PHI SP 24
34 Carlos Lee HOU OF 32
35 Lance Berkman HOU 1B 32
36 Francisco Liriano MIN SP 24
37 Hunter Pence HOU OF 25
38 Troy Tulowitzki COL SS 23
39 Joe Nathan MIN RP 33
40 Russell Martin LAD C 25
41 Justin Morneau MIN 1B 27
42 Josh Beckett BOS SP 28
43 Aramis Ramírez CHI 3B 30
44 Adam Dunn CIN OF 28
45 Nick Markakis BAL OF 24
46 Álex Ríos TOR OF 27
47 Takashi Saito LAD RP 38
48 Chone Figgins LAA 3B 30
49 Jonathan Papelbon BOS RP 27
50 Travis Hafner CLE DH 32

51 Robinson Canó NYY 2B 25
52 Garrett Atkins COL 3B 28
53 Dan Haren ARI SP 27
54 Derek Jeter NYY SS 34
55 Tim Lincecum SFG SP 24
56 Scott Kazmir TAM SP 24

57 Brian McCann ATL C 24
58 Erik Bedard BAL SP 29
59 Chipper Jones ATL 3B 36
60 Manny Ramírez BOS OF 36
61 Miguel Tejada HOU SS 32
62 Carlos Peña TAM 1B 30
63 Fausto Carmona CLE SP 24
64 Carlos Guillén DET SS/1B 32
65 Ryan Zimmerman WAS 3B 23
66 Brad Hawpe COL OF 29
67 Roy Oswalt HOU SP 31
68 Trevor Hoffman SDG RP 40
69 Billy Wagner NYM RP 36
70 José Valverde HOU RP 28
71 Mariano Rivera NYY RP 38
72 Gary Sheffield DET OF 39
73 Eric Byrnes ARI OF 32
74 Hideki Matsui NYY OF 33
75 Bobby Abreu NYY OF 34
76 Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS SP 27
77 Matt Cain SFG SP 23
78 Vernon Wells TOR OF 29
79 Bobby Jenks CHW RP 27
80 Francisco Cordero CIN RP 33
81 Dan Uggla FLO 2B 28
82 John Lackey LAA SP 29
83 Brad Penny LAD SP 29
84 Édgar Rentería DET SS 32

85 Kosuke Fukudome CHC OF 31
86 Jorge Posada NYY C 36
87 Corey Hart MIL OF 26
88 John Smoltz ATL SP 40
89 Ian Kinsler TEX 2B 26
90 Aaron Rowand SFG OF 31
91 Kelvim Escobar LAA SP 32
92 Justin Verlander DET SP 25
93 Aaron Harang CIN SP 29
94 Joe Mauer MIN C 25
95 Hiroki Kuroda LAD SP 33
96 Mike Lowell BOS 3B 34
97 Andruw Jones LAD OF 31

98 Torii Hunter LAA OF 32
99 James Loney LAD 1B 23
100 Matt Kemp LAD OF 23

Funny Fantasy Baseball: I'm DUNN!

akiraplaysshort@live.com (Mike Siaca) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:45:00 +0000

A funny thing happened on the way to work today... When someone says, “A funny thing happened to me on the way into the office this morning…”, how often does a ‘funny thing’ really happen? I mean, is it really that funny? For instance, did you jack-knife or roll your car down an embankment? Or did you run over a pedestrian or poop your pants or throw-up on the inside of your windshield? Not that these things would be funny, just that they seem more likely to happen than something occurring that is actually humorous. So, do we mean ‘funny’, as in peculiar? Or ‘funny’, as in humorous? Well, either interpretation, yesterday morning, a funny thing happened to me on the way to the office. I got Adam Dunn, Dontrelle Willie and Vernon Wells stuck up my nose. It actually wasn't that funny. In hindsight it was humorous, but while it was happening, it was peculiar, rather uncomfortable and somewhat disturbing. I was commuting to work and reviewing, on paper, possible trades that I had made for myself before leaving home. While I was putting it to memory. I also logged how many times Kevin Gray tried to trade me Adam Dunn, Dontrelle, Vernon Wells, and Javier Vasquez for Gallardo, when I sneezed, and a chunk of paper (the log of Kevin’s offers) flew up and lodged itself in between the roof of my mouth and where my nasal passages meet the back of my throat. And it wouldn't budge. It felt like someone just hit me in the face with a hammer. I proceeded to tear up, and hide the fact, that 20 people just noticed this wod of paper fly into my month, and then sneeze wildly something like 40 or 50 times. It wouldn't go up, it wouldn't go down. I probably looked like Linda Blair trying to dis-lodge the devil from my throat, ready to projectile green pea soup all over the place. So what did I do? I ate the rest of my sheet, of course, like anyone would do. I was hoping to push it down, or out. This thus caused a paper-food pile-up in the back of my throat. What the hell man? Is there like a closet back there that I didn't know about? I mean really, where can this stuff go? I can’t believe I was thinking about this to begin with as I’m gagging! When I get to work I ran upstairs and to the bathroom. I throw down my bag, rip open my coat and open the faucet full blast. I start guzzling the water, but just continued to stay there. I was trying to jump up and down in the bathroom as fast as I could and look as inconspicuous as I could. It wasn't easy, seeing how I had tears streaming down my face, “Freaking Kevin!” I was dropping things, snorting and gurgling and coughing and wheezing. I might as well have been Fat Bastard from Austin Powers playing the bagpipes. Paris Hilton would've refrained from her signature; “That’s hot” track and translating it to; “That’s snot”. I got to the bathroom hoping that it wasn't my final resting place, because I heard somewhere that people often die in the bathroom when they’re choking on something because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves in public. Damn it! So, they’ll go to the bathroom to try to dis-lodge it themselves and croak. I didn't want to die on a bathroom floor with this freaking trade offer from Kevin stuck up my nose. I began drinking water, and snorting and gargling it. Nothing helped; I kept tearing and was ready to begin the bargaining process with the baseball fantasy gods. What would I do or give up if divine forces would intercede and dis-lodge this freaking’ crap. I contemplated going to the E.R., but what were they going to do? Stick a fire-hose up one of my nostrils? Because, at this point it would fit. Send troops up there? Because they’d probably fit too. Maybe Halliburton can get a no-bid contract to restructure my nasal passages after the W. administration does a preemptive strike on the ream of paper up there. ‘Cause that’s what it felt like at this time. I’m afraid that if I don’t take this trade log soon – it will come firing out and hurt someone. I began telling people at work that I have paper in my nose, just in case they were wondering. I didn't want go into detail and to tell them that it was my cheat sheet, involving my recent trade with John Koller and my master plan to get back to 7 th place in the league too. I wanted them to know what was going on. But I didn't want them thinking that I was such a dumb ass by telling them that I was dying because of DUNN, WILLIS, WELLS trade offer from Kevin sickness. It is now 42 minutes since I arrived at work and I at my desk now and my voice sounded more nasally than usual and I thought, as painful as this is, it is rather funny, as in humorous – I want people to laugh at this, we might as well get some mileage out of it. So, in the midst of usual morning chatter, I would say, “Ive got paper up my nose.” Most people were very apologetic through their tears of laughter. Others would try to help in someway. One colleague said, “Well, Penn & Teller do a thing where the one who doesn't speak snorts a pea up his nose then brings it out of his tear-duct.” “Well,” I said “are you saying that you can help me bring this paper out of my nose through my eyeball?” “No.” He said, “I just remembered it.”Idiot I thought to myself. “Well, good for him.” I said, “The world needs more people that can do that.” My friend Jeff wanted to eat it when it finally came out. He eats everything. I told him that he probably wouldn't like it because it hadn't been soaked in vodka and wasn't slathered in barbecue sauce and dripping with Italian dressing. All he does is eat, drink and spew out insults. That’s how we like him…drunk and mean. Kind of sounds like T.C. Anyway, the trade proposals stayed there for most of the day. I went ahead with my routine. I didn't have a choice. Anyone that I had to come into contact with I told. “Just so you know, I have a paper in my nose.” They usually looked at me as though I was kidding, until I would say, “No, I’m serious.” It’s almost the end of the day and I think that wod of paper has finally dissolved. I hope so. I also hope that I don’t end up with a sinus infection. Here I was just going to work, nothing out of the ordinary seemed like it was in the cards to make another trade. Oblivious that my cheat sheet was about to have it’s way with me. I guess we never know when a funny thing is going to happen to us on the way to the office, or a not-so funny thing. And my Mother reminds me that things can always be worse. But for now, my future trade predictions stuck up my nose is a pretty funny thing. I’m glad that it wasn't a jalapeno pepper in my butt…that would've been not-so funny.