[USML Announce] Countdown To Ecstasy: Jeff "Steely Man" Winick's Latest Observations On Reserve List Decisions

[Brad Jansen]

Taking time from monitoring the latest  injury updates on JJ Putz and Craig
Monroe, Jeff Winick dashed off some comments as Decision Day looms:

   As should be obvious to anyone who either purchased my fantasy magazine
or took ten seconds to look at the rosters, the only contenders heading into
the draft are the Daddies, GOP and me.  The rest of you face uphill battles
that will make 300 look like Sound of Music (and God, does Julie Andrews
boil my coagulated blood; gotta love those Swiss misses).  I can sleepwalk
through the draft (unlikely if I'm stuck next to Jansen or Doug) and still
finish in the money, but I did take another glance at your rosters in order
to please you with some idle yet brilliant thoughts:

  Most expensive starting pitcher retained: I would have said Corey
Lidle(21), rest his off-target soul, but my hip pick to click is Curt
Schilling at 21.  If the Nukes have any hope to claw into the race this
year, or rebuild for next, then they must deal from strength, and their hand
is rich with pitching.  Of course, it's entirely likely that the Red Hots
extend King Felix's contract by 4 years and take him to 25. Who knows.  If
Schilling shows signs of yet another stigmata this spring, then runner-up is
CC Sabathia at 20 (K-9).

  Most expensive non-starter/non-closer: Mike MacDougal at 10 (Block's
Bombers).  Mark always tries different approaches and this one very well
might work.

   Most expensive offensive player to be retained:  Back in the day Vlad the
Impaler was kept at 39, Ichiro at 30, Damon at 27, Sheff at 26...and for
good reason.  As I have so eloquently stated, power will be at a premium
this year (but nowhere near as scarce as starting pitching), so my
scientific expectations are as follows: No way the LMC keeps A-Rod at 46;
only I would make such a bold move. Manny (MRH) at 40 poses too many health
risks, especially for the conservative Rich Robbins.  The AYM have both
Ortiz at 39 and Jeter at 30.  If Shabes demonstrates the savvy that landed
him in the money last year, then he'll retain Derek at 30 and be happy about
it. I don't see the F-Brats keeping Wells at 36 and no way K-9 keep Michael
Forever Young at 36.  The rebuilding Nukes would do well to hang onto Miguel
Tejada at 29. If  neither Jeter nor Tejada is not retained, that leaves us
with Jim Thome (26), whether he's on the Rips next SAT or not. He's the
best-valued power hitter at retainable value.  Relative to other players who
have gone or will go in that price range, he's quite the Good Deal.  So,
it's Derek or Tejada or Thome.  Book it, boys.

   That is all...until next weekend when you can confirm the accuracy of
these on-point predictions.

With warm regards,
JHW
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