[USML Announce] Fwd: Pippin's Nothing But A Dog

Tue Mar 26 16:01:09 EDT 2013

I'm planning to keep Rios--but as my father once said about horses, "They're all for sale, it's just a question of price."

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey Winick <jhwinick at aol.com>
To: announce <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Tue, Mar 26, 2013 2:42 pm
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Fwd: Pippin's Nothing But A Dog

Oh, for heaven's sake....the season hasn't even started yet. 

Alright, here goes.

4. Hoosier Daddies - In any other year, this pitching staff would be at the top of the heap.  But not this year.  And that presents a serious problem because the offense is decidedly middle of the pack (with the exception of stolen bases, which is bottom of the barrel).  A number of older offensive players on this team (Keppinger, Roberts, Ichiro, etc.), mean that upside is relatively limited.  So it will require some deft maneuvering to keep the wind in this team's sails.  But Rick will be in it to win it and if the Bombers aren't careful, the Daddies could leap past them into 3rd.

5.  Rips - A strong offense despite having gone prospecting, but the pitching is a big problem.  Sale and Kuroda and then nothing.  Really.....NOTHING.  Bundy and Carrasco are in the minors, Buchholz should be and the rest of this staff is middle relievers.  Brad Lee may not see it yet, but the writing is on the wall - this team should and will be playing for 2014.  So, 5th place is just where it stands now.  Ultimately this team will be fighting it out with the Nukes for last place.

6.  Adams Family Values - This team is the mirror equivalent of the Hoosier Daddies.  Skippy put together a very strong offense that would be the envy of the league but for the two juggernauts fighting it out for the Damon.  There are holes to fill on this team, which give it hope of ultimately putting together the best offense in the league.  But the pitching is even worse that the Riptorns.  When the ace of your staff is Hellickson, what more need be said.  The Berliner projections have this team with the worst ERA, the worst ratio and no saves.  That spells no chance.

7.  Klein Nine - Well, the good news is that for once the Klein Nine don't have the worst pitching in the league.  The Rips and Skippy made sure of that.  But it's still bad enough to drag down a team with a solid, if not spectacular offense.  Add to that the fact that this team is as injury prone as any in the league (Morneau, Drew, Cruz, Longoria, Johnson) and we're looking at a middle of the pack finish, best case.  Advice for the future - if you're going to spend money on pitching, spend it wisely.  Josh Johnson and his sore arm and Ubaldo Jimenez and his oversized reputation and undersized results aren't the way to go.

8.  Angry Young Men - As much as I want to like this team, I simply can't.  There are too many dogs barking too loudly here:  Pierzynski (over the hill), Smoak (looks like he'll never make it up the hill), Jeter (ankle is already a problem), Hunter (over the hill), Boesch (headed to the bench sooner rather than later), Beckham (what need be said), Hafner (over the hill).  I actually like the pitching a great deal and there are lots of players with upside.  So, while this team could surprise, a surprise would be 4th place, not 1st.  That's just not going to happen.

9.  Calamari/Brats - Very similar teams with identical fortunes.  Two teams that couldn't hit their ways out of wet paper bags.  Both teams appear to have gone with the stars and scrubs strategy.  The problem is that the scrubs overwhelm the value of the stars.  That makes for great opportunity for dump trades, but only as the dumper, not the dumpee.  The pitching is good on both teams and, in fact, is good enough that if either team were to get lucky on offense, they could work their way up to 4th/5th.  But that's as good as it will get for these two perennial contenders.

10.  Nukes - They're building for 2014 and already off to a terrific start.  Expect Rios to best the next rat off the ship.

The fortunes of the top teams haven't really changed other than the fact that the Berliners and the Mighty Red Hots got even better.  It's still Rich's to lose, but it now appears conceivably that he could very well do so.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Brad Jansen <bljansen at gmail.com>
To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Tue, Mar 26, 2013 1:56 pm
Subject: [USML Announce] Fwd: Pippin's Nothing But A Dog - First Installment

ZZZZZZZ......Jeffrey, did I sleep through your forthcoming details? Or now that you have iced up 2nd place you're not interested in the teams assembled by us mere mortals? 

--BLJ

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeffrey Winick <jhwinick at aol.com>
Date: Sun, Mar 17, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Subject: [USML Announce] Pippin's Nothing But A Dog - First Installment
To: announce at usml.net

 More details coming, but here's the bottom line: 

The top two teams are Berliners and Red Hots - both will be in the drivers seat this season.  Weaknesses for the Red Hots are 2nd catcher (Hayes) and 5th outfielder (Sweeney).  Two slots that he ought to have little trouble filling with a dump trade or two.  But what is he going to dump?  Best keepers are Darvish and Wilhelmson but they are going to be hard to replace.  Zunino is a nice bean, but we all know how bean catchers generally do.  However, this team is solid and will be in it to win it.  

  The shop is open and the Berliners are ready to rock and roll.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: rickgam <rickgam at comcast.net>
To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Sun, Mar 17, 2013 8:28 pm
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Best Day of The Year

    I guess you haven't heard the news that Prince experienced an epiphany and decided to retire!  BTW, my
secret formula has Rich as the favorite, but not by much.  Surprisingly, yours truly and Jeff W. seem to be on
his heels, and there's a clump right behind us.  Hey, I'm only the messenger.  And it might be a surprise to 
some, but considering only who was drafted today, for the 2nd year in a row I have Jim Barrett coming away
with the strongest draft.
   Rick

From: "Mark Blocker" <blockermark at gmail.com>
To: "USML Announcements" <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2013 8:14:21 PM
Subject: Re: [USML Announce] Best Day of The Year

Best email of the day.  Thanks for the hardy chuckle.  

Note to the league:  I have started to post the rosters I have, but I am still missing some.

Brad:  don't have a cardiac arrest but somehow Prince Fielder is not in the database.  Seriously.

On Sun, Mar 17, 2013 at 7:28 PM, Brad Jansen <bljansen at gmail.com> wrote:

Kerbs, thanks for the link.
Good seeing everyone today, including our special guest Jeff Cohen. Jeff W, thanks for the cardboard boxes and diet Coke. Awesome. I am so charged up right now I could trade away Trout. 
Andy, thanks for your entertaining impersonation of Woody Allen playing fantasy baseball.... Please, next year bring your life coach or therapist.

Rock and roll in '13. The Rips are ready to at least take down the Berliners' wall.img 

On Sun, Mar 17, 2013 at 6:54 PM, <springkerb at aol.com> wrote:

I enjoyed it, too, although it's better to at least be able to hope for a chance at a title run.  Oh well, not this year.  It was great to see all of you.

For those of you with designs on the title, I have three words:  first mover advantage.

By the way, here's a link to the BA capsule bio on the guy I took with the last pick in the rotation draft (he actually does exist):  http://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/38961.

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Robbins <rerobbins at itinker.net>
To: USML Announcements <announce at usml.net>
Sent: Sun, Mar 17, 2013 4:57 pm
Subject: [USML Announce] Best Day of The Year

As Andy always says, our draft day is the best day of the year.  And today was no exception. 

It was great to see all of you.

Jeff -- thanks for hosting.

Mark B -- thanks for everything that you do to keep the league running.

Can someone tell me what Jeff paid for Parmalee?

-- Rich

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