By JIMMY D / Fantasy baseball Gremlins 2009 edition born | Jimmy's archive
Jimmy doesn’t like Boston and Boston doesn’t like Jimmy D.
Although you’d never think that looking at the 2009 edition of his fantasy baseball squad.
Once again, work commitments kept Jimmy from the draft table and he turned the task over to the Yahoo! auto-picker. The result was Boston Red Sox players taken in four of the first six rounds.
Jimmy’s top pick at No. 4 overall was Grady Sizemore. This was a bit too high, but Jimmy really hates the Mets and made sure that both Jose Reyes and David Wright were ranked lower.
Is that smart? Sure isn’t and Jimmy always preaches against taking players you ‘like’ and ignoring those you don’t. Fantasy sports leagues are seldom won by GMs who are loyal to teams or players. They don’t care about you and you shouldn’t care about them – just the stats, ma’am.
Tampa Bay’s 3B Evan Longoria was his second pick and is primed to build on super rookie numbers.
Then came the rush of Beantowners. Dustin Pedroia, the AL’s dwarfy MVP in 2008, brings batting average, RBIs and 20 stolen bags to the Grass Gremlins at 2B. The fourth round brought David Ortiz, who probably could have been plucked later, but the computer doesn’t play favourites.
Kevin Youkilis, useful because he qualifies at both 1B and 3B, was the fifth pick and Jacoby Ellsbury, who stole 50 bags in 2008, was next.
Where the hell are the pitchers, you are wondering? So was Jimmy D. They didn’t arrive in the seventh round, as Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki filled the SS slot and it wasn’t in the eighth (Astro OF Hunter Pence).
It was Round 9 where Angel John Lackey was picked. Always durable, now that he’s on Jimmy’s team, he is hurt already. He got some cortisone injections in his elbow and doesn’t need surgery, but it’s never good to have your ‘ace’ start the year on the DL.
Cubs RHP Rich Harden was next and he should generate decent win totals in Chicago. But he also chucked 16 walks in his final four 2008 starts, so fingers crossed that it was a short-lived bout of wildness for the BC native.
Where the hell is your closer Jimmy? Good question. Dodger behemoth Jonathan Broxton was the 11th pick. Jimmy cheered against him in the NLCS last year, reveling in the series-turning, Game 4 homers by Phillies Shane Victorino and New Brunswick’s Matt Stairs.
Reliable 200-inning guy Javier Vazquez was next and he should be safe for strikeouts and ERA in Atlanta this year. Adam Wainright is under-rated in St. Louis and was a good pick at this stage.
Who the hell is your catcher Jimmy? Another good question and Giant Bengie Molina is the answer. He comes off a career-best 95 RBIs for SF last year. So in Round 14, Jimmy still managed to get the 8th-ranked catcher, the lamest offensive position by a mile.
The rest of the roster was filled out by Cincy pitcher Aaron Harang, whose numbers wilted in 2008, Colorado closer (yeah right) Huston Street, Reds 3B Edwin Encarnacion, who quietly golfed 26 HRs last year, Dodger 1B James Loney, former Philly HR/K machine Pat Burrell, worn-out Yankee OF Hideki Matsui (who has already been waived) and Angel starter Jered Weaver.
It doesn’t look very promising, but Jimmy will get the job done via the waiver wire.
Note for those with drafts this week, Kevin Gregg – not Carlos Marmol – has won the closer job with the Cubs.
Madness gladness
After stumbling a bit in the early rounds, Jimmy’s long-range prognostication skills means he will win his bracket contest again. Anyone else out there have all four of the Final 4 teams?
We pegged Villanova to upset Pittsburgh and Michigan State to upset Louisville. That’s four bracket victories in a row as nobody can catch Jimmy now! Stay busy, stay lucky.
jpoole@herald.ca |
