Here We Go!

Finally....

The last pre-season BLOG and it will only be up for less than two days.  I'll probably use this a reference point from time to time, but I just wanted to do a quick review of the preseason voting as I eagerly anticipate the first pitch on May 1st!

And just for fun, I'm going to put myself on the line for a change and pick my top 6 seeds in no particular order.  Why top six?  There's a few reasons for that.

1. By picking six teams, in no particular order, I'll offend only be offending 108 people that are on teams that aren't picked.  If I were to pick, say, the top two teams; I'd be offending 154 people.  This is just simply a bit of preservation.  
2. By picking six teams there's 72 guys that MIGHT buy me a beer one night.  
3. If our play offs end up being the same as last year the top 3 teams will have 4 home games and the next 3 best teams will have three of their 4 games be home games.  After that, you half or less as the home team.  We can debate whether or not there is any value in being the home team, but there is no other advantage for not finishing 15th.  So there it is.
4. There's more to banter about. 

So here is how the voting went:

Now, the moment that no one has been waiting for!  Here are my top 6.

Brew Jays - I'm off the board on this one.  I like the returning core of Bo (c), Rod (c) and the Foerster brothers.  In a "fantasy baseball league" sense, I think there are some good steals in this draft.  Look at it this way, take any draft ranking - #5's for instance.  Someone is the best of those.  Which means a lot of people would say that player is as good as at least half the #4's on any given day.  I think the Brew Jays got several of those guys.  We know Tito can pitch and there are some solid smart baseball brains on this team.  A top six finish with the usual array of Brew Jay fence crashing seems like a solid bet to me. 

Dog Catchers - And this one is 'nearly' off the board.  The top end with Curran and Glecoff couldn't be a better 1 and 2 combination of good ball players + nice guys.  I really like the Savvy consistent hitting and quiet leadership of Jimmy Mac and Cal Russell, Larry Turner (c) Bob Pearce and Don Swabuk are very good ball players who offer the perfect amount of "smart ass" that every team needs.  Randy's (c) pitching is great and his bat is getting better and better.  And you guys might not think much of this, but; Randy, Larry, Jimmy Mac, Pearce and Glecoff missed one game between them all of last year.  There is something to be said for consistency. 

Hot Tub Woody's - Another border line pick, but my money is on the voting being a little off on this one. Brooks / Larkin / Cragg / Stike might be the best infield I've seen so far in this league.  There are lots outfield options.  I think Brad Moye will emerge as a lock down center fielder this year with a top 25 average.  DeLand had great for the Woody's last year, I don't see that changing.  Plus he can give you a corner outfield or 1st base defense.  They have bats to score, but could have elite defense overall.  Dancey (c) and Hopkins (c) have no serious issues positionally to contend with.  People play better when they know where they'll be.  There could be 14 teams looking up the HTW's when its all said and done. .    

Red Dogs - I'm with the masses on this one.  Power, power and more power.  Young, Kolson, Mike Candy (c) and McCarron can all launch bombs.  Very steady and reliable infielders with Cox, Rouleau and Hjelholt surround Brad at short.  Bob Candy (c) can play anywhere and likely will.  Richards is likely in the outfield where he continues to play well and his bat steadily improved last year.  Mr. McCarron will settle down Mr. Quadrini's feet in no time and have hitting like a champ.  I think the only thing that will keep this team from having a "2011 Dusty Cleats" year getting the right rhythm with people in and out of the line up due to work.  I still see 18 wins as a worse case scenario. 

The Dusty Cleats Dynasty - I'm picking another favourite. Joseph seems back to his healthy self.  He looked good at the draft and didn't miss a single game last year.  Add that to Barton and Doyle who are perennial top 25 hitters and you have some great offense.  And that doesn't even count Mr. Boston.  He had a sub par 1st half last year but lit it up when the weather got warm and especially down the stretch.  Defense looks solid in the outfield with Joseph, Radar, Rene Simard and Timmy Sullivan as regulars with others who can parachute in and out. Doyle at short will likely be throwing to the all-star of Wayne Caldwell at first.  The Doyle Barton combo in the middle of the diamond is one the majority of teams would be jealous of.  There's a lot to like here plus Dane (c) and Pully (c) have lived through a 3 win season and a 22 win season.  They don't rattle.    

The Dodge City Rounders. They garnered the most votes.  There has to be a reason.  So why is everyone so enamored with the The DCR?  To be honest....they do have a couple of holes.  For example they don't have a league proven short stop.  But by all accounts, they have a rookie to play that spot.  Looking at the roster, I'm not sure who's at 2nd either.  Beyond that, there's lots write home about.  Starting on the mound, they have the steady and consistent pitching of Wayne Bickford.  Balls hit to the outfield will be swallowed up by the combination of Scott Peters, Adrian Barry, Mark Bickford, Al Fry (c), Ed McDowell (c) and returnee Luc Schryer.  Mason and Beechey should elevate this team.  How far and how fast will depend on how they adapt to a very different game.  But this is a roster full of guys who know how the game is properly played in this league. 

One More Thing

In doing my preseason research I found out that 15% of the league, didn't miss a game all of last season.  That doesn't make them spectacular ball players, but it does make them pretty reliable and I think we should note that.  Here is the Home Room Teacher list of perfect attendance:

Anicete Goncalves

Frank Laird

Harley Sherman

Steve DeLand

Jim MacDonald

Bob Pearce

Terry Doucet

Al Fry

Tim Schrank

Randy Hipkin

Larry Turner

Rob McCarron

Doug Dwyer

Rob Farah

Rob Hayward

Jerry Muirhead

Paul Gyori

Chris Larkin

Mike Olliffe

James Taylor

Roger Burton

Clayton Campbell

Dan Chiasson

Bob Candy

Hugh Armstrong

Cliff Joseph

Adrian Barry

Two days till Opening day!

BOLD PREDICTIONS (III) - 2012

POLL RESULTS

We already have the Dodge City Rounders in the bank as favourites....now lets look at round number 2!

Which team would you consider to be the favourite of this group? You can pick more than one team

Dog Catchers            20% - a team to watch!

Dusty Cleats              54% - they weren't overlooked this year!!!

Grisslies                     12% - Little love for the defending champs

Gruesome Devils        8% - And NO LOVE for the rookie captains!

Hot Tub Woody's      20% -  probably would have done better if not dragged down at short stop!

Hosted by Clark W. Griswold

The BLOG:  The Hurtin' Units have seen a fantastic year followed by a more normal middle of the pack year.  Which way do you think they're trending?
Clark W. Griswold:  I think you're [expletive deleted] in the head. We're just days from hitting the [expletive deleted] ball park and you want to talk trends? Well I'll tell you something. This is no longer just a season for the Hurtin' Units.  It's a quest. It's a quest for fun.  They're gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun. We're all gonna have so much [expletive deleted] fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our [expletive deleted] smiles! You'll be whistling 'Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah' out of you're [expletive deleted]!

The BLOG:  What about the Lucky Stiffs then?
Clark W. Griswold:  The Lucky Stiffs aren't the problem.  This BLOG is. Can I refill your beer for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?
The BLOG:   I'm sure the Stiffs will appreciate that in-depth analysis.
Clark W. Griswold:  The Stiffs ARE Lucky.  The have the two most critical pieces from last year's Grisslie's championship team.
The BLOG:  Are you predicting a championship for the Stiffs then?
Clark W. Griswold:  Well aren't you the clever sausage then?  You should think about journalism as a profession.  Really!

The BLOG:  You have something dripping from your chin.
Clark W. Griswold:  That's sarcasm.
The BLOG:  Whatever.  Hey, I heard that McCarron is threatening to leave the Red Dogs.  What do you think Bob Candy would say about that?
Clark W. Griswold:  He'd say, "where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned baseball team. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm baseball emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest baseball season since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny [expletive deleted] Kaye.
The BLOG:  I feel a certain loyalty to Bob that makes me want to disagree, but I can actually see him saying something along those lines!

The BLOG:  On to one of the teams I think did very well in the draft, the Rusty Rebels.
Clark W. Griswold:  I guess so - that draft was like a gift.
The BLOG:  I wouldn't go that far.
Clark W. Griswold:  Hey! If you are looking for any ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Hugh Armstrong, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a fortunate, lucky, no-good, rotten, horse shoe up the [expletive deleted], roulette wheel spinning, weight losing, bug-eyed, short-legged, snake eye rolling, draft rigging captain that his!  Hallelujah! Holy [expletive deleted]! Where's the Tylenol?

The BLOG:  Would you surprised if the Tap Masters won it all this year?
Clark W. Griswold:  If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I couldn't be any more surprised.

RADAR's Corner:

PLAYERS NOT INCLUDED:
Rusty Rebels:  Brian Uprichard
Tap Masters:   Dwyane Comer
Hurtin' Units:   Craig Slater, Rob Rumboldt
Lucky Stiffs:   Jason Chiovitti, Steve Lahey 
Red Dogs:      Brad Young, Jon Hardy

 

• Al Hayward had a very consistent year last year hitting over .600 throughout and finishing at .667.  He also was one of a very select group to have authored a 6 hit game!
• A fly ball eating machine at any outfield spot, Anicete Goncalves crushed 74 hits and finished the season with a .718 average.  He had 9 games with 4 or more hits and only 5 games with less than three.  He's a constant threat.  
• Cameron Clark is pretty versatile (for a lefty).  He's a top drawer center fielder and can play any infield spot to boot.  Cam is a regular in the top 25 finishing in a tie for 21st at .742 last season. 
• Flying a little under the radar last year was Clayton Avery.  That can happen on a team with Douglas, Glecoff, Routledge and Sagert lighting it up.  Clayton brings a steady glove, good speed and a very reliable stick (.680) with the threat of gap power.  
• After a rocky start with the stick, Dave Kidd finished the season at .574.  He is listed as a P2 this year which means there will be less opportunity for that knuckle ball to make me look stupid.  
• After the Grisslies first 5 games last year Freddy Mercury (AKA Gord Robertson) had an average of .000.  Swear to God.  He would go on to finish the season at .556, slam his first out of the park home run AND be the offensive MVP of the finals!  In my top 15 at either 1st or 3rd.  Nice pickup.  
• Gord ROBINSON had a bit of reverse season to Freddy.  He was hitting .780 through 10 games and slamming home runs everywhere.  He went .583 over the rest of the year (which most of us would happily take) before rebounding in the playoffs.  Plays an elite 3rd, Short or 2nd.  I haven't really seen him in the outfield but have no doubt he'd be fine there too.  The Units will love this pick.  
• If the season was another game longer Jamie Allen would have hit .700.   He steadily moved his average up to .689 to finish the year.  That after a start of .483 after 9 games; that's a fantastic turn around.  Jamie could be a big steal.  
• UNKNOWNs:  Craig Slater (Rookie), Rob Rumboldt (Returning after 17 year hiatus).  Rumour has that Rob can no longer walk and drink coffee at the same time....he may be the perfect "Hurtin' Unit".   
• CAPTAINS:  Well....James Taylor enters his 1st year as a P1 after filling for the honorable Bill Jonkman last year while he was rehabbing.  James did pretty well last year but has a steep hill in his 1st full time go around.  There will undoubtedly be bumps but he'll be fine.  And he has a an extremely reliable P2 behind him when he needs it.  Mike Olliffe (2 L's, 2 F's) is a good outfielder and hit .685 last year with some power.  Both work well together as captains and are good with their teams.  

The Bright Side:  There is power on this team.  Anicete, Clark, Robinson, Robertson and Olliffe can all crash the fences.  There is some good speed on the bases throughout too.  They should score a lot of runs. They are middle of the pack in average, but its average with power.  Nice combo.    
The Less Bright Side:  Hmmmm.  Not sure who's playing second base.  Not sure where Rumboldt plays.  If he's at 1st then Freddy moves to 3rd, that could be nice.  If RR is in the outfield its going to be crowded out there I think.  

 
• Andre Comeau narrowly missed the top 25 in hitting with his .724 average.  I would expect that he does the same or better this year.  Crazy speed and good defense.  
• Joining Andre is a top 25 hitter from last year (#19) in Andy Gee.  Andy continues to be one of the league's elite pitchers and good guys.  Good defense from the mound too!
• Going 3/3 in the good guys department the Stiffs have Calvin Steeves.  Cal is a good outfielder and has some moments of greatness making some of the most spectacular you'll see all season.  Cal had a down year (for him) last year hitting .609.  He is my early pick to have the seasons most improved batting average.  
• Catfish Hunter played stellar center field for the Grisslies last year and is also an accomplished second baseman.  He carried a hot stick into playoffs (.818 over his last 6 games) to lead the team from the lead off spot.  Has very good speed and is an intelligent base runner.  
• Mickey Mannell gives you some flexibility.  He can catch and he can play a very respectable 1st base.  The Stiffs should consider themselves lucky (get it?) to have him as Mickey damned near single handedly put them out of the semi's with his four hits.  Don't be fooled by his average, the Mick is clutch.  And he has AMAZING shirts.    
• John Barlow I know more from chatting with than playing against.  A very nice guy who hit an uneven .607 last year.  John would have great stretches (.750 thru his 1st 4 games) and tough patches.  All told, a good team mate and a good league guy.  
• Mr. Incredible (Ken Doan) had a trip to the quarters last year with the Brew Jays and gave us all a reminder of sportsmanship.  After missing 10 of the first 12 games, Ken hit .719 over last 8 games as he got into his playoff groove.  Plays a very nice outfield to boot.  
• Steve Hunt brings top drawer short stop play to the Stiffs.  Additionally, Steve brings a solid and consistent bad to the dance. Steve can hit the ball hard, not necessarily out, but hard and deep.  
• UNKNOWNs:  Jason Chiovitti (rookie), Steve Lahey (rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  The Stiff / Campbell duo continues.  Clayton plays sound infield defense and had eight (8) perfect games at the plate last season!  John continues to be a credible corner outfielder and hits triple his weight!  

The Bright Side:  This team is strong up the middle at pitcher, short, and multiple center field options.  Overall, they may have the best outfield going with Steeves, Hunter, Comeau and Doan.  If they choose to move The Wadd back to 2nd they still have Stiff to play a corner outfield spot.  Clayton is logical and good at 1st and The Mick won't disappoint anyone catching or at 1st.  Without seeing the rookies, this has the potential to be one of the better defensive teams in the league.  

The Less Bright Side:  Like the Units, the Lucky Stiffs are decidedly middle of the pack in average.  However, their team lacks the up and down the lineup power that the Units have.  They could struggle to score runs, but their defense should keep them in each and every game.  AND...defense wins championships. 

 
• Blaine Richards played for the banshees last year and overcame a bit of a shaky start.  He progressed steadily throughout the year.  He hit 643 in his last dozen games.  .753 in his last 4 games.  He's trending upward.  
• Red back on the Red Dogs.  After pitching great for them last season, Eric "The Red" comes back for another tour of duty with the Candy's.  Eric hit .610 last year and continues to baffle the Grisslies year after year.  
• Hey Gary, how's your hand?  Wait until you catch a few from your short stop.  Gary Cox had another fine year last season hitting .624 and being one of 20 league players to muster 100 at bats.  Gary plays 2nd base very well and can play right field better than most.  Good pick up for sure. 
• Jim Rouleau can play all over the infield and play well.  His average was low for him last year at .605 but he put himself behind the 8-ball after the 1st four games going 4/17.  From that point on he hit more like himself at a .683 clip.  
• Whether at 1st base, 3rd base or left field, Mark Kolsen brings good play and a calming presence to the field.  He's the first guy to pick up a team mate, a nice guy to have around. With the stick however; the nice guy goes away.  Last year he ripped 76 hits in 106 at bats (.717) finishing 33rd overall in the league in batting.  And he did this with power, there aren't a lot of cheapies off of his bat.  
• Another looming presence on the 2012 edition of the Red Dogs is Rick Hjelholt.  Rick is a slick fielding 1st baseman who was not rewarded for his hard shots last year.  You hear a lot of people speak negatively about some high averages, ("he just forces people out in front of him") but the opposite is true for Rick.  He hit ropes often from what I saw and he just seemed to have bad luck hitting them to where people were standing.  His .476 average does not tell the tale, at least in my humble opinion is doesn't.    
• Entering his sophomore season, Robert Quadrini moves from the Rebels to the Red Dogs.  I'm sure it will be a relief to get away from Hugh's constant badgering and into the more tranquil setting of a Bob Candy run team.  Rob started 3/4 in his first game.  Then went 0/3.  Then 3/3. Then 0/3.  You get the idea; and such is the life of most rookies in this league.  I can attest to that!.  Rob:  KEEP YOUR FEET STILL!, you'll be fine.  
• Robert McCarron.  What to say about Robert.  He definitely looks good in Red!  Rob is a very good outfielder and a smart positional player overall.  And he hits like a good old fashioned farm boy....hard!  Robbie is rarely cheated at the plate; always getting good aluminum on the ball.  Last year he had 83 hits in 110 at bats (.755) which was good for 15th overall in the league in average, 1st in at bats and 2nd hits.  The "woe is me....I'm slowing down" stories are a little tough for the rest of us mortals to take Mr. McCarron. Another top 20 finish in batting seems to be tied up with a black velvet band.
• UNKNOWNs:  Brad Young (Rookie - apparently sucks), Jon Hardy (Rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  The senior Candy hit .646 last season and played all over the place to fill in spots.  The junior Candy would have finished 8th in the league in hitting if he had enough at bats to qualify.  Mike is elite in center field and pretty damned good at short stop too when called upon. 

The Bright Side:  The entire outfield, short stop, 1b and 2b are somewhere between good and awesome.  The Red Dogs based on last year are supposedly 13th in hitting.  I give this a big "whatever".  I think Brad will make a huge difference and take some of the load off of McCarron.  I hope it doesn't rejuvenate him though, because we don't need him getting any better.  Quadrini and Rick will both hit better.  The power is ridiculous.   

The Less Bright Side:  Sooooo.....Rick and Mark are both ideally suited for 1st base.  Gary and Jim are both ideally suited for 2nd base.  So there will be two odd men out and one of them I suppose will play 3rd.  These aren't actually bad problems to have and will give some options when there are holidays or injuries.    

 
• "For those about to rock" Bill Sallustio.  So Bill.....you thought I was bad, huh?  Enjoy playing with Mr. Armstrong!  Bill hit .635 last year but hit .700 over his last 10 games.  He's particularly good in the clutch with runners on.  He is a very responsible outfielder.  No stupid risks.  Hits the cutoff, doesn't give up extra bases.   Very solid pick up. 
• The pitching looks solid with Bob Vaughan.  I saw Bob at the draft and he looks to be in great shape, fit, healthy and ready to play.  A hearty "Welcome Back" from your fans at The BLOG.
• Another player who provides a lot of options for captains is Brett Mabee.  He is a strong outfielder and a very good middle infielder.  A bit of an off year with bat last year at .550, I wouldn't expect that will continue.  
• God Dol had a spectacular year with the bat last season missing the .700 club by only 1 solitary hit.  He finished at .697 and was remarkably consistent.  He had only one game all season with fewer than 2 hits. 
• I keep hearing this Kevin Moon guy is pretty good.  Sure, he plays a good outfield.  Sure he's a really good short stop.  And 2nd baseman for that matter.  He hit a very deceptive .628 last year in what was a bit of a down season with the bat.  But I can't remember the last Mooner hit that wasn't a big one for his team.  Look for the return of the "moon-shots".  
• Mike Ghaney enjoyed a trip to the finals last year along with Brett.  Ghaney had a great year playing all around the outfield and collecting an even 50 hits.  He it almost a 100 points in the first half of the season, hopefully the Rebels won't wear him out like the Cleats did!
• Allow me to introduce The Kahuna who needs no introduction (hahaha).  Roger Burton is a nice guy.  I thank god for that because if he ever threw the ball in anger somebody would be in the hospital.  Apparently we have a rookie who has an arm better than Kahuna, but we will not anoint a new "best arm" until we see it live and factor in accuracy.  As a hitter, Roger has few rivals.  He had 100 bats (T14th in the league), 82 hits (3rd in the league) and a sparkling .820 average.  He joins McCarron and Barton as the only players with 100 or more ABs, 75 or more hits and a .750+ average.  He's 'okay'. 
• Speaking of awards.....Steve Grenkie has been drafted by the Rebels for a 4th consecutive year!  The odds of that are ridiculous.  At this point they should just make him a co-captain.  Steve is a good all around player and has excellent speed.  He started last year slow in hitting, sitting at .540 at the half way point of the season.  He looked a lot more like the guy we've become used to seeing in the second half going .700 the rest of the way.  
• Wilf Roblin quietly put together a very nice season last year in what was the Wild's attempt at the (never been done) three-peat.  They made it pretty damned far though, bowing out in the semi's.  Wilf was 56 for 80 hitting an even .700.  Only two games with less that 2 hits shows his consistency.  
• UNKNOWNs:  Brian Uprichard (Rookie).  I'm sure Brian Uprichard, Blaine Richards, and Brian Richards aren't going to cause any problems on the stats sheets?!?!?!?
• CAPTAINS:   Hugh and Don are good captains in how they treat their team and the abilities on the field.  Hughie caught fire in the second half of the season, hitting a sweet .787 over the last 12 games.  He finished at .702 overall.  He is above average at any infield position and is credible in the outfield.  Much the same, Don saw his average climb about 80 points in the second half as he overcame a bit of slow start with the bat.  Donnie continues to be athletic and capable in the outfield and play 1st base at a high level. 

The Bright Side:  Armstrong, Moon, Mabee and Kahuna are all candidates for the short  and second base combo.  No matter which two are used, it'll be a good combination.  The outfield has lots of options with Grenkie probably being the best "go get it" guy in center.  Wilf, Donnie, and Bill are more than credible out there as well.  Overall the team is balanced, power, average, pitching, defense.  Good draft.

The Less Bright Side:  Hoping Kahuna is back to 100% with the foot.  If he's not, and losing Mabee for half the games (shift work) might be tough for the team to overcome.    

• Brian Kononiuk was a rookie last year with the Torn Ligaments.  He hit dead on .500 last season but with only 26 hits in 52 ABs.  He'll find more consistency if he's able to get to more games, but a nice start for sure.  
• As a poker player, Dan Routledge sure can play baseball!  After taking four years off, he came back like he hadn't missed a day.  He was top 25 in hits and finished at .723.  Good speed and good defense to boot.  Never looks you in the eye when he's bluffing though.    
• Another second year player, Esau Lewin will spend his sophomore season with the Tap Masters.  Esau hit .603 in his rookie season and brings deceptive speed to the bases.  Being a cricket player it took Esau a little while to figure out the subtle difference in the swing.  But he did it!  He went from hitting .433 in the 1st half to a whopping .708 in the second half!  This pick could be a steal!
• How good is Geoff Keogh?  Our home park is named after him, that's pretty telling isn't it?  Geoff started last year 24 for his first 24.  I can't even get my head around that.  Add to that super short stop play and all around good guy and you have the composition of a great player.  
• Mike Roche apparently plays a number of positions, but I remember him mostly playing 3rd base and he plays it well.  He rounds out my top 3rd sackers with Brooks and Larkin.  Roche hit .656 last year and did it with decent gap power.  His line shots are threats.  
• Yet another player in year two is Paul Doyle.  Doyle had more hits (63) than any other 1st year player last season.  His average (.733) had him out of the top 25 by a single point.  He has average and power.  He can play center at a high level and is the second best short stop on the team.  
• Despite what you may have read last year, Randy Rose is NOT a thorn.  He is a good outfielder and can bounce around the infield a bit as well as pitch.  Randy is also a big hitter.  He drove the ball to a .679 clip last year and has the ability to play a short 'on base' style game as well as crash fences. 
• Former batting champ Sandy Bell returns for another year as one of the game's better pitchers.  Sandy's average was down a little last year (.544) but the pitching was still true and fast.  And the defense from the mound is superior.  Watch for Sandy to bounce back some with the bat this year making this pick more of a steal than it already was!
• Timmy Two Beer enters his 3rd year in the league.  Last year he won the leagues most improved player award.  TTB hit .625 last year and really started to utilize his speed both on the bases and in the field.  Tim's most dramatic improvement was in the field.  He went from an average outfielder to a guy that can steal hits.  He's ready to play center field I think. 
• UNKNOWNs:  Dwyane Comer (Rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Rookie captains Jason Bowers and Tim Schrank.  I have no idea what they will be like as captains, but as players they suck.  Just kidding.  Bowers hit .538 and battled some injuries last year, he'll be looking to rebound this year and get that power stroke back.  Meanwhile, if you read this whole thing you remember that Kahuna, McCarron and Barton as the only players with 100 or more ABs, 75 or more hits and a .750+ average?  Well, Timmy Schrank had 100+ ABs, 75+ hits and missed on the average by hitting .748.  Tough break.  Tim would like to tell you that he should be rated a 7 or 8, but numbers don't lie.   

The Bright Side:  You have 3 guys that can play short and 3 that can play center field.  Defense in the middle shouldn't be an issue.  They have nice speed and nice power.     
The Less Bright Side:  This will be a test for the 1st year captains.  Tim Osmond has a bit of an "attitude" shall we say?  I'm not saying he's a prima donna, but.....if the ballet slipper fits.  Oh, and any team with any Doyle is already behind the 8-ball.  At least you got the athletic one.

BOLD PREDICITIONS (II) - 2012

POLL RESULTS

Which team would you consider to be the favourite of this group? You can pick more than one team

Banshees                      15%  (I guess people forgot how good Murray is)

Beer Bros.                    25%  (Me thinks they have potential)

Brew Jays                     15%  (Maybe people overlooked the value of 4 returnees)

Dislocated Joints          15%  (Finally a little love for the Joints!)

Dodge City Rounders   60%  (The people have spoken, DCR are favourites!)

Make sure to vote on who will join Dodge City as a 2012 favourite!

We very nearly had Homer Simpson last year, but he withdrew at the last second.  The BLOG is thrilled to have secured his services this year for his in depth analysis. 

BLOG:  Good afternoon, we don't have a lot of time, would you mind if just started right in?
Homer:  Actually, I'd like to start with a prayer.
BLOG:  Really?  A prayer?  Okay then, go ahead.
Homer:  Dear Lord.. The gods have been good to me. For the first time in my life, everything is absolutely perfect just the way it is. So here's the deal: You freeze everything the way it is, and I won't ask for anything more. If that is OK, please give me absolutely no sign. OK, deal.

BLOG:   Nice work.  Lets start with finding out what you would do if you were Randy or Larry in addressing the new Dog Catchers line up for the first time.
Homer:  Easy.  I'd say, "Good practice guys.  Although I wasn't able to cut everyone I wanted to, I have cut a lot of you.  Bob is cut, Cal is cut, Craig your gone, Don I like your hustle, that's why it was so hard to cut you. Congratulations, the rest of you made the team!  Except Donald, Ingo and Jim."
BLOG:  Homer, we don't cut people in this league.
Homer:  Really?  Losers.

BLOG:  And what about the Dusty Cleats?  They had a statistically staggering season last year.  Damn close to running the table and within two runs of winning the playoffs.
Homer:  Oh Puhlezeee!  People can come up with statistics to prove anything Mr Blogity Blog guy.  14% of people know that.  Duh.

BLOG:  Okay,  Maybe you'd like to comment on the rumour that the Grisslies were trying lure promising rookies with cash offerings?
Homer:  Really?  How much?
BLOG:  Rumour has it, they were offering as much as $10,000.00
Homer:  ARE YOU KIDDING?  With $10,000.00 I would be a millionaire!  I could buy all kinds of useful things, like ....... LOVE!

BLOG:  Good call.  So here is our first review of a new team in the Gruesome Devils.  What do you think?
Homer:  I don't know about the team, but the captain's suck.
BLOG:  Stop it, you don't even know them.
Homer:  I know baseball, I coached Darryl Strawberry.  They just plain suck.  I've seen teams suck before, but they are the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.
BLOG:  You have no idea who they are do you?
Homer:  Not really.

BLOG:  Finally, and mercifully, we have the Hot Tub Woody's.
Homer:  Well, the big story there is how they weaseled out of the ratings.
BLOG:  You can't weasel out of ratings.  There is a committee AND a vote.
Homer:  Oh, they did weasel out...you are so knave.  And their weaseling should be encouraged, not put down.  Weaseling is what separates us from animals.  Except the weasel.

And there you have it, Homer J. Simpson.  And now for MY meaningless opinion!

Once again, we'll lead off with "The Radar Factor".  Here are where these 5 teams would rank in our 15 team league based on last years batting statistics:

PLAYERS NOT COUNTED ABOVE:

Grisslies:  Jeff Sagert, Scott Pritchard
Dog Catchers:  none
Dusty Cleats:  Troy Hope
Gruesome Devils:  Craig Butler, Kevin Tobin
Hot Tub Woody's: Christopher DeSavoy,

The question has been raised....how reliable are these poll result?  Its a good question.  So I went back and look at last year.  Last season the Grisslies were picked 1st in their pool and finished 2nd overall in the league.  The Lucky Stiffs finished in a tie for first in their pool (with the Red Dogs) and finished 3rd in the league.  The Beer Bros. finished 1st in their pool and finished 13th overall.  The BIG MISS was the Dusty Cleats, picked third in their pool behind the Grisslies and Hurtin' Units.  Overall, I'd say our polls tend to be about 50/50.

On to the show:

 

• Bob Pearce...plays anywhere, never misses games, one of the top 3 in sub games played (Bowers can let me know if I'm right or wrong on that one), hit .670, nice pick!
• Cal Russell...very good outfielder, never misses an opportunity to make a smart assed comment which makes him a #1 in my books.  Another 700+ season for Cal last year.  
• Craig Escott...Was victimized on rookie night last year, but apparently being on that stage wasn't quite enough because I caught him doing karaoke in town.  Nice rookie year at .652 and good defense to boot.  
• Don Curran....A very good draft.  Don is like Doris Casullo without the attitude.  Like Scott Peters without the "Hey look at me" aspect.  He's kind of like Chuck Cragg.  Quiet, unassuming, sober minded.  Don is a team leader and very good ball player.  The Dog Catchers will really like this pickup. 
• Ingo Bartens:  Ingofische is a steal.  A steady and reliable glove in left or right and was a single hit away from being over 600.  There will be at least one game won with a 7th inning Ingofische at bat this year.
• Don Swabuk:   Well.  You can't have EVERY pick be great, can you?  Oh, relax, I'm mostly joking.  Donnie the Ump had a nice rookie campaign before being felled by an injury that kept him out of the playoff.  I think this will be a big comeback. Like "Return of Jedi" big!
• Jim MacDonald:  JimmyMac is about as reliable as they come.  A quality outfielder.  Always available to sub.  And a very good hitter.  Pencil him in at .700 with 67 to 73 hits.  He's as reliable as I am short.  And the bugger has a full head of hair too.  
• Paul Hargreaves.  If you're not cheating you're not trying.  We tried to cheat for a second consecutive year to get Paulie in the draft....to no avail.  Paul broke out last year eclipsing the .600 mark in average.  I predict that the climb will continue.  You read it here first. 
• Phil Glecoff....I guess the Dog Catchers used their throw back?  How else do you get saddled with Glecoff?  Tough break.  I mean, if you WANT 75 hits, a .781 average, flawless defense, and an always smiling, encouraging team mate, then I guess - sure; give him a shot.  But lets be honest.  Have you seen him pitch?  Play catcher?  First base?  Not very versatile for a #1.  But hey, that's me. 
• Vincent Basacchi:  Hit just a shade under .600 and brings almost "Polny-like" defense to 3rd base.  He will throw himself in front of a train to make a stop!  Not a moving train...that would be crazy....but a stationary train?  All day!
• UNKNOWNS:  None.
• CAPTAINS:  Personally, I think Larry and Randy will really enjoy this years team.  Both Captains are offensive contributors and Randy is solid pitcher who has enjoyed success against the Grissles.  I hope we only get them once this year.   

The Bright Side:  This team will win their share and more than anything, they just look like a fun bunch and it should be as season that everyone will enjoy.  There are some high end bats to share the offensive load and the defense looks solid in the infield and maybe exceptional in the outfield.  
The Less Bright Side: Not much to complain about.  I will say this though.  This might not have been the best season to not get a rookie.  On the other hand you know what you have from day one. No surprises.

 

 

• The Cleats have a return engagement with Cliff Joseph who last played with them two years ago battling through an injury filled season.  Last year saw a return to health, hitting all games and posting a .700+ OBA.  And a very reliable fielder to boot. 
• Fraser Barrett was two hits away from joining the .700 club.  Fraser's solid stick is joining a team that projects to do a fair bit of bashing. 
• Kevin Boston.  Another guy just a hair away from .700.  Radar had a wicked season with the stick, getting better as the season when on.  He has deep gap power and crazy speed.  Too bad he'll get dragged to the dark side by negative forces on the team.
• Mark Doyle, "Radar....I'm your father, eh - turn over to the dark side".  Oh, THIS was a swell idea!  Radar and Doyle together.  MGD (Mark's middle name is Gord) hit .785 last year, but Starsky & Hutch have inferred that Dr. Strange-glove was the single biggest reason for the Pie man hitting under .500.  Shame on you MGD, shame on you.  (See....no mention of a Centaur!)  DoH!!!!
• Pistol Pete Shmagola seems to follow Doyle around.  The good news is that they seem to balance each other out.  I think they last time they played together they won a championship with the Wild?  You got your work cut out for you this year Peter
• Scott Barton.  After winning the regular season and a batting championship, Scott Barton is coming back to finish the job.  He's an all star, its tough to make an argument for their being a better pick than Scotty.
• Stephane Simard - il a frappe l'annee derniere bon.  Il a joue la defense tres bien; considerer il ressemble au godzilla.  Reellement, godzilla est plus facile le comprendre. 
• Speaking of All Stars!!!  Timmy Sullivan also joins the talent laden Dusty Cleats.  The rich keep getting richer. Tim will play anywhere, is a perfect team mate and can take a joke with the best of them.  Oh, he also owns the best baseball shorts in the league (not counting Jeff Dancey's)
• Wayne Caldwell.  The best moustache in the league has been recruited to the Cleats this year.  Wayne was still pounding last year at .654 clip and is an imposing figure on defense. 
• UNKNOWNS:  Troy Hope (rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Dane and Chris have to be happy with this draft.  It would have been impossible to top last year and they didn't; but they didn't slip too far.  The captains combined with just under 200 ABs and an OB a little under .600. 

The Bright Side:  They have some guys that can bop and some wicked gap power.  A slightly higher average from some of the guys would see Radar, Doyle and Joseph driving in a ton of runs!.  
The Less Bright Side: Did you read the part about Doyle and Radar yet?  There's no real downside here.  Oh, do one of you guys speak French?  Steph can't speak a lick of English.

 

• Rick Cudnik.  Not only is Rickey Bobby a feared hitter, a crazy fast runner AND a deft center fielder, but he can also make sure the fence is level AND he knows CPR.  Can you say A.W.E.S.O.M.E. 
• For a 3rd year running, we pulled Dave Argue as our P2. He led the team in ERA last year and is making a serious bid to be the opening day starter.  YIKES.  There may be a controversy in Grisslieland!
• Who hit .775 and played stellar outfield for the Joints last year?  That would be Gary Basso.  He'll be a great addition to both the batting order and the outfield defense.
• Art Sagert was third in the league in hits last year, which according to my math puts him in the top 2%.  We'll try to get more power out of him this year, looking for 15-20 home runs.
• A .741 hitter with the Banshees last year, Lance is almost "Popeye good" in the outfield and is probably one of the 5 fastest guys in the league. 
• Bob "I need a nickname" Vienneau hit a wicked .753 last year in the final (for now) season of the Torn Ligaments.  At this point the 1-3 spot in the order is looking VERY crowded!
• Dave Doucette is a good team guy and a very good league guy.  He had a very nice rookie campaign last year hitting .651 with occasional power.  This year, we're going to find him a position!
• When your every day catcher hits .526, that bodes well for the team.  Charlie is particularly adept at settling down pitchers.  
• UNKNOWNS:  Jeff Sagert (Rookie), Scott Pritchard (Rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Rob & Doug.  We have a pitcher and a player without a position. At the plate they combined to have 125 hits.  Good speed from Rob, good line up cards from Doug.

The Bright Side:  This team should hit very well.  Four of the twelve players led their teams in hitting last year, so just staying the same for those guys would be great. The Grisslies should over come their historic issue of having trouble scoring runs.   
The Less Bright Side: Defense.  If the team adopts last years mantra of not allowing any freebie extra bases, they'll be able to stay in games.  If not, it won't matter how many runs they score.

 

GRUESOME DEVILS

(I don't have the LOGO / Artwork yet for the Gruesome Devils, but Jens INSISTED that I use the above picture of him and Steve from when they went to day care together.  Its so sweet, how could I resist. 

• Bob McCullough is a quality short stop, good team mate and a .725 hitter to boot.  Nice pick up to have for rookie captains.
• If you want a catcher that knows the right time to call for a brush back pitch, then Cliffy is your man.  Cliff is all effort, up to the point of blocking the plate (from the ball) with his face.  Happy go lucky, another good pick up for the rooks.
• Gord Tanner had a good season with the Torn Ligaments last season. He hit .650 in the first half before tailing off a bit.  He'll probably be able to sustain the full year this time around, now that he's not having to carry Cam Clark.
• As steady as they come, Keith Dell was a reliable hitter last year with occasional power.  If he can keep the ball on a line he will become very dangerous.  A reliable defender and another good guy to have on the team. (as is Gord Tanner by the way)
• Mike Douglas had a great season last year with the Hot Tub Woody's.  Going 9/10 to finish the year pushed his average to .779.  Excellent pick up.
• Richard Gabourie played for the Hurtin' Units last year and despite that, he managed to hit over .600. 
• Flexibility!  The Devils are one of a few teams that drafted more than one guy who are in the top 15 of regular shortstops.  Robin Dickson can play anywhere but plays short and center field at a high level.  He also hit over .700 in over a 100 at bats last year. 
• Simon Smith might be a bit of a steal.  His at bats went down last year (67) but the average stayed strong (.677).  He is an all out defender whether at 2nd or a corner outfield spot. 
• UNKNOWNS:  Craig Butler (rookie), Kevin Tobin (rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Jens and Steve should be happy with this draft.  Jens has become one of the league's better hitters finishing last season 21st overall at .742.  His outfield defense is very good too.  Steve enters his second year as a P1.  Last year with the Brew Jays they got to the Quarter finals and one tough inning against the Grisslies prevented at least a semi-final berth.  The pitching is headed in the right direction.  Steve is consistent in with the bat.  Frighteningly consistent.  He hit .592 in the first half and exactly the same in the second half.  Eerie.

The Bright Side:  There aren't a lot of question marks on this team defensively.  They pretty much know where everyone will play with the exception (possibly) of short stop.  And that's a good problem to have because they have too many!  On the offense, they are statistically dead middle which means they'll be least affected by some guys doing better and others doing worse than in previous years.  I like their draft.   
The Less Bright Side:  Too many short stops.  That sucks.  Sucks more that other teams didn't get any of the leagues top 15 short stops.  Makes me think that we should institute a short stop draft like we have for P1s.  No wait, that would be CRAZY talk!!!
     EDITOR'S NOTE:  The above tirade is in no way representative of the league nor should it be considered an indictment of the draft.  Neither too should it be viewed as any form of disparaging representation of P1s.  Instead, we chose to believe that its simply the reactions of a tired, bitter BLOGer who is in desperate need of sleep.

 

• Bill Jonkman is back, the shoes are broken in now and he's all recovered from last year's injury.  Bill will be a nice stabilizing force on the mound and contributes an over .500 average.  
• One of the hidden gems of the draft, Brad Moye is a high end out fielder and he really came around with the bat as the season went on last year.  He hit a full 100 points better in the second half of last season.  I expect that his .622 overall average could jump up big this year.  Part of the reason he gets on so ofter are the camouflage shorts he wears.  You can't see him.  They should be banned. 
• For my money Chris Larkin is one of the top five 3rd basemen in the league.  Its a reflex position and he's sharp.  Third base for the Woody's this year is where hits go to die. 
• Chuck Cragg will do well at 1st base this year.  His hitting has tailed off (.814), but we're all getting older right?  
• Unlike Chuck, Cliff Tucker has range.  He can control either corner outfield spot and has the wheels to play center too if needed.  He hit dead on .600 last year and is timely hitter.
• Craig Davies hit .500 last year with the Brew Jays. Craig had five games of 3 or 4 hits last season and they all came in the second half.  Me thinks that there is more to this bat that's just waiting to break out. 
• Doug DeLand returns to the Hot Tub Woody's for another run for gold.  Maybe this year they won't wear him out!  Doug hit a blistering .723 in the first half last season before the HTW's installed him as the lead off man and made him lead the daily batting practice and prayer group. 
• Steve Black.  If there was ever a player made for left field, its Stike.  I don't know why his nickname isn't "the gazelle". 
• For my money Steve Brooks is one of the top five 3rd basemen in the league.  It a reflex position and he's sharp.  Third base for the Woody's this year is where hits go to die.
• UNKNOWNS:  Christopher De Savoy (rookie).  I will say this....Susan Sarandon was in the best baseball movie ever made, Bull Durham.  She played Annie Savoy.  Susan Sarandon has a brother named Chris.  Chistopher De Savoy?  It can't be a coincidence. 
• CAPTAINS:  Ed Hopkins had more hits that Rick Cudnik last year and he's a better 1st baseman.  End of conversation.  Jeff continues to play wherever the team needs him, and while he was down a bit with the stick last year, he remains a dangerous gap hitter with wheels.  And don't try to argue with me about that because consecutive triples against the Grisslies left a stain on the brain that will remain; stuck in a picture frame until i see you again. (sounds better when I'm doing my Kool Moe Dee rap) 

The Bright Side:  Well.  Lets see.  Two of the best five 3rd basemen.  Two of the best (insert your own personal ranking here) short stops.  The left side looks pretty damned solid.  The outfield might not have a "Peters" or "Pendlebury" type, but it has options and will come together.  Overall, nice draft, particularly for when they are playing against right hand hitting teams.   
The Less Bright Side:  Some people hit left handed. 

UP NEXT:  Bold Predictions (III).  Hurtin' Units, Lucky Stiffs, Red Dogs, Rusty Rebels, Tap Masters

BOLD PREDICTIONS (I) - 2012

INTRO

Just a little background for everyone.  The month between the draft and starting playing is PAINFULLY long!  At least for me.  So last year I bridged the gap with pre-season predictions.  The learning from that exercise was that its a painful month for everyone as those predictions were read OFTEN and generated lots of comments.  Hopefully we have a repeat this year.

These are largely tongue-in-cheek but we try and introduce some stats that may or not have value; and then we ask our readership to make a prediction of the best team in each pool of 5.  Simple logic will tell you that this flawed on a few levels.  1.  Its based on the votes that people in the league submit.  These are the same people that put Harper in power, so what does that tell you. (if you're a staunch conservative, my condolences, but get over it; its just a joke)   2.  Any stats that you might be using to cast your vote are supplied by me.  Enough said.  3.  I'm reasonably certain that alphabetical order has no factor in the order of finish.  Therefore, the top 3 teams could be in any one of these pool and only one would win.  4. I just felt a fourth reason would add credibility.  

The first pool we will be looking at are the Banshees, Beer Bros. Brew Jays, Dislocated Joints and Dodge City Rounders. 

This works way better if there is commentary and general kibitzing back and forth.  However, this BLOG is public and (our) kids can get at it and some actually do....so I will ask you to avoid any words that start with "F" and end in "CK".  The only exception I can think of at this point is "firetruck". 

Hosted by Al Bundy

BLOG:  Welcome Mr. Bundy, Its a pleasure to have you in studio!
Al Bundy:  Of course it is, Go Polk High!

BLOG:  Well let's get right to it!  First Question, what is you initial reaction to the Banshees draft?
Al Bundy: When I was a kid, there were lots of parties I wasn't invited to. I showed up anyway. I stood there with a big smile on my face and said, "I'm here" and headed right for the food. Sure, they didn't want me there, but I had a great time. And if they didn't, so what? The point is if you want to be there, be there. Even if they hate you. Sadly, I wasn't drafted by the Banshees so I don't care.  But I might eat one of Frank's sandwiches.

BLOG:  Starting off a little bitter, aren't you Al?  Lets move on the the Beer Bros. who have Starsky and Hutch (Piellusch and Ross) in their second year as captains.  Year one was a good learning experience, how do you think year two will go?
Al Bundy.  Being co-captains is like a marriage.  All right, number one - if it wasn't for beer, there would be at least three people, who probably wouldn't have gotten married - Me, Dwyer, and probably Lisa Marie Presley. Number two - since men buy beer, advertisers have to cater to what we want. And hold on to your corncob pipe - but Starsky and Hutch got a team they will like. Pretty women sell beer and the Beer Bros. got a pretty team, especially Lou. Pretty women make us buy beer, and pretty teams make us *drink beer*.  They are the BEER Bros.  They'll be fine. 

BLOG:  Sure wish you had a stronger opinion about things; or maybe made sense!  Okay, team 3, the Brew Jays.  Bo & Rod have finished in the top 6 in the regular season for the last two years but haven't had a deep playoff run yet.  Is this their break through year?
Al Bundy:  I was a Brew Jay a couple of years ago.  You think that makes me a loser?
BLOG:  That's not what I was saying, I'm trying to find a positive story for everyone.
Al Bundy:  Just because I used to be a Brew Jay and have a stinking job that I hate, a family that doesn’t respect me, a whole city that curses the day I was born? Well, that may mean ‘loser’ to you....
BLOG:  Seriously, that's not at all what meant....
Al Bundy:  Well let me tell you something: Every morning when I wake up, I know it’s not going to get any better until I go back to sleep again. So I get up, have my watered down Tang and still-frozen Pop Tart, get in my car with no upholstery, no gas and six more payments to fight traffic just for the privilege of putting cheap shoes on the cloven hooves of people like you. I’ll never play baseball like I thought I would, I’ll never know the touch of a beautiful woman, and I’ll never again know the joy of driving without a bag on my head. But I’m not a loser. ‘Cause despite it all, me and every other guy who’ll never be what he wanted to be are still out there, being what we don’t wanna be, forty hours a week—for life.  And to me that says WINNER / GAGNON!

BLOG:  This has gone sideways, really fast.  This is feeling more like therapy than prognostication. We have two more to do...do you think you'll make it?
Al Bundy:  Bring it on while I'm still upright. 

BLOG:  Okay then, the Dislocated Joints, what do you think of their draft?
Al Bundy:  Well the the Gods are on a roll, aren't they? Must've been playing another round of "Can you top this?" One god started off with a round of, "Let's wreck Terry's arm." Then another said, "We'll give him Down Town Billy Brown as a co-captain" Then another one, probably a cruel, hungover god, said, "But let's have them have them get 2 short stops in the so that the fall from grace will be that much greater."

BLOG:  Yowza....I don't know what Down Town ever did to you; let's get this over with, what about the Dodge City Rounders?  They seem to save their best baseball for after Labor Day. 
Al Bundy:  Labor Day... what does it mean to us? To answer that question, we must harken back to earlier times. You see, kids, while the cave woman sat around getting fat, smoking cigarettes, and watching the Phil Jabberman show, the caveman braved the elements, risking life and limb, with only the hair on his back.....god bless the Dodge City Rounders, they get it. 

BLOG:  Mr. Bundy, you are truly bizarre. 
Al Bundy:  Thank you sir. 

Notwithstanding Mr. Bundy's flawed characterization of these teams, we have had some really interesting drafts with these five.

You should know that the stats we keep in our league are very minimal.  We track the number of times on base and that doesn't matter if it came on a hit, walk, error or fielders choice.  By default we also have the number of at bats, games played and runs scored.  

Before we get too far into MY FLAWED ANALYSIS, lets look at a few baseline numbers.  These have been provided courtesy of Kevin "Radar" Boston.  These cost me 2 beers and a promise not to harass him until after the HTKP tournament.  You all better appreciate my sacrifice because Radar is a traditional "easy mark". 

What Radar did was apply everyone's end of season 2011 stats to their new team.  This does not account for rookies or people who took a year off.  Bear in mind that you will have to make 'mental' adjustments to include these folks, the stats are just meant as a guide, not a projection.

So here is how these 5 teams rank out of the 15 teams in the league for OBA

PLAYERS NOT INCLUDED:
Banshees:                    Murray Saunders, Dave Muirhead, Richard Lester
Beer Bros.:                  Peter Holmann, Winston Gayle
Brew Jays:                   Victor Gale
Dislocated Joints:         Emeil Edwards, Martin Ranby 
Dodge City Rounders:  Keith Beechey, Luc Schryer, Scott Mason, Tom Enright

• Potentially a lock down center field with Brian Richards and Murray Saunders
• Jerry Muirhead could be a center fielder on virtually any other team
• BLOG:  Jerry, how is it that you play so well in the field?
• Jerry:    I eats my spinach!
• Craig Beatty and Paul Koolhaus are both elite hitters.
• Brad Becker is on his second tour of duty with the Banshees
• John Tessier gives them another unquestioned defensive position locked up at 1st base
• Dave McKendrick had a break trough year at the plate last year in his final (for now) year as captain.  
• Unknowns:  Dave Muirhead (returning after a year layoff),  Richard Lester (rookie)
• CAPTAINS:   John Coopman plays short stop at a high level and started the season among the leaders in hitting last year.  Frank had another solid year pitching and also enjoyed three 4-hit games at the plate last year.

The Bright Side:  The Banshees had a very nice draft.  They have the benefit of walking into the first game with very few defensive question marks.  They have their outfield, pitching and much of their infield set and nice gap power up and down the line up.
The Less Bright Side:  Hard to find TOO many holes here.  They have two players coming back after 1 year layoffs, but I don't think 'rounding back into shape' will be an issue.  Its not the NHL. 

• Al Bales calls a good game and will be good for Lou.  He also has a knack for getting hits at the most opportune time. 
• Brad Smith is entering his sophomore year.  He had an excellent start to the 2011 eleven season and then hit the skids before rebounding late.  He'll be more consistent throughout this season.
• Dennis Short returns to the Bros. with the hopes of playing a full season.  
• The Pendlebury's will (likely?) patrol the left side of the outfield. 
• Goosney, Short.  Same team?  Maybe they really ARE the Beer Bros. 
• Len Wercholoz is about as good as you can get for a P2 and solid contributor at the plate. 
• Lou Conforti, first year as a P1, but has the demeanor to not get rattled in the rough patches that happen with every pitcher.  
• Unknowns:  Winston Gayle (recent cut by the Orioles made him available), Peter Holmann (rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Steve Ross is field-idextrous. He plays infield and outfield at a very high level.  Paul Piellusch is a top tier center fielder who is also a respectable pitcher when needed on short notice.  As Captains, they combined last year to have 200 ABs and a .751 OBA.  FYI:  They're good. Don't be fooled by the "awww shucks, we're just happy to be here" attitude that they exude.

The Bright Side:  This is an interesting team because I can see the defense being configured a few different ways.  There may be a reliance for one or both of the rookies to play a key defensive role.  I like the balance of the offense.   Health, attendance and keeping Short away from Goosney are critical factors.  
The Less Bright Side:  Oh I'm just kidding.  Keeping Goosney away from Short is the bigger issue!  The only real downside here is giving people time to evolve into their positions and particularly, figuring out who's playing short stop.  There are definitely credible options, but they might not look pretty right away.  Doesn't really matter as long as everyone is playing smooth for games #25 thru #32, right?

• Another nice draft.  Bill Clouthier continues to be a steal.  His glove remains sharp at either corner and has more baseball knowledge in that surgically repaired rotator cuff than I'll ever have. 
• Dave Fleming....saw the finals last year in his rookie season.  Good outfielder, good hitter with strong gap power, nice pickup. 
• Polny.  A bit of a steal here for his draft round too.  Now, I don't know if anyone has thought of this, but Clouthier's mentoring - Polny's "throw caution to the wind" all out effort?  I'm looking for a break out season here. 
• Jamie McClean - solid outfielder and good stick.  Very good wheels on the bases too.  Also, if you've been to any captain's meetings, he has an uncanny ability to concentrate on the important things when there is lots of noise around him.  That will come in handy when the crowds get rowdy.   
• Lynn Foerster - Continues to be the stronger of the Foerster's.  Lynn shows no sign of slowing down, with another 63 hits last year, reliable defense and near perfect attendance.  
• Matt (the other) Foerster.  All kidding aside.  Matt hit ROPES last year.  Batting .787 in a little more than a half season. The speed would be a god send on any team.  
• Peiro (the Pie man) Del Greco.  Entering his 4th season.  Peiro continues to be among the top 15 catchers in the league.  Kidding - Peiro is a very good team mate, always gets his jug on the rare occasion that he K's.  1st base coaches need to remind him turn left, other than that, he'll be fine.  
• Roger Gaudet.  .734 average, 69 hits?  Nice pick up!!!
• Tito Presenza - Two years removed from pitching to a victory in the finals.  Tito is a high quality P1 and hits above the league average with good speed.  Not Mark Doyle speed, but good speed nevertheless.
• UNKNOWNS: Victor Gale (Rookie).  Met him at rookie night and he came to draft day.  Seems like a very nice guy.  Don't know about the baseball side, but I'm sure he'll be a very good team mate.  
• CAPTAINS:  Bo Niederhuber and Rod Duggan have usually patrolled the middle infield for the Brew Jays although they will bounce around from time to time.  Both have solid OBAs and Rod in Particular has power, but you can't sleep on Bo at all.  If you give him a gap he'll burn you.  

The Bright Side:  In two short years the Brew Jays have established themselves as an offensively minded club.  Having Bo and Rod, a second consecutive year of the Foersters and the additions of Gaudet and Fleming won't hurt that rep.  I think the combination of Tito and Clouthier should really take the pressure of the infield defense. 
The Less Bright Side:   I don't see a lot of worry points with this team.  They look like we all should, balanced.  Maybe watch for Jamie and Piero to start a gang called the McGrecos.

• Dave McGovern.  Until this year he had the second best arm in the league (next to Kahuna).  Not any more, but its still #3 in my books.   Very good middle infielder and excellent team mate.
• Derryl Gaudet.  Another good team and league guy.  Solid pitcher who can play anywhere defensively if needed.  
• Doris Casullo - Smart, gap power hitter who plays both a high quality center field and short stop.  Versatile and fast.    
• Garry Hilliard - Nice year at .589.  Some flexibility defensively.  22 players in our league have a double consonants in their first but Garry is one of two players to have a double consonant in his first and last name; which makes him half the answer to a good trivia question.     
• Harley Sherman - Another nice pickup, perfect attendance, 65 hits, has good wheels, burns me twice a year at least.  Apparently drives neither a Harley or a Sherman tank.  Weird.  
• Paul Gyori - The nice pickups keep coming for the Joints!  A .663 hitter with reliable attendance and a steady glove at 3rd base.  Another guy who is very involved in league activities as well.
• Stefan Kapp.  Good average at .621 and good outfield play.  His name is worth 21 points in scrabble. 
• Steve Wynnyk.  This might be a sleeper pick.  Good second baseman, very good speed and batting on the plus side of 600.  His name would be worth 81 points on a 3 triple word score in scrabble.
• UNKNOWNS:  Emeil Edwards (Rookie), Martin Ranby (Rookie)
• CAPTAINS:  Terry Doucet continues to be an effective pitcher and after a rough start, hit over .720 over his last dozen games.  Down Town Billy Brown is a probably why Terry has been a good pitcher.  Down Town is simply an exceptional catcher!

The Bright Side:  This team could be really good defensively.  If strength up the middle is the hallmark of a solid defensive club, then these guys are good in my book.  McGovern allows Doris to play center if they choose to go that way Wynnyk and Gyori are both nice infielders.  Derryl will give them strong defense from the mound or anywhere else they play him on the field.  If they opt to have Doris and Dave in the middle infield they will have one of the top two or three double play combos in the league. 
The Less Bright Side:  Their defense will keep them in games all year.  Their bats are going to have to win a few though.  You know that you're going to get a high average, gap power and speed on the bases form Doris and Dave.  Derryl and Paul were solid last year.  Others who tailed off a bit last year need a little bit of a bounce back and the rest need to hold form.  If they have sticks they could really dominate. 

 

• On my short list for 'best drafts'. 
• Adrian Barry played for The Wild last year and had 63 hits & .649 average. 
• Bones is quality at 1st base and can bounce around the infield a bit.  Carries a pretty reliable stick at .540. 
• There has been a dent in both of my shins for two years courtesy of Henry Lukassen.  He managed to blister balls from the plate into both shins in consecutive at bats. I know we have gloves for a reason, but nothing ever got there as quick has Henry's liners.  
• Mark Bickford.  Whom I still owe Cora's gift certificates to.  There, its in writing, you'll have to get it now.  Marky is healthy, slim and looking for a good year; bad news for the rest of the league. 
• Scott Peters, the nicest guy in the league (not counting Jens Lepa) continues to be an elite center fielder AND a top 25 hitter AND a nice guy.  
• Wayne Bickford.  The term Wiley old vet comes to mind, but that's only half the story.  Wayne is a tidy pitcher, rarely walks anyone and they are usually on purpose when he does.  He also seems to get important hits at an alarming rate for the opposition.  He hit well over .600 last year.  
• UNKNOWN:  Tom Enright (rookie), met him on rookie night, I think he'll fit it with the DCR's perfectly.  Scott Mason (Rookie).  I'd still like his ID checked.  Keith Beechey (Rookie). Met him and I'm not impressed.  I was trying to engage in a little conversation with him and it went something like this:
• Me:  Hey, you've played in the men's league right?  You must know a lot of these guys.
• Keith:  Keith does know a lot of these guys.  Keith thinks many of them will do well, but probably not as well as Keith.  
• Me:  Really?  You think some of them will struggle?
• Keith:  Keith wouldn't say "struggle"; Kieth thinks it will simply be an adjustment period. 
• Me:  Dude, you might want to drop the whole 'referring to yourself in the 3rd person' thing.  
• Keith:  Keith did not realize he was doing that. 

           Oh, I'm just kidding.  Keith was nothing but a gentleman at Rookie night and the draft.

• CAPTAINS:  Quick, let Al or Ed kiss your lottery tickets!  Ed McDowell and Al Fry are excellent captains.  They enjoy playing the game, are very good to their teams and have a way of keeping everyone together and on an even keel.  I think they've been rewarded with a team that might be as mellow as them.  

The Bright Side:  Its obvious but I'll say it anyway.  They have three guys on their roster that could potentially play their way into #1 spots next season.  This team looks solid ALL OVER!  I heard that after the draft Al and Ed were being fitted for jackets?!?!?!   
The Less Bright Side:  Outside of Scott's Anger Management issues and Beechey talking in the 3rd person, there are no issues on this team.  The only possible exception I can think of is they'll need to buy more pens this year due to all the coloured squared on the score sheet from filling in runs.   Really, its a small price to pay.

The great thing about our draft is no one loses.  Sure - you can win occasionally, but no one loses!  There are some known quantities, some players that nobody really knows anything about and then the great mass in the middle will either play better or worse than expected and average the team out.  So take a shot and pick your favourite to have the best record in this first group.  If you're kind of iffy on your answer, vote for two.  You are allowed multiple selections in this poll..

UP NEXT:  Bold Predictions (II) -  Dog Catchers, Dusty Cleats, Grisslies, Gruesome Devils, Hot Tub Woody's.