Fearless Predictions III

Season Start Date

Day one and Day two of the season have been lost and games rescheduled.  Too bad, Monday was beautiful and Tuesday is off to a great start!

Fear not.  Your captains will be in touch with you to communicate new dates and times for your games.  In fact 8 of the 12 teams involved have already accepted their make up date.  Great work fellas.  

Back to the schedule.      

LIVE FROM THE

Rob: So?  How do you like the team?
Doug:  Great!  I'm really happy.  A couple of things to figure out, but I think we have a real chance of beating last years three win total. 
Rob: God, I hope so.  I hope the other guys who are now on other teams beat that too.  It was painful. 
Doug:  Sure was.
Rob:  So any good stories going on in the league?
Doug:  Well its a little early but I heard a really juicy one
Rob:  Really, what's that?
Doug: Okay, you have to keep this really hush-hush though. 
Rob:  You bet. 
Doug:  So, it seems that Down Town Billy Brown is up to something.  He's retained a constitutional lawyer and has been going over law text books all winter.  Seems he gave up being a captain to focus on this new cause. 
Rob:  Really?  What's the cause?
Doug: Not sure, I'm still working on that.  You know, using my investigative journalism background.  But I'll have the full story in a week or two. 
Rob:  Sounds interesting.  Anything else new? 
Doug:  Not really.  Oh, I went and threw the ball around last Sunday at Keogh. 
Rob:  Is that why you're shaking hands with your left hand?
Doug:  Ya.  I haven't been able to get my hand above my waist in since Sunday. 
Rob:  So other than you being a suck, how did it go?
Doug:  Well, I'll be honest.  They were smoking the ball at me.  So friggin' hard, I have a bruised glove hand right now.  And the hits?  Sharp and crisp and really challenging to field.  I had to really be on my toes to catch anything.  And when I hit I couldn't get anything through the infield.  They defense looked to be in mid season form. 
Rob:  Sounds like really good ball.  Pretty competitive for this early in the season. 
Doug:  That's what I thought too!
Rob:  So who was there?  Squirrel?  Lahey?  Doyle?
Doug:  No.  I don't think you know them. 
Rob:  What?  Come on, I know everyone in the league.  Was it Cragg?  Dickson?  Maybe Rose?
Doug:  Pretty sure it wasn't them. 
Rob:  So who was playing this wicked ball?
Doug:  Well, there was Gina. Kathrine. Susan. Erin. Cheryl. 
Rob:   The Draft Kings?
Doug:  Cute, but no.
Rob:   Ladies play tough, eh?
Doug:  You have no idea. 

UPDATES:
OPENING DAY
The season is right around the corner and it kicks off with two big opening night games!  Game1 features the finalists from last years championship game, the Tap Masters against the Draft Kings.  The Tap Masters will try to be the first runner up to knock off the champs in game one of the next season.  Being opening day, there will likely be 1/2 inning updates via twitter.  You can either follow the score on the twitter app if you have it OR your friendly neighborhood BLOG comes with its own live Twitter Feed you find here:  Twitter Feed.  Game2 will be every bit as good.  The Dodge City Rounders will begin their defense of The Beer Cup against the Blues Brothers.  Interesting, I think these two teams were the last two with a chance to have won it last year.  Funny how these things work out, eh? 
THE BEER CUP
The Beer Cup is a trophy donated to the League in 2013 by the Grisslies.  The intent was to give something to follow and track throughout the year for fun.  The way it works is that the winner of the Dodge City Rounders Vs. Blues Brothers game on Monday will hold the 2014 edition of the Beer Cup.  In their next game they'll defend it against their next opponent or lose it to them.  Last season 7 of our 15 teams held The Beer Cup at one time or another; 3 teams (Red Dogs, Brew Jays, Dodge City Rounders) successfully defended the Cup and only four teams (Dog Catchers, Draft Kings, Rusty Rebels and Tap Masters) never had a chance to play for it.  Other than the very valuable trophy, the winning team gets 12 beer tickets at the end of year banquet (no Danny, not each....its for the whole team)
THE STATS
Starting Saturday May 10th and on every subsequent Saturday, you will find the complete stats pages for the league on the BLOG.  You will find the league standings that we keep, my version of baseball "games behind leader" standings, you'll see the top 10 in average, top 10 in runs scored, The top 10 in average and runs scored for each quarter of the season, the most improved hitters over the previous seasons stats, leaders in At Bats, Leaders in total Hits, batting averages of rookies, sophomores and (because The Beechey and The Squirrel will whine if I don't) this year we've added juniors (which are 3rd year players).  Later in the season we have 1st and 2nd half comparisons and my favorite, the Power Rankings. So get your coffee and laptop Saturday mornings and enjoy. 
FANTASY LEAGUE
There are only a few days left to register and get your team in.  We are up $880.00 in the pool, half of which is for local charity.  The updates for the Fantasy League will be found on that tab above, not in the main body of the BLOG.  This is the first year we've tried this so there will bound to be some trial and error with how this works.  My goal is to update the standings for Saturday morning, but we'll see how successful I am.  I'm also waiting for the final count to be in before coming up with a payout plan.  
JUSTIN KEOGH FUND
The Fund's facebook page membership has grown by 40% in the last two weeks.   That's terrific and really aids in future communication.  The link to the page is here is if you would kindly send a friend request to:  Justin Keogh Fund   They are currently looking for Logo ideas, details can be found on the Facebook page.  You don't have to have known Justin to participate.  Friends of the family, friends of baseball, friends of the area and anyone who would like to follow a good news story are welcome.  
BLOG STATS
This past week the BLOG went over 200,000 lifetime hits.  I continue to be amazed.  Here is the brief six year history of readership & we're off to good start this year.  Just a tiny bit behind last years pace but should still get another 50,000 for this year.  Who knows?  Maybe the fantasy league will even drive us higher.  Rumor has it that even Chuck Cragg will have to sign on to check the standings. 

The Predictions!
The timing is less than perfect on this.  The previous two editions of predictions were up for a full week.  This one will only be up a day shorter.  However I'll keep the poll up for the same amount of time as the other two were and in the first Saturday Stats BLOG I'll reveal the "Panel Of Experts" picks as well as the league consensus. Here is where the voting lays so far:

Now.....round III

Hurtin' Units

Kevin Boston:  Bill Clouthier returns to try to win it all with Kevin.  This was the storybook tale from last year’s playoffs and that energy will carry over into this year.  The Captains Oliffe and Taylor play a fun style of ball and their teams respond well.  Rick Greenfield and Esau are keys to their success while Coxy can burn you often.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Play to win it and use the knowledge of their vets.  They need to play smart and be on top of every situation.

Doug Dwyer:  You may as well make Coxy a co-captain, he always seems to be drafted on this team.  This team has singles hitters, doubles hitters and legit power threats.  There's no soft touches with the sticks.  This infield could be ridiculous.  McGovern and Clouthier Jr on the left side and Cox and Clouthier Sr. on the right side.  The outfield will be anchored by Curran and Olliffe with Comer and Greenfield holding down the corners.  There are some positioning question marks but the offense should keep them in the game.   

Will finish in the top 6 if:  If the defense proves to be stable this squad will score more than enough to get in the top six. 
Scott Peters:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  they bring last years individual performances to the table - if Comer gets socks to match his jersey, look out!
Geoff Keogh:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their four new "rookies" adjust to the intensity of the league !!
Mark Doyle:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their veterans that have taken time off come back and play like they can
 

Rob Ford: Look out.  I have a file.  There are very important papers in here.  VERY important.  I'm not 100% sure what they are, buy I'm told that they're really urgent for the Hurtin' Units to do their lineup!  Make way!

Rusty Rebels

Kevin Boston:  Lots of sticks and solid up the middle on D make the Rebels a team to look out for.  This team will score a lot of runs with extra base hits with Rose, Armstrong and Gee.  Their defence led by Tucker and Ranby in the outfield tighten up those gaps.  Look for these Rebels to go deep into the season.

Will finish in the top 6 if: their defence plays tight down the lines and the core hits for extra bases.  Look out for lots of gap hitters.

Doug Dwyer:  Year after year after year I take the Rusty Rebels in my top six.  Year after year after year I'm wrong.  Maybe this is the year the jinx ends.  Armstrong just keeps getting better, they have an all-star pitcher (literally), 40% of the elected executive and another all-star outfielder.  Then there's all they guys not mentioned who could be difference makers on any given night.  There is lots here. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:  They establish a steady and reliable infield to go with an outfield that has depth and will play responsibly. 
Scott Peters:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  they feed off the consistency of Gee on the mound and the leadership of Booth and Armstrong - nice versatility on the bench.
Geoff Keogh:  Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their experience, great pitching and pop in their bats, continues
Mark Doyle:  Will finish in the top 6 if:  The strong leadership prevails and I'm not just talking about the captains. Not panicking goes a long way in a 4 game round robin
 

Rob Ford: Let me tell you about the Rusty Rebels.  I love this team.  I've talked to them all individually and I will confirm right now that they are NOT at all Rusty.  No sir.  However, they are indeed Rebels.  Except for Esau.  He is most assuredly not a rebel.  He's far too nice for that. 

Sliders

Kevin Boston:  A rookie team with lots of veteran players including perhaps the best outfield in the League.  Speedy fielders Moye and Horgan are quick while McCarron and Cudnik don’t miss too much.  On the infield, Mooner teams up with Short up the middle while sweet Lou is pretty dangerous with the stick.  McKendrick is among a group of guys who add a lot of depth and great spirit which equals wins.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  their outfield plays like they way they can.  Loads of talent out their which will prevent teams from taking the extra base hits.

Doug Dwyer:  Lou and Carol-Ann Dennis have to be THRILLED with their first draft.  In what is looking like the year of strong outfields, I would consider this one to be top tier with Cudnik, McCarron, Moye and Horgan.  Four center fielders, beat that.  The infield starts with Moon at short and probably Short at 2nd.  The rest will take some plug and play but you've got players are adaptable. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:  the undecided positions fall nicely into place and they play offensively individually like they all have historically.  
Scott Peters:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  they can get guys on base for the booming bats in the line-up - hard to lose when you always score more runs.
Geoff Keogh:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  They use the abundance of speed to compliment the hard hitters that follow
Mark Doyle:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their outfield plays as expected. Another strong outfield  

Rob Ford: So here's the deal.  I wear a size 22 collar.  My neck is the same size as Brad Moye's waist and I still can't do up the top button.  I don't know how Chris Farley was able to do it. 

 

Sons of Pitches

Kevin Boston:  The other rookie team will creep up on the opposition with flares.  Polny defines heart and hustle while Bones is the poster boy for durability and craftiness.  Doris is among the elite in the League and Gaudet is arguably the best pitcher in the game.  Kahuna packs some punch and Basscchi delivers great defense.  Keys to this team will be making sure everyone clicks at the right time.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  their key role players come up big in tough situations.  This team will play with a lot of heart and hustle.

Doug Dwyer:  I would recommend not overlooking the rookie squads.  Hard to say how this team would be best laid out, but I'd be tempted to put Doris in center field and Kahuna at short.  Doris would be joined by Chris "The Whale" Parsons and Jamie Allan in the outfield.  This team has too many 3rd basemen which is stating the obvious, but they're a largely adaptable bunch and easy to get along with.  Some are going to have to move but they take solid gloves to new spots.  Pitching is deep and Bones is a steadying influence that every club would love to have.  I just hope he's over his championship hangover.   

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Paul and Dave are able to find 'happy places' for people.  If that happens and the defense looks good, scoring really shouldn't be an issue for this squad.
Scott Peters:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  they can play with the same style and intensity as their captains - don't let Roger pull out his tournament hat!
Geoff Keogh:

Will finish in the top 6 if: The infield rich team can flash the glove in the outfield too!

Mark Doyle:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Can single teams to death and let their defense take care of the rest
    

Rob Ford: Holy crap you Tottenham baseball people take your media seriously, eh?  Yes, I like the Son's Of Pitches.  Hey, does anyone know how to get to 15 Windsor Road from here?

Tap Masters

Kevin Boston:  Get your pens ready because this team’s score sheet will be full.  Lots of stick power on the Tap Masters with Gaudet and Peters followed by Brooksie.  Combine that with the depth of Tanner, Bowers Power, and the steady Bell and you have a good group of players.  Hager is versatile and rookie Feehley will help this team down the stretch.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  their depth on defence and in the batting order come through.  Lots of talent on this squad will make them a tough team to play against

Doug Dwyer:  What?  Sandy Bell not getting drafted by Rookie Captains?  I thought that was in the constitution as "mandatory".  So, lots to like with this team in terms versatility.  Last years finalists ended up with Peters patrolling Center and there a lot of options surrounding him including, Tanner, Buttigieg, Gaudet, and Feehely.  Short is looking like Schrank and third Brooks with Hagar a nice fit at 2nd, which could leave Jennings to rotate through the infield.  All the infielders can play all spots so it truly is pretty flexible.  Jason plays all over and Charlie can give some relief at 1st.  There are a couple of fellas here who can go deep, but there's a lot of guys that can hit deep doubles and triples all day.   

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The defense meshes.  This could honestly be great if everyone finds a role and likes it or it could be a struggle if it takes a while to find roles.  Might take some mixing and patience. 
Scott Peters:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  they can tap more than the keg after the games - great potential, great blend of skill and knowledge 
Geoff Keogh:
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Jason doesn't provide too much pizza all summer to slow them down on the base paths
Mark Doyle:  
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their bats and outfield play as good as they can. This is the year of the good outfield

Rob Ford: PIZZA!!!!!!!!

And round 3 is in the Books!  An update on the pool, if you're interested in joining, the cost is $20.00, half goes to charity.  So far $440.00 is ear marked for local charities!  We rock. For info and joining instructions, follow this link.  http://www.tottenhamoldtimers.blogspot.ca/2014/04/draft-dust.html  

Fearless Predictions II

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

Last night I had the privilege of attending a meeting for the Justin Keogh Fund.  You may not have known Justin directly, but you know multiple members of his family through baseball.  The Fund is now a legal entity and is beginning to communicate upcoming events.  To do that, I'd like us to assist in being part of the communication tool.  Please follow this link to Facebook and send a friend request to the Justin Keogh Fund:  JUSTIN FACEBOOK PAGE 

Here is an excerpt from the face book page:  "We created this fund in the hopes of continuing Justin's legacy of assisting youth when they are in need of a helping hand. The Justin Alexander Keogh Fund Inc. is a registered Not For Profit Corporation. The intention behind this organization is to raise funds for local charities that support youth in transition."

Please take a minute and send a friend request to this page and let your non-baseball friends who feel strongly about our area's sense of community to do likewise.  All are welcome.  Thank you.  

The Donini Deck

Doug: Hey....whats up?
Rob:  Not much, enjoying the weather finally.
Doug:  No kidding...now if we just get hockey off the friggin' TV it would be great!  Hashtag:  its baseball season!
Rob:   Do you like corned beef?
Doug:  Huh?
Rob:   Corned beef, you like it?
Doug:  Not particularly.  Why the interest? 
Rob:   I'm just curious about this "hashtag" business.  Is that like corned beef hash?
Doug:  No Rob, geez.
Rob:   Oh, is it like hash-browns?  Is it a potato thing?
Doug:  No....its a twitter thing.
Rob:   Like Birds?
Doug:  No....twitter like the social media application. 
Rob:  Ohhhhhh
Doug:  Ya, a hashtag links messages of the same topic....so if I say "hashtag:  its baseball season," it would link with everyone else with the same hashtag.  See what I mean. 
Rob:  I think so, but its got to be a pain in the ass to write out "hashtag" every time.
Doug:  Well you don't.  That's the beauty of it.  Its just a symbol before your phrase.
Rob:   Ohhhhhh. cool.
Doug:  Ya.
Rob:   What's the symbol look like?
Doug:  Its the pound sign.
Rob:   What?
Doug:  The pound sign.
Rob:   Then why do you say hashtag?  Why don't you say "poundsign: its baseball season?"
Doug:  Well, Canada and the US are the only places in the world that call it a pound sign.  The rest of the world refers to it as a hash; hence hash tag. 
Rob:   You made that up.
Doug:  Did not. 
Rob:   Well the English money are Pounds, they have pound signs like our dollar signs. 
Doug:  True, but those are squiggly capital L's. 
Rob:   This is very complicated. 
Doug:  Maybe you should stay off twitter for a bit. 
Rob:   Maybe.  Hey!  I've got some funny stuff for ya.  Maybe you can use it in that BLOGGY thingy.  
Doug:  Giddy up, lets go. 
Rob:  Well you know how I call my son "son" sometimes?
Doug:  Sure
Rob:   Wouldn't it funny if Kevin Moon's parents did that when he was growing up?  And his whole childhood he'd have been called Son Moon. 
Doug:  HaHa.  That's pretty funny. 
Rob:  Ya, well if Kevin gets pissed tell him Randy Rose thought it up. 
Doug:  Good call.
Rob:   Okay, here's another one.  What if the Beer Bros. won the championship this year and instead of regular jackets they got really loud, multi-coloured, fancy jackets. 
Doug: Okay.  Why?
Rob:   Then when we see Cliff Joseph around town we could say, "There's Cliff Joseph and his Technicolor Dream Coat".  
Doug:  HaHa, I like that!  Not bad at all!
Rob:   Ya, but if he gets pissed...
Doug:  I know.  Randy Rose.  Got any more?
Rob:   Sort of .... you know Dude?
Doug:  Ya. 
Rob:   You know what his real name is?
Doug:  Of course, I do the stats, its Craig Escott.
Rob:   Right and he's on our team. 
Doug:  Yep. 
Rob:   So don't you think it would be funny if we batted him after our rookie?
Doug:   Which one?
Rob:   Darren Ford.
Doug:  Why?
Rob:  Because then the line up would read Ford, Escott!  You get it?  Like the car?  Ford Escort?
Doug:  You're on fire!
Rob:   I know.  Hashtag:  Randy Rose.
 

Predictions

And so it continues.  Today we look a the Draft Kings, Dusty Cleats, Grisslies, Gruesome Devils and Hot Tub Woody's.

Now, before it gets started, here is the status after the voting closed on the first 5 teams.  We'll see how close the consensus view is when we get to the end of the year.  Don't worry, we'll revisit this!

Draft Kings

Kevin Boston:  Stike and Chuck are the dynamic duo of the League.  Nobody reads each other like these guys do.  Add to the mix a talented crew that includes Wynnyk, Argue and the speedy Muirhead and you have some real punch to this lineup.  Keys to this team will be their defence down the corners because nothing is getting up the middle.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  manage to pack all of that talent together and make it work.  Not too many holes on this squad.

Doug Dwyer:  Well this sucks.  Defending champs coming back with a deep outfield and solid infield.  Oh and they also have TWO  bona fide lead off hitters in Kapp and Muirhead in a league where some teams will struggle all season to find just one.  The rich keep getting richer, eh?  They're keystone combo is average at best with Stike still needing make up for Chuck. No? Okay, I guess not. I'm not seeing the down side of this squad.   

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The fields are declared playable before September. 

Scott Peters:  

Will finish in the top 6 if: they can apply the same strategy as last year - win more games and drink more beer than anyone else.

Geoff Keogh:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  They are over the championship hangover from last season. The only thing harder than winning the first time is the second!

Mark Doyle:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The whole lineup stays consistent. They have good enough defense to take care of the rest

Rob Ford:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:   Did someone say draught kings?
  

Dusty Cleats

Kevin Boston:  Highly touted Rookie Tom Hollman is among a group that will hit a lot of line drives on this team.  Opposing teams must be on their toes or else a hard hit single can quickly turn into a double.  Richards and Gayle lead a solid outfield while Jimmy Mac is smart and always playing with some fire in his stick.  Oh yeah, don’t count out the Pie Man...he will burn you every time.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they utilize their players’ uncanny ways to come up big in situations.  They won’t score a lot but can sting you when you aren’t looking.

Doug Dwyer:  Richards and Gayle?  You might be able to go with two outfielders and stack 6 across of the infield.  That's wicked fast.  Jimmy Mac and Lynn Foerster are as reliable as they come which puts this outfield in the "best in the league" conversation.  If "Little" Hollmann (nickname "Tiny"?) arrives as advertised from big-bro, then the infield starts to look real good with Diamond Jim as the other half of the double play combo.  Pully pitches smart and will only benefit from this go-get-it outfield.  The Cleats could be coming back this season like Return of the Jedi. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The 3rd, 1st, Catcher triangle becomes steady. 

Scott Peters:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they get creative and keep other teams off balance - mix up the line-up, play a rover in the outfield to take advantage of the speed of Richards and Gayle.

Geoff Keogh:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  They rely on their abundance of singles hitters to line up the bats that can hit the gaps.

Mark Doyle:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their outfield remains healthy. There is a lot of speed to burn

Rob Ford:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Please, Please. No more questions. Yes, I've used crack.  Accidentally.  And yes, I've imitated a Jamaican accent in public.  Accidentally. But its no accident that the  Dusty Cleats look really good this year!

Grisslies

Kevin Boston:  Perhaps the strongest team in this year’s draft.  The Grissles are solid from top to bottom at the plate and in the field.  Another advantage they have is their depth on the mound.  When Farah takes a break, Lenny steps in without missing a beat.  Dwyer will rebound this year to his steady stick with Clark, Chiasson, Keogh and Routledge around him.  Cal will be his Charlie-Hustle-self again.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  their defence sticks to a game plan and bats come alive in bunches.  Perhaps they are the front runners in the league to start.

Doug Dwyer:  Russell, Clark, Chiasson and Routledge across the outfield.  Another team in the conversation for best outfield in the league.  The infield of Len, Geoff, Dwyer and Dude will work in the two rookies.  Farah and Enright will be the anchors in the strength up the middle equation. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The captains don't over think it. 

Scott Peters:  

Will finish in the top 6 if: they don't do what they did last year - duh!

Geoff Keogh:  
Will finish in the top 6 if:  They stay off the Donini deck until after the game!!

Mark Doyle:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  There is no rapture between now and playoff weekend. This is the best outfield I have seen in a long time. Good all around team

Rob Ford:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Personally, I don't care who wins, I just want an invite to the championship banquet!!!  There will be burgers, right?

Gruesome Devils

Kevin Boston:  How can you not like a team with three-time OBA Champion Barton?  Pack a lineup with him and Dickson followed by Jens and you have a solid core...oh yeah, Kolsen is one of the hottest hitters over the past three years and plays a solid defence.  This team will have some laughs on the field which helps with wins.  Good team.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they can hit for a few extra base hits and avoid stranding runners in scoring position.  They need to capitalize on chances.

Doug Dwyer: Lepa, Cavalier, Porter, Osmond and Richards are a formidable outfield combo.  This might be the season that Kolsen becomes the regular 1st baseman which would make great target practice for Dickson and Barton.  Positions are going to have to be felt-out a bit on this squad I think.  What isn't too much of a question mark is the offense.  There are proven sticks up and down the line up.  I wonder who will lead off in front of Barton hitting 2nd.  Osmond looks like a good candidate of speed & OBA blend. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:  The defense plays half as good as the offense. 

Scott Peters:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they gel early and build confidence down the stretch - strong, quiet group of guys, a potent combination when working well.

Geoff Keogh:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their speed and good hitters in the middle of the order are firing on all cylinders

Mark Doyle:  

Will finish in the top 6 if: They can find chemistry. There is enough talent all around

Rob Ford:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  I'm going to hold my breath until Jens takes me to Steak Queen.

Hot Tub Woody's

Kevin Boston:  Things are always looking up for the Woody's.  The Sagert connection is dangerous and fun to watch while Gord Robinson and Will I Am Goodin pack some punch.  Add in the reliable Danceman and steady pitching from Tito and the Woody's have a good team.  Not So Fast Eddie is the leader on this team and will likely look to challenge some team again for the Legion record.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  the consistency of their play carries out through the entire season.   There is no doubt they will have a fun squad which always ends up with positive results.

Doug Dwyer:  And here we go again with the Woody's.  They have options.  The have an experienced lead off man with Art Sagert and power and average to follow him with Sags Jr, Dancey, Ross, Robinson and Goodin.  Watch for Tito's off-field gap power and Chiovitti's annoying habit of driving in runs with solid hits over the second base bag. Don't sleep on Peter Hayward either he can be difference maker.  Effective both in the field or on the mound.  Defensively, everyone has a spot.  What's not to like?

Will finish in the top 6 if:  There are no significant trips to the DL this year

Scott Peters:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they can keep Dancey in the line-up - nicely balanced team with age, talent and personality.

Geoff Keogh:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their consistent batting from their last years players continues

Mark Doyle:  

Will finish in the top 6 if: They can find everyone a position that suits them. Again enough talent there

Rob Ford:  

Will finish in the top 6 if:   Just stay the course....1000 points of light.

FANTASY LEAGUE UPDATE:

As of this morning, we have 41 people enrolled in the Fantasy League.  We have $820.00 committed from our participants of which $410.00 is earmarked for local charities.  Yet another reason to be proud of this league.  If you are interested in joining, email me at dwyerdouglas@gmail.com with the title Fantasy League.  I'll give you the instructions.  9 more people and we will hit $500 for charity.

A number of people have asked about paying.  We've collected about 1/3 of the money.  If I see you before the season starts give me $20.00, make sure I write the name on the bill or send myself an email right away.  Otherwise I will see you during the first week of the season and hit you up then.

And another reminder....May 5th is the cut-off to submit your team.   About 1/2 the people have selected their team thus far.  Please get them in as soon as you can. 

Fearless Predictions I

Well, this was pointed out to me on Monday.  Today marks the 300th post to this crazy baseball BLOG. You'd think I'd be tired of talking by now!

Nah.

Its finally that time.  The moment you've been waiting for!  The predictions.

Before we start, this years first edition of the prediction blog is brought to you by The Glove Warehouse.  It seems that one of our league members bought a pile of Nike ball gloves around Christmas from a warehouse sale.  The three remaining were sold by the power of the BLOG!  Good work folks


Secondly, our schedule is out and can be found here:  http://www.tottenhamoldtimers.ca/pages/schedule.html on our league website.  Thanks for the hard work in putting this together and putting up with all of the annoying "is it ready yet" questions.  Please note that this schedule is tentative.  The League Website http://www.tottenhamoldtimers.ca is the only official record for league news, so keep an eye there for when the schedule becomes official.  

And now......the season will be upon us before you know it.  Our crack research staff has taken apart previous years worth of stats, looked at positional trends and have come up with their top six teams for the 2014 season.  As our crack research staff wants to distance itself from Rob Ford, who actually DOES crack, we've decided not to just rely on our analysis and play the season anyway, just in case.

Why the top 6?  No good reason.  Well, actually, there is some value in being in the top 6.  Come the playoffs, The top 6 teams are guaranteed to have more home games than away; which only means that they're marginally better.  At least over the first 24 games they were anyway.  Its not a huge advantage; but in this league, where everything is so even any advantage will do.

Now, before we dig in to this, I need to thank the stats pack.  I know a lot of people think that this is all done by me but that is simply not true.  For the past few years this Group of Geeks has met pre-season to give their informed opinions of league and the combination of players.  Their track record is pretty accurate. Their predictions evolved to write-up which further evolved to them allowing me to put their predictions in print.  These guys put in a lot time and effort for your reading enjoyment.   Thanks to Mark Doyle, Scott Peters, Kevin Boston and Geoff Keogh.

While these guys did a great job and were the reason this BLOG series gets completed on time, there is one other person to thank....and that's Mayor Rob Ford.  He has kindly offered to give his opinion on our leagues teams this year which is a real feather in our cap.  Thanks Mr. Ford.  

for those of you unfamiliar with this format, we'll be looking at 5 team a week alphabetically. In the third edition we'll reveal our top 6 picks.  This week, we are looking at the Beer Bros., Blues Brothers, Brew Jays, Dodge City Rounders and Dog Catchers. You will see in 2 weeks where our stats team picked everyone & you can weigh in with your opinion by voting in the poll on the right side of your page.

Beer Brothers

Kevin Boston:  A well balanced team with some pop, character and versatility.  Rookie Captain Al Bales will do well with his veteran Co-Captain Paul Piellusch with the depth on the mound and up the middle.  Doucet, Joseph, Piellusch and Young make a solid middle of the order and bookend them with Nyers and Fleming...wow!  Their secret weapons could be Barlow and Smith.

Will finish in the top 6 if: opposing teams underestimate Barlow and Smith.  We know there will be some talent in the middle of their lineup.

Doug Dwyer:   Al Bales replaces Steve Ross as co-captain of the Beer Bros.  While they are completely different people / players, they do both instill calm and stability.  This is a great pick up for the Beer Bros.and not to be underestimated.  Beyond the captains, this team is very nicely balanced.  Great attitudes, good age, speed and positional balance.    

Will finish in the top 6 if:   No pressure, but this team has strength up the middle with Doucet, Young, Nyers and Piellusch.  If they land on a 2nd baseman this could be a really big year.
Scott Peters: 
Will finish in the top 6 if: they find the right batting order - all the hitters are there to make for a balanced attack. 

Geoff Keogh:
Will finish in the top 6 if: Their D is as good as their offence

Mark Doyle: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their bats are as good on the field as they are on paper 

Rob Ford:  "I'm so hungry, I'm eating my own hand.  Why did it have to the Beer Bros.? Why couldn't it have been the Beer Muffin Bros.  I'm so friggin hungry."

Blues Brothers

Kevin Boston:  Speed in the core along with a lot of ball sense makes the Blues Brothers a team to watch out for.  Defense will hold them in the games with Neil Pendlebury and Radar anchoring the outfield.  Pearce, Tessier and the veteran Pendlebury just know what to do and when to do it.  McCullough’s all-around talent will help this team but guys like Ball and Ingo will surprise many.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  this team capitalizes on their ball sense and strength up the middle.  They won’t hit for a lot of power but could single a team to death.

Doug Dwyer:  The have Doug DeLand????  Game over.  What I like most about this team is they're loaded with experience.  Smith and DeLand have won championships in recent years and most of this lineup has had deep playoff runs.  They (arguably) have the best defensive pitcher in the league and they guys like Dennis Pendlebury and Ingo Bartens, Mike Douglas and Tom Ball that will never shy away from a ball in flight.  Radar and Neil in center is going to be a graveyard for opposing hitters.  Tessier will play his usual lock down first base. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:   This team looks to have a defensive gap at 2nd base. It could well be that they have that guy but he's been stuck playing other positions in previous years because of numbers.  I think this position will probably be the difference maker.
Scott Peters:   
Will finish in the top 6 if: they play tight defence in the infield and take advantage their speed in the outfield - they have the flexibility to move guys around too!
Geoff Keogh: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  The Infield performs average or above. Their speed in the outfield and on the bases may be enough.

Mark Doyle: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Their outfield is as good on the field as it is on paper
 

Rob Ford:   "Zzzzzzzz...Zzzzzzzz...Zzzzzzzz"

Brew Jays

Kevin Boston:  The key with this team is to keep healthy.  Somehow, Duggan and Bo always craft a team that is among the elite in the League.  However, the long season and nagging injuries to some key players may hurt them down the road.  If healthy, look out.  Smith will be back at his natural position of shortstop and Doyle moves to the outfield.  Al Hayward is a shifty player who is reliable and comes up big when you need it.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they stay healthy and maintain the traditional Brew Jays winning attitude of past years.  Loads of talent here but need to be figure out who will be in the field.

Doug Dwyer:  Like Radar, I'm kind of giving Bo and Roddy a pass on this one.  They've had clubs that I didn't think had much of a chance of seeing the top 6, yet they always seem to pull it off.  This squad has some of my favourite players in the league.  Hayward and Sallustio are both great team mates and both tend to deliver at the top end of their draft pool.  Doyle give you flexibility in being able to play high level outfield and short.  Mr. Vaughan will not only pitch well, but he'll keep the guys loose with his sharp wit.  Brad Wadden should get a few more innings on mound this year and Basso and Tinkler will thoroughly enjoy playing on this team.  The rookies are a question mark because you never really know. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:   Considering that the Brew Jays made the top 6 with 3 rookies last year, I don't think they'll have many issues with only two.
Scott Peters:   
Will finish in the top 6 if: they stay calm and stick to their game plan - shouldn't be hard with the leadership of Rod and Bo and the wily veteran supporting cast.
Geoff Keogh: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  Old injuries heal in the off season

Mark Doyle: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  They can find a spot for all 4 of their shortstops to play and still be effective 

Rob Ford:   "this team has a guy named Vaughan?  Vaughan?  The city above Toronto, the city of Vaughan?  Last place."

Dodge City Rounders

Kevin Boston:  Mason and Beechey are the 1 and 1a on this team.  We know Rumboldt will be rock steady along with Anicete roaming the outfield.  The hot corners will be fun to watch on this team with Caldwell and Sheehan.  Teams need to be aware that Lukassen is one of the most underrated players in the League so keep an eye out for him.  The key here is to stitch this power together and make it stick.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  the team rallies around their Captains’ power.  They need to gel quick out of the gate.

Doug Dwyer:  I diverge from some of my esteemed colleagues on this one.  There is a lot to like about this team.  You have one of the elite shortstops in our game.  You have Anicete who combines good speed, with a good glove, a good bat and love of the game making him a fabulous team mate.  Gord Robertson will be the reason they win a playoff game in September that they had no right being in.  Rumboldt and Caldwell make for a tall and sarcastic right side of the diamond.  Dell will continue to be a power threat and Henry will continue to hit the ball through 3rd basemen who are foolish enough to think they can cheat in.   

Will finish in the top 6 if:   Robertson, Lukassen, Dell, Sheehan, and Caldwell had virtually all of their innings at 1st or 3rd last year.  This has to be spread out and will.  How folks adapt to new roles will determine their top 6 viability. 
Scott Peters: 
Will finish in the top 6 if: they split up the X-Men powers of their captains both on defence and offence - lots of talent around them.
Geoff Keogh: 
Will finish in the top 6 if: They find a home for everyone on the defensive side of the field

Mark Doyle: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  They pound the ball like they can. There are 5 players in that lineup that can put it out

Rob Ford:   "I had so many hot dogs at the leafs game....I think my eyes are going to pop out of my head!  Does anyone have any pepto?"

Dog Catchers

Kevin Boston:  Hjelholt returns to the Dog Catchers where he starred last year.  He was among a crew that tore the cover off the ball and Hipken gets better with age.  Lahey will be the main source of power and the Candy boys find the holes all the time.  Be careful with this team and don’t take them for granted or you could find yourself down a few runs.

Will finish in the top 6 if:  they find consistency and be willing to find ways to win.  Not a lot of speed but could need to muscle some runs across the plate.

Doug Dwyer:  There will be a lot of talk about this being a veteran club.  Beyond simple numbers which may or may not be a factor; there is a lot like here.  The first think I look for is strength up the middle and the second thing I look for is people playing familiar positions.  This squad has both.  Downtown Billy Brown catching, Randy pitching, Lahey at short beside Mabee at 2nd and Mike Candy patrolling center field with Emeil Edwards is a pretty damned good up the middle combo.  Rick Hjelholt and Bob Candy are two reliable sticks that immune to pressure.  They play down their value, but I think both are great.  Laurier Plante had a great rookie year with the Brew Jays last year, I see his progress continuing. 

Will finish in the top 6 if:   There may be a bit of log jam at 1st base, but it looks manageable.  This should be a most enjoyable year for Larry and Randy.
Scott Peters:   
Will finish in the top 6 if: they can get runners in scoring position for Lahey - Hipkin, Candy, Hjelholt and Downtown Billy Brown will be sure to inspire a few extra victories.
Geoff Keogh: 
Will finish in the top 6 if: Experience counts for wins!

Mark Doyle: 
Will finish in the top 6 if:  They maintain a balanced attack. They have a great mix of average, speed and power

Rob Ford:   "Downtown" Billy Brown?  Candy-man?  Now this is my kinda team!!!

Well there's round 1.  Next Wednesday is round 2.  An update on the pool, if you're interested in joining, the cost is $20.00, half goes to charity.  So far $350.00 is ear marked for local charities!  We rock. For info and joining instructions, follow this link.  http://www.tottenhamoldtimers.blogspot.ca/2014/04/draft-dust.html