Donini Deck Predictions

Update and Brief Donini Deck Convo

The purpose of this BLOG is give you a bit of information because people have been asking.  Here's your notes:

• The first prediction BLOG is coming out in 2 days (Wednesday 16th).  The next two will be on the  23rd and 30th of the month.  
• The last one will also include predictions on the leagues top 6 teams.  (Doyle and Keogh had the most accurate predictions last year)
• I'm working on an edition that come out around the end of May and will be a contest that pays off in beer at our first tournament at the end of May.  Stay tuned for that one.  
• The pool.....a couple of notes:
• a couple of people have expressed concern that this make things more competitive or could otherwise be negative.  
• Thus far everyone who's joined is genuinely intrigued by the setup and possibilities and seem to be looking at this as good fun.
• If this is anything other than fun for those involved, I won't run it again.  So far so good!
• So far we have 34 people joined with a pool of $340.00 to split between winners and an additional $340.00 to go to local charities.  (loving that part!)  Instructions are below if you're interested.   

Its not often that you get "summoned" to the Donini Deck, so when it happens you better go.  This happened to me yesterday, I showed up around 4pm. 


Rob: Hey, glad you could make it.
Doug: No problem, what's up. 
Rob: Well, I don't like to be the one with the bad news, but I've gotten some negative feedback about your BLOG stuff. 
Doug:  What?  Already?  I haven't even done anything yet.  Nothing controversial anyway. 
Rob: Oh, I don't know about that. 
Doug:  Well, who are you hearing from. 
Rob: Chris for one. 
Doug:  Larkin?
Rob: No, geez. 
Doug:  De Savoy?
Rob: duh...no!
Doug: Chris Ross?  What did I ever do to him?
Rob: No, come on.  Chris Farah. 
Doug:  Your son
Rob: Ya
Doug:  What could he have to possibly complain about? 
Rob: Well he's a little concerned about the direction you're taking the BLOG in this year
Doug: really?  Its kind of the same as all the other years. 
Rob: With one very noticeable difference. 
Doug:  Which is.....?????
Rob: I'm not mentioned. 
Doug:  That's what this about?
Rob: Ya.  People aren't happy.
Doug:  Your son isn't happy, I think "the people" are fine. 
Rob: I've heard from other people too, okay?
Doug:  Like who?
Rob: Sue. 
Doug:  Okay, I think there's not much to worry about. 
Rob: Look, when you start writing about me, and I know you will or your little BLOG experiment will fail, try and write a lot about my awesome hitting.   
Doug:  Obviously.
Rob: I'm serious.
Doug:  Me too. 
Rob:  So before you go home to write about me, any questions?
Doug: Ya.  What do you think of the team?
Rob: Ours?
Doug:  Ya. 
Rob: Well, I like a lot of stuff about our team.  We're really strong in the outfield.  Shortstop.  Of course, pitching is our real strength.  The only question mark is really 2nd base. 
Doug:  You don't quit, eh?
Rob: What do you mean?
Doug:  Taking a shot at me because I play second. 
Rob: You do?  I thought we had Dave Muirhead there last year. 
Doug:  Not giving up huh?
Rob: Nope....but realistically I think we have a good team, except for 2nd base. 
Doug: Great.  Well the first of the predictions is out Wednesday, you can see how they compare to yours. 
Rob: I already know the correct order of finish from team 1 thru to 16. 
Doug:  We only have 15 teams.
Rob: Shows what you know.  There's going to be another team added in late May when a bus full of tourists from Timmins breaks down at the four corners.  They'll decide to stay here and open a tavern based on the complete works of Frank Mahovlich and Shania Twain.  
Doug:  Premonition?
Rob: Nope...never been sea sick. 
Doug: I mean, did you see this in a vision?
Rob: Oh.  Ya, sort of .... or a dream 
Doug:  What are they going to call themselves?
Rob: Who?
Doug:  FRIG...the team from Timmins!
Rob: Oh....they're going to go with Son's Of Ditches, because that's where their bus got stuck. 
Doug:  Brilliant. Kind of like having two rough riders.  
Rob: We have rough riders?
Doug:  Forget it. 

 Fantasy League

First, you'll notice a new tab on the top of the BLOG titled FANTASY LEAGUE.  If you click on that page you'll see it is password protected.  If you join you get the password and can track your team's progress and compare to others.  

So how do you pick your team?  Great question.  My initial thought was to pick one from all the #1's and one from all the #2's; all the way through all the ratings.  However, I'm worried that might put too much focus on ratings so I've taken a different approach. So there are about 130 people who have played ball over the last 2 years.  I have gone back and gathered stat over the last two years.  I gave each player 1 point for an at bat; 1 point for a hit (reaching base by any means); and one point for a run scored.  I totaled this for each of the 130 players and sorted from the most to the least.  I've broken these in 13 groups.  What is interesting, to me, is that the groups are not consistent with our ratings.  

What You Have To Do:

1.  This is 100% voluntary.  You are under NO OBLIGATION to join this.  

2.  Should you choose to join, you need to notify me by email.  Email me at dwyerdouglas@gmail.com and I will send you the password for the Fantasy page.  

3.  The cost is $20.00, I'll arrange to meet up with you at some point to collect.  

4.  Once you have access to the page, you'll need to pick one player from each pool and send it to me in an email.  Just list the 13 names in an email and send it so me with the title, "Fantasy Team"

5.  The close date is May 5th prior to the start of the 1st game.  If you're not in by then, you'll have to miss this year.  

6.  Anyone can join, players, wives....(no kids)

7.  I don't know how often the stats / standings will be updated yet; but at least weekly.  

8.  Once we know how many people we have and how much money is in the pot; I'll let everyone know the break down for prizes.  However; the plan right now is that 1/2 of what is raised will go to a local charity.  There is one I have in mind but need to talk to some people first before I can say.  The other half will go the the winner or perhaps 1st, 2nd & 3rd.  We'll see.  

9.  Yes, you can pick yourself.