AL breakdown

[Former Twins GM (Robin)]

The only place to go for crack baseball analysis for this league. The podcast is available here for now. We've never done this before so it may change at some point.

pbfantasybaseballblog.blogspot.com/


Please feel free to comment on this thread.

[Pirates GM (Hollar)]

Since we didn't remember to identify ourselves, presume any inflammatory comments are by Rob.

[White Sox GM (Aidan)]

I am also enjoying this podcast, thanks for doing this. Thanks for the kind words, was kind of expecting you'd just say that half of my roster would be replaced by the time the season started and skip over my team. Also, you guys will be happy to know that my plan has been to take my roster construction a whole step further this year with extreme platooning with my offense, which I think will help it considerably. Although that could completely fall apart when I realize I'm not actually managing the team and don't actually have platoon options open most days. But yeah, Bud Norris at $9M was absolutely one of my worst moves ever in fantasy baseball, complemented with overpaying a few other crappy SP options. For what it's worth, my very biased rankings of the division: MIN, CHW, CLE, DET, KC. I honestly think depth is super super important in a 30 team league and much prefer major league depth over good minor leaguers, who you can't count on to play in the bigs. You guys also didn't mention Ortiz, who I think helps keep my offense winning most weeks. I'm super worried about CLE in the future destroying my team, but think I stay above them this year. I see their performance this year being anywhere from really good to not great if two of Scherzer, Goldy, or Santana miss significant time. As for the Tigers I just don't trust Fielder and Cruz to not start significantly declining this year (I do hope I'm wrong as an M's fan, though) and don't think DET pitching wins many categories most weeks. Royals won't be competing this year, most likely. Overall, I actually think this division is going to be a lot closer than you two or the power rankings give credit for. I do however agree that this division is probably the weakest, no thanks to my absolutely horrible SP.

[White Sox GM (Aidan)]

I also have wanted to make a few more moves and now am challenging myself to turnover at least 15% of my roster before the NL podcast comes out.

[Former Angels GM (Mike C.)]

pulled it up, hit play and nothing. any tip for the old guy. Utterly amazing that a fantasy league has a pod cast.

[Rockies GM (Dan)]

Finished the podcast, listening in chunks as I walked around Manhattan. Loved it - very much looking forward to the NL (again, any chance we see it before Opening Day next week?) and get your opinions on the team.

To respond to something said by Mike, you CAN trade your whole farm system, or you can also decide to let the future ride on them, then find yourself in a near-future numbers-crunch because you hit on too many prospects, including two who look like generational talents.

What was the beer you were drinking during recording? Sounded like you guys really enjoyed it, I'll have to see if I can get it near me.

[Pirates GM (Hollar)]

Aidan, I totally forgot to mention Ortiz. I consider his dominance presumed, evidently. Platooning is something easy to underrate that can be extremely valuable in a league this deep. Good way to get an advantage at a reasonable price. I hope depth isn't all that you say, because mine is shit.

Mike, I haven't done I.T. in many years. Maybe Rob has a clue here. Do you use a PC or a mac? If it's the latter, I'm even more useless than usual. Can't get those things to work at all. As to this league having a podcast, I believe the word is 'masturbatory'.

Dan, the one we began with was Surly 1349, a limited-run coffee ale they released in bombers only recently. It is delicious, and much more than you usually get when buying a coffee beer. After that we moved into (Duluth's own) Bent Paddle Hop Forest, a limited run double IPA they just released, and Summit Brewing's 30th anniversary double IPA. Minnesota has lots of good beer these days. I am okay with that.

Also, the problem you mention, while real, is one I hope to find myself in sometime. I'm still not entirely convinced you're not a time-traveler from the future, armed with Complete Prospect Knowledge. time-travel.club is involved, perhaps?

[White Sox GM (Aidan)]

Fun thing about baseball is that depth disappears in a hurry, so I imagine I'll be getting worse in that regard once half of my team gets sent to minor league camp.

Mike, my only guess could be maybe your browser doesn't support it?? I'm using google chrome and had no issues playing the podcast.

[Former Twins GM (Robin)]

Thanks for the great comments. We'll see what we can do to get the NL podcast done soon, maybe this week. Further beer talk should be assumed.

I'd try Aidans idea and give Chrome a shot if you're not already using it as a browser. You could also try accessing the podcast directly via this link...

www.buzzsprout.com/57429/366201-al-breakdown

let me know if you can't get it going.

Thanks!

[Rockies GM (Dan)]

Ooh, I really love a good coffee beer, be it a porter, ale, lager, etc. I had a GREAT coffee cream ale at a beer on the West Side a few weeks ago - it almost tasted more like a latte than a beer because of the sweetness, but still was undeniably what it was - but I wasn't able to find it (and since have forgotten the name). Looks like the one you mentioned is sold in NY, so I'll have to see if any place locally has it. If you've got any other suggestions for a good coffee ale, I'm all ears.

[Rockies GM (Dan)]

Mar 27, 2016 17:58:01 GMT -8 Pirates GM (Hollar) said:

Also, the problem you mention, while real, is one I hope to find myself in sometime. I'm still not entirely convinced you're not a time-traveler from the future, armed with Complete Prospect Knowledge. time-travel.club is involved, perhaps?

Lucked into Trout. My first trade in the league (at least that's how I remember it...and it's MY narrative, dammit) at the beginning of this league was to trade Seth Smith to the Angels for Trout and Grichuk. Believe it or not, I think Grichuk was the one I really coveted at the time. I liked Trout, but I never in a million years expected him to be MIKE Freakin' TROUT when I traded for him. Turns out that trade could have looked even better if I hadn't given up on Grichuk a year or two too early.

But I went through a lengthy "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" prospecting process. Some names I didn't quite hit on (putting it lightly): Jason Adams, Michael Ynoa, Ramon Flores, Adys Portillo, TREY MCNUTT (had such high hopes. Still love the name), and Jerry Sands, among others. I think I also owned Mychal Givens at one point, back when he was hitting, and not pitching. Basically, I took on every marginal prospect I could find and tried to mine sleeper value, ending up swinging and missing more often than I hit.

And let's face it, getting Carlos Correa at #5 in the 2012 draft after Zunino, Zimmer and Gausman means Lady Luck was once again on my side. And I seriously thought about taking Adrian Russell instead (who looks like he'll have a fine career of his own).

[Rays GM (Donavan)]

Great podcast, gone to #1 in Australia (in my house).

Can't wait for the next installment

[Guardians GM (Matt)]

I think you were dead on with my team. Some stars and some big holes, but there are a ton of chips to push in or have a cheap team in the future depending on how the season goes.

I will say that Eugenio Suarez at MI is a bit underrated and makes the offense a bit better than expected.

[Cubs GM (Beau)]

Freakin brilliant. Can't wait to hear NL podcast.

[Royals GM (Mac - Retired)]

I truly enjoyed the honesty that you gave during the podcast. It made it a lot of fun to listen to. I guess I have some figuring out to do lol. Keep up the good work!

[Deleted]

This is great. Very entertaining. Loved it!

[Former Angels GM (Mike C.)]

got it, hilarious, wish we would have had that in the 90's, just great. One of the guys we had in our league's for year works for ESPN now and runs his own radio station in Kentucky now, Jason Anderson, sounds a lot like his fantasy updates when he worked for the KC radio station.

Yeah my gamble on the Cubans hosed me, nailed it. Like Dayton Moore, I can't get a top SP.

[Deleted]

the podcast was great and i cannot wait until the NL breakdown...these podcasts are a great addition to the league and i hope you guys keep them coming

[Rangers GM (Victor)]

Great job fellas and thanks for the praise. I actually listened to like almost 2hrs of the 2hr 40min podcast. I am working on a 3yr window as 2yrs ago I basically traded ALL of my stud prospects for MLB now players and it has paid off. I'm also gambling by 2019 we add more cap space. But I will maybe having a fire sale in 2018 if I dont feel I am a favorite to win it all.

I'm also looking to add OF depth and beef up my farm, just cause. LOL