TIDBITS OF INFO, FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE

All the news (and, well, speculation) that's fit to print....

PLACED ON THE DISABLED LIST JUST PRIOR TO OPENING DAY:

Casselton RHP John Lackey, Las Vegas RHP Ervin Santana, Texas RHP Hiroki Kiroda, Texas OF Ichiro Suzuki, Worcester C Joe Mauer

The Black Mesa Anomalies have to be concerned about their rotation. None of their five projected starters pitched a shutout last year, and three of the team's four complete games were logged by one of the loop's hardest-hit hurlers (Kevin Millwood, 9-10, 5.07). At least they have the makings of a solid bullpen, with Jonathan Papelbon, Scott Linebrink and (if recovered from injuries) Takashi Saito....a serious battle for playing time seems likely between 2B Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia, not to mention the extra OF (Reed Johnson, Ryan Church, Franklin Guttierrez, Scott Hairston) who seem unlikely to get at-bats. Not a good recipe for team chemistry!

The Brooklyn Moabs have decided that Fausto Carmona's solid spring did not overshadow his troubled 2008 campaign, and have moved him to the bullpen. The Moabs are excited by their 'Big 3' of Roy Oswalt, Jon Lester and James Shields, each of whom logged a 'quality start' in nearly two-thirds of their outings, and these guys seem untouchable in trade talks. If Carmona is to reemerge, a youngster like Ubaldo Jiminez or Chris Volstad (both slated for the rotation) would have to stumble . . .Could there be trouble at the hot corner? Mega-bat but not so much the glove, Miguel Cabrera will be asked to man third base much of the time in the early going, but insiders indicated that Jed Lowrie will also be tried there in some lineups. But, with Cabrera mainly a stick, Mark Teahen on the bench and both Brandon Wood and Ty Wigginton in AAA as insurance, this may be a short-lived experiment . . .

The Casselton Horned Toads are easily the loop's most-improved squad based on spring training. Despite a tough loss on Opening Day, LHP Johann Santana is one of the best pitchers in the world and leads a significant rotation upgrade that includes LHP John Danks, LHP Joe Saunders and RHP Ricky Nolasco. How improved? Last year's Opening Day starter (Aaron Harang) is in the fifth spot, and might be trade bait when the injured John Lackey returns from the DL. RHP Dave Bush, another holdover from last year's staff, is probably already on the block . . . Orlando Hudson's a slick fielder and a team leader. Rickie Weeks, the 'leadoff hitter of the future', is on his fourth team but has lots of offensive potential. But neither is slated to start at 2B for the Toads, who have given the starting nod (and, in some cases, a prime spot in the lineup) to free-agent signee Jose Lopez . . .

The Darwin Finches, not surprisingly, have been in no hurry to promote highly-touted youngsters Clayton Kershaw or Max Scherzer to a rotation spot. The Unnatural Selections have the most pitching depth they have ever had, and expect to add veteran John Smoltz back to the mix sometime this summer, at which point they will have to make some moves. LHP Oliver Perez is likely trade bait, and both Franklin Morales and Jonathan Sanchez have been reassigned to the minors. Now, if the club can only add some outfield help: with Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley limping this spring, and the club talking about getting Ryan Doumit some playing time in right, it's becoming clear that this is a team weakness....The Finches kept SS Khalil Greene and IF Mark Loretta on the roster primarily as bench strength, while keeping minor-league free agents Aki Iwamura and Brendan Harris down on the farm.

The Fresno Regulators (or as some may remember fondly, the Lexington Rebels) will be trotting out five arms that averaged 15 wins apiece last year in the 'majors', a feat unmatched by any other BARB club and which does not include the emerging talent of Mike Pelfrey (13-11, 3.72), and Nick Blackburn (11-11, 4.05), much less veteran insurance policy Andy Pettite (14-14, 4.54). Plenty to like in the rotation, but what's up with the bullpen? Will the erratic Brian Wilson's 41 saves trump the efficiency of Mike Gonzalez and Francisco Cordero? Will Huston Street continue to get save opportunities? Most importantly from the standpoint of rival GM's, which arms are likely to go on the market? . . . A position battle is shaping up between incumbent Jhonny Peralta and recently-drafted overachiever Marcos Scutaro. Peralta has been uneven this spring and only won the starting job by default when the club lost last year's starter (J.J. Hardy) in the Draft.

The Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels are apparently committed to bringing back Ben Sheets as a fourth or fifth starter as soon as the oft-injured righty is able to go, but the strength of their rotation is clearly going to be the young arms of Tim Lincecum, Cole Hamels and Felix Hernandez. LHP Paul Maholm, a surprise hero in the playoffs after being signed as an unsung free agent, has been re-inked to a one-year deal to compete with Sheets and rookie Armando Gallaraga for the bottom of rotation . . . The defending world champs have, without a doubt, the loop's deepest bench, so much so that insiders worry about team harmony. According to this school of thought, proud veterans like Michael Young, J.J. Hardy, Victor Martinez and Edwin Encarnacion are going to have very tough time accepting part-time or platoon roles . . .

The Las Vegas Luchadores continue to take it on the chin, losing projected #1 starter Ervin Santana to a late spring training injury. With no draft haul due to mismanagement and no roster depth, they will no doubt dip into their league-mandated pool of free agents right away, starting with LHP Scott Olsen. With their thin roster, it is likely that middle reliever Aaron Heilman may be stretched out early in the season with the goal of converting him into a starter . . . The signing of Scott Rolen as a free agent will help only if the mercurial third baseman stays healthy, but it's a must with Alex Gordon out for months, if not the rest of the season. The club's lack of depth is especially painful in the infield, with no proven backup at short and a cast of converted outfielders (Kelly Johnson, Alfonso Soriano, Chris Burke) at first call to play second . . .

The Los Angeles PF Flyers seem likely to improve on last season's bullpen collapse. Brad Lidge (41 saves) is well-supported by relievers Octavio Dotel, Scot Shields and Juan Cruz, who combined for 193 appearances last season totaling 182 innings. They may need that depth, given the aches and pains that seemed to hold back starters Daisuke Matsuzaka, Justin Duscherer and (especially) Jeff Francis this spring . . . Andy LaRoche and Matt Tuiasusopo both were sent back to minor-league camp for reassignment, as neither seriously challenged veteran Mike Lowell at 3B. Veteran IF Orlando Cabrera and Mark Ellis are in position battles with younger players (Stephen Drew and Howie Kendrick), and one or both could be traded.

The Pottsylvania Creepers have assembled what is, beyond doubt, their best pitching staff ever. Cliff Lee and Mark Buerhle are among the best southpaws in baseball, and journeymen Kyle Lohse, Todd Wellemeyer and Braden Looper resurrected their careers last year, combining for 40 Cardinal-flavored victories. Youngster Yovanni Gallardo has shown much promise to push these veterans, and waiting in the wings (albeit without a contract) is veteran RHP Pedro Martinez. The club's franchise player is making nearly $10 million a year, a drag on the Creepers payroll, but one they would have to eat, anyway. With Pedro not taking up a roster spot at present, it makes sense for the Creepers to hang on to Martinez for a few months and see if he can regain his form . . . Ryan Theriot, a utility man last year, has won the starting job at 2B and should partner with Jose Reyes to form one of the better defensive infields in the league.

The St. Francis Friars have told LHP George Sherrill that he is slated for a setup role, despite 31 saves in the majors last year. Little-used RHP Frank Francisco will get first shot at the closer's job over Sherrill and fellow Oriole hurler Chris Ray, himself coming back from shoulder surgery. The Friars can ill afford, however, any injuries to the bullpen. Utilityman Ben Zobrist made a big impression in the season opener, hitting a pinch-hit home run and making a spectacular catch at the fence of a long drive by Carlos Pena. A big (6'3") kid who outgrew the shortstop position, Zobrist still has the athleticism to play all over the diamond and may get more playing time if this keeps up: in his last 281 at-bats, 'Big Z' has drilled 19 HR and driven in 49 runs . . . The Holy Rollers have assigned IF Alexi Ramirez and C Taylor Teagarden to AAA for more minor-league seasoning, guaranteeing playing time for veteran IF Cesar Izturis and Nick Punto.

The Texas Tornados have to be glad they acquired RHP Matt Garza in trade, as he is the only starter on their roster with a winning (11-9, 3.70) record in the majors last year. The other projected members of the rotation? Javier Vazquez, Zach Duke, Colin Balester and Andrew Miller were a combined 26-47 in 2008, so the organization will be holding their breath for RHP Hideki Kiroda . . . Attendance is probably going to tank early in the season with the club's two best offensive players (3B Alex Rodriguez and OF Ichiro Suzuki) set to miss much of the first month of play.


The Worcester Eliminators have dropped injury-plagued RHP Chris Young from their starting rotation in favor of Joba Chamberlain (a surprise for Opening Day), Eric Bedard, Jeremy Guthrie, Adam Wainwright and Ryan Dempster. That quintet combined for 48 wins last year in 'reality' but clearly has the potential to do a lot more than that. Still, Young is now slated for a 'garbage time' role, a bit of a surprise. Meanwhile, Heath Bell has for now lost the battle for the closer's spot in Worcester to Brandon Morrow, but things could change rapidly here.

The Yuma Firebirds have a rotation that combined for 22 complete games last year, tops in BARB, and the five (Halladay, Sabathia, Peavy, Zambrano, Cain) averaged nearly 14 wins apiece, so there's plenty to like here. But there's no denying the fact that RHP Kevin Slowey, sent back to AAA, has moved ahead of Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto for the time being in the club's depth chart. Insiders are pretty firm that the less-celebrated Slowey will be the first pitcher to be called up should one of Yuma's 'Big 5' go down.....

TEAMS MAKE MOVES, PLAY BEGINS THIS WEEKEND

Four clubs made last-minute moves to their rosters as the league prepares for Opening Day this weekend (about time!) Both of these clubs had submitted their deals more than a week ago, but there has been significant dragging of feet from the Commissioner's Office (more on that below).

TORNADOES SWAP PROSPECTS FOR GARZA, SPARE PART

In the first deal of the season, the Texas Tornadoes have acquired RHP Matt Garza, who will immediately move into their starting rotation, along with long-running 'next greatest thing' Conor Jackson, from the Los Angeles PF Flyers. In return, Los Angeles acquired starting pitcher John Maine and a trio of prospects (RHP Daniel Bard, OF Mike Stanton and RHP Jake Arreita). The Tornadoes, of course, acquired a legitimate future ace in Garza, but they were forced to give up quite a bit, one of many nagging problems with this deal in the eyes of some observers. There could be little doubt that new Flyers GM Brian Chae was enthusiastic about the prospects he added to his system:

"Daniel Bard is the type of impact arm you just love to have in your system," said Chae. "As his control improves and he hones command of secondary offerings, we're looking a shutdown reliever who will help us shorten the game. Jake Arrieta brings a quality 4-pitch arsenal, with a great feel for changing speeds on his fastball while mixing in his slider. He needs only seasoning and sharper command to see his game improve. We're excited to see him develop and along with Trevor Cahill, Jordan Zimmerman, Jeremy Jeffress, Brett Cecil, and Gio Gonzalez, we have an exciting combination of pitching talent and depth in our system."

"Last but not least, we are very excited to see Mike Stanton. The kid has light-tower power from the right side of the plate, a comfortable '70' on the 20-80 scale (that's present power, not future power) with every scout in our system and with whom we've conversed with. Even more, he has an outstanding feel for the game for a 20 year old kid who only began playing baseball full-time as an 18 year old. "

People may claim that Mike's a 3-outcomes kind of guy and I say, if you have something wrong with the good old fashioned walk and home-run, then you probably don't believe in this business - there's no such thing as a free lunch and a strikeout is an out. Mike Stanton will be an impact player in this league. Along with Andrew Lambo, Dominic Brown, Carlos Gonzalez, and Ryan Sweeney...well, suffice to say, that I'm very excited about the LA PF Flyer outfield situation in our minor league system."

For more details and another point of view on this epochal move, consult Texas's blog, here.

YUMA, FROSTBITE SWAP FORMER FREE AGENTS...IS THIS LEGAL?!?!

In the other deal, the defending world champion Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels came to an agreement with the Yuma Firebirds that allowed each team to reacquire previously-released free agents, a pretty slick trick. According to a Frostbite source, the teams "found common ground" in having to release veterans because of roster squeezes and salary issues, so the opportunity to have someone else sign them and pay them less and then make an equal trade was appealing. With this strategy, the Squirrels signed Travis Hafner and A.J. Pierzynski as their first two picks of free agency and the Firebirds selected Ben Sheets. The second player Frostbite wanted to retain was not available when Yuma got to pick a second time, so they threw in a young lefty, Scott Elbert, to complete the two-for-two deal.

"I have to admit that I had to look at this deal carefully," a chagrined Commissioner Hatfied said sheepishly. "It seems that the Yuma and Frostbite GM's have found a subtle, but entirely legal way to retain players at below-market prices. I would be more upset if I didn't think that both Hafner and Sheets are unlikely to be Type A free agents in the future, and that their respective clubs may yet cut them. But the league may have to look at this loophole in the future, especially if the player's union gets wind of this and screams 'collusion'."

Any misgivings by the Commissioner's Office were off the radar at Frostbite HQ, which was apparently more than satisfied to reacquire the oft-injured Sheets. "Ben Sheets has been a mainstay in our rotation the past two and a half seasons," said Squirrels GM Jack Zduriencik. "We know he's injured right now, but when he returns he will bolster a rotation that is already one of the top three in the league. And Elbert, a guy who we originally drafted but traded away a few years ago, will be a good lefty to keep in AAA until he's needed. This deal certainly helps both teams. The way things have gone in league history, you might see Sheets facing Pronk in a critical situation in a playoff game in October."

Sheets' return date is still unknown, but when healthy he will likely be the fourth starter in a young, star-studded rotation.

BARB gameplay will begin this weekend. It would be nice if all GM's had their manager cards completed and returned, but if not, games will be run on 'default' settings. I can't wait any longer!~SH

WORCESTER'S TEAM TAKING SHAPE

WORCESTER'S TEAM TAKING SHAPE

So says the Eliminators management! Read their analysis here.

WORCESTER'S TEAM TAKING SHAPE

'DOES 'DOES' TEXAS

The Texas Tornadoes now has themselves a website, yes they 'does'. You can also reach it by the link on the sidebar labeled 'BARB TEAMS.'

Now, my question is, do they have any of these fine fillies?

Probably not, but I would encourage them to dream.

And, in the meantime, I encourage all BARB owners to update their blogs and start posting the smackdown about the 2009 season!

DRAFT DAY TOMORROW

Attention all GM's! Be reminded that tomorrow, April 11th, is our league's Draft. We will begin around noon in Room N-63 on the Bullard campus.

Just in case something doesn't fly quite right....

In the event that there is a technology failure at Bullard, alternative arrangements may be made in the Bullard area. In that event, owners will be notified of those arrangements via e-mail on Saturday morning.

Also, the expansion St. Francis Friars have a blog, and a new chief operating officer, along with a roster of 20 castoffs.

******UPDATE********

I'm now at Bullard, and the technology problems I alluded to appear to have been solved since Monday. So full speed ahead, and darn those torpedoes!

BEYOND THE VEIL

In memoriam, Nick Adenhart (1986-2009).

Obviously, this is a sad time for Angel fans and for baseball. Having been the Commissioner of this and other Fantasy Leagues, I have felt the shock of sudden loss before, of players that I had closely followed, abruptly perishing still in the prime of life. Some of these, being athletes, were losses that were tied to bad decisions made by the players, but I feel them no less keenly.

There is a ghoulish gallows humor that tends to permeate leagues such as ours, due to the fact that one team's loss can be advantageous to another team's chances. I have often had to remind myself that while I want my team to flourish, I don't really want to see another player injured and that I shouldn't be thrilled when another team's player is hurt. But boys being boys, I suppose some of these reactions are understandable. I can remember, without pride, the happiness I felt when Pedro Guerrero sustained a season-ending knee injury sliding into third while playing for the Dodgers, who had previously won the 1985 NL West pennant largely on a surging Pedro's stick. I would like to think that I have grown a little as a person since then.

Let's remember, these are real people with real lives. We should live vicariously through their triumphs and struggles on the diamond, rooting for or against them based upon their baseball performance...but not for or against their health, or the stability of their personal lives. Many (especially pitchers) are routinely putting their health at risk. Pitching is not the most natural motion in the world. Pitched, thrown or batted balls can do more than leave strawberries: they can lead to serious injury, even death. That is difficult enough, without concerning ourselves with divorce, substance abuse or (as in Adenhart's case) a tragic accident.

And, while going down memory lane, I'd like to remember the following individuals in baseball whose tragic end has affected me personally:

Ken Caminiti.

Tim Crews and Steve Olin.

Mike Darr.

Bo Diaz.

Miguel Del Toro.

Josh Hancock.

Steve Howe.

Dick Howser.

Joe Kennedy.

Darryl Kile.

Corey Lidle.

Doug Million.

Kirby Puckett.

Eric Show.

Alan Wiggins.

MY LITTLE SOAPBOX (ignore if you want to avoid something preachy)

You might wonder why I would compile such a grim list. It is an interesting fact, rarely mentioned, that people who work in the biology field have more regular contact with suffering and death than a lot of others. So in a sense I'm immersed in that sort of thing. But I also take great pleasure in the life I live now, and have great hope for the world to come. Let's take the time to really enjoy the life we have, including the great game of baseball, and cherish the people who are important to us.

EAST STILL BEASTLY: 2009 PREVIEW

EAST STILL BEASTLY: 2009 PREVIEW

With divisional realignment having moved last year’s champion (The Darwin Finches) to the West, but importing a playoff team in its place (The Lexington Rebels), the Eastern Division is arguably still the toughest place to play, or (as christened by GM Andrew Haynes of the world champion Frostbite Falls Flying Squirrels) the ‘Division of Death.’

Some have even gone so far as to suggest that the battle for a world title is usually determined in the East, though the perennial Western Division-winning (and 2007 Series champ) Yuma Firebirds might disagree. But it has to be admitted: there is a keen interest in predicting how things will shake out in the East. This preview represents but one author’s opinion, presented (alphabetically) for your consideration. Players marked in bold are arguably among the best in BARB at their position. Players marked with a question mark (?) have either seen their performance suffer or miss significant playing time due to injuries or off-field issues.

The BROOKLYN MOABS

GM: Eric Caskey (founding BARB member, 7^th year in league, three playoff appearances, one world championship)

2008 Record: (79-75)

Brooklyn’s Projected Lineup: (A-)

RF Ichiro Suzuki ?

2B Chase Utley ?

DH/3B Miguel Cabrera

1B Ryan Howard

C Brian McCann

LF Jay Bruce

SS Troy Tulowitzki

CF B.J. Upton

(3B) Mark Teahen

The Moab’s Rotation? (B-)

Roy Oswalt

Jon Lester

Chien Mien-Wang ?

Fausto Carmona ?

Reyes/Parra/Jimenez

Eric’s Bullpen: (B)

CL Francisco Rodriguez

MR Pat Neshek

MR Matt Lindstrom

Bench Strength: (A)

Defense: (B)

Probably the league’s best lineup in terms of offense, and other than the hot corner (where Cabrera is arguably below-par) solid defensively. The rotation and bullpen would be rated much higher had not so many arms been recently sidelined with injuries. Taylor Tankersley, the projected situational lefty, has regressed and the club has no clear answer for the fifth starter’s spot. But, it has to be said that no club was more victimized by the injury bug last season than the Moabs. If Caskey’s troops can avoid a similar spate of DL moves, then they should easily improve on last year’s mark and challenge for a division crown. A major advantage? Their payroll commitments prior to the draft are significantly less than their divisional rivals, and they will also have the best draft position.

The FROSTBITE FALLS FLYING SQUIRRELS

GM: Andrew Haynes (founding BARB member, 7^th year in league: five playoff appearances, four championships)

2008 Record: 87-65 (earned wild card spot, won playoff and Series)

Frostbite’s Projected Lineup: (B+)

CF Carlos Beltran

2B Aki Iwamura/ Michael Young

DH/1B Albert Pujols

3B Evan Longoria

RF Corey Hart

(1B) Carlos Pena

SS Michael Young

C Chris Iannetta

The Squirrel’s Rotation? (C+)

Tim Lincecum

Cole Hamels

Felix Hernandez

Brad Penny?

Ben Sheets?

Andrew’s Bullpen: (A+)

CL Joe Nathan

MR B.J. Ryan

MR Carlos Marmol

MR Tony Pena

Bench Strength: (B)

Defense: (A-)

They weren’t the best in the regular season, but by the end of the year this club was hitting on all-cylinders offensively, led by a healthy and inspired Albert Pujols. The club’s defense and bullpen were the class of the division, and remain so, but they were extraordinarily fortunate to get as many innings as they did out of injury-plagued starters Penny and Sheets. Can they do it again? It’s hard to bet against a club that has won four of the league’s six championships, but the smart money says they will need to retool their rotation, rebuild their bench all the while dealing with higher payroll issues and worst draft position than their division rivals.

THE LEXINGTON REBELS

GM: Anthony Guerra (1^st year in league)

2008 Record: 87-65 (1^st place, Western Division)

Lexington’s Projected Lineup: (B)

2B Brandon Phillips

RF Jeremy Hermida

3B David Wright

DH/LF Carlos Lee

1B Adrian Gonzalez

CF Curtis Granderson

SS J.J. Hardy

(LF) Michael Bourn

C Bengie Molina

The Rebel’s Rotation? (A+)

Brandon Webb

Josh Beckett?

Danny Haren

Derek Lowe

Rich Harden

Anthony’s Bullpen: (B+)

CL Francisco Cordero

MR Mike Gonzalez

MR Huston Street

Bench Strength: (C)

Defense: (B+)

The division’s best rotation, and possibly the best in the league. The budget bullpen has no huge names, but decent depth. The team’s defense is above-average. The same can not be said of the depth of the team’s star-laden but thin hitting roster, a characteristic of former GM Ronald Melkonian’s tenure. At least three regulars are among the best in BARB at their position; at least three projected starters would be backups on most clubs. This would’ve been a problem if the Rebels had enjoyed the sort of injuries that hit rival Yuma. The Rebels thus provide a test case for the perennial debate between good hitting and good pitching: if the latter tends to prevail, they’ll be in the hunt the whole year. If it’s hitting, though, their lack of depth could prove to be their Achilles’ heel.

THE WORCESTER ELIMINATORS

GM: Matt Caskey (6^th year in league, 1 playoff appearance)

2008 Record: (86-66)

Worcester’s Projected Lineup: (A)

SS Hanley Ramirez

CF Grady Sizemore

C Joe Mauer?

1B Mark Teixeira

RF Jason Bay

3B Adrian Beltre

DH/2B Robinson Cano

LF Carl Crawford

(2B) Derek Jeter

The Eliminator’s Rotation? (C)

Tim Hudson?

Adam Wainwright

Chris Young?

Eric Bedard?

Guthrie/Sanchez/Chamberlain

Matt’s Bullpen: (B- or C+)

CL Joba Chamberlain?

MR Brandon Morrow

MR Mark Lowe

MR Joe Thatcher

Bench Strength: (B-)

Defense: (A-)

Worcester may have the league’s best overall IF (Hanley Ramirez) as well as the best all-around OF (Grady Sizemore), and almost certainly the best 1-4 hitters in the league. But there are serious questions about their rotation and club depth. The bullpen could be a lot better than advertised if Joba Chamberlain isn’t needed to start…but with so many starters coming off injury-plagued campaigns, that isn’t too likely. At some point, the $20 million-dollar monkey which is Derek Jeter’s salary may need to be addressed, as it is more than Brooklyn’s entire rotation is making. Until the financial structure of this team is rebuilt, the ability of GM Matt Caskey to make major upgrades may be limited. Unlike the New York Yankees, teams in the East don’t have unlimited resources….

PREDICTED FINISH, EASTERN DIVISION:

Brooklyn

Frostbite Falls

Worcester

Lexington

MORE PREVIEWS TO COME...!

MORE PREVIEWS TO COME...!