The Commish Online www.thecommishonline.com
BLOG ARCHIVE: 05/10/04 - 05/17/04
05/17/04
Once again stealing from TV Guide:
Cheers to Ben Sheets for making the Atlanta Braves hitters look like a AAA team (although half of their lineup was a AAA team about 6 months ago), striking out 18 and becoming a pitcher whose potential is being realized.
Jeers to the Milwaukee marketing boss who make the ridiculous decision to put the Brewers in 50's style BRAVES uni's while playing the Braves, just because they were honoring Warren Spahn. The average fan probably thought it was an intrasquad game.
Cheers to the Angels, who have the best record in baseball despite losing several players to injury and are forced to play a lineup with Figgins, DaVanon, Kotchman, and Halter.
Jeers to the excuses made by players for missing games - Sammy Sosa got back spasms from an alleged sneezing fit. Just tell us you need another day off; we can respect that.
05/17/04
On to the final tally of the Fantasy Genius Monitor...
Fantasy Genius Monitor:
Ken Harvey: 4 for 21 (.191), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R, 0 SB
Willie Harris: 6 for 19 (.316), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R, 1 SB
TOTALS: 10 for 40 (.250), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 7 R, 1 SB
Luis Gonzalez: 5 for 23 (.217), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB
Brad Hawpe: 2 for 8 (.250), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB
TOTALS: 7 for 31 (.226), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB
Genius Status: Not quite Einstein, but not quite Yahoo Serious.
Overall, the transactions seem to be a wash. The Rockies' players hit for a slightly lower average, although the fewer at bats means it hurts the fantasy squad a little less. They did, however, produce more HRs and RBIs, but with less Rs and SBs. Would I take the same chance again with marginal Colorado players at home all week? Heck yes, because as I said from the get go, the upside is much greater than the risk. In this case, neither player did anything spectacular, but I still didn't get hurt because I'm not sitting the likes of an Albert Pujols.
Of course, with Colorado on the road (and Hawpe not playing as much as I anticipated), Harvey and Harris are back in my lineup this week.
05/14/04
With 3 days to go, here's an update of the players involved in my questionable transactions from earlier in the week (see 05/10/05).
Fantasy Genius Monitor:
Ken Harvey: 3 for 12 (.250), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 0 SB
Willie Harris: 4 for 9 (.444), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 R, 0 SB
Luis Gonzalez: 4 for 14 (.286), 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 0 SB
Brad Hawpe: 0 for 2 (.000), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB
Genius Status: To be decided this weekend
05/13/04
The Fantasy Genius Monitor will be updated tomorrow because of the rainouts from last night.
Around the league, Edgar Martinez tied Harold Baines for the most career home runs from the DH position last night. If there were any justice in this world, Martinez would retire today and share the record with Baines.
From the fantasy world, the ALWAYS underrated Reggie Sanders hit his 9th home run today. If you own him, start shopping him around, because, although underrated, he is streaky, and he won't keep up this home run pace, not to mention an injury is never out of the question with "Colonel" Sanders.
Other players to unload now while the gettin's good: Clemens (he WILL lose a game eventually), Adrian Beltre (can't be this hot all year), Jack Wilson, Juan Uribe, Jarrod Washburn (his win total might mask his otherwise horrible stats to an inexperienced owner), Ishii (his WHIP will kill you), Lyle Overbay, and especially Steve "I hit a homer every day" Finley.
05/11/04
Citing an error from my last post, the Royals did play yesterday and Ken Harvey went 1 for 4, but with 0 HRs, Rs, or RBIs. Luis Gonzalez, on the other hand, hit 3 home runs, although it was the talented one from Arizona, not the platoon player from Colorado. Here are the results so far:
Fantasy Genius Monitor:
Ken Harvey: 1 for 4 (.250), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 0 SB
Willie Harris: No stats yet
Luis Gonzalez: No stats yet
Brad Hawpe: No stats yet
Genius Status: Uncertain
05/10/04
After picking up and starting two platoon players from the Rockies this week (Luis Gonzalez and Brad Hawpe), I received plenty of ribbing from fellow fantasy owners about overemphasizing the Colorado effect (they play six games at home this week). I believe that you have to take advantage when you can, and if the players you are sitting are not stars (in my case, Willie Harris and Ken Harvey are riding the pine in place of the Colorado non-stars), then the risk is much less than the potential gain. I'll keep a running tally of Gonzalez and Hawpe vs. Harris and Harvey to see if my point is valid. None of these players will play until Tuesday, so you'll see the update Wednesday morning. Try to contain yourself until then.
