A Fond Farewell to a League Legend. Come Home, Prodigal Son. Peter Always Has a Little Fatted Calf in the Fridge

The Art House Version on the right

Homer

I just want to buy every Athletic in sight.

Time to Start the Conversation about Draft Day

Image via Wikipedia

Let's use the mighty blog to settle disputes before the actual Great Day itself -- or at least to frame the disputes so we can scream and yell more efficiently. Who qualifies at which positions can be a puzzle. For our "newbies," it's worth pointing out that we assign players to the position they are most likely to occupy this year. Thus, Zobrist -- on whom I was counting as a top second baseman -- has started his first three games in right filed and apparently will continue there.

And, of course, we will need to settle on a field position for DHs, our usual practice.

Looks like it should be a good draft. We've lost Wieder but perhaps on the third day he will rise again -- pardon me, I'm used to drafting on Easter. I have Skyped with Berger, and Peter is ready to put Berger up on his mighty Mac laptop like an outtake from 1984.

Looks good. Questions?

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Banquet 2009

Little Chi Chi: On the Trail of Numbah 24

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Last Three Weeks: *Bob is Surging* Who Knew?

Standings from 7/9/2009 thru 7/29/2009 (including game stats through 7/29/2009)
Download to Excel

Name	Avg	HR	R	RBI	SB	ERA	K	S	W	W PCT	Total
The Raiders	9.0	3.5	4.5	4.5	5.0	8.0	7.0	6.0	9.0	9.0	65.5
T. S. Intellectual	7.0	7.0	6.5	8.0	8.5	4.0	8.0	8.0	2.0	2.0	61.0
The Stinking Badgers	5.0	3.5	6.5	2.0	7.0	9.0	9.0	2.0	8.0	8.0	60.0
The Depositions	8.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	6.0	3.0	2.0	3.0	6.5	4.0	59.5
Little Chi Chi	2.0	5.5	8.0	7.0	3.5	1.0	6.0	9.0	3.0	1.0	46.0
Giant Steps	4.0	5.5	2.0	4.5	1.0	7.0	4.0	7.0	4.5	6.0	45.5
A Cancer on the League	6.0	1.5	4.5	3.0	8.5	2.0	3.0	4.0	4.5	5.0	42.0
Marfa Dogs	3.0	1.5	1.0	1.0	2.0	5.0	5.0	5.0	6.5	7.0	37.0
The FunGhouls	1.0	8.0	3.0	6.0	3.5	6.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	3.0	33.5

Batting Average

Name	Total	Points
The Raiders	.3074	9
The Depositions	.3058	8
T. S. Intellectual	.2903	7
A Cancer on the League	.2795	6
The Stinking Badgers	.2564	5
Giant Steps	.2537	4
Marfa Dogs	.2507	3
Little Chi Chi	.2455	2
The FunGhouls	.2449	1

Home Runs (Batter)

Name	Total	Points
The Depositions	25	9
The FunGhouls	22	8
T. S. Intellectual	21	7
Giant Steps	18	5.5
Little Chi Chi	18	5.5
The Raiders	16	3.5
The Stinking Badgers	16	3.5
Marfa Dogs	14	1.5
A Cancer on the League	14	1.5

RBI

Name	Total	Points
The Depositions	93	9
T. S. Intellectual	80	8
Little Chi Chi	71	7
The FunGhouls	70	6
The Raiders	69	4.5
Giant Steps	69	4.5
A Cancer on the League	63	3
The Stinking Badgers	58	2
Marfa Dogs	52	1

Runs (Batter)

Name	Total	Points
The Depositions	87	9
Little Chi Chi	78	8
T. S. Intellectual	76	6.5
The Stinking Badgers	76	6.5
The Raiders	75	4.5
A Cancer on the League	75	4.5
The FunGhouls	69	3
Giant Steps	66	2
Marfa Dogs	51	1

Stolen Bases

Name	Total	Points
T. S. Intellectual	16	8.5
A Cancer on the League	16	8.5
The Stinking Badgers	15	7
The Depositions	14	6
The Raiders	12	5
The FunGhouls	10	3.5
Little Chi Chi	10	3.5
Marfa Dogs	7	2
Giant Steps	5	1

ERA

Name	Total	Points
The Stinking Badgers	2.1985	9
The Raiders	3.2239	8
Giant Steps	3.5357	7
The FunGhouls	4.0000	6
Marfa Dogs	4.8926	5
T. S. Intellectual	5.1246	4
The Depositions	5.2326	3
A Cancer on the League	5.3006	2
Little Chi Chi	5.4750	1

Pitcher Winning Percent

Name	Total	Points
The Raiders	.7333	9
The Stinking Badgers	.6923	8
Marfa Dogs	.6364	7
Giant Steps	.6000	6
A Cancer on the League	.5455	5
The Depositions	.5385	4
The FunGhouls	.5000	3
T. S. Intellectual	.3333	2
Little Chi Chi	.2941	1

Saves

Name	Total	Points
Little Chi Chi	13	9
T. S. Intellectual	11	8
Giant Steps	9	7
The Raiders	8	6
Marfa Dogs	7	5
A Cancer on the League	4	4
The Depositions	3	3
The Stinking Badgers	1	2
The FunGhouls	0	1

Strikeouts

Name	Total	Points
The Stinking Badgers	120	9
T. S. Intellectual	96	8
The Raiders	95	7
Little Chi Chi	91	6
Marfa Dogs	86	5
Giant Steps	80	4
A Cancer on the League	78	3
The Depositions	69	2
The FunGhouls	44	1

Wins

Name	Total	Points
The Raiders	11	9
The Stinking Badgers	9	8
Marfa Dogs	7	6.5
The Depositions	7	6.5
A Cancer on the League	6	4.5
Giant Steps	6	4.5
Little Chi Chi	5	3
T. S. Intellectual	4	2
The FunGhouls	3	1

Shoes of the Pitcherman

News and Notes from Around the League

Image via Wikipedia

As you can see below, while we were *all* sleeping, Berger fell upon us and used us for his pleasure. But if you look at his lineup, it's no surprise that Kevin is now not only in front, he's *way* in front and likely to stay there in spite of the marvelousness of Michael Tola, our poet, prophet, peasant and king.

He took a chance on Elivis Andrus as a baby rookie, decided Konerko wasn't washed up, decdided Rolen wasn't washed up, decided Lind had finally arrived, concluded Matsui could come back from injury quickly and then on the pitching side took the long leap on Vicente Padilla and Edwin Jackson .... And banked Beckett and Burnett.

Damn, I don't think anyone will catch him. Tola has six starters: Saunders, Pettite, Garza, Millwood, Price and Masterson. Nope. Not enough miracles in those arms.

As for the BCL: Nady gone for the year, Beltre out till September, DeRosa maybe gone for the year, Giambi everything anyone who drafts an A deserves him to be. I see a splendid battle for third, and Berger cruising, the full Al Pacino.

Meanwhile, Brad, Bob and Russ battle for last place and the complimentary night with the hooker. Wait, that's a night with the complimentary hooker, the one with the learning disability when it comes to units of measure.

Standings from 6/7/2009 thru 7/9/2009 (including game stats through 7/8/2009)
Download to Excel

Name	Avg	HR	R	RBI	SB	ERA	K	S	W	W PCT	Total
Giant Steps	9.0	9.0	7.0	9.0	4.0	8.0	9.0	5.0	9.0	9.0	78.0
T. S. Intellectual	4.0	7.0	9.0	8.0	9.0	1.0	7.0	4.0	7.0	6.0	62.0
Little Chi Chi	7.0	2.5	6.0	4.0	5.5	7.0	8.0	9.0	5.0	2.0	56.0
The Money Shot	5.0	8.0	8.0	7.0	2.0	5.0	3.0	7.0	4.0	7.0	56.0
A Cancer on the League	3.0	5.5	5.0	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.0	3.0	8.0	5.0	53.0
The Depositions	8.0	5.5	4.0	5.0	7.5	2.0	2.0	8.0	2.0	1.0	45.0
Marfa Dogs	1.0	4.0	1.0	2.0	1.0	9.0	4.0	6.0	6.0	8.0	42.0
The Stinking Badgers	6.0	1.0	3.0	3.0	7.5	3.0	5.0	1.5	3.0	3.0	36.0
The FunGhouls	2.0	2.5	2.0	1.0	3.0	4.0	1.0	1.5	1.0	4.0	22.0

Batting Average

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	.3048	9
The Depositions	.2784	8
Little Chi Chi	.2744	7
The Stinking Badgers	.2683	6
The Money Shot	.2619	5
T. S. Intellectual	.2615	4
A Cancer on the League	.2578	3
The FunGhouls	.2551	2
Marfa Dogs	.2408	1

Home Runs (Batter)

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	44	9
The Money Shot	38	8
T. S. Intellectual	34	7
The Depositions	28	5.5
A Cancer on the League	28	5.5
Marfa Dogs	27	4
Little Chi Chi	25	2.5
The FunGhouls	25	2.5
The Stinking Badgers	24	1

RBI

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	143	9
T. S. Intellectual	124	8
The Money Shot	119	7
A Cancer on the League	111	6
The Depositions	110	5
Little Chi Chi	95	4
The Stinking Badgers	88	3
Marfa Dogs	86	2
The FunGhouls	84	1

Runs (Batter)

Name	Total	Points
T. S. Intellectual	130	9
The Money Shot	129	8
Giant Steps	127	7
Little Chi Chi	124	6
A Cancer on the League	118	5
The Depositions	112	4
The Stinking Badgers	101	3
The FunGhouls	96	2
Marfa Dogs	64	1

Stolen Bases

Name	Total	Points
T. S. Intellectual	33	9
The Depositions	24	7.5
The Stinking Badgers	24	7.5
Little Chi Chi	22	5.5
A Cancer on the League	22	5.5
Giant Steps	15	4
The FunGhouls	12	3
The Money Shot	11	2
Marfa Dogs	8	1

ERA

Name	Total	Points
Marfa Dogs	2.6144	9
Giant Steps	2.6957	8
Little Chi Chi	3.0181	7
A Cancer on the League	3.6541	6
The Money Shot	3.8802	5
The FunGhouls	4.0653	4
The Stinking Badgers	4.3693	3
The Depositions	4.6901	2
T. S. Intellectual	4.7699	1

Pitcher Winning Percent

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	.7200	9
Marfa Dogs	.7000	8
The Money Shot	.6471	7
T. S. Intellectual	.6000	6
A Cancer on the League	.5517	5
The FunGhouls	.5455	4
The Stinking Badgers	.5263	3
Little Chi Chi	.4800	2
The Depositions	.4375	1

Saves

Name	Total	Points
Little Chi Chi	20	9
The Depositions	17	8
The Money Shot	12	7
Marfa Dogs	11	6
Giant Steps	10	5
T. S. Intellectual	6	4
A Cancer on the League	3	3
The Stinking Badgers	0	1.5
The FunGhouls	0	1.5

Strikeouts

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	184	9
Little Chi Chi	179	8
T. S. Intellectual	168	7
A Cancer on the League	164	6
The Stinking Badgers	141	5
Marfa Dogs	139	4
The Money Shot	138	3
The Depositions	114	2
The FunGhouls	113	1

Wins

Name	Total	Points
Giant Steps	18	9
A Cancer on the League	16	8
T. S. Intellectual	15	7
Marfa Dogs	14	6
Little Chi Chi	12	5
The Money Shot	11	4
The Stinking Badgers	10	3
The Depositions	7	2
The FunGhouls	6	1

News and Notes from Around the League

Standings from 5/16/2009 thru 6/7/2009 (including game stats through 6/7/2009)

Name Avg HR R RBI SB ERA K S W W PCT Total
The Stinking Badgers
8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.5 8.0 9.0 1.0 7.0 8.0 72.5
Giant Steps
4.0 5.5 6.0 5.0 7.5 9.0 8.0 2.5 9.0 9.0 65.5
The Depositions
9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 6.0 3.0 1.0 7.0 3.5 4.0 60.5
A Cancer on the League
3.0 7.0 5.0 7.0 4.0 4.0 5.0 4.0 5.5 3.0 47.5
The FunGhouls
5.0 5.5 2.0 6.0 4.0 7.0 4.0 2.5 5.5 5.0 46.5
T. S. Intellectual
7.0 1.0 7.0 3.0 9.0 5.0 3.0 5.0 2.0 2.0 44.0
Marfa Dogs
1.0 2.5 1.0 2.0 1.0 6.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 7.0 42.5
Little Chi Chi
2.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 9.0 3.5 6.0 41.5
The Money Shot
6.0 2.5 3.0 4.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 7.0 1.0 1.0 29.5

Why has Peter surged to first place? It’s not enough to say the goddess has a ‘wide on’ for Peter. Who in the league is not a morsel to delight an average woman’s sex palate? No, we are a league long on charm, longer (in fact) on charm than on skill. So the question remains: blind luck or a series of master strokes on Peter’s part? (Peter does love to lay some master strokes on his part, of course, but that is semantic quibbling, so we will leave it alone. Which is more than you can say about Peter and his part. He’s a veritable coxswain: Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!)

Where was I?

How do we explain Peter’s success? He manned up and took Halliday, willing to spend money to make money, and thence on to the rest of his pitchers. Here is our first ‘aha’ moment. We are now a little frightened. He took a chance on Lee and Liriano. Particularly in Lee’s case, we see successful but unrewarded pitching. So look at that upside. He took a chance on Liriano, who has been appalling. But there is goodness in the badness: more upside! When I examine Peter’s pitching numbers, I foresee better numbers later on, no less. And oh: McCarthy? People had lost all hope. Verlander? Risk piled on risk. The question really is: What did Peter know and when did he know it?

We are also ravished by the fact Peter did what other great champions have done and blew off saves. He only has two, yet he thrives.

Now, on the hitting side, we are immediately struck by the fact his one true ‘can’t miss’ player – Grady Sizemore – has missed. And *still* Peter thrives. Mark Texarkanas – to which Peter will respond, ‘whatever’ – is now blasting in NYC. Kinsler is living up to hype and beyond. Ichiro dazzles and went cheaper than he should have. But no one rules our little roost without a stroke of luck good fortune. Choo-Choo is hitting. Astrolabe Cabrera is now on the world’s radar. Varitek was written off and has proceeded to write himself back on.

What I’m saying is Peter could hang in there and win this thing. And what a banquet that would be.