Well, the baseball regular season is almost over. My team, The Scorpions, were never in the hunt this year (since I decided to rebuild the team in my super-competitive league, one where you can keep up to 80 percent of your roster from year to year). We had some notable victories and disappointments as far as improving the team, but I think we’re moving in the right direction.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
All signs pointed to this guy hitting close to .300 with even a little power. It didn’t come close to that. In fact, the last time I checked, he was around .219! He did handle the pitchers well and throw out a lot of base stealers, so there’s always a chance he’ll latch on with another team and get a second shot.
He’s still young — only 23 — but looking more and more like he’s what some call a “Quadruple A” player, meaning he’s good enough for the highest level of minor league play (AAA), but not the majors. He was not playing that badly early in the season, then got hurt and lost his job to a journeyman named Casey Blake who has been extremely clutch for the Indians this year. So, I just have to watch and wait and see what happens with Marte.
VICTORIES
This guy, on Marte’s team, may just have become a star this year. I just picked him up on a whim after he won like three or four games early in the season — and he kept on winning! He’s now up to 18, I think, [Editor's Note: You're right, Len (Proof as of 9/26)] and going to the playoffs. I saw him get a few early wins, then remembered he was getting a lot of ink in the baseball press, so I took a chance and got a potential “stud” (as fantasy leaguers like to call them).
This guy may be my favorite suprise of 2007. He was great last September, then did well in Spring Training, but did not get called up to the big club. Then, injuries hit, and he got his chance and delivered: 10+ HR, 50+ RBI and hitting over .300! We really needed a regular first baseman, and this guy could fit the bill for a long time. He’s only 23.
We were close to giving up on this guy, just 23, with a high upside. He had been injured last year and it ruined his season. The same thing happened at the beginning of this season and we thought the Marlins were going to write him off. Then, he got better and got back in the lineup in mid-May. At first, he stunk. Then, in July, he began to get in a groove he is still in now. He’s now closing in in on .300, 10+ HR, and 50+ RBI … Not bad for a banged-up rookie playing a partial season! Hopefully, even more success next year.
This guy was no rookie, but I picked him up in a trade last year and he wasn’t so swift. He struck out a lot and hit for minimum power. This year, he still strikes out a lot, but his average is close to .300. He has hit more than 20 homers and over 80 RBI! He scored as many points as studs Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard, thanks to his 20 steals.
Now though, it’s just time to enjoy the postseason of “real” baseball. And, in an interesting twist sanctioned by my wife, I’m also playing fantasy football for the first time! And I have to admit, even at 0-3, I’m loving it. More on that in my next blog entry …
