The Southpaw south·paw (southpô)
n. Slang
A left-handed person, especially a left-handed baseball pitcher.
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
Still draftless
More then a week has passed since I wrote my cry for help post, and unfortunately there isn't a fantasy league looking to add a Southpaw to their rotation.
This could be the first year since I started playing fantasy baseball that I've missed, unless I risk it all and join a random public league, in which I will surely lose close to 25% before the all-star break.
MLB.com has an Alou's lineup story that has this as his potential (Spring Training) Opening Day Lineup:
2B Ray Durham
RF Jose Cruz Jr.
SS Rich Aurilia
LF Barry Bonds
3B Edgardo Alfonzo
CF Marquis Grissom
1B J.T. Snow
C Benito Santiago
P Kirk Rueter
A couple of things that immediately jump off the card?
(1) Last year's World Series #5 hitter, Benito Santiago, is in the 8 hole after J.T. Snow.
"The eighth slot is a very difficult spot in the lineup. It's not very productive and people don't get pitched to. It's hard to drive in runs and make money. It's very tough and it might be shared by two or three guys this season. I hate to make someone a professional eighth hitter out of this group." -- Alou.
So you'll put one of your best returning hitters there? That makes sense.
(2) Woody as the possible Opening Day starter.
"It'd be great. You want to go out and start Opening Day, but at the same time, we've proven as a team the last six years, you have to have five guys. I've never been a big guy on who's 1 or who's 5. Everybody's going to get 30-some starts a year and when it's your day to pitch, you're No. 1, and you want the team to feel they can win that day. I think that's why we've been successful. -- Kirk Rueter on the possibility of starting Opening Day.
Luckily, they also mention that Alou has multiple lineup cards and that this is only one possibility.
And if you haven't already, go over to Only Baseball Matters and see why Barry should definitely be batting third.
8:00 PM
Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Fantasy Baseball Info
After my Fantasy Baseball post, I got an e-mail from At Home Plate.
We are a fairly new site run by a group of about 25 fans and people with baseball experience. We've gotten some damn good reviews on what we've done so far.
They offer book, video, film and even video game reviews that have to do with baseball, and feature two homepages - one for MLB and one specifically for Fantasy info.
Consider this another good review. Keep up the great work guys, I'll be checking in with you if I can get into a fantasy league this season (and probably even if I don't).
You can click on the link above, or on the new link to the right.
8:02 PM
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Interesting stories - Rickey & Reggie
This story has been running wild for a while now, so I'll put my two cents in on Rickey Henderson.
Signing him to a minor league contract is a no-brainer. He's still got some skills, better then most bench players, and you could sign him for a song.
That being said, it's only a no-brainer if you're running a FANTASY TEAM. Rickey only cares about Rickey, so Rickey could ruin a clubhouse that had great chemistry before Rickey came in, doing his Rickey thing.
And to touch on the second story listed (on the above link), I'm glad that Millar is back in the states and playing for the BoSox, but what I couldn't stop laughing about is the fact that Reggie Sanders may head to Japan. And to think that there were people who said that the Giants should have picked up his option. Maybe they should see if he'll take a minor league contract . . . yeah right.
He has completely encapsulated the spirit of blogging, and is the reason that I started this site at all. To use his phrase, John is my "Blogfather".
Thanks again John. Your site is still my homepage.
Speaking of which, I have updated the Starting 9 to primarily reflect blogs. My Sandbox links are at the very bottom, and will be removed as soon as I know for sure that I will not be participating in their fantasy leagues.
Hi, my name is The Southpaw, and I'm addicted to Fantasy Baseball.
Unfortunately, the biggest problem that I now have is that I don't have a league to play in. For the last 4-5 years I've been playing primarily with the same group of guys in Sandbox, but now they're making it a pay site, and I can't get in contact with my league commish to see where he wants to take the league next.
Here's my call to anyone and everyone who reads this site: I need to get into a Fantasy Baseball league this season. I won all 3 of my leagues last year, and 2/3 of my Football leagues, but I missed Basketball and Hockey (although I'm not as active in Hockey as I could be) and I'm worried about this baseball season.
I prefer Rotisserie, and definitely a form of Keeper league (4 keepers for the next seasons draft, full roster - which I haven't tried yet, etc.), but am open to any league format. What I'm looking for is a competitive league, filled with active owners who are in it because it's fun. Talking smack is a definite plus, while dumping your team if you're losing is no good.
I've played in as many as 15 leagues (I signed on for dead teams one year in Sandbox to help out leagues with crappy owners) when I was at my worst, but I'm looking for at least one and possibly as many as three leagues to play this year (I like to try different strategies in different leagues to see what pans out).
So anyway, if anyone's looking for a filler, or looking to start a new league, please let me know as soon as you can.
I should have had this up earlier, but Blogger crashed and deleted my post before it was an actual post. Sorry to anyone who visited this morning.
New reader (and Blogger! - more on that later) Michael Blake wrote in to back Bonds (Mrs. S is standing alone so far), and compliment the site. Thanks Michael!
I've been reading your site periodically for a week or so now, and I applaud you on a great site. I particularly enjoyed the post last week about Barry Bonds, and his...ahem..."discretion" in regards to autograph signing. Personally, I think I am on the fence on this one: while I would like to think that if I were in such a position, I would sign for everyone, I am sure that Bonds has to set his limits. And setting it at children isn't a bad thing, when you consider how many leeches are out there hoping to hock his autograph to the highest bidder. But, that's my two cents.
I agree with the fact that in "theory" it would be great to give some individual time to every fan, but I also understand the reality of living in the spotlight, and just wanting to be left alone from time to time. Simply put, you can't please all of the people all of the time. If a line needs to be drawn in the sand, I think that "children only" is a great place to draw it.
You'll still have people sending in children (theirs or otherwise) to get autographs to hock on Flea-Bay (which I personally think is the biggest reason that athlete's sign less autographs - in general - then they used to), but the numbers are substantially smaller then for adults who get his autograph. The flip side to that argument is that if you sign anything and everything, your autograph will flood the market and not be as valuable, meaning that less scum whould come after you, and more "fans" would instead. The only problem with this argument is that it is also a "theory".
And besides, even the true "fans" can be a pain in the ass sometimes.
OK, I promised more on Micheal Blake so here's the info. Micheal has a baseball blog up and focuses on the Phillies. This should be exciting because of all the moves that the Phillies have made in the offseason (the outright theft of Millwood being my favorite - how can Atlanta ship out two of their top three starters to DIVISION RIVALS? At least the Giants didn't send Ortiz to Arizona . . . or worse, LA). Check him out on through his first official plug on The Southpaw.
You can also access it on the right. Good luck Michael.
9:27 PM
Barry good feedback (sorry, couldn't help it)
We've got some feedback, kiddies, and it's from (new?) reader Alex Lash.
With no disrepect to Mrs. S., I applaud Barry's no-kid, no-'graph policy. I fall into the camp of fans who believe that a player's gigantic salary obliges him to play his sport as well as he can, to keep himself in the best possible shape, and to make the requisite public appearances his team asks of him. Being a role model would be nice, too, but I don't subtract points for human transgressions, and I certainly don't think less of a star who shies away from public contact. Remember the story of Pete Rose eating in a restaurant? Some fan shoved a pen and paper in his face and jostled his hand, which drove the tines of his fork into the roof of his mouth. Ouch. Fans can be and often are boors and idiots; fans under 14 less so. Adult fans are often not motivated by a love of the game but by a love of eBay auctions. I don't blame Barry one bit for drawing the line.
While I definitely agree that a player's gigantic salary obliges him to play his sport as well as he can, etc., etc., but I do also believe that everyone who lives their life in the spotlight has a responsibility as a member of society to be some sort of role model. Being in the limelight forces people's actions to be evaluated, and yes in some instances, emulated.
Now don't get me wrong, I by no means think that athletes or movie stars should raise our chileren, since that's what parents are "supposed" to do . . . but without driving this train too far off the tracks I'll just say that there is a responsibility that should be taken into account for being a public figure.
With that said, I still agree with the "No Kid, No Autograph" policy, primarily because of today's Flea-Bay tendencies, as Alex nailed in his e-mail.
And don't worry, Alex does get his obligatory Bonds rib in.
Now, if we could only convince him to slap *everyone's* hand during those pre-game World Series introductions...
And to continue my "story about everything" theme that I've been running with lately . . . here's my Pete Rose anecdote.
When I was a young lad collecting baseball cards for a living, I would go to baseball card shows quite frequently. I was never fond of paying for autographs (as I would just try my luck outside of Candlestick after the yearly game or two that I would attend with my family), but I usually got sucked in since I was attending the shows already, and didn't want to miss out. This is how I got my Mickey Mantle autograph, so I really can't complain.
So anyway, I was getting Pete Rose's autograph, and wanted to shake his hand. I was maybe 9-10 and he was signing with his right hand, so I offered my left so as not to take up too much of his time (and besides, I'm a lefty). Pete didn't like this one bit and stopped what he was doing to glare up at me and say, "You shake with your other hand." Needless to say, I was mortified.
I was simply a kid who didn't want to bother him any more then he already was (there was a REALLY long line, and it gets tiring to sign your name that many times), and he needed to "teach me a lesson" as it were. If my parents hadn't already raised me as well as they had, I would not have respected him as an elder and would have made a smartass comment about how "I have parents for that" . . . but luckily (unfortunately?) I didn't.
Now I think that Charlie Hustle should be in the HOF, but they could get away with putting him in the Jackass wing with other famous jerks who happened to play the game better then most can ever dream, and I'd call it a wash.
BTW, Canseco was a jackass too, but he won't get in the Hall anyway, so they don't need to keep his seat warm.
P.S. Mrs. S wants a "Jackass Hall of Fame", with a wing dedicated to sports. Maybe Rose will get into this Hall before Cooperstown . . . and this one doesn't even exist yet. Hey, he's in the Canadian HOF, isn't he?
11:10 AM
Sunday, February 16, 2003
Two more from MLB.com
This article says that Ryan Jensen is the front-runner for the Giants' coveted 5th rotation spot because of his 13 win rookie campaign.
This one talks about the ageless Benito Santiago who at 38 is quoted as saying,
I'll play until I'm 43. The last four or five years, I've really taken care of myself. That's a big plus.
But the highlight has to be him joking about his age.
"How old did I say I was last year?" asked Santiago. After being told he said he was 27 last spring, he promptly announced that this year, "I'm 23."
With all of the players ages raising unexpectedly, it's nice to see that some guys just get younger.
7:12 PM
Joe Nathon comeback?
Another MLB.com Giants story, this one is on the comback of onetime "superprospect" Joe Nathon. And since my friends tell me that I've got a story for everything, here's my Joe Nathon story:
I went to my first Giants game at Pac Bell Park in the inaugural season there. Of course I made it early for batting practice, at which I snagged a Jeff Kent B.P. foul ball. I made my way over to the Giants bullpen to see the previous starters who were just getting their light throwing work in, and it was Shawn Estes and Joe Nathon, both of whom signed my ball.
With Shawn traded, Nathon hurt, and Kent signing with Houston, I thought that my ball was now simply an ex-Giant souvineer. Here's to hoping that Nathon makes it into the Giants' bullpen, and onto their 40-man roster . . . especially considering that he's out of options. I'd hate to see him complete his comback for another team.
In a Southpaw exclusive, I would like to raise the question about an athlete's responsibilities as a public figure.
Roughly two weeks ago, the L.A. Lakers played the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento at Arco Arena. My wife (here-to-forth known as Mrs. Southpaw) was lucky enough to go to the game with her father, who had won some great seats from his union's local. Upon her arrival, she called me to let me know about all the fun she was having (like seeing a little boy dressed as a hamburger holding a sign that said, "KOBE EAT ME", but I digress). Then she tells me that I'll never guess who's sitting directly behind her, and it was none other then Barry Bonds! I looked for him on TV, but when they finally showed him on screen, he had been moved up to courtside with Penny Marshall and the Maloof Bros.
So anyway, the point of this story is that tons of kids were running up to Barry and asking him for autographs, which I was told he gave out fairly graciously. Then the bomb dropped . . . Mrs. Southpaw thought it would be fantastic to get The Southpaw an official Barry Bonds autograph!
She approached Barry and asked him for an autograph, and he asked who it was for. "*The Southpaw!", she exclaimed (*actually this is what I wished she would have said, after which she could have plugged The Southpaw and possibly got a cult clubhouse following out of it . . . OK, I know it's crazy . . . sue me). He responded with, "Is it a kid?" to which my wife said no. After that, Barry said the phrase that still get Mrs. Southpaw's blood boiling, "Well, if he's not a kid, I'm not signing an autograph."
So the guantlet has been thrown, "Should he have signed an autograph, or was he in the right as a famous public figure?"
Mrs. Southpaw thinks that Barry Bonds is the biggest "ASSHOLE" (originally I had *explitive*, but she wanted her first amendment rights to call him an A-hole, so there you have it) in the world because of this, while I think that he has come to a good compromise where autographs are concerned. In a day when people go to court over a home run ball, and get autographs for profit instead of for keepsake, I don't think it's that bad at all. Would I have liked a Barry Bonds autograph? SURE, but it would have meant more knowing that my wife got it for me then that I had it. I was happy just knowing that my wife would think to do that for me, and don't need a name scribbled on a ticket-stub to validate it.
Please bombard me with e-mail telling me what you think of Barry Bonds' "NO KID, NO AUTOGRAPH" policy.
In a very amusing after story, her dad lied to Barry asking for an autograph for his granddaughter, to which Barry signed his name in the most awkward way ever. I have seen Barry Bonds autographs before, and I have seen him sign autographs . . . and my Father-In-Law got bamboozled.
Of course I didn't say a word while he was gloating about it when he dropped off the Mrs.
First things first, maybe I'll scoop OBM with this one
MLB.com has a very interesting article about Jesse Foppert, and how he may be the lucky guy to fill the Giants' fifth rotation spot.
I had him mentioned as possible trade material for big bat when the offseason started, and not many aggreed with me. He may be VERY valuable if he indeed makes it to the pros in only his second professional year.
Well, I'm back . . . sort of. I'm not quite back on a regular schedule as far as the outside world is concerned, but it's about time to get this blog fired back up because it's about time to start your respective team's Spring Training!
There may be some intermittent postings, but for the most part things should be picking back up to where they once were, in all their former glory.
player, position
david aardsma, rhp roger whitaker, rhp jeffery jennings, c nathan schierholtz, 3b brian buscher, 3b brooks mcniven, rhp mike wagner, lf william sadler, rhp patrick misch, lhp timothy hutting, ss kellen ludwig, rhp jesse schmidt, of
jeffery peterson, rhp ryan sadowski, rhp nick conte, c sean martin, rhp j thurmond, rhp michael mooney, of marcus sanders, ss patrick dobson, of jonathan coutlangus, cf raul rodriguez, c
sean watson, rhp nathan fogle, rhp michael kunes, lhp brian wilson, rhp nolan mulligan, rhp douglas coon, lhp omar aguilar, rhp roberto gonzalez, cf daniel desouza, cf derek barrow, 3b
eduardo baeza, rhp oscar gonzalez, cf travis nesmith, lhp cody mcallister, rhp tyson brummett, rhp timothy alvarez, lhp shannon wirth, rhp jordan hafer, 1b michael price, c dylan gonzalez, rhp
michael johnston, lhp luis martinez, c mike bell, c john odom, rhp james braden, rhp brandon federici, lhp thomas correa, ss matthew berezay, of douglas fister, rhp james popp, rhp
