CRL News

March 30, 2012

 

The ides of March have come and gone and the Final Four is upon us.  But that’s not why I’m sitting up late typing tonight.  Today was Roster-Freeze Day, which means it’s time for our last pre-season newsletter.

Some news and notes before I get to the protected rosters:

Marcus and Terry pulled off a trade – Marcus shipped Clint Barmes and Chris Johnson to Terry for Bryce Harper.

Ken has a new team name.  Going forward (for now, at least) his charges will be known as “The Jim Tressels.”

I have a new partner.  You may be very familiar with him.  His name is Jim Fraser.  I started working on him last fall (after he said he was leaving).  I contacted him a few times in January and February.  Finally, just a couple of weeks ago, I put on the full-court press and he said yes.  Actually, it was kind of funny – he had been talking about travelling for work and seeing baseball stuff in the newsstands and getting the joneses.  I’d sent him a couple of emails asking (firstly) about Corey Hart and his role on the Brewers.  Then I set the hook with a couple of other emails asking his advice and a phone call.  The day I called him (probably around 9 am or so) and he finally said yes (we talked for almost an hour) I sent him everybody’s unprotected rosters.  Later that day, I was checking my email and saw this:

From: Fraser, Jim [mailto:jim.fraser@twcable.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 5:44 PM
To: Jim
Subject: RE: rosters

JHC.  Why don’t you just send me some friggin crack next time!  Betcha can’t guess what I’ve been doing.

Note the time he sent the email.  My guess is TWC didn’t get a whole lot of work out of Mr. Fraser that day (but I’m very thankful for the help – more on this in a bit).

We haven’t changed the team name (yet), but Mr. Spencer has sent us a couple of “suggestions.”

Now for the “more on this” bit – I haven’t found a job yet and am spending ungodly hours looking far and wide.  I’ve recently been contracting, which means I could be anywhere and travelling a lot.  I don’t know where I will be this season.  While I can still run the league thanks to the Internet, I can’t say I’ll always be here if you want to call me up and talk trade or give me shit.  So call up Frasier and talk trade and give him shit – he’d love to hear from you.

The draft is 10 am Friday, April 6, at Harrah’s Parlor B (the hallway near the pool).

(Insert my “don’t bring in external food” rant here.)

Expect as much as 30 minutes to an hour (or more) before the draft starts to talk about rules.  Since we are starting from scratch next year, if we want to consider any changes, this is the time to think about it.  Among the things on my list:

·         Last year at the draft there was a discussion of specific trade rules for this season (since there won’t be any keepers next year).  Expect some time on this.

·         The linking of two vs. multiple players

·         A $5 “Rereserve” fee

·         Post-season “saves” between linked players must be submitted to me by the Oct 20 end-of-season money deadline with no reminders from me.

I’ll further explain the last three bullets at the draft.  If any of you have any other ideas, please feel free to bring them up for discussion prior to the start of the draft.  (For example, since we have so many pitchers, and so few hitters, available in the free agent pool, I’ve thought we might eliminate the second catcher and add a tenth pitcher.)  Of course, any changes to roster makeup, scoring, etc., can’t start until the scratch draft year.  (Looking back through the old newsletters, I’m reminded that Ken’s proposal to replace saves with IRS hasn’t come up in some time.)  One other thing I’m wondering about is payout percentages.  We currently pay 1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th at 50%, 35%, 15%, 7%, 3%, respectively.  Doing my research for “The Brief History of the CRL,” I’ve discovered that we changed to five payoff positions when we had 13-14 teams in the league. Since we’re down to 11 teams (and probably will be for the foreseeable future – thanks to Houston moving to the AL next year), do we want to limit the payouts to 4 places and make it 10%?  One thing to note, in the first years of the CRL, 1st place got 53%, with 4th taking home 7% (thinking was that winning should be worth more than half).

Speaking of “The History,” I’ve done a little bit on that (not as much as I’d like, because I’ve been spending a lot of time on monster.com and careerbuilder.com, among others).  I’ve now posted the final standing from each year.  Except for the first year, the final standings have everybody you had on your roster during the entire season.  Looking at it is good for a bunch of laughs (what the $%^# was I thinking?!?!?!? when I drafted/picked up/traded for that guy).  It can be found here.

Draft order – 8 / 1 / 10 / 7 / 6 / 4 / 2 / 3 / 9 / 5 / 11

ML Draft order – 4 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 1 / 8 / 2 / 3 / 9 / 5 / 11

 

And now, the part you’ve all been waiting for, the protected rosters:

 

Team Number 1 - The Jim Tressels

Team Number 2 - Pray For Milk

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

Jason Castro, HOU

0.5

S1

C

Brian McCann, ATL

11.5

S1

C

 

 

 

C

 

 

 

1B

Paul Goldschmidt, ARZ

5

S1

1B

Jesus Guzman, SD

5

S1

2B

Aaron Hill, ARZ

5

S1

2B

 

 

 

SS

 

 

 

SS

 

 

 

3B

 

 

 

3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

Ike Davis, NYM

5

O

1B/3B

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

OF

Kyle Blanks, SD

0.5

S1

OF

Carlos Gonzalez, COL

5

L1

OF

Angel Pagan, SF

0.5

O

OF

Justin Upton, ARZ

18

S1

OF

Alex Presley, PIT

5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

Lucas Duda, NYM

0.5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Tyler Clippard, WAS

0.5

O

P

Heath Bell, FLA

9

S1

P

Johnny Cueto, CIN

1.5

S1

P

Jhoulys Chacin, COL

5

O

P

Javy Guerra, LA

5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

Kris Medlen, ATL

0.5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

Johan Santana, NYM

2.5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

Stephen Strasburg, WAS

5

O

P

 

 

 

P

Adam Wainwright, STL

1.5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fm

Jaff Decker, SD

 

 

Team Number 3 - Boys Of Summer

Team Number 4 - Eyes Retired

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

Ryan Hanigan, CIN

2.5

S1

C

Nick Hundley, SD

1

O

C

Jonathan Lucroy, MLW

3

S1

C

 

 

 

1B

 

 

 

1B

 

 

 

2B

Danny Espinosa, WAS

5

O

2B

 

 

 

SS

 

 

 

SS

Jose Reyes, FLA

12

O

3B

David Freese, STL

8

S1

3B

Chris Johnson, HOU

5

O

1B/3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

Gaby Sanchez, FLA

5.5

O

2B/SS

 

 

 

2B/SS

Clint Barmes, PIT

4

S1

OF

Yonder Alonso, SD

5

S1

OF

Alfonso Soriano, CHC

11.5

S1

OF

Cameron Maybin, SD

7

S1

OF

Jayson Werth, WAS

7.5

L1

OF

Drew Stubbs, CIN

7.5

L1

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Jaime Garcia, STL

1.5

O

P

Madison Bumgarner, SF

5

O

P

Joel Hanrahan, PIT

5

O

P

Matt Garza, CHC

7.5

S1

P

Clayton Kershaw, LA

17.5

S1

P

Tim Lincecum, SF

17.5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

Randy Wolf, MLW

0.5

S1

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fm

Jonathatn Singleton, HOU

 

 

Team Number 5 - Spring '81

Team Number 6 - MULTIPLE SCORGASMS

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

 

 

 

C

Wilson Ramos, WAS

1

S1

C

 

 

 

C

 

 

 

1B

 

 

 

1B

 

 

 

2B

Jose Altuve, HOU

5

S1

2B

Neil Walker, PIT

5

O

SS

Troy Tulowitzki, COL

19

O

SS

 

 

 

3B

Pablo Sandoval, SF

10

L1

3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

OF

Jay Bruce, CIN

19.5

S1

OF

Hunter Pence, PHI

14.5

O

OF

Matt Holliday, STL

7.5

L1

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Rafael Betancourt, COL

0.5

S1

P

Roy Halladay, PHI

18

O

P

Cole Hamels, PHI

12

S1

P

Kyle Lohse, STL

0.5

S1

P

Tim Stauffer, SD

2

S1

P

Sean Marshall, CIN

5

S1

P

Vance Worley, PHI

5

S1

P

Jon Niese, NYM

0.5

O

P

 

 

 

P

Sergio Romo, SF

1

O

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

FM

Wilin Rosario, COL

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Number 7 - MORERONS

Team Number 8 - Rally Time

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

 

 

 

C

Devin Mesoraco, CIN

5

S1

C

 

 

 

C

Buster Posey, SF

4

L1

1B

Joey Votto, CIN

20

O

1B

Michael Morse, WAS

5

O

2B

Daniel Murphy, NYM

1.5

S1

2B

Darwin Barney, CHC

0.5

S1

SS

Emilio Bonifacio, FLA

4

S1

SS

Zack Cozart, Cin

5

S1

3B

 

 

 

3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

OF

Allen Craig, STL

1

S1

OF

Jason Heyward, ATL

5

O

OF

Dexter Fowler, COL

5

S1

OF

Jordan Schafer, HOU

5

S1

OF

Jon Jay, STL

5

O

OF

 

 

 

OF

Jose Tabata, PIT

5

O

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Ian Kennedy, ARZ

1.5

O

P

Evan Meek, PIT

0.5

O

P

Mike Leake, CIN

5

S1

P

Jason Motte, STL

5

S1

P

Mike Minor, ATL

5

S1

P

Kerry Wood, CHC

0.5

S1

P

Bud Norris, HOU

5

S1

P

Jordan Zimmermann, WAS

0.5

O

P

Anibal Sanchez, FLA

2

O

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

Team Number 9 - No Pepper

Team Number 10 - Iron Horses

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

 

 

 

C

Yadier Molina, STL

6

S1

C

 

 

 

C

David Ross, ATL

1

S1

1B

Lance Berkman, STL

6

S1

1B

 

 

 

2B

 

 

 

2B

 

 

 

SS

Dee Gordon, LA

12.5

S1

SS

Starlin Castro, CHC

5

O

3B

 

 

 

3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

1B/3B

 

 

 

2B/SS

Ian Desmond, WAS

6

O

2B/SS

 

 

 

OF

Corey Hart, MLW

9.5

O

OF

Carlos Beltran, STL

4.5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

Chris Heisey, CIN

0.5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

J.D. Martinez, HOU

5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

John Mayberry, PHI

3.5

S1

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Aaron Harang, LA

0.5

S1

P

Daniel Hudson, ARZ

5

O

P

Cory Luebke, SD

5

S1

P

Kenley Jansen, LA

5

S1

P

Drew Storen, WAS

5

O

P

Edinson Volquez, SD

1

O

P

Brian Wilson, SF

9

S1

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

Fm

Brett Jackson, Chc

 

 

Team Number 11 - AAA All Stars

Pos

Player

Salary

Contract

C

Carlos Ruiz, PHI

4

O

C

 

 

 

1B

Freddie Freeman, ATL

5

S1

2B

Ryan Roberts, ARZ

5

S1

SS

 

 

 

3B

Matt Gamel, MLW

5

S1

1B/3B

 

 

 

2B/SS

 

 

 

OF

Michael Bourn, ATL

14

S1

OF

Chris Young, ARZ

9

O

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

OF

 

 

 

UTIL

 

 

 

P

Brandon Beachy, ATL

0.5

S1

P

Zack Greinke, MLW

13

S1

P

Craig Kimbrel, ATL

5

O

P

Cliff Lee, PHI

19

S1

P

J.J. Putz, ARZ

9

S1

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

P

 

 

 

Fm

Bryce Harper, Was

 

 

 

Jim