Crooked Pitch

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While we were gone, we still took care of some business. Mainly, we held the draft for the first annual Crooked Pitch Fantasy Baseball League. It’s a 5X5 mixed league with 12 teams using two Catchers, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, MI, CI, five OF’s, one Utility Player, nine Pitchers and three bench spots.

We’re playing for a 2009 copy of The Baseball Prospectus as well as a 2009 Baseball Preseason Package, generously donated by the folks over at Mock Draft Central.

We held the draft at Mock Draft Central, before inporting the results to Yahoo. You can view the draft results at MDC.

Here are the results first two rounds.

1. Library Bats - Rodriguez, Alex
2. ATL Snakes - Ramirez, Hanley
3. Impish - Wright, David
4. Mercs - Reyes, Jose
5. The Rusty Kuntz - Santana, Johan
6. Da Bomch Cheifs - Holliday, Matt
7. Crooked Pitch - Rollins, Jimmy
8. Tigers - Peavy, Jake
9. Last Place Grabbers - Pujols, Albert
10. 12th MAN - Cabrera, Miguel
11. Shock & Awe - Utley, Chase
12. Victorious Secret - Crawford, Carl
13. Victorious Secret - Soriano, Alfonso
14. Shock & Awe - Braun, Ryan
15. 12th MAN - Howard, Ryan
16. Last Place Grabbers - Fielder, Prince
17. Tigers - Martinez, Victor
18. Crooked Pitch - Lee, Carlos
19. Da Bomch Cheifs - Martin, Russell
20. The Rusty Kuntz - Ortiz, David
21. Mercs - Phillips, Brandon
22. Impish - Upton, B.J.
23. ATL Snakes - Teixeira, Mark
24. Library Bats - Sizemore, Grady

The biggest surprise for me was that 2 starting pitchers went in the first round. I was also surprised that two catchers went in the second round. We’ll see how that plays out.

I apologize for the “dead air” since Thursday the 20th, but we had some major site problems.

Crooked Pitch was hacked on the 20th and we’ve been unable to post anything new since then. The site has been up and down on a daily basis as well. I think we’ve fixed most of the issues, as I can now post some of the older articles that I had in queue when the site went down.

And, if you’re seeing this post, I can post new articles as well. Sweet!!

Now that we’re back in business, content will start flowing once again.

After hitting .286 with a home run and 10 stolen bases this spring, Carlos Gomez was told that he’d won the job as the opening day center fielder for the Minnesota Twins.

Gomez is expected to hit leadoff and should show some real fantasy baseball value in the stolen base category. He’s averaged 44 stolen bases per year over the last three seasons.
photo credit: prth8machine

Today’s pitch count is 2.

1. The move had been expected ever since the Bedard trade, but George Sherrill is now, officially the Orioles closer.
2. Kerry Wood was named the Cubs closer, and now he’s hurt. Back spasms required him to miss Wednesday’s game.

If you want to get into the Crooked Pitch Fantasy Baseball League, you’d better hurry. We only have one spot left in our 12-team mixed league using standard 5X5 roto rules.

The winner of the league will receive a 2009 copy of The Baseball Prospectus as well as a 2009 Baseball Preseason Package, generously donated by the folks over at Mock Draft Central.

So, shoot me an e-mail or IM and let me know you want this final spot in the league. We’re going to be drafting Tuesday night, March 25th at 7:30.

Today’s Pitch Count is 6.

1. The Colorado Rockies still aren’t sure about their back end of the rotation or who’s going to start at second base. Denver Post writer, Patrick Saunders makes a few guesses involving Jeff Baker and Franklin Morales.
2. O’s catcher Ramon Hernandez is tired of hearing that’s he’s overpaid. So, he reported to camp in great shape and with a top-notch work ethic in hopes to turn things around from his 2007 campaign.
3. Juan Pierre might be the odd man out for the Dodgers. What was once his job to lose is now a three man race for the two corner outfield spots.
4. John Lackey won’t make his Angels debut until some time near mid-May.
5. Scott Kazmir is, most likely, headed for the DL.
6. After a conversation with Dusty Baker, John fay feels that, “If season started today, the rotation would be Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez and probably Josh Fogg.”

Kerry Wood pitched a perfect 9th inning yesterday to earn a save and more importantly, inch closer to earning the Chicago Cubs closer job.

Wood needed just six pitches to get through the inning, five of them strikes. His previous outing, he delivered six pitches — all strikes.

”Woody is making it easier,” manager Lou Piniella said. ”He has been throwing strikes. He has been going after hitters. His velocity has been good. He is mixing in some nice, hard sliders. He is getting ahead of hitters. He is really throwing the ball well.”

Piniella said Wood’s fastballs were clocked in the 95-to-98 mph range. Wood has struck out four and walked none in seven innings.

Wood has pitched seven innings of spring ball earning one save, a 3.86 ERA all while striking out five and walking none.