Year: 2010

SCHECHTER: Time to Forgive Manny?

By Larry Schechter, three-time Tout Mixed champion

The e-mail from Scott Pianowski arrived at 6:20 PM on Thursday, May 6th. It read “Morgan for Manny sounds fair to me. Want to do that?” I knew I had to do it. I had to make this trade. But I also knew it was going to take me a little while to process. I was going to need at least a couple of hours before I could say yes.

As a junior in high school growing up near Albany, NY, I jumped on the Red Sox bandwagon in 1975 and have been a die-hard Red Sox fan ever since.

I ended up going to college at Boston University, and stayed in Boston after college until 1993, when I moved back to the Albany area. I was at the Bucky Dent game. I was at the first Clemens 20 Ks game. I was a season ticket holder the last three years I lived in Boston. I have gone back every year to see at least a couple of regular season games and I’ve been at several playoff games.

When I began playing fantasy baseball back in the early 1990s, I quickly learned to separate my rooting desires and my fantasy team. In fact, it didn’t take long before I always made my fantasy team #1 over the Red Sox or any other considerations. I’ve often had more Yankees than Red Sox on my various teams. But the thought of acquiring Manny for my Tout Wars team was troubling. Manny had always been one of my favorites. It was a joy to watch him hit and root for him. He was my son’s second favorite player after Big Papi. Continue reading “SCHECHTER: Time to Forgive Manny?”

Mike Gianella concedes Tout NL title, almost

Despite a strong push out of the basement, thanks to the revival of Alfonso Soriano and Hanley Ramirez, Mike doesn’t think he has enough horses to win Tout NL. He’ll surely be happy to be wrong, too.

Classic Tout NL Trades

Lenny Melnick and Paul Greco traded Hunter Pence to Brian Walton today, for Tim Hudson and Jairo Garcia, in a classic hitting for pitching swap.

While Scott Pianowski dealt Manny Ramirez to Larry Schechter for Nyjer Morgan in a classic power for speed deal, in a rare deal between the first and second place teams.

What’s Not to Like?

As we pass the first month pole, Jason Grey is running away with Tout AL, Tristan Cockcroft and Larry Schechter sit atop Tout NL (with Scott Pianowski, Brian Walton and Phil Hertz within striking distance), while Andy Behrens has a commanding lead in Tout Mixed.

Perry Van Hook is in fourth place in Tout Mixed, and likes his chances of moving up.

Tout NL Trade: Zola and Hertz

The picture is of Ike Davis, because Phil Hertz opened a slot on his active roster for Davis on April 26 by trading Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez and Arizona outfielder Chris Young to Todd Zola for a pair of Ryans: Cubs pitcher Dempster and Pirates outfielder Church.

“And with that, Phil Hertz begins the Ike Davis era,” said Larry Schechter.

“I prefer to look at it as the end of the Micah Hoffpauir era myself :(” said Todd Zola.

Tout Mixed: Blockbuster Deal

Eric Mack, Dave Gonos and Nando DiFino have pulled off a three-way deal involving nine players and a little bit of FAAB. Eric Mack invites you to vote on which side of the deal you like at CBSSports.com.