Every fantasy baseball season brings its own challenges. Al Melchior graciously shares his observation about his 2015 results, and how that might help him plan for 2016.
At CBSsports.com. With some references to FOMO, which I know about because I have a teenaged daughter, and TOFU, which I know about because my teenaged daughter is vegetarian. But I’m pretty sure Al means something else.
With a month left in the season we’ve crowned one Tout Wars Champion for 2015: Charlie Wiegert is Tout Wars Daily champion. But what about the other leagues? While you can alway check in on the standings and transactions by using the links in the right nav at toutwars.com, at this point it might be a good time to check in on the pennant races.
Chris Liss is having a classic Liss season, young pitching, lots of hitting, lots of risk, and is seven points ahead of Jeff Erickson and nine points ahead of Mike Podhorzer. The three have bubbled up and down around the top of the standings all season, but Liss has benefited from Chris Davis’s spectacular season, and Carlos Correa’s emergence after being called up earlier in the year. There are plenty of points in play for all three teams, up and down, for this to turn any which way at any time, but Liss is clearly the fave.
Mike Gianella is seven points ahead of standing three-time champ Tristan Cockcroft, but just two weeks ago his edge was only two points. For Cockcroft, the problem has been a freefalling pitching staff, which has won just a single game in the last 13 days, allowing Gianella to pass him. These teams have lots of points in play, too, so while you have to prefer to have the lead, there is no sitting comfortably at this point. Still, Gianella has to appreciate that he was the best team in the first half and has been the best team in the second half. Now he just has to bring it home.
At the halfway mark on the season Zach Steinhorn had a commanding lead, but that was before Fred Zinkie went to work. Zinkie was in 12th place on June 28, 39.5 points behind Steinhorn. From that point to the August 31 trading deadline he made 19 trades, and has taken a slim lead ahead of Scott Swanay and Steinhorn. Swanay was in 10th place on June 28th, and has nearly matched Zinkie in the second half. Meanwhile, Tim Heaney is just five points behind Zinkie, in fourth place. There’s a lot of pennant race to come in this one.
Adam Ronis and Paul Greco have been near the top of the standings all year long, but their weak second half performances have given Rudy Gamble a chance to open up some space ahead of them and Eno Sarris (whose had the best second half of them all). Gambles position is pretty strong, but he’s vulnerable in Wins and the pitching qualitatives,
Bret Sayre entered the last four-week contest 14.5 points ahead of Patrick Mayo and 31 points ahead of Doug Anderson. As we approach the halfway point, Sayre is 15 points behind Mayo, who has moved into a tiny lead. What looked like it might be a blowout has ended up a a nail-biter, if you’re Sayre and Mayo.
Prompted by Fred Zinkie’s Tweet, a look at the Tout Wars Mixed Auction trades of the past week.
The first trade (actually before the big 8) was classic hitting for pitching.
Al Melchior gets: Matt Carpenter StL from Scott Pianowski
Scott Pianowski gets: James McCann Det and Jacob DeGrom NYM from Al Melchior
Accepted by all parties at 2:30 PM on 05/28/2015.
Trading season usually starts about two months into the season. Melchior now needed a catcher. So he dealt.
Al Melchior gets: Carlos Perez LAA from Paul Singman
Paul Singman gets: Nick Castellanos Det from Al Melchior
Accepted by all parties at 4:21 PM on 05/28/2015.
More hitting for Melchior for more pitching.
Al Melchior gets: Mark Teixeira NYY from David Gonos
David Gonos gets: Dallas Keuchel Hou from Al Melchior
Accepted by all parties at 1:18 PM on 05/31/2015.
Maybe we should take a look at the standings on May 31. You can see today’s standings here.
The team in last place in Runs and next to last in homers, adds Teixeira and Carpenter, giving up two arms from his league-leading pitching staff. How good is the staff now?
His starters include Chris Sale, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and the youngsters, Eduardo Rodriguez and Lance McCullers. Might still be plenty good.
Fred Zinkie is usually the action trader in this league. He starts off with a small one.
Fred Zinkie gets: Danny Santana Min from Paul Singman
Paul Singman gets: 3 FAAB dollars from Fred Zinkie
Accepted by all parties at 2:30 PM on 06/01/2015.
Then, loosened up, he goes bigger.
Cory Schwartz gets: Jason Heyward StL from Fred Zinkie
Fred Zinkie gets: Kole Calhoun LAA from Cory Schwartz
Accepted by all parties at 2:10 PM on 06/03/2015.
Cory Schwartz then puts together a righteous threeway.
Cory Schwartz gets: Brandon Belt SF from Nando DiFino
Scott Pianowski gets: Andre Ethier LAD and Yonder Alonso SD and 1 FAAB dollars from Cory Schwartz. And 2 FAAB dollars from Nando DiFino
Nando DiFino gets: Avisail Garcia CWS from Scott Pianowski and Rougned Odor Tex from Cory Schwartz
Accepted by all parties at 11:04 AM on 06/05/2015.
Nando DiFino lures away a top prospect for a former ace.
Nando DiFino gets: Carlos Correa Hou from Joe Pisapia
Joe Pisapia gets: Justin Verlander Det from Nando DiFino
Accepted by all parties at 1:13 PM on 06/07/2015.
Closing the circle, Nando and Fred find common ground.
Fred Zinkie gets: Alex Rodriguez NYY from Nando DiFino
Nando DiFino gets: Wil Myers SD from Fred Zinkie
Accepted by all parties at 6:12 PM on 06/07/2015.
Scott Pianowski returns, introducing Tim Heaney to the dance.
Scott Pianowski gets: Dexter Fowler ChC from Tim Heaney
Tim Heaney gets: Billy Hamilton Cin from Scott Pianowski
Accepted by all parties at 5:21 PM on 06/07/2015.
It’s good to remember this is an OBP league when evaluating that one.
Now Pianowski and DiFino rejigger. Those 3 FAAB are the ones Pianowski picked up in the earlier deal with Nando and Cory.
Scott Pianowski gets: Salvador Perez KC from Nando DiFino
Nando DiFino gets: James McCann Det and Martin Prado Mia and 3 FAAB dollars from Scott Pianowski
Accepted by all parties at 6:14 PM on 06/07/2015.
More players move through Zinkie, as he sells low.
Ray Flowers gets: Mike Fiers Mil, Christian Yelich Mia, Drew Hutchison Tor and 2 FAAB dollars from Fred Zinkie
Fred Zinkie gets: David DeJesus TB and Starling Marte Pit from Ray Flowers
Accepted by all parties at 9:08 PM on 06/07/2015.
And finally, a small one for a big catcher, at least in the future.
Ray Flowers gets: 4 FAAB dollars from David Gonos
David Gonos gets: Blake Swihart Bos from Ray Flowers
Accepted by all parties at 2:14 PM on 06/08/2015.
What’s the final tally?
Al Melchior gets Matt Carpenter, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Perez, giving up James McCann, Jacob DeGrom, Dallas Keuchel, and Nick Castellanos.
Scott Pianowski gets Jacob DeGrom, Andre Ethier, Yonder Alonso, Dexter Fowler, and Salvador Perez, for Matt Carpenter, Avisail Garcia, Billy Hamilton, and Martin Prado.
Paul Singman got Nick Castellanos and 3 FAAB for Carlos Perez and Danny Santana.
David Gonos gets Dallas Keuchel and Blake Swihart for Mark Teixeira and 4 fAAB.
Fred Zinkie gets Danny Santana, Kole Calhoun, Alex Rodriguez, David DeJesus and Starling Marte and gives up 5 FAAB, Jason Heyward, Wil Myers, Mike Fiers, Christian Yelich, and Drew Hutchison.
Cory Schwarts gets Jason Heyward, and Brandon Belt for Kole Calhoun, Andre Ethier, Yonder Alonso, Rougned Odor, and 1 FAAB.
Nando DiFino gets Avisail Garcia, Rougned Odor, Carlos Correa, Wil Myers, James McCann, Martin Prado and 1 FAAB for Salvado Perez, Alex Rodriguez, Justin Verlander, and Brandon Belt.
Joe Pisapia gets Justin Verlander and gives Carlos Correa.
Tim Heaney gets Billy Hamilton and gives Dexter Fowler.
Ray Flowers gets Mike Fiers, Christian Yelich, Drew Hutchison and 6 FAAB for David Dejesus, Blake Swihart and Starling Marte.
The Mastersball.com crew welcomes Mark Trumbo to the American League and and Joey Gallo to the majors. Big bidding ensued this week!
Mike Gianella’s BP report for Tout AL and NL is here.
The Tout Wars auctions (and Tout X draft) are being hosted at City Crab, a restaurant on the corner of 19th Street and Park Avenue South in New York City. You can visit us there.
The Tout AL, NL and Mixed Auctions (with Tout X coverage) will be covered live, on site, by SiriusXM radio.
With a live chatroom and spreadsheet from the auctions here at toutwars.com.
The official schedule of Tout Wars events
Friday 8pm (March 20): Party with the touts at the Playwright Celtic Pub, 732 Eighth Ave. (near 47th Street). Third floor. Password is TOUT to enter.
Saturday 9am (March 21): Tout Wars AL Auction, City Crab
Saturday 3pm (March 21): Tout Wars Mixed Auction, City Crab
Saturday 4pm (March 21): Tout Wars X draft/auction, City Crab
Saturday 8pm (March 21): Party at Foleys! (18 West 33rd Street, NY). Guinness will be etching glasses!
Sunday 10am (March 22): Tout Wars NL Auction, City Crab
Straight up and painful self evaluation.
Derek Van Riper and Fred Zinkie and a handful of others battled through August and the first two weeks of September, but then Van Riper took a big step forward and won the Tout Wars Mixed Auction Crown.
Three time champ Fred Zinkie finished a distant second.
More to come.
On September 1, there was a tangle of tributes scrapping for Mixed Auction supremacy.
But since then Derek Van Riper has been on a run. In the September standings he has scored 121 points, with Zach Steinhorn (104), Fred Zinkie (101.5), Ray Guilfoyle (95.5) and Al Melchior (95.5) trailing.
The contending teams have done well, but none so well as Derek. Today, before the start of the season’s final nine days, he leads Fred Zinkie by seven points.
Can Van Riper be caught?
Let’s take a closer look at the categories, and see who could gain, and if Derek can lose. The numbers are (points to be gained/points to be lost).
RUNS
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+2/-.5)
Steinhorn (+1/-2)
Melchior (0/-3)
Guilfoyle (+.5/-1.5)
HOME RUNS
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
RBI
Van Riper (0/-1) Eight ahead of Melchior.
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (+1/0) Eight behind Van Riper, who has five more RBI in September.
Guilfoyle (0/-1)
STOLEN BASES
Van Riper (+.5/-.5)
Zinkie (+.5/-.5)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
OBP
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+2/-1)
Steinhorn (+2/-2)
Melchior (+1/0)
Guilfoyle (+1/=1)
OVERALL HITTING
Van Riper (+.5/-1.5)
Zinkie (+4.5/-2)
Steinhorn (+4/-4)
Melchior (+2/-3)
Guilfoyle (+1.5/-3.5)
WINS
Van Riper (+1.5/-1)
Zinkie (0/-.5)
Steinhorn (0/-2.5)
Melchior (+1/0)
Guilfoyle (+1.5/-1.5)
SAVES
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (0/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (+1/0)
ERA
Van Riper (0/0)
Zinkie (+1/0)
Steinhorn (0/0)
Melchior (0/-1)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
WHIP
Van Riper (+3/-2)
Zinkie (0/-1)
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (+3/-1)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
STRIKEOUTS
Van Riper (0/0) Van Riper is only six K ahead of Davitt, but has 203 Ks this month, opposed to Patrick’s 130.
Zinkie (+2/-2) Zinkie has far fewer K this month than Heaney and Pianowski, but trails them by five and three respectively. There’s room for a miracle.
Steinhorn (+1/0)
Melchior (0/0)
Guilfoyle (0/0)
OVERALL PITCHING
Van Riper (+4.5/-3)
Zinkie (+3/-3.5)
Steinhorn (+2/-2.5)
Melchior (+4/-2)
Guilfoyle (+2.5/-1.5)
OVERALL OVERALL
Van Riper (+5/-4.5)
Zinkie (+7.5/-5.5)
Steinhorn (+6/-6.5)
Melchior (+6/-5)
Guilfoyle (+4/-5)
POINT RANGE (Max/Min)
Van Riper (123/113.5)
Zinkie (118.5/104.5)
Steinhorn (112/99.5)
Melchior (109/98)
Guilfoyle (106.5/97)
The bottom line here is that Van Riper can get out of harm’s way, but Zinkie has a chance to catch him. No one else does.
