THT Links: Six More Days

So the highly anticipated THT Fantasy League draft took place last Friday, and while my hitting sucks (starting outfield/designated hitter: Jason Bay, J.D. Drew, Brian Giles and Barry Bonds), my starting pitching should be the best in the league, with Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, John Smoltz, Dan Haren and Josh Beckett.

Many readers emailed to ask why the THT league would be a traditional 5×5 league. While there are now many leagues that attempt to use linear weights or runs created, I feel like if you’re going to go with realism, you have to go all the way, which means using a real simulator (like Diamond Mind Baseball), 40-man rosters, minor leagues, the whole works. I like fantasy baseball precisely because it’s not totally real; that makes it more fun for me, probably because I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking seriously about baseball as it is. Certainly, I’m not knocking more saber oriented leagues; just throwing out one commissioner’s reasoning.

Payton Out For Three Weeks – The Orioles will be missing outfield acquisition Jay Payton for up to three weeks with a hamstring strain. Normally with this type of injury, I’d discuss that fantasy implications, but if you have Payton, there’s probably no amount of analysis that can help you anyway.

Fish Close Deal – Jorge Julio will serve as the closer in Florida after being dealt yesterday, with pitching prospect Yusmeiro Petit going back to Arizona. Deals like this are why I never draft closers in the first 15 rounds of my draft. No one drafted Julio in the THT draft last week, but now he’s almost as good a bet as anyone to rack up 20 or 30 saves, he’ll get strikeouts and given the small number of innings he’s going to pitch, even if he’s not that great, it won’t really impact your rate stats that much.

Almonte Turns Pro – Former Little League sensation Danny Almonte has caught on in the independent Frontier League. According to his new manager, he’s been sporting a 90 mph fastball. Who knows? The kid is left-handed. We may very well have not heard the last of him.

Cardboard Gods – The entertaining Cardboard Gods blog has moved to Baseball Toaster. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this baseball-card themed blog, you should do it. If you don’t enjoy it, you didn’t have a childhood.

Spring Blossoms – Dan Fox takes a look around the majors at rookies who have impressed this spring.

Female Ump to Work Game – Ria Cortesio, a Double-A umpire, will call this Thursday’s game between the Cubs and Diamondbacks, and is the first female to call a game in almost two decades.

Penny Returns Pain Free… – … but gives up three runs and five walks in four innings in his first outing in in 10 days. Remember when Brad Penny, Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett and Ryan Dempster were supposed to take the majors by storm? Now, none of them are with the Marlins. As always. TINSTAAPP.

Carl Pavano?? – I knew by all the hype surrounded Jeff Karstens that the Yankees rotation had question marks (shades of Aaron Small, anyone?), but reading that Carl Pavano will likely be the Yankees Opening Day starter definitely made me cackle with glee.

Final Decisions – As silly as this sounds, roster construction is one of the most interesting parts of the game to me. I can see the entire game through its lens; from the drafts, trades and signings that formed the roster to the actual performances in games that result from it. Two more teams, the Tigers and the Brewers, have set their rosters for Opening Day. Two more die have been cast.

Walker Released – The Padres, with a glut of infield depth, have released Todd Walker. He probably still has enough stick to help someone as a platoon starter at second base or a stopgap, but if you thought to yourself, “Hey, Todd Walker! He might still have something left!” your team is probably in trouble.

Crystal Ball – John Sickels looks in his crystal ball. What future does he see for Chris B. Young?

Today at THT

Five Questions: Philadelphia Phillies – Pat the Bat, trashing Flash and other Phil-ups.

Five Questions: Flordia Marlins – Will the Marlins’ talented youngsters suffer from a sophomore slump?

The Virtual 1966 San Francisco Giants: Part 2 – Just how special was the 1960s Giants’ pat hand?

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