Fantasy Journal, Week II

In Week 2 of the Fantasy Experiment things didn’t go quite as well as in Week 1. What was a close race at the time I had finished the inaugural Journal on Tuesday devolved steadily into a rout by the end of the week, slapping me with my first loss of the young season. Clearly Laissez-Faire isn’t going to quite carry me all the way to the title. I’m going to need to do SOMETHING. At least that was how I felt in the aftermath of that beatdown. But what? I started pondering my options for trades and the like, but to give you a clearer picture of the situation, I’d better give you my roster. Here’s my actual lineup from last Friday, the 16th:

Washington Hot Chicks

C Ryan Doumit, PIT (C)
1B Miguel Cabrera, DET (1B)
2B Brandon Phillips, CIN (2B)
3B Chone Figgins, SEA (2B, 3B)
SS Rafael Furcal, LAD (SS)
OF Jason Bay, NYM (OF)
OF Alex Rios, CWS (OF)
OF Michael Cuddyer, MIN (1B, OF)
UTIL Bobby Abreu, LAA (OF)

P Chad Billingsley, LAD (SP)
P Joel Pineiro, LAA (SP)
SP Tim Lincecum, SF (SP)
SP John Danks, CWS (SP)
RP Francisco Cordero, CIN (RP)
RP Matt Thornton, CWS, (RP)

BENCH Grady Sizemore, CLE (OF)
BENCH Adrian Gonzalez, SD (1B)
BENCH Billy Butler, KC (1B)
BENCH Johnny Damon, DET (OF)

BENCH Brett Anderson, OAK (SP)
BENCH Rich Harden, TEX (SP)

My first thought was that I looked a little thick in the OF/1B department, so I started suggesting to the league that I was shopping a couple of them around. But for what? Since I lacked depth in the infield I figured I would benefit from acquiring some multi-positional players who could back up more than one guy and keep me scoring on those days without a lot of games. My first thoughts went of course to Youk or Victor, but I didn’t go after a trade for either of them, afraid my heart would lead me to overpay (plus Victor is inexplicably listed as only a catcher).

I also wanted relief pitching, specifically closers. If I could load up on top-ten closers, I would have lots of save and K points coming in more steadily than they do when I have to wait for my starters for five days. The problem with pitchers in our league is that they have as many ways to lose points as they do to gain them, so your cash cows really are your position players. And among those position players, none are more valuable than the big boppers in the 1B/OF vein. Thus I wasn’t sure if I was on the right track, and ended up doing nothing at all, except putting my needs and wants out there and seeing if anyone made me an offer.

Over the weekend, as I was being obliterated, the league manager John offered me Gordon Beckham, who plays second and third, for Billy Butler, one of my many first basemen. Billy had scored a few more points than Gordon up to that time, but Beckham would diversify my bench and make me a bit more nimble, and it was impossible to get all those 1Bs into my lineup. So, as much to get one under my fantasy belt as anything, I agreed to the trade. I did something. I wonder how long it will be until I regret it.

As I am pondering all these options Dan, a buddy of mine from college, was busy eviscerating my team by over two hundred points. Some of this was due to underperformance by guys like Jason Bay, but overall I feel like I can’t complain about my boys too bad. Joel Pineiro, one of my few free agency moves, is even panning out thus far. The Hot Chicks started out strong to blow out Hoops, after all. Remember when I beat his ass in Week 1? No dice last week though, and part of it is I just ran into a brick wall. I had the second highest point total in week one with 605, but Dan came out last week and dropped an unprecedented 729 on my ass with great malice. Sometimes you just run into a Mack truck. That’s why I don’t want to overreact, but I also don’t want to stand idly by while the arms race of the league passes me by. So I got me a couple free agents (while cutting fat like Sizemore, who I think is way overrated), including the Astros' new closer Matt Lindstrom and good ol’ Alex Gonzalez, who I wish was still on the Sox. Speaking of the Sox, I don’t have a one, but I think I might actually be happy about that. I doubt I could deal with the compounded heartbreak of watching JD Drew and Victor Martinez kill Boston rallies as well as my fantasy dreams. Still though, maybe I’ll trade for Pedey, haha.

So we’ll see what happens. I don’t think I am done making moves but I certainly don’t know whether any of the ones I have made have been beneficial. Time and this week’s match-up will tell, and then I’ll tell you next week.