Digital Chaos Media

Fantasy baseball approacheth; amazingly pitchers and catchers will report in less than 45 days.  Fantasy baseball drafts are already taking place, and if you’re not mocking 2009 the day after 2008, you’re way behind.  With that in mind, here is Vigga’s take on position-by-position rankings in a 6×6 (that’s BB’s or OBP added to a standard 5×5) keeper league.  The numbers beside the player’s name in parentheses provide a way to measure the player across positions so that you can use this info as a draft sheet as well.  I’ll also throw in some sleepers after ranking the cream of the crop… Definite keepers are ranked 7 and up.

The Tip-Top:

1. Albert Pujols (9.5) - This ranking is questionable only because Pujols’ arm is expected to explode into a season-ending mess at some point from now until the end of his career.  But if Dr. J. Andrews can’t figure out what’s going on in there, then what’s the point in guessing?  By nearly every statistical measure, he is the most dominant hitter ever through the first 8 seasons of a career.  He plays over 150 games a year, and you can notch him in for 40 HR, a .330 AVG and a 1.05 OPS.  Plus, he’ll give you a half-dozen swiped bases a season, which ain’t bad from the 1B position.  Silly.
2. Miguel Cabrera (9.5) - As a young buck in the Marlin’s system, Cabrera put up astoundingly well-rounded numbers in his early 20’s, but after an off-season trade to the Tigers a regimen of weightlifting and plyometrics left the hefty 1B unhappy and underweight last April.  Seemingly powered by Ho-Hos and Juju Bees, as Miguel put on weight (how do you put on weight during the MLB’s rigorous season?) throughout the course of last season, he seemed to return to his pre-2008 form.  He’s a natural power hitter, with good lift and ample doubles on top of 35 or so homers a year.  2008 saw Cabrera’s OBP take an unnatural drop from his career arc, so while he may strike out 120 times I’d look for 65+ BB on top of a .320 AVG and 130 RBI.  To be honest, I was tempted to move Cabrera ahead of Pujols because he’s 3 years younger, but we need to see some increased plate discipline before Miguel is crowned the keeper king. [Read more →]
   

Some reflections on Greg “Mad Dog” Maddux as he fades into the sunset…

If you’re like me, you never saw Mike Jordan or Wayne Gretsky play their passion live.  It’s an unfortunate reflection of not being a Knicks fan and loving the Red Wings while living in New York.  With great confidence, then, I say that Greg Maddux is the greatest athlete I ever had the honor of watching play in person.

A dominating presence wrapped up in a mathematicians body, Maddux’s career will be judged kindly by history as clean in an era often viewed through the filthy lens of performance enhancing drugs.  He was, in many ways, the cure to what ailed us after Sosa and McGwire broke our collective heart.  And while he may be an enduring symbol of what is right with our American pastime, the Mad Dog will be best remembered as a player who was unfailingly more bite than bark: [Read more →]

As I sat on my recliner, cigarette in one hand and brew in the other, watching Brad Lidge close out the ninth, giving the Phillies their first title since 1980, I felt sick to my stomach.  My mets once again couldn’t get the job done in September. Lets us take a look a closer look at the Phillies, the so called “world champs.”  A solid offensive squad, I’ll give them that, fortunate to be in a park that transforms them into an even greater force.  Their rotation consisting of Cole Hammels, Cole Hammels and um that lefty. What’s his name, oh yeah Cole Hammels… I mean lets be honest here, their rotation is as deep as a puddle.  Bullpen… Yeah their setup guys are legit, and then you have Brad Lidge… Mr. Lidge, who couldn’t show his face in Houston where he was as reliable as my Johnson after drinking a bottle of Jack. Yet when he goes to Philadelphia, it’s lights out, not blowing one save all year. [Read more →]