Odds and Ends

Ok, just sort of some random pieces Gammons style if you will.
- MLB All-Star game is tonight. I plan on watching it, but do I really care about it? No. Not at all. There is just really nothing else on to watch.
- Cisco Brewing Company, you make some nice beers, and you Cherry Woods was a very nice sour beer, but selling it for 23.99/750ml is a bit on the high side, don't you think? I can get a 16oz at Rose Alley in New Bedford for $8 or so.
- Speaking of Rose Alley, what a GREAT place to get some great beers at good prices. The upstairs has a lot of solid micros which are a bit more common, but the downstairs has your Belgians and super specialty beers. I highly recommend going. Food is pretty decent as well with good prices.
- East Ave Cafe in Pawtucket now has 81 lines for beers. That means you may be able to get 30 good beers there, however, most will be at a high price. The place isn't cheap.
- BBC continues to impress me each and every time I have one of their beers. Had a Steel Rail Pale Ale last night and loved it. The Lost Sailer IPA is good and on nitro is heavenly. Never had an IPA on nitro and this was just a great one in that regard.
- Strasburg has been pretty nice so far hasn't he? Would have been messed up if he had made the all-star team though.
- Sour beers tend to be very nice to drink when it is hot outside. I have had a bunch lately and have started to enjoy them more and more, especially Flanders Red styles.
- Speaking of Flanders Red, had a VERY nice Jolly Pumpkin La Roja. It is classified on BA as an American Wild Ale, but it really seems like a Flanders Red. Another good beer from Jolly Pumpkin.
- My fantasy teams are hurting me. It is tough when I have to count on Jon Garland for production (even if he is having a very good year which I had thought he would).
- Just picked up, or should I say had handed down, an iphone. It is an older one, 2nd gen I think, but it is nice to actually be in the world of internet on the go if I need it.
- Is it bad that when I picked up some bread last week and saw that it was dark wheat, that I immediately thought "ooo, a dunkel weiss!"?
- Red Sox need a relief pitcher in a bad way. I think Scott Downs from the Blue Jays is the perfect guy. Ok, Theo, go and get him!


That is all for now. I won't promise to update this blog more often. That is an exercise in futility, but I am hopeful.

Fantasy Team, Take 1

Ok, so I have three fantasy baseball teams this year. Two of them are multi-year keeper leagues and the third may end up being that way (hoping so). Anyway, so I wanted to put my fantasy drafted teams up here to talk about. Let's start with the ADA one (American Drinkers Association). This was a forum draft in the yahoo group that we have. Give's more time to think than a live draft and works out well, but we have to start REAL early to get it done. Let's start with my keepers from last year (complicated system, not going to get into it exactly):

1. 1B - Miguel Cabrera
2. C - Chris Iannetta
3. LF/CF - Jayson Werth
4. SP - Zack Greinke
5. SP - John Lackey
6. RF - Justin Upton
7. 2B/3B - Ian Stewart
8. SP/RP - Phil Hughes

Oh yeah, positions we have are C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, Util, Util, SP, SP, SP, SP, SP, RP, RP, RP, P, P, Bench x 10, DL x 2.

So, from my keepers, I get solid production at first in Cabrera. My early round picks last year from whence I get to pick this group were not too great, thus Cabrera was the best of what was there. Iannetta is someone I really like for the long term. Werth just adds a lot of all-around value. Greinke was a steal for me last year and a must keep. Lackey is solid and if his spring is any indication, set for a big a year. Upton was the steal of all steals in round 19 last year. Stewart I think could also have a big year with nice position flexibility. Hughes has potential.

Anyway, on to the rest of my picks from here on out:

9. SS Jimmy Rollins - I jumped at the chance to pick up the top SS available. Not sure how he wasn't kept to be honest.
10. LF Matt Holliday - A great pickup here as well in my opinion.
11. 2B Brandon Phillips - May end up being another great pick. I like his game all around too.
12. 1B Lance Berkman - I wanted another slugger to fill out my UTIL spots and Berkman fell a bit. But, with his current injury, this may not be the best pick.
13. RP Huston Street - I HATE picking closers this early, but there was a run and I wanted someone at least. His hurting in spring is hurting me now.
14. CF Torii Hunter - Fell a bit and I can never understand why. This guy is consistent every year. I love this pick.
15. C Mike Napoli - If this guy is ever the true full time catcher, he will be a star.
16. 3B Adrian Beltre - God, I hope this wasn't hometown bias on this pick.
17. RP Leo Nunez - Good value here. Would have preferred to start my closer picking here.
18. SP Mark Buehrle - Maybe a bit of a reach. Probably could have waited a couple of rounds for him.
19. RF Ryan Ludwick - Potential for a strong rebound. Good chance in the 19th round.
20. SS Steven Drew - Good backup with potential upside as well.
21. SP Johnny Cueto - This guy is just solid. Hoping he really breaks out this year.
22. RP JP Howell - This pick looked much better three weeks ago.
23. SP Colby Lewis - Gambling on Colby, but at this point, worth the shot.
24. RP Latroy Hawkins - Holds ARE a category in my league.
25. LF/1B Kyle Blanks - More of a long-term project but someone I really like.
26. SP Jon Garland - Pitching in San Diego? Heck yeah, I'll take me some Garland.
27. SP Bronson Arroyo - Nice pick up this late for some good upside especially with his 2nd half last year.
28. SP Chris Tillman - He'll be up before too long.
29. LF Michael Taylor - Same that can be said for Tillman.
30. SP Oliver Perez - I still remember how good he was in Pittsburgh. I mean, seriously, this was the 30th round.

Ok, so there we have it. I am pretty solid with hitting and a little behind on pitching, but I think I can make it work. I finished 2nd in the league last year, so I am back to win it this year. I have multiple players positioned all over the place. Nice depth all in all. If the pitching can hold out, this will be a very strong team I think and I will again be near the top. Lots of upside on this team as well I think.

Next time I will post my other major team that was done in a live draft.