20 Resims: #22 - dogphin29

At the end of each season owners may submit a new lineup that is used in the 20 Resim competition.  This competition is purely for speculation and is used as a gauge to determine who had the best draft.  The true ATB champion remains the World Series winner.


20 seasons are automatically simulated and compiled.  No lineup changes are allowed and injuries are turned off.  Through a formula that considers Win-Loss record, Playoff Appearances, and Pythagorean Record the teams are ranked in order from worst to first. 


Special thanks to Justin B who provided the formula and methodology behind the raw park OPS values, which provides a new way to interpret park factors.

Selecting Randy Johnson and Christy Mathewson with their top 2 draft picks, Dogphin29 attempted to construct a strong pitching squad but ultimately chose historically great, as opposed to ATB great, starting pitchers.  This is a common mistake among first year owners.  By all means one can win with a pitching first team but you need one of the few ATB stars to accomplish the trick.  Here, the wrong Johnson year was used and the lefty ended up with a 1.55 WHIP.  Mathewson finished with a 4.41 ERA.

Still, with a 4.30 team ERA they were respectable in most contests. Brandon Webb (see below) was a nice surprise and the bullpen featured Ellis Kinder (3.28 ERA) and two other moderately successful relievers in Tom House (136 IP, 3.78 ERA) and Doug Brocail (3.77 ERA).

The real issue for dogphin29 was the lineup.  Scoring just 628 runs, the team was ranked 2nd to last.  Only 1 full time starter, Jim Thome, has an OPS over .700.  Left handed platooners Spud Johnson (.704 OPS) and Jack Fournier (.411 SLG) were respectable.

Next season we’d like to see what Paul O’Neill can do with more playing time.  The hot tempered right fielder batted .281 / .342 / .378 in 76 AB per season (1,520 overall at bats), third highest on the squad but had virtually no playing time.

800 OPS Batters: 
Jim Thome: .825 OPS, .258 / .362 / .463, 36 HR, 91 RBI

Sub 4.00 ERA Starters
None

Sub 3.25 ERA Relievers
None

Best Value Draft Pick
Rd 18-Brandon Webb: 4.02 ERA, 194 IP, 10 W

Bust Draft Pick
Rd 3-Jackie Robinson: .655 OPS,

Tally
#24 - Downsouth Brews
#23 - Leesburg Snow
#22 – dogphin29

Standings Summary

The American League playoff picture solidified this week, with two long shot hopefuls struggling and all but falling out of the playoff picture.  The Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters, once within 2 games of the Gold Country Gossamers, suffered through a 3-9 week and are now 5 games out of the wild card race with 26 contests remaining.  Stranger things have happened of course, but odds are the Pinata Beaters are missing the playoffs.

Elsewhere, the Willets Point "Mechanics", also once within two games of the playoffs, are now 5 out thanks to a 4-10 week that saw the team drop to 4th place the AL West.  While the division leading Shadows and Hoplites struggled around .500, the Planet 10 Red Lectroids won 9 of 14 and are 4.5 games out and in third place

Finally, an interesting item to note are the DC Chips.  Arguably the best team in AL over the past  3 months, the Chips went 9-3 and are 7.5 games out of the Wild Card.  On a roll and faced with a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way, it will be interesting if they could knock another 4 games off the lead heading into next week.

Around the Horn

• Danny Haren (BIC) was winless in three starts this week despite a 2.25 ERA and 16-5 K/BB ratio
• The Chips choose to carry just 9 pitchers on the roster.  One of them was injured this week, and Goose Gossage struggled a bit with a 4.32 ERA in 8 innings.  The rest of the staff held down a 1.69 ERA in 120 innings, giving up just 92 hits
• Christy Mathewson (D29) went 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA
• Carl Hubbell (GCG) went 2-1 with a 1.13 ERA
• Mark McGwire (SPB) hit 5 home runs
• Norm Cash (TWP) batted .356 / .415 / .644
• Dazzy Vance won 3 games for the Shadows
• Willie Mays (IBS) smacked 5 home runs of his own
• While Jeff Bagwell (PRL) topped them both with 7
• Babe Herman (SH) batted .456 with 17 RBI
• Tim Burke (URB) appeared in 9 games, won 2, and held down a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings
• Tip O'Neill (WPM) batted .419 / .471 / 515

Week 8 Standings Summary

The most interesting of American League races is proving to be out West, with 5 of the 6 teams clearly in the playoff hunt.   "Interesting" is in the eye of the beholder however, as one can argue the West is the worst division in ATB.  Only one team, the Brighton Shadows, has a record of at least .500 and they accomplished it by the skin of their teeth, winning 8 of 14 this Sim, ending the week at 57-55.

Behind them are the Sparta Hoplites, a team with a +3 Run Differential and sitting a game under .500.  The Shadows, at +35, are clearly the team to beat in the West at this point.  Similarly, with the best of the teams in rest of the division at -30, the Hoplites are clearly the Wild card favorites.

A trio of teams are in the next tier, averaging 7 games under .500 and a -35 run differential - Willets Point, Indiana, and Planet 10.  Finally, Uncle Robbie brings up the rear, 28 games under .500 with a -108 run differential.

While the AL East features a ho-hum Wild Card Race and a non existent Division race, it sports arguably the three best teams in the league.  The Carnies, Gossamers, and Pinata Beaters are 1, 2, and 3 in Wins and Run Differential.  Their well rounded attacks, both with the offense and pitching staff, truly separates these three teams from the rest of the field.  The Carnies are ranked 2nd in both runs scored and runs prevented, the Gossamers 7th and 3rd, and the Pinata Beaters 9th and 6th.  They are the only teams in the Top 10 in both categories.

If the had the luxury of playing in the West, the Chips would be in the Wild Card hunt, but in the East they find themselves 12.5 games back.  Behind them are the World Police and dogphin29, 17 and 20.5 games out of the Wild card respectively.

This Week Around the League

• Tris Speaker (GCG) batted .428 / .463 / .469
• Fred Dunlap (SPB) hit .412 with 7 extra base hits and 15 RBI
• Johnny Mize (BIC) is holding up his end of the platoon bargain, he hit .480 / .519 / 1.120 with a 1.639 OPS against righties
• Jim Thome (d29) teed off belting 5 HR
• Mickey who?  Benny kauff (TWP) batted .412 with 4 2B, 1 3B, and 2 HR
• The Black Sox hit 20 team Home Runs this week; Kevin Mitchell led the way with 8
• Joe Jackson (SH) scored 12 runs and batted .451 with a .548 OBP

• Johnny Podres (DCC) pitched in 29+ innings, giving up just 5 runs (1.53 ERA)
• Danny Darwin (SPB) continues to impress, and threw another great 19 IP this week (1.89 ERA)
• Brett Saberhagen (PRL) went 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in 3 starts
• Randy Johnson (d29) struck out 28 in 18 innings
• Clayton Kershaw is the third "Mechanics" pitcher to win the Player of the Week award
• Justin Verlander (BS) went 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA; he tossed 2 complete games
• Mel Parnell (URB) remains a bright spot on a struggling team, we won 2 of 3 with a 2.38 ERA

Standings Summary

American League
A week ago, the Planet 10 Red Lectroids were coming off a 5-10 sim and hanging on to a Wild Card spot by a measly half a game.  Their plummet has continued this week, losing 8 of 11 in Sim 6, and are now 3.5 games out of the playoff picture.  It was their offense that failed them, mustering only a .233 / .297 / .315 line as a team.   We'll call out the infield as a whole as the biggest culprits: Jeff Bagwell, Phil Rizzuto, Alex Rodriguez, and Larry Doyle combined for a an OPS in the .400s.

The slide allowed the Sparta Hoplites (8-6 on the week) to move into the Wild Card Lead.  Up and down all season long, the Hoplites are a game over .500 and a game off the division lead.  Babe Herman was the team's key batter during the sim, hitting 4 home runs and driving in 13.  He batted .360 / .441 / .640.

The Brighton Shadows narrowly kept the division lead after a week of mediocre play.  With a team ERA of 3.25, their pitching was superb, the one worry on the staff is Justin Verlander.  Pitching brilliantly for the first 5 sims, Verlander went 0-3 with a 4.74 ERA.  As a new player without a baseline, it is difficult to tell how good he really is.  The good news is despite the high ERA he still pitched effectively, giving up less than a hit per inning and strikeout 15 batters in 19 innings.

Finally in the West, Uncle Robbie and Willets Point had good weeks as well.  The Daffiness Boys find themselves 12 games out of the Wild Card and have a lot of work to do if they have a chance at competing for a playoff spot in 3-months.  The "Mechanics" hopes are more realistic with only 5.5 games to make up.  If they receive more weeks from their staff like this one - 2.36 ERA - watch out.

Over in the East, the status quo remains.  The Carnie's, Gossamers, and Pinata Beaters are the best in the division and likely the best in the American League as well.  The Pinata Beaters struggled, losing 3 games in the Wild Card race during the sim.  Richie Asburn recorded a .520 OPS and much of the bullpen struggled. Joe Grzenda, Cla Meredith, Pat Jarvis, and Paul Wilson combined to go 1-4 with a 8.47 ERA.

Around The League
- Orator Shaffer (BIC) finally came alive, batting .414 / .443 / .638 this week
- Tris Speaker (GCG) batted .327 and scored 13
- Fred Dunlap (SPB) had a 1.020 OPS and 17 RBI
- Norm Cash (TWP) led the league in RC/27 at 10.1
- Joe Jackson (SH) had a .466 OBP

- Reliever Dale Murray (WPM) had 4 wins in 6.2 innings of work
- Dennis Eckersley (DCC) had a 0.67 ERA in 13 IP
- Christy Mathewson (D29) threw 2 complete games and had a 1.80 ERA in three starts
- Roger Clemens (URB) led the league in K's with 25 in 26.2 IP
- Joakim Soria (WPM) had 5 saves in 6 games.

All Star Rotation - American League

I so wanted to add Haren and have 3 Carnies in the Starting Rotation

With a combined record of 21-5, teammates Curt Schilling and Jerry Reuss head the AL all-start rotation.  Schilling has been flat out dominant, striking out 118 against just 22 walks in 114 innings.

In the third rotation slot is Willie Mitchell, who is arguably having a better season than Schilling or Reuss.  His injuries have kept him to just 73 IP and therefore gets slotted in behind the two Carnies. 

Nels Potter and Carl Hubbell have stellar ERA's of 2.03 and 2.26 respectively, but their peripherals aren't quite as good as the others so they end up the AL's 4th and 5th men.

The ERA's out of the bullpen hurt the eyes they're so good.  Cla Meredith and Joakim Soria each have marks in the 0.60's and the rest of the pen averages a 1.66 ERA combined: Dennis Eckersley in long relief, Billy Wagner as the lefty setup, and Tim Burke as the righty setup

Average Lines

SP: 9-3, 2.24 ERA, 100 IP, 83 H, 26 BB, 60 K, 1.07 WHIP, 2.36 RCERA

RP: 4-1, 1.25 ERA,, 49 IP, 32 H, 11 BB, 32 K, 0.89 WHIP, 1.60 RCERA

Not everyone can be an all-star, these pitchers narrowly missed the cut:

Danny Haren (BIC) - 2.32 RCERA

Chris Carpenter (SPB) - 2.56 ERA

Tex Hughson (GCG) - 2.66 ERA

Christy Mathewson (D29) - 2.75 ERA

Babe Adams (SPB) - 10 W, 2.94 ERA

Rafael Soriano (SH) - 1.45 ERA

Steve Howe (BIC) - 1.69 ERA

Jeff Zimmerman (BIC) - 1.74 RCERA

Octavio Dotel (TWP) - 18 Sv, 2.02 ERA

Mike Jackson (BIC) - 1.69 CERA

Catching Up On the New Guys (again!)

We’re almost halfway complete with our season and it’s a good time to once again check in on how the new guys are doing. 

Looking at the staring pitchers that are still getting full playing time (or close enough), Jerry Reuss (Carnies), Lefty Stewart (Fishbiscuits), and Justin Verlander (Shadows) are each among the best at the position.  Reuss at 10-1 with a 2.18 ERA remains top of the newest class of ATB starting pitchers.  As a group, these starters are averaging a 3.85 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, which is right around the league average.

 

Four relievers have excelled as well.  Mike Adams (Banana Bears) is the best of the bunch, holding down a 1.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 2.26 RCERA in just over 33 innings of work.  David Robertson (Black Sox), a new Steve Bedrosian (Brews), and Jonathan Broxton (Orators) have performed nearly as well, but do show slightly worse peripherals.  This group of relievers averages a 3.72 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 3.94 RCERA combined.

This last group of pitchers hasn’t had much of an opportunity to play or have been dropped outright.  A few, such as Carlos Marmol (Thrill), Frank Arellanes (Carnies), George Sherril (Shadows), and Sergio Romo (Gossamers) likely deserve a bit more attention from their owners, they are performing quite well.

Moving onto batters, three new players have been utilized on a full time basis – Miguel Cabrera (Snow), Matt Kemp (dogphin29), and Jacoby Ellsbury (Snow).  All are playing offensive minded positions and all are among the worst at those positions.  Even Ellsbury, who had a tremendous start, has just about worn out his welcome.  Their days as starting players are numbered.

This next batch of batters has all been in platoons or has garnered playing time on a part time basis.  Six of the thirteen have been of much use to their owners, especially Harry Walker (Gossamers), Ned Williamson (Carnies), and Jimmy Ryan (Piñata Batters).  High profile picks such as Ryan Braun and Mike Napoli have struggled, but held their own when looking at positional quality.  And nothing good has come off the bat of Troy Tulowitzki (“Mechanics”) and Jose Bautista (“Mechanics again, oof).

Everyone else has had minimal playing time, but one can’t help but wonder what Fred Snodgrass (1.063 OPS) and Jim Viox (.380 OBP at 2B) have to do in order to impress the Orators sufficiently to get some more playing time.

Checking In on the New Guys

With 24 teams, the 79 resims, and a focus on defense we saw a record number of new players drafted this season.  By my count, prior opening day 86 new players were added to our league database.  It’s not even mid-May in sim time, but I thought it would be interesting to take a look at how some of these players have performed.

Batters
Only three new position players have accumulated over 125 at bats and one is clearly off to the best start.  Jacoby Ellsbury, a somewhat surprising 6th round pick by the Leesburg Snow, is batting a robust .301 / .347 / .485 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI.  Jay H couldn’t have asked for more out if Vg/1 defensive rating center fielder.

The Snow also gambled on a new Miguel Cabrera year – 2011 – and that choice hasn’t worked out as well.  The 16th rounder is struggling with a .655 OPS out of the DH spot, but does have 18 RBI to his credit. 

The third batter, Matt Kemp, is just plain bad, batting .230 / .262 / 259 for dogphin29.  The center fielder has struggled each week and is in serious jeopardy of riding the bench, a bad sign for a 9th round selection.

Nine others have played enough to warrant mentioning.  Jimmy Ryan 1888 (Piñata Beaters) is off to a stellar start, batting .348 / .423 / .522 in a platoon. The Banana Bears Ryan Braun (2011) is showing some pop, but his .313 OBP is preventing him from starting every day. 

The rest of the field leaves a lot to be desired
.601 OPS – 2011 Jose Bautista (“Mechanics”)
.574 OPS – 2011 Mike Napoli (Slammers)
.568 OPS – 1932 Dale Alexander (Carnies)
.534 OPS – 2007 Placido Polanco (Fish Biscuits)
.512 OPS – 1956 Yogi Berra (Daffiness Boys)
.504 OPS – Troy Tulowitzki (“Mechanics”)
.443 OPS – 2000 Gary Sheffield (Brews)

Pitchers
13 new pitchers were thrust into full time starting roles and three of them have excelled, surpassing even their owner’s wildest expectations.  The best of them, at least a month and a half into the season, has been the Carnies Jerry Reuss, circa 1980.  A mid 19th round choice, Reuss is 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 44 IP.  His whip is easily the best among these new pitchers at 0.92. 

The Fishbiscuits Lefty Stewart has won four of six starts thanks to a 2.45 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, though of concern is his 0.9 K/BB ratio which is an obvious recipe for mediocrity or worse.  Justin Verlander was a hot topic on draft day, and with a 4th round selection by the Brighton Shadows, plenty has been riding on his right arm.  In 54 innings he’s given up 47 hits and 18 walks, good enough for a 1.21 WHIP and 2.18 ERA.  He’s 3-2 in seven starts

2011 Cole Hamels (Thrill), 2009 Ted Lilly (Thrill), and 2011 Josh Beckett (Orators) have held their own with RCERA’s in the low to mid 4.00s while the rest of the full time starters have struggled:
4.60 – Jeff Fassero (Fanclub)
5.07 – Jeff D’Amico (Fanclub)
5.07 – Eddie Plank (Thrill)
5.37 – Randy Johnson (dogphin29)
7.22 – Tom Seaver (Slammers)
7.83 – Kid Nichols (Brews)

Among relievers and spot starters, the Carnies Arnie Stone (1924) and Slammers Randy Tomlin (1990) have met with success, each with RCERA’s below 3.50 and WHIP’s in the 1.20’s.  2011 Josh Johnson (Black Sox) somehow has a 2.35 ERA despite 19 walks and 13 K’s in 30 innings and the Fanclub need to cut Tim Keefe (1880) outright.  In 33 innings Keefe has a 2.05 WHIP thanks to 47 hits and 20 walks. 

Finally, the draft board was in a tizzy when 2011 Sergio Romo was selected by Gold Country. 
As you may recall, Romo was not listed on the pitcher eligibility file (Comish error!) and the selection was met with a heaping of groans and jealousy.  Results are mixed – saving 6 of 7 Romo has proven he can pitch, but overall his ERA is 5.40 and WHIP 1.50.  He’s pitched fewer then 10 innings so the jury is still out on Romo.

Glory of Their Times: Christy Mathewson

This week peerless sidewinder Christy Mathewson, newly acquired by the dodgphin29,  was recently chosen as the All Time Baseball Pitcher of the Week. Mathewson sported a 3-0 mark with a 1.45 ERA, with all three victories coming against the Willets Point Mechanics. Mechanic’s manager Flash Gordon has obviously had enough of Christy’s scroogies to last the rest of season; he was recently observed hoisting down a few pints to drown out his sorrows at the Diamond Café, a high-class joint owned by John “Mugsy” McGraw, Mattie’s former boss, now toiling for the Gold Country Gossamers, and Wilbert Robinson, currently the skipper of Uncle Robbie’s Daffiness Boys.  The Diamond Café is not only known for wining and dining, but many ballplayers unwind after the games to play at billiards, a friendly game of cards, and bowling. In fact, the game of duckpin bowling was invented at the Diamond.

Last evening we spotted Mattie playing a game of bridge in the back room with McGraw, his erstwhile partner. Chief Myers, Mathewson’s former catcher, and now playing for the Otherton Fishbiscuits, related that Christies’ mind for card-playing was legendary. “Just like Matty never forgets a single pitch that he has ever thrown, nor makes the same mistake twice, he never forgets a discard on the table.” Yet it is at the game of checkers that Mathewson is most accomplished. Frequent patron Heinie Zimmerman claims that Mugsy would take him to high-tone places like the Lambs Club, have Mathewson play the rube, and then whip all comers. McGraw would come home with a tidy sum, and give his hurler half of the spoils. Zimmerman also swears that he saw Mathewson win blindfolded, as well as beat six players simultaneously.

It came as quite a surprise for this observer to notice that Christy engaged in games of chance, including poker. Hal Chance, who played several tumultuous years playing for Mathewson during his stint as manager with the Redlegs, and was later suspended from baseball after Mathewson testified against him for allegedly throwing games, had this to say: “Hey, Christy has this image as the impeccable gentleman; you know, that Frank Merriwell type. You know, the noble Christian who plays clean, never utters a swear word, and rescues damsels in distress in his spare time. But let me tell you, Christy enjoyed his liquor, played the ponies, poker till dawn; heck, he shilled tobacco, and even Mugsy wasn’t too crazy about that. Hey, I’m not sore at him, for goodness sake, at one time the guy was like a brother to me; he even wrote a best selling baseball novel based on me.  It’s no secret that I was laying down for sure, and he caught me, but Mathewson wasn’t any choir boy. I’m not saying that he engaged in any muckerism or threw a game. But I do recall the imbroglio that ensued back in naught five against the Phillies, when Matty knocked down a lemonade vendor, giving him a split lip and some loose teeth.” Indeed, one shocked Philly fan had this to say: "It's just to show that his association with the old Baltimore crowd has turned Mathewson into a hoodlum.”

Be that as it may, it is safe to say that dodgphin29 owner Jason S is quite pleased with his second round pick, and desperately needs Big Six to continue to pitch with pristine excellence in order to hold water in the uber-competitive American League East.

Paul J. Nebenfuhr
a.k.a Paulie Allnuts

From time to time, our very own Paulie N will grace this blog with historical features, tying the world of ATB into the glorious past of our National Pastime.  Everything in the article is factual. except for the quotes by Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman; the content of the quotes, however is true. Chase did indeed hang out with Mathewson and McGraw, and Christy did indeed write a fictional book based on Hal; the name of the novel was Won in the Ninth, and the first baseman was named Hal Case from California.

The Good, the Great, and The Ugly

Week 1

Week 1 Players of the Week

Fittingly, our Batter of the Week is the the first man selected on draft day, the DC Chips Babe Ruth. The left fielder batted .370 / .500 / .722 with 6 Home Runs, 11 Runs Scored, and 12 RBI.  Hey led the league in Runs Created with 19.9.

Pitcher of the Week honors goes to Christy Mathewson.  Dogphin29's ace pitched brilliantly in 3 starts, going 2-0 with 5 walks and 23 strikeouts  over 24 innings.  He yielded just 15 hits and tossed a complete game shutout.

Twelve Questions: American League

1. Bobby Murcer was a Gold Country Gossamers hero last season, anchoring the offense with stellar play all season long.  The Gossamers drafted Murcer again and have him slated to bat third behind John McGraw and Tris Speaker.  Is Murcer a legit #3 hitter?
2. The Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters chose to play their home games in 1961 LA Coliseum, an extreme homer happy park for right handers.  Batting 5th is none other than Mark McGwire.  How many home runs will McGwire hit?
3. Widely viewed as a gaffe during the draft, the Bertrand Island Carnies selected Pete Alexander as the ace starter.  With an up and down ATB career, is Grover good enough to anchor a rotation?
4. Incredibly, with expanded 28 man rosters, the DC Chips elected to carry only nine pitchers on the roster.  This was done so six of nine slots in the lineup can be platooned.  What will happen to the Chips pitching staff, especially in light of a suspect defense behind them?
5. It all comes down the starting rotation for Team America World Police.  Lefty Grove, Robin Roberts, Lefty Gomez, and Satchel Paige are baseball legends but ATB questions marks.  Can ace Bill Swift lead this rotation to the playoffs?
6. Historical baseball league?  Who cares about the past, or so says dogphin29.  With Cal Ripken, Jim Thome, Adrian Beltre, Paul O'Neill, Matt Kemp, Jorge Posada, Vlad Guerrero, Miguel Tejada, Prince Fielder, and Kevin Youkilis on offense, the past was largely neglected.  Can these current era greats hold their own against the rest of baseball history?
7. Aside from wondering what exactly is a Red Lectroid, Planet 10 will need worry about the psyche of Joe DiMaggio all season.  Relegated to platoon duties versus lefties, how long will Cool Papa Bell keep him on the bench?
8. Every year it happens and every year we get a chuckle out of it.  This season, the Willets Point "Mechanics" took a flier on the enigma known as Three Finger Brown.  Will an improved defense behind the righty prove to enable my favorite pitcher to be a viable ATB starter?
9. The Sparta Hoplites mauled the competition, going 21-6 in spring training.  Is Sean's squad this good, or will the back end rotation of Zach Greinke and Stan Coveleski and an early round pick of Scott Rolen struggle enough to keep this squad out of the playoffs?
10. For Love of the Game's lineup features prolific ATB home run hitters.  Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Rico Petrocelli, Hank Greenberg, Kevin Mitchell, and Alfonso Soriano average 47 home runs between them.  Interestingly, the team chose to play in a park arguably suppresses offense more than any other in history. Can these seemingly conflicting directions coincide for a successful season? (I bet ace Walter Johnson thinks so)
11. With the 4th round selection of Justin Verlander, the Brighton Shadows passed over effective ATB starters such as Kevin Brown, Derek Lowe, Carl Hubbell, Tex Hughson and others.  Was this a reach, or will Verlander prove to be a legitimate ace?
12. A few players will be in the hot seat commencing on opening day for Uncle Robbie's Daffiness Boys.  Hack Wilson, Don Mattingly, and Whitey Ford have each struggled in their ATB careers.  Add this to a bullpen of newly created players Craig Kimbrell, Eric O'Flaherty, Wilcy Moore, and Ray Prim and the team has at least 7 question marks to deal with.  How many of these seven will prove to be effective ATB starters?