It has been just over four weeks since MLB 2k10 came out for Xbox 360. I reported some of my first impressions back then, but now I am here to weigh in with my official review. I wrote this article off-and-on (like Ross and Rachel - Friends references are cool, right?) over the last several days. It may be a little uneven, and it's definitely a little long-winded, but whenever I read reviews of video games I always find myself wishing they were longer, so... Anyway, here's the official review:
GAMEPLAY - BATTING
I consider this to be one of the two most important elements of any baseball video game. The hitting statistics in baseball video games are very important to me. The most outstanding thing about 2k10 that I can see so far is the battle between pitcher and hitter during every plate appearance.
Probably the most irritating and enduring tradition in previous baseball games is the complete absence of the base on balls. Drawing a free pass has traditionally walked a fine line between impossible and possible only if the computer decides it wants to issue you ball four. In 2k10, as the batter, the "batting eye" feature helps you read whether a pitch will be up, down, inside or outside by lighting up a portion of the strike zone with a blue line. The entire zone will be outlined in blue for pitches down the middle. At the same time, the type of pitch will be indicated on the screen: fastball (sinker, cutter, splitter are all read off the hand the same way, though), breaking ball or changeup. Wouldn't knowing whether a changeup or fastball is coming make the changeup a completely useless pitch? Well, yes, but the pitch location and type don't appear on the screen on every pitch. Instead, the frequency of these hints is based on a player's batting eye rating. Jason Giambi, for example, has a much better eye than Felix Pie. Pie might only read one or two pitches a game, whereas Giambi will likely know what's coming on three pitches per plate appearance. All of this information aids you in making the all important decision whether or not to swing at the pitch. Unlike some games, even without the batting eye's hints, watching the pitch carefully you can usually tell about where a pitch is going to be in the zone. I very rarely swing and miss at pitches low and away. I don't strike out on pitches in the dirt and have to endure the five-times-a-game "It's in the dirt, strike three but he's running to first! Oh my! You don't see this every day!" hoopla. So, for the most part, I feel like I'm controlling the strike zone fairly well during a typical plate appearance. The defensive swing feature is also very helpful for fouling off pitches that are close enough that you're not comfortable watching them go by. Fouling off pitches and ratcheting up pitch counts is a welcome, fresh feature for a baseball game. It's not uncommon to fight off several pitches to ultimately draw ball four. I've had eight and ten-pitch at-bats on several occasions. Evidence of the plate discipline that is achievable: In 44 games of My Player mode, I was able to draw 26 walks (which would be about 96 per 162 games), a solid number for that stat category. *Update* I continue to love the battles between pitcher and hitter in this game. I drew three walks in one game in My Player mode last night. And whenever you draw walks in this mode you are commended by your agent/helper for your discipline. (You also get bonus points towards improving attributes just by being patient. 15 skill points for working a full count, 25 skill points for a nine-pitch plate appearance.)
In addition to being able to draw walks, the aforementioned aspects of batting (the eye, defensive swings, etc.) can also help you to hit better pitches. I get legitimately angry when I swing and miss at a pitch out of the strike zone. If you were in the next room, you would hear me cursing every time it happens. But because they have made determining the difference between balls and strikes more realistic, you can do things like sit on the fastball, get yourself into a hitter's count, and "wait for yours". I'd say 66% or better of the balls I put in play are in or close to the strike zone. And if you're hacking at pitches that aren't in the zone, your success rate is going to seriously be affected.
Quickly, the bad. Extra-base hits are tough to get. A double is a major rarity in my experiences thus far in My Player mode. They have been a bit more prevalent in games I've played against LA Keyes, but hitting line drives into the gaps for extra bases is something I have not yet mastered. I can't think of another batting drawback. I think this element is absolutely great.
Score: A
GAMEPLAY - PITCHING
Important element number two, pitching seems to be very similar to what 2k Sports instituted in MLB 2k8, right analog motions to determine pitches and their effectiveness. Unlike the last two seasons of this method, now you can actually select your pitch beforehand, so the game is judging your motion against the pitch you are trying to throw. Previously, if you did your swirling motion on the analog intending to hurl a slider, but your motion was off you'd throw a totally different pitch. Let's face it, realism goes out the window if a pitcher can "accidentally" throw a curveball instead of a fastball. So, that has been corrected, and now if you are completely off on your motions you're just going to throw a real crappy version of the pitch you chose. Altogether, a definite improvement, and I enjoy the analog swirling method of pitching more than a simple button hold-and-press.
The bad. Pitching against the computer hasn't shown much improvement over prior entries into the series. The AI won't be very effective at driving up your pitch counts, and it's fairly routine for my starter to have thrown 55 pitches through seven innings. I'll admit, I haven't pitched many games against the computer, though, so maybe once I begin my franchise mode (which I plan to do soon, once my fantasy baseball draft is complete and I can begin the nerdy process of changing all the rosters to mirror our fantasy teams) I'll have a better idea about things. I will note that, on the other end of the spectrum, opposing computer-controlled pitchers throw WAY too many pitches. In My Player mode recently I stepped into the batter's box to face a pitcher who was about to throw his 150th (!) pitch. Now, that is ridiculous. There's a slider that is supposedly used to regulate pitcher fatigue (unlabeled, though, of course; so, I don't know if increasing the gauge to 85 makes him tire easier or gives him more stamina...), but I haven't noticed much of a difference. It is quite aggravating when I'm up there for the fourth time and I've really been working on driving up a pitch count but the guy is closer to 200 pitches than 100.
Score: B-
GAMEPLAY - FIELDING
The videos and reviews I have read about MLB 2k9 all mention the outlandish/horrible fielding. My brother sold his Xbox 360 because first basemen wouldn't stand on the bag when taking throws from the other infielders. Try to imagine if real life ballplayers refused to tag first until after they'd caught the ball. Ridiculous. Meanwhile, I've watched videos online of outfielders having fly balls bounce off their heads, an entire defense ignoring a bunt and letting the batter who laid it down notch a homer on it, etc. Thankfully, these problems appear to have been remedied. I'm very concerned that there was some over-compensation going on, though. I can't remember seeing a fielding error. Not one. A couple of throwing errors on my part, possibly, but definitely no flubbed grounders or miscues in the outfield or anything like that.
This is a good section to talk about the fielding in My Player mode, too. Do NOT ever start My Player mode as a catcher. I thought that being a catcher would be great. I get to pick a color scheme for my shin guards and helmet! Will I get to call the game? Will I catch every pitch? Will I take throws for plays at the plate? No, no and no. Near as I can tell, fielding situations that arise when you're the catcher are limited to bunts (which the pitcher almost always reacts to more quickly and handles himself) and foul pop-ups (which are always hit behind you and by the time you've figured out where it is and the camera has spun to the point where you can see where you're going, the ball has landed and the opportunity is gone). Long story short, this position was the pits. I had to change positions (which totally blew because I'd spent ALL of my fielding attribute points on Call Game, a useless talent for a newly-converted first baseman). First base was almost as dull, as you didn't get to take throws from anyone and the fielding situations were primarily grounders where you had to decide between flipping to the pitcher or taking it yourself. I finally settled on making my character a third baseman. Third and short are way more fun than any other spots on the diamond. I'm definitely going to stick to one of those spots in My Player. *Update* Turning a double play in My Player mode is impossible, and I'm reducing the grade accordingly.
Score: B
GAMEPLAY - BASERUNNING
When I played The Show at my brother's house, I was comparing the game to my experiences with 2k10, obv. My brother doesn't even run the bases in The Show because it is too annoying or difficult. So, I guess I should feel grateful that I can at least leave manual baserunning on. And for the most part, the baserunners are with it enough that they don't need to be told to try and score from second on a single. This is helpful.
The bad news. Rundowns seem to be plentiful. I think this is primarily due to 2k Sports being too ambitious/stupid with the baserunning mechanics. To send the selected runner to the next base, hit the left trigger. To send all the runners an extra base, hit the left bumper. Simple. But apparently, we need another method to do exactly the same thing! The right analog stick pushed in the direction of a base will send your selected player to that base. This is not helpful at any point in any game. In fact, here is what has happened to me an infuriating number of times so far. The left analog stick is in charge of sliding (up for head first, down for feet first, left/right to the respective side of the bag). So, there is a close play coming up at third. I'm trying to slide into the base to the right side of the bag to avoid a sweep tag from the third baseman. In this intense situation I hit the right analog stick, for just a hair of a second because I forgot which damn analog makes me slide. Now my guy is going back to first! What? Come on! Then I'm mashing on the triggers screaming out loud at the guy to get to third! Of course, by now, my chances of being safe are nil, so I try sending him back to second. Then comes the rundown, which I can typically stay alive in until I get bored, give up entirely and pound my fist into the seat of the couch.
This bad news section isn't over yet. Stealing bases. Beyond difficult. A number of factors have to go incredibly right for you to have even a breath of a chance to steal a base. Maybe this makes sense and is realistic, but having to time your jump absolutely perfectly (especially while controlling the hitter at the plate) while simultaneously hoping that the pitcher isn't throwing a fastball is pretty tough. And if you let go of the button a nanosecond before the pitcher has kicked to throw the pitch? That's right, rundown!
Finally, the last major bad news. Pitches in the dirt. Okay, you have a runner on base, the pitcher throws the ball low and it bounces in front of the plate. The ball is only about two feet in front of the catcher. No-brainer, right? Get your ass back to the damn bag. Nope. It couldn't be that easy. Whenever this happens, and it's often enough to be a major issue, it's as though your baserunner has no idea what's happening. Oh no, Joe Mauer briefly forgot how to play baseball and he's frozen in fear three steps away from the base! Go back, Joe, go back. But no, he won't do a thing unless you, the player, hit the right trigger to remind him that you can't be tagged out if you're standing on second. And the chances are very high that by the time you've realized what's happening, it's too late and you're about to be out (or, as likely, it's rundown time). So, the first couple of times this happened, I'd figure out what was going on and hit the right trigger immediately. One time when I did this, the runner was already heading back to the base and when I told him, "Hey, get back to that base," he paused for an entire second and then proceeded to go back. By then, it was too late. Another time, I said, "Okay, the guy was going back on his own before, so this time I won't hit a single button and I won't run into this silly hesitation thing again." So, I set the paddle down and watched, in horror, as my runner stood motionless two steps from the base without even an attempt to return to it safely. Basically, a pitch in the dirt is a major disaster if you have any runners on base, no matter what you do.
Score: D+
GRAPHICS
The ranting and raving about good graphics that I did a few weeks ago may have been a little premature. Don't get me wrong, the graphics are exceptional, but I've reneged on the great facial models. Joakim Soria, Nomar Garciaparra, J.D. Drew, these guys all still look awesome. But there are as many or more guys whose faces are pretty suspect. Other than that, the graphics remain pretty solid, though not up to The Show's level. Also, graphics seems like a good place to address the Chris Davis situation. He is the absolute homeliest character I've seen in The Show and he's almost as hideous in 2k10. What's the deal?
Score: B-
GAME MODES - MY PLAYER
I just wanted to try it at first, but now I'm really into it. I scrapped the JMR from the previous review (the second baseman with the .290 slugging percentage). I toyed with the idea of making a new character who was a pitcher, but ultimately decided that I'd be a catcher instead. I explained above in the fielding section how Jesse's career behind the plate went. One thing that I was trying to accomplish in the newly-begun version of my career was drawing more walks and hitting more dingers. I gave My Player mode a good once-over already in my previous post, and as much as I would love to lambaste everyone with stats and stories from the 80 games or so that I've played. But I will resist the temptation to bore you to tears. As opposed to the original character's career, 3B Jesse managed to draw plenty of walks, hit a handful of home runs and generally succeed on a daily basis enough that his attributes steadily increased. In just 44 games, I had achieved what I wanted to and been called up to the big club, the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, I was blocked at third by Pablo Sandoval and they moved me to shortstop as a replacement for Edgar Renteria. I tore up the league for about 12 games, hitting .390ish with an OBP north of .500. And the games felt like they were a lot more meaningful (in my last post I mentioned the lack of teamy feeling) now that I was a major leaguer. Playing alongside actual guys, facing real pitchers, seeing all the classic ballparks all make My Player mode shine even brighter than I originally thought it would. Of course, I was worried after a dozen games as a big leaguer that I'd mastered hitting and my success would be unrealistic. Ha. I wish I still had THOSE worries. The precipitous fall of my batting average squelched that idea. My ability to draw walks and my ability to not strike out have both declined since I started facing more capable pitchers (just like a real rookie, I suspect). So, all in all, I'm finding the My Player experience to be quite rewarding so far, and I'm excited to finish up my abbreviated rookie season and move on to the next one. *Update* During the writing of this review, I've since embarked on my first full season on the Giants. I hit a walk-off home run in extra innings yesterday and it was one of the most awesome baseball video game moments ever. Also, I was on pace to draw 100 walks in the 2011 season the last time I checked (to go with the 170 whiffs I'm trending towards). Nice.
Score: A
GAME MODES - FRANCHISE
Stay tuned for this one. Like I mentioned earlier, I plan to do a season with Momaw Navaughn, my fantasy baseball team. I imagine that the mode is satisfactory, but there is always the possibility that the game freezes when you try to advance from the regular season to the playoffs and you can never actually get past the first year.
Score: Incomplete
PRESENTATION/DETAILS/INTANGIBLES
I must admit, The Show really seems to kill in this department. Not that 2k10 falls flat, but you can tell that 2k Sports didn't spend a ton of time programming the little intricate details that Sony did for The Show. Believe me, I'm happy that they focused on improving the gameplay over last season's game, very happy. Still, hearing the announcing team say the same thing over and over and over continues to be rough. But, looking at the bright side again, at least Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are gloriously absent. Here are some things that I'd like to point out that I found either interesting/hilarious:
End of the inning, where am I going? - If an infielder catches a pop fly or a line drive to end an inning, he'll start trotting off in some random direction like he's a stud for having just made a play. Inevitably, some kind of internal compass will tell him after a few seconds that he's running in the opposite direction of his own dugout and he will suddenly veer off towards the right direction. It's pretty comical.
Extra-perfect game? - I was in My Player mode, checking out statistics and team records and such (all evidence of Bonds has been pulled from the record books, too, which I love). That's when I noticed that at some point in 2010, during the simulated season that was occurring while I was still playing for the AA-affiliate Flying Squirrels, Jered Weaver set a new MLB record by striking out 27 players in one game! Jered Weaver!
Socks? - Whenever a sports game comes up with its own fictional players and makes up names for them, you're bound to get some good laughs. My favorite so far? I recently squared off against made-up pitcher Socks Campanella. Awesome.
Prospects? Don't talk about prospects! You kiddin' me?! Prospects?! - 2k10 scores a major goose egg in this department. They can't even make reasonable facsimiles of the biggest name prospects in baseball? No Devon Jaeger (in the place of Desmond Jennings)? No Christian Steinbach (for Carlos Santana)? More infuriating is that I was able to find a few cheap knock-offs. There's a clear Lars Anderson prospect (and when you edit the player to change his name, the birth date is Anderson's actual birth date). Lars Anderson! There's a fictitious version of Kila Ka'aihue and one of Jesus Montero (identical DOBs, heights, weights, jersey numbers). Maybe this seems like a minor problem, but if you were playing a season with your team and you knew that you were supposed to have these great prospects in the minors and instead you've got vaguely Asian-looking slap hitters, well, it sucks. That makes it a major problem (or perhaps a minors problem?).
Score: C-
OVERALL
Pending an analysis of the Franchise Mode, I'm enjoying this game immensely. And it doesn't feel like I'm forcing myself to play it just because I like baseball, either. That was certainly the case in 2k8. So, I feel hopeful for 2k Sports' future in baseball games. They need to add some flavor/spice, without a doubt. There are dozens of things that have occurred to me while playing that they should have included. Check swings. A reaction besides literally puffing out the chest when a batter almost gets beaned. A second style of running to the dugout after an inning so that it doesn't look like Pablo Sandoval and I are as well-rehearsed at each step or flick of the arm as a synchronized swimming team might be. You get the idea.
All things considered, would I recommend this year's MLB 2k10 game to a gamer who only owns a 360? Yes, I absolutely would.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Barnstorming Union 2010 Draft Recap
The Barnstorming Union had a very successful Fantasy Draft last night, with 11 out of 12 team managers in attendance. Only Master Batters was absent from the draft proceedings.
After Sunday’s keeper lock date passed, every manager had a few days (or about 45 hours) to redesign their draft strategy based on who was available. I was surprised to see that Erik Bedard was out there, after I’d swapped him to Waxy, Waxy Details for a 12th round pick. I was even more surprised to see Brett Anderson bobbing in the draft pool. I instantly reconfigured my player list and moved him up to the top spot. With pick 3, I just had to hope that Rutger Che Hauer and Team Awesome didn’t take him.
I won't dissect the keeper selections- that's for another post- I'll just get right to breaking down the picks by round. Keep in mind that most of the best players are already securely on rosters as keeper selections. Since there were 8 keepers per team, Round 9 was this year's First Round.
Round: 9
(97) Rutger Che Hauer - Matt Garza SP
(98) Team Awesome - Juan Pierre LF
(99) Mighty Like a Rose - Brett Anderson SP
(100) Momma's Melted Malteds - Javier Vazquez SP
(101) Mighty Like a Rose - Adrian Beltre 3B
(102) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Jose Valverde RP
(103) Master Batters - Johnny Damon LF
(104) Manchester Expectoros - Matt Thornton RP
(105) Master Batters - Max Scherzer SP
(106) SMANGE SOX - Rich Harden SP
(107) Waxy Waxy Details - J.J. Hardy SS
(108) The Gnarly P-Tails - Scott Sizemore 2B
Round: 10
(109) The Gnarly P-Tails - Rafael Soriano RP
(110) Waxy Waxy Details - Wade Davis SP
(111) SMANGE SOX - Jorge Posada C
(112) Mighty Like a Rose - Kevin Slowey SP
(113) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Gavin Floyd SP
(114) Master Batters - Kerry Wood RP
(115) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Miguel Tejada SS
(116) Rutger Che Hauer - Travis Snider LF
(117) Momma's Melted Malteds - Neftali Feliz RP
(118) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Jon Rauch RP
(119) Team Awesome - Mike Napoli C
(120) Rutger Che Hauer - Chris Perez RP
Round 10 Thoughts: It’s remarkable how quickly the skill level drops off from one round to the next. I like pick 110 for two reasons. One, I predicted in an earlier blog that Wade Davis would lead the Ray’s staff in wins in 2010. Two, Wade Davis isn’t Kevin Slowey. After Smange Sox mercifully selected Posada with pick 111, I was able to grab Slowey with the fourth pick of round 10. My original draft design was to pick Slowey 3rd overall, which looks like a bonehead plan now because I was able to grab him 13 picks later. As long as those two permanent rods in his wrist don’t bother him, the Rose will be golden.
Biggest Surprise: Mike Napoli (119). ESPN and Jake will probably disagree with me on this one, but I like Kurt Suzuki much better than
Round: 11
(121) Rutger Che Hauer - Francisco Liriano SP
(122) Team Awesome - Brett Gardner CF
(123) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Kurt Suzuki C
(124) Momma's Melted Malteds - Marco Scutaro SS
(125) Team Lab Sox - Vernon Wells CF
(126) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Joel Pineiro SP
(127) Master Batters - Hideki Matsui DH
(128) Manchester Expectoros - Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B
(129) Mighty Like a Rose - Desmond Jennings LF
(130) SMANGE SOX - Maicer Izturis 2B
(131) Waxy Waxy Details - Trevor Cahill SP
(132) The Gnarly P-Tails - Juan Rivera LF
Round 11 Thoughts: I always get Liriano! Rutger Che dipped in early to land Francisco, who the ESPN scouts predict, yet again, will break out in 2010. Better get him while you still can! they say. Rutger took this advice to heart, and I’m with him. Team Awesome solidified his OF by grabbing his second speedster, Brett Gardener. That’s a projected 74 steals from two of his first three picks! I already fawned over Suzuki. I really like the Vernon Wells pick at 125. Even in a down year he puts up respectable fantasy numbers, and if he can bounce back a little bit then grabbing him halfway through Rd 11 will be klepto-mania. Kevin Kouzmanoff at pick 128 could pay major dividends as well. Kouzy is a career .284 hitter outside of
Biggest Surprise: Desmond Jennings (129). Yeah, I probably jumped the gun on Desmond. Waxy, Waxy, ever the lover of “cant-miss” prospects, was right on my tail and I had a terrible feeling he might swoop in and grab him if I didn’t. I felt I could afford to take a chance, hopefully it pays off.
(133) The Gnarly P-Tails - A.J. Pierzynski C
(134) Mighty Like a Rose - Coco Crisp CF
(135) SMANGE SOX - Joba Chamberlain SP
(136) Mighty Like a Rose - Matt Guerrier RP
(137) Manchester Expectoros - Ben Sheets SP
(138) Master Batters - Mike Gonzalez RP
(139) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Matt LaPorta LF
(140) Team Lab Sox - Cesar Izturis SS
(141) Momma's Melted Malteds - Nick Johnson 1B
(142) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Brandon Wood 3B
(143) Team Awesome - Jason Frasor RP
(144) Rutger Che Hauer - Kelly Shoppach C
Round 11 Thoughts. I grabbed some much needed steals with Coco at pick 134. It’s conceivable that he could rack up 30-35 bags this year if he leads off the whole season for the A’s. Smange Sox took a chance on Joba, for his sake I hope the Yankees make him a set up man. The Expectoros nabbed Ben Sheets with pick 137. There’s gotta be a reason Billy Beane is paying him $10m for one season in green. Beane is one prescient guy. I like Laporta at pick 139, too. This guy was a huge prospect a couple of years ago and possesses tremendous power, as long as he can collect enough at bats. Nick Johnson was a safe pick at 141 and could definitely turn out to have the most value of round 12.
Biggest Surprise: I can’t even begin to analyze setup men because we really have no idea what to expect with the constant flux of major league bullpens, so I’d say the biggest surprise would be Ben Sheets (137). This could be a good surprise though, because I’d sort of forgotten about him during the draft. He did have arguably the worst start in spring training history a couple days ago (faced 10 batters in the first innings, allowed 10 runs. Left without recording an out) but as I said earlier, $10m is a lot of cheese.
Round: 13
(145) Rutger Che Hauer - Austin Jackson LF
(146) Mighty Like a Rose - Luis Valbuena 2B
(147) Manchester Expectoros - Daniel Bard RP
(148) Momma's Melted Malteds - Jeremy Hellickson SP
(149) Team Lab Sox - Gerald Laird C
(150) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Nick Swisher 1B
(151) Master Batters - Kevin Gregg RP
(152) Manchester Expectoros - Phil Hughes SP
(153) Mighty Like a Rose - Derek Holland SP
(154) SMANGE SOX - Casey Kotchman 1B
(155) Waxy Waxy Details - Scott Downs RP
(156) The Gnarly P-Tails - Mike Cameron CF
Round 13 Thoughts. We’re moving further and further into the forest of the unknown sleepers, so my dissections will be shrinking. Austin Jackson at 145 could be a great pickup, and I had intended to target Casey Kotchman but got off track. Kotchman is a career .320 hitter in the minors, and has never really been given the chance to play through a slump and get comfortable at first base.
Biggest Surprise: Jeremy Hellickson (148). He was on my list of deep sleepers, but I figured I could snooze a few more rounds before worrying about him. Maybe Momma had the right idea- time will tell.
Round: 14
(157) The Gnarly P-Tails - Daric Barton 1B
(158) Waxy Waxy Details - Edwin Encarnacion 3B
(159) SMANGE SOX - Jeff Niemann SP
(160) Mighty Like a Rose - Delmon Young LF
(161) Manchester Expectoros - Brandon League RP
(162) Master Batters - Erik Bedard SP
(163) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Mike Aviles SS
(164) Team Lab Sox - Ryan Rowland-Smith SP
(165) Momma's Melted Malteds - Alex Avila C
(166) Mighty Like a Rose - J.P. Howell RP
(167) Team Awesome - Magglio Ordonez RF
(168) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Shaun Marcum SP
Biggest Surprise: I shouldn’t be taken aback, because the Lab Sox had him last year, but I’m going with Rowland-Smith (164). Zack loves this guy, probably because he’s the first player in MLB history with a hyphenated last name.
Round: 15
(169) Rutger Che Hauer - Ryan Perry RP
(170) Team Awesome - Mark Teahen 3B
(171) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Rick Ankiel CF
(172) Momma's Melted Malteds - Justin Smoak 1B
(173) Team Lab Sox - Lyle Overbay 1B
(174) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Sean Rodriguez LF
(175) Master Batters - Milton Bradley RF
(176) Manchester Expectoros - Ty Wigginton 3B
(177) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Luke Scott LF
(178) SMANGE SOX - Chris Tillman SP
(179) Waxy Waxy Details - Colby Lewis SP
(180) The Gnarly P-Tails - Fernando Rodney RP
Biggest Surprise: Milton Bradley (175). We all just waited for the autodraft to give him to Master Batters. Yes, the guy is a much-publicized nuisance but if he stays on the field, by avoiding fights and injuries, he could be a great pick. The surprise is no one wanted to take a chance on him.
Round: 16
(181) The Gnarly P-Tails - Justin Masterson SP
(182) Waxy Waxy Details - Michael Brantley CF
(183) SMANGE SOX - Justin Duchscherer SP
(184) Mighty Like a Rose - Mike Lowell 3B
(185) Manchester Expectoros - Tanner Scheppers SP
(186) Mighty Like a Rose - Mark Lowe RP
(187) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Jake Fox 3B
(188) Team Lab Sox - David Robertson RP
(189) Momma's Melted Malteds - Orlando Hudson 2B
(190) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Dallas Braden SP
(191) Team Awesome - Scott Podsednik LF
(192) Rutger Che Hauer - Brandon Inge 3B
Biggest Surprise: After being sodomized by Duchscherer 162 times last year, the Smange Sox bent over to take it again, selecting him with pick 183. Isn’t this the pitcher whose elbows are depressed?
Round: 17
(193) Rutger Che Hauer - Brett Wallace 3B
(194) Team Awesome - Cliff Pennington SS
(195) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Hideki Okajima RP
(196) Momma's Melted Malteds - Ramon Ramirez RP
(197) Team Lab Sox - Brad Ziegler RP
(198) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Russell Branyan 1B
(199) Master Batters - Mark Ellis 2B
(200) Manchester Expectoros - Marc Rzepczynski SP
(201) Mighty Like a Rose - Fausto Carmona SP
(202) SMANGE SOX - J.J. Putz RP
(203) Waxy Waxy Details - Michael Wuertz RP
(204) The Gnarly P-Tails - Michael Taylor LF
Biggest Surprise: Russell Branyan (198) cause he’s not a setup man. Yet.
Round: 18
(205) The Gnarly P-Tails - Brad Bergesen SP
(206) Waxy Waxy Details - Jim Thome DH
(207) SMANGE SOX - Jensen Lewis RP
(208) Mighty Like a Rose - Jesus Montero C
(209) Manchester Expectoros - Darren O'Day RP
(210) Master Batters - Jack Cust RF
(211) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Joe Saunders SP
(212) Team Lab Sox - Grant Balfour RP
(213) Momma's Melted Malteds - Nick Blackburn SP
(214) Atomic County Bean's Owner - C.J. Wilson RP
(215) Team Awesome - Jose Bautista 3B
(216) Rutger Che Hauer - Brandon Morrow SP
Biggest Surprise: Jack Cust was selected by someone other than Nick or myself.
Round: 19
(217) Rutger Che Hauer - Pat Neshek RP
(218) Team Awesome - Jose Guillen RF
(219) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Hank Blalock 1B
(220) Momma's Melted Malteds - Ken Griffey Jr. DH
(221) Team Lab Sox - Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
(222) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Gil Meche SP
(223) Master Batters - Pat Burrell DH
(224) Manchester Expectoros - David Murphy LF
(225) Mighty Like a Rose - Willy Aybar 2B
(226) SMANGE SOX - Garrett Atkins 3B
(227) Waxy Waxy Details - Michael Saunders LF
(228) The Gnarly P-Tails - Chris Getz 2B
Best Pick: Pat Neshek (217). This guy is a super reliever and after missing last season most people have probably forgotten about him. A possible candidate for the Twins closer spot? Unlikey. A solid RP with good numbers a shot at racking up HLDs? Definitely.
Biggest Surprise: Willy Aybar (225). Lost my concentration, ran out of time, and did a panic pick. Yes, Aybar can play 38 different positions including organist, but it’s a pain in the ass checking every pre-game update to see if he’s on the field on a give day.
Round: 20
(229) The Gnarly P-Tails - Jim Johnson RP
(230) Waxy Waxy Details - Andruw Jones DH
(231) SMANGE SOX - Taylor Teagarden C
(232) Mighty Like a Rose - Dustin McGowan SP
(233) Manchester Expectoros - Ryan Sweeney RF
(234) Master Batters - Ryan Garko 1B
(235) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Tim Wakefield SP
(236) Team Lab Sox - Alex Gonzalez SS
(237) Momma's Melted Malteds - Jose Mijares RP
(238) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Matt Palmer SP
(239) Team Awesome - Joey Devine RP
(240) Rutger Che Hauer - Dioner Navarro C
Best Pick: Back-to-Back best picks by Rutger Che with his selection of Dioner Navarro (240). How, you might ask, is Navarro the best pick of this round? With the final pick of round 12 Rutger scooped up Kelly Shoppach. Now he’s got Shoppach’s platoon mate, and one of those guys is going to be in a productive lineup. That’s some cheap and resourceful catcher work.
Biggest Surprise: Tim Wakefield (235). He will put some good stretches together over the course of the season, but when he trips he trips badly. Doubles and gopher balls galore. He’ll get some starts this year but one of these years he’s bound to be the odd man out, and with each new season the likelihood increases.
Round: 21
(241) Rutger Che Hauer - Kevin Jepsen RP
(242) Team Awesome - Randy Winn RF
(243) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Willie Bloomquist SS
(244) Momma's Melted Malteds - Casey Kelly SP
(245) Team Lab Sox - Brian Tallet SP
(246) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Jed Lowrie SS
(247) Master Batters - Felix Pie LF
(248) Manchester Expectoros - Carlos Guillen LF
(249) Mighty Like a Rose - Dontrelle Willis SP
(250) SMANGE SOX - Phil Coke RP
(251) Waxy Waxy Details - Ricky Romero SP
(252) The Gnarly P-Tails - Jake Westbrook SP
Best Pick: Jed Lowrie (246). Let’s not write this guy off completely. Good bat handling skills, knows the strike zone, and it’s not as if Marco Scutaro has always been a full-timer. Lowrie will start the year off in the minors but WATCH OUT!
Biggest Surprise: Dontrelle Willis (249). Not a good pick, purely done in an attempt to get back at Pioneer Valley for taking Lowrie, who I’d queued up for my next selection. For future reference, nobody cares or notices when you take Dontrelle.
Round: 22
(253) The Gnarly P-Tails - Chris Carter 1B
(254) Waxy Waxy Details - Travis Buck RF
(255) SMANGE SOX - Jesse Crain RP
(256) Mighty Like a Rose - Matt Joyce RF
(257) Manchester Expectoros - Juan Cruz RP
(258) Master Batters - Jeremy Hermida RF
(259) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Randy Ruiz DH
(260) Team Lab Sox - Kevin Millwood SP
(261) Momma's Melted Malteds - John Buck C
(262) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Scot Shields RP
(263) Team Awesome - Eric Byrnes LF
(264) Rutger Che Hauer - Reid Brignac SS
Best Pick: Team Awesome’s selection of Eric Byrnes (263) strikes me as a calculated, though probably completely uncalculated, risk. Major speed, major attitude, but I think ESPN may have written him off too quickly.
Biggest Surprise: Travis Buck (254). I seem to recall the Waxy, Waxy manager trying to trade Travis Buck to anyone for anything a couple years ago. He’s back on the bull, destined to be bucked again.
Round: 23
(265) Rutger Che Hauer - Josh Bell 3B
(266) Team Awesome - Nick Punto 2B
(267) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Jayson Nix 2B
(268) Momma's Melted Malteds - Kyle Drabek SP
(269) Team Lab Sox - Gabe Kapler RF
(270) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Mark Grudzielanek 2B
(271) Master Batters - Alexi Casilla 2B
(272) Manchester Expectoros - Alfredo Aceves RP
(273) SMANGE SOX - Joel Zumaya RP
(274) Waxy Waxy Details - Gio Gonzalez SP
(275) The Gnarly P-Tails - Jeremy Guthrie SP
(276) The Gnarly P-Tails - Chad Cordero RP
Best Pick: Alfredo Aceves (272). This guy’s head is shaped like a fucking shovel. A fantasy necessity.
Biggest Surprise: Gabe Kapler (269). He’s still playing?
Round: 24
(277) Waxy Waxy Details - Lou Marson C
(278) SMANGE SOX - Mark Kotsay 1B
(279) Manchester Expectoros - Koji Uehara SP
(280) Master Batters - Brayan Pena C
(281) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Dan Wheeler RP
(282) Team Lab Sox - Ramon Santiago 2B
(283) Momma's Melted Malteds - Chris Ray RP
(284) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Yuniesky Betancourt SS
(285) Team Awesome - Brian Duensing SP
(286) Rutger Che Hauer - Josh Reddick LF
(287) Rutger Che Hauer - Max Ramirez C
(288) Team Awesome - Eric Patterson LF
Best Pick: Chris Ray (283). He was supposed to close for the O’s last year. Francisco isn’t that reliable so it’s conceivable he could collect some saves in 2010.
Biggest Surprise: Brayan Pena (280). Is this the 35+ HR lovechild of Russell Branyan and Carlos Pena? I don’t know, I’ve never heard of him.
Round: 25
(289) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Kyle Farnsworth RP
(290) Momma's Melted Malteds - Bubbie Buzachero RP
(291) Team Lab Sox - Gabe Gross RF
(292) Pioneer Valley Squeaky Beagles - Darren Oliver RP
(293) Master Batters - Matt Herges RP
(294) Manchester Expectoros - Casper Wells RF
(295) SMANGE SOX - Brendan Harris SS
(296) Waxy Waxy Details - Tyler Flowers C
(297) The Gnarly P-Tails - Marcus Thames LF
(298) The Gnarly P-Tails - Luke Hochevar SP
(299) Waxy Waxy Details - Jack Wilson SS
(300) SMANGE SOX - Manny Delcarmen RP
Best Pick: Bubbie Buzachero (290). An instant fan favorite, whoever he plays for.
Biggest Surprise: Kyle Farnsworth (289). It’s true that he can dial it up to the high 90s, and used to hit
Round: 26
(301) Manchester Expectoros - Brett Cecil SP
(302) Master Batters - Danny Valencia 3B
(303) Team Lab Sox - Shawn Kelley RP
(304) Momma's Melted Malteds - Joe Nathan RP
(305) Atomic County Bean's Owner - Jeremy Bonderman RP
(306) Team Awesome - Adam Rosales 3B
(307) Rutger Che Hauer - Jess Todd RP
Best Pick: Jeremy Bonderman (305). He might have something left in the tank. I figured someone would pick Nathan, but you also have to wonder how long he’ll occupy a DL spot once said spot is actually needed.
Biggest Surprise: Just like 100% of fantasy baseball drafts, Jess Todd (307) is selected with the last overall pick.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sexy Swingers
Every Monday night we play trivia at Jimmy the Greek's in Old Orchard. And every Monday night, to fill up the time that isn't devoted to chewing, drinking, and incorrectly answering trivia questions, we read off our top 10 lists. Every week it's a new topic. We've done Top 10 pitchers, quarterbacks, buildings, action stars, politicians, and even sexiest males- to name a few. Keeping with the spirit of lists and sexiness, I've decided to read all your minds and make the list of the
TOP 10 SEXIEST BALLPLAYERS
Just like a real ball team, I'll have one guy at each position. Heck, I'm even going to pick a backup for each spot. Next week I’ll do the 5 sexiest starting pitchers, and a bullpen. Naturally I'll need a skipper as well. So, if you're keeping count, that's a lot more than 10, but TOP 31 SEXIEST BALLPLAYERS or whatever number it ends up being just doesn't sound as cool. And I'm going to stick with active players only, so sorry Jim Palmer, Tom Seaver, Ted Williams, and Willie McGee, but you'll have to wait for another list on another day. Let the sexiness begin!
Catcher
Joe Mauer,
A no-brainer. Not only is he the handsomest catcher, but he's also hands down the best in the majors. A perennial contender for the batting crown, he sort of looks like Lou Ferigno from the trapezius up.
Backup sexy catcher: Jason Varitek, Boston.
First base
Derrek Lee, Chicago
Who wouldn’t want to get to first base with this hunk? No, he’s not the hitter he used to be, but manning the cold corner, he’s not facing much competition in the looks department. Youkilis? A sweaty ape. Teixiera? Continuously dropped as a baby. Berkman? Umm... First base might be the ugliest position in baseball.
Backup sexy first baseman: Carlos Pena,
Second Base
Ian Kinsler,
Most folks would probably call me crazy for not going with Chase Utley on this one. I agree, Utley poses a major threat on the sexometer but unlike Utley, Kinsler doesn’t seek out the dugout camera and slick back his hair 4 times an inning. Sexiness is about modesty too, Chase.
Backup sexy second baseman: Chase Utley,
Third Base
David Wright,
A tough choice, as the hot corner produces some hot customers. David Wright wins it with that winning smile of his. It takes a lot of sexiness to pull off that oversized helmet he sported last season.
Backup sexy third baseman: Mike Lowell,
Shortstop
The one that got away… Anyway, Hanley offers it all. I remember watching Hanley at Hadlock field years ago and thinking to myself, “Yep, someday that guy is going to be one of the sexiest players in the majors.” There seems to be a correlation between sexiness and skill with the bat.
Backup sexy shortstop:
Left field
Ryan Braun,
A fantasy darling and the darling of our fantasies, I found out he lived in
Backup sexy left fielder: Rick Ankiel,
Center field
Jacoby Ellsbury,
Yes, I realize he’s supposed to be a left fielder this season, but he hasn’t played their yet. What superlative can we bestow upon Ellsbury that hasn’t already been bestowed? The sexiest player in baseball hands down (his pants!).
Backup sexy center fielder: Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
Right field
Ichiro, Seattle
Ichiro knows what it means to be sexy, and he knows what he likes: “Chicks who dig home runs aren't the ones who appeal to me. I think there's sexiness in infield hits because they require technique. I'd rather impress the chicks with my technique than with my brute strength”. Well said, Japanese sexbot.
Backup sexy right fielder: Andre Either,
Designated Hitter
Kevin Millar, Baltimore
Boy those are some slim pickings at DH. This guy earned it with his swagger and his ability to pull a pitch no matter how far outside it is. No, he’s not even in the American League anymore, but he likes fried chicken in a bucket, cowboys, and striking out multiple times whenever I’m in the ballpark.
Backup sexy DH: Ken Griffey Jr.
COMING SOON: Starting pitchers, bullpen, and the all important manager.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
