THE JON: Founder and the most successful fantasy baseballer in the group. Favorite players owned, Vladimir Guerrero, Ichiro, Johan Santana and Roy Halladay. 
He loves you and he loves fantasy baseball. Favorite team, the Red Sox. Spends his day drawing hearts around Mr. David Wright and Mrs. Newspaperman Wright. 
THE OZ: Has been a buster ever since winning TheBaseballStars inaugural season. Favorite team, the A's. Best keeper, Alex Rodriguez. 
FREESANJOSE: The sworn enemy of The Jon, FreeSanJose is the most versatile of the group when it comes to team strategy. Favorite team, the A's. Best keepers, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. 
POIDOG: Makes the playoffs every year. Has never won a title. Favorite team, the A's. Best players, Jake Peavy and Miguel Cabrera. Still crying over the Dan Haren trade. 
What’s the saying? Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it? That right? Well, as a bottom-dweller in recent fantasy baseball leagues, I can’t tell you whom to pick to win. But I can tell you who I firmly believe helped me along the road to mediocrity and advise you not to call their name on your draft day.
1. Barry ZitoI’ll just say this: Barry Zito took an L on Wednesday night against the Giants’ AAA team in Fresno. Owning Zito is tough. It’s an abusive relationship where he gets abused on the mound when his curve isn’t breaking and you got abused in the standings because of it. Just when you’re close to finally dropping him, he throws a shutout with 9 Ks, looks to be in Cy Young form and you decide to let him back into your heart. Then he sucks again. I’ve seen it for a couple years now. He’s not worth it, folks.
2. Bobby AbreuIt’s not that I’d never draft Bobby Abreu again, but I’d never draft him in the place where he’s usually drafted. If he was around in the 12th round or something, fine. But Bobby’s incredibly frustrating too. He’s like one of those Hyundais that looks a like a Jaguar. You take a quick look and you think Abreu is a guy who can get you offensive stats across the board. But then you own the guy, see that those stats come from the occasional 2 HR, 5 RBI game, grow tired of the nights where he does nothing and realize he’s just a Hyundai.
3. Rickie WeeksSome people will tell you Rickie Weeks is a sleeper. They’re waiting to steal him later in their drafts after the run on middle infielders. They see the potential. They believe. Forget potential, I saw the reality last year: Rickie hitting .200 for Weeks. You might as well draft Josh Barfield too.
4. Bobby CrosbyBobby Crosby’s gonna get it together this year. He’s going to stay healthy. He’s going to play like he was a rookie again. I believed all those things last year. This year I believe this: Screw Bobby Crosby!
5. Richie Sexson/Carlos DelgadoThese guys are pretty much the same. Big, power-hitters with bad batting averages. But it’s bound to happen during your draft. You look at the names when most of the big bats at first base are gone, you remember 40+ HRs, 125+ RBIs, you talk yourself into drafting one of them being a good idea. Fail! But better you than me, I suppose.
Filed under: JustWinOzzie, Ozzie, thebaseballstars.com, thebaseballstars/draftadvice | Tagged: baseball, sports, fantasy baseball, Bobby Abreu, Barry Zito, Richie Sexson, Draft Advice, top 5, fantasy baseball blog, rickie weeks, carlos delgado, bobby crosby, top 5 list
Hey, good to see a post of ‘Oz.
As for the list, I don;t know if I’d call Delgado and Sexson the same … Delgado is not in danger of losing his job, and his average is at least somewhat respectable. Sexson is just a waist of a roster spot with his sub .250 average.
And you know ‘Oz has seen the light when slams Zito and Crosby, two guys he held so near and dear to his heart.
But you lost me with Weeks. Maybe I’m a believer, but I think he’s still draftable as long as you take him as a backup.
Fantasy owners always get bit when they draft prospects to be their primary player at any given position. You draft prospects hoping they will give you a punch and surprisingly put you over the top. You don’t expect anything from them. Take note all you people drafting Billy Butler this year. Yahoo has done a hell of a job hyping this guy.
Hey, I’m not saying Weeks will never be anything, but I won’t draft him. Think of it kind of like when you get really sick off a particular type of alcohol and then you vow to never drink that again.
That’s Rickie Weeks for me.
As for Crosby — he was near and dear. Zito, sure.
Delgado/Sexson — Yes, they’re not the same person. I know this. They look remarkably different. I just meant that in terms of my desire to draft them, they are interchangable.
Great concept for a post, by the way, and I can’t argue with any of your picks. That said, here’s mine:
1. Any Yankees position player. Call me crazy, but I just can’t root for these guys. It’s my one and only weakness.
2. Hyped Japanese players. Unless they’ve proven themselves in the big leagues, I’m not interested. I’m looking at you Fukudome.
3. Carl Crawford. I won’t pay for steals, just won’t. You can throw Juan Pierre and Chone Figgins into this category.
4. Brian Giles. Believe it or not I made him the first pick in our draft just two years ago. You know, back before it was obvious his numbers were inflated by “nutritional supplements.”
5. Giants position players. Maybe this is a special year, but this could be the first time in my fantasy playing career that there isn’t one ownable player on a team.