Using My Injury Transaction

Delgado and his 4 HR's are about to have hip surgery, so he is gone. Picking up Justin Morneau minus 12 Homers. This leaves me with just one trade left and we aren't even to Memorial Day.

Not feeling like my year, but at least my Blue Jays have the best record in baseball!

Trading One Juicer For Another

Considering my formerly proud franchise once dominated this league with Barry Bonds, it is only fitting I am dropping the latest busted star for one making his comeback. Manny is out with 6 HR's and A-Roid is in with 0.

That isn't the only move being made though. Apparently something called a day job and following the NBA Playoffs have prevented me from following my team. Turns out Josh Hamilton went on the DL 2 weeks ago. I am dropping him with 2 big HR's and picking up Adrian Gonzalez -9. Feels like a buy at the top move, but I'm desperate trailing 60 to 47 this early in the season.

2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft - HR only

Everything about HR Contest is minimal.

Minimal Rosters (9), minimal transactions (3 FA + 1 IR allowed), Minimal rules (no position reqs, only scoring HR), and finally minimal preparation by the GMs.

In essence, we want to make this easy as possible as we try to save the world from financial Armageddon in our day jobs. We have no interest in Picasso-like impressions of baseball - can someone explain this video game to me?

As Vince is the returning champ, he chose to pick 2nd in the 2-team snake draft:

1. Greg - Ryan Howard, PHI
2. Vince - Albert Pujols, STL
3. Vince - Ryan Braun, MIL
4. Greg - Miguel Cabrera, DET
5. Greg - Manny Ramirez, LAD
6. Vince - David Wright, NYM
7. Vince - Adam Dunn, WAS
8. Greg - Prince Fielder, MIL
9. Greg - Jim Thome, CLE
10. Vince - Alfonso Soriano, CHC
11. Vince - Grady Sizemore, CLE
12. Greg - Carlos Delgado, NYM
13. Greg - Josh Hamilton, TEX
14. Vince - Carlos Pena, TB
15. Vince - Chris Davis, TEX
16. Greg - Ryan Ludwick, STL
17. Greg - Evan Longoria, TB
18. Vince - Joey Votto, CIN

And now sorted by team

2. Vince - Albert Pujols, STL
3. Vince - Ryan Braun, MIL
6. Vince - David Wright, NYM
7. Vince - Adam Dunn, WAS
10. Vince - Alfonso Soriano, CHC
11. Vince - Grady Sizemore, CLE
14. Vince - Carlos Pena, TB
15. Vince - Chris Davis, TEX
18. Vince - Joey Votto, CIN

1. Greg - Ryan Howard, PHI
4. Greg - Miguel Cabrera, DET
5. Greg - Manny Ramirez, LAD
8. Greg - Prince Fielder, MIL
9. Greg - Jim Thome, CLE
12. Greg - Carlos Delgado, NYM
13. Greg - Josh Hamilton, TEX
16. Greg - Ryan Ludwick, STL
17. Greg - Evan Longoria, TB

Tee them high, watch em fly!

A Tickertape Parade for Vince!

Between the crazy stock market, college football season, a congressional "bailout" for financials and the upcoming elections, VR still managed to find time to fit in a tickertape parade to celebrate his teams 2008 HR Contest victory.

Amazingly what was one of the least followed seasons by the two GM's in history still resulted in a tight finish with VR managing a 170-160 victory.

Congrats to VR and lets all hope that the bear market is near an end!

The Brew Crew!

In honor of the big fella turning in dominating performances with his new team I am adding Ryan Braun (-29 HR's) to my team that already includes Brewer Prince Fielder. Konerko and his mighty 10 HR's are being dropped.

Konerko might go down as the worst draft selection in our league history. Nothing worse than a pick getting mocked at the time of selection and then flopping. Perhaps the only thing worse is me blindly sticking with him so long.

Nevertheless, the race is still tight with VR leading 115 to 110 as of Aug 3. Lets see how our guys handle the dog days of summer.

All-Star Break Standings

Vince maintains a narrow 93-88 lead over Greg despite an amazing run of dongs by Ryan Howard of the Phillies.

Vince is led by Adam Dunn, whom we have learned is not one of Toronto GM JP Riccardi's favorite players.

An interesting point about the halfway standings - while the top two HR hitters are on the rosters, no one else in the surprising Top 15 was drafted. Not well played this season.

Here are the leaders at the break:

Player TEAM HR

1. Ryan Howard PHI 28 (Greg)
2. Adam Dunn CIN 26 (Vince)
3. Chase Utley PHI 25
4. Ryan Braun MIL 23
5. Pat Burrell PHI 23
6. Hanley Ramirez FLA 23
7. Grady Sizemore CLE 23
8. Dan Uggla FLA 23
9. Lance Berkman HOU 22
10. Adrian Gonzalez SD 22
11. Carlos Quentin CWS 22
12. Jermaine Dye CWS 21
13. Josh Hamilton TEX 22 (Vince picked up on June 3 with 16 on the board)
14. Carlos Lee HOU 21
15. Ryan Ludwick STL 21
16. Rick Ankiel STL 20
17. Jason Bay PIT 19
18. Milton Bradley TEX 19
19. Jason Giambi NYY 19
20. Mark Jacobs FLA 19
21. Nate McLouth PIT 19
22. M. Reynolds ARI 19
23. Alex Rodriguez NYY 19 (Greg)

I am not ashamed to admit that I have never heard of five of them.

Big Papi out for a month-or more

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz maybe done for the year after suffering tendon sheath damage to his wrist - he will go on the DL immediately.

His extended absence plus the possessor of a body type that doesn't age well (Vince would know), Vince drops Ortiz and his 13 home runs immediately.

Vince will then take the comeback story of the decade, Texas Ranger outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has already put 16 in the seats.

Chase Utley cannot continue to be this hot, can he? I don't think so, hence Josh...

"On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again."

While both teams should be embarrassed for not having any of the top HR hitters in the league thus far, team GT is off to a particularly slow start.

GT remembered how the move of his franchise to SC mid-season last year got them out of their slump and propelled them to yet another championship. As a result he has decided to move the team and family to Raleigh, NC. Exact date is still unknown, but likely after the all-star break.

In the meantime GT needs to pay a little more attention to baseball, which is difficult with these NBA playoffs.

Utley and Uggla lead majors in homeruns

Our Mid May Update has surprises for us as the U-Two pace the league in dingers.

Phillies 2B Chase Utley (right, Getty Images) rips covers to the pace of 13 pokes in just 150 at-bats, while the surging Marlins two-bagger Dan Uggla is third in the game with 11 dongs.

Neither Vince nor Greg rips the covers off of anything but the latest Maxim magazine, but Vince has an early lead as Greg's early picks have yet to heat up.

Vince: Pujols 7, Ortiz 7, Dunn 6, Pena 8, Wright 7 = 35

Greg: Arod 4, Fielder 5, Howard 7, Holliday 6, Konerko 5 = 27

2008 Draft Day results

As two highly compensated and important financial consultants perspired to make a draft date that worked for all, the 2008 HR Contest Draft concluded today.

Who am I kidding? Greg emailed me and said how about 3pm and I said sure....

RULES:

We agreed that rosters would only be five deep and we would only allow five substitutions for the entire season.

Most Home Runs wins, and loser pays for lunch (MSRP:$30).

Again, fantasy baseball at its most simplistic.

Vince, as last years whipping boy, got first pick then Greg and Vince alternate picking two players.

The results:

VR - Albert Pujols, STL

GT - Alex Rodriguez, NYA
GT - Prince Fielder, MIL

VR - David Ortiz, BOS
VR - Adam Dunn, CIN

GT - Ryan Howard, WAS
GT - Matt Holiday, COL

VR - Carlos Pena, TBA
VR - David Wright, NYN

GT - Paul Konerko, CHA

Let the mashing begin!

Moving the Franchise with Trophy in Tow!

After a slow start to the season Team GT went on to regain his crown with a 317-294 victory. He eagerly awaits his surprise winnings.

In other news GT has shocked the fake sports world by deciding to move his dynasty of a franchise from the ATL to the quieter surroundings of Greenville, SC. It was a hard decision to give up hour long commutes to live at the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains, but one that just had to be made. With an amazing Single A ball club stadium in Greenville, team GT will get to work scouting for future HR contest champs.

Enjoy the off season!

P.S. How about that Brown's offense!

Ankiel the story of the Year!

While VR and GT got together over the holiday weekend to catch up on things, discuss the stretch run in baseball and the upcoming football season......Rick Ankiel was busy adding chapters to his storybook comeback.

If he can continue his pace and carry the Cards into the playoffs it will be one of the greatest sports stories of our generation.

In other important baseball news GT has decided to drop Manny and his 20 homers and pick up Carlos Pena minus his 34. GT was quoted as saying, "while VR is off driving around the country watching blowout college football games, I am busy bettering my team to the very end of the season."

It's a Tight Race!

No I am not talking about Brady Quinn shooting up the QB ranks to soon become the Browns starter.

Our HR contest has always been a blowout. Well no more. The spreadsheet has been updated and Team GT is beating VR 237 to 222.

I'm sure both managers will discuss the stretch run strategy when they get together over the coming holiday weekend.