Labr draft?

[rotodog]

Was the LABR draft this past weekend? If So, you have any results Todd? I do remember in the past there might have been a Hush order until the results went to print, but maybe just your own team?

[Todd Zola]

We have been asked to refrain from writing about the results until the issue of Sports Weekly hits the newsstands. I suspect some people will leak their teams, but they have been in the league for longer. As a rookie, I prefer to be a good boy and will heed to their request.

But I will say this....

PAPELBON PLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rotodog]

Toutwars isnt behind a wall, but I understand the "exclusive tag"....Is there some sort of contractual thing with USA today about the draft or is it just a professional courtesy?

[Todd Zola]

Professional courtesy.

Tout Wars doesn't publish them in a periodical for which they want to boost sales.

[rotodog]

Professional courtesy.

Tout Wars doesn't publish them in a periodical for which they want to boost sales.

Actually, i guess everyone else isnt as professional as you....here are three links to guys teams that they posted

Rotowire listed his team. http://rotosynthesis.rotowire.com/RotoW ... BBD757.htm

hardballtimes did too http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fanta ... nl-roster/

and so didnt Sports weeklys own Steve Gardner

http://www.usatoday.com/community/profi ... 1e917f1a5f

I am sure there will be more...

Now cmon Todd..Just a little preview? Por favor?

[CubFan]

Todd, so when will the Leviathon Fantasy insert for Sports Weekly his the newsstands? I hear ARod went for $22.

[Todd Zola]

I misread the note, I can post my team but no one else's. Give me a few minutes and i will share...

[Todd Zola]

Practiced what I have been preaching, went hard core Papelbon Plan with several multiple eligibility guys and a couple of players Gary and I are high on....

C Laird 8
C Johjima 4
1B Betemit 5
2B Hill 11
3B DeRosa 15
SS Scutaro 6
1B/3B Wigginton 17
2B/SS Polanco 17
OF Sizemore 37
OF Vlad 26
OF Delmon 14
OF Rivera 7
OF Byrd 7
UT Balentein 2

P Jon "THE PLAN" Papelbon 28
P Wood 18
P Buehrle 14
P Guthrie 8
P Galarraga 7
P Perkins 3
P Escobar 4
P Carlson 1
P Aceves 2

R Matthews OF
R Bradford P
R Betancourt P
R Catalanotto 1B/OF
R E Ramirez P
R Santiago 2B/SS

[aburt19]

I was wondering about the "Papelbon" plan. It's probably been a month ago that I saw a story where Papelbon said that
he was fatigued during the playoffs last year and that during the championship series he could not have pitched in the
final game of the series against Tampa.

Given that he has had issues with this in other years, don't you worry about his durability? I'm not questioning the strategy,
just wondering if it should be named the Nathan strategy instead.

[Todd Zola]

I don't worry at all about his durability. He will hardly be called upon to go more than 3 outs and they have a plethora of options to use if he needs a day off. Nathan and Soria are also potential anchors, as is a healthy Mo, but with the caveat that no pitching is safe, Papelbon is the leader of the pack.

[drapes]

Practiced what I have been preaching, went hard core Papelbon Plan with several multiple eligibility guys and a couple of players Gary and I are high on....

C Laird 8
C Johjima 4
1B Betemit 5
2B Hill 11
3B DeRosa 15
SS Scutaro 6
1B/3B Wigginton 17
2B/SS Polanco 17
OF Sizemore 37
OF Vlad 26
OF Delmon 14
OF Rivera 7
OF Byrd 7
UT Balentein 2

P Jon "THE PLAN" Papelbon 28
P Wood 18
P Buehrle 14
P Guthrie 8
P Galarraga 7
P Perkins 3
P Escobar 4
P Carlson 1
P Aceves 2

R Matthews OF
R Bradford P
R Betancourt P
R Catalanotto 1B/OF
R E Ramirez P
R Santiago 2B/SS

First - I like Young myself. Hopefully he turns it on.

Now 2 questions:

Do you have enough power?

Do you have enough strikeouts?

Those are the things that stand out to me.

I didn't realize you were playing AL this year. For some reason I thought you were NL... wait... that's Tout isn't it.

[Todd Zola]

I'm not worried about strikeouts, Iwill pick up another starter from FAAB and will likely deal for one assuming Wood stays healthy.

With hitting, I am more concerned about at bats than I am about counting HR and SB so the key will be how many at bats I get from Betemit, Scutaro, Rivera, Byrd and Balentein. I think Betemit and Scutaro are going to play a lot.

[cwk1963]

I'm not worried about strikeouts, Iwill pick up another starter from FAAB and will likely deal for one assuming Wood stays healthy.

With hitting, I am more concerned about at bats than I am about counting HR and SB so the key will be how many at bats I get from Betemit, Scutaro, Rivera, Byrd and Balentein. I think Betemit and Scutaro are going to play a lot.

Are those the guys you and Gary are high on?

I bet Cashman wishes he still had Betemit.

[Todd Zola]

Sizemore and Young are the guys we are high on.

Vlad could be key. I will blog in a little more depth in a bit.

[cwk1963]

Delmon Young? I've been reading a lot lately (both here and on the net) about him possibly being the odd man out in Minny. I realize if he's traded that's not an issue any more. You're not concerned with this or do you file it in the anecdotal column?

[Todd Zola]

I don't believe he is the odd man out -- the more I think about it, the more I think it will be Span or Gomez.

[cwk1963]

Maybe I need to re-think leaving Delmon off my keeper list which is due 5/13. I'll have to keep a close eye on this.

[CubFan]

I don't believe he is the odd man out -- the more I think about it, the more I think it will be Span or Gomez.

Todd, so you believe Cuddyer has his old gig back despite missing most of last year and the year Span had? I know I read about a month or so back where Gardenhire was quoted as saying he had Cuddyer penciled in the OF and that Young had some work to do but Young has done well in ST so far.....he only has 1 K and taken a handful of walks plus hitting well over .400 if my memory serves me. Why would the Twinkies send Span or Gomez back to AAA? I've been trying to sort through the Twins OF glut as I had my eye on Cuddyer as a cheap 4th or 5th OFer for a couple of bucks.

[Todd Zola]

It's really on speculation. Basically just my gut -- based upon their game, skills and track record, I see Gomez and Span as the two most likely to struggle, and I don't play mind reader, I assume, sometimes to a fault, that the best players will play.

[cwk1963]

It's really on speculation. Basically just my gut -- based upon their game, skills and track record, I see Gomez and Span as the two most likely to struggle, and I don't play mind reader, I assume, sometimes to a fault, that the best players will play.

Makes sense to me. But I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.