The Long and Winding (Colossus of) Rhode(s)

The eyes of a champion

The stride of a colossus

  

It's been confirmed that the shadow being cast over MLB is indeed the imposing presence of Chien-Ming Wang making a rehab start for the Syracuse Chiefs (5.2 IP, 3 ER).

Tough Break

I'm pretty sure the D-Backs didn't have a chance even before this happened.

2011 was apparently the year that a Drew could get hurt and I would feel 100% bad about it.  The healing process is complete.

R5TD Results

Results are in!

It was an exciting time at East Coast Bias headquarters in D.C. as our first ever Rule 5-Type Draft unfolded over four rounds:

Round 1:
Up Your BABIP:  Jose Tabata (LF, CF)
Suicide Squeeze:  Ryan Dempster (SP)
Rise of the Dead:  Mike Adams (RP)
-----MendozaLine----:  [No Pick]
OfficiallyWerthless:  Jonathon Niese (SP)
colossus of clout:  Corey Hart (RF)
Marginal Futility:  Geovany Soto (C)

Round 2:

Up Your BABIP:  Jeff Keppinger (2B, SS)

Suicide Squeeze:  Ryan Ludwick (LF, RF)

Rise of the Dead:  Drew Stubbs (CF)

-----MendozaLine----:  [No Pick]

OfficiallyWerthless:  Justin Turner (2B, 3B)

colossus of clout:  [No Pick]

Marginal Futility:  [No Pick]

Round 3:

Up Your BABIP:  Gaby Sanchez (1B)

Suicide Squeeze:  David Hernandez (SP, RP)

Rise of the Dead:  [No Pick]

-----MendozaLine----:  [No Pick]

OfficiallyWerthless:  [No Pick]

colossus of clout:  [No Pick]

Marginal Futility:  [No Pick]

Round 4:

Up Your BABIP:  [No Pick]

Suicide Squeeze:  Kevin Correia (SP)

Rise of the Dead:  [No Pick]

-----MendozaLine----:  [No Pick]

OfficiallyWerthless:  [No Pick]

colossus of clout:  [No Pick]

Marginal Futility:  [No Pick]

Not Selected:

Jason Bartlett (SS)

John Buck (C)

Jonny Gomes (LF)

Carlos Gomez (CF)

Aubrey Huff (1B, LF, RF)

Aroldis Chapman (RP)

Ted Lilly (SP)

Two In a Row!

I knew the NL was a lock.  Without further ado, your 2011 All-Star Game winning pitcher (0.1 IP, 1 IH [intentional hit], 0 BB, 0 K):

The National Clippard

R5TD Available Players

Official ECB merchandise available for purchase.

List of available players:

Position Players
Jason Bartlett (SS)
John Buck (C)
Jonny Gomes (LF)
Carlos Gomez (CF)
Corey Hart (RF)
Aubrey Huff (1B, LF, RF)
Jeff Keppinger (2B, SS)
Ryan Ludwick (LF, RF)
Gaby Sanchez (1B)
Geovany Soto (C)
Drew Stubbs (CF)
Jose Tabata (LF, CF)
Justin Turner (2B, 3B)

Pitchers
Mike Adams (RP)
Aroldis Chapman (RP)
Kevin Correia (SP)
Ryan Dempster (SP)
Ted Lilly (SP)
David Hernandez (SP, RP)
Jonathon Niese (SP)

R5TD IAQ

Rule 5-Type Draft Infrequently Asked Questions (will be updated as questions come in):

See what I did there?  It's rather clever.

Q:  When selecting a player, can the player subsequently dropped from my team be unprotected?

A: Yes.  You can drop an unprotected player during the draft - this does not affect their availability status for other teams.  If nobody takes them, they will enter waivers on Wednesday just like a standard add/drop transaction. Dropped players who are protected do not become available for selection during the draft - they simply enter waivers.


Q:  Can I draft one of my own unprotected players if I really don't want to lose them?

A: No - give them a chance to spread their wings and fly for a team that truly wants them.  It's the right thing to do.


Q:  How should I let you know what specific player I want dropped?

A:  You don't have to do that right now.  Any way you want.  You could provide a list of players that you consider droppable, rank them by droppableness (e.g., 1-5), then next to your draft pick put (1-5) for a highly coveted pick that you would be willing to drop anybody on your list for, while just (1) for someone you are not so high on.  Perhaps (1,3) to maintain positional parity for a specific pick.  I don't know.  But if you have two draft picks and list the same player to drop for both picks, you will not get them both because there is no valid player listed to drop for the second pick.  Your preferred drop is already gone.  As is your chance at drafting that second player.

Q:  Can I send you conditional picks?

A:  Yes.  For example, if there happen to be two catchers on the list you can communicate that you only want the second one if you weren't able to get the first one.  No problem.


Q: Are my unprotected players dropped from my team?


A: No - if nobody selects your unprotected players they remain on your roster.


Q: Is there a limit to the number of players I can draft?

A: No.

Rule 5 Draft Schedule

With the All-Star break right around the corner, it's time for our first ever Rule 5-type draft!  Each team has 19 active roster spots (plus one DL spot).  You will be able to protect 17 players.

The NL is a lock.

Draft calendar:

Sunday, July 10th:  Please send me the two/three players (depending on if you have an occupied DL slot) you wish to leave unprotected by Sunday evening (via email at ryan.c.sims@gmail.com).  I will compile the list and email it out to everyone that night (it will also be posted at ecbias.blogspot.com).  If I don't receive player names from a team, I will do my best to select the players I think are least valuable.

Tuesday, July 12th: If you wish to participate in the draft, send me a list of the unprotected players you are interested in adding to your team by Tuesday at midnight.  You must also include the player(s) you would be willing to drop for a particular draft pick.  You don't have to include players to be dropped - we'll deal with that later.  It might be important to see who you get and who got poached before you decide the player to drop.

Wednesday, July 13th: I will go through everyone's player add/drop preference (in non-snake order starting with the last-place team) and make the appropriate changes to your rosters on Wednesday.  Then we're set to play ball again on Thursday!

Any questions, feel free to email me.  In addition to email, I will be posting the draft results at ecbias.blogspot.com.

Wily Mo is Back

... and back to hitting tape measure bombs - his first two of the season in June were both over 450 ft:

He went deep to celebrate the Fourth as well:

Wily Mo is patriotic but he has not lost any weight.