This article has been submitted by Erik Arnold. A day late, a buck short Erik. This is a weekly feature.

Fantasy baseball is a lot like the stock market. Success lies in finding value on draft day, on the waiver wire and through trades. Today I take a look at a few sources of value to be had through the trade market with my top candidates to buy low and sell high, focusing on hitters.

Buy Low
Jim Thome DH, Chicago (AL) (2 HR, 7 RBI, .156 BA) – After hitting 2 homeruns in the first game of the season, Thome has done nothing since. He’s not going to win a batting title, but a .270 average seems reasonable as he balances a high number of walks with his propensity to strikeout. Hitting in an incredibly hitter’s friendly park, there is tons of power to be had if you can get someone to sell on his cold-start.

Alex Rios, OF, Toronto (1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SB, .289 BA) – This would have been easier if Rios didn’t hit that pinch-hit home-run last night. Rios has yet to show us the type of power that he displayed early last season, but he has complimented his game with plenty of speed on the base paths – It appears that he really does have the green light from Gibbons. He has been hitting the ball hard and taking more walks, the power will come. Not relevant for us Canadians, but I think he’s a guy who is often overlooked south of the border, making him a good candidate to steal in your public leagues.

Carl Crawford, OF, Tampa Bay (1 HR, 7 RBI, 4SB, .228 BA) – Another guy who has started to heat up a bit in the last few days, but the principle still applies. Carl Crawford is a consistent .300 hitter and has displayed this for several seasons in a row. The speed will always be there and his power is trending upwards. He’s still easily on the right side of 30 with room to grow so bid aggressively.

Sell High
Bill Hall, OF, Milwaukee (5 HR, 10 RBI, 1 SB, .220 BA) – His power production has been solid, but the obvious red-flag is his “Mendoza-line” batting average. So far this season Hall has 16 strikeouts to ONE WALK. Get somebody to commit to his power and save yourself the hassle.

Raul Ibanez, OF, Seattle (5 HR, 13 RBI, .302 BA) – He is a solid middle-of-the-road type of player with 20HR potential, but he’s already done 25% of that. Ibanez is now 34 and his splits against lefties are ugly so if you can get good return on a guy who hasn’t started as hot, take it.

Xavier Nady, OF, Pittsburgh (4 HR, 14 RBI, .346 BA) – Another decent ballplayer who just happens to be playing over his head. He is a notorious hot-starter and hit two thirds of his home-runs on the road last year. PNC park is not so friendly to right handed power hitters. If someone is drinking the kool-aid, offer them another glass.

Stay tuned, next week I’ll take a look at some early risers and fallers on the pitching side.

This article has been submitted by Erik Arnold and is a weekly feature.

This article is a weekly feature submitted by “2nd Place” Erik Arnold.

Sir, please step back from the ledge…

It’s that time of year again. The birds are chirping, the snow is melting and we’re seeing prematurely crowned champions and knee jerk reactions across the fantasy world. Listen dudes, it’s only been ONE WEEK and with each MLB team having played an average of 6 games, we have completed exactly 3.72% of the season. In the leagues that I play in, the waiver wires are on fire! (Blake? Sam?) Guys are being tossed around all over the place, some not even holding a roster spot for more than a few hours.

Before you become the league’s “Waiver Wire Slut”, think long and hard about what you’re trying to accomplish. I urge all fantasy players to relax. Ask yourself why you drafted some guys and why you didn’t draft others. With zero home runs in Week 1, does your opinion of Albert Pujols change? Do Marco Scutaro’s 3 stolen bags make him the next Jose Reyes? Give your team a few weeks before you start to make any conclusions about your strengths and weaknesses. I would argue that we won’t get a good idea of the fantasy “pretenders” and “contenders” until late May when all the hot and cold starts have time to balance out.

To honor this exciting time of the year, I give you, straight from the ODC Fantasy Baseball League, the top embarrassing adds and drops of week 1.

Players picked up who will have little or no fantasy value this season:
Eric Hinske, OF, Tampa Bay (McGlovin – Blake Murphy)
Odalis Perez, SP, Washington (Wheelhouse – Mike Cascone)
Santiago Casilla, RP, Oakland (Driving Tony LaRussa – Alex Jackson)
Nick Blackburn, SP, Minnesota (Wheat Belly Lovers – Samuel )
Dimitri Young, 1B, Washington (NOW – Dave Power)
Scott Hairston, OF, San Diego (Jackpot – Jack Forsayeth)

Players dropped who will have a significant fantasy impact in 2008:
Jason Kubel, OF, Minnesota (Shalamar – Erik Arnold)
Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati (Jackpot – Jack Forsayeth)
Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati (Good News Bears – Alex Snyder)
Ryan Doumit, C/OF, Pittsburgh (McGlovin – Blake Murphy)

Eric Gagne vs. Heath Bell Watch 2008
1 week after my claim that Eric Gagne will be infinitely more valuable than Heath Bell, after Bell was drafted in the 11th round:

Eric Gagne: 2IP, 3ER, 2K, 1W, 1SV, Yahoo Rank = 322
Heath Bell: 3IP, 0ER, 0K, 0W, 0SV, Yahoo Rank = 231

In all fairness, Trevor Hoffman had a dismal week, so this might actually get pretty interesting if Bell can sniff some save opportunities.

This article is a weekly feature submitted by “2nd Place” Erik Arnold.

This article has been submitted by Erik Arnold and is a regular Tuesday feature.

My eyes are tired and my work unfinished. I have been up since 6AM watching Boston and Oakland kick off the 2008 season live in Tokyo. It was a fantastic game handed on a silver player to Boston on account of some poor plate discipline, terrible base running and a blown save from Huston Street. In other news, Julio Lugo goes 2-4 and Dice-K goes 5 innings with 6 K’s. I have settled atop my lofty perch in the ODC standings, not to be disturbed for another 5 months. To celebrate my ascent to first in the standings, I give you the synthesis of my thinking this week on what I would call the greatest fantasy seasons ever in the four “major” sports. Enjoy!

Hockey
Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers (1981-1982) – 92 goals, 120 Assists, +81 +/-
Bernie Parent – Philadelphia Flyers (1973-1974) – 1.89 GAA, 47 Wins, 12 SO

There is no surprise here, the Great One makes the list. Legend has it that when you played fantasy hockey with your buddies in the 80’s, you either drafted Gretzky’s goals or Gretzky’s assists, it was deemed too much of an advantage for one player to have both… that just about sums it up. Parent racked up 47 wins, 12 SO and a 1.89 GAA in an era where goalies were TERRIBLE and a butterfly was still just an insect. Oh ya, Gretzky was also +81…. not a typo, +81.

Baseball
Jose Caseco – Oakland Athletics – (1988) – .307AVG, 42HR, 124RBI, 120Runs, 40SB
Mike Piazza – Los Angeles Dodgers – (1997) – .362AVG, 40HR, 124RBI, 104Runs, 5SB
Rickey Hendersen – Oakland Athletics (1983) – .314AVG, 24HR, 72RBI, 146Runs, 80SB

Canseco with the first recorded 40/40 season was a no brainer. Piazza gets the nod as the greatest season ever by a CATCHER! These days, we’re happy if a catcher can hit 15 HRs and keep his average over .250. Rickey Henderson owned the base paths in the 80’s and 80SB with all the trimmings is like Jose Reyes on steroids (not literally).

Football
L.T. – San Diego Chargers (2006) – 28 Rushing TDs, 3 Rec. TDs, 2 Passing TDs, 1815 Rushing Yards, 508 Rec. Yards, 1 lost fumble.
Tom Brady – New England Patriots – (2007) – 4806 Passing Yards, 50 TDs, 8 INT, 2 rushing TDs

We may not realize it, but all of us have witnessed two of the greatest fantasy football seasons of all time in the last two years. Brady and LT get the nod for the shear amount of scoring that was done. Tom Brady was certainly the centerpiece of many championships in 2007.

Basketball
Wilt Chamberlain – Philadelphia Warriors (1961-1962) – 50.4 PPG, 25.7 RPG
Oscar Robertson – Cincinnati Royals – (1961-1962) – 30.8 PPG, 12.5 RBG, 11.4 APG

1961-62 was a crazy time…I have never played fantasy basketball in my life, but I imagine 50+ pts per game and a season average of a triple double was enough to make these the two performances the most significant fantasy seasons ever. Unfortunately, fantasy sports hadn’t been invented yet so the nod should go to one of Jordan’s greatest or even today’s Lebron (maybe), but these are too tasty.

This article has been submitted by Erik Arnold and is a regular Tuesday feature.

This article has been submitted by lightning quick Erik Arnold.

A quick update from the ODC Baseball Bunker…

If you haven’t heard already, the news is pretty grim out of Dunedin – Casey Janssen is out for the entire season with a torn Labrum. First of all, props to JP for being a man this time and telling the media straight up what’s happened. We all remember his beat-around-the-bush approach to the BJ Ryan injury that left a bad taste in the mouths of Jay’s fans for the entire season. So good on you, JP, though Janssen’s injury probably won’t have the effect on ticket sales that Ryan’s would have.

I’m not going to lie – this hurts, it really hurts. Janssen was poised to play a big role for this club as either the 5th starter or as a key setup guy. Without him, the Jays lose starting pitching depth and a key piece of the bullpen. That said, this is the kind of injury that can be overcome. The Jays bullpen is clearly a strength of the team. With BJ Ryan back, Accardo and Downs can manage the setup roles and there are a bunch of solid arms that can still battle in the lower roles. Where this hurts the most is at the 5th starter spot. Gibbons has ruled out the sweet-smelling Gus Chacin outright, thereby guaranteeing this spot to Jesse Litsch. While I love and respect this guy for everything he did last season, his numbers are soft. He is a groundball pitcher with limited strikeout ability. In a division like the AL East, that can mean big danger if some of those ground balls start flying out of the infield. So, the Jays will need to find another option to back up Jesse. There are a few AAA arms that could do the job, but my guess is JP goes out and looks to move one of our left fielders (Reed Johnson most likely) for a starter, and the Mets are a possibility as they’re looking for a right-handed outfielder to platoon with Ryan Church. Or he can take a look at the free agents still available as a stop-gap option if Jesse struggles early. (Please God, no David Wells or Jeff Weaver)

As for Janssen, I wish him all the best in surgery and recovery. A torn labrum is a SERIOUS injury, one that very few players recover from. Gil Meche is really the only guy in the last few years who has been able to overcome an injury like this. Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus wrote this a few years ago about this type of injury:

[I]f pitchers with torn labrums were horses, they’d be destroyed. Of the 36 major-league hurlers diagnosed with labrum tears in the last five years, only midlevel reliever Rocky Biddle has returned to his previous level. Think about that when your favorite pitcher comes down with labrum trouble: He has a 3 percent chance of becoming Rocky Biddle.

Ouch. We’re still looking for someone to blame and I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to point the finger at John Gibbons who really rode Janssen to a lot of appearances last year when he was basically operating a 3-man ‘pen. However, looking at his total number of innings, it doesn’t look like anything to worry about. Maybe that’s just me looking for someone to blame.

Get well Casey, The ODC Baseball family wishes you all the best.

This article has been submitted by lightning quick Erik Arnold.

Tuesday Fantasy Tips is a weekly feature submitted by “Batting 8th…” Erik Arnold.

He goes by many names: Phat Albert, El Hombre, the Machine… but many know him as just “Pujols.”

He is, without doubt, the most complete hitter in Major League Baseball. He owns a career average of .332, four 40HR seasons (none with less than 32) and not a single Major League season with less than 100RBI. He is “Triple Crown” defined, the most consistent fantasy hitter EVER.

So what’s that sound you’re hearing? It’s the sound of Albert Pujols crashing down draft boards all across the Western Hemisphere. If you’re a sports fan, you know why: Pujols’ damaged elbow is threatening his entire season.

This has quickly become the most important story in fantasy baseball this season. For my 2nd fantasy column, I’ll weigh in with my thoughts on the issue.

Doctors have told Albert that he has two options: play through the pain or have complete reconstructive surgery (read: Tommy John). Pujols says he can manage the injury, but if it becomes too severe he won’t “play through” any serious pain.

In my book, I see three equally likely scenarios that could happen:

1) Pujols manages the pain as he has been doing since 2003. He goes out there and produces “vintage Pujols” production, 40HR, 120RBI, .330AVG at a minimum.

2) Pujols puts up solid production until July 1st, but the Cardinals fall way out of the wildcard race and the team asks him to have reconstructive surgery to be ready for 2009. Pujols obliges and we get 50% of Pujols’ greatness: 15-20HR, 55RBI, .330AVG.

3) The pain is unmanageable and, after a disappointing start to the season, Pujols elects to have surgery and fantasy owners get nothing.

By my book, that’s 2 BAD outcomes, to one GOOD. You’ve got a 1 in 3 shot at hitting the jackpot; do you like your odds? It’s not even about high risk/high reward; it’s about high risk/GIGANTIC reward. There’s no mystery, if Pujols is healthy, he is the most valuable fantasy hitter in baseball, even without an element of speed to his game. From what I’ve seen, Pujols has fallen as far as the 2nd or 3rd round in an average league.

The issue is actually quite simple – can you bear risking your entire fantasy season on his chances of playing a full year? It’s a homerun swing (no pun intended) because if you manage to grab Pujols in the 2nd or 3rd round and he gives you a full season, you’re set. That alone will probably be enough to propel an average team into the top 3.

Even If he manages just a few months before surgery, you’ll still have a chance to replace him and first base is the easiest position to fill from your bench. Let’s assume he plays just half a season and gives you this production: .320/20/60. If you plug in any average bench first baseman, Ryan Garko for example, who manages to produce .280/15/45 in the second half, in total you’ve got .300/35/105 from you’re first base position and that’s not a disaster at all. A strong draft and a couple of lucky waiver pickups will be more than enough to allow you a chance at the crown. Pujols is probably the only player in fantasy baseball who can afford you a chance to win even if he only plays half a season. Think about fantasy hockey players who drafted Sydney Crosby this year. Despite his injury, Sid, combined with the stats from any bench player replacement, is probably still better than most players who will play a full season.

It’s a risk, but I would have no trouble drafting Pujols if the price is right. If he falls to the second or third round, I’ll take my chances on his health. It’s not for those with weak stomachs, but the upside is there.

In Pujols we trust…

Tuesday Fantasy Tips is a weekly feature submitted by “Batting 8th…” Erik Arnold.

This article has been submitted by Fantasy Master Erik Arnold, as it will be every Tuesday. Normally the piece will be lengthier with more great nuggets of fantasy gold, but since there’s only one true fantasy sport going on right now and we haven’t done our Baseball draft yet, Erik’s playing his cards close to his chest. Today, he gives you the two biggest rebound candidates for your MLB draft.

Andruw Jones, OF – Los Angeles Dodgers
Andruw Jones has been a fairly consistent commodity for fantasy owners throughout his career – a classic 30+HR, 100RBI, 90R guy. Mind you, his approach at the plate has always been somewhat suspect – he’s a free swinger who strikes out a lot. Still, he has always found his way to a .260 average and given fantasy owners what they signed up for. In 2007, things got UGLY – Mendoza line ugly (.222 BA). His 29HR, 94RBI and 83R were well below expectations. Many are quick to say his move from Atlanta to Los Angeles will further depress his power numbers given the effect of Dodgers Stadium, a notoriously pitcher-friendly park. However, Dodger stadium is actually not bad for right handed hitters and has the best “pitcher’s eye” in baseball, statistically proven to increase walks and reduce strikeouts. Can you see where I’m going with this? It couldn’t be a better fit for Andruw, who needs to show more patience at the plate. Jones still has a solid skill set and I’m confident he’ll make adjustments. If he can manage to make even small improvements (more walks, less K’s), we’ll see much better counting numbers – after all, he managed 29HRs and 94RBI in a season where he batted .222. If this guy gets back on track, exceeding 30 HRs will only be the starting point. In 2008, you can probably draft him late and expect “Adam Dunn Lite” production.

Vernon Wells OF – Toronto Blue Jays
From one center fielder’s forgettable year to another and I know I don’t need to tell Jays fans how horrible a season V-dubs had. Vernon batted .303 in 2006 and .245 in 2007 – a big disappointment after becoming a member of the $100 million club in the off-season. The strangest thing was, his approach at the plate wasn’t drastically different. His walk-rate and contact-rate (two indicators of skill) were identical in 2006 and 2007. The most telling stat – his percentage of fly-balls that turned into home-runs in 2007 was HALF what it was in 2006. For every fly-ball Vernon hit in 2007, it was 50% LESS likely to become a home run than in 2006. Just watching him, you could tell he was overcompensating with a big uppercut swing. His power was completely zapped. Why the big drop in power? Wells told the media this off-season that he was playing through a shoulder injury for nearly the whole season – if true, a very reasonable cause for such a drop in performance. At full health, all he has to do is replicate his approach from 2007 (skill wise) and I expect more balls to be leaving the park. His career numbers give no indication that he’s not capable of reproducing his walk rate and fly ball rate in 2008. Plus, he’s practically a lock for at least 10 steals. A great opportunity to get Wells cheap – .280, 30HR, 10+SB.

This article has been submitted by Fantasy Master Erik Arnold, as it will be every Tuesday.

This article has been submitted by “Easy Yi” Erik Arnold.

12:29 – It’s March 2nd on a cool winter day in Toronto, but there’s Blue Jays baseball on TV and spring is in the air!

12:30 – Today’s game is broadcast on CityTV which is certainly a first. We should get our first look at the new infield duo of Eckstein and Rolen, plus Burnett will start his first ST game. Maybe we’ll even get a chance to see Reds uber-prospects Jay Bruce and Joey Votto (a native of T-dot and former high school star at Richview High).

12:31 PM – Cito Gaston throws out the opening pitch and it’s a strike! Cito’s still got it!

12:35 – Lineups are in and we get to see Jay Bruce lead off for the Reds! Jays put out basically their Opening Day lineup minus Alex Rios. Matt Stairs plays in left, Reed in right. Goldie Locks Bronson Arroyo starts for the Reds.

Jays Batting Order
Eckstein, SS
Johnson, LF
Wells, CF
Thomas, DH
Rolen, 3B
Stairs, RF
Overbay, 1B
Hill, 2B
Zaun, C

12:36 – It becomes abundantly clear that CityTV has made no effort to include actual baseball personnel in this broadcast and we’ll have to endure Gord Martineua (douche bag) and Hugh Burrill on the play-by-play.

12:44 – Gord openly admits that he’s not familiar with any of the Reds players. It’s pretty clear he’s not even familiar with the Jays players.

12:45 – Burnett looks pretty good in his first inning. It looks like he has good movement on his pitches and is throwing strikes, both of which are important to his game. When Burnett is throwing his power curveball for strikes, he is straight up unhittable.

12:50 – David Eckstein takes his first official AB as a Jay and grounds out to first. I’m not a big fan of Eckstein and tend to think that his game is a bit overrated. Nonetheless, our commitment to him is minimal and I think if he can make some improvements to his defensive game he’ll be a nice improvement over Johnny Mac at the plate.

12:57 – It’s been 27 minutes: Gord and Hugh have exhausted just about every baseball cliché available to them. After several shots of the crowd, I’ve concluded that the average age of the spectators is pushing 65.

12:59 – Jay Bruce steps up with runners on the corners and 2 outs and unleashes a 2 run double. What a beautiful, compact swing! If Dusty Baker lets this guy play, he is going to flat-out rake. Dusty has a reputation for killing rookies, but he’s going to have a very difficult time keeping Bruce out of the lineup. His only handcuff to playing time is Ryan Freel and a healthy Ken Griffey…so not really a handcuff at all. Take note fantasy baseball players, we have a Ryan Braun in the making. 2-0 Reds.

1:04 – CityTV shows a slow-motion replay of Frank Thomas running out a groundball. We get it, he’s slow.

1:05 – Rolen’s first official AB as a Jay goes quietly with a lazy fly ball. All this guy has to do this year is hit .280 and chip in 20HR. If he can manage that, I think we’ve made a vast improvement over Troy Glaus once you factor in Rolen’s contributions on the defensive side of the ball. I think this deal alone will have the biggest impact on the ‘08 season.

1:11 – Holy shit, Zaun just threw out a runner. It MUST be spring training!

1:18 – New acquisition Lance Carter finishes his first inning as a Jay. He was a former all-star with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was a nice pick-up. Experienced bullpen depth at minimal cost… sign me up!

1:20 – Eckstein gets a hold of a pitch and hits it about as far as possible: 300 feet and an easy out. His OPS (Slugging + On Base Percentage) is going to be pretty ugly this year. Let’s just hope he can make some productive outs.

1:27 – Katherine Humphries interviews Jeremy Accardo. Whether you are a JP Ricciardi lover or hater, you have to admit that that the Accardo for Hillenbrand/Chulk trade was one of the best in recent memory. When you consider that we HAD to get rid of Shea (for obvious reasons), Chulk for Accardo was an absolute STEAL. Best quote ever about Shea Hillenbrand goes to the guys at baseballprospectus.com:

“Beyond synthesizing carbon dioxide so that somewhere a tree may grow, it’s unclear what value he provides and it’s probably not worth the headache to find out.”

1:35 – Vernon Wells with an ugly strikeout. We’ve seen enough of that in the last year. He claims that his struggles last season stemmed from that shoulder injury and I hope he’s right. His power was completely zapped and he was really overcompensating with big-time uppercut swings. If his power returns, his overall skills should take over and I think he’ll be able to put together a nice season. Still a big “if.”

1:42 – Matt Stairs rips an RBI single down the line and engages in a lengthy conversation with the first base coach (presumably inquiring as to the likelihood that a Beer and Hot Dog could be delivered to him at first). 2-1 Reds.

1:43 – Stairs remains at first with Joey Votto manning the bag. Ernie Whitt is acting as 1B coach this afternoon making it 3 Canadians in a 3 foot radius. No doubt, they’re talking some puck. Little do they know, the Flyers and Rangers have combined for 6 goals in the 1st period of today’s afternoon game. Let’s hope none of our readers bet the under!

1:55 – We’ve now seen Shawn Camp and Randy Wells over the last two innings. Nothing much to report, but we get more bullpen depth so it’s all good.

1:59 – A Jays commercial shows us a shot of the “Jays #1 Fan”, an older woman who I’m sure many would recognize if they’ve sat in the 500 section over the years. If you’re not familiar with her, she was the one will all the pins on her Jersey and she was at every game. Unfortunately, she passed away in early January of a heart attack. She’ll certainly be missed.

2:01 – Buck Coats slams a 2-run HR over the right field wall! Besides having an awesome name, Coats has some skill at the plate and will be competing for that 25th spot of the roster… the situation in the OF gets more and more crowded by the day. 3-2 Jays.

2:10 – The pride of Toronto, Joey Votto, steps up and blasts a deep shot that is caught on the warning track. He’s another guy that will fight for playing time this year in Cincy and could make a big impact. Between Homer Bailey, Jay Bruce and Joey Votto, the Reds have some the most promising young players in the majors.

2:20 – Non-Roster-Invitee Jeremy Cummings steps in and looks pretty terrible. Some bad defense doesn’t help, but he gets blasted by just about every batter en route to an inning ending strikeout and one Reds run. Cummings? Blasted? That’s what she said? Tied 3-3.

2:25 – Matt Stairs blasts a solo HR into next week. Coats has a HR, Stairs has a HR. Still waiting on the reply from Shannon Stewart and Reed Johnson in that battle for left field. A few pitches later, Overbay with a double and super-utility man Joe Inglett with an RBI single. 5-3 Jays.

2:35 – In an interview, Alex Rios concedes that he would probably lose in a fight with Roger Clemens’ wife. After all, she is on the ‘roids!

2:40 – Francisco Cordero enters the game . Cordero is a fresh import from the Brew-Crew and is meant to give the Reds a stabilizing force in their bullpen. Bringing a fly-ball closer into the biggest home-run park in America? Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

2:42 – Super prospect Travis Snider blasts an RBI single to left field. Somewhere in Kingston, Ontario, Blake Murphy creams his pants. 6-3 Jays.

2:53 – Thorpe and Romero turn in back-to-back innings. Romero finishes his with an emphatic strikeout. Good to see this guy healthy and I look forward to seeing what he can do. However, Romero gives up a run and we’ve got a ballgame. 6-4 Jays.

2:57 – Jason Frasor’s fiancé makes an appearance in a brief interview, doing nothing to dispel the stereotypes of ballplayer’s wives…just goes to show that being a bullpen pitcher really is the greatest job in sports: little pressure, days off and all the benefits to go along with it.

3:05 – Joe Inglett hits a 2-run HR and pretty much puts this one on the books. After an embarrassing error where Joe thought there were 3 outs (but there were only 2), Joe goes 2 for 2 with 3 RBI. 8-4 Jays.

3:10 – Reds go 1-2-3 in the 9th and this one is over. Jays grab their first win of Spring Training and look pretty good doing it. Most of the pitchers were throwing strikes and the Jays hitters were putting some pretty good swings together. Player of the game goes to Buck Coats who went 2 for 2 with 3 RBI, 2 runs and a stolen base. Honorable mention goes to Matt Stairs who blasted a homer of his own and unofficially killed 3 hot dogs and 8 beers between innings. Dishonorable mention goes to Vernon Wells who looked ugly going 0-3. Nonetheless, there’s still plenty of time for him to make adjustments between now and April.

That’s it Jays Fans, another spring game in the books and we’re one step closer to the Season opener in the Bronx. Keep your heads up for this week’s Podcast where I’ll be joining Blake and talking some baseball. Until then, stay warm!

FINAL SCORE: Jays 8, Reds 4

This article has been submitted by “Easy Yi” Erik Arnold.

This article has been submitted by the painted face of Erik Arnold.

Dear Ted Rogers and Ralph Wilson,

Go Fuck Yourselves.

Never have I seen such arrogant, disrespectful bullshit from a couple of senior citizens in my entire life.
I am a Bills Fan; I love the Bills and have done so with passion for nearly 10 years.

Maybe not the biggest Bills fan, but a big one still.

I also happen to live in Toronto. Am I happy about the Bills coming north of the border? No.

Back to Ralph and Ted: Last week, I had the extreme displeasure of watching these two jokers hold their press conference in Toronto where they laid it all out for the Buffalo-Toronto Experiment. It was a pathetic and laughable sight.

If you didn’t get to see it, I’ll sum it up in a brief sentence: two arrogant, filthy rich assholes went on national TV and gave the finger to football fans north AND south of the border. They gave the finger to Bills fans, they gave the finger to Argos fans, and they gave the finger to all Torontonians.

First, our old buddy Ted Rogers reminded Toronto taxpayers that they wasted $600 million building the SkyDome – which he was able to buy for $25 million. Thanks Ted! Then his boy Ralph Wilson went on to remind sports fans in Toronto that we probably don’t have the money to afford seeing the Bills. Asked if fans could expect any tickets

under $100, Ted stopped laughing long enough to say that there would be two – one for him and one for Ralph, I presume. They sat there for over an hour and laughed when asked about the cost of the tickets and when asked about a move out of Buffalo said, “don’t worry about that right now.” The writing was on the wall. It is abundantly clear that the Bills will NOT be staying in Buffalo. It seemed as though Ralph Wilson didn’t think anyone in Buffalo was watching. They were. And they’re pissed off.

So what can we look forward to when the NFL hits Toronto? Not much. The average pair of tickets will cost roughly $4,000 because all 8 games need to be purchased up front. This all but guarantees that big-time corporate money makes it into the Dome and I can only assume that ticket-brokers (scalpers) will get their fair share too. Toss in the odd Argos and Bills season ticket holder and that’s the recipe for a football crowd in Toronto. In case you were wondering, you can get great seats in Buffalo for less than 50 bucks.

We’ve already lost the ACC to the suits. We’re lucky to get lower bowl Raptors tickets and even luckier to get standing-room Leafs tickets. This is just a reality for Toronto sports fans. Now, it appears, we’re losing the NFL before we even get it.

I have been to a couple of Bills games and, like many ODC readers, got to see this year’s Monday Night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Coming from a guy who’s attended 2 World Series games, NHL and NBA Conference Finals and a Grey Cup, it was easily the most intense sporting experience I have ever been a part of. The atmosphere was incredible and the fans were unbelievably dedicated to the game. Every time Dallas got the ball the noise was deafening. It was easily the most memorable moment in my life as a sports fan. Can you imagine the sad sight it is going to be in Toronto when the lower bowl can’t put their sushi and $15 beers down long enough to cheer the Bills defense on 3rd and short? Nothing would make me sicker than seeing my Buffalo Bills at home, under a dome, in front of 50,000 “casual” sports fans.

This isn’t about saving the Bills. It isn’t about Toronto being better for Bills fans than L.A. This is a one-stop cash grab by Ralph Wilson, facilitated by Ted Rogers, to fleece Toronto sports fans and screw the people of Western New York. All politics aside, I think Toronto sports fans are great – we are loyal, knowledgeable and passionate. Unfortunately, attending live events in Toronto is about the haves and have-nots. Listen, I would love to see the NFL in Toronto. But if we can’t guarantee that the Dome doesn’t fall to the same fate as the ACC, then save it. If you are a football fan, your $250 is better spent supporting the Bills in Buffalo. We don’t deserve a team like the Buffalo Bills. These are shoes that we’re not prepared to fill.

Sincerely,

Angry Bills Fan

This article has been submitted by the painted face of Erik Arnold.

This article has been submitted by gracious party host Erik Arnold.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos have always been admired for solid drafting and player development. On pure numbers, these two franchises have created more major league players than any other. So I thought to myself, what would the Toronto Blue Jays look like on Opening Day 2008 if we could only use players drafted and developed in our system? Sounds like a pretty good activity for mid term week. This is what I came up with:

STARTERS:
C – Craig Wilson
1B – Jeff Kent
2B – Orlando Hudson
SS – Michael Young
3B – Aaron Hill
LF – Brad Hawpe
CF – Vernon Wells
RF – Alex Rios
DH – Carlos Delgado

BATTING ORDER:
1. Michael Young
2. Alex Rios
3. Vernon Wells
4. Carlos Delgado
5. Brad Hawpe
6. Jeff Kent
7. Aaron Hill
8. Orlando Hudson
9. Craig Wilson

Pretty solid lineup top to bottom. The Jays all-draft team has disgusting depth at 2B which is why I had to move Aaron Hill to third and Jeff Kent to first (both have spent time at those positions). Only 3 current Jays cracked the lineup, but they were no brainers – Hill, Wells and Rios. Michael Young really is “the one that got away” as the organization is still looking for any serviceable guy at SS – hindsight is 20/20. Brad Hawpe was originally drafted as a pitcher in ’97 and has really turned into a nice OF option with 20-30 HR potential for the Rockies. Catcher was very thin, I scoured all the draft lists for 15 years and Craig Wilson was the best I could come up with. Maybe I missed something, but I guess it isn’t too bad. Blake reminded me that Delgado was drafted as a catcher, but realistically there is no way he mans that position in his current state. The one thing I’m most stoked about: the return of O-dog to man second base.

BENCH:
B – Ryan Freel 2B/3B/OF
B – Curtis Thigpen C
B – Casey Blake 3B/1B
B – Sean Green OF
B – Eric Arnold IF

No surprises on the bench. Freel and Blake give you some positional flexibility and Sean Green gives some added pop in a pinch hit situation. Thigpen was really the next best catcher I could find and Blake probably wouldn’t publish this article if I didn’t include him somehow. Eric Arnold, a hack prospect, is by no means deserving of a spot, but we share a name and I think that’s cool…enough said.

ROTATION:
1 – Roy Halladay
2 – Kelvim Escobar
3 – Chris Carpenter
4 – Ted Lilly
5 – Dustin McGowan

A pretty nasty rotation and there were still plenty of other options available. If only we could have foreseen the same kind of revival in Chris Carpenter’s career that we did in Doc. Escobar is a legit ace and Lilly and McGowan are above average 4-5 guys. Obviously team chemistry was not a factor as Ted “South Paw” Lilly made the cut.

BULLPEN:
CL – David Weathers
SU – Brandon League
SU – Casey Janssen
MR – Brandon Lyon
MR – Mark Hendrickson
LR – Shaun Marcum

Not a lot of bullpen arms available from what I could recall. Still, Weathers got 30 saves last season and there is some good talent. This might actually be a compliment to the Jays development system because rarely are guys drafted as relievers. More often than not, these types of guys develop into bullpen arms if they don’t have the stamina or enough effective pitches to give 5+ innings a game.

Well, there you have it! Pretty nice to think that, in lieu of trades, free agency and salary constraints, the Jays could field a SOLID team that I argue would be very competitive. Well that’s it for this mid term week exercise, back to the books!

This article has been submitted by gracious party host Erik Arnold.

This article has been submitted by baseball enthusiast and handsome devil Erik Arnold.

A disclaimer: I have never laid a futures wager in my life.

Like many of you, I’ve cashed my fair share of Pro-Line tickets and even tested the waters with a few bucks at an online book; however, I’ve never had the patience to lay a futures bet and wait 6 months for it to turn out. Nonetheless, here’s my attempt to handicap every team’s odds to win the 2008 MLB World Series.

You can check out all of the real odds here, though they are temporarily down as the site adjusts for the two looming trades (Bedard and Santana).

Good Value
Chicago Cubs (15 – 1): Are they cursed? Probably. However, they still have tons of talent and look to be one of the best teams in the NL. Rumours were swirling about a potential acquisition of Erik Bedard, but recent news out of Seattle crushes those chances. Nonetheless, they have great offensive depth and a good enough 1-2-3 in their rotation to handle a short playoff series. Detroit Tigers (8.75 – 1): Pretty nice odds for a team with such an imposing line-up and two big new arrivals. The acquisition of Cabrera was HUGE and Dontrelle Willis will fit nicely as a 4th starter. Still some question marks though: Sheffield and Magglio need to stay healthy and a new “Guitar Hero” just came out this offseason which presents obvious hazards for Joel Zumaya’s health. See this link for details.Honorable Mention: NY Mets (9.3 – 1) – Best of the NL: Now that they *apparently* have Santana, WATCH OUT! Note: The odds will probably change soon to reflect this deal.

Poor Value
New York Yankees (5.25 – 1): As you might have expected, the Bronx Bastards are horribly overrated. These are pretty terrible odds for a team with half a rotation and aging veterans at multiple positions. The big spring training battle will be between Wilson Betemit and Shelly Duncan at first Base – enough said. These are not your daddy’s Yankees and I predict a disappointing year.

Boston Red Sox (5.05 – 1): Shockingly similar odds to the Yank. 5-1 seems fair for the defending champs. Still, I don`t see much value here as repeating, for whatever reason, is just hard to do. My hatred for the Sox has been well documented. I`ve always hated them more than the Yankees: Manny Ramirez, JD Drew, Josh Beckett… how can you NOT hate this team? Anyhow, 5-1 odds over a 162 game season and 3 playoff rounds is hardly a nice payoff. Sox make the playoffs, but go no further.

Honourable Mention: KC Royals (160 – 1) – At 1000-1 I’m listening… but this team still sucks.

The Hometown Odds
Toronto Blue Jays (25-1): Well, pretty decent payoff here if you have faith in our Blue Birds… but let’s be realistic. It’s going to be a battle to get out of the division, let alone make a serious push for the World Series. There is certainly more danger in the AL East than opportunity. I honestly think that even the Tampa Bay (devil) Rays will give the Jays trouble as they’ve made great improvements in a short period of time. But…. have faith Jays Nation! Our time will come!

MY PICK!
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (10.25 – 1) and here’s why:
-Solid Rotation #1-4: Lackey, Escobar, Garland, Weaver, then a bunch of capable guys fighting for the last spot, including Santana and Saunders.

-Best Bullpen in the AL – K-Rod, Speier, Shields = game, set, match.

-Improved Line-up – The addition of Hunter, contributions from Vladdy, and the progression of young position players should be enough to power the offense.

-The AL West is a terrible division and the Angels have tons of depth at every position in the event of injuries, so I really don’t see much risk that they don’t make the post-season. The Mariners are a legitimate team now, particularly with the *apparent* acquisition of Erik Bedard, but I think the Angels are more than capable of handling the AL West with ease. I’m not convinced that Seattle is ready to compete… yet.

-Art Moreno is a dream owner – after arriving in LA he immediately cut food, beer and ticket prices. Since then, he’s shown a willingness to spend money on top-shelf players and is always willing to loosen the purse strings at the trade deadline. Expect the Angels to acquire another piece of the puzzle if they’re battling for the playoffs at the deadline.

-I’ve always respected Mike Sciosia as a manager and coaching is the kind of intangible that proves to be pretty important during the course of the season.

The bet: $10 on LAA to win 2008 World Series (+1025) – to win $102.50!

This article has been submitted by baseball enthusiast and handsome devil Erik Arnold.