(Willmar, MN) Last week was a great week for the sports fan, started with the Final Four and ended with Bubba winning The Masters. In between the major league baseball season got underway and with that my rotisserie baseball auction. It's like fantasy baseball but for more serious players who want a more realistic representation of what it would be like to put together a major league team.
That brings me to the title of this post. Yes indeed I did wind up with Delmon Young on my roto baseball team. Seemed like the price was right, defense doesn't matter in rotoball so when Delmon misplays a flyball and runs half heartedly after it, I don't care just drive in a run while at the plate.
Players I coveted the most went for moree than I wanted to "pay." It's pretend money, we have $260 Rotobucks to buy 22 active players so I had a hard time going to $43 for Tampa 3B Evan Longoria, he was #1 on my list. Instead I picked up Adrian Beltre, Tex third sacker for $37. Decided against getting one of the big three first baseman, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, they all went for $46, picked up Paul Konerko instead for $33. Couldn't get Jays P Brandon Morrow, he went for $33, settled for Hiroki Kuroda for $24.
We are a group of 12 guys from the area who follow baseball extremely closely, especially the American League since that's the only players we can use. We know our AL middle relievers and utility players like no one's business so I think it's an interesting point how much some Twins players were auctioned for among us Twins fans and rotoballers.
The highest paid Twin? Joe Mauer of course but for a career low $21, he was $31 last year. Justin Morneau next, I'm a believer but finally dropped out of the bidding at $20, he was $37 last year. Scott Baker was kept from last year at $20. How about Twins "Ace" Carl Pavano? $2, yes two bucks for the Twins ace. Heck Matt Thornton a White Sox middle releiver went for $21 just on a hunch he may close for them.
Other Twins signings, Frankie Liriano $17, Denard Span $13, Jamey Carroll $4 with a few Twins kept from last year on some rosters like Matt Capps for $4 and Josh Willingham for $9. It doesn't look like there's a lot expected from the Twins players this year, at least using our little sample of baseball fans.
Well it's not the worst thing to expect the worst and then be pleasantly surprised, that's my spring eternal hope for the Twins this season, just don't be terrible.
