New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball trade rejected (Cole Hamels, again)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE INCONTINENT LEAGUE 

Decided June 15, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 37 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league (hereinafter referred to as “Roto league” or “The Incontinent League”) utilizing an auction-style draft and transaction platform seeks an evaluation of a trade made between two teams within the Roto league.  This is an NL-only keeper league where each team is permitted to maintain up to ten (10) players during each off-season with each individual player allowed to be kept for a maximum of three (3) years.  Each team is also permitted to keep two minor league players which are in addition to the ten players kept.  This Roto league also has a $36.00 in-season salary cap that is applicable for all teams.   

As with many rotisserie leagues, the subject Roto league uses the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

Procedural History

The 4 Ponies have made a trade with the Beaver Hunters.  The 4 Ponies traded Jhoulys Chacin (SP-COL), Jordan Lyles (SP-HOU), and Randy Wolf (SP-MIL) to the Beaver Hunters in exchange for Cole Hamels (SP-PHI) and Leo Nunez (RP-FLA).

Previously, the Court rejected a trade between these two teams for the same players minus Randy Wolf.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26 (June 2011) (holding that the package of Jhoulys Chacin and Jordan Lyles was not sufficient compensation for Cole Hamels and Leo Nunez, thus undermining the best interests of the league due to the inequity of the trade).  Now, the Court is being asked to consider this trade with Wolf being added to balance out the equitability of the deal.  The Court was made aware that several members of The Incontinent League challenged that trade as being too lopsided, and the Court subsequently agreed. 

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the modified trade between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters be upheld and approved?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment typically favors individual fantasy sports participants and teams’ ability to make moves, transactions, and trades.  The standard of review has been that people pay money to purchase a team in a league, draft their team, and manage it accordingly.  Whether success is bred from that individual’s decision-making is purely left to some skill, luck, dedication, and savviness.  The Court also acknowledges that the analysis for evaluating trades is much different in a keeper league than a non-keeper league.  A trade that may look uneven or lopsided on its face may receive a different opinion when it is involved in a keeper league.  The reasons for this are obvious, but must be restated.  In a keeper league, teams that are having unsuccessful seasons are more likely to continue to pay attention and make moves that will set themselves up for better success in the following season.  They can do this by acquiring young talent that is not under contract within the league, or by dumping salary (assuming it is an auction league) and allowing greater financial flexibility to sign key players in the next season’s draft.  In non-keeper leagues, there is no rationale for thinking ahead, nor is there any need to stockpile young, inexpensive talent.

Another factor that the Court must always consider is whether there is any collusion or under-the-table dealings going on between teams.  The Court has not been presented with any evidence of such malfeasance, so assumptions will be made that this is not an issue. 

The Court has always held that the approval or rejection of a trade is based purely on its fairness, free from collusion, and in the best interests of the league.  Whether a trade is intelligent or popular will not be part of the analysis.  The virtue of a trade is measured in both quantifiable criteria and subjective needs of the teams involved.  See Carson City Cocks v. Stud Muffins, 3 F.J. 23, 24 (May 2011).

At first glance, the trade of Jhoulys Chacin, Randy Wolf and Jordan Lyles in exchange for Cole Hamels and Leo Nunez does not look even.  The reason for initial pause is identical to the rationale from the previous incarnation of this trade.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26, 27 (June 2011) (holding that the trade did not appear even on its face because Hamels is unequivocally one of the top pitchers in both real and fantasy baseball, and any trade he is involved in should likely have a player of equal or approximate value on the other side).  Additionally, Nunez is one of the top closers in the National League which makes him anything but a throw-in in the deal.  The package in return includes three starting pitchers with varying degrees of success and consistency.  As stated in the previous case, Chacin is the best pitcher in the package and he has only had a modicum of success in his brief professional career.  He is certainly worthy of being designated an up and coming prospect, but hardly worth a player of Hamels’ stature alone.  Lyles has impressed the Astros enough to remain in their starting rotation, even after Wandy Rodriguez was activated.  This was not anticipated when the Court previously denied this trade, so the Court recognizes that Lyles’ value is marginally greater than before due to his remainder on the big league roster.  The addition of Randy Wolf is what the Court is being asked to consider as the balancing factor in the deal.  In general, Wolf has never been more than an average pitcher in both real and fantasy baseball.  He is a crafty veteran that is neither a short-term solution or part of the long-term plan on a keeper league fantasy baseball team.  The Court now provides a statistical comparison amongst the players:

Player	Wins	ERA	Strikeouts	WHIP	Saves
Cole Hamels	9	2.49	97	0.92	0
Leo Nunez	0	3.30	32	1.20	19
Jhoulys Chacin	7	2.90	74	1.09	0
Randy Wolf	4	3.20	65	1.23	0
Jordan Lyles	0	4.15	12	1.21	0

From looking at these players’ current statistics, it can be argued that the numbers amongst the starting pitchers is equivalent because their totals are not far apart.  In fact, the Beaver Hunters would be getting back more wins (13) collectively than Hamels has attained on his own (9).  But that cannot be the lens in which this trade is viewed.  Hamels currently leads the National League in both wins and WHIP.  As stated earlier, Nunez leads the National League in saves with 19.  In this NL-only fantasy baseball league, they are arguably two of the most valuable players in the entire league.  Loading up multiple players whose cumulative statistics equal or surpass one individual’s superstar statistics does not necessarily make a trade fair or even.  Granted, Chacin has been impressive and looks to be a legitimate pitching prospect.  But he is hardly a sure thing and cannot be considered equivalent value for Hamels.

When analyzing the fairness and equity of a trade, the Court will consider each team’s individual needs to assess whether the trade subjectively made sense from each team’s perspective.  See Cajon Crawdads vs. Carson City Cocks, 1 F.J. 41, 42 (June 2010) (upholding a trade for Jason Bay because of the Carson City Cocks’ desperate need for a starting outfielder due to the demotion of Cameron Maybin).  Since this incarnation of the trade only includes an additional mediocre starting pitcher, the Court will adopt its prior reasoning in terms of the needs of each team and their respective rosters.  See 4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters, 3 F.J. 26, 28 (June 2011) (holding that no reasonable inference can be made as to how the Beaver Hunters benefit at all from the trade given how their current roster is construed).

In terms of keeper league status and salary cap value, this trade doesn’t make sense either.  Nunez only costs $0.10 and is in his final year under contract, which means he will be available in the 2012 draft.  However, Hamels is only in his first year under contract and can still be kept for an additional two years at $3.10.  It must be considered where these players are in terms of their career which is helpful in analyzing possible motivation to perform.  Hamels is arbitration-eligible after the season when his current contract expires with the Phillies.  He is clearly motivated to justify seeking an arbitration award comparable to Tim Lincecum’s record-setting deal.  After he likely agrees to a one-year contract with the Phillies, he will be pitching in 2012 as a pending free agent.  This should serve as an extra motivating factor for him to succeed as he will likely be seeking Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee type years and dollars on the open market.  The Beaver Hunters have him locked up under contract for these important seasons.  To trade him away for unequivocal value in return is incomprehensible.  Even assuming arguendo that Jhoulys Chacin’s potential is equivalent for Hamels’ current value, Chacin is only signed for one more year before he re-enters the Incontinent League’s draft.  So the Beaver Hunters are missing out on one whole year of productivity in this exchange.  From a financial standpoint, the Beaver Hunters are only gaining $1.60 in net salary cap space by making this trade (Wolf only costs $0.10 and still has two years left on his contract).  In a league with a $36.00 salary cap, that does not represent a significant enough amount when dealing with a players of Hamels’ magnitude.

As referenced in Smittydogs v. Moneyball, 1 F.J. 32, 34 (June 2010), the dichotomy between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters’ motivations is precisely why the Court must look at trades in keeper leagues differently than non-keeper leagues.  If this trade had been made in a non-keeper league, the Court would vehemently reject it. 

It should be reiterated that the Court typically favors a league owner’s ability to make trades and manager the roster according to his/her own preferences and judgments.  When a person pays money to participate in a fantasy league, the presumption is that he/she is permitted to make whatever decisions they feel are best for their team.  However, when a trade such as this is proposed, it throws off the competitive balance of the league and creates a slippery slope for future trades.  The Court has no issues with the idea of trading Cole Hamels and/or Leo Nunez.  However, given what the Beaver Hunters were receiving in return, the Court cannot endorse such a maneuver due to the inequity of the return package.  Even adding Randy Wolf to the trade does not even out the trade enough to prevent it from unjustly throwing off the competitive balance of the league.  The Court must consider the impact and effect on the overall league when determining whether a trade should be accepted or rejected.  Based on the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby decides that the subject trade, in this current incarnation is unfair, uneven, and should be modified again before being granted approval.  The trade should be rejected as it still fails to comport with the best interests of the league.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

New Fantasy Judgment decision – fantasy baseball trade rejected (Cole Hamels)

SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

4 Ponies v. Beaver Hunters

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM THE INCONTINENT LEAGUE

Decided June 8, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 26 (June 2011)

Factual Background

A rotisserie fantasy baseball league (hereinafter referred to as “Roto league” or “The Incontinent League”) utilizing an auction-style draft and transaction platform seeks an evaluation of a trade made between two teams within the Roto league.  This is an NL-only keeper league where each team is permitted to maintain up to ten (10) players during each off-season with each individual player allowed to be kept for a maximum of three (3) years.  Each team is also permitted to keep two minor league players which are in addition to the ten players kept.  This Roto league also has a $36.00 in-season salary cap that is applicable for all teams.   

As with many rotisserie leagues, the subject Roto league uses the standard 5×5 scoring categories to determine the standings and prize money.  For offensive players, the five categories are: (1) batting average; (2) homeruns; (3) runs batted in; (4) runs scored; and (5) stolen bases.  For pitchers, the five categories are: (1) wins; (2) earned run average; (3) WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched); (4) strikeouts; and (5) saves.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the course of the season and there are no head to head games contained within the Roto league.

Procedural History

The 4 Ponies have made a trade with the Beaver Hunters.  The 4 Ponies traded Jhoulys Chacin (SP-COL) and Jordan Lyles (SP-HOU) to the Beaver Hunters in exchange for Cole Hamels (SP-PHI) and Leo Nunez (RP-FLA).

According to the Commissioner of the Incontinent League, several members of the league have challenged this trade as being too lopsided.  There are no known issues between the two teams involved in the trade, or with other teams that have challenged the validity of the trade. 

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the trade between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters be upheld and approved?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment typically favors individual fantasy sports participants and teams’ ability to make moves, transactions, and trades.  The standard of review has been that people pay money to purchase a team in a league, draft their team, and manage it accordingly.  Whether success is bred from that individual’s decision-making is purely left to some skill, luck, dedication, and savviness.  The Court also acknowledges that the analysis for evaluating trades is much different in a keeper league than a non-keeper league.  A trade that may look uneven or lopsided on its face may receive a different opinion when it is involved in a keeper league.  The reasons for this are obvious, but must be restated.  In a keeper league, teams that are having unsuccessful seasons are more likely to continue to pay attention and make moves that will set themselves up for better success in the following season.  They can do this by acquiring young talent that is not under contract within the league, or by dumping salary (assuming it is an auction league) and allowing greater financial flexibility to sign key players in the next season’s draft.  In non-keeper leagues, there is no rationale for thinking ahead, nor is there any need to stockpile young, inexpensive talent.

Another factor that the Court must always consider is whether there is any collusion or under-the-table dealings going on between teams.  The Court has not been presented with any evidence of such malfeasance, so assumptions will be made that this is not an issue. 

The Court has always held that the approval or rejection of a trade is based purely on its fairness, free from collusion, and in the best interests of the league.  Whether a trade is intelligent or popular will not be part of the analysis.  The virtue of a trade is measured in both quantifiable criteria and subjective needs of the teams involved.  See Carson City Cocks v. Stud Muffins, 3 F.J. 23, 24 (May 2011).

At first glance, the trade of Jhoulys Chacin and Jordan Lyles in exchange for Cole Hamels and Leo Nunez does not look even.  The reason for initial pause is because Hamels is unequivocally one of the top pitchers in both real and fantasy baseball, and any trade he is involved in should likely have a player of equal or approximate value on the other side.  One exception to this is in a keeper league where teams out of playoff contention are looking to build for the future by trading expensive, star players in exchange for cheaper prospects.  It should be noted that this trade was made for Week 10 of the fantasy baseball season and no team in the Incontinent League has been mathematically eliminated from a playoff spot or precluded from a monetary prize.  Another reason to question the trade on its face is the inclusion of Nunez WITH Hamels in the deal.  Nunez does not possess the same name recognition as Hamels, but all he has done is lead the National League in saves thus far in 2011.  Given the Incontinent League is NL-only, Nunez has considerable value now as the best closer in the league.  On the contrary, both Chacin and Lyles are prospects in theRockiesand Astros organizations respectively.  Chacin has almost a year’s worth of big league experience and has had some moderate success thus far.  Lyles only recently made his debut and will likely be sent back down to the minors.  Neither of them elicits the same projected value to warrant comparison to Hamels and Nunez collectively.

When analyzing the fairness and equity of a trade, the Court will consider each team’s individual needs to assess whether the trade subjectively made sense from each team’s perspective.  See Cajon Crawdads vs. Carson City Cocks, 1 F.J. 41, 42 (June 2010) (upholding a trade for Jason Bay because of the Carson City Cocks’ desperate need for a starting outfielder due to the demotion of Cameron Maybin).  This trade at issue involves three starting pitchers and one closer.  Prior to the trade, the Beaver Hunters (in 10^th place at the time) had a pitching staff that consisted of Hamels, Yovani Gallardo and Johnny Cueto as its best starting pitchers.  They also had Nunez, Carlos Marmol and Craig Kimbrel as closers.  Based on this, it can be justified why the Beaver Hunters would trade Nunez because they are still left with two top closers and can compete for points in the saves, ERA, and WHIP categories.  However, removing Hamels from their staff significantly weakened their starting pitching.  Additionally, the Beaver Hunters current offensive roster consists of Ryan Braun and a plethora of average platoon players.  Granted, they have Ryan Zimmerman and Buster Posey on the disabled list which has affected their team.  But the overarching commentary on the Beaver Hunters’ roster is that they are in desperate need of offensive help.  Trading Hamels and Nunez would make more sense if the Beaver Hunters were acquiring commensurate players to improve their offense.  Chacin is a young and rising pitcher who has shown flashes of brilliance early in his career.  But he is hardly as productive or consistent as Hamels.  Lyles is another young prospect with the Astros who recently made his major league debut due to injuries inHouston’s rotation.  However, with Wandy Rodriguez set to be activated from the disable list this week, it is likely that Lyles will be sent back down to the minors as the corresponding move.  Based on the aforementioned reasons, the Court cannot reasonably infer how the Beaver Hunters are benefiting from acquiring Chacin and Lyles.

In terms of keeper league status and salary cap value, this trade doesn’t make sense either.  Nunez only costs $0.10 and is in his final year under contract, which means he will be available in the 2012 draft.  However, Hamels is only in his first year under contract and can still be kept for an additional two years at $3.10.  It must be considered where these players are in terms of their career which is helpful in analyzing possible motivation to perform.  Hamels is arbitration-eligible after the season when his current contract expires with the Phillies.  He is clearly motivated to justify seeking an arbitration award comparable to Tim Lincecum’s record-setting deal.  After he likely agrees to a one-year contract with the Phillies, he will be pitching in 2012 as a pending free agent.  This should serve as an extra motivating factor for him to succeed as he will likely be seeking Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee type years and dollars on the open market.  The Beaver Hunters have him locked up under contract for these important seasons.  To trade him away for unequivocal value in return is incomprehensible.  Even assuming arguendo that Jhoulys Chacin’s potential is equivalent for Hamels’ current value, Chacin is only signed for one more year before he re-enters the Incontinent League’s draft.  So the Beaver Hunters are missing out on one whole year of productivity in this exchange.  From a financial standpoint, the Beaver Hunters are only gaining $1.70 in net salary cap space by making this trade.  In a league with a $36.00 salary cap, that does not represent a significant enough amount when dealing with a players of Hamels’ magnitude.

As referenced in Smittydogs v. Moneyball, 1 F.J. 32, 34 (June 2010), the dichotomy between the 4 Ponies and the Beaver Hunters’ motivations is precisely why the Court must look at trades in keeper leagues differently than non-keeper leagues.  If this trade had been made in a non-keeper league, the Court would vehemently reject it. 

It should be reiterated that the Court typically favors a league owner’s ability to make trades and manager the roster according to his/her own preferences and judgments.  When a person pays money to participate in a fantasy league, the presumption is that he/she is permitted to make whatever decisions they feel are best for their team.  However, when a trade such as this is proposed, it throws off the competitive balance of the league and creates a slippery slope for future trades.  The Court has no issues with the idea of trading Cole Hamels and/or Leo Nunez.  However, given what the Beaver Hunters were receiving in return, the Court cannot endorse such a maneuver due to the inequity of the return package.  Based on the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby decides that the subject trade is unfair, uneven, and should be modified before being granted approval.  The trade should be rejected as it fails to comport with the best interests of the league.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

OBFBL Power Rankings #1 – Through Week 6

After six weeks and eight fantasy games played, it is now time for the first edition of the 2011 Power Rankings for the Old Bridge Fantasy Baseball League (“OBFBL”).  The OBFBL is an 18-team, non-keeper, head to head, points, mixed NL/AL fantasy baseball league that has existed since 1999 and is currently in its 13th season.  We will rank each team in the league based on their overall record, points scored, roster trends, significant transactions, and other general criteria.  Without further adieu, here are the first official power rankings through the middle of May 2011.

1. The Ewok Rebellion (7-1, 1st place AL Central)

Abe, the brash-talking tech guru of the league who always has a Star Wars theme for his team name, is sitting in first place in the AL Central and is currently tied for the best record in the league.  He suffered his first defeat of the year this past week and conveniently he had a lot less to say.  The Ewok’s early success can be attributed to several hot starts to the season by 1st round pick Robinson Cano, pitcher Dan Haren, and Ryan Howard.  Russell Martin has provided an unforeseen amount of offense at the weak catcher position, and veterans Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Aramis Ramirez still have yet to catch fire. 

2. Benny Enjoys the Moment Being My Bee-otch (7-1, 1st place NL East)

Marc, an OBFBL original and two-time champion, is off to a fast start tied for the best record in the league.  His draft strategy based around pitching has paid off thus far as Clayton Kershaw and Jon Lester have anchored his staff.  Closers Neftali Feliz and Joakim Soria haven’t provided the results he anticipated yet as Feliz was injured and Soria hasn’t had many save opportunities.  Marc intuitively drafted an injured Brandon Morrow and is now reaping those benefits.  Much of his early success can be attributed to good waiver wire pickups like Alex Avila, Jed Lawrie, Kyle Farnsworth, and Darwin Barney.

3. Fellowship of the Orange Veal Cutlets (6-2, 1st place NL West)

After having the worst record in the league in 2010, Maury has stormed back with a vengeance to begin 2011.  His top draft picks have performed well, including Justin Verlander and his no-hitter.  First round pick Ryan Braun has been a stud as expected, and Brian McCann is one of the best fantasy catchers in the league.  Young pitchers Jonathan Sanchez and Ian Kennedy have provided depth to Maury’s pitching staff, and Jason Kubel’s resurgence has given him another potent bat.  Maury is scoring more points per game this year than he has in his previous 8 seasons.  Someone ought to test his urine for HGH or steroids…or viagara.

4. Madoff’s Marauders (6-2, 1st place NL Central)

Joey I. finds himself in first place in the NL Central despite suffering from injuries to crucial players such as Ryan Zimmerman and Ike Davis.  His pitching trio of Roy Halladay, Yovanni Gallardo and Brett Anderson is as good as anyone in the league.  Closers Craig Kimbrel and Jose Valverde round out one of the top pitching staffs in the OBFBL.  He also has Jordan Walden and Sergio Santos on his bench, so Joey I. can likely leverage some of his excess pitching for infield help.  With gaping holes at first base and third base due to injury, Joey I. has the Braves’ middle infield duo of Dan Uggla and Alex Gonzalez, both of whom are struggling. 

5. Mets in 2011 (5-3, 1st place AL East)

Jordan got off to the best start to a season in terms of points scored in league history.  The 2004 champion scored the 3rd highest point total in one scoring period ever during the Week 1 double-header.  He has already won two $20 weekly awards for most points scored as he sits in first place in the AL East.  Powered by Joey Votto, Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, Jordan has amassed all of these points despite getting nothing from Carl Crawford.  Jordan’s pitching staff is deep and productive with Josh Beckett regaining his old form and looking dominating again.  Jaime Garcia, Tim Hudson and Brian Wilson have also been very effective, and he has Jake Peavy stashed on his bench and ready to be activated (despite not being in his lineup this week when he threw a shutout).  Oh, and he has Johan Santana stashed away too.

6. Len Tuckwilla’s Nuts Over My Chin (5-3, 2nd place NL West)

It has been an all or nothing season thus far for Craig.  Everything he has touched has either turned to gold or sent to the disabled list.  Taking Troy Tulowitzki in the first round was a no brainer, but drafting Jered Weaver so soon in the second round caused a couple heads to turn.  Well those heads were wrong.  Weaver had arguably the most dominant April in recent history, and then he missed a start due to an illness and has been brought back down to earth.  But for the first time in his OBFBL tenure, Craig has a deep and talented pitching staff that is also comprised of Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez, Matt Garza, Michael Pineda and Kyle McClellan.  On offense, Gaby Sanchez, Martin Prado and Carlos Beltran have all gotten off to quick and powerful starts.  Craig is known for fading in the second half, so hopefully he has built up some OBFBL endurance.

7. Jewish Mafia (5-3, 2nd place NL Central)

The OBFBL’s resident Hebrew gangster is following up on his deep playoff run from 2010 with another fast start.  Randy has benefited from some production from unlikely sources such as Alfonso Soriano, Leo Nunez and Francisco Rodriguez.  His top picks, such as Carlos Gonzalez, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Mat Latos have all struggled getting out of the gate, but each have shown signs of breaking out.  Brandon Phillips, Jason Heyward and Casey McGehee round out a solid offense.  Randy’s weakness may be at first base where Freddie Freeman is the only option he has.  His other weakness is Leonardo DiCaprio movies…he gets emotional.

8. RAD (4-4, 2nd place AL Central)

After another slow start, Matt has been on a roll lately putting up some big time points and proving that his success in his rookie year was no fluke.  Adrian Gonzalez and Andrew McCutcheon are the most dangerous hitters he has, with veterans like Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon contributing to the cause despite their advanced age.  On the contrary, Matt has solified his reputation as someone who values and recognizes young pitching talent.  Daniel Hudson was the first pitcher he drafted, and he has rebounded to justify such a selection.  James Shields has also rebounded from a poor 2010 to have one of the highest point totals in the league.  Homer Bailey, John Axford, Zach Britton and Jordan Zimmermann round out Matt’s impressive young staff.  I think Ian Kinsler just injured himself reading this.

9. Pap Smears (4-4, 1st place AL West)

Jared has brought back the team name of Pap Smears for the first time since 2000.  And with the return of the vaginal swabs has come a return to glory as Jared currently resides in 1st place despite a .500 record.  Injuries have been a major theme for Jared starting with the draft as he selected players like Jair Jurrjens, Corey Hart, and Shaun Marcum who all had injuries prior to the season beginning.  Since then, he has withstood DL stints for Victor Martinez, Aaron Hill, and a scare with Josh Johnson getting hit by a ball on his right forearm.  For the record, Jared selected Corey Hart only because he himself wears his sunglasses at night,

10. It’s Gotta Be Mooses…or Meese (4-4, 2nd place AL West)

When everyone is healthy, Cory has one of the deepest and most talented pitching staffs in the league.  His staff includes C.C. Sabathia, Chris Carpenter, Chad Billingsley, Ricky Romero and Francisco Cordero.  With all of that pitching, something had to give…and it gave in deep positions.  Derrek Lee has been on the downturn for a few years, and his recent oblique strain won’t help matters at all.  Additionally, Aubrey Huff and Carlos Lee do not look like they once did (and yes, I admit, I predicted big things for El Caballo coming into the season).  Matt Holliday has been terrific despite missing the first couple weeks of the season.  The biggest surprises on Cory’s team have been Asdrubal Cabrera and Erick Aybar both hitting for more power than anticipated.

11. This is the Business We’ve Chosen (4-4, 2nd place NL East)

Despite being the first and only team to suffer from the illegal lineup penalty, Jason still has a .500 record and is in 2nd place behind Bee-otch.  Even more surprising that he has won four games is the fact that Hanley Ramirez has been horrendous and Evan Longoria missed several weeks with an injury.  In keeping with his tradition, Jason is relying on young stud pitchers to carry him through, such as Clay Buchholz, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Drew Storen.  A trade for another hitter could be in order since his current utility player is Melky Cabrera. 

12. Montreal Espos (3-5, 3rd place AL West)

The Espos were dealt a serious blow this week as David Wright was placed on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his lower back.  This type of injury and the recovery necessary could keep the Espos’ second overall pick on the shelf for quite some time.  Not that Wright was doing much when he was playing, but Pat will have to rely on other hitters like Shin Soo Choo and Curtis Granderson to pick up the slack.  One thing that Pat does have going for him is the formidable pitching duo of former Cy Young award winners Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke.  Greinke is still a bit of a wild card, but if he can revert back to his 2009 form, then Pat should be able to compete for the division title with this closely grouped bunch.

13. Blue Horseshoe Loves Giant Douche (3-5, 3rd place NL West)

The Commish is off to another slow start and has been dominated in double-header weeks, just as he was in 2010.  Mike has been bitten by injuries thus far with Josh Hamilton missing almost the whole season thus far.  His strategy of taking two top closers as his first pitchers drafted hasn’t worked out well so far because Heath Bell and Carlos Marmol haven’t had many save opportunities yet.  Mike did draft Lance Berkman in the late rounds which turned out to be a steal.  He then parlayed Berkman’s torrid start into a trade to acquire Cliff Lee, the stud starting pitcher he needed.  First round pick Miguel Cabrera is still sobering up from his off-season DUI.

14. Dawg Eat Dawg (3-5, 3rd place NL Central)

The defending OBFBL champion is off to a slow start in his quest to become the first ever repeat champion in league history.  In typical fashion, Benny drafted aging hitters like they were going out of style.  He was immediately burned when Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and subsequently retired.  A-Rod started off strong but then suffered an oblique injury and has struggled since returning.  Jason Bay, Hideki Matsui and Vladimir Guerrero look like shells of their former selves. And Grady Sizemore is on the DL again with an injury to his other knee.  However, Benny does have David Price and Roy Oswalt to match up against anyone else’s top pitchers. 

15. Cole Hamels Adopted Charlie Sheen’s Kids (2-6, 3rd place AL Central)

The Philadelphia Boys and their fetish with Cole Hamels bastard children are off to a slow start in the basement in the AL Central.  Jeff and Mike drafted a team of players who are known for their hot and cold streaks.  Mark Teixeira had an uncharacteristically hot start to the season but then cooled off considerably.  Rickie Weeks, Stephen Drew and Jayson Werth have had their production limited to a confined period of time.  The eponymous Cole Hamels and Andre Ethier have been consistently productive.  A turning point in Jeff and Mike’s season could be the pending return of all-star second baseman Chase Utley.  Jeff and Mike can either plug Utley into the lineup along with Weeks, or they can entertain a trade offer to upgrade somewhere else.

16. It Byrnes When I Peavy (2-6, 3rd place NL East)

While Ari has the best team name in the league, his actual team is not the best at anything except underachieving.  After drafting Albert Pujols with the first overall pick, you could have etched in stone that Pujols would have his typical season, or even better due to this being a contract year.  However, it has been anything but typical for the game’s best hitter.  Pujols has struggled mightily through the first 6+ weeks of the season, and this has been problematic for the OBFBL Co-Commissioner.  Mix in the struggles of Kevin Youkilis, plus injuries to Adam Dunn, Vernon Wells and Nelson Cruz and you have the recipe for a 2-6 record.  Ari has a proven track record of winning, so don’t be surprised to see him make a second half run.

17. Sharks With Frickin’ Laser Beams (1-7, 2nd place AL East)

Now entering his 3rd season in the league, Jim has finally learned that drafting Jimmy Rollins in the first round is not a good idea.  Despite taking Tim Lincecum with his first pick, the Sharks are being hunted by Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss.  Jose Bautista has easily been Jim’s best player by establishing himself as a true dominant fantasy stud.  However, Dustin Pedroia and James Loney have been major disappointments.  Delmon Young was producing but missed some time due to injury.  Jim has never shied away from making trades in the past.  He may need to shake things up before the Sharks jump themselves (if you don’t understand this, then Google or Wikipedia the term “jump the shark.”

18. Admiral Ackbar (1-7, 3rd place AL East)

In only his second season in the OBFBL, Mario has clearly established himself as one of the streakiest teams in league history.  In 2010, he began the season 8-0.  In 2011, he began 0-5 and is now 1-7.  The problem has been Mario’s lack of offense because his deep pitching staff has consistently been carrying him.  In fact, his offense has been so bad that he still lost one of the double-header games during the week that Francisco Liriano threw a no-hitter.  Mario recognized his problem and dealt away Cliff Lee in exchange for Lance Berkman (the top point scorer in the league at the time) and Aaron Harang.  The good news is that Mario can only move up…there isn’t anyone below him.

Tuesday Night Top Ten – May 3, 2011

Tuesday Night Top Ten – May 3, 2011

According to reliable sources such as the internet and high school students, Tuesday is the least popular day of the week.  In an effort to bring some respect, credibility and entertainment back to Tuesdays, I will be paying homage to David Letterman and provide a weekly Top 10 list for newsworthy fantasy baseball events that take place.  Each event will have a brief description including what, if any, impact it has on fantasy baseball.  The ranking is completely subjective so do not even think of challenging my authority.  In fact, in the words of Eric Cartman, you will respect my authority!  Without further adieu, here is the debut of the new Tuesday Top Ten List (as of 10:15 PM EST):

 10. Phil is ill, but with what? – Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes apparently doesn’t have thoracic outlet syndrome, which is good news, but it also leaves many questions unanswered.  Doctors and experts are still trying to figure out what is ailing the Yankees’ young hurler.  Regardless, it doesn’t look like Hughes is going to contribute much to the Yankees or fantasy owners this year.  His velocity is down and his stuff is flat.  There is very likely a physical reason why, but thus far no one can provide an answer.  For now, stash him on the DL if you have the room.  But don’t expect anything from him in 2011.  On a side note, going back to all of the trade discussions between the Mets, Yankees and Twins for Johan Santana in 2008, it is sadly bizarre and ironic that former Mets prospect and current White Sox starter Philip Humber is likely to be the best pitcher of them all this season.

9. D-Choo-I – Yet another major league baseball player has been arrested for driving while under the influence.  Indians outfielder Shin Soo Choo is the most recent drunk driver pulled over in what seems like a weekly occurrence.  Choo had one too many Cheongju before he got behind the wheel.  No one ever accused baseball players of being smart, but come on…this is getting a little ridonculous.  Assuming his situation is like every other offender, he shouldn’t miss any time so there will not likely be any effect on his fantasy status.  That is, unless, he shows up drunk at a game and starts referring to himself as Kim Jong Il.

8. Oh Jenrry – Mets prospect Jenrry Mejia will likely need to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair an injured ligament in his elbow.  Mejia was being groomed to become a starter in the Mets rotation of the future, but this will have to be put on hold for at least a year assuming he goes under the knife soon.  Mejia has electric stuff and is a popular keeper in roto fantasy leagues due to his potential to either start or relieve.  If recent history is any indication, there is no reason Mejia can’t come back and be an effective pitcher within 18 months of the operation.  He is only 22 so there is still plenty of time for him to make an impact.  But those of you who are stashing him in keepe leagues, you might as well clear the roster space.

7. Not Werth the Money – Jayson Werth made his long awaited return to Philadelphia in a Nationals’ uniform and was met with a mixture of ovations and boos.  This is not surprising because Werth’s decision to sign with Washington is understandable, but his comments after he left were unnecessary.  No one could argue with Werth agreeing to that ludacris contract, because let’s be honest, any one of us would take the money and run.  But when Werth later came out and made some disparaging remarks about the Phillies and their lack of attempts to bring him back, it soured the fans’ feelings towards him.  Werth should thank the Phillies for giving him the opportunity to put up great numbers as the team’s fourth offensive weapon.  Now he is the focal point of the Nationals’ lineup and will soon realize Adam LaRoche is not Ryan Howard and Danny Espinosa is not Chase Utley.  

6. Goose Eggs and Hamels – It is common knowledge at this point that the Phillies have the greatest starting pitching in baseball, and arguably one of the greatest staffs in the history of baseball (the 2005 Mets are in that conversation as well with Victor Zambrano and Kris Benson).  Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee seem to get most of the attention, and deservingly so.  But Cole Hamels is on the brink of becoming truly an elite pitcher in real and fantasy baseball.  There has never been an issue with his talent.  The biggest question mark with Hamels has always been his maturity and mental strength.  After what he pulled in the 2009 World Series, he has clearly grown up and emerged as a potential Cy Young candidate.  He threw a complete game gem against the Washington Nationals and continues to make people vomit at the thought he is the Phillies number three or four starter.

5. Pain in the Neck – Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista will miss some time this week with an injured neck.  He must have strained it from looking up at all the homeruns he has hit since the beginning of 2010.  I will admit that I was wrong about him being a fluke.  He will probably not come close to hitting 54 homeruns again, but he is clearly an established slugger who knows how to hit.  It seems as though he is consistently befelled by nagging injuries.  I recently had a nagging injury.  My wife wouldn’t stop nagging me, so I hit my head against the wall and sustained a laceration to my forehead.  I looked like Ric Flair in a steel cage match.

4. Bay-bee Daddy – Mets outfielder Jason Bay is on paternity leave for a couple days to be with his wife who is expected to give birth to the couple’s third child.  Bay sustained a concussion in July 2010 and missed the rest of the season.  Then, just days before Opening Day, he sustained a strain to his oblique muscle requiring him to miss the first three weeks of the 2011 season.  After playing in 10 games, it was clear he needed some time off.  Oh calm down, I am kidding.  It is great the MLB has implemented a new paternity leave program for players so they can be with their wives when children are born.  Given the baby is due in the beginning of May, that means it was likely conceived in July or August 2010.  Hmmm, didn’t Bay sustain his concussion around that time?  I guess he wasn’t injured enough to knock up his wife when he clearly couldn’t knock any balls over the fence.

3. Celebrity Rehab – American League MVP Josh Hamilton is in rehab once again.  No silly, not for smoking crack or building meth labs.  Hamilton is recovering from a fractured arm when he inexplicably was sent home to score on a foul popup and dove into home plate.  On Wednesday, he is scheduled to swing a bat for the first time since the injury which means he is at least one week ahead of schedule in his recovery.  It was originally anticipated that Hamilton would miss 6-8 weeks and not swing a bat for the first four weeks.  He was injured three weeks ago, so do the math.  What?  You were told there would be no math?  Just use a calculator.  In fact, type the number 55378008 and turn your calculator upside down.  The result answers the question “How would you describe Gwyneth Paltrow?”

2. Battle of Wounded Knee – Chase Utley may not be far from returning to the Phillies.  The all star second baseman has been bothered by an ailing knee for months and has yet to see any game time in spring training, the minor leagues, or the major leagues.  Reports out of Philadelphia are that Utley may be sent to Clearwater to play in some extended spring training games which would enable him to face live pitching for the first time since 2010.  This bodes well for fantasy owners who drafted Utley and have stashed him on the DL in the hopes he would return sooner than later.  If he is healthy, the Phillies should look into possibly trading him because they clearly can win with the “talented” duo of Wilson Valdez and Pete Orr playing second base.  Just FYI, the quotation marks were meant to indicate sarcasm font.

1. LIRIANOOOOOO! - Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano pitched a no-hitter against the White Sox in Chicago tonight.  There is no debating Liriano’s talent, but he has been atrocious thus far in 2011 and his starting job was in jeopardy with Kevin Slowey being considered to take his place in the Twins’ rotation.  That debate has been quelled for now as Liriano threw his first career complete game in the no-hit effort.  He walked six and only struck out two which indicates he relied on his defense instead of trying to strike every batter out.  Perhaps this is a sign that he has turned the corner and is on his way to reclaiming his status as a top tier fantasy pitcher.  Or it could just be a fluke and he will get bombed in three innings next time out.  That is the problem with Liriano – he is so inconsistent and almost impossible to predict.  Those of you in points leagues where no-hitters are credited had a good night if Liriano was in your lineup. 

New Fantasy Judgment Decision – Green Eggs & Hamels vs. Megan Fox is Hot (fantasy baseball issue)

THE SUPREME COURT OF FANTASY JUDGMENT

Green Eggs & Hamels v. Megan Fox is Hot

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI FROM

THE BRO’S BEFORE HO’S FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE

 Decided April 10, 2011

Cite as 3 F.J. 4 (April 2011)

Factual Background

A fantasy baseball league named the Bro’s Before Ho’s Fantasy Baseball League (hereinafter referred to as “BBHFBL”) is a 12-team rotisserie league using both AL and NL players with each team allowed to keep up to three players for a maximum of three seasons.  The BBHFBL is a 6×6 league using the following hitting categories – OBP, HR, RBI, Runs, SB, and Hits – and  the following pitching categories – W, ERA, K’s, SV, WHIP, and QS.  Statistics are cumulative throughout the season and each team will accrue points based on their standings for each individual scoring category.  Each team has a budget of $260 to draft 27 players and then $150 to purchase free agents after the draft has concluded.

The BBHFBL is governed by a Constitution that was authored by the league Commissioner and posted on the league’s CBSSports’ homepage.  All league members were notified via email and a message posted on the league’s message board that the Constitution was available for viewing on March 25, 2011. 

Contained within the BBHFBL Constitution is a section entitled “Transactions” which is denoted as Section 2.  Under Section 2, there are several provisions regarding the rules and guidelines for making add/drops utilizing a free agent auction bidding process (“FAAB”) including the following relevant language:

1.         Each team shall be given a budget of $150 to spend on free agents throughout the course of the season.

2.         In order to acquire a free agent, teams must bid at least $1 on a player and make a subsequent transaction by either dropping a player, moving a player to injured, or moving a player to the minors.

3.         The team that bids the most money for a free agent in a particular waiver period will be awarded that player. 

4.         Once a team has won an auction, that team will move to the bottom of the waiver priority order.

6.         If more than one team has bid the same amount of money on the same free agent, the team with the highest position on the waiver priority list shall be awarded that player.

9.         Waivers will run every day at 2:00 AM which means players can be added daily.

10.       Any disputes or challenges to the FAAB process shall be raised to the league Commissioner for inquiry to CBSSports.

Procedural History

Green Eggs & Hamels, a team in the BBHFBL, attempted to add Chris Capuano (SP-NYM) as a free agent on April 8, 2011.  He utilized the FAAB process on CBSSports and bid $1 on Capuano and dropped Bud Norris (SP-HOU).  This represented the second of Green Eggs & Hamels’ FAAB requests as he bid $14 to successfully obtain Brent Morel (3B-CHW) during the same April 8, 2011 waiver period.  Also on April 8, 2011, Megan Fox is Hot bid $1 on Chris Capuano and dropped Ross Ohlendorf (SP-PIT).

Because Green Eggs & Hamels successfully won the auction for Morel, he went to the bottom of the priority order for the next round of waivers during the period.  As a result, Megan Fox is Hot won the auction for Capuano despite bidding the same amount as Green Eggs & Hamels. 

Green Eggs & Hamels disputed this transaction to the league Commissioner arguing that he should have been awarded Capuano because placed the bid before Megan Fox is Hot.  The Commissioner rejected Green Eggs & Hamels’ arguments holding that the FAAB process explicitly states that teams will go to the bottom of the waiver order after winning a bid, and that the team that bids the most amount of money next down the waiver order will win that subsequent player.

Issue Presented

(1)   Should the Commissioner’s decision affirming Megan Fox is Hot’s acquisition of Chris Capuano be upheld?

Decision

The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment is a strong advocate for having written Constitutions that govern fantasy sports leagues.  See John Doe v. Fantasy Football League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 21, 22 (October 2010).  One of the primary reasons behind having a written Constitution is so that all league members are aware of the rules and guidelines in place that govern the administration and function of the fantasy league.  See Shawn Kemp is My Daddy v. Fantasy Basketball League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 24, 25 (October 2010).  When a league Commissioner writes out the rules and distributes them to the league, it shifts the burden onto the league members to read, understand, and adhere to the rules that are delineated.  If a league member has an issue, question or challenge to one of the rules in the Constitution, they are welcome to raise this with the Commissioner before signing it or agreeing to its codification.

Here, the rules explicitly stated what the procedures are for the FAAB process.  Not only were they delineated by the Commissioner in the league’s Constitution, but that is also the process as set forth by CBSSports as per the settings input by the Commissioner.  Green Eggs & Hamels was rightfully awarded Brent Morel with his first transaction because the $14 he bid on Morel represented the highest amount of money bid on an eligible free agent.  As a result, the auction for Morel went first and Hamels was awarded him.  Once Hamels won that auction, he automatically went to the bottom of the priority order for free agent pickups.  This meant that he essentially loses a tie-breaker in the event another team bids the same amount for a second free agent – which was the case here.  Because Megan Fox is Hot was higher on the priority order, he was correctly awarded Capuano.

Hamels appealed to the league’s Commissioner for review.  The Supreme Court of Fantasy Judgment advocates for league Commissioners to have a certain amount of authority and autonomy to run and administer fantasy sports leagues.  See FlemishUSA v. League Commissioner, 2 F.J. 35, 36 (October 2010).  In this case, the Commissioner appropriately ruled on the issue by adhering to the clearly established rules and guidelines that govern the league and the FAAB process. 

Based on the aforementioned reasons, the Commissioner properly rejected Hamels’ request for review as he was correctly denied obtaining Chris Capuano.  The league’s FAAB rules clearly demonstrate that Megan Fox is Hot properly acquired Capuano.  The Court hereby upholds the Commissioner’s decision and rules that the subject transactions should be upheld.

IT IS SO ORDERED.