This article is part of our Rounding Third series.
NFBC Results, Week 2 Primer and FAAB Results Galore
Chris Liss and I discussed our respective NFBC teams and drafts in Charging the Mound this past week, but I didn't list the whole team. I'll do that here real quick, and comment on a couple of highlights. Remember, this is a 15-team mixed league, no trading, with a grand prize component. I drafted from the 12-spot.
(Round drafted in parentheses)
C: Matt Wieters (8), A.J. Pierzynski (15)
1B: Joey Votto (2)
2B: Dustin Pedroia (3), Anthony Rendon (17)
SS: J.J. Hardy (13), Yunel Escobar (25)
3B: Adrian Beltre (1), David Freese (21), Mike Olt (30)
OF: Billy Hamilton (4), Curtis Granderson (14), Josh Reddick (16), Denard Span (19), A.J. Pollock (22), Abraham Almonte (23), Oscar Taveras (28)
UT: David Ortiz (7)
SP: Gerrit Cole (5), Hyun-Jin Ryu (6), Hisashi Iwakuma (11), Lance Lynn (12), Kyle Lohse (18), Joe Kelly (20), Felipe Paulino (24), Travis Wood (26), Jake Odorizzi (27), Zach McAllister (29)
RP: Jim Johnson (9), Jonathan Papelbon (10)
I've since cut Olt to add Charlie Blackmon (more below).
The critical decision was Billy Hamilton in the fourth round - that's the one I keep replaying in my head. I was willing to take the gamble because my first three picks (Beltre, Votto, Pedroia) all were good batting average sources, and because I didn't have much speed. But I passed on taking Kenley Jansen there, hoping instead to get him in the fifth, failing that Greg Holland or Trevor Rosenthal
NFBC Results, Week 2 Primer and FAAB Results Galore
Chris Liss and I discussed our respective NFBC teams and drafts in Charging the Mound this past week, but I didn't list the whole team. I'll do that here real quick, and comment on a couple of highlights. Remember, this is a 15-team mixed league, no trading, with a grand prize component. I drafted from the 12-spot.
(Round drafted in parentheses)
C: Matt Wieters (8), A.J. Pierzynski (15)
1B: Joey Votto (2)
2B: Dustin Pedroia (3), Anthony Rendon (17)
SS: J.J. Hardy (13), Yunel Escobar (25)
3B: Adrian Beltre (1), David Freese (21), Mike Olt (30)
OF: Billy Hamilton (4), Curtis Granderson (14), Josh Reddick (16), Denard Span (19), A.J. Pollock (22), Abraham Almonte (23), Oscar Taveras (28)
UT: David Ortiz (7)
SP: Gerrit Cole (5), Hyun-Jin Ryu (6), Hisashi Iwakuma (11), Lance Lynn (12), Kyle Lohse (18), Joe Kelly (20), Felipe Paulino (24), Travis Wood (26), Jake Odorizzi (27), Zach McAllister (29)
RP: Jim Johnson (9), Jonathan Papelbon (10)
I've since cut Olt to add Charlie Blackmon (more below).
The critical decision was Billy Hamilton in the fourth round - that's the one I keep replaying in my head. I was willing to take the gamble because my first three picks (Beltre, Votto, Pedroia) all were good batting average sources, and because I didn't have much speed. But I passed on taking Kenley Jansen there, hoping instead to get him in the fifth, failing that Greg Holland or Trevor Rosenthal. All were gone by my next pick in the fifth, and that set up the scenario where I didn't get my top closer choices. Even if Hamilton were hitting and running right now, I'd be reconsidering that choice. It's obviously still early, but that risk hasn't played well yet.
Week 2 Noteworthy Schedules
Three teams play just five games this week - the Dodgers, Mariners and Tigers. If your league didn't count the two Australia games, you have to feel a little snakebit about your Dodgers players, especially if you're a Clayton Kershaw or Hyun-Jin Ryu owner. In the NFBC, try to be prepared for this eventuality and have hitters on your bench to replace marginal guys that have just two games over the first-four days of the week. For me, that means that Abraham Almonte sits. That also implies that the fifth starters for their respective teams aren't going to start - Drew Smyly, most likely Zach Lee, and Chris Young for the Mariners.
White Sox hitters have a great schedule, with a seven-game week that includes three games at Coors Field and four games at home against the Indians, missing out on Danny Salazar if the weather holds. Other teams with seven games this week include the Red Sox, Indians, Astros and Yankees.
Interleague matchups (home team listed first) this week are:
Angels-Mets (Friday-Sunday) - Lucas Duda and Ike Davis can both be in the lineup, though two lefties start for the Angels, so instead we might see more of Josh Satin.
Rockies-White Sox (Monday-Wednesday) - Either Adam Dunn or Jose Abreu is likely to lose time. Look for Dunn to sit for sure on Tuesday when Franklin Morales starts for the Rockies.
Reds-Rays (Friday-Sunday) - The Reds will have two righties sandwiching Tony Cingrani over the weekend.
Indians-Padres (Monday-Wednesday) - Tommy Medica could get extra at-bats as a result, and Seth Smith could start all six games this week, with the Padres facing six right-handers.
Dodgers-Tigers (Tuesday-Wednesday), Padres-Tigers (Friday-Sunday) - Victor Martinez is expected to start one game behind the plate, perhaps another at first base.
For more on the pitching matchups, please check out our indispensable Projected Starters Grid. I use that frequently to aid my free agent bidding and my lineups, both for two-start starters and for matchups.
FREE AGENT RESULTS
In this section I'll try to list as many of the free agent results as I can from my Sunday deadline leagues. Due to time constraints, the commentary will frequently be short.
NFBC - RotoWire Online Championship
| Team | Player | Bid | Runner-Up |
| Release the Kraken | Francisco Rodriguez (MR) | 275 | 143 |
| Banged Up Bravos | Charlie Blackmon (LF) | 200 | 100 |
| Big Stick Ballerinas | Jose Valverde (MR) | 193 | 141 |
| Glenneration X | Matt Lindstrom (MR) | 124 | 122 |
| Tiger Slappy OC2 | Justin Smoak (1B) | 111 | 69 |
| SlickRick in da Hizzouse | Chris Colabello (RF) | 99 | |
| Banged Up Bravos | Tyler Skaggs (SP) | 77 | 50 |
| Release the Kraken | Charlie Morton (SP) | 75 | 1 |
| ChrisLiss4President | Adam LaRoche (1B) | 70 | 24 |
| Tiger Slappy OC2 | Pedro Strop (MR) | 69 | 20 |
| Banged Up Bravos | Jake Odorizzi (SP) | 57 | |
| PANAMA RED | Kyle Kendrick (SP) | 50 | |
| Big Stick Ballerinas | Adeiny Hechavarria (SS) | 36 | |
| Wheelin Down Huston Street | Casey McGehee (1B) | 35 | |
| PANAMA RED | Mark Buehrle (SP) | 25 | 5 |
| Glenneration X | Lucas Duda (LF) | 24 | |
| High Hopes | Jonathan Broxton (MR) | 20 | |
| High Hopes | Omar Infante (2B) | 16 | |
| ChrisLiss4President | Yangervis Solarte (SS) | 15 | |
| Wheelin Down Huston Street | Tyler Flowers (C) | 15 | 10 |
| TraylorDukes | Garrett Richards (SP) | 10 | |
| Wheelin Down Huston Street | Juan Nicasio (SP) | 10 | |
| TraylorDukes | Kurt Suzuki (C) | 5 | |
| Belmont Ave Bombers | J.P. Arencibia (C) | 2 | |
| ChrisLiss4President | Luke Gregerson (MR) | 1 |
I believe a lot more in K-Rod than I do Valverde, and I needed the closer, having lost Nate Jones. In the 12-team league, I think it's imperative to have three closers, at least early on. You don't always have to start three, but when you don't have seven good starting pitching matchups, it's huge to be able to turn to that as an option. I now have Joakim Soria, Francisco Rodriguez and Jonathan Papelbon in that league. My drops were Neftali Feliz and Nate Jones.
Morton obviously was an overpay, but he has two starts this week, I believe in the progress he made in the second half last year, and I'm going to love his home starts this year.
NFBC Main Event
| Team | Player | Bid | Runner-Up |
| El Scorchos | Charlie Blackmon (LF) | 225 | 221 |
| TeamSS | Juan Lagares (CF) | 144 | 6 |
| MORONS | Yangervis Solarte (SS) | 125 | 49 |
| Spartacus | Lucas Duda (LF) | 91 | |
| movers | Chris Colabello (RF) | 89 | 54 |
| Valar Morghulis | Lonnie Chisenhall (3B) | 53 | |
| movers | Mark Buehrle (SP) | 45 | 28 |
| Team Schroeder | David Lough (RF) | 32 | 5 |
| TeamSS | Jose Lobaton (C) | 25 | 5 |
| Oakland Eh's | Luke Gregerson (MR) | 24 | |
| Oakland Eh's | Aaron Harang (SP) | 22 | |
| Dead Moneyball | Jason Kubel (LF) | 18 | |
| Dead Moneyball | Travis Snider (RF) | 18 | |
| Dead Moneyball | Brandon Crawford (SS) | 14 | |
| TeamSS | Brett Cecil (MR) | 14 | |
| BN Bears | Cody Asche (3B) | 12 | 3 |
| Valar Morghulis | Sean Doolittle (MR) | 12 | |
| Diamondking | Adeiny Hechavarria (SS) | 11 | |
| Oakland Eh's | Gonzalez Germen (MR) | 11 | |
| Team Simonian | Bruce Chen (SP) | 9 | |
| Team Simonian | Garrett Jones (1B) | 9 | 8 |
| Team Schroeder | Jarred Cosart (SP) | 6 | |
| VF's FUSTERCLUCK | Derek Holland (SP) | 6 | |
| Oakland Eh's | Jackie Bradley Jr. (LF) | 2 | |
| Team Schroeder | Ryan Hanigan (C) | 1 | |
| TeamSS | Sean Rodriguez (LF) | 1 |
As you saw from above, I waited on outfielders in this league, so to me it was a no-brainer to be aggressive on Blackmon. I understand I'm bidding on him at his highest value, but if he ends up starting five times a week at Coors Field, it could be huge. He gets the nod in my starting lineup at the start of the week over Almonte and Hamilton - though I may still find a way to squeeze Hamilton in there if he's in the starting lineup Monday. The only problem is that Hamilton has a tough week, facing the Cardinals and Rays' pitching staffs. My drop was Mike Olt. I still like Olt, but he's not playing every day, so I'd rather gamble on the higher upside. The only problem is that this move leaves me without a spare corner infielder, so this bottom spot on my roster will likely remain fluid.
RotoWire Staff Keeper League
| Erickson: Pick up Antonio Bastardo ($1), drop Scott Baker |
| Frozen Ropes: Pick up Brett Cecil ($5), drop Daisuke Matsuzaka (Erickson: $1) |
| I Need A Hamburger: Pick up Francisco Cervelli ($4), drop Shaun Marcum (Liss and Shoe's Dynasty: $1) |
| Next Stop Dumpster Fire: Pick up Kevin Correia ($1), drop Ryan Webb (Erickson: $1) |
| Payne: Pick up Sean Doolittle ($4), drop Eduardo Nunez (Erickson: $1) (Liss and Shoe's Dynasty: $1) |
| East Coast Bias: Pick up Alex Gonzalez ($2), drop Pedro Florimon |
| Uggla's Decaying Remains: Pick up Aaron Harang ($2), drop Brad Hand (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $2) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $2) |
| I Need A Hamburger: Pick up Jose Lobaton ($7), drop Craig Gentry (Liss and Shoe's Dynasty: $2) |
| Uggla's Decaying Remains: Pick up Alex Presley ($1), drop Brian Matusz (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) |
| Erickson: Pick up Travis Snider ($3), drop Henry Urrutia (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Next Stop Dumpster Fire: $1) (Next Stop Dumpster Fire: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) |
| I Need A Hamburger: Pick up Yangervis Solarte ($14), drop Geovany Soto (Erickson: $5) (Frozen Ropes: $4) (Payne: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) |
| Uggla's Decaying Remains: Pick up Jose Valverde ($39), drop Andrew Lambo (High-A West Madison: $35) (Schin Kickers: $26) (Erickson: $19) (Casale Industries: $17) (Liss and Shoe's Dynasty: $16) (The Bros McKeown: $15) (Browns: $13) (Frozen Ropes: $11) (Next Stop Dumpster Fire: $7) |
| Uggla's Decaying Remains: Pick up Ryan Vogelsong ($1), drop Al Alburquerque (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) (Uggla's Decaying Remains: $1) |
As league-mate Bret Cohen said, Valverde was actually a bargain this year compared to last, when he went for $53 in FAAB bidding when Detroit brought him back on. Such is the power of a newly minted closer in April.
Mixed LABR
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Francisco Rodriguez awarded to Rotowire-Erickson for $23.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Francisco Rodriguez: $2, $16, $11, $8, $8, $8, $12, $8, $8.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Matt Lindstrom awarded to Fangraphs for $18.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Matt Lindstrom: $7, $7, $13, $12, $8, $8, $18, $18, $12.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Jose Valverde awarded to Bloomberg Sports for $18.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Jose Valverde: $7, $7, $7, $12, $8, $8.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Josh Fields awarded to Bloomberg Sports for $18.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Josh Fields: $7, $7, $7, $6, $6.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Tom Koehler awarded to Mastersball for $14.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: David Hale awarded to Mastersball for $13.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Evan Meek awarded to Mastersball for $13.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Casey McGehee awarded to Mastersball for $13.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Casey McGehee: $7, $6, $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Daniel Webb awarded to Mastersball for $12.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Daniel Webb: $2, $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Yangervis Solarte awarded to KFFL.com for $6.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Yangervis Solarte: $3.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Chris Colabello awarded to MLB.com for $5.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Chris Colabello: $4, $1, $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Jason Hammel awarded to Baseball Prospectus for $4.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Mark Buehrle awarded to Baseball Prospectus for $3.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Mark Buehrle: $1, $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Ryan Hanigan awarded to Mastersball for $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: David Lough awarded to Razzball for $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Josh Johnson awarded to Fangraphs for $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Josh Johnson: $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Jason Vargas awarded to KFFL.com for $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Jason Vargas: $1, $1, $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: John Danks awarded to KFFL.com for $2.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Seth Smith awarded to USA TODAY Sports for $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Failed bids for Seth Smith: $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Chris Withrow awarded to USA TODAY Sports for $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: David Murphy awarded to Baseball HQ for $1.
Mon Apr 07 12:01 AM ET: Aaron Harang awarded to MLB.com for $1.
Casey Janssen slides over to my DL to make room for K-Rod. In this league I had Charlie Blackmon and Matt Kemp on my bench and DL respectively, which was special.
AL Tout
Larry Schechter: pur MLindstrom CWS 29
Larry Schechter: pur YSolarte NYY 16
Jason Collette: pur MAlbers Hou 2
Ron Shandler: pur FAbad Oak 0
Jeff Erickson: pur KCorreia Min 3
Rick Wolf/Glenn Colton: pur RBelisario CWS 0
Jeff Erickson: pur CLewis Tex 1
Jason Collette: pur AGonzalez Det 4
Jeff Erickson: pur JDiaz Tor 1
Chris Liss: pur GCecchini Bos 4
Chris Liss: pur CCowgill LAA 0
Chris Liss: pur DYoung Bal 0
Andy Behrens: pur SRodriguez TB 3
Rob Leibowitz: pur ASanchez Tor 1
There were a lot of aggressive bids on Lindstrom and Solarte, and I finished short on both. In an "only" league, it pays to be early whenever someone of value pops up. Correia has two starts at home this week, hence my acquisition of him.
