Constantinople vs. New Orleans (March 5, 2007)

Background

The season starts controversially for Tom after the first ever SOMBILLA series played over the Internet disintegrates in bad blood and disgust, yet he still ends November tied for first (5-3). He gets swept by his nemesis, Jed, in person in December and is in a shocking 7^th place 14-18 at the Holiday break. January is OK (7-5) but he’s still a game out of 4^th entering the February stretch. He beats Jeff 3 of 4, and in a crucial showdown with ND on 2/12 wins another 3 of 4 to all but clinch a playoff spot. He wraps up his season early, winning another 3 of 4 from Eric, just for good measure.

Harold plays a heavy early schedule, going 8-8 in November. Despite losing 5 of 8 to Jed, he still goes 9-7 in December and is in 2^nd at 17-15 at the break. A solid January capped by a sweep of Jeff and he is still in 2^nd at 24-20 only 2 games off the pace. New Orleans finishes strong - a 9-3 February and a fine regular season comes to a close.

CN took 6 of 8 from NO during the regular season.

W: Rivera (BS 1, W 1)

L: Jones (BS1)

SV: None

HR (CN): Ensberg (2)

HR (NO): Lopez (1)

A whirlwind game. With the game tied in the 8^th and 2 outs, A. Jones at first with a 1-18 steal chance gets the lead and is thrown out to end the inning. Still tied going into the 9^th and the best closer in baseball on the mound for NO. 2 BB, K and a Ballpark single later, Mariano is tired. Howard comes up for CN and strikes out. But wait! The tired strikeout becomes a single and it is 7-5 CN! Todd Jones comes out to save it for CN and strikes out Posada and then NO pinch hitter Freel hits a double. DeJesus hits a LFx out. 2 down and then a single and walk later, T. Jones is tied and the score is 7-6. Loe comes in. Wright hits a double to tie the game for NO. Sabathia versus Helton and Helton hits a long single to pull out the win for NO 8-7.

Game 3:

W: Jones (1)

L: Lidge (1)

SV: None

HR (CN): Guillen 2 (1,2)

HR (NO): Dunn (1), Helton (2)

A 12-inning thriller - just what the relief staffs dreaded. Down 7-6 in the 9^th with NO’s Rivera on for a 2-inning save, Guillen (who had hit a ballpark homer to put CN up 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth) leads off with another ballpark homer to tie the game for CN and give Mariano his second blown save. In the bottom of the 12^th with 2 outs, Andruw Jones came to the plate. HR 1-19 or ...20 for a triple. Mark Ellis steps in and 3Bx… Error on David Wright .. Game Over.

Game 4:

W: Loe (1)

L: Carpenter (2)

SV: Sheets (1)

HR (CN): None

HR (NO): None

Carpenter, Cy Young Candidate, just could not stop the CN offense or get much help from his own offense as he loses 4-2 in a low scoring pitching duel.

Game 5:

W: Eyre (1)

L: Padilla (1)

SV: Jones (1)

HR (CN): Ellis (1), Bay (1), A. Rod (2)

HR (NO): Wright 2 (1,2), Dunn 2 (2,3)

Another back and forth game. With the game 5-4 NO in the bottom of the 8^th, and Carrasco still looking fresh, CN’s Ellis hit a triple. Then NO’s mutant pitcher Padilla comes in and gives up a long flyball for a sac fly to tie the game. Guillen triples off Padilla’s card and then Bay hits a ballpark homer for a 2-run CN lead. Wags K’s Giambi and gets Easley to pop it up. Mariano comes in and A. Rod hits a ballpark homer to provide needed insurance. Eyre comes out hoping to hold on for a win, but Counsell leans into a pitch and then Wright hits a big 2-run shot for NO to bring the game to 8-7. Helton singles and CN’s Jones, with 1/3 inning left, comes in to strike out Gomes and preserve the win and take the series 4 games to 1. Dunn hit the second (1-5) Ballpark homer for NO and then hit a rare 1-9 clean shot against a lefty, but the overall luck was all CN.

Player of the Series: Mark Ellis, who quietly hit .471, OB: .526 and slugged .941 with a homer and 2 triples. An Honorable Mention goes to Guillen who hit 2 homers and a triple in 5 official ABs.

 _____________________________________________________________

Future Wax vs. Knuckle Sandwiches (March 5, 2007)

Background:

The season starts both experimentally and controversially for Jed after the first-ever SOMBILLA series played over the Internet disintegrates in bad blood and disgust. Jed ends November with three Internet splits. His entire season is really made over the weekend of December 9-10, going 14-6 against Harold, Jeff and Tom, while holed up in a motel room in Waltham. Knuckle was able to remain in 1^st place from then on. A 13-3 February sealed it.

The Wax started out OK, going 5-3 in November, but after a 7-9 December, they find themselves in a dogfight for that final playoff spot at .500 at the break. Another .500 month and the Wax is squarely in the throes of mediocrity, tied with Eric, entering the homestretch. A big showdown on February 1 ends in a Wax sweep of the hapless Stains and the Wax appears home free in the playoffs. Reykjavik (nee North Dakota) makes a charge while the Wax stumbles and it comes down to the final night of the season with the magic number of "2". ND wins 3 of 4 from Area 51, but the Wax manages to squeak out an extra-inning win in the finale against Knuckle to clinch the playoffs by just one game.

Knuckle won the season series 5 games to 3.

Game 1
Future Wax...... 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 - 5 6 0
Sandwiches...... 2 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 - 6 14 0
R.Clemens WIN, P.Martinez LOSS
HOME RUNS- J.Peralta, T.Clark, R.Barajas / C.Tracy

Game 2
Future Wax...... 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0 0 - 6 8 0
Sandwiches...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 4 0
C.Zambrano WIN, R.Harden SAVE, J.Smoltz LOSS
HOME RUNS- G.Jenkins, L.Berkman, R.Barajas, A.Ramirez

Game 3
Sandwiches...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 2 0
Future Wax...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 3 7 0
J.Santana WIN, J.Beckett LOSS

Game 4
Sandwiches...... 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 - 2 3 1
Future Wax...... 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 - 3 5 0
P.Martinez WIN, J.Nathan SAVE, R.Clemens LOSS
HOME RUNS- B.Giles, R.Winn / G.Jenkins

Game 5
Sandwiches...... 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 - 2 7 1
Future Wax...... 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 8 11 0
R.Harden WIN, J.Smoltz LOSS
HOME RUNS- J.Edmonds-2 (6 RBI), E.Chavez

Future Wax takes the series 4 games to 1.

 ___________________________________________________________________

World Series

Future Wax vs. Constantinople (March 11, 2007)

Background:

It’s the third consecutive World Series for these two rivals! Randy looks for revenge. The teams split during the regular season.

Wax tried to sweat CN by showing up half an hour or more late, but luckily it was a beautiful day and Stella and her Dad played outside to keep CN’s manager loose.

Early prognostications were all in favor of a Wax sweep (at least in Tom’s view) since he handled Jed in 5 and his pitching would dominate in the playoffs.

Game 1:

W: Torres (1)

L: Duke (1)

SV: Eyre (1)

HR (WAX): Griffey (1)

HR (CN): A. Rod (1), Ensberg (1), Shelton (1)

The game started big for CN as they scored 4 runs on two homers, but they left two and could not tire Pedro. Wax scratched his way back in and tied the game at 4 after 7 and a ½ innings. With the scored tied, FW’s Harden gave up a hit and gave way to Duke who gave up a single to Bay. Easley came in to pinch-hit for Howard, and Nathan, the lights-out Wax closer, came into the tie game. CN called back Easley and sent Shelton out there. 3-run ballpark homer, CN up 7-4. Eyre came in and lineout, walk and double play later it is all over.

Game 2:

W: Valverde (1)

L: Wise (1)

SV: Nathan (1)

HR (WAX): Clark (1), Griffey (2), Peralta (1)

HR (CN):

Error: Berkman

Benoit did his job holding Wax to 1 run in 5 innings and CN is up 2-1. But Wise, in relief, gives up a homer and a walk and A. Ramirez then hits up Loe for a double and Edmonds slid under the tag by Tek to bring Wax up, 3-2. Peralta hits a lead off homer to put Wax up 4-2 and the bullpen held CN scoreless.

Game 3:

W: Chacon (1)

L: Santana (1)

SV: Eyre (2)

HR (WAX): Clark (2), Chavez (1), Barajas (1)

HR (CN): Abreu (1), Jones (1)

Wax returns licking his chops and thinking win in 5 (at least in Tom’s view). Chacon held him to 2 runs and CN went up 4-2 as Jones missed a ballpark homer that would have put CN up 4-2, but Abreu followed with a real ballpark homer to put CN up 4-2. Wax was shocked to hear that Chacon’s second card could continue to pitch, but CN did not use it and instead used 4 pitchers to hold Wax scoreless. A 2-run homer by Jones and an RBI single by A. Rod added needed insurance for CN, especially when Wax came back big in the 9^th with two homers, but falling short 7-5.

Game 4:

W: Martinez (1)

L: Eyre (1)

SV: Nathan (2)

HR (WAX): Jacobs (1), Valentin (1), Clark (3)

HR (CN): A. Rod (2)

Error: Varitek, Sheets, Berkman

This looked to be the pivotal game early as A. Rod missed a 3-run ballpark homer in the 3^rd and FW’s Jose Valentin hits a ballpark grand slam in the 6^th against the lefty Eyre. Then in the 9^th with Wax up 6-4 after a Clark solo shot, Berkman made his second 2-base error of the series. A. Rod (who had hit a 3-run shot in the 5^th) struck out and Giambi walked. Nathan pitched to Shelton who hit an open double and Giambi had a 1-10 chance to score … 11 … Blocking the Plate … he’s a 3 … 16 out … Game over. Berkman errors seemed to be the harbinger to Wax victories.

Game 5:

W: Harden (1)

L: Sabathia (1)

SV: Nathan (3)

HR (WAX): Cameron (1)

HR (CN): Branyan (1)

CN starts with 3 walks and then a single, Bay heads for home … 1-14 … 14 … blocking the plate … 16 out. A strike and a hit later and Wax is out of it giving up only 1. Wax then gets 3 hits and 4 runs in the 1^st and then could not figure out Sabathia for the rest of the game. CN had men in scoring position, but could just not get it done. Sabathia put the bullpen in good shape by throwing 8 innings.

Game 6:

W: Small (1)

L: Zambrano (1)

SV: Torres (1)

HR (WAX):

HR (CN): Ensberg (2),

Error: Ensberg

CN had his back to the wall and Wax could not hit against Small and Torres, who shut them down over nine innings. CN hit well enough over the first five to allow the bullpen to rest and get ready for game 7.

Game 7:

W: Crain (1)

L: Martinez (1)

SV: Jones (1)

HR (WAX): Jacobs (2)

HR (CN): Bay (1), Ellis 2 (1,2)

Home field advantage was the key here. Loe held Wax to 2 over five leaving with a 2-2 tie versus the incomparable Pedro. Ellis was thrown out at home, keeping CN scoreless for the first 3 innings. The first five innings featured homers from FW’s Jacobs the mutant, and CN’s Bay and Ellis had solo shots in the early tie. The 7^th inning came around in the 2-2 game, and FW’s Barajas gets the only action in a column to get a walk and then Cameron hit a 1-5 single chance, which brought Reyes up. A "C" bunter, he laid down a successful sac. Giles hit a sacrifice fly to manufacture a run and FW goes up 3-2. Bottom of the 7^th, CN’s Jones hits a ballpark single and then Ellis hits his second ballpark shot and CN has a 4-3 lead. (After the series, Randy asked what the roll was and it was either a 3-8 (Homer/Triple split) or a 5-8). Crain and Jones held on as CN "Three-peats!!!!"

Ellis looks like the player of the series based on Game 7 heroics. Ellis hit .435, On Base .462, Slugging .739 in 23 ABs with 5 runs scored, 2 HRs and 5 RBIs.

Alex Rodriguez hit .250, On Base .387. Slugging .500 with 4 runs scored, 2 HRs and 9 RBIs for an honorable mention. Abreu hit .250, On base .500, slugging .550 and scored 9 runs for a second honorable mention.

Two keys that allowed the inferior pitching to win was a gutsy complete game by Sabathia that with a few timely CN hits could have gone either way followed by a blowout that allowed almost every relief option to be open for CN in game 7.

A charmed season that led to the 3-peat - everything that needed to fall into place did.

 _________________________________________________________

THOUGHTS WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH DAKOTA COUNTRYSIDE

Minutes of Annual Meeting and Draft April 1, 2007

1. Dues. OFFICIAL BLASTING!!! OFFICIAL BLASTING!!! OFFICIAL BLASTING!!! OFFICIAL BLASTING!!! OFFICIAL BLASTING!!! à Land, Andrew and Tsuan ß are DELINQUENT. Tsuan owes $9.00. Andrew is now three years overdue and owes $13.00. Land, who has not paid any dues since the Clinton administration is now "superty-duper suspended", and owes $17,165.23

2. Awards Voting - 5 points for 1st place, 3 for 2nd place, 1 for 3rd place. Since managers cannot vote for their own players, 7 votes would normally be a unanimous vote.

MVP            1 2 3 Tot

* asshole

Cy Young       1 2 3 Tot

Manager of the Year  1 2 3  Tot

4. Franchise news.

5. Election of Commissioner

6. Rule change proposals

1. Multiple injuries at the same time. The league voted to clarify the bylaws, by adding the following italicized sentence:

2. Repeal of the rainout rule
. I again proposed a repeal of Eric’s rainout rule. Not because it’s a bad rule or anything. It’s fairly harmless. The main reason was that it is not fairly applied. More often than not, we forgot to roll for it. While it is their own damn fault, I still proposed repealing it (keeping the automatic day off at the midway point).

For the second consecutive year, the vote to repeal the rule was 4-4, meaning keep the rule (status quo). I accused Jed, who off-handedly voted against the repeal, of mocking me. Eric was warned that his rule was still on thin ice.

3. Roster freeze.
Someone (my notes don’t say who) proposed extending the roster freeze from 20 to 40 games. It ‘would allow more time to consider’ your roster as well as ‘using and drafting mutants’. It was pointed out that we still have the trading deadline of 40 games anyway. Sensing opposition, the proposer then amended the proposal to make it 28 instead of 40, but withdrew that amendment. The original proposal was then rejected 6-2.
4. Ballpark differential.
When the league first allowed designing ballparks, we adopted a rule that said nobody could design a park more extreme (lefty vs righty, homer vs single) than the most extreme actual park. But this year’s largest ballpark HR differential is only 3! So, a proposal was made to adopt a ‘floor’ of a difference of 10 for both homers and singles. We would still use the maximum differential as our designing cap, unless it is less than 10. For example, this year, the maximum HR differential between lefty and righty will be 10, not 3.

5. We also then reiterated for the zillionth time that IBB do not count toward plate appearances for limited batters, even though they are included in BB on the front of the player’s card.

8. Draft Notes

There was one major trade made during the week before draft day: Hafner, North Dakota to Knuckle Sandwiches for a 4^th round pick (became Luke Scott) and a 1^st round pick in ‘08.

Retread report

The earliest such retread was the 6th pick overall! – when Jed drafted former Area 51 OF Jermaine Dye who was cut in 2005.

The others:

• Harold redrafted Gary Matthews Jr. in the 4^th round after his steroid-induced fluke year.
• Former ND mutant catcher David Ross was snapped up by Jed in the 6^th.
• We all laughed when Eric redrafted AJ Pierzynski in the 8^th round.
• Robin is now the 3^rd team to employ former ND and NO pitcher Chad Bradford (8^th)
• Harold picked up Gabe Gross in the 8^th – BC had given up on him.
• ND’s Jose Valentin (9^th round) is also playing for his 3^rd team (Robin and Eric).
• In the 11^th, RAT drafted former Jed & Matt IF Rich Aurilia.
• One pick later, Tom scooped up long-time RAT 2B Ray Durham.
• Tom drafted another cast-off, former Area 51 pitcher Bob Wickman.

We all shouted "Spooneybarger," and the ’07 draft was history.

 ______________________________________________________

SUMMER STUDY NO. 1 - DRAFT ANALYSIS - 2003

This summer we will do our 4-year draft retrospective analysis of the 2003 draft. As usual, the first 2 rounds will be listed in order, for heightened scrutiny. After that, all picks are lumped together by round.

We've conducted 4 SOMBILLA seasons since that '03 draft (using the 02, 03, 04 and 05 cards), and we will begin playing another season, the 2006 cards, in a few months. Finally, in real life, we are currently in the midst of a 6th Strat-O season, 2007, and we can project who might be usable. Thus, each player from this draft will have the potential to play in all six SOMBILLA seasons.

Robin and Matt rolled off for the first pick with Robin winning. How'd we do?

The player’s SOMBILLA stats are shown for rounds of picks. But note that Eric has only completed 2 ½ of the 4 years worth of stats , and Jeff 3.

Round 1

1. Prior, Robin (16-11, 4.73) 3 seasons
2. Beckett, Matt & Jed (7-6, 5.06). Yes, that Josh Beckett. 3 seasons, counting ’07.
3. Clement, Eric (13-8, 5.30) Yes, that Matt Clement. 3 seasons
4. Kearns, Harold (.275, 11 hr, 37 rbi) 3 seasons
5. J. Phelps, Tom (.311, 10, 37) 2 seasons
6. Hafner, Arnie (.327, 25, 73) 3 seasons
7. Hinske, Matt & Jed (.327, 9, 22) Yes, that Eric Hinske. 1 season.
8. Borchard, Jeff. Never played in the SOMBILLA

Best pick: Tough call. I’m going with a 3-way tie among Prior, Beckett and Hafner. These are the only 3 players still in the SOMBILLA. (Although Prior’s future is iffy at best).

Worst pick: In what easily could be the worst first round of a SOMBILLA draft ever, Jeff Borchard (I had to look up his ironic first name) takes the cake. Indeed, I believe he is the only first-round pick in the history of the league to never have played in the SOMBILLA - and he was cut in 2005. I hereby nominate this as the worst draft pick in SOMBILLA history. Gary Redus rejoices!

Round 2

9. Julio, Matt & Jed (0-1, 17.36) 1 season. That ERA is not a typo.
10. Blalock, Robin (.297, 5, 17) 2 seasons, counting ‘07
11. J. Spivey, Eric (.232, 2, 17) 1 season
12. L. Hawkins, Harold (5-9, 10 sv, 5.09) 3 seasons
13. A. Huff, Matt & Jed (.270, 10, 46) 3 seasons
14. Infante, Arnie (went 1 for 3 in a brief injury callup)
15. F. Cordero, RAT (7-2, 3.63) 3 seasons
16. F. Rodriguez, Jeff (6-7, 5.08, 2 saves) 5 seasons

Best pick– Nice comeback by Jeff to snag K-Rod here. Note that the card Jeff drafted was the extremely limited (6 innings) F Rod card and that was the only season he hasn’t been usable.

Worst pick – Omar Infante, Arnie. Note that Matt & Jed had 4 picks in the first 13, which they used to draft Beckett, Hinske, Julio, and Huff. Three years and multiple loss records later, Matt quit the league.

Round 3

Best pick – Chad Bradford, Arnie (3 seasons, counting ’06 and ’07 in Robin’s pen). This says a lot more about this round than it does about ‘ol Chad.

Worst picks – Everyone else was a one-year wonder! Hammond, Robin; R. Lopez, M&J; J. Jones, Eric; O. Hernandez, Harold; L. Vizcaino, T&L; Bellhorn, RAT; Acevedo, Jeff

Round 4

Best pick – Mark Ellis, Tom (2 seasons, MVP of the World Series and still on Tom’s team)

Worst pick – Sean Burroughs, RAT. The only player from this round who never played in the SOMBILLA.

Also picked – A. Kennedy, M&J; Randa, Robin; Holmes, Eric; LaRue, Harold; Dessens, Arnie; S. Reed, Jeff. One-year wonders, all.

Round 5

Best pick - Carl Crawford, Arnie. 4 seasons (counting ’07) so far.

Worst pick – Damian Moss, RAT. Who?

Also picked – G. Anderson, Robin (2); Lackey, M&J (2- in ’06 and ’07); Donnelly, Eric (2); M. Batista, Eric (2); Pollitte, T&L (2); D. Marte, Jeff (3).

Round 6

Best pick – Jake Peavy, Arnie. 4 seasons (counting ’07) so far.

Worst pick – B. Myers, Jeff. Went from highly touted prospect to having his card burned. While it is true that, Tom’s H. Choi was drafted in the round and also never played in the SOMBILLA, he never beat up his wife on a public street (as far as we know).

Also picked – Wilkerson, M&J (2); Mota, Robin (3) (then served a 5-game steroid suspension); Matt Williams, Eric (1); Kielty, Harold (1) - yes that Kielty; Spiezio, RAT (1);

Round 7

Best pick – Carlos Zambrano, RAT 5 seasons (counting ’07) so far

Worst picks – S. Stewart; M&J; Hendrickson, T&L; K. Garcia (arrested for assaulting Fenway security guard). One-year wonders all.

Also picked – O. Hudson, Robin (4, counting ’07); G. Matthews, Eric (1 so far, but still in the league); Embree, Eric (3); Bard, Arnie (2, counting ‘07)

Round 8

Best pick – Mike Cuddyer, Robin (2 seasons, counting ’07). Not exactly Zambrano, here.

Worst pick – C. Woodward, M&J; Womack, Eric; E. Chavez, Harold (the wrong E. Chavez) Never played in the SOMBILLA

Also picked – Borowski, T&L; R. Vazquez, Arnie; Guthrie, RAT; Durocher, Jeff. One season each

Round 9

Best pick – Johan Santana, RAT. All 6 seasons, making him arguably the best player from this draft. The sad part is that everyone knew who he was – he had a good card – but we all passed because he was a lefty.

Worst pick – Mi. Williams, M&J. The only player from this surprisingly very good round to not play in the SOMBILLA

Also picked – Pratt, Robin (1); Payton, Eric (2); Washburn, Harold (2); C. Lee (2 so far, including ’07); Wigginton, Arnie (1); Sauerbeck, Jeff (1)

As a league, we did better in this round than we did in rounds 3 and 4!

Rounds 10-12

Best picks – Jason Schmidt and JC Romero, Tom. 3 seasons each, including ’07 for Romero and both are still on Tom’s team.

Worst picks– DeJean, M&J; Castro, RAT; Runelvys Hernandez, Robin; Lohse, Harold; C. Lewis, Arnie; Schneider, RAT; Spooneybarger, RAT. None of these guys played in the SOMBILLA, though the Spooneybarger tradition survives.

Also picked – B. Larsen, Robin (1); J. Vizcaino, Eric (1); Byrd, Harold (1); Winn, Arnie (2); Lane, Jeff (1); J. Kennedy, RAT (1); Kinkade, Harold (1); M. Barrett, T&L (2); Ginter, Arnie (1)

Trades

• There was a blockbuster trade on draft day. Matt and Jed traded Jim Edmonds and E. Chavez to RAT for B. Giles, Kendall, D. Lee and a first round pick (which was used to draft Eric Hinske). Edmonds then won back to back SOMBILLA MVP Awards for RAT.

• A minor trade on draft day was Kotsay from Eric to Harold for a 5^th (Batista) and a 7^th (Embree)

• During the week leading up to the draft, North Dakota traded Johnny Damon to Jeff for David Eckstein. Jeff got the better of that one, but not by a lot.

Best draft, 2003: North Dakota!

(Hafner, Infante, Bradford, Dessens, Crawford, Peavy, Bard, R. Vazquez, Wigginton, R. Winn, C. Lewis, Ginter)

Worst draft, 2003: Matt & Jed (Beckett, Hinske, Julio, Huff, R. Lopez, A. Kennedy, Lackey, Wilkerson, Stewart, Woodward, Mi. Williams, DeJean)

 ________________________________________________________________________________

SUMMER STUDY NO. 3 – ALL-TIME FRANCHISE PLAYERS

Who’s your best player in franchise history? I asked each tem to help with this one and received responses from all but Jeff.

North Dakota

Randy Johnson. An integral part of the team’s championship glory years (including one championship year when, due to injury, he was actually a 66-inning reliever). Has made the team virtually every year since 1993.

Constantinople

Alex Rodriguez*. Since 1996, he is either #1 or #2 in all cumulative statistics of note including 168 homeruns, which is almost twice that of the second place Manatee who had 97 homers. The consummate team player, he has been willing to change positions, be a defensive replacement and accept a part time role for an isolated year if that means the team having its best shot at winning a championship. The face of the franchise.

The Human Stains, et al

Well, if I'd kept hold of Clemens I would say he's the all-time franchise player. But since I traded him and still won several titles A.C. (after Clemens), I suppose I should select someone else. That said, since I also don't keep stats anymore, unless I'm competing, it's a hard call. Minus statistical reflection, I may have to elect Rafael Palmeiro as the all-time franchise player, since I had him virtually his whole career (thanks to one of the worst trades I'll wager RAT ever made).

But where would I have been without, say, Lenny Dyskstra, Von Hayes, Dale Murphy, Harold Baines, Orel Hershiser, Dennis Eckersley, even Dave Winfield for a few years? Or Mike Stanley? and what about----Steve Sax? And Mark Clear? (just kidding.) and Rick Sutcliffe? ah, the good old days....so I guess Palmeiro gets the nod, steroids and all.

Manila Folders

Mark McGwire, perhaps the best SOMBILLA season ever, winning the triple crown for the first, and only, time.

A close second would be Gary Redus, for defining the drafting philosophy of the team so well.

Jed

Which franchise? I think players I traded had more impact on the league so I'll go with Mike Piazza.

New Orleans

Mariano Rivera. 10th round pick in '96 draft. 'Nuff said.

Bay City

Pudge Rodriguez. Pretty sure he’s made my team every year since I drafted him, and he probably saved me dozens (hundreds?) of runs with his throwing arm (or, more accurately, the threat of his throwing arm). Honorable mention to 1^st BC pick ever, Cal Ripken, Jr.

Future Wax

The most important player in FW franchise history is Barry Bonds, or __________ on his card. Bonds is a four-time league MVP (92-93, 94-95, 01-02, 02-03), holds the league records for homeruns (32), runs (74), OPS (1.465), and SLUG (.994). Since 1997, he has hit 42 post-season home-runs (stats for 01-02 are missing) over 90 play-off games.

* asshole

SUMMER STUDY NO. 4 – SUCCESSFUL LEFTY STARTERS

Harold, on the heels of lefty Dontrelle Willis winning the Cy Young award asked how many lefties have ever won the Cy Young award? What championship teams have had lefties in the rotation?

The first question is easy – only 2 lefty pitchers have ever won the SOMBILLA’s Cy Young award. The first was Fernando Valenzuela for Yitz’s Learned Hands, back in ‘86-87. He finished with an 8-5 record and a 3.05 ERA for the 7^th place Hands. And Dontrelle Willis, last year, was the second.

As far as lefties on championship teams goes, see below:

* not sure if he spot started.

13 of the 27 champions had no lefty starters. A compelling stat. And looking at the three champions with two lefty starters, Underwood (he of lefty-yanking rule fame), Nabholz, and Rosado were all spot starters, not regulars in the rotation. Meaning that half of all champions had no lefties in the rotation and the other half had one regular.

HOW IS YOUR TEAM DOING?

Here is our first unscientific look ahead to the 2007 cards (due out in January).

THE 2007 SOMBILLA/ESPN ALL-STAR COUNT

Jed (11) – Beckett, Fuentes, Hardy, Holliday, Hunter, Lackey, D.Lee, Polanco, Roberts, Suzuki, Webb

RAT (10) – Bonds, F. Cordero, Griffey, Hammels, McCann, Penny, Putz, Reyes, J. Santana, Valverde

Robin (8) – Beltran, M. Cabrera, Jeter, V. Martinez, Oswalt, I. Rodriguez, Saito, Sanchez

Tom (8) – C. Guillen, C. Lee, Jenks, Martin, Papelbon, A. Rodriguez*, Sabathia, Sheets

Harold (7) – O.Hudson, Morneau, Posada, Rios, Soriano, Wagner, Wright

Arnie (7) – Crawford, Haren, Hoffman, D. Ortiz, Peavy, Pujols, C. Young

Jeff (6) – V. Guerrero, Lowell, F. Rodriguez, Sizemore, Smoltz, M. Young

Eric (5) – Fielder, M. Ramirez, Rowand, Utley, Verlander

* asshole

Tentative Opening Day: Sunday, November 4