I wanted to do an entry about my team because they have been a big part of my baseball experience this season.  There is nothing like Fantasy Baseball to give you the motivation to keep ‘up to date’ on all the stats, scores, prospects and player movement in MLB. 

My team is called the Homer City Hawks, (its my last name followed by the City and the Hawks was the name of team that owned my team prior to me getting in this pool).  I thought it was a pretty good name with a nice ring to it.

Anyway, Im in a 16 team keeper league that has been going on since the early 90’s. At that
time Fantasy Baseball wasn’t even on the internet and it was in its infancy.  The league originated in London, Ontario (great baseball town, former home of the London Tigers and close to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Thomas, Ontario).  The league is called the Sherwood Forest Baseball League and we play on CBSsportline.com.  It is highly competitve, guys fly from B.C. and Manitoba down to Ontario to participate in the one day draft event. 

The format is weekly and yearly.  It is points based, so 1 to 16 in the categories of (K’s, WHIP, Saves, SBs, HRs, AVG, RBIs, Wins, Runs.  Pretty standard.  

My dilemma, right now, is the keeper part.  We have to select 8 keepers at the beginning of next season and I’m indecisive on who I should keep?  I can only lose a certain amount of guys, depending on how I finish.  I took over a team with many holes and various problems.  I’ve tried to rebuild them into a winner, but right now, I’m in 8th place in the 16 team league.  Anyway, this is the 2008 Homer City Hawks.  Who do you think I should keep?  What are my strengths/weaknesses??  if you are reading? 

Starting Lineup September 11, 2008

C Josh Bard SD, Salary 3

C Taylor Teagarden TEX, 1  (i’m very thin at Catcher something I have to address Teagarden is a good prospect though)

1B Justin Morneau MIN, 17

2B Rickie Weeks MIL, 9 (don’t know if I should keep him.  He has been pretty bad, a lot of potenial though)

3B Mark Reynolds ARI, 22 (low AVG, but a lot of homers)

MI Christian Guzman WAS, 1 (don’t know???)

SS Alexei Ramirez, CWS, 1 (this guy is on the verge of doing some special things)

CI Mark DeRosa, CHC, 14 (gotta keep him, he can play every position)

OF Bobby Abreu, NYY, 37 (decline??)

OF Vladimir Guerrero, ANA, 45 (decline??)

OF Marlon Byrd, TEX, 1 (solid season thus far, don’t know if he is in their future plans?)

OF Ryan Church, NYM, 3 (He might be special next year, if he can stay healthy)

OF Brian Giles, SD, 11

DH Daniel Murphy, NYM, 1

PITCHERS

SP Colin Balester, WAS, 1

SP Dave Bush, MIL, 9

SP John Lackey, ANA, (Is this guy on the decline???  Some bad starts recently) 

SP Ricky Nolasco, FLA, 1 (didn’t think I would keep him, but might have to now.  He has been outstanding)

SP Ubaldo Jimenez, COL, 10 (rocky year in Colorado, still young and gets high K’s, don’t know?) 

SP Oliver Perez, NYM, 19 (man, is this guy up and down)

SP Chris Young, SD, 9

SP Zach Jackson, CLE, 1

RP Bobby Jenks, CWS, 5 (he is shut down)

BENCH RESERVES

OF Milton Bradley, TEX, 13 (Was this year a fluke?  He was very good though, injured now however.)

C Michael Barrett, SD, 13

C Matt Treanor, FLA, 1

1B Chris Carter, BOS, 1

3B Mike Lamb, MIL, 1

OF Jody Gerut, SD, 1

1B Randy Ruiz, MIN, 1

BENCH PITCHERS

SP Kevin Millwood, TEX, 15

SP Kenny Rogers, DET, 19

SP Jarrod Washburn, SEA, 1

RP C.J. Wilson, TEX, 1

RP Rafeal Perez, CLE, 1

SP Micah Owings, ARI, 5

MINORS

C Brett Anderson, STL

SP Brett Cecil, TOR

SP Kevin Pucetas, SF

Active: 23, Reserve: 13, Injured: 1, Minors: 3, Active Salary: 230, Total Salary: 307 of a possible 360

My goal is to keep ‘value guys’ with low salary.  Are Abreu or Vlad on the decline???  Things I have to think about.  The guys that I’m going to keep, as it stands currently, are in bold.  I should be looking for pitching in the draft, so I’m going to hang onto a lot of my hitters.  Church or Bradley is a tough call for me??