How do you feel about B.Frank going before both Terry and Nate?
Like everyone I was shocked that anyone went before Terry and Nate…much less two people. I still think there was some sort of wheeling and dealing going on with the first few captains.
What are your thoughts on your new team? Are you excited for this season?
I think Opie had the first or second best draft. As Terry told me shortly after…it just feels like all the players on the team are laid back…and will play well together. And yes, I’m very excited for this season.
Are PJ and the Ladies building themselves to compete or to cause mayhem?
A little of both. I don’t think there will ever be a ladies team quite like the one that played my first two seasons in the league...the main cast has grown up. I also think they would like to win a title in a different way than the one in 2005. That said, we’re bound to see a few new antics with the cast of characters they have accumulated.
Is there a lot more parity in the league now that the SBL went back to a draft?
There certainly isn’t a team that is as stacked as the Laser Cats last year…but I do think that two or three of the teams didn’t have particularly good drafts.
How disgusting is the height of Bob Spohn’s team?
Yeah, it is a little ridiculous. My only beef is that he might have wanted one more reliable player to go with the three studs at the top.
Aside from the top five picks being in surprising order, what was the biggest shock about the SBL draft?
To me it was how low the Nespors went. Does Pat Nespor do anything but play in SBL title games?
Which teams have a realistic shot at the championship this season?
When is the last time that a team won an SBL title without having one of the three best players in the league (at that time)? Allow me…never. That said, I’d be shocked if a team that didn’t have Nate, Terry or Frankovich on it won it all this year.
Will the reunion of Shelley and Nate pay off with a championship for Queenie Mentrek?
If she and Mike come with regularity, I think they have to be the favorites. Still, they have to be a little worried that Shelley didn’t come the last few weeks last year.
Which player do you think could move into that upper echelon of players this year? Who do you think will see a dramatic decrease in production this season?
If I had to pick one that could join that elite group it would be PJ O’Conner. He’s probably the best defensive player in the league and will get a chance to be the man for his team on offense as well. As far as a drop, I’m going to leave out players who will drop off due to reliability issues. I think the most likely candidate for that kind of drop statistically will be Opie Neff. Now that he’s a big whig in the league, there is no way that he plays in 27 games like last year. Also, he is sharing the shots with another prolific homerun threat. Clearly it seems that Opie is willing to give up homers for championship contention.
Who in your opinion was the steal of the draft? And who went way too early?
I thought the steal of the draft was Terry Shernisky. To get him at the 4th pick is absolutely ludicrous. Pat Nespor also went way below his talent level. I thought someone who went way too early was Jon Olsavsky. Yes, he is one of the all time greats. But, Jon Offutt really needed to get someone ultra reliable with that pick…and Olsavsky has been ranked high in that category the past few seasons.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
2009 Draft Recap
So now that everyone has read the mock drafts....what do i think of the actual picks? Read on...
ROUND 1
1) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: PJ O'Conner
In perhaps the most stunning turn of events in recent memory, John stuns the SBL world by forgoing on the big three and picking young PJ with the overall first pick. I’m shocked, stunned, and wondering if John Offutt was actually at the draft to make this pick.
2) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Bryan Frankovich
This pick is at least defendable. My guess would be that Bob wanted to prove himself without his Laser Cat’s cohorts…and also knew that Jeanne desperately needed a superstar.
3) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Nate Tomko
The picks start making much more sense from this point forward. Nate goes here because Queenie knows Nate better than Terry.
4) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Terry Shernisky
Somehow the Opster lucked out and landed what many considered to be the number one overall talent with the 4th pick.
5) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Billy Weisburg
Did anyone not see this one coming?
6) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Chris Everet
Building a team around a rookie isn’t always the best idea, but all indicators are that this kid could be a stud. You know that the league’s dictator wasn’t going to let Deforest pull an O’mahoney and wait to pick this kid up…
ROUND 2
7) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Katie Kelly
…but he could have at least waited till this spot to take Everet. Katie Kelly has a temper at times, and being picked below a player who has never even played baseketball could be a slap in the face to the diva of the SBL.
8) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Gavin St. John
I think Gavin in this spot is a steal. One of the newly reformed ladies recently told me that they plan to win the title this year. Adding St. John certainly could get them there.
9) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Matt McClelland
With another of the league’s premier long range shooters already in tow, McClelland was probably the right pick here. He’ll give them a leadoff hitter and someone to set the table on defense.
10) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Mike Morocco
Even though he says he wont be as reliable as in past years, at this point teams would have been foolish to pass up on arguably the forth best player in the league.
11) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Terry Hall
While early indications were that he might have quit the SBL after last year’s playoffs, I actually have received confirmation that Terry Hall does plan to suit up in 09. Teaming with Spohn and Frankovich could could be just what Terry needs to win a championship.
12) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jon O
Offutt takes the original Jon-O….once again leading me to believe that he may not have been there. The only time I have heard Olsavsky talk about Offutt…it wasn’t very flattering.
ROUND 3
13) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Lenny Crist
At a time when Offutt probably needed a really reliable player, there might have been a better pick. Still, if this team shows up they will probably be a fan favorite.
14) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Chris Pasci
Frankovich has said that he can get Pasci to come...which would make this team really really good.
15) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Ben Smith
According to Ben Smith, he will be there almost every week. Reliability was key here considering that Mike might of might not show.
16) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Kip Corbett
One could have made the argument that Kip should have been picked 3 or 4 spots before this, but I’m sure Opie didn’t mind getting one of the most consistent hitters of all time.
17) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Tim Martin
Hard time should get a lot more playing time this year…and is a much needed boost on defense.
ROUND 4
18) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: D. Shaffer
I really don’t know who the guy is, but does anyone else miss Fred Shaffer?
19) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: The Lackey Brothers
I’m always excited at the thought of Lackeys.
20) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Aryn Christman
With 4 very reliable players, this was well worth the gamble.
21) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Brandon Gillshire
Someone told me recently that Gillshire has started to wear shoes. I really hope that was just a winter thing.
22) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Jon Biddle
I think either Nespor would have been a better pick here, but I also can’t argue with Biddle if he shows up a couple weeks.
23) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Sweet Lou Shernisky
Is someone going to pick a Nespor?
ROUND 5
24) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Lee Nespor
There we go. I’m really hoping that this team shows up.
25) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Mike Frankovich
Mike Frankovich may have to pursue nursing career elsewhere, but he is well worth the risk here.
26) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Shelley Goodpastor
Nate is one of the few people in the SBL who could probably get Shelley to come if they need her.
27) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Danielle Hennon
Danielle adds another consistent hitter that wont take away from Terry or Opie’s homerun totals.
28) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Pat Nespor
I’m actually a little upset at some of the players who were picked over Pat Nespor. But, I’m really excited to see the team he’s on.
29) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Chuck Music
Billy better hope some of these rookies and unknowns pan out.
ROUND 6
30) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Stud Frankovich
At least with Stud we already know he’s unreliable.
31) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Sam Lynn
I’ve heard that she’s back in the area…and will be a good fit for this team.
32) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Derrick Lochovich
He seems to come around if he’s needed
33) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: J. Clayton
Personally I like to see Clayton and Tomko play against each other…but you can’t fault this pick here.
34) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Ben Elliot
He’s definitely in the area. I’d like to see Big Whitey finally get his chance to play a big role on a good team.
35) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jamie Moroco
< insert random comment about my love for Jamie Moroco here >
ROUND 1
1) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: PJ O'Conner
In perhaps the most stunning turn of events in recent memory, John stuns the SBL world by forgoing on the big three and picking young PJ with the overall first pick. I’m shocked, stunned, and wondering if John Offutt was actually at the draft to make this pick.
2) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Bryan Frankovich
This pick is at least defendable. My guess would be that Bob wanted to prove himself without his Laser Cat’s cohorts…and also knew that Jeanne desperately needed a superstar.
3) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Nate Tomko
The picks start making much more sense from this point forward. Nate goes here because Queenie knows Nate better than Terry.
4) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Terry Shernisky
Somehow the Opster lucked out and landed what many considered to be the number one overall talent with the 4th pick.
5) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Billy Weisburg
Did anyone not see this one coming?
6) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Chris Everet
Building a team around a rookie isn’t always the best idea, but all indicators are that this kid could be a stud. You know that the league’s dictator wasn’t going to let Deforest pull an O’mahoney and wait to pick this kid up…
ROUND 2
7) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Katie Kelly
…but he could have at least waited till this spot to take Everet. Katie Kelly has a temper at times, and being picked below a player who has never even played baseketball could be a slap in the face to the diva of the SBL.
8) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Gavin St. John
I think Gavin in this spot is a steal. One of the newly reformed ladies recently told me that they plan to win the title this year. Adding St. John certainly could get them there.
9) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Matt McClelland
With another of the league’s premier long range shooters already in tow, McClelland was probably the right pick here. He’ll give them a leadoff hitter and someone to set the table on defense.
10) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Mike Morocco
Even though he says he wont be as reliable as in past years, at this point teams would have been foolish to pass up on arguably the forth best player in the league.
11) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Terry Hall
While early indications were that he might have quit the SBL after last year’s playoffs, I actually have received confirmation that Terry Hall does plan to suit up in 09. Teaming with Spohn and Frankovich could could be just what Terry needs to win a championship.
12) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jon O
Offutt takes the original Jon-O….once again leading me to believe that he may not have been there. The only time I have heard Olsavsky talk about Offutt…it wasn’t very flattering.
ROUND 3
13) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Lenny Crist
At a time when Offutt probably needed a really reliable player, there might have been a better pick. Still, if this team shows up they will probably be a fan favorite.
14) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Chris Pasci
Frankovich has said that he can get Pasci to come...which would make this team really really good.
15) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Ben Smith
According to Ben Smith, he will be there almost every week. Reliability was key here considering that Mike might of might not show.
16) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Kip Corbett
One could have made the argument that Kip should have been picked 3 or 4 spots before this, but I’m sure Opie didn’t mind getting one of the most consistent hitters of all time.
17) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Tim Martin
Hard time should get a lot more playing time this year…and is a much needed boost on defense.
ROUND 4
18) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: D. Shaffer
I really don’t know who the guy is, but does anyone else miss Fred Shaffer?
19) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: The Lackey Brothers
I’m always excited at the thought of Lackeys.
20) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Aryn Christman
With 4 very reliable players, this was well worth the gamble.
21) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Brandon Gillshire
Someone told me recently that Gillshire has started to wear shoes. I really hope that was just a winter thing.
22) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Jon Biddle
I think either Nespor would have been a better pick here, but I also can’t argue with Biddle if he shows up a couple weeks.
23) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Sweet Lou Shernisky
Is someone going to pick a Nespor?
ROUND 5
24) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Lee Nespor
There we go. I’m really hoping that this team shows up.
25) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Mike Frankovich
Mike Frankovich may have to pursue nursing career elsewhere, but he is well worth the risk here.
26) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Shelley Goodpastor
Nate is one of the few people in the SBL who could probably get Shelley to come if they need her.
27) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Danielle Hennon
Danielle adds another consistent hitter that wont take away from Terry or Opie’s homerun totals.
28) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Pat Nespor
I’m actually a little upset at some of the players who were picked over Pat Nespor. But, I’m really excited to see the team he’s on.
29) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Chuck Music
Billy better hope some of these rookies and unknowns pan out.
ROUND 6
30) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Stud Frankovich
At least with Stud we already know he’s unreliable.
31) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Sam Lynn
I’ve heard that she’s back in the area…and will be a good fit for this team.
32) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Derrick Lochovich
He seems to come around if he’s needed
33) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: J. Clayton
Personally I like to see Clayton and Tomko play against each other…but you can’t fault this pick here.
34) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Ben Elliot
He’s definitely in the area. I’d like to see Big Whitey finally get his chance to play a big role on a good team.
35) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jamie Moroco
< insert random comment about my love for Jamie Moroco here >
Monday, March 30, 2009
Mac's Mock Draft 2009
So I figured I’d get the blog started right this year by giving my loyal readers a taste of what the SBL draft might look like. Enjoy…
ROUND 1
1) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Nate Tomko
Every year folks try to spice things up by making an argument that Nate Tomko isn’t the consensus number one pick. Every year, he proves that it isn’t even close. I look forward to John Offutt having a much improved season…or Nate having a coronary being on his team…one of the two.
2) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Terry Shernisky
Last year Bob Spohn developed to one of the most underrated talents in the game playing third fiddle on the Laser Cats. This year he will need to step it up another notch to compliment the second greatest player ever to wear an SBL jersey.
3) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Bryan Frankovich
Jeanne has proven to be more than capable at the leadoff spot. Having Frankovich on both sides of the ball should put her right in the hunt for the Left-Eye come season’s end.
4) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Gavin St. John
You can doubt Gavin’s choice of music and men, but you can’t deny that he took it to another level at crunch time last season. Gavin is a force in all areas of the game which should match well with Opie
5) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: PJ O’Connor
By bringing another talented PJ into the fold, this team could unleash chaos on upon the league…no matter what their name is.
6) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Christ Everett
Supposedly he’s good…and he works at the lube…so I can see Billy D picking him up here…
ROUND 2
7) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Katie Kelly
…especially when he has another pick right after it to pick up the best leadoff hitter in the game today.
8) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Billy Weisburg
If this team added Billy Wesiburg to an already good defense, their opponents could be seeing red all season.
9) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Terry Hall
Terry Hall is freakishly talented on defense. Being on a team where he doesn’t have to be the number one option on offense could be a good fit.
10) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Mike Morocco
Mike claims that he’ll be in Pittsburgh and might not make it, but with Gavin and Bryan already coming from that way, I’d be shocked if he missed more than 3 weeks.
11) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Matt McClelland
While he’s lost a step over the years, McClelland could give Bob and Terry the intangibles needed to get back to the top of the mountain in 2009.
12) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Kip Corbett
I’d be tempted to take more of a leadoff hitter in this spot, but Kip is a wiley veteran that could probably adapt his game to hit firtst…and would be
ROUND 3
13) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Pat Nespor
While John and Kip are bound to get under Nate’s skin (and vice versa) at least 2 or 3 times during the season, John would be wise to take a feel-good type player with this pick…and nobody can be angry when they get to play with Pat Nespor.
14) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Ben Smith
Having a solid nucleus in place, Bob can now find a player that might not be there every week, but will be solid when he comes. Enter Ben Smith.
15) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Brandon Gillshire
Jeanne and Gillshire seemed to always get along.
16) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Mike Frankovich
Mike Frankovich is quietly one of the best lead-off hitters in the game. While he might miss a few games due to back and legal concerns, I see him being there at least five weeks.
17) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Dennis Lackey
Yes, he’s past the mindset where Baseketball is his Sunday priority, but I’m guessing he’s good for 3 or 4 solid weeks.
ROUND 4
18) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Greg Lackey
…and if he doesn’t come, Billy can utilize Greg instead.
19) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Lenny Crist
More familiar faces in familiar places.
20) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Lee Nespor
Opie and Lee could set some sort of record for solo homers by teammates in a season.
21) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Jon Olsavsky
Jon has some unexplainable fondness for Frankovich…and he also gets along well with Jeanne. If anyone can get the salt and pepper haired legend to return for another round, it’s this team.
22) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Shelley Goodpastor
Shelley is too good for a team not to take a chance on her.
23) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Chris Pasci
I don’t see him coming if he isn’t on Mikey’s team, but you never know.
ROUND 5
24) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Aryn Christman
It looks doubtful that she’ll be up this summer, but you can’t go wrong with picking her here.
25) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Danielle Hennon
Danielle probably wont come every week this summer, but she’s far better than people give her credit for.
26) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Chuck Muszik
I’ve heard this kid’s name for like 4 seasons now and still couldn’t pick him out of a crowd at the Lube after a few beers.
27) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Lou Shernisky
It’s always a treat when Lou shows up.
28) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Jeff Pallini
Pallini is the perfect player in this spot. He only comes when asked and always does something memorable.
29) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Jon Biddle
I can see Billy going a little wild here and picking up the big names that might not show the whole season.
ROUND 6
30) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Jared Clayton
Make that a double.
31) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Cassie Pyle Nespor and Tara Shawley
My guess is that Tara would be more upset at not being picked than Cassie….but better safe than sorry.
32) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Pat Lackey
Is Pat fuzzy head or feather hair? I can never remember.
33) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Stud Frankovich
You know what the SBL needs? An RSS feed…and Stud making a few appearances to pad cousin Bryan’s stats.
34) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Rob Whitling
Supposedly Rob is moving in with another of his boy toys this July. I give that the same chance as Jamie Morocco coming back to play more than 4 weeks this year…
35) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jamie Moroco
…which makes me sad.
ROUND 1
1) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Nate Tomko
Every year folks try to spice things up by making an argument that Nate Tomko isn’t the consensus number one pick. Every year, he proves that it isn’t even close. I look forward to John Offutt having a much improved season…or Nate having a coronary being on his team…one of the two.
2) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Terry Shernisky
Last year Bob Spohn developed to one of the most underrated talents in the game playing third fiddle on the Laser Cats. This year he will need to step it up another notch to compliment the second greatest player ever to wear an SBL jersey.
3) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Bryan Frankovich
Jeanne has proven to be more than capable at the leadoff spot. Having Frankovich on both sides of the ball should put her right in the hunt for the Left-Eye come season’s end.
4) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Gavin St. John
You can doubt Gavin’s choice of music and men, but you can’t deny that he took it to another level at crunch time last season. Gavin is a force in all areas of the game which should match well with Opie
5) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: PJ O’Connor
By bringing another talented PJ into the fold, this team could unleash chaos on upon the league…no matter what their name is.
6) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Christ Everett
Supposedly he’s good…and he works at the lube…so I can see Billy D picking him up here…
ROUND 2
7) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Katie Kelly
…especially when he has another pick right after it to pick up the best leadoff hitter in the game today.
8) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Billy Weisburg
If this team added Billy Wesiburg to an already good defense, their opponents could be seeing red all season.
9) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Terry Hall
Terry Hall is freakishly talented on defense. Being on a team where he doesn’t have to be the number one option on offense could be a good fit.
10) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Mike Morocco
Mike claims that he’ll be in Pittsburgh and might not make it, but with Gavin and Bryan already coming from that way, I’d be shocked if he missed more than 3 weeks.
11) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Matt McClelland
While he’s lost a step over the years, McClelland could give Bob and Terry the intangibles needed to get back to the top of the mountain in 2009.
12) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Kip Corbett
I’d be tempted to take more of a leadoff hitter in this spot, but Kip is a wiley veteran that could probably adapt his game to hit firtst…and would be
ROUND 3
13) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Pat Nespor
While John and Kip are bound to get under Nate’s skin (and vice versa) at least 2 or 3 times during the season, John would be wise to take a feel-good type player with this pick…and nobody can be angry when they get to play with Pat Nespor.
14) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Ben Smith
Having a solid nucleus in place, Bob can now find a player that might not be there every week, but will be solid when he comes. Enter Ben Smith.
15) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Brandon Gillshire
Jeanne and Gillshire seemed to always get along.
16) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Mike Frankovich
Mike Frankovich is quietly one of the best lead-off hitters in the game. While he might miss a few games due to back and legal concerns, I see him being there at least five weeks.
17) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Dennis Lackey
Yes, he’s past the mindset where Baseketball is his Sunday priority, but I’m guessing he’s good for 3 or 4 solid weeks.
ROUND 4
18) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Greg Lackey
…and if he doesn’t come, Billy can utilize Greg instead.
19) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Lenny Crist
More familiar faces in familiar places.
20) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Lee Nespor
Opie and Lee could set some sort of record for solo homers by teammates in a season.
21) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Jon Olsavsky
Jon has some unexplainable fondness for Frankovich…and he also gets along well with Jeanne. If anyone can get the salt and pepper haired legend to return for another round, it’s this team.
22) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Shelley Goodpastor
Shelley is too good for a team not to take a chance on her.
23) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Chris Pasci
I don’t see him coming if he isn’t on Mikey’s team, but you never know.
ROUND 5
24) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Aryn Christman
It looks doubtful that she’ll be up this summer, but you can’t go wrong with picking her here.
25) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Danielle Hennon
Danielle probably wont come every week this summer, but she’s far better than people give her credit for.
26) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Chuck Muszik
I’ve heard this kid’s name for like 4 seasons now and still couldn’t pick him out of a crowd at the Lube after a few beers.
27) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Lou Shernisky
It’s always a treat when Lou shows up.
28) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Jeff Pallini
Pallini is the perfect player in this spot. He only comes when asked and always does something memorable.
29) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Jon Biddle
I can see Billy going a little wild here and picking up the big names that might not show the whole season.
ROUND 6
30) TEAM BILLY DEFOREST: Jared Clayton
Make that a double.
31) TEAM BIG RANDO & PJ: Cassie Pyle Nespor and Tara Shawley
My guess is that Tara would be more upset at not being picked than Cassie….but better safe than sorry.
32) TEAM OPIE NEFF: Pat Lackey
Is Pat fuzzy head or feather hair? I can never remember.
33) TEAM JEANNE MENTREK: Stud Frankovich
You know what the SBL needs? An RSS feed…and Stud making a few appearances to pad cousin Bryan’s stats.
34) TEAM BOB SPOHN: Rob Whitling
Supposedly Rob is moving in with another of his boy toys this July. I give that the same chance as Jamie Morocco coming back to play more than 4 weeks this year…
35) TEAM JOHN OFFUTT: Jamie Moroco
…which makes me sad.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Mac's Mailbag: 2008 Playoffs Week One
Rumors are swirling around the SBL that Queen captain Bryan Frankovich almost quit the league last week. Do you think the Frankovich hating will rear its head again in the playoffs?
No, in most instances the playoffs are run strictly on the up and up. I mean, we’ll still make snide remarks about him…but if he loses in the playoffs it will be because he got beat, not because he was put in the penalty box for not shooting a homer.
Should Oatcake have sent Shelley Goodpastor to the Kamikazies instead of Katie Kelly?
Man…that is a really tough one. I’m going to say that I’m biased. Shelley has always been one of my favorite sbl superstars. That said, there is no question that Shelley isn’t as lights out from triple and beyond as she has been in the past. But, I also think you have to consider best and worse case. Katie is more of a given. She is going to make 4 of every 5 from the double stripe without thinking about it. Shelley meanwhile might only make 7 of 10 at the same range….but Shelley has way more exploding potential, and I have to think she’s more than capable of putting up one of her ungodly 13 of 14, 3 homer, 10 RBI games. Of course, she has to show up for this to come true.
Do you still agree with your statement a few weeks ago that Oatcake and the Queens are the only teams with a realistic shot to beat the Cats in a three game series?
If anything, I’d change my prediction to include only the Queens and not expand the list. I do however think that the blockbuster trade between Oatcake and Jukebox gave both of them a punchers chance. But the Queens have far and away the best shot.
Are you a fan of the current playoff format that has the first place team going all the way to finals?
No, but I honestly can’t think of better one. I didn’t like the idea of not playing for a week in 2004…and I think it does take the possibility of a crazy upset out of the mix. But, the only way to do it would be to leave a team out of the playoffs…and I’m not betting that team would show up if they weren’t in the playoffs.
Which of the four teams without a first round bye is the most likely to make a deep playoff run?
Without a doubt that is Jukebox Hero. The addition of Katie Kelly was a piece that they desperately needed, and if Mike can get Pasci’s ass out of bed I would actually consider them favorites over the Democracy. I also think they have the firepower to surprise Oatcake.
How will any team defeat the mighty laser cats? Maybe by pulling a tonya harding on Terry and Nate? Or is there no hope?
There’s not much hope, but the Cats have looked beatable in the latter stage of the year. The more people who show up for their team, the less at bats that Tomko and Shernisky get. If you can keep persuading Billy “Mini Ted” Deforest to jack up homers and can throw off Spohn, things could get interesting.
Lame duck President Nate Tomko has admitted that things didn’t really work out this year as far as parity in the league is concerned…how do we get back to 2006 and 2007 when any team could pretty much beat any other?
I’m giving him a Presidential mulligan on this season. He couldn’t have known that so many vets would hang it up, or that Bob Spohn would play like one of the super heroes tattooed on his arms. The following people have more to do with the lack of parity than Viceroy Tomko: George Kovac, Jamie Moroco, John Olsavsky, all three Lackeys, Lenny Crist, Ben Smith, Chuck Music, Dank Elly, Jamie Fabian and Mike Frankovich’s parole officer.
Which court would you like to see host the second week of the playoffs?
I’m a big fan of Hoffa Centre…but I didn’t get to play at Buttsex Ballpark this year.
Ben Smith has pretty much made a career out of his legendary performance during the playoffs a couple years ago. Who could be the player this year that could surprise us by having a career playoffs?
One player that comes to mind is Terry Hall. He’s been inconsistent, has never really been an integral part of a deep playoff run, and is not really mentioned among the best players in the league. A Ben Smithian playoff run and an Oatcake finals berth would make a lot of people forget that he had a lower batting average than his girlfriend and John Offutt this regular season.
Do you think the offensive friendly low hoop at the Nespor house will help or hurt the lower seeds this Sunday?
Not really either. I think everybody wins when we play at the Superdrome. While it certainly makes it easier for Mike and Pasci to drain homers, I know for a fact that Kip Corbett loves that middle homer at the Nespor house.
No, in most instances the playoffs are run strictly on the up and up. I mean, we’ll still make snide remarks about him…but if he loses in the playoffs it will be because he got beat, not because he was put in the penalty box for not shooting a homer.
Should Oatcake have sent Shelley Goodpastor to the Kamikazies instead of Katie Kelly?
Man…that is a really tough one. I’m going to say that I’m biased. Shelley has always been one of my favorite sbl superstars. That said, there is no question that Shelley isn’t as lights out from triple and beyond as she has been in the past. But, I also think you have to consider best and worse case. Katie is more of a given. She is going to make 4 of every 5 from the double stripe without thinking about it. Shelley meanwhile might only make 7 of 10 at the same range….but Shelley has way more exploding potential, and I have to think she’s more than capable of putting up one of her ungodly 13 of 14, 3 homer, 10 RBI games. Of course, she has to show up for this to come true.
Do you still agree with your statement a few weeks ago that Oatcake and the Queens are the only teams with a realistic shot to beat the Cats in a three game series?
If anything, I’d change my prediction to include only the Queens and not expand the list. I do however think that the blockbuster trade between Oatcake and Jukebox gave both of them a punchers chance. But the Queens have far and away the best shot.
Are you a fan of the current playoff format that has the first place team going all the way to finals?
No, but I honestly can’t think of better one. I didn’t like the idea of not playing for a week in 2004…and I think it does take the possibility of a crazy upset out of the mix. But, the only way to do it would be to leave a team out of the playoffs…and I’m not betting that team would show up if they weren’t in the playoffs.
Which of the four teams without a first round bye is the most likely to make a deep playoff run?
Without a doubt that is Jukebox Hero. The addition of Katie Kelly was a piece that they desperately needed, and if Mike can get Pasci’s ass out of bed I would actually consider them favorites over the Democracy. I also think they have the firepower to surprise Oatcake.
How will any team defeat the mighty laser cats? Maybe by pulling a tonya harding on Terry and Nate? Or is there no hope?
There’s not much hope, but the Cats have looked beatable in the latter stage of the year. The more people who show up for their team, the less at bats that Tomko and Shernisky get. If you can keep persuading Billy “Mini Ted” Deforest to jack up homers and can throw off Spohn, things could get interesting.
Lame duck President Nate Tomko has admitted that things didn’t really work out this year as far as parity in the league is concerned…how do we get back to 2006 and 2007 when any team could pretty much beat any other?
I’m giving him a Presidential mulligan on this season. He couldn’t have known that so many vets would hang it up, or that Bob Spohn would play like one of the super heroes tattooed on his arms. The following people have more to do with the lack of parity than Viceroy Tomko: George Kovac, Jamie Moroco, John Olsavsky, all three Lackeys, Lenny Crist, Ben Smith, Chuck Music, Dank Elly, Jamie Fabian and Mike Frankovich’s parole officer.
Which court would you like to see host the second week of the playoffs?
I’m a big fan of Hoffa Centre…but I didn’t get to play at Buttsex Ballpark this year.
Ben Smith has pretty much made a career out of his legendary performance during the playoffs a couple years ago. Who could be the player this year that could surprise us by having a career playoffs?
One player that comes to mind is Terry Hall. He’s been inconsistent, has never really been an integral part of a deep playoff run, and is not really mentioned among the best players in the league. A Ben Smithian playoff run and an Oatcake finals berth would make a lot of people forget that he had a lower batting average than his girlfriend and John Offutt this regular season.
Do you think the offensive friendly low hoop at the Nespor house will help or hurt the lower seeds this Sunday?
Not really either. I think everybody wins when we play at the Superdrome. While it certainly makes it easier for Mike and Pasci to drain homers, I know for a fact that Kip Corbett loves that middle homer at the Nespor house.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Mac's Mailbag 07-18-2008
A special thank you to Ben, Mike, and Bryan for submitting questions this week.
You were the only one with a last name other than Frankovich that thought the Queens would pull off the win last week. So, what chance do the rest of the teams have at stealing the left eye from our baseketball overlords?
While I like to say that any team can beat any other on any given week, that just hasn’t been the case this entire year. I don’t think it’s a secret that only the queens and oatcake have even a punchers chance of beating the cats in a three game series. The Queens and Oatcake both have flaws that are more of an issue than the occasional slow start of the Cats…and I think that losing last week did nothing but take the pressure off of the Laser Cats.
Does anyone other than fan favorite Opie Neff have a shot at winning rookie of the year?
No.
Where do you think the SBL will be in 1 year? How about 5 years?
I didn’t think I would ever be saying this, but I can honestly say I don’t see the SBL going away next year and will probably be around in some form or another 5 years from now. It’s more fun than church softball, that’s for sure.
If you could be on a team with three people of your choice not on your team this year, who would they be and why?
I actually think I answered something like this question earlier in the year….but three people I haven’t played with yet are Rando, White Terry, and Mikey
Last week Nate put up a list of his current all-star teams, which didn’t include yourself or Ben Smith…thoughts?
I actually agreed with all his choices (with stats being as they were then) except that I had Mikey as captain of the World instead of Stud. Nothing personal, but Stud doesn’t have the games played or dedication to the league that his cousin’s part time lover has. Also. There’s still a lot of baseketball left to be played this year. Gavin better show up these last couple weeks and M. Frank better keep with the torrid pace to be there come season’s end.
Is Nate Tomko having his best season ever (and thus the best season ever in the SBL)
Man, that’s a tough one. I’m going to have to say yes just because the stats are going to end up being mind numbing. Still, I think the Tomko of 2004 or 2005 (consider that he only played about 2/3 of the time in 2004) may have been a little more dominating overall.
What’s the dumbest prediction that you’ve made this year?
It would probably be the one about Jamie Moroco having baseketball in her blood and not being able to stay away all season.
Was last week’s Cats/Queens game the best of all time?
No. It really only got exciting when the Cats started to come back in the last couple innings. Even the first battle between the two teams in my mind had more back and forth excitement to it. For my money (and off the top of my head) the greatest game of all time would have been from the 2003 playoff series when the gonads and strife lead by Nate battled the Transexual Heartbreakers of Jared Clayton. It was the two best players (who really didn’t get along all that well) in the league battling to see who would eventually go on to become sbl champion…oh, and it took place in the middle of a thunderstorm.
Who would you most like to see write an article this year that has not?
That would have to be Mikey Moroco. He made an attempt last year with the PTI things…and I thought they were pretty lame. But, I have to admit that a year in college has given Mikey a keen sense of humor that I actually find very humorous. Id really like to see that transfer into a regular article.
You were the only one with a last name other than Frankovich that thought the Queens would pull off the win last week. So, what chance do the rest of the teams have at stealing the left eye from our baseketball overlords?
While I like to say that any team can beat any other on any given week, that just hasn’t been the case this entire year. I don’t think it’s a secret that only the queens and oatcake have even a punchers chance of beating the cats in a three game series. The Queens and Oatcake both have flaws that are more of an issue than the occasional slow start of the Cats…and I think that losing last week did nothing but take the pressure off of the Laser Cats.
Does anyone other than fan favorite Opie Neff have a shot at winning rookie of the year?
No.
Where do you think the SBL will be in 1 year? How about 5 years?
I didn’t think I would ever be saying this, but I can honestly say I don’t see the SBL going away next year and will probably be around in some form or another 5 years from now. It’s more fun than church softball, that’s for sure.
If you could be on a team with three people of your choice not on your team this year, who would they be and why?
I actually think I answered something like this question earlier in the year….but three people I haven’t played with yet are Rando, White Terry, and Mikey
Last week Nate put up a list of his current all-star teams, which didn’t include yourself or Ben Smith…thoughts?
I actually agreed with all his choices (with stats being as they were then) except that I had Mikey as captain of the World instead of Stud. Nothing personal, but Stud doesn’t have the games played or dedication to the league that his cousin’s part time lover has. Also. There’s still a lot of baseketball left to be played this year. Gavin better show up these last couple weeks and M. Frank better keep with the torrid pace to be there come season’s end.
Is Nate Tomko having his best season ever (and thus the best season ever in the SBL)
Man, that’s a tough one. I’m going to have to say yes just because the stats are going to end up being mind numbing. Still, I think the Tomko of 2004 or 2005 (consider that he only played about 2/3 of the time in 2004) may have been a little more dominating overall.
What’s the dumbest prediction that you’ve made this year?
It would probably be the one about Jamie Moroco having baseketball in her blood and not being able to stay away all season.
Was last week’s Cats/Queens game the best of all time?
No. It really only got exciting when the Cats started to come back in the last couple innings. Even the first battle between the two teams in my mind had more back and forth excitement to it. For my money (and off the top of my head) the greatest game of all time would have been from the 2003 playoff series when the gonads and strife lead by Nate battled the Transexual Heartbreakers of Jared Clayton. It was the two best players (who really didn’t get along all that well) in the league battling to see who would eventually go on to become sbl champion…oh, and it took place in the middle of a thunderstorm.
Who would you most like to see write an article this year that has not?
That would have to be Mikey Moroco. He made an attempt last year with the PTI things…and I thought they were pretty lame. But, I have to admit that a year in college has given Mikey a keen sense of humor that I actually find very humorous. Id really like to see that transfer into a regular article.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Mac's Power Rankings 07-11-2008
Going to Florida, Looking for jobs and golfing with Rando has pretty much taken up my week, but I figured I'd give you guys a little something...and yes, I'm well aware that I'm spending my Friday night writing an article that will only be read by Rando, Nate, Billy, Kip and Ben. Enjoy!
1) The Laser Cats
Two best players of all time…stop…best defensive team ever…stop…have the ability to turn the switch when they need to…stop…may give tomko an aneurism if a slow start costs them the perfect season…especially against Bryan Frankovich this coming weekend…stop…those who think it isn’t a possibility might be taking the surging queens lightly…stop
2) The Queens of the Rest Stop Reach-around
The queens have been the second hottest team during the last few weeks. Despite drawing the ire of sbl brass for the last four years, the head of the Frankovich monster just can’t seem to be cut off. While I definitely am not a fan of the Frankovich captaining style at times, I think anyone who doesn’t give the queens a shot at beating the laser cats this weekend should rethink it…only if stud comes of course. I mean, he has a lineup that could score 15 runs before the Laser Cats reach that 5th inning plateau, it’s at the queens home court, and Frankovich is due to come through against arch nemesis Nate Tomko. If he fails this time, I don’t think we can really call it a rivalry without laughing…unless you mean the type of rivalry that the steelers and browns have had for the last 14 years or so.
3) The Oatcake Hate Monsters
While stars on vacations combined with the pushing back of the SBL schedule ruined what could have been a competitive game against the laser cats last week, im not ready to blow the trade whistle just yet. This team is still capable of beating anyone on any given sunday.
4) Voltron
Disappointing…very disappointing. I’m not sure they would crack the top two even if they played well, but with their talent they should at least be in the discussion.
5) Banana Democracy
I see that others are drinking the Ben Smith cool-aid once again. Seeing as he has had a couple good weeks in a row, he’s bound to turn into Mr. Hyde real soon. Could the comedown be a result of caving to the pressure from others to shoot more long balls? Four years of inconsistency leaves me skeptical that Ben has turned the corner…though the game against the Laser Cats could be a great time to make me eat crow.
6) The Fleshy Funbridges
Man I love the funbridges…but they have a difficult three weeks to end the season.
7) Jukebox Hero
2-0?!!!! Wowsers!
8) The Kyoto Kamikazees
Usually the way to get back on the right track is to make sure that three players show up. I think Mikey’s interest in baseketball has declined this year in favor of women and booze, but I’m really hoping he doesn’t go down as the captain of the most disappointing team in SBL history. They can still turn it around.
1) The Laser Cats
Two best players of all time…stop…best defensive team ever…stop…have the ability to turn the switch when they need to…stop…may give tomko an aneurism if a slow start costs them the perfect season…especially against Bryan Frankovich this coming weekend…stop…those who think it isn’t a possibility might be taking the surging queens lightly…stop
2) The Queens of the Rest Stop Reach-around
The queens have been the second hottest team during the last few weeks. Despite drawing the ire of sbl brass for the last four years, the head of the Frankovich monster just can’t seem to be cut off. While I definitely am not a fan of the Frankovich captaining style at times, I think anyone who doesn’t give the queens a shot at beating the laser cats this weekend should rethink it…only if stud comes of course. I mean, he has a lineup that could score 15 runs before the Laser Cats reach that 5th inning plateau, it’s at the queens home court, and Frankovich is due to come through against arch nemesis Nate Tomko. If he fails this time, I don’t think we can really call it a rivalry without laughing…unless you mean the type of rivalry that the steelers and browns have had for the last 14 years or so.
3) The Oatcake Hate Monsters
While stars on vacations combined with the pushing back of the SBL schedule ruined what could have been a competitive game against the laser cats last week, im not ready to blow the trade whistle just yet. This team is still capable of beating anyone on any given sunday.
4) Voltron
Disappointing…very disappointing. I’m not sure they would crack the top two even if they played well, but with their talent they should at least be in the discussion.
5) Banana Democracy
I see that others are drinking the Ben Smith cool-aid once again. Seeing as he has had a couple good weeks in a row, he’s bound to turn into Mr. Hyde real soon. Could the comedown be a result of caving to the pressure from others to shoot more long balls? Four years of inconsistency leaves me skeptical that Ben has turned the corner…though the game against the Laser Cats could be a great time to make me eat crow.
6) The Fleshy Funbridges
Man I love the funbridges…but they have a difficult three weeks to end the season.
7) Jukebox Hero
2-0?!!!! Wowsers!
8) The Kyoto Kamikazees
Usually the way to get back on the right track is to make sure that three players show up. I think Mikey’s interest in baseketball has declined this year in favor of women and booze, but I’m really hoping he doesn’t go down as the captain of the most disappointing team in SBL history. They can still turn it around.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Mac's Mailbag 6/28/08
Ben Smith:
Which teams are underachieving right now? Which are overachieving?
I think the Kamikazees and the Queens have been the early disappointments of the year. As far as overachieving, I guess you could go with the banana democracy…who have one and competed in a few games in which they were outclassed.
Can Terry Hall step it up and get into the POTY mix as many pundits predicted?
I’m going to have to agree with Nate that he simply isn’t going to be on the level of the big three. I do however think he’s on the one team on which he doesn’t have to be on that level to make a splash in the postseason.
Katie Kelly:
What SBL team name do you think is the best of all time?
It would be really close between Bukkake Tsunami and Minoriteam. I know the Tsunami came from the overused “odd sexual phrase,” but I loved their shirts.
Who would win in an all girl SBL scrum?
The SBL guys…and in a less important way, Shelley Goodpastor.
Nate:
Give me a team of possible All Star snubs that you could turn into world title contenders.
Sure. This is assuming a lot, but is possible: Myself, Shelley, Rando, Stud…and Opie coming off the bench.
Cassie “The Assassin” Pyle-Nespor:
What Dewey Decimal call number would you give for baseketball?
Well, the easy thing to day would be to classify it as: DVD FIC BAS, but that would be cheating. In non fiction and most closely related to basketball, it would definitely start with 796.323….but without my copy of DDC I cant really get into location codes and variants.
Opie:
Which SBL diva should I ask out and why? Who should I avoid?
Wow man. You picked the wrong league for single guys. The more I think of it, I guess every single lady in the SBL has some attachment that could lead to you getting your ass kicked or banished from the SBL...Katie has Terry, Aryn has Nate, and if you tried anything with Shelley I’m pretty sure the gods of the left triple would strike you down on the spot. A kid named O’Mahoney once tried to get fresh with Katie Kelly and his body still hasn’t been found. I think your best bet is to ask Rob about his pierced tongue.
Billy:
How do you feel about the penalty President Corbett gave KT Kelly last week?
I think I made it fairly clear that I wasn’t a fan. A game earlier, Rando threw shoes, socks, and dead babies on the floor and was allowed to continue in a game that was over the week before. Then the next game Katie gets put in the sin bin during the most important part of a big game for insulting the ref? If we’re passing out penalty innings for questioning the refs, I think there are far bigger culprits than Katie Kelly. While I still think Kip will make a fine president, that’s not change we can believe in.
What do you think of the return of Jared Clayton to Voltron and it’s possible effects on the rest of the season?
Wow, I really wish Voltron played the Laser Cats in week 7 instead of week 6. Give Clayton a week to get back into the swing of things with his new team, and you’ll forget who Terry Shernisky is. He was battling with Nate Tomko while Terry was in high school. But seriously, the thought of he and Billy together is scary.
PJ:
Why didn’t you go on vacation with us this year?
Honestly I just cant afford it, and it fell on the wrong week. I just moved out of Chambersburg with the intent to find a new job in Western PA. Not a good time to be taking vacations with me having nothing to do but drink heavily.
Which teams are underachieving right now? Which are overachieving?
I think the Kamikazees and the Queens have been the early disappointments of the year. As far as overachieving, I guess you could go with the banana democracy…who have one and competed in a few games in which they were outclassed.
Can Terry Hall step it up and get into the POTY mix as many pundits predicted?
I’m going to have to agree with Nate that he simply isn’t going to be on the level of the big three. I do however think he’s on the one team on which he doesn’t have to be on that level to make a splash in the postseason.
Katie Kelly:
What SBL team name do you think is the best of all time?
It would be really close between Bukkake Tsunami and Minoriteam. I know the Tsunami came from the overused “odd sexual phrase,” but I loved their shirts.
Who would win in an all girl SBL scrum?
The SBL guys…and in a less important way, Shelley Goodpastor.
Nate:
Give me a team of possible All Star snubs that you could turn into world title contenders.
Sure. This is assuming a lot, but is possible: Myself, Shelley, Rando, Stud…and Opie coming off the bench.
Cassie “The Assassin” Pyle-Nespor:
What Dewey Decimal call number would you give for baseketball?
Well, the easy thing to day would be to classify it as: DVD FIC BAS, but that would be cheating. In non fiction and most closely related to basketball, it would definitely start with 796.323….but without my copy of DDC I cant really get into location codes and variants.
Opie:
Which SBL diva should I ask out and why? Who should I avoid?
Wow man. You picked the wrong league for single guys. The more I think of it, I guess every single lady in the SBL has some attachment that could lead to you getting your ass kicked or banished from the SBL...Katie has Terry, Aryn has Nate, and if you tried anything with Shelley I’m pretty sure the gods of the left triple would strike you down on the spot. A kid named O’Mahoney once tried to get fresh with Katie Kelly and his body still hasn’t been found. I think your best bet is to ask Rob about his pierced tongue.
Billy:
How do you feel about the penalty President Corbett gave KT Kelly last week?
I think I made it fairly clear that I wasn’t a fan. A game earlier, Rando threw shoes, socks, and dead babies on the floor and was allowed to continue in a game that was over the week before. Then the next game Katie gets put in the sin bin during the most important part of a big game for insulting the ref? If we’re passing out penalty innings for questioning the refs, I think there are far bigger culprits than Katie Kelly. While I still think Kip will make a fine president, that’s not change we can believe in.
What do you think of the return of Jared Clayton to Voltron and it’s possible effects on the rest of the season?
Wow, I really wish Voltron played the Laser Cats in week 7 instead of week 6. Give Clayton a week to get back into the swing of things with his new team, and you’ll forget who Terry Shernisky is. He was battling with Nate Tomko while Terry was in high school. But seriously, the thought of he and Billy together is scary.
PJ:
Why didn’t you go on vacation with us this year?
Honestly I just cant afford it, and it fell on the wrong week. I just moved out of Chambersburg with the intent to find a new job in Western PA. Not a good time to be taking vacations with me having nothing to do but drink heavily.
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