Hello all,

I'm starting another Yahoo free fantasy baseball league, as I wasn't able to get into any of the ones already started.

 Anyone in the same boat? Join Us! (or, me so far)

Noel 

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Hello folks,

I joined a Keeper League for next season, my first foray into Keeper League fantasy baseball. I'm fairly current with major league baseball players, but am not as familiar with the minor leagues. The league I joined is having a minor league draft next week, and I'm trying to do a little research before then.

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I don't know about youse folks, but I HATE the Boston Red Sox these days. This is a relatively new development for me as a fan; I actually look back with some fondness at the '75 team (yes, I am that old!)with Fisk, Rice, Lynn et al (plus my favorite all-time psychedelic leftie, Spaceman Bill Lee). I didn't even mind the '80s - '90's versions so much (especially since they kept losing to us in the playoffs).

But this new era of Red Sockishness (beginning when? With Theo's arrival? Ortiz? Or??) is just freaking UNBEARABLE. And it's not just sour grapes that they've got all that money to spend and we don't: I'm an A's fan that takes pride in our successes, to the degree that we are able to do it with the payroll limitations we have.

I just can't stand the whole "Cowboy Up/Idiots/etc."  dubious mythology that has sprung up at Fenway lately. It seems to have gotten worse since they won the Series. Why is that?

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I'm curious about what people think the starting line-up should look like. Personally, I think that if the A's are into WINNING NOW, we should continue to think about pursuing another big bat.I like Swish and DJ both, but I believe they both still need seasoning.How about a platoon at 1B, with the other player available (as would Kielty as back-up OF)to spell the Frank Thomas/Mike Piazza regular DH? (who, let's face it, won't be playing every day, if he turns out to be one of these guys).

Realistically, if we're making a play-off run, we still need to upgrade the offense (even if Bradley has an exceptional year). Does anyone see either Swish or DJ as an everyday starter on any other playoff caliber team in the Big Leagues? Sorry but I don't; at least not yet. But we want to win now, so... what to do?

Hearing somewhere that Lawton will almost certainly be traded by the Pirates by the trading deadline, I'm wondering why not to us?(well, besides the obvious reasons).

I don't know what his contract looks like, but I know he hits for power, has speed and good defense.

He could be just what we need.

The question is, what do we give up for him? (or Kearns, or whoever). Will BB trade for a proven player to make this year's team better?

Your thoughts, please.

Well, at least for April.

I took a look at the AL leader board today for ERA, and what did I see?

#1 Rich Harden, at 0.44
#5 Joe Blanton, at 2.04
#7 Dan Haren,   at 2.37

YES, it's only April. YES, we A's fans are a little (or a lot) perturbed at Barry Z's slow start. YES I wish we had that RH stick to balance our offense. YES YES YES we need to start hitting, especially in the money slots.

But we've got some significant upsides on this team right now, not the least of which is a tremendous early effort from our young starting staff.

Even within the non-objective fan community, did anyone predict that these guys would be THIS effective early on?

It's a long season, and a very tight division. We see our own flaws, but I think (now that we've played everyone in the division once) that the Angels, Rangers and Mariners are not without flaws, as well.

I don't know about you, but the starters' good early start has me very hopeful.

Hey out there- does anyone know when the A's start broadcasting on the radio during spring training? Like a lot of you, I can't wait until the season starts, and want to catch the first ones that are broadcast. I know that a few might be televised, but I really prefer radio, if I can't actually be there in person. Anyone in the know?

Hudson's gone; I think he wore that mantle well, especially last year after Miggy left.

So: Chavez? Zito? Who? (Kendall maybe?)

I'm looking for the heart of this team. I see a lot of potential; but a team is more than a collection of individuals. It also needs to be more than a collection of rookies (average age of the starting rotation= 24?)if it intends to compete.

I'm not a damn Giants fan; you know they're going to haul in some gimpy free agents that will sputter out in the stretch. I like the fact that we mainly rely on home-grown talent.

I just want to know where the leadership is going to be on this team, this year, as our veterans continue to depart.

Hudson aside, we need hitters. Who's hitting HRs for us this year, other than Durazo and (on-again, off-again) Chavez? I was hoping we could get a decent bat, too. It was the right move to let Jermaine go.... but whpo replaces him where it counts? Nick Swisher? He's got an upside, for sure, but again we're talking about RIGHT NOW versus down the road year or three.

And... who's in the bullpen for us next year? Looks pretty uncertain. Although I'm not sold on Dotel, I'm glad that Mecir, Lehr Hammond and Rhodes are gone, though. Do we put together another Raggedy Andy troupe of losers? Seems like money's got to be spent in this area, too. (Last year showed pretty conclusively that a great starting rotation can be significantly cancelled out by an ineffective bullpen)

Last note: I can't beleive we're thinking of keeping Bobby Kielty. I'm sorry, but what does he offer to the team? Are we big-league contenders, or not? (Yeah, yeah, he's still working on that switch-hitting thing)

Hey, News-Flash: we do a mini-rebuilding, in a few years we hit that same ceiling. We either kick it up into the next level (and part of that is payroll, Mr. Schott), or we continue to throw the rice at other people's weddings.

Kind of like the Democratic Party in  NOV. Yuck.

OK,all line-item stats aside, fellow A's fans, ask yourself a "big picture" question:

"Are we better off after this trade than we were before?"

Be honest.

Oh, by the way, how do you impeach an MLB owner?

OUT WITH SCHOTT!  (There's got to be some billionaire baseball fan out there looking to buy a team)