Here is the info for you:

League Settings
 Setting     Value
League ID#:     27462
League Name:     Athletics Nation #27
Password:     beane
Season Type:     Full
Draft Type:     Live Draft
Draft Time:     Fri Mar 17 10:00pm EST [ Add to My Calendar ]
Max Teams:     12
Scoring Type:     Head-to-Head
Player Universe:     All baseball
Max Moves:     No maximum
Max Trades:     No maximum
Trade Reject Time:     0
Trade End Date:     August 13, 2006
Waiver Time:     2 days
Can't Cut List Provider:     None
Trade Review:     Commissioner
Post Draft Players:     Follow Waiver Rules
Min Innings Pitched:    
Weekly Deadline:     Weekly on Monday
Start Scoring on:     Week 1
Roster Positions:     C, CI, CI, MI, MI, OF, OF, OF, Util, Util, P, P, P, P, P, P, P, P, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, DL, DL
Stat Categories:     R, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, SB, BB, IP, W, CG, SV, ER, BB, K, WHIP

Has anybody heard if we are going to sign our 16th round pick - Justin Smoak.  He was voted to the 2005 EA Sports High School All American team, but according to baseball america has yet to sign.  Is there usually a time frame that a draftee will normally sign before they start raising flags about not signing?

I found an article recapping the draft with Kevin Goldstein that said the only player he could see us not signing would be Smoak.

Any insight AN?

EA Link - http://www.easports.com/events/allamericans2005/baseball.jsp

AN Link -
http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/6/13/15503/0927

The Tigers have invited 16 guys to Spring Training and 4 more players signed to Minor League Contract with invites.

There are a few players that could affect the major league roster.

Mantei projects to take a bullpen spot, Crabtree and  Phelps have major league experience at their positions, and Santiago is back with the team.

Are the Tigers looking to take a 11 or 12 man pitching staff into the season.  What will become of Pena.  Here is how I see things right now:

SP  - Rogers
SP  - Bonderman
SP  - Maroth
SP  - Robertson
SP  - Verlander
CL  - Jones
RP  - Rodney
RP  - Walker
RP  - German
RP  - Spurling
RP  - Percival (Mantei will fill if Percy retires)
RP  - Ledezma
C   - Rodriguez
C   - Wilson
1B  - Shelton
1B  - Pena
2B  - Polanco
SS  - Guillen
3B  - Inge
INF - Infante
OF  - Ordonez
OF  - Granderson
OF  - Monroe
OF  - Logan
DH  - Young

Big questions to me are what is going to happen with Percival?  Will Dingman or Colon show something to make a difference?  Will AAA help Grilli, Thames, and others?

Poll

Will Percy be back?

20%

Who cares - he is just going on the DL again

2 votes

50%

White Sox Suck!

5 votes

0%

Yes

0 votes

30%

No

3 votes

10 votes | Poll has closed

I am pretty bored these days watching the Hot Stove.  The Tigers are no where at all, and you can call that what you want.

But here is my idea.  Lets put together a survey to send to the Tigers and post what they return here, on blessyouboys.com.

I really hate to use the word survey because it would be more like a written interview.

So, I have been working on some questions to send the players and I will post them here tommorrow when it is not 1 in the morning.

I would like to hear BYBs thoughts on the questions and have you all add some questions that you are curious about.

I think once the players responses start pouring in this will be something that you will want to check out.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9094678

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5163266

Whatever your take on this, this deal in not good for us.  The White Sox now have one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball.  Their rotation now consists of 3 former #1's in Garcia (with Seattle), Buerhle, and Vazquez (with Montreal).  Contreras and Garland round out the 5.

The sportsline article also reminds us about the resigning of Konerko and the trade for Thome.

WHY AREN'T THE TIGERS DOING ANYTHING TO KEEP UP WITH THESE GUYS!!!

I just read an article on fox sports (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5154934) that basically said the cardinals have all these holes they need to fill and that the market is going crazy and they are goinig to have to come up with some ways to fill the holes.

so, maybe their answer is to trade pujols to us.  our system is deep at all levels and we can fill not only their holes but whatever holes we create as well.

so, who do you think it would take for us to land pujols from the cardinals.

Of the players that are listed below, by their career then 2005 stats, whom would you rather have as your clean up hitter?

Stats are OBP/SLG/AVG for Career and 2005

Player 1 Career - .355/.486/.288
Player 1 2005 - .360/.510/.299

Player 2 Career - .330/.459/.243
Player 2 2005 - .325/.477/.235

Player 3 Career - .348/.479/.291
Player 3 2005 - .325/.471/.271

Player 4 Career - .364/.518/.306
Player 4 2005 - .359/.436/.302

Poll

which player would you rather have?

12%

None - these are good 3's or 5's but not 4's

1 votes

50%

Player 1

4 votes

12%

This is a great 3-6

1 votes

0%

Player 2

0 votes

0%

Player 3

0 votes

25%

Player 4

2 votes

8 votes | Poll has closed

Today, in signing Kenny Rogers, the Tigers paid an exhorbant amount of money to have an established top of the order pitcher.  Kenny will offer great things to the younger pitchers on the staff currently and the pitchers to come in a short while as far as experience is concerned.

My question though is who do you want as a fifth starter for the beginning of the season.

My personal desire would be for the Tigers to sign another pitcher that could fill the middle of the order, bumping Robertson or Maroth to the 5th spot.

With Verlander and Zumaya both in the wings I would look for a 1 year fill.  My pick would be none other that Kevin Brown.

If we had to fill within the organization I would want to keep Verlander and Zumaya both in AAA ball  because there is no reason to rush them.  I would take Grilli or Baugh and fill the fifth spot.

But what would YOU do?

Poll

With Rogers, Bonderman, Maroth, and Robertson in the staff who would you rather have as your fifth starter?

25%

An established FA pitcher

2 votes

0%

Baugh/Grilli/Good

0 votes

75%

Verlander

6 votes

0%

Zumaya

0 votes

8 votes | Poll has closed

Using the "Next Relevant Tigers Team" as a guide who should we target as the Free Agent Market opens up?  Here is the "Relevant Team" so far

C -- Ivan Rodriguez
1B -- Chris Shelton
2B -- Placido Polanco
3B -- Brandon Inge
SS -- Carlos Guillen
LF -- [open]
CF -- Curtis Granderson
RF -- Magglio Ordonez
DH -- [open]

SP -- [open]
SP -- Jeremy Bonderman
SP -- [open]
SP -- Nate Robertson
SP -- [open]

RP -- [open]
RP -- Franklyn German
RP -- Jamie Walker
RP -- Fernando Rodney
RP -- [open]
RP -- [open]

Here is a quick summary of the Top 50 FA's

# Johnny Damon-CF:
# Ramon Hernandez-C:
# Billy Wagner-CL:
# Brian Giles-OF:
# A.J. Burnett-SP:
# Jarrod Washburn- LHSP:
# Paul Konerko- 1B:
# B.J. Ryan-CL:
# Roger Clemens-RHSP:
# Rafael Furcal-SS:
# Jeff Weaver-RHSP:
# Kevin Millwood-RHSP:
# Alex Gonzalez-SS:
# Matt Morris:
# Tom Gordon-RHRP:
# Bengie Molina-C:
# Scott Eyre:
# Trevor Hoffman-CL:
# Paul Byrd-RHSP:
# Juan Encarnacion-OF:
# Jacque Jones-OF:
# Kyle Farnsworth-RHRP:
# Ugueth Urbina-RHRP:
# Matt Lawton:
# Todd Jones-CL:
# John Thomson-RHSP:
# Jason Johnson- RHSP:
# Bob Wickman- CL:
# Mike Timlin-RHRP:
# Jamie Moyer:
# Bob Howry-RHRP:
# Reggie Sanders:
# Kenny Rogers:
# Mark Grudzielanek:
# Preston Wilson-CF:
# Joe Randa-3B:
# Erubiel Durazo:
# Bill Mueller:
# Scott Hatteberg-1B:
# Kevin Millar- 1B:
# Mike Piazza-C:
# Daryle Ward-1B:
# Craig Biggio- 2B:
# Brad Ausmus-C:
# Ronnie Belliard-2B:
# Abraham O. Nunez-INF:
# Rondell White-OF:
# Rudy Seanez-RHRP:
# Julian Tavarez-RHRP:

So here we go - if we were able to fill all our holes with Free Agents and stopgaps from this years team,  this is what our team could look like  in 2006

C  -- Ramon Hernandez (FA-Longterm)
1B -- Chris Shelton (Longterm)
2B -- Placido Polanco (Longterm)
3B -- Brandon Inge (Stopgap)
SS -- Carlos Guillen (Longterm)
LF -- Brian Giles (FA-Stopgap)
CF -- Curtis Granderson (Longterm)
RF -- Magglio Ordonez (Longterm)
DH -- Dmitri Young (Stopgap)

SP -- A.J. Burnett (FA-Longterm)
SP -- Jeremy Bonderman (Longterm)
SP -- Kenny Rogers (FA-Stopgap)
SP -- Matt Morris (FA-Longterm)
SP -- Mike Maroth (Longterm)

CL -- Troy Percival (Stopgap)
RP -- Franklyn German (Longterm)
RP -- Julian Tavarez (FA-Longterm)
RP -- Fernando Rodney (Longterm)
RP -- Nate Robertson (Longterm)
RP -- Bob Howry (FA-Stopgap)

* FA = Free Agent, Longterm means in the plans for the future, Stopgap means in the plans for the present, Top 50 rankings were found at this site: http://www.mlb4u.com/top50.html

Feel free to offer your take.

john sickels of the sb nation runs a site at www.minorleagueball.com  He has some great insite that he brings everyday, much likejeff will do here, i am sure.

at any rate, john writes the baseball prospect book, and has shared his view of the tigers system.  i copied and pasted it here below.

Detroit Tigers Top 20 Prospects
By John Sickels
Posted on Thu Mar 03, 2005 at 11:21:20 AM CST

1. Justin Verlander, RHP, B+        
2. Curtis Granderson, OF, B        
3. Tony Giarratano, SS, B          
4. Kyle Sleeth, RHP, B-              
5. Joel Zumaya, RHP, B-              
6. Jeff Frazier, OF, C+            
7. Ryan Raburn, 2B, C+              
8. Chris Shelton, 1B, C+            
9. Juan Tejeda, 1B, C+              
10. Lucas French, LHP, C+            
11. Eric Beattie, RHP, C+            
12. Andrew Kown, RHP, C+              
13. Humberto Sanchez, RHP, C        
14. Brent Clevlen, OF, C            
15. Eulogio de la Cruz, RHP, C      
16. Collin Mahoney, RHP, C          
17. Josh Kauten, RHP, C              
18. Kenny Baugh, RHP, C              
19. Matt Vasquez, RHP, C            
20. Dallas Trahern, RHP, C          

Oh, boy, what a dismal system. Even Verlander at Grade B+ is a risk; he has no pro track record, and while he has an excellent arm, there are some questions about his command and his polish. I really like Curtis Granderson, one of my favorite Grade Bs and perhaps should be a B+. I don't know what people are talking about when they complain that he's not toolsy enough. He runs well, has a quick bat, and I think is underrated as an athlete. He's also very intelligent. Giarratano is an infield version of Granderson: a polished guy who is an underrated athlete.
After that, things really thin out fast. Sleeth and Zumaya are hard throwers, but both have problems with their command and mechanics. Jeff Frazier looks like a possible sleeper, but he's an '04 draft and we need to get more data about him. Shelton and Tejeda can hit, but are limited defensively and will have to fight for platoon/DH/1B roles.

The Tigers have a bunch of live arms, with several guys who can hit 95 MPH or higher. But strangely enough most of them don't actually pitch very well. De la Cruz and Sanchez both burn the radar, but both have sketchy track records and are more throwers than pitchers. The same thing can be said for Collin Mahoney and Josh Kauten. De la Cruz's K/IP is bizarrely low for a guy with an alleged 100 MPH fastball.

On the other hand, guys like Kenny Baugh and Matt Vasquez throw strikes and know how to pitch, but have marginal stuff and will have to be perfect to survive at higher levels. A sleeper is Dallas Trahern, a 34th round pick from an Oklahoma high school last June, but he is a long way away. I haven't given up on Grade C outfielder Brent Clevlen, but he needs to rebound this year.

Other Grade C guys you could include are RHPs Nate Bumstead, Josh Rainwater, and Jay Sborz, and OF David Espinosa.

Just a few minutes ago I got my email from MLB.com Press Pass and found a bit of interesting information within.  As always the official pregames notes go on to talk about the A's record and other miscellaneous information.  (there was 9 pages worth today!)

What I found very interesting was that in 2001, the year that the A's made the playoffs, they were 35-40 after 75 games.  With a win today, our 2005 A's will tie that 35-40 mark after 75 games.

I know that the team does not look the same at all today as it did then, with verlarde and jaha gone and all, but this little fact is a shining hope to me.

here is the link for the press pass if you do not get it:  http://presspass.mlb.com/pp_viewer.asp?d=23747

Poll

Does this 35-40 stat from 2001...

2%

Make you want to FIRE MACHA NOW

2 votes

40%

Wish you had video footage of the Player's Wives Softball Game?

30 votes

45%

Brighten your day with A's hope

34 votes

12%

Help you look forward to BB's soon to be done deal

9 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

i just heard that we were going to trade zito and chavy and get a really good return

joe crede

brandon mccarthy

jon lester

hanley ramirez

kevin youkilis

brian anderson

you know at that rate we should have 7-9 championships by the time they all retire...for the rivercats.  the trades seem tempting and they seem like they could happen...

but really though, i dislike how everybody is like trade chavy and trade bz becuase we are losing and we suck.  dont be so negative, just love the ones your with.

i have friends who watch the tigers, who live the tigers...who love the tigers.  they have had players that couldn't even make it in AAA.  warren morris, kevin witt, hiram boccachica...you name a sucky player and they played them.

look at our lineup...the difference between us and the tigers of late is that we have potential and youth.  people are not being rushed and they have a great future ahead of them.

lets just love the ones we are with.

GO A's

Pitchers and Catchers reporting are only days away and then the spring games start rolling in after that.  If you are like me (and I am assuming that you are since you are here) I cannot wait.  I want baseball to come now because getting ready for fantasy ball is just not cutting it anymore.

So when I was stumbling around mlb.com I found this game I thought I would give a shot just to help pass the time.  AND I AM LOVING IT!  My team still resembles the 2003 Tigers but it is good that have something.

So, if you want to give Bush League Baseball a shot here is a link for you to try:

BushLeagueBaseball Fans

Poll

Are you Playing Bush League Baseball?

6%

Never Will

2 votes

58%

What is Bush League Baseball?

18 votes

32%

Yes

10 votes

3%

Not Yet

1 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

with all the recent action of the sosa trade being finalized and burnitz signing as a replacement the hot stove is heating up again when it comes to byrnes.

http://www.prosportsdaily.com/mlb/athletics/rumors.html

so, if, and when, byrnes is trade which scenario do you think will happen

(i know this would be wonderful to put under a different diary as a comment (like this one: http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/2/2/8459/09260 ), but i am writing this more for the poll.  is there a way to include an actual poll within a diary that you did not start?)

Poll

what scenario do you think will happen some hot OF's?

4%

byrnes to PIT, ordonez to NYM, cameron to AZ

3 votes

7%

byrnes to NYM, cameron to AZ, ordonez to DET

5 votes

68%

byrnes stays, detroit sucks, and who cares about the NL

48 votes

20%

byrnes to AZ, ordonez to DET

14 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

OK, so I may be 25 days early for this blog entry, but since there is not much to talk about these days leading into Spring Training I am curious to know who you think will make it on the Opening Day Roster.

My guess is the following:

SP:  Zito
     Harden
     Haren
     Blanton
     Meyer

RP:  Dotel
     Bradford
     Calero
     Cruz
     Duke
     T Johnson
     Rincon
     Yabu

OF:  Brynes
     Kotsay
     Swisher
     Kielty

C:   Kendall
     Melhuse

IF:  Chavez
     Crosby
     Ginter
     Ellis
     Hatteberg
     Durazo

Sent to Sacremento:  D Johnson
                     Scutaro
                     Thomas

A couple explanations:

13 Pitchers - With the young guys in the rotation the bullpen will have an extra man so that the arms do not get overworked when needed to be called upon to not overwork the young starters

4 OF - Ginter can play outfield if needed to in a pinch.

Thomas - Will be sent down so that he can work on his game and doesn't rot on the bench.  

Kielty - Will be getting playing time to prove that he was not a bust, which I think he is not.  I also think Kielty is who really makes Byrnes expendable for the team because he can be an everyday player.

Poll

What is my craziest suggestion

13%

Kielty having potential

12 votes

14%

All of the Above

13 votes

24%

13 Pitchers

22 votes

6%

None of the Above

6 votes

36%

Thomas not making opening day

33 votes

4%

4 OF

4 votes

90 votes | Poll has closed