In-N-Out Week 22

Baseball

Over the last couple of days I have been asked countless times by friends and strangers alike, "Was this the best season of 64/60 Baseball yet?". While I personally don't know that answer I can certainly see why one may think that. 8 of 12 teams vying for six playoff spots until the final week, four teams with hope of the top spot in the standings going into the final week. Without researching I'm gonna say there has been other seasons like this. I suspect the titling of greatest ever has more to do with the newness, if you will, then the actual substance of what makes a season great. It's status of greatest ever really doesn't matter. As is the case every season, I'm just happy to be a part of it. So as the quest for 64/60 immortality begins I wish each and every one of you luck during this final month. For those of you on the outside looking in there's always the consolation bracket. Looks like you'll get to see how the other half has lived all these years before bowing out Bopp.

1. Free Hat- Todd Whitley. Has been the best team all season and is deserved of the top spot. If ever there was a team who needed the first round bye it would be Hat. The poster child for limping into the playoffs, the Hat are losers of four straight contest and own a 11-32 mark over the last month. The once vaunted offense has been stagnant of late as Cabrera and Harper have had struggles staying in the lineup. Regardless it's a solid lineup with plenty of teeth in the front end of the roster. Pitching is void of that ace as Verlander has been average at best this season. Still yet given the talent and depth this is a unit who can easily rack up 70+K with a sub 3.00 ERA and 8 QS weekly. Lack of closer depth does make him vulnerable to some of the closer heavy teams he's likely to face during the playoffs.

2. Walls Of Jericho- Landon Bowe. The defending Champ is back looking to become the second back to back title holder in 64/60 history. While the dog days of August was rough on the Walls (5 Straight loses from late July to late August), Walls is the only playoff team with any momentum. Winners of two straight, the Walls seemed like a team more likely out of the playoffs than with a first round bye. Yet here we are and Landon has he's feet propped on the desk watching the action unfold and planning his strategy for the stretch run. Injuries and ineffectiveness have made this lineup around league average. Less consistency week in a week out from the Walls. Without a healthy CarGo the good isn't as good and the bad can be much worse. Throughout the season pitching has been the mainstay. A plan built around high SV totals and plus ratios. It's a really tightrope to walk but when it works it's tough to beat.

3. BCFP-Josh Coleman. Full disclosure I hate this team. Without a doubt this is the worst team in terms of production I have had throughout my tenure in the 64/60. With that said I believe this has also been one of the most enjoyable years from an owners perspective as I have really focused on matchups and have enjoyed the pressure of making the right move.As Losers of two straight, I would have really liked to have that bye but I suppose the Fantasy Gods wanted to give Chrissy one last dance in the sun. Whatever I will gladly walk whatever road as long as it ends with a title. Offensively below average my plan if you will is to take 4 pitching categories and two offensive each week. Not exactly the best plan for the playoffs given the random ERA tiebreaker but beggers can't be choosers. If I have any hopes of winning this thing a offensive superstar will have to emerge over the next four weeks.

4. Scrote Mashers- Jesse Ward. Once again Mr. Ward proved the naysayers wrong. I've been in the anti-Mahsers camp all season. In the early part of the season I doubted the offense. Once I came around on it, I targeted the pitching as the reason this team couldn't play meaningful baseball in September. Now here Mr. Ward is seeking to become the second two time winner in 64/60 History. After a 5-19 stretch left his playoff status in limbo the Mashers closed out the season and secured his playoff spot with a 7-4 victory over The Hat. While my thoughts on the Mashers have wavered throughout the season I now have a firm opinion on what this team is. While the loss of Ellsbury is a major blow this offense is still good enough to carry the Mashers to victory, however the pitching is far enough below league average that pulling out four weeks worth of necessary production is nearly impossible.

5. HGH+ Factory-Nate Rice. Nice debut season for Mr. Rice. From franchise selection, to keeper selection, to draft execution. This guy has made all the right moves. Given the choice between the offensive heavy roster of the Takeover or the arm loaded roster of the Colonels he bucked conventional thinking and went with the arms. During the draft he loaded up on bats and took the team in my opinion had the least attractive keepers in the league and turned them into a roster of riches. While the start to the season wasn't storybook perhaps the ending chapter could be. The pitching is really solid and that parts skill sets are complimentary to one another. Offensively the foundation is well above average however the back portion of the roster is spotty at best. While I consider both units above average my only concern would be the ability of this team to string along four consecutive weeks of winning baseball, given their longest winning streak of the season was three games. First season aside no rookie has ever one a 64/60 title, Mr. Rice doesn't follow the path most taken.

6. Grand Theft Votto-Brandon McClung. The former football champion is looking has had his first taste of Baseball success. While I often mock Jr. if I am going to praise my management for my collection of misfit toys I must do the same for Jr. Outside of Davis and Darvish this squad is compiled mostly of average players. For every Carlos Beltran you have a Zach Cozart to negate it. Another closer heavy team yet they don't have the makeup to be ratio driven. Like his Idol, Josh Coleman, GTV has built his rotation to be more compiling driven. While being streaky typically isn't favorable during the regular season it is comforting to know you have that ability once the playoffs begin. Already this season GTV has put together a four game stretch as well as a three game stretch later in the season. From a 1-25 standpoint this could be the weakest roster in the playoffs. With that said a big reason for the success of GTV has been the top end of the roster which features Chris Davis, Yu Darvish, and to a much lesser degree Justin Upton who have all at one point or another this season carried the GTV during a lengthy stretch.

As for the rest

7. BC PEDophiles- Chris Lee. In his final 64/60 season Ding Dong misses out on the playoffs however knocking me out of the Top seed will provide solace in a otherwise miserable season.

8. TomEmanski Deathsquad- Bill Fenney. Valiant effort but too many injuries and too much ineffectivness from players you expect to be your catalyst.

9. Barboursville Stars- Mike McClung. Sometimes patience rewards you and sometimes not taking that proactive approach causes you to finish out of the playoffs despite having a roster capable of making some noise.

10. The Takeover- Josh Holland. Recent success really makes you wonder how the season could have been if it started day one.

11. Seal Team 41129- Butch Lemaster. Butch is fueled by passion. The passion for the 64/60 no longer exist.

12. Argumentative 9irons- Rich Coleman. His dedication to the 64/60 has always been sporadic at best. Given the events of the last 6 mos. From a Commissioners point of view I would grateful to have even a sporadic owner.


Power Rankings

1. Free Hat 65/46/111 0
2. PEDophiles 33.5/54.5/88 -5
3. BCFP 27.5/58/85.5 0
4. Mashers 64.5/20/84.5 0
5. HGH+ 36/47/83 0
6. Walls 36/45/81 +4
7. GTV 36.5/41/77.5 +1
8. Stars 41/36/77 -1
9. TED 21/49/70 +1
10. Takeover 50/20/70 0
11. 9irons 24/31/55 -1
12. 41129 33/20.5/53.5 +1

Final installment of the Power Rankings for the 2013 season. As I have mentioned numerous times these numbers are simply a teams rotovalue for the season. Sure the numbers are a little more skewed than your typical Roto league my point has always been if your team produces you will net the results. Just as often as I have explained the Power Rankings I have summarized the H2H record in relation to the Power Rankings as one team will over perform one team will under perform and everyone else will fall within a couple of spots in the standings. I have no statistical data to back this up but each and every year of the 64/60 has fit the aforementioned description. 2013 was no different the tough luck loser was Bopp who ranked 2nd in the Power Rankings but finished first in the waiting line for the big boy table. Landon was the big winner finishing 6th in the Power Rankings but earned the first round bye with the two seed. Everyone else finished in either the exact order or within one spot.



Pickup Of The Week

Matt Adams- Walls Of Jericho. With so much turnover at this point in the season the Waiver Wire is filled with day by day transactions that carry no value beyond a 24Hr period. Matt Adams however could be a difference maker. While Adams doesn't have the exact same skill set as Craig he is without question the best positional fantasy player without a starting gig. So while the loss of Craig certainly doesn't help your squad having Adams to fill in makes it much easier to take.


Head Scratcher Of The Week

Jose Fernandez FAAB 39- Free Hat. No, I'm not criticizing Todd's pickup of Jose Fernandez while he's on a bye week. I don't understand how the Scrote Mashers with $89 in FAAB didn't spend it on one more outing of brilliance from Jose Hernandez. While it was tough letting him go, especially not securing the bye in the process, I'm just glad my matchup one have him dealing against me. It's going to be painful enough not having the 7IP of excellent baseball padding the stat sheet.


Football

Barboursville Stars- Mike McClung. Apparently when analyzing the draft in last weeks delayed In-N-Out I was so unimpressed by Sr's team I failed to include his team capsule. I apologize for the oversight old wise one but one's got to believe this wasn't your first time being overlooked. First off I would like to congratulate Senior on his first endeavor onto the board. Senior(Wilson) vs. Coleman(Eli) is simply the first step, in six months McClung will be playing six team NHL parlays and teasing first half NBA lines. When not wagering Mike built a football team. RB duo of Rice and Morris is certainly something anyone would sign off for. Julio and Fitz could be two top 10 WR and the addition of Shorts, Carolina Smith, and at some point Josh Gordon WR certainly appears to be a strength. With the embarrassment of riches at the skill positions something has to suffer. In my opinion that would be QB with Wilson and Flacco. Wilson is a fine QB1 but I would consider Flacco a middle of the pack QB2. Together your looking at a league average duo. Certainly something that could be made up for with the potential earnings of the skill positions. Surprisingly I like this squad. Without really digging deep into the roster composition of each team I can't imagine more than six teams being better than this group given a good bill of health. With that Mike', there's your recap.


Week 1

Steady Shockers 224 vs. Marshall Maniac 167. I don't know what the winning % is for teams who's QB's throw 7 TD's but I would imagine it's pretty good. Whatever that number is Marko did his part in padding the stat earning his first career 64/60 victory as Owner/Operator.

MOP- Manning 65


Manscraper United 204 vs. Sons Of Jim Mora 139. James Hardy could be the first 64/60 Member with a fan club. It would appear as though Nate Rice is starting a petition to inform people of the potential greatness of the MU. As of this posting count Nate and Todd as the first members, with continued performances like Week 1 more will soon follow.

MOP- Kaepernick 40


Fowlers Meth Heads 201 vs. Douchebagery United 183. Sometimes good things happen to bad people. Simply look at Christopher Lee this past week. Sure he missed out on his first Baseball playoffs but in the process he knocked his most fiercest rival out of the top seed. Move on over to Football and the Meth Heads post double digit totals from everyone with the exception of the Pats D. All of this for a player who has pissed on the 64/60 with disgust during his final campaign as owner.

MOP- Boldin 39


Argumentative 9irons 191 vs. Barboursville Stars 172. While I don't always feel it's accurate people are often defined by the perception of others. From the autopilot baseball season to brushing off the 64/60 Football draft the new Perception of GRC3 amongst the 64/60 family is that of a absent owner. So much to the point that Senior McClung was certain that as early evening on Thursday Richard would not submit a lineup. Sad thing is that action would not have surprised me in the least. Richard shocked us both and took the two minutes in time to lock in the lineup and was awarded with the W. From 64/60 Champion to "Is he going to input a lineup?" how far the perception of GRC3 has fallen.

MOP- Green 37


BCFP 186 vs. Zero Dark 41129 123. Certainly like starting the season with a victory but would gladly trade two of them for a first round bye in the playoffs.

MOP- Eli 40


Johnny Chimpo 149 vs. 12th Rd Kicker 119. The defending champ opens the season with the dirtiest win of all, the matchup victory. We've all been there before. It's the game that is spoken not by points or individual performances but merely "I'm 1-0.". On the surface Todd is pleasant and likely walking with a little extra jump in his step. On the inside I would hope he feels shame and his sleep is interrupted by cold sweats.

MOP- Ryan 26


Pickup Of the Week

Fred Jackson- Zero Dark 41129. Sure the 12 or 13 spent may have been too much generally speaking as the Owner of Spiller Jackson will easily earn that money back from a comforting standpoint alone.


Head Scratcher Of The Week

FAAB Bids in general. Multiple FAAB bids for Week 1 and outside of the addition of Blount I didn't understand one of them. Sure Hankerson may have more value over Felix Jones but is Hankerson worth $38. $60 was spent on the second WR for the Vikings, last I checked Christian Ponder was still the QB. Not to pick on Manscraper his were just more high dollar than the rest.













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