Close the door; I feel a...

Before we get to the results of my *2nd* fantasy draft in three days, let's give a big shoutout to Mom, who has after many-a-deserving year been awarded a full professorship down at ol' UTHSCSA. Congrats mom!

And in other news - my apologies for the slow White Noise review. I want it to be reasonably decent and haven't had time to sit down and mull it over yet. I have finished two books since then which are in the reviewing queue as well.

Okay, so here goes - you get a double dose this time: my team and Mike NTPB's team. Commentary. Time-wastage! Oh joy!

(And before we even start that, a little response to a snooty little comment made by a certain Pippen... let's call her a little chirpy bird, K. Wren:

Beck, wherever you are, let us form a fantasy cooking league so that we can bore our menfolk (AKA The League Of Dorks, credit: Sports Gal) to tears with endless talk of stuff THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

Um, the stuff totally DOES happen, you ill-informed misanthrope. It's just fantasy baseball, not fantasy fantasy baseball. I mean, it's not like I am playing simulations on my computer; that would be ridiculous. This is real life, the real thing. And our players NEED us. So shhhhhh...)

On to the teams...

Batters

C - Michael Barrett
Cubs catcher; probably about 5th best at the pos, and was having a career year last year before he got a intrascrotal hematoma. *cringe*

1b - Derek Lee
Cubs 1b; hurt last year but was a monstrous stud the year before. Here's hoping...

2b - Marcus Giles
Great a couple of years back, and maybe he could turn it around. I got him very late.

3b - Miguel Cabrera
Thirdbasegod.

SS - Rafael Furcal
Not a bad pickup, he's the dodgers SS who has been a near superstar for a very long time now...

LF - Nick Swisher
Sweet god yes, plus Mike tells me he's rf eligible after a little while this year.

CF - Torii Hunter
Contract. Year. For the twins superathlete - not a great choice, bu tit's a thin position.

RF - Vlad Guererro
The impaler! Another top flight fantasy option.

Util - Pat Burrell
I'm banking on this guy for both of my teams. Don't disappoint!

Bench

Joe Crede - my starting 3b on my other team, he should grab a trade.
Jacque Jones - ugh. But he hit 27 HRs last year, so - no, still ugh.
Jim Edmonds - Sympathy pick.

Pitchers

SP - Brandon Webb
Last year's NL Cy Young

SP - John Smoltz
Smoltzy! Personal fave and super pitcher. Kinda old, though...

SP - Chris Young
Very solid 3rd man from San Diego.

SP - Kelvim Escobar
Also on my other team; he could be great... or not.

SP - Ian Snell
Prospect type; he'll ride the pine til we see how this year's gonna be.

RP - Chad Cordero
Closer for the (yikes) Nats

RP - Bob Wickman
Closer for the Braves

RP - Takashi Saito
Closer for the Dodgers, and Mike informs me tha the had craptastic splits v. the NL West last year... uh oh

RP - Joe Borowski
Another guy who made it onto both rosters; he closed for the CUbs onceuponatime; here's hoping he holds his job at Cleveland.

Phew... again, we'll see.

Mike NTPB's team:

C - Johnny Estrada
Late round acquisition with a cool name.

1b - Jason Giambi
In these post steroid times; Mike wanted Konerko here and just missed him.

2b - Howie Kendrick
Big noise prospect for the dodgers. Could be huge.

3b - A Rod
Yup.

SS - Troy Glaus
Ridiculous that he's eligible here, but rules are rules. bats .250 an d hits 35+ hrs.

LF - Matt Holliday
Super Slugger from Colorado, grea toption.

CF - Andruw Jones
Star player who has hit 50 hrs and gotten lost and lost of rbis in the past. Contract year... another could be colossal, but he bats .250, too.

RF - Gary Sheffield
Coming off an injury - if he's good, he's on eof the best, if not...

Util - Jim Thome
Had a huge year for the White Sox last year and a terrible one for the Phils the year befor ethat. Old, but a monster.

Bench

Adam LaRoche - 1b with a lot of pop, though he moves to a harder park.
Dave Roberts - SB's and that's really about it.

Pitchers

SP - Jason Schmidt
Great a few years ago, this year... he's on my other team.

SP - Curt Schilling
Yep, mr. Bloody Red Sock himself. Actually could be solid, and our league is laced with bostonites, so should be overvalued in trades.

SP - Cole Hamels
Prospect who is projected to do nasty things this year, but has had an injury bug in th eminors.

SP - John Patterson
Fairly innocuous pitcher from the Nats...

RP - Francisco Cordero
The other Cordero closer, he's from the Brewers.

RP - Jason Isringhausen
Cardinal closer if his hip stays healthy.

RP/SP - Adam Wainwright
World Series stud for the Cards last year. He's on my other team. Good pick by NTPB here.

RP - Jorge Julio
Closer for the Marlins. Mike reads the waiver news, apparently.

RP - Octavio Dotel
Closer for the hapless Royals

(SP) - Tim Hudson
Mike should probably stay far, far away from this guy.

So there you have it. Our teams. Our decidedly REAL fantasy teams. We will now proceed to rock everyone's face.