I've been sick. So sick that I was in the hospital for three days. I'm feeling better now, but apparently my brain is still a bit scrambled. Just check out some of the crazy bids I placed this week in the free agent pool.
TOUT WARS (15 team mixed): As you know, I've been sick for a week now, so sick I was in the hopsital for three days. I'm blaming the residual there for my lack of bid on Dee Gordon. I need a middle infielder badly in this league so I should have been more aggressive with the speed demon from LA. Instead I went small money and added Ruben Tejada ($1) and Ryan Raburn ($1). Tejada is merely a stop gap at SS, Derek Jeter missing half the season is killing me. As for Raburn, why not take a chance? He replaced Eric Sogard in my lineup (I told you I was hurting up the middle). Hopefully Raburn can remain in the daily lineup which would be a nice boost for me. I let go Mike Leake and Billy Hamilton to make the moves. Given my injury issues, I couldn't wait on Hamilton any longer.Notable bids: Dee Gordon $30), Hector Santiago ($5), Marcell Ozuna ($3)
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LABR (12 team, AL-only): Chris Nelson came over to the AL to join the Yankees, and now he is part of my club for $7. But Ray, why big do high? Well, here's why. In the last week Chris Young and Kevin Youkilis were both sent to the DL with injuries. I needed at-bats. I went for it.Notable bids: J.B. Shuck ($5), Sean Doolittle ($5), Freddy Garcias ($3), Jeff Baker ($3), Adam Rosales ($2)
FSTA (13 team mixed): Here are the players I have on the DL in this league – Matt Adam, Coco Crisp, Justin Maxwell, Hanley Ramirez (he was back for half a week), Sergio Santos, Kevin Youkilis and Chris Young. Think my team is in trouble, maybe? I added Ryan Raburn ($89) to help out up the middle and then Justin Grimm on the hill ($9).Notable bids: Marcell Ozuna ($147 out of $1,000), Kevin Slowey ($59), Trevor Plouffe ($56), Oswaldo Arcia ($25), Jake Westbrook ($22), Shaun Marcum ($19)
SIRIUSXM EXPERTS (12 team mixed): Jeremy Guthrie keeps on getting it done. I sent Chris Nelson packing to add Guthrie ($2). I also let Dayan Viciedo go for Ryan Ruburn ($3). This is the league, if you will remember, that HanRam hosed me. I then spent big on Neil Walker when he was dropped, but of course he too is now on the DL. Raburn, and his second base eligibility, is a nice add for me.Notable bids: Nolan Arenado ($31), Vernon Wells ($17), Yuniesky Betancourt ($4).
SIRIUSXM LISTENER LG (11 team mixed): This is the only league with an open waiver-wire. I had to drop Kevin Youkilis. Just too many injured players on this club to hold on. I also let Kendrys Morales go. Why you ask? Because I made two trades. Trade #1 saw me give up Carlos Santana, Shin-Soo Choo and Kenley Jansen, a big haul, but in return I received Matt Cain, Cliff Lee, Andre Ethier and Welington Castillo. I also added, in deal #2, Chris Sale and Corey Hart for Tony Cingrani. Granted it sure seems like I worked over the other fella, I added Lee/Cain/Sale in the course of four days, and I got Hart to replace Youkilis as a boost at first base when he is eligible.
K-BAD (12 team mixed): I added the guy I seemingly added in every league, Ryan Raburn ($46). I don't think he's going to star this year, but I'm just plugging holes like the boy who stuck his thumb in the dike (I dropped David Robertson). I moved on from Jarrod Saltalamacchia at catcher and added Russell Martin for $17. I also released Joaquin Benoit who was the Tigers closer for about 10 days before he was replaced with Jose Valverde. Chris Tillman ($13) is now a proud member of my rotation.Notable bids: Dee Gordon ($182), A.J. Griffin ($86), Marcell Ozuna ($75), Yonder Alonso ($64), Seth Smith ($23)
FANBALL (13 team mixed): Anthony Rendon has been demoted, and we may not see him again for a while (barring injury). I let Mr. Rendon go in favor of James Loney. I know that's a bit nuts, adding Loney, but did you realize he is hitting .398 this season? Seriously, look it up. I also placed Kevin Youkilis on the DL and added Jordan Pacheco to help ou at the third base spot. Woof is right.Notable bids: Dee Gordon ($40 out of $100), Juan Pierre ($11), Carlos Martinez ($9), Justin Grimm ($8).
By Ray Flowers