Card of the Week - 4/30/14

As we come to the end of the first month of the 2014 regular season, there have already been a few highlights for me.  First, seeing my Minnesota Twins leading the league (or being in the top 4 for that matter) in ANY offensive category is outstanding and VERY unexpected.  I think they may also be leading in weather delays, making some of us Minnesotans almost miss the Metrodome...

I also like to see guys who have had good years in the past make a resurgence to some of their former glory.  The first two that come to mind are Justin Morneau and Albert Pujols.  Morneau hasn't been the same player since his concussion and is having a solid year so far in Colorado.  Pujols is bringing the average back up and is showing some of the power we haven't seen in a while.  I am thinking we will see an improvement upon his 2013 card.  Maybe not to classic St. Louis era Pujols, but possibly better than we have seen at any time in his west coast stint.

The third category is the group that I really like to see; the guys that seemingly come out of nowhere to have a great season.  Again, we are only a month in and a lot can change, but I like what I am seeing out of Chris Colabello, who is near the top of the league in RBIs and is part of the offensive charge the Twins are putting forward.  I also like to see a guy like Scott Carroll make his first major league start at the age of 29 and go 7+ innings and look good doing it.  It is from a group like this that we get this week's Card of the Week.

MLB Showdown: How to play part 3

MLB Showdown 2013: Centerfield +300 Points

Player	On	Points	Speed	Field	HR	Triple	Double	Single+	Single	Walk	FB	GB	K
Mike Trout	10	610	A(22)	3-2	19-20	17-18	14-16	12-13	11	3-10	0	0	1-2
Andrew McCutchen	10	470	A(21)	3-2	20	19	16-18	15	9-14	4-8	3	2	1
Shin-soo Choo	10	450	A(20)	2-1	20	0	17-19	16	10-15	3-9	2	0	1
Dexter Fowler	9	300	A(21)	2-1	20	19	18	17	13-16	3-12	0	0	1-2

Carlos Gomez	8	370	A(22)	3-2	18-20	15-17	13-14	11-12	6-10	5	0	0	1-4
Coco Crisp	8	310	A(22)	3-2	19-20	18	16-17	15	9-14	5-8	3-4	1-2	0
Colby Rasmus	8	300	B(14)	2-1	18-20	0	15-17	0	8-14	6-7	5	0	1-4
Austin Jackson	8	300	A(21)	2-1	20	18-19	15-17	0	9-14	6-8	0	4-5	1-3

MLB Showdown 2013: Centerfield 300+ Points

                Since 2011 Centerfield has been a can’t miss position for our sets. Andrew McCutchen won his first MVP, carrying a Pirates team to the playoffs. He hit .317 with 21 homers, 5 triples, and 38 doubles while stealing 27 bases. He was only out down by the back to back AL MVP runner-up Mike Trout who his 27 homers, 9 triples, 39 doubles and stole 33 bases. Shin-Soo Choo showed the great OB again walking 112 times.

#ShotsFriday: Strategy Cards

                We have a tie on top of our twitter board with @Youngfarm getting his second shot with Yeonis Cespedes. He wanted to double down on him but sadly that is not allowed. It was Cepedes first for the year. @Avery25 also was able to enjoy that wonderful creation in centerfield of Marlins Stadium when Giancarlo Stanton went deep. That was both first. @JMoeller05 also had Stanton. That is his first as well and obviously Stanton's second. Continue to send in your picks for who you think will homer using our hashtag #ShotsFriday or tweeting at me @MLBShowdownguru or commenting below. Remember first place gets a free color 2014 set and second place gets a free black and white 2014 set.

Situational Hitting

           One of the most interesting concepts, which is difficult to apply for in a card game is the idea of the wear and tear that baseball players go through over the course of the season. This is most obvious when dealing with catchers. In 2013 the leaders in games played were Matt Weiters (140), Salvador Perez (137) and JP Arencebia (131). Arencebia by the way had the lowest OBP of anyone who qualified for the batting title. To further my point that catcher is abusive. Other positions most games played were 1B: Votto (161), 2B: Pedroia (160), SS: Castro (159), 3B: Seager (160), OF: Pence (162), Bruce (160), Jones (156), DH: Butler (150, remember interleague). Catchers do not play as much. Buster Posey for example played in 148 games last year with 121 as a catcher, 21 and firstbase and 5 as a designated hitter (plus a pinch hitting performance I assume). The question is how should fatigue be assessed in Showdown for catchers? This is put here instead of catcher because of the added value players like Posey would get in some formats.

How should catcher fatigue work?
	No fatigue: Setting up a team is hard enough as is.
	Strategy card punishment: Cards designed to make people use another catcher every 4 games
	Rule change: Changes in the rules that punish extended catching streaks.
pollcode.com free polls

Last Weeks Results

                Last week I wrote that I would have preferred LF and RF be treated as two different positions. That is for a variety of reasons when making cards but I won’t concern you all with that at the moment. I will say that I am in the minority. 10 of the 14 votes last week believe that I am making a mountain out of a mole hill. I understand for a majority of players could easily flip flop between the two. I do assure you that at least as far as 2014 cards are concerned all corner outfielders will be LF/RF regardless of what positions they actually played.

Card of the Week - 4/22/14

This year, I am playing Fantasy Baseball for the first time in several years.  I love baseball, but setting up a lineup every day is more effort than I want to put in.  So when the opportunity to join a league where the lineups were set weekly, I jumped at the chance.

So I did my due diligence prepping for the draft, but when the time came to make a pick and I was torn between two players, I went an odd route.  Having finished a set of 600 player cards based on the previous year's stats, I (probably more often than I should have) based my decision on the 2013 set of cards.  One such player I drafted is having a pretty good season this year, hopefully improving upon his 2013 card.

MLB Showdown: How To Play Part 2

MLB Showdown 2013: Utility 

Player	On	Points	Field 1	Field 2	Speed	Homer	Triple	Double	Single+	Single	Walk	FB	GB	SO
Buster Posey	10	410	C+6	1B+0	B(15)	20	0	17-19	0	10-16	7-9	3-6	1-2	0
Daniel Nava	10	390	1B+0	LF/RF+1	B(15)	20	0	17-19	0	11-16	5-10	3-4	2	1
Micheal Cuddyer	10	390	1B+0	LF/RF+1	B(17)	20	0	17-19	0	8-16	5-7	0	3-4	1-2
Allen Craig	10	370	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(14)	20	0	18-19	0	9-17	6-8	4-5	2-3	1
Carlos Santana	10	350	C+3	1B+0	C(12)	20	0	17-19	0	13-16	6-12	5	3-4	1-2
Matt Carpenter	10	330	2B+3	3B+2	B(15)	0	19-20	15-18	0	9-14	5-8	3-4	2	1
Ben Zobrist	9	350	SS/2B+4	LF/RF+1	A(18)	20	19	16-18	0	12-15	7-11	4-6	2-3	1
Chris Johnson	9	310	3B+1	1B+0	B(15)	20	0	17-19	0	8-16	5-7	0	3-4	1-2
Brandon Moss	8	360	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(16)	18-20	17	15-16	0	10-14	6-9	5	0	1-4
Mike Carp	8	320	1B+0	LF/RF+0	C(11)	18-20	17	14-16	0	11-13	3-10	0	0	1-2
Darin Ruf	8	300	1B+0	LF/RF+1	C(11)	18-20	0	16-17	0	10-15	4-9	0	0	1-3
Jonathan Lucroy	8	290	C+5	1B+0	A(19)	20	18-19	16-17	15	9-14	5-8	3-4	1-2	0
Nick Swisher	8	260	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(13)	19-20	0	17-18	0	11-16	5-10	4	0	1-3
Martin Prado	8	260	3B/2B+2	LF/RF+1	B(15)	19-20	0	16-18	0	8-15	6-7	5	1-4	0
Emilio Bonifacio	8	240	CF/2B+2	LF/RF+1	A(22)	0	20	18-19	17	6-15	3-5	0	2	1
Jose Iglesias	8	240	SS+5	3B+2	A(21)	0	0	19-20	0	5-18	3-4	0	1-2	0
Jed Lowrie	8	240	2B+2	SS+2	B(13)	20	0	16-19	0	9-15	5-8	2-4	1	0
Skip Shumaker	8	220	2B/CF+2	LF/RF+1	B(15)	0	0	19-20	0	11-18	7-10	6	1-5	0
Michael Young	8	210	3B+2	1B+0	B(14)	20	19	17-18	0	9-16	6-8	0	1-5	0
Alberto Callaspo	8	200	2B+2	3B+1	B(15)	20	0	18-19	0	10-17	6-9	3-5	1-2	0
Jordy Mercer	8	170	SS+2	2B+2	B(15)	0	0	18-20	0	9-17	6-8	4-5	2-3	1
Josh Satin	8	160	3B+0	1B+0	B(13)	0	0	18-20	0	13-15	3-12	0	0	1-2
Chris Carter	7	260	1B+0	LF/RF+0	C(10)	17-20	0	15-16	0	13-14	7-12	0	0	1-6
Matt Tuisassopo	7	250	1B+0	LF/RF+1	B(13)	18-20	0	16-17	0	9-15	3-8	0	0	1-2
Menonorie Kawisaki	7	180	2B+4	SS+3	B(17)	0	19-20	0	0	11-18	5-10	0	1-4	0
Nick Punto	7	170	3B+2	2B/SS+4	B(14)	0	0	18-20	0	9-17	4-8	3	2	1
Jonathan Herrera	7	170	SS+3	2B+3	B(17)	0	20	18-19	0	9-17	3-8	2	1	0
Mark Derosa	7	150	2B/3B+3	1B+0	B(13)	19-20	0	16-18	0	12-15	5-11	0	3-4	1-2
Anthony Rendon	7	120	2B+1	3B+0	B(13)	20	0	17-19	0	8-16	4-7	2-3	1	0
Sean Rodriguez	7	100	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(14)	20	0	18-19	0	9-17	7-8	5-6	0	1-4
Mark Reynolds	6	170	3B+1	1B+0	C(11)	17-20	0	16	0	12-15	6-11	0	0	1-5
Ryan Doumit	6	150	C+4	LF/RF+1	B(13)	19-20	0	16-18	0	9-15	5-8	4	0	1-3
Brad Miller	6	150	2B+3	SS+3	B(17)	19-20	17-18	15-16	14	9-13	4-8	3	1-2	0
Kelly Johnson	6	130	2B/3B+3	LF/RF+0	B(14)	18-20	0	17	0	10-16	6-9	4-5	3	1-2
Conor Gallaspie	6	130	3B+1	1B+0	B(14)	19-20	18	17	0	10-16	6-9	3-5	2	1
Juan Francisco	6	120	3B+0	1B+0	C(9)	18-20	0	17	0	10-16	7-9	0	0	1-6
Eduardo Nunez	6	100	SS+3	3B+3	A(18)	0	19-20	16-18	15	8-14	6-7	3-5	1-2	0
Ed Lucas	6	100	2B+2	3B/1B+0	B(14)	0	0	18-20	0	9-17	5-8	0	4	1-3
DJ Lemahiue	6	100	2B+3	3B+3	A(19)	0	20	17-19	16	7-15	5-6	0	0	1-4
Miguel Tejada	6	90	2B+4	3B+2	C(12)	20	0	18-19	0	7-17	5-6	3-4	2	1
Jason Nix	6	90	SS+4	3B+2	A(20)	0	0	19-20	18	10-17	6-9	5	0	1-4
Donovan Solando	6	90	2B+3	3B+3	B(15)	0	0	18-20	0	9-17	7-8	6	2-5	1
Dustin Ackley	6	80	2B+4	OF+1	B(16)	0	0	19-20	0	7-18	3-6	0	1-2	0
Justin Turner	6	80	3B+3	2B/SS+4	B(16)	0	0	18-20	0	8-17	3-7	0	1-2	0
Kyle Blanks	6	80	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(14)	19-20	0	16-18	0	10-15	6-9	0	0	1-5
Chris Parmelee	6	70	1B+0	LF/RF+1	B(15)	20	0	18-19	0	10-17	6-9	5	4	1-3
Cliff Pennington	6	70	SS+3	3B+3	B(14)	0	0	18-20	0	10-17	5-9	3-4	2	1
Evan Gattis	5	180	C+6	LF/RF+0	C(10)	15-20	0	11-14	0	8-10	4-7	0	0	1-3
Mark Trumbo	5	160	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(14)	14-20	0	10-13	0	9	5-8	0	0	1-4
Josh Rutledge	5	140	2B+3	SS+3	A(18)	19-20	0	18	17	10-16	5-9	0	3-4	1-2
Mike Aviles	5	120	SS+3	2B/3B+2	B(15)	19-20	0	16-18	0	8-15	6-7	4-5	1-3	0
Marwin Gonzalez	5	100	2B+3	SS+0	A(19)	20	0	19	0	10-18	7-9	5-6	1-4	0
Logan Forsythe	5	90	SS+3	LF/RF+1	B(17)	20	0	19	0	12-18	6-11	0	4-5	1-3
Martin Maldonado	5	90	C+6	1B+0	C(10)	20	0	18-19	0	13-17	8-12	7	6	1-5
Chris Colabello	5	80	1B+0	LF/RF+0	C(12)	18-20	0	0	0	14-17	6-13	0	5	1-4
Chris Nelson	5	80	3B+2	SS+2	B(17)	20	19	18	0	9-17	7-8	6	4-5	1-3
Chad Tracy	5	80	3B+2	1B+0	B(14)	19-20	0	18	0	12-17	7-11	3-6	1-2	0
Jowuin Arias	5	80	SS+2	2B/3B+3	B(16)	0	20	18-19	0	6-17	0	0	2-5	1
Jordany Valdespin	5	70	CF/2B+2	LF/RF+1	B(16)	19-20	0	18	0	13-17	8-12	6-7	2-5	1
Garrett Jones	5	70	1B+0	LF/RF+0	B(14)	19-20	0	15-18	0	9-14	6-8	4-5	3	1-2
Alexi Amarista	5	70	OF/3B+2	2B/SS+3	B(16)	0	19-20	17-18	0	9-16	6-8	4-5	1-3	0
Jesus Guzman	5	70	1B+0	LF/RF+1	B(16)	19-20	0	16-18	0	9-15	4-8	0	0	1-3
Jordan Pacheco	5	70	C+5	1B+0	C(12)	0	0	17-20	0	14-16	7-13	5-6	1-4	0
Macier Izturis	5	60	SS+4	3B/2B+3	B(15)	0	0	18-20	0	10-17	6-9	5	1-4	0
Kevin Frandsen	5	60	2B+3	1B+0	B(13)	20	0	18-19	0	8-17	4-7	0	1-3	0
Daniel Descalso	5	60	3B+2	2B/SS+3	B(17)	0	0	17-20	0	9-16	5-8	3-4	1-2	0
Cesar Izturis	5	60	SS+4	2B+5	B(15)	0	0	19-20	0	10-18	7-9	4-6	1-3	0
Steve Lombardozzi	5	40	2B+3	LF/RF+0	B(15)	0	0	18-20	0	8-17	7	5-6	1-4	0
Jeff Keppinger	5	30	1B+0	2B/3B+2	B(15)	0	0	20	0	10-19	6-9	4-5	1-3	0
Yuniesky Betancourt	4	40	3B+1	1B+0	C(11)	18-20	0	15-17	0	7-14	6	5	2-4	1

MLB Showdown 2013: Utility Player

                Utility players are always interesting. The idea of draft flexibility and in game flexibility are interesting options. Guys like Buster Posey and Carlos Santana are Utility players to save the wear and tear of their position. People like Ben Zobrist and Emilio Bonifacio can hit and have the ability to play various positions so their managers rotate them around.  This years class is maybe the deepest we have seen.

#ShotsFriday Strategy Options

We have a very crowded leaderboard early one in this year. @Youngfarm got on the board going with Justin Upton. Another Braves player went deep. No one has pulled away early this year, which is nice. The free color set and 3 custom cards is still in reach for everyone. There are rumors that people trying to jockey for position to get third place and the 5 David Cones 2000 and 5 Greg Maddux 2000s. Remember to tweet us or put a comment at the bottom on who you think will homer tonight using our hashtag #ShotsFriday or my handle @MLBShowdownguru

Situational Hitting

                We inherited MLB Showdown as it was from 2000/2001. A vast majority of the game is amazing. I could have never created from scratch the way @TomWyliehart did. I will also say tinkering with a created thing is much easier than creating something from scratch. Thank being said there are a handful of things I would change (and some that I have changed). One of those things I wish I could change (and won’t in 2014) is that all corner outfielders can play LF/RF interchangeably.  It is a small difference and I understand why the original decision was made the way it was. Could Barry Bonds play right field as well as he played left field? I have no doubt. Could Sammy Sosa play left field as poorly as he player right? Also no doubt. Did they prove that? Not that I remember.

                Today’s question is a simple one. Do you think corner outfield positions should be married as they are now? Or do you believe that LF and RF in MLB Showdown should be treated as separate positions? 

Do you think MLB Showdown should have LF and RF only player?
	Yes, some players play exclusively one position and that should be respresented
	No, Anyone who can play one outfield position in the Bigs could play the opposite.
pollcode.com free polls

Last Week's Results

                       Last week I gave five possible 2 corner outfielder combinations and asked the simple question “who would you take?” The answers were spread out with all five combinations getting at least two votes. The top vote getter was Matt Holliday and Bryce Harper last I checked, leading with 5 votes of the 16. I thought Puig and Upton were going to win. They seemed to be the most natural pairing. That doesn’t mean the best or that I would prefer them.

Card of the Week - 4/16/14

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I hope you all were able to get your taxes filed yesterday.  Hopefully you didn't have to pay too much in or, even better, you were able to get a refund.

It is in that spirit that I hope to find a way to get you a refund on some of the points that you may have overspent early in a draft.  Granted, getting Mike Trout in the first round isn't overspending, but you may be looking for ways to get some of those points back, and I think I found a corner outfielder that fits the bill (if you decide to save your points on this position).

The card of the week this week features an OB, Speed A (21), LF/RF +2 for a mere 70 points.  That card is...

Video Series: How to Play MLB Showdown Part 1

                    This is an old video but we will be re-linking them here for people showing others how to play. It is slow step by step instructions on how to play MLB Showdown. The first one is the pitchers roll or the chart roll. Feel free to pass this link on to friends looking to learn to play MLB Showdown. All of the series is on Youtube but I will be linking it here over the coming weeks.