Card of the Week - 6/25/14

MLBShowdownGuru likes to point out that every card has value.  This week's Card of the Week may have value, but it is nearly impossible to see.  Because this player was American League Player of the Week, that is why he was selected as CotW...

MLB Showdown 2013: Starters 410-450

Lance Lynn	5	450	6	0	20	18-19	16-17	11-15	7-10	3-6	1-2
Corey Kluber	5	430	6	0	20	16-19	0	12-15	7-11	3-6	1-2

Mike Minor	4	450	6	0	20	18-19	17	11-16	7-10	3-6	1-2
Tyler CHatwood	4	450	5	0	0	19-20	17-18	14-16	6-13	3-5	1-2

David Price	4	440	6	0	20	17-19	0	13-16	8-12	3-7	1-2
Jose Quintana	4	440	6	0	20	18-19	17	11-16	6-10	3-5	1-2
Jarred Parker	4	440	6	0	20	18-19	17	11-16	6-10	3-5	1-2
Kris Medlon	4	440	6	0	20	17-19	0	13-16	7-12	3-6	1-2
Charlie Morton	4	440	5	0	0	18-20	17	15-16	7-14	3-6	1-2
Marco Estrada	4	420	6	0	20	17-19	0	10-16	7-9	3-6	1-2

Justin Verlander	3	450	7	0	20	19	18	13-17	9-12	3-8	1-2
Stephen Strasburg	3	450	6	0	20	19	18	15-17	10-14	3-9	1-2
Ervin Santana	3	440	7	0	20	19	18	13-17	7-12	3-6	1-2
Derek Holland	3	440	7	0	20	19	18	12-17	7-11	3-6	1-2
Henderson Alvarez	3	440	6	0	0	17-20	0	13-16	6-12	3-5	1-2
Homer Bailey	3	440	7	0	20	19	18	13-17	7-12	3-6	1-2

#ShotsFriday Psychographics: Smallballers

                Very interesting week for #Shotsfriday. We have a three way tie for second with four shots thanks to @Orioles881 picking up a shot with Giancarlo Stanton. @Kris_Barnes7 and @Jmoeller05 also picked up a shots with Stanton. That makes 3 for @Kris_Barnes7, 2 for @Jmoeler05 and seven for Stanton. @BenBoozer623 also picked up his third shot with Khris Davis’s first (the other Khris Davis). Remember to tweet us who you think will homer in todays game using the hashtag #ShotsFriday or at me @MLBShowdownguru.

                Today I am finishing the last of our “Psychographics” series. I have enjoyed explaining why I think players play Showdown at the most core level. If you think I have missed a major reason why people play our game (over other games) please contact me in the comments or via E-mail: Redsoxman2011@Gmail.com

                Our final psychographic, as those who read the Monday article (when it is up) know is our Smallballers. Smallballers in short want to make decisions to win or lose the game. Smallballers know that there is a lot of luck that goes into a game of Showdown. Somewhere around 150 rolls of a 20 sided dice determine the outcome of any game. Smallballers want to remove a lot of the “credit” and “blame” for wins and losses and put those things back on the player.

Card of the Week - 6/18/14

With the 460-500 point starting pitchers being highlighted this week, I wanted to pick one of them to for the card of the week.  In my season that I am playing with Showdown cards, this pitcher has made three starts.  In those starts, he has a record of 1-2.  In the two losses, he has pitched 11 innings, given up 16 hits, 17 runs, 13 walks, and 3 HR, all while striking out 13.  In the win, he gave up one hit (while walking 6) and struck out 12 in a complete game shutout.  If you feel confident that you can get the advantage when using him, then you may want to take a chance on...

MLB Showdown Starter: 460 - 500 Points

Jake Peavy	6	500	6	0	20	16-19	15	9-14	7-8	3-6	1-2
Jorge De La Rosa	6	500	5	0	20	17-19	16	13-15	7-12	3-6	1-2

John Lester	5	500	7	0	20	17-19	16	11-15	7-10	3-6	1-2
Patrick Corbin	5	500	7	0	20	17-19	16	12-15	7-11	3-6	1-2
Clay Bucholtz	5	480	4	0	0	19-20	17-18	12-16	7-11	3-6	1-2
Julio Teheran	5	480	6	0	20	17-19	0	11-16	7-10	3-6	1-2
Jhoulys Chacin	5	480	6	0	0	18-20	16-17	12-15	6-11	3-5	1-2
Hyun-Jin Ryu	5	470	6	0	20	17-19	16	14-15	7-13	3-6	1-2

James Shields	4	500	7	0	20	18-19	17	11-16	7-10	3-6	1-2
Justin Masterson	4	490	6	0	0	19-20	17-18	15-16	8-14	3-7	1-2
Jered Weaver	4	480	6	0	0	18-20	17	10-16	7-9	3-6	1-2
Jose Fernandez	4	480	5	0	0	19-20	18	13-17	9-12	3-8	1-2
Gerrit Cole	4	470	6	0	0	17-20	0	13-16	7-12	3-6	1-2
Ubaldo Jimmenez	4	460	6	0	20	19	17-18	13-16	9-12	3-8	1-2
Doug Fister	4	460	6	0	0	17-20	0	14-16	7-13	3-6	1-2
Gio Gonzalez	4	460	6	0	20	19	17-18	13-16	8-12	3-7	1-2

Andrew Cashner

3

470

6

0

0

18-20

0

13-17

7-12

3-6

1-2

Yu Darvish

2

470

7

0

0

0

19-20

15-18

12-14

3-11

1-2

#ShotsFriday: Psychographics- MoneyBallers

                Sorry for the super Delay. I won’t recap all the shots over the past three weeks but there is a scoreboard at the bottom from each week. Also I did not remind people of when they had extra shots so I have a record of who I owe extra shots to. The people who still have extra shots are @BucNfortheCard, @TheRealJohnR and @Jmoeller05. Remember to tweet in who you think homers today. The winner of our game gets a free color set and the 2^nd place player gets a free black and white set.

Situational Hitting 

           One of the most basic questions that needs to be asked when starting a league is what to do about DHs. There are a variety of options and our significantly cheaper DHs make it even tougher. You can play AL where you have 9 batters and DH can play DH obviously. You can play NL where you have 8 batters and the pitcher is the 9th. To complicate things you can also have DH eligible to play 1B for -2 fielding for ether the entire game or 7th inning or later for both play styles. My simple question is what do you prefer? Remember we are asking with respect to our new, significantly cheaper DHs.

Which league style do you prefer?
	AL: DH can play DH or 1B with fielding -2.
	AL: DH can play DH only or 1B fielding -2 in the 7th or later.
	AL: DH can play DH only.
	NL: DH can play 1B fielding -2
	NL: DH can play 1B fielding -2 in the 7th or later.
	NL: DH can pinch hit only
pollcode.com free polls

Last Posts Results

                Our last poll had, as seemingly always, interesting results. The question was simple: How many aces do you want on your staff (500+ point players). The options were 0, 1 or 2 (Sorry for those people who play the 4 of a kind in Aces team). The poll showed half of our players (9 or 18) prefer the single Ace team. Six people prefer no Aces and 3 prefer a pair of Aces. What that means for drafters is that if these are honest and representative you can expect somewhere between 5-6 of these pitchers to actually go. Leagues and rules obviously determine this as well. Single season leagues with no custom point monsters tend to see this get inflated out of necessity. 

Card of the Week - 6/11/14

There are a few players whose cards I am looking forward to seeing in the 2014 set.  Rookies like Jose Abreu and George Springer.  The last Derek Jeter and Paul Konerko.  One player whose card is going to be interesting in 2014 plays for my team, the Minnesota Twins.  At last check, he was fourth in votes for his position, behind some of the biggest names at his position (although the case can be made that he has outperformed them all).  That player is...

MLB Showdown 2013: Designated Hitter

                Designated Hitters are an interesting position depending on your league rules. If you play NL rules then they are the best pinch hitters in the league. If you play AL rules you have a decision: you can ether say these players cannot start and are only pinch hitters or… you can let them play as DH only players and watch them fly off the boards in the early rounds because of their discount. All good options. We suggest if you allow DH’s to play first then they can’t until the 7^th inning.play 1B until the 7^th inning (with -2 fielding).

                David Ortiz is the best possible option for a DH. He will be a first round pick in leagues where he can be a full-time DH. Even Pinger’s won’t mind batting him 4^th in their line-up at 270 points. Power Players will love him as a cheap line-up extender (though they likely will have to be picking 5-8 to really consider him). Trading the opportunity for better power of Cabrera/Davis in the first few picks is not likely going to happen. Smallballers won’t like him because he is slow. Moneyballers will love him. They would first pick him.

                Butler will go right after Ortiz to the same people for the same reason’s but cheaper. The Power Players are the only ones who will like him less. Someone else will scoop him up before they even consider it. 230 points for a 10 is also first round pickable for Pingers and Moneyballers.

                Smallballers will actually consider Victor Martinez because of his 6 or higher single. He will drive in a ton of runs and they can run away from double plays. He is a super cheap 4 hitter behind a guy l like Trout. I really like those two being paired up. I do think you can first pick Trout and get him at the end of the 2^nd round in most leagues

Power Players will love Khris Davis. I really hope to see a Chris Davis/Khris Davis 4-5 combo in some leagues.

Lance Berkman is someone only the Moneyballers will like and even then only in a pinch. No power, lots of DPs. If you are drafting him you got beat to the punch. Still better than a bad firstbaseman.

Luke Scott is a pinch hitter.

Hafner is a Power Player pinch hitter

Konerko is a point saver with no position or pinch running flexibility. I am going with a cheap utility guy over him.

Giambi is a Power Players 19^th pick and they are going to love the excitement.

Reimold is someone I would rather have a utility guy over

2013 MLB Showdown: Designated Hitters

David Ortiz	2013	10	270	C(9)	19-20	0	16-18	0	12-15	6-11	3-4	1-2	0
Billy Butler	2013	10	230	C(9)	20	0	18-19	0	10-17	6-9	0	2-5	1
Victor Martinez	2013	9	140	C(8)	20	0	17-19	0	10-16	6-9	3-5	1-2	0
Khris Davis	2013	8	160	B(16)	17-20	0	15-16	0	7-14	4-6	3	1-2	0
Lance Berkman	2013	8	50	C(8)	20	0	19	0	11-18	5-10	4	2-3	1
Luke Scott	2013	7	130	C(11)	18-20	0	15-17	0	9-14	5-8	3-4	2	1
Travis Hafner	2013	6	100	C(8)	17-20	0	15-16	0	13-14	7-12	6	0	1-5
Paul Konerko	2013	6	20	C(10)	20	0	18-19	0	9-17	5-8	2-4	1	0
Jason Giambi	2013	5	60	C(8)	15-20	0	13-14	0	0	7-12	5-6	0	1-4
Nolan Reimold	2013	5	40	B(14)	19-20	0	18	0	12-17	7-11	6	4-5	1-3

My Apology 

I want to formally issue an apology to all of you who follow us and expect consistent content. I have recently moved to a new apartment with no internet. I usually work a hair ahead on the blog but somethings do need to be done week of (like our #ShotsFriday first paragraph). I have also been working a new job that requires me to work +50 hours a week. They pay me well and I get OT so don't feel too bad for me on that front. All that to say I have difficulty getting the quality and quantity of content I would like on the blog and I imagine it is frustrating for those of you who make us part of your daily/weekly routine to hop on and see no new content. I am humbled to see our viewership has not dipped despite my shortcoming. That is a testimony to your loyalty and not our effort. Thank you all so much for the faithfulness and I hope to get back to producing the excellent content which you all enjoy. I have uploaded 2 weeks worth of content today and am updating the #ShotsFriday scoreboard. This coming week expect to see from me:

Monday Utility players 300+ points charts

Monday Utility players 300+ points analysis 

Thursday Utility player Poll question

Friday Psychographics continued

Friday Accurate #ShotsFriday scoreboard

Card of the Week - 6/4/14

There are several exciting plays in baseball that are even more exciting due to their rarity; the inside-the-park home-run and the triple play are two examples.  This past week, one player accomplished the same rare feat twice in the same series.  And because of that, he earns this week's Card of the Week honors.  And that honor goes to...

Filling the Void

With our mighty leader, @MLBShowdownGuru, currently unable to post anything due to his lack of internet at his new apartment, we instead get a guest post from one of the members of our MLB Showdown team, @BucNforTheCard.  He is playing a 7 game series against @tkilpatrick2, and he was gracious enough to provide us with this series preview.  Be sure to give these guys a follow on Twitter and watch for #EddieVSTravis