So I have recently been watching a lot of movies, including some good and not so good ones. I signed up for netflix again, and now they have the instant watch movies. It helps that I got a new cpu with a high def screen. Last time I had netflix they didn't really hype up the instant watch movies. Now they have thousands of movies to choose from! I love that you can watch a movie online now or just watch a tv show you missed on the cpu, life has never been easier to attain the media you would like. So here are some of the horror movies I have watched recently:
Necrosis : I will start out with a shout out for this movie because my uncle was assistant director on this one. Necrosis is a stuck in a cabin, snow in type movie. It has to do with seeing ghosts of the Donner party. I think for a low budget movie it sets out what it means to do, namely it has some good scares and is interesting for most of the movie. Look for brief parts from pop star Tiffany and horror legend Michael Berryman. Here is the trailer:
Dead Snow: I watched this with my friend Dennis (click HERE to see his review). We both had about the same thoughts on Dead Snow, it has its moments but overall is nothing worth getting too hyped up over. I do like that it has to do with nazi zombies, thats a lethal combo! The movie took too long to get started and like Necrosis is a trapped in the snow type movie. They had some good romero type zombie kills in the movie as well. Overall this is a just an average type rental. I would say rent this and Necrosis back to back and have a snow in horror movie night.
Drive Thru : I was flipping the channels late one night with my buddy Jeremy and happened to see the description for Drive Thru on the On Demand menu. It said something about Horny the clown killing people, and I new I had to watch it immediately! It starts out really promising with some wiggas getting deep fried but overall the movie just is a let down. It does have some funny puns that relate to fast food, and they story is a total rip off of Nightmare on Elm Street. I hear they are doing a sequel to this, good luck. I will say it does have some laughs so I guess I wouldn't say it was a total bust for being a free watch.
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon: I got a recommendation to check out this movie from a friend and I thought it was the best out of all the movies I have listed here. I really didn't know what to expect when I went into seeing it but I was really shocked how good it was. If you like slasher movies I think you enjoy this behind the scenes look. You get to know Leslie Vernon as he plans his murders, you get to know the killer and why he kills. There a few good twists and I thought this was a smart way to do a slasher movie, switching between a documentary style and horror movie style. I have heard they are doing a sequel, I am on board for that!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
3D or not 3D
Ok so lately 3D has been bugging me, I like the notion of a movie being made better by seeing it in 3D and lately it seems that most movie companies make a movie into a 3D event because it makes more money that way. Avatar sort of started this craze on it's way to becoming the top grossing movie of all time. The movie was pretty good to me, and was worth seeing in IMAX 3D because it was filmed to be seen that way. I have no problem with Avatar (well besides that it wasn't even that great of a movie) but I wish it never started this whole 3D trend because now everything is being released in 3D, as the next 3D movie event! Please. Give me a fucking break. I cannot say I am not to blame, when I go see a movie with a friend they end up wanting to see it in 3D and being an avid movie goer (and usually a nice friend) I agree to pay the $3 extra and see it in 3D.
The recent movies I have seen in 3D are: Avatar, Alice In Wonderland, and Clash of the Titans. After seeing all three only one was really needed to be seen in 3D, Avatar. The others were not really needed to be in 3D because being in that medium did not add anything of great value to the story. Alice In Wonderland was an average movie to me, nothing really extraordinary going on and the 3D was not really used to make it better in anyway. Clash of the Titans is where I get pissed. So I learned there is two ways to do 3D, one is when they change the movie into 3D after the film is done which = shitty 3D. The other way is when the movie is actually filmed in 3D the entire way, which is the actual only way I will now see 3D movies.
I have also heard that 3D prices are on the rise, which is another thing I find to be lame. With more and more 3D movies out you think the price would decrease not increase. One major problem I have is that they do not allow you to reuse your 3D glasses (if they are the same ones you bought last time). Then they want you to recycle the glasses after the movie, I feel if I paid for them why the hell shouldn't I keep them? But then if I do keep them I just have like 4 pairs of useless 3D glasses. So I am saying maybe they cut you a discount if you have the 3D glasses, maybe just half off the extra $3 or something, nothing major but I feel there is a need for some sort of discount for people who already have purchased the glasses. Similar to when you bring your own bag to Safeway and get a small discount for not needing to use their bags, plus both examples save resources (or does anyone know if they re-use those glasses after the movie?).
The 3D craze seems hear to stay. I recently asked my dad, a movie goer since birth if he thought that 3D was just a passing fad. He said it usually has been in the past and I was hoping he was right. I don't see the need to see every movie in 3D. Yes the positive is that it leads to some cool visual effects and if used correctly can make a movie fun. It is also helping Hollywood to release some projects they may not get the green-light otherwise, and it is always good when movies make money because they can possibly make more movies or give someone new a chance to showcase their skills. But I also see the upcoming 3D releases on the horizon and 3D seems here to stay, at least for a while longer.
Upcoming 3D movies:
Shrek Ever After
Toy Story 3
The Last Airbender
Despicable Me
Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore
Step Up 3-D
Piranha 3D
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga'Hoole
Jackass 3D
Tron Legacy
and many more....
So what I am seeing here is a lot of children's movies as well as a few horror movies. The one's that I would want to see is, Piranha 3D and Tron Legacy. I think I will pass on Jackass 3D, but it may be the first movie to have a 3D penis, so its got that going for it.
To be nice I will list the top movies that I think 3D has added to the movie. These films are Monster House, Avatar, and My Bloody Valentine. In fact I would say My Bloody would be almost unwatchable but the 3D made it into a fun movie, they did a good job using 3D on that one. I recently watched Avatar in non 3D, and to be honest I didn't think less of it. The movie is visually stunning either way and I could focus more on colors in regular 2D.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Bad Movie Screnning
Some people see a bad movie and feel ripped off. Sure today you put down $10 to see a movie and maybe even $3 more if you want to see it in 3D. But sometimes a bad movie can be so bad that it turns into something of a cult classic, or a movie you and your friends quote because, well, it just sucked so bad. I enjoy seeing some bad movies from time to time and just having a beer and saying what the fuck just happened?! I recently had a bad movie screening with a good friend, you can also read his blog here.
First up we watch a movie I had never head of. I was not aware of The Room a recent movie (2003). The brainchild behind the room is Tommy Wiseau he stars, directs, and wrote the movie. The movie had a brief theatrical run in 2003 but never found its audience until later on. Wiseau is said to be American, but his voice in the movie is best described as "Borat trying to do an impression of Christopher Walken playing a mental patient." The movie is so bad that it was awesome! There was at least 4 sex scenes in the first twenty minutes of the movie alone. The acting and line delivery was so bad that you couldn't help but think that the movie was made to get laughs. There are random times that the main characters will toss around a football, I was told this was because Wiseau wanted everyone to know that this was an American movie, and what is more American then throwing around a football? Overall the movie wasn't unwatchable bad but script is just so bad that its hilarious. Since the movies release it has gained a cult following and still plays at midnight in L.A. Wiseau actually shows up at many of these showing selling dvd's, t-shirts, and soundtracks to the film. Wiseau seems to be aware that his movie had a following even though it may not have been for the reasons he wished. Wiseau said “I'm happy, because I prepared all this stuff, and I wanted people to have a good time...When you see The Room, you can yell, you can scream, you can express yourself — that's the idea.". Here are some clips from The Room:
And the original trailer:
After The Room we started watching a movie which considered to the worst movie ever made, Troll 2. Troll 2 was not as fun to watch because unlike the room the dialogue was not even all that funny and the movie is just plain bad. I would consider it to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The effects are horrible, just kids decked out in cheap Halloween costumes. I seriously never thought the movie was released in 1990! I thought it was for sure an early 80's film with all the terrible effects. In fact the movie is so well known as being one of the worst movies ever made that recently they made a documentary called Best Worst Movie, a documentary all about the film Troll 2 and how it has a following and what the actors think when they look back at their time making Troll 2. Check out that trailer here:
Here is what is considered one of the worst line delivers in movie history:
And the original trailer:
First up we watch a movie I had never head of. I was not aware of The Room a recent movie (2003). The brainchild behind the room is Tommy Wiseau he stars, directs, and wrote the movie. The movie had a brief theatrical run in 2003 but never found its audience until later on. Wiseau is said to be American, but his voice in the movie is best described as "Borat trying to do an impression of Christopher Walken playing a mental patient." The movie is so bad that it was awesome! There was at least 4 sex scenes in the first twenty minutes of the movie alone. The acting and line delivery was so bad that you couldn't help but think that the movie was made to get laughs. There are random times that the main characters will toss around a football, I was told this was because Wiseau wanted everyone to know that this was an American movie, and what is more American then throwing around a football? Overall the movie wasn't unwatchable bad but script is just so bad that its hilarious. Since the movies release it has gained a cult following and still plays at midnight in L.A. Wiseau actually shows up at many of these showing selling dvd's, t-shirts, and soundtracks to the film. Wiseau seems to be aware that his movie had a following even though it may not have been for the reasons he wished. Wiseau said “I'm happy, because I prepared all this stuff, and I wanted people to have a good time...When you see The Room, you can yell, you can scream, you can express yourself — that's the idea.". Here are some clips from The Room:
And the original trailer:
After The Room we started watching a movie which considered to the worst movie ever made, Troll 2. Troll 2 was not as fun to watch because unlike the room the dialogue was not even all that funny and the movie is just plain bad. I would consider it to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. The effects are horrible, just kids decked out in cheap Halloween costumes. I seriously never thought the movie was released in 1990! I thought it was for sure an early 80's film with all the terrible effects. In fact the movie is so well known as being one of the worst movies ever made that recently they made a documentary called Best Worst Movie, a documentary all about the film Troll 2 and how it has a following and what the actors think when they look back at their time making Troll 2. Check out that trailer here:
Here is what is considered one of the worst line delivers in movie history:
And the original trailer:
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Giants 2010
Last year the San Francisco Giants made a huge leap, winning 88 games making a 16 game improvement from the year before. This year I wanted to go through the line-up and predict who I think will do good or bad, and throw out some stats. I will only stick with players who I know are starting this time. I did this last year as well ( 2009 Predictions).
STARTING FIELDERS
C - Bengie Molina -- Molina is back, it was a tad surprising that they brought the big man back but I have no problems with it, besides he could be the slowest runner in MLB history. But he can command that staff (last two years he has worked with Cy young winner Tim Lincecum) and can still hit. With Buster Posey a good bet for a late season call up I am not sure how long Bengie will start.
Last Year I said: .280/ 15 HR/ 80 RBI
He Did: .265/ 20 HR / 80 RBI
2010 I Predict: .273/ 16 HR/ 72 RBI
1B - Aubrey Huff -- Wasn't with the team last year, but should get his fair share at 1B duties this year. I am not sure about his glove but I have heard he is average and he did used to play 3B so he should be okay. I think he could have a solid season, if nothing else he should be an offensive improvement over Travis Ishikawa, but I can also see them taking him out of games when they have the lead late in games.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: .241/ 15 HR/ 85 RBI
2010 I Predict: .262/ 15 HR/ 79 RBI
2B - Freddy Sanchez -- If only this guy could stay healthy! He came to the Giants in a late season trade and was an immediate upgrade at 2B. He got hurt though, and is hurt again to start this season. I believe once he is fully healthy he will be a vital part to the team.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: .293/ 7 HR/ 41 RBI
2010 I Predict: .297 / 7 HR / 75 RBI
SS - Edgar Renteria -- He is coming off a bad season last year, so the only way to go is up! He usually is the type of player who has a bad season followed by a much better season. I am also not sure how long he will start with Uribe around.
Last Year I said: .275/12 HR /65 RBI
He did: .250 / 5 HR/ 48 RBI
2010: .267 / 7 HR / 58 RBI
3B - Pablo Sandoval -- No one including me could have ever imagined the break out season that Pablo had last season. Yes, he should have been an All-Star but the guy can flat out hit and had a monster season. He is easily the best hitter on the team, and with some discipline at the plate could be a great.
Last Year I said: .325/ 12 HR/ 84 RBI
He Did: .330/ 25 HR/ 90 RBI
2010 I Predict: .319 / 26 HR / 97 RBI
OF - Aaron Rowand -- He switched to lead off role for the team last year, which hurt his RBI total. He is not a typical lead off man but he did well when he was leading off last year. He tends to get in funks from time to time.
Last Year I said: .288/15HR/74 RBI
He Did: .261 / 16 HR / 64 RBI
2010: .276 / 13 HR/ 60 RBI
OF - Mark DeRosa -- The Giants signed DeRosa because he can play OF. 2B, 3B and he can hit the ball for some power and is a good RBI man, well good for the Giants anyway. Like all hitters who go to AT&T Park I look for some of his number to dip. I am glad to have him on our team, I was very upset Giants didn't get him for last years playoff push.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: ..250 / 23 HR / 78 RBI
2010: .280 / 20 HR / 85 RBI
STARTING PITCHERS
Tim Lincecum -- Two years in a row this young man has won the Cy Young. That alone is just crazy! I am so glad he is on our team that we resigned him up for more years. He is always fun to watch and I see no reason why he will not have another great season.
Last Year I said: 16-8/ ERA 2.76/ 240 K’s
He did: 15-7 / ERA 2.48/ 261 K's
2010: 17-6/ ERA 2.57/ 259 K's
Matt Cain -- Cain finally got the run support that always alluded him and was able to make the All-Star team. A lot of people think Cain can still do even better if everything goes right. He is also still younger then Lincecum.
Last Year I said: 14-12/ 3.64 / 180 Ks
He did: 14-8 / 2.89 / 171 K's
2010: 15-9 / 3.20/ 175 K's
Barry Zito -- Zito who has struggled with the club finally made some nice improvements last year. He lowered his ERA more then a run and was more consistent with his pitching. He is still not worthy of how much he makes, but if he can have another nice year I think I will be happy.
Last Year I said: 12-13/ 4.54/ 120K’s
He did: 10-13 / 4.03 / 154 K's
2010 : 11-12 / 4.21 / 142 K's
Jonathan Sanchez -- His no hitter was awesome to see last year and this guy still has some nasty stuff, but that's never been the problem with him. He just needs to trust his stuff and make good decisions and he could be an all-star like guy.
Last Year I said: 11-13/ 4.33/175K’s
He did: 8-12 / 4.24/ 177 K's
2010: 12-10 / 4.08 / 183 K's
RELIEF
Bullpen - Brian Wilson had another outstanding season as the closer and set up men Jeremy Affledt, Sergio Romo around the bullpen is becomming a strength of the team. Brandon Medders, up an comer Dan Runzler also round out the bullpen corps.
Bench - Juan Uribe had a perfect season for a back-up player last year. He could fill in at SS, 3B, or 2B and he is sure to get a lot of at bats this year. Eugenio Velez is a young speedster who could also play anywhere in the OF and also can play some SS/2B if needed. I always thought he could have a good year if given the chance, but he is becoming very valuable off the bench and made many clutch hits last year.
OVERALL
Last year was a nice step forward for the Giants. The pitching is the strength and they tried to upgrade and keep the core players from last year, which they did! They had the most wins for a non-playoff team in the NL last year and I think if they make a few moves they can make the wild card in 2010. Either way it will be fun to see what happens!
STARTING FIELDERS
C - Bengie Molina -- Molina is back, it was a tad surprising that they brought the big man back but I have no problems with it, besides he could be the slowest runner in MLB history. But he can command that staff (last two years he has worked with Cy young winner Tim Lincecum) and can still hit. With Buster Posey a good bet for a late season call up I am not sure how long Bengie will start.
Last Year I said: .280/ 15 HR/ 80 RBI
He Did: .265/ 20 HR / 80 RBI
2010 I Predict: .273/ 16 HR/ 72 RBI
1B - Aubrey Huff -- Wasn't with the team last year, but should get his fair share at 1B duties this year. I am not sure about his glove but I have heard he is average and he did used to play 3B so he should be okay. I think he could have a solid season, if nothing else he should be an offensive improvement over Travis Ishikawa, but I can also see them taking him out of games when they have the lead late in games.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: .241/ 15 HR/ 85 RBI
2010 I Predict: .262/ 15 HR/ 79 RBI
2B - Freddy Sanchez -- If only this guy could stay healthy! He came to the Giants in a late season trade and was an immediate upgrade at 2B. He got hurt though, and is hurt again to start this season. I believe once he is fully healthy he will be a vital part to the team.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: .293/ 7 HR/ 41 RBI
2010 I Predict: .297 / 7 HR / 75 RBI
SS - Edgar Renteria -- He is coming off a bad season last year, so the only way to go is up! He usually is the type of player who has a bad season followed by a much better season. I am also not sure how long he will start with Uribe around.
Last Year I said: .275/12 HR /65 RBI
He did: .250 / 5 HR/ 48 RBI
2010: .267 / 7 HR / 58 RBI
3B - Pablo Sandoval -- No one including me could have ever imagined the break out season that Pablo had last season. Yes, he should have been an All-Star but the guy can flat out hit and had a monster season. He is easily the best hitter on the team, and with some discipline at the plate could be a great.
Last Year I said: .325/ 12 HR/ 84 RBI
He Did: .330/ 25 HR/ 90 RBI
2010 I Predict: .319 / 26 HR / 97 RBI
OF - Aaron Rowand -- He switched to lead off role for the team last year, which hurt his RBI total. He is not a typical lead off man but he did well when he was leading off last year. He tends to get in funks from time to time.
Last Year I said: .288/15HR/74 RBI
He Did: .261 / 16 HR / 64 RBI
2010: .276 / 13 HR/ 60 RBI
OF - Mark DeRosa -- The Giants signed DeRosa because he can play OF. 2B, 3B and he can hit the ball for some power and is a good RBI man, well good for the Giants anyway. Like all hitters who go to AT&T Park I look for some of his number to dip. I am glad to have him on our team, I was very upset Giants didn't get him for last years playoff push.
Last Year I said: N/A
He Did: ..250 / 23 HR / 78 RBI
2010: .280 / 20 HR / 85 RBI
STARTING PITCHERS
Tim Lincecum -- Two years in a row this young man has won the Cy Young. That alone is just crazy! I am so glad he is on our team that we resigned him up for more years. He is always fun to watch and I see no reason why he will not have another great season.
Last Year I said: 16-8/ ERA 2.76/ 240 K’s
He did: 15-7 / ERA 2.48/ 261 K's
2010: 17-6/ ERA 2.57/ 259 K's
Matt Cain -- Cain finally got the run support that always alluded him and was able to make the All-Star team. A lot of people think Cain can still do even better if everything goes right. He is also still younger then Lincecum.
Last Year I said: 14-12/ 3.64 / 180 Ks
He did: 14-8 / 2.89 / 171 K's
2010: 15-9 / 3.20/ 175 K's
Barry Zito -- Zito who has struggled with the club finally made some nice improvements last year. He lowered his ERA more then a run and was more consistent with his pitching. He is still not worthy of how much he makes, but if he can have another nice year I think I will be happy.
Last Year I said: 12-13/ 4.54/ 120K’s
He did: 10-13 / 4.03 / 154 K's
2010 : 11-12 / 4.21 / 142 K's
Jonathan Sanchez -- His no hitter was awesome to see last year and this guy still has some nasty stuff, but that's never been the problem with him. He just needs to trust his stuff and make good decisions and he could be an all-star like guy.
Last Year I said: 11-13/ 4.33/175K’s
He did: 8-12 / 4.24/ 177 K's
2010: 12-10 / 4.08 / 183 K's
RELIEF
Bullpen - Brian Wilson had another outstanding season as the closer and set up men Jeremy Affledt, Sergio Romo around the bullpen is becomming a strength of the team. Brandon Medders, up an comer Dan Runzler also round out the bullpen corps.
Bench - Juan Uribe had a perfect season for a back-up player last year. He could fill in at SS, 3B, or 2B and he is sure to get a lot of at bats this year. Eugenio Velez is a young speedster who could also play anywhere in the OF and also can play some SS/2B if needed. I always thought he could have a good year if given the chance, but he is becoming very valuable off the bench and made many clutch hits last year.
OVERALL
Last year was a nice step forward for the Giants. The pitching is the strength and they tried to upgrade and keep the core players from last year, which they did! They had the most wins for a non-playoff team in the NL last year and I think if they make a few moves they can make the wild card in 2010. Either way it will be fun to see what happens!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
MLB 10 Predictions
MLB 2010 Predictions:
American League
AL East
New York 107-55
Boston 93-69*
Tampa Bay 87-75
Baltimore 74-88
Toronto 66-96
AL Central
Minnesota 90-72
Detroit 85-78
Chicago 82-80
Kansas City 70-92
Cleveland 68-94
AL West
Seattle 89-73
Los Angeles 86-76
Texas 83-79
Oakland 77-85
National League
Atlanta 88-74
Florida 83-79
New York 76-86
Washington 65-97
NL Central
St. Louis 92-70
Milwaukee 83-78
Chicago 83-78
Cincinnati 80-82
Houston 75-89
Pittsburgh 63-99
NL West
Los Angeles 91-71
San Francisco 89-73*
Colorado 86-76
San Diego 73-89
* - Wild Card
Playoffs:
Division Series:
New York over Seattle (3-1)
Boston over Minnesota (3-2)
Philadelphia over San Francisco (3-2)
St. Louis over Los Angeles (3-0)
Championship Series:
New York over Boston (4-2)
Philadelphia over St. Louis (4-1)
World Series:
New York over Philadelphia (4-2)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Fantasy Baseball Draft
So I had my fantasy baseball draft earlier today and I wanted to run down who I picked and why I picked them or what lead to me picking this player. If you like baseball this should be fun, if you do not like baseball...I apologize.
First off I was drafting 12th of out 12 teams, that sucked! The draft is set up as a snake system meaning I would draft 12 and then 13 and it wouldn't be my turn again for 22 picks. I had a lot of waiting to do and when it was finally my turn I had to make two picks back to back, which sometimes was stress inducing.
Round 1. Pick 1
2 - Ryan Howard 1B Phillies - I do not think this pick needs much explanation. I was really surprised that he was even still available at pick number 12 overall. If you didn't know he anchors one of the best hitting teams in baseball and hit .279/ 45 HR/ 141 RBI last year.
Round 2. Pick 13 - Felix Hernandez SP Mariners - I ended up taking quite a few Mariners this draft but none better then King Felix. He is going into the prime of his career and is playing with an improved team. He has played 5 seasons and is still only 24 years old. I found the guy to anchor my starting pitching. Felix was 19-5/ 2.49 ERA/ 217 K's last year.
Round 3. Pick 36 - Joey Votto 1B Reds - I know it was a little odd for me to pick up another big hitting 1B so high and yes it could be a stretch but I think Votto could have a huge year on a good hitting Reds squad. Last year he hit .322/ 25 HR/ 84 RBI playing in only 131 games. I figure with a full season and the new help he can put up even better numbers. I have UTIL positions so he will be there or play when Howard is off.
Round 4. Pick 37 - Zack Greinke SP Royals - Its not usual to grab Cy young picthers in the 4th round but I somehow got lucky and nabbed Greinke
to go along with Hernandez, forming what should be a great tandem of starters. The AL Cy Young award winner was almost who I picked over Hernandez and I was so shocked to still see him I just had to take him. My early strategy was to take one hitter and pitcher and I think I got some great players. I do have some worries, like he plays on the Royals and most likely will not match last years numbers (16-8/ 2.16 ERA/ 242 K's).
Round 5. Pick 60 - Carlos Lee OF Astros - I have always wanted Lee on my team, is very consistent in his numbers and that is something I value for fantasy baseball. He plays in that small stadium in Houston and the Astros can score some runs. He will lead my Outfield squad. Last year he hit .300/ 26HR/ 102 RBI.
Round 6. Pick 61 - Robinson Cano 2B Yankees - I couldn't resist the skilled position this time around. I was thinking that I wasn't getting any 2B/SS/3B so I nabbed up Cano. He is on the Yankees which means he will have a lot of run and RBI chances. Last year he hit .320/ 25HR/ 85 RBI/ 103 Runs. The Yanks are stacked again this year so I am hoping for similar type numbers if anything he should score a lot.
Round 7. Pick 84- Josh Johnson SP Marlins - I had a hard time pulling the trigger on this one, I saw a personal favorite of mine still on the board in Giants SP Matt Cain but decided to go with Johnson. I could be kicking myself of this but Johnson is the Marlins ace and had an all-star season last year, going 15-5/ 3.23 ERA/ 191 K's. Did I make the right pick, only time will tell. I hope they both go great.
Round 8. Pick 85 - Chone Figgins 3B Mariners - Went for some speed and runs here. Chone plays 3B, you usually don't get a ton of stolen bases from that position. Plus he is hitting in front of or behind Ichiro now which either way should help him. He is also playing in the same division he was in his whole career and knows the Angels. I got my 3B off the board with this pick. Last year Chone hit .298/54 RBI/ 114 Runs/ 42 Stolen Bases.
Round 9. Pick 108 - Francisco Cordero RP Reds - I nabbed my first save guy and a pretty good one at that. Cordero is a great save guy last year he had 39 saves and a 2.16 ERA for the Reds. I felt it best to get someone who is pretty consistent for this position and went with the established save guy over less unknown players like David Aardsma.
Round 10. Pick 109 - Shane Victorino OF Phillies - Victorino also plays for the Phillies and is sure to score a lot of runs and steal some bases. He is a good in just about every category (sans HRs). He gave me a second OF player, last year he hit .292/10 HR/ 62 RBI/ 102 Runs/ 25 SB for the Phiilies. I look for my #1 pick to knock this guy in a lot more in 2010.
Round 11. Pick 132 - Elvis Andrus SS Rangers - Another players on a great offensive team, Andrus was a rookie last year and hit .267/ 6 HR/ 40 RBI/ 72 Runs/ 33 SB. I am hoping that he will be able to score more runs and get some more SB's this year. I put off getting a SS for a while but think that Andrus could help in the SB category that I usually overlook.
Round 12. Pick 133 - Billy Wagner RP Braves - Wagner who used to be one of the best save guys made a come back last year and is now penciled in as the Braves stopper. He is a nice comeback story which I hope pays off. I think I went on a tad of a stretch here, but save guys were being taken and I didn't want to get left out.
Round 13. Pick 156 - Miguel Montero C Diamondbacks - Catchers usually only have around 5 guys who can really make an impact on your fantasy team. I am the type who likes to take a big hitting Catcher early but I sort of waited it out this year and I think for waiting this long I got a good player. I had Montero on my fantasy team last year in the second half and he was pretty amazing. Montero hit .294/ 16 HR/ 59 RBI. For a catcher those are pretty good stats, and most of that came in the second half of last year.
Round 14. Pick 157 - Leo Nunez RP Marlins - I stayed closer happy, this time I was worried Wagner wouldn't be enough. Usually whoever is closing for the Marlins gets a ton of saves. Nunez had 26 saves last year for them, but his era was 4.06 a tad high but something that could be worked with. He could be one of those players you never hear about but ends up with 40 saves at the end of the season.
Round 15. Pick 180 - Jorge Cantu 1B/3B Marlins - Another Marlin for my team. I was looking at depth here with the pick. Cantu can be plugged in at 1B or 3B and last year hit .289/ 16 HR/ 100 RBI. He hit 29 HR the year before so I look for the power to increase a tad more, but having a guy with 100 RBI for a back up is a good thing to have.
Round 16. Pick 181 - David Price SP Rays - I went out on a limb, going with potential here instead of picking a more established player. I was so close to going with former Ray Scott Kazmir but instead felt that Price could be less injury prone and have a break out season that is expected of him. Last year Price managed to go 10-7/ 4.24 ERA/ 102 K's. Not sure if this pick will pan out but it could be a great pick if I am right.
Round 17. Pick 204 - Nick Swisher 1B/OF Yankees - Once again he plays on the Yankees and the guy can still hit. Now he can take on a bigger role since Damon, Matsui, and Cabrera are out of NY. He plays in that ballpark where runs come a plenty too. Last year he hit .249/ 29 HR/ 82 RBI not too bad, imagine if he hits .300 he could easily get 100 RBI on what I think is the best line-up in the majors.
Round 18. Pick 205 - Ryan Franklin RP Cardinals - I am not sure anyone (including myself) didn't notice Franklin still on the board, I would have most likely picked him over Nunez had I known he was still available. The guy was lights out for the Cardinals in his all-star season of 09. He had 38 saves and a 1.92 ERA. I think this could be a steal for me, a almost 40 save guy going in the 18th round.
Round 19. Pick 228 - Carlos Quintin OF White Sox - It was getting down to picking injured guys on the comeback or sleepers at this point. I went with Quintin who despite being injured for a lot of last season still hit 21 HR and 56 RBI, in 99 games. I am hoping for a comeback season where he can get back to his 2008 numbers of .288/ 36HR / 100 RBI. I was also looking at his profile and it said he was tearing up preseason pitchers so I felt okay taking this pick.
Round 20. Pick 229 - Jhonny Peralta 3B/SS Indians - I was looking for depth at SS with this pick, and as an added bonus he can be plugged in at 3B too. He is on a pretty bad Indians team so he should get pitched too. He is a good RBI guy, topping 70 or more RBI in the last three years. Last year he hit .254/ 11HR / 83 RBI. I think it also could have been an off year seeing as how he had 23 HR in 08. I hope he is worth keeping on my team.
(Opps! I forgot to say Pick 252 and 253....Franklin Gutierrez and Erik Bedard...just so you know!)
Round 21. Pick 276 - Nick Blackburn SP Twins - I had the last pick of the draft and I made sure to stick it out. I really had no idea what to do with the pick. I was just scanning down the players still available and Blackburn's name came up. I took him with the last overall pick and he has now become my drafts Mr. Irrelevant. Blackburn has gone 11-11 the last two years, which I found odd. He could be on the verge of having a break out season maybe getting 15 wins or so. This is also guy who I can drop and pick up someone else.
So that was my fantasy draft, remember it's always fun to make your own picks!
First off I was drafting 12th of out 12 teams, that sucked! The draft is set up as a snake system meaning I would draft 12 and then 13 and it wouldn't be my turn again for 22 picks. I had a lot of waiting to do and when it was finally my turn I had to make two picks back to back, which sometimes was stress inducing.
Round 1. Pick 1
2 - Ryan Howard 1B Phillies - I do not think this pick needs much explanation. I was really surprised that he was even still available at pick number 12 overall. If you didn't know he anchors one of the best hitting teams in baseball and hit .279/ 45 HR/ 141 RBI last year.Round 2. Pick 13 - Felix Hernandez SP Mariners - I ended up taking quite a few Mariners this draft but none better then King Felix. He is going into the prime of his career and is playing with an improved team. He has played 5 seasons and is still only 24 years old. I found the guy to anchor my starting pitching. Felix was 19-5/ 2.49 ERA/ 217 K's last year.
Round 3. Pick 36 - Joey Votto 1B Reds - I know it was a little odd for me to pick up another big hitting 1B so high and yes it could be a stretch but I think Votto could have a huge year on a good hitting Reds squad. Last year he hit .322/ 25 HR/ 84 RBI playing in only 131 games. I figure with a full season and the new help he can put up even better numbers. I have UTIL positions so he will be there or play when Howard is off.
Round 4. Pick 37 - Zack Greinke SP Royals - Its not usual to grab Cy young picthers in the 4th round but I somehow got lucky and nabbed Greinke
to go along with Hernandez, forming what should be a great tandem of starters. The AL Cy Young award winner was almost who I picked over Hernandez and I was so shocked to still see him I just had to take him. My early strategy was to take one hitter and pitcher and I think I got some great players. I do have some worries, like he plays on the Royals and most likely will not match last years numbers (16-8/ 2.16 ERA/ 242 K's).Round 5. Pick 60 - Carlos Lee OF Astros - I have always wanted Lee on my team, is very consistent in his numbers and that is something I value for fantasy baseball. He plays in that small stadium in Houston and the Astros can score some runs. He will lead my Outfield squad. Last year he hit .300/ 26HR/ 102 RBI.
Round 6. Pick 61 - Robinson Cano 2B Yankees - I couldn't resist the skilled position this time around. I was thinking that I wasn't getting any 2B/SS/3B so I nabbed up Cano. He is on the Yankees which means he will have a lot of run and RBI chances. Last year he hit .320/ 25HR/ 85 RBI/ 103 Runs. The Yanks are stacked again this year so I am hoping for similar type numbers if anything he should score a lot.
Round 7. Pick 84- Josh Johnson SP Marlins - I had a hard time pulling the trigger on this one, I saw a personal favorite of mine still on the board in Giants SP Matt Cain but decided to go with Johnson. I could be kicking myself of this but Johnson is the Marlins ace and had an all-star season last year, going 15-5/ 3.23 ERA/ 191 K's. Did I make the right pick, only time will tell. I hope they both go great.
Round 8. Pick 85 - Chone Figgins 3B Mariners - Went for some speed and runs here. Chone plays 3B, you usually don't get a ton of stolen bases from that position. Plus he is hitting in front of or behind Ichiro now which either way should help him. He is also playing in the same division he was in his whole career and knows the Angels. I got my 3B off the board with this pick. Last year Chone hit .298/54 RBI/ 114 Runs/ 42 Stolen Bases.
Round 9. Pick 108 - Francisco Cordero RP Reds - I nabbed my first save guy and a pretty good one at that. Cordero is a great save guy last year he had 39 saves and a 2.16 ERA for the Reds. I felt it best to get someone who is pretty consistent for this position and went with the established save guy over less unknown players like David Aardsma.
Round 10. Pick 109 - Shane Victorino OF Phillies - Victorino also plays for the Phillies and is sure to score a lot of runs and steal some bases. He is a good in just about every category (sans HRs). He gave me a second OF player, last year he hit .292/10 HR/ 62 RBI/ 102 Runs/ 25 SB for the Phiilies. I look for my #1 pick to knock this guy in a lot more in 2010.
Round 11. Pick 132 - Elvis Andrus SS Rangers - Another players on a great offensive team, Andrus was a rookie last year and hit .267/ 6 HR/ 40 RBI/ 72 Runs/ 33 SB. I am hoping that he will be able to score more runs and get some more SB's this year. I put off getting a SS for a while but think that Andrus could help in the SB category that I usually overlook.
Round 12. Pick 133 - Billy Wagner RP Braves - Wagner who used to be one of the best save guys made a come back last year and is now penciled in as the Braves stopper. He is a nice comeback story which I hope pays off. I think I went on a tad of a stretch here, but save guys were being taken and I didn't want to get left out.
Round 13. Pick 156 - Miguel Montero C Diamondbacks - Catchers usually only have around 5 guys who can really make an impact on your fantasy team. I am the type who likes to take a big hitting Catcher early but I sort of waited it out this year and I think for waiting this long I got a good player. I had Montero on my fantasy team last year in the second half and he was pretty amazing. Montero hit .294/ 16 HR/ 59 RBI. For a catcher those are pretty good stats, and most of that came in the second half of last year.
Round 14. Pick 157 - Leo Nunez RP Marlins - I stayed closer happy, this time I was worried Wagner wouldn't be enough. Usually whoever is closing for the Marlins gets a ton of saves. Nunez had 26 saves last year for them, but his era was 4.06 a tad high but something that could be worked with. He could be one of those players you never hear about but ends up with 40 saves at the end of the season.
Round 15. Pick 180 - Jorge Cantu 1B/3B Marlins - Another Marlin for my team. I was looking at depth here with the pick. Cantu can be plugged in at 1B or 3B and last year hit .289/ 16 HR/ 100 RBI. He hit 29 HR the year before so I look for the power to increase a tad more, but having a guy with 100 RBI for a back up is a good thing to have.
Round 16. Pick 181 - David Price SP Rays - I went out on a limb, going with potential here instead of picking a more established player. I was so close to going with former Ray Scott Kazmir but instead felt that Price could be less injury prone and have a break out season that is expected of him. Last year Price managed to go 10-7/ 4.24 ERA/ 102 K's. Not sure if this pick will pan out but it could be a great pick if I am right.
Round 17. Pick 204 - Nick Swisher 1B/OF Yankees - Once again he plays on the Yankees and the guy can still hit. Now he can take on a bigger role since Damon, Matsui, and Cabrera are out of NY. He plays in that ballpark where runs come a plenty too. Last year he hit .249/ 29 HR/ 82 RBI not too bad, imagine if he hits .300 he could easily get 100 RBI on what I think is the best line-up in the majors.Round 18. Pick 205 - Ryan Franklin RP Cardinals - I am not sure anyone (including myself) didn't notice Franklin still on the board, I would have most likely picked him over Nunez had I known he was still available. The guy was lights out for the Cardinals in his all-star season of 09. He had 38 saves and a 1.92 ERA. I think this could be a steal for me, a almost 40 save guy going in the 18th round.
Round 19. Pick 228 - Carlos Quintin OF White Sox - It was getting down to picking injured guys on the comeback or sleepers at this point. I went with Quintin who despite being injured for a lot of last season still hit 21 HR and 56 RBI, in 99 games. I am hoping for a comeback season where he can get back to his 2008 numbers of .288/ 36HR / 100 RBI. I was also looking at his profile and it said he was tearing up preseason pitchers so I felt okay taking this pick.
Round 20. Pick 229 - Jhonny Peralta 3B/SS Indians - I was looking for depth at SS with this pick, and as an added bonus he can be plugged in at 3B too. He is on a pretty bad Indians team so he should get pitched too. He is a good RBI guy, topping 70 or more RBI in the last three years. Last year he hit .254/ 11HR / 83 RBI. I think it also could have been an off year seeing as how he had 23 HR in 08. I hope he is worth keeping on my team.
(Opps! I forgot to say Pick 252 and 253....Franklin Gutierrez and Erik Bedard...just so you know!)
Round 21. Pick 276 - Nick Blackburn SP Twins - I had the last pick of the draft and I made sure to stick it out. I really had no idea what to do with the pick. I was just scanning down the players still available and Blackburn's name came up. I took him with the last overall pick and he has now become my drafts Mr. Irrelevant. Blackburn has gone 11-11 the last two years, which I found odd. He could be on the verge of having a break out season maybe getting 15 wins or so. This is also guy who I can drop and pick up someone else.
So that was my fantasy draft, remember it's always fun to make your own picks!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Carr?
So the Arizona Cardinals have been the class of the NFC West for the last two years. They made the superbowl the year before last, and this year they ended up winning a crazy home game and advancing but eventually losing to super bowl champions, New Orleans Saints. The team has been turned around since that game.1. The biggest hit (in my eyes) is losing veteran QB Kurt Warner. He was savy and could throw the ball amazingly well in his later years. Having 2 great WR's (Bolding and Fitzgerald) did help, but he really lead the team and was a huge reason they turned it around and made the Superbowl. Taking over for Warner, at this point, is Matt Lienart. Funny enough Leinart could have been a 49er, if he decided to come out a year early. Instead he chose to stay at USC, enrolled in one class, salsa dancing, I believe and try to win another championship. He lost to Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns in what is one of the best college football games in a long time. So back to the point, having an unproven starter now (they could get a older veteran to play QB as well) at QB should hurt them.
2. They also lost Pro Bowl WR Anquan Boldin, he was traded to Baltimore for a 3rd and 4th round pick. This makes me think two things: First they do have another good WR in Steve Breaston but losing Boldin should hurt, the guy was a beast and always reliable when playing even before Fitzgerald was added to the team. I think teams can now play the pass better knowing Warner isn't there to throw and less weapons on offense. The second thing is that I do not understand trading in the NFL. It seems that almost anyone could be had for a 3rd round choice. Example would be Randy Moss a few years back. There is talks that WR Brandon Marshall may go to the Seahawks for the 6th pick overall, my only question is why would you NOT do that? You could draft a total bust #6 overall OR you could get one of the best WR in the league.
3. They lost good players on defense. Saftey Antrel Rolle was released because he had a 4 million dollar bonus coming his way. Rolle has signed on with the Giants since. Arizona has some weakness on playing the pass last season I cant see how this will help them in anyway. They also lost veteran LB Karlos Dansby today, he signed with the Dolphins. Both of these players are not the best at their positions but they are ranked pretty high and losing them will do nothing but hurt the Cardinals.
So back to my point, now that we have the class on our division down and we can easily make a few moves and take over the NFC West, so what did the niners do... WE SIGNED QB DAVID CARR! I am not the only one who thought the signing was bad. Patrick Willis wrote on his twitter: “We have 3 QBs that are better (than) him. That’s a waste of his time.”
Wow...I read that earlier and still do not see how it makes a lot of sense. Yes, we get a veteran QB for back-up, but is that something we needed to do? There is talk that this will mean the end of Shaun Hill as a 49er. So now we are rolling with the #1 pick in the 2002 draft and the #1 pick in the 2005 draft at one position.
Argh okay I just hope Carr doesn't ever have to play extended period of time. And I am not saying that niners are done signing players but I just was hoping for a bigger splash, there is no salary cap this year. The salary cap was the niners biggest foe back in the day, they would sign whoever would make them better back then and the only thing keeping them down was not being able to spend more because of the salary cap.
As far as I see they are still selling out every game, so the spending should be coming. Why not go after someone like Brandon Marshall, we have two first round picks, we could easily give up one for him and be set at WR with Marshall and Crabtree for many years. Plus it would give Alex Smith no excuses for not having anyone to throw the ball too (Pro Bowl TE Vernon Davis, Pro Bowl RB Frank Gore, Up and coming WR Crabtree, and Marshall).
Ok thats my rant for the day. I just really want to see my Niners improve and overtake the rival Cardinals. This could be the year! One or two good picks or singings could lead to a lot.
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