Week 7 Real Rankings

NOTES

After an up and down start, Anal has put together two strong weeks in a row and vaulted to first place in the actual standings. Justin's squad may be onto something with 3.8 and 2.4 rankings in Pitching and 5.8 and 3.2 in Hitting.  Anal is tied in first with the Angry Pirates, who is enjoying a much nicer season this year (though not quite as good if you look at the Real Rankings).

LOC had a second tough week in a row, but this time it was Chad's hitting that let him down - finishing the week at 11.8 in hitting categories.

What can you say about Watson and the Moundmen? He had the third best week by Real Ranking and beat his opponent in Real Ranking (4.8 vs. 5.5 for Ring), yet he still lost the week, only gaining 4 wins for his efforts. Now, he had some legit poor returns in weeks 4 and 6, but as the RR show, he deserves much placement than 12th in the actual standings. Statistics don't believe in luck, so expect a rebound to at least a playoff team (pending health). That said, there's significant imbalance with the best pitching and 10th best hitting.

On that note, at the one-third mark of the season, not a bad time to look at those pitch and hit rankings and try to address any imbalances. I can post the week to week RRs if it would be helpful.

Angry and LOC battle this week, in what should be a big matchup.

Prospect season is upon us! Super 2 status will no longer hold back some of the games best young players in the next couple weeks. It's always and interesting race to the wire as the youngins come up or it's a time of great anticipation for teams who held players in NA slots all season. It's typically boom or bust and we've already seen some booms in early returns with Gallo (Moose) (Bellinger (LOC), Berrios (Montezumas), Happ (Montezumas), and Urias (One Nut).  Meanwhile, one can salivate over some of last year's NAs that turned in to keepers:  Benintendi, GSanchez, Turner, Buxton, Bregman, and WContreras.

Early season roster decisions are always difficult and some come back and bite you big time -- while other can change your fortunes for the season.  Here's a few of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the junk pile:

- OF Mike Conforto NYM (15th overall): drafted by Thor in the 18th, droped April 6. Picked up an thoroughly enjoyed by Anal since April 17th. Looks like a keeper.
- 1B Mark Reynolds COL (9th overall): undrafted, picked up by Thor (so don't feel too bad about Conforto) on April 6. Looking good for regular ABs provided production continues to be at least decent.
- 3B Joey Gallo TEX (20th overall): drafted by Thor in the 22nd, then dropped April 9. Added by Moose April 12th. Well, maybe Thor should feel bad... Fortunate for the rest of us since Thor is one of the top teams even without Gallo and Conforto. Maybe coming back to Earth here soon, even if the HRs never do.
- 1B Ryan Zimmerman WAS (11th overall):  undrafted but scooped up by LOC on April 8. Best bounceback story of the season, and no reason it can't continue at age 32 with health.
- OF Aaron Judge NYY (5th overall): drafted in the 19th by Moose. Never dropped or anything, but I  only mention it because I think Brian owes Matt Sawyer a hug for drafting him. The season maybe going south for the Meese, but this is a bright spot and seems like a keeper for years to come.
- 3B Eugenio Saurez CIN (32nd overall): undrafted, picked up by Moose on April 2nd. Between Gallo, Judge, and Saurez, you'd think Brian wouldn't still be in the basement.
- OF Avisail Garcia CHW (39th):  undrafted, added by Anal on April 10th. Still shocked to see what we're seeing and a bit skeptical, but he's always had power, so...
- OF Aaron Altherr PHI (53rd overall):  undrafted and in the minors to start the season. Brokeback picked him up on April 26th and he's been incredible ever since.
- 1B/OF Cody Bellinger LAD (89th overall): drafted by LOC in the 19th. Only mentioning because its so rare an NA actually comes up and contributes right away. This guy looks like a star.
- RP Greg Holland COL (22nd overall): undrafted, picked up by Anal April 4th. This is why waiting for RPs makes sense. Who would've though the saves leader (by far) wouldn't even be on a roster after the draft?
- SP Jason Vargas KC (47th overall):  undrafted, added by Ring on April 14th. One of the season's great rebound stories. Vargas is burying his changeup in the strikezone and producing like an ace.
- SP Alex Wood LAD (50th overall): drafted by Cowhide in the 19th, dropped three days after the draft, picked up by Donkey on April 20, which is roughly the last time he let up an earned run.
- SP Derek Holland CHW (76th overall): undrafted, added by Thor on April 24th. This seems as improbably as any of these, but he hasn't digressed. Another big pickup.