Captain's (B)log: H2HWS Week 19 - Moving Day!?

Don't adjust your screen settings, it is truly I, Ray, pinch-hitting for Chris today while he's gone for a few days, settling in his new abode, I take it. Anyhow, It's been a so-so year for me with fantasy baseball and the H2HWS in particular has been a slog. Yours truly has been hanging by a doornail to that sixth playoff spot in forever and a day... that was, until Sunday when the Ealing Eagles knocked on the door for a big win over those ailing Thrashers. Moving day, Monday? Read on...

Ealing was up 9-2 on those Apple Dumpling gang Thrashers, but this rag-tag bunch of little rascals didn't give in. After a month or two of slumber, Adrian Gonzalez busted out in a big way, combined with the ever-steady Prince Fielder, they wrestled OPS on the final day. Hunter Pence went bonkers for Ealing and they won out on 4 of 6 categories. The week turned on its head with pitching. No-decision king Randy Wolf got a rare two victories to square things in wins. Ryan Madson added a category-breaking hold. Frank Francisco and Huston Street each pitched in with a save to win saves outright. Strikeouts were won easily on the final day. Another week, another bullet dodged.

Can't say Chris has been quite as lucky, as his team is still on the fringe of the playoffs, after being held by the Missouri River Jacks, who are also having a rough go at it in the big show. Good week with the bat for Chris' boys, but Mizzou got solid all-around production thanks to Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp leading the cheers. Fine pitching performances from the Jacks. For once, Dan Haren didn't implode in August, Yovani Gallardo seemed to be more in control, and shoot, even Scott Kazmir proved useful for the win and K support. The Knights were undone by Aaron Cook's unsightly 27.00 ERA. That kind of year. Mets down, Newcastle a mess, and maybe London miss out on the playoffs? Too early to write them off; they're still five games back of sniffing my playoff spot.

**it hits the fan, but Norwich still draw and clinch a playoff spot with ease. Chris likes comparing Norwich to my H2HWS team last season, which was about formidable in every way imaginable. Have to envy Norwich for getting two breakout stars in Adam Lind and Mark Reynolds to make up for the busts that are Carlos Quentin and Aramis Ramirez. A good power surge, led by Derek Jeter, was the cause for the No coming back to take 5 of 6 offensive categories after a sluggish beginning. As for **it hits the fan with the greatest Yahoo avatar ever, he finally got something out of Grady Sizemore. That is all. Norwich couldn't get his pitching back in order and how could he, really, just check this out: Wandy Rodriguez, 22.50 ERA. Jonathan Broxton, another blown save (frustrating, I know). Matt Capps? It's a holds league, c'mon, dump him. David Aardsma. I like the guy, but he's ridden his luck for much of the year. Stockstadt won pitching comfortably and cruised on to a draw as a result.

The best of the rest, Helsinki had a hodgepodge of a week. First off, the Hitters were in cruise control, having prevailed over fourth-to-last-place Toronto by a humble margin of 7-5. However, David Wright is on the DL thanks to Matt Cain beaning him, where he joins Nelson Cruz. Don't think it'll matter much myself, I reckon, because both Aaron Hill and even Bobby Abreu have outproduced Wright. Toronto are meanwhile asking, "where in the world was this when I needed it?" Troy Tulowitzki has been swinging a hot stick, Derrek Lee still remains a surprise, Kendry Morales is still hitting round trippers, and shoot, the 5lyers got Ian Kinsler and Vlad Guerrero back. Much of what is lost for Toronto is in the pitching, which really isn't anything outside of Javier Vazquez. A good showing for the arms, but Helsinki still breeze past Toronto for 5 of 6 pitching categories.

The week's big winner was third-placed Mr. Needle, from parts unknown, although a little bird once tapped my shoulder and whispered in my ear that the lad is from Pittsburgh. I don't reckon they follow the Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates in Siberia, no? Neither team was at their best, but none more so than the Goats who got their one homerun off the bat of Howie Kendrick, I kid you not. Ryan Howard didn't just carry the Needle boys' offense, he was the offense because the rest of the bats were so darn offensive...ly stink. Tim Lincecum and Jason Marquis were the difference makers in pitching for Mr. Needle, as Dempster had to take an emergency dump in the dumpster. Johnny Cueto and Brett Anderson, however, were the proverbial billy goats for New Hampshire, which made these goats the sacrificial lambs of the week. Mmmm... I've developed an appetite for mutton now.

If the playoffs started today, not only would my pretty face be in it, but these two teams (the #4 and #5 seeds respectively) will do battle in the quarterfinals. Both teams were rather drab with the bat. Psydney finally got something besides average from Alexei Ramirez and Michael Bourn torched the basepaths as usual. Muenster relied mainly on the Cardinal sin combo of Pujols and Holliday, but got a bucket full of nothing from Brandon Phillips. It's easy to spot that Psydney won ERA/WHIP quite handily, but edged out three categories to give the Psychos the win.

Two strikeouts. That's all it took to separate The Boys from Brazil, in favor of the San Jose A's. Well, OK, you can look at the one hold as the other difference maker, but whatever. Interestingly enough, 6 of the 10 homeruns hit were from Yankee ballplayers (Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Nick Swisher). Still, San Jose had the better all-around hitting performance, as Ryan Braun and Carlos Pena stood out. Belem take the lion's share of pitching categories, thanks to the trio of Josh Beckett, CC Sabathia, and Cliff Lee. The A's got a real stinker from Jered Weaver, but his lads did enough to narrowly pull a hold and strikeouts in their favor.

H2HWS Standings (through Week 19)

Week 20 Matchups

Ealing and Missouri face stiff competition in their bid to move up to a playoff spot when they take on one of the respective top two teams. Meanwhile, two teams fighting to make the playoffs, San Jose and defending champion London, will get into a scrap and perhaps the loser takes a big blow to their postseason chances. Mr. Needle (from Pittsburgh, PA) and Muenster look to profit on facing the two worst teams record-wise while Psydney take on Toronto. Nothing is ever guaranteed here, but the Thrashers look to take out Belem before facing London and Norwich to close out the season.

That's a wrap here. Chris should be back next week and so, until then, keep your clothes on...

-Ray