Gonna Just Babble by Mike Cincotta

Gonna just babble and see where I go with this.

1st and foremost I treat BBC like a game even though it frustrates me and has ruined many a nite, much to the chagrin of Alice. When u r competitive I guess that is just the way it is, Alice, bless her, puts uP with it and no longer threatens to "shut me down." I stumbled onto BBC about 6 years ago after someone introduced me to a money Pigskin Pickem league. Since then I was hooked by the utter simplicity of the game and by the everyday grind, probably why I like it so much better than any football fantasy game.

I don't really have any overall strategies, I don't keep statistics as to how I have done in the past, just know that I have been on LB most times that I was able to concentrate on the game from start to finish. I was lucky to connect with Kevin aka foregolfing, years ago, and he has helped me when I was unable and I believe that a good west coast contact is a benefit for those late game injuries, a la Vlad last week. My major weakness in playing BBC is that I get frustrated too easily and forget that baseball is a long haul, and every so often after a particularly brutal nite I phone in my l/u the next day or 2, still reeling from the previous implosion. And of course I have to mention my penchant for last second changes, usually I do so for no reason other than making a change. This half I have vowed to take 1st instinct staff every nite and will keep to that promise.

As far as how I put a team together I always start with the PS and it really won't be news to anybody but Home team, Ks, Ballpark, opponent's strength and recent performance as well as previous matchuPs vs team are what I look at. I never look at any of the new age stats that I can't even remember the names of, involving balls in play etc, maybe that is why I am a Top 25 player and not Top 5, but like I said I keep the game simple and go mainly by instinct. I rarely if ever take a staff vs Boston/Yanks/Philly/Tampa due to their lineuPs offensive potential and don't like taking a staff when another stud is throwing against them. I usually look at the SP only, not trusting the pens of any teams. I forgot this and made a mistake that led me to drop Haren last week after the 10 run pen implosion the nite before. I also prefer NL staffs that need not face a DH. Like I said, none of this is news to anyone here.

As far as hitting goes I usually pick out 3 or 4 of the worst SPs going and try to get a few guys vs them, preferably guys that are hitting well with power and who bat near the top of the lineuP. I always look at the BvP #s and follow them only when the #s are overwhelming, often times leading to disappointment however. Ballparks come into play, Coors East now is a great option and I almost never take a bat vs a dominant SP, for instance if Hanley is 10/10 over his last 2 games and is facing Timmy I will look elsewhere. With the current value system being as dumb as it gets I have been literally doing a l/u in 5 minutes for the entire half, part of why I have become bored with BBC. I enjoy having to work on a l/u and love when I have to search for someone that nobody else will have. Unfortunately, we now are playing a game that allows us to pick an all-star at every position and that just isn't much of a challenge. I love looking at Mo's morning breakdown and just wish that the top 2 guys at every position weren't the same every day. I mean how are u supposed to take Crede over Arod when there really is no cap to worry about.

I want to thank Gomer for putting this together and for all the work that he has put into this Blog, as well as the efforts of Mo and all of the regular and/or semi regular MB posters.

2 more things that I just thought of. Because of my "always being online" and able to help out, I have been entrusted with the passwords of many of the heavy hitters (fore, gandrus, rreap, krig, bbking, emheffner, santafecard)

And last but not least, WIND.

Cya for the 2nd half. Hope they fix the values but have no confidence in that happening. Will play no matter and try for 3rd or 4th Top 20 overall.

Thanks Gomer.Peace,MikeC