Best in categories

As we head towards the end of the first quarter of Hallucination 2006, it’s time to take a look at how our teams have evolved. As we know, through the draft, trades, and waiver pickups, our teams have taken shape in many forms. I’ve taken several categories and ranked how teams fared in each one. Of course, it’s purely subjective.

Best overall pitching:
1. Rounders: Just look at the roto points! Outstanding starters mixed with good middle relief pitchers. May lack the true closers right now but temp closers are doing the job, for the moment.
2. Bombers: Best bullpen mixed with above average starters in Sabathia and Bonderman.
3. Crazy Carl: Improved bullpen, plus King Felix, plus “the old Schilling is back”, plus two Reds pitchers who are getting oodles of run support… Not too bad!

Best overall offense:
1. Bombers: They may rank 2nd in offensive roto points, but they have a better forecast than the Firebirds, especially with Crawford getting ready to RUN. Their power and speed are both legit.
2. Firebirds: They’re hitting over their heads!!! Don’t wake them up!!!
3. Baked Beans: The speed is unmatched, the power is waiting.

Best starting pitching:
1. Rounders: It starts with Oswalt and Beckett… then Webb and Penny. Who needs 5 starters when you can get wins with setup men?
2. Oaklyn Oddballs: Santana is starting his 2nd half blitz a little early this year, Smoltz will be fine, Maddux looks like the “old Maddux,” and Clemens is lurking…
3. K9’s: The names are there. Carpenter, Willis, Zito, Mulder, and you can now add Kazmir.

Best bullpen
1. Bombers: They get saves, they get wins, they get K’s. It’s not just about saves, it’s overall production from your bullpen. The Bombers’ bullpen includes everything you want.
2. Crazy Carl/Sting: These two teams both have solid closers and will both end up in the top 3 in saves this season. Although Sting has 5 closer arms and Crazy Carl has 4, Sting has the combustible duo in Walker and Jenks… time will tell…
3. Dingle Berries: Even with the loss of Ryan the Berries still have a nice set of closers that will pile up the saves. Reitsma is the only question mark.

Best power and run production
1. Firebirds: For now, these guys are hitting above their heads. It’s a matter of time before Hawpe, Mench, Nevin, and Encarnacion start to figure out that they’re not supposed to be this good.
2. Bombers: Natural power all over the place, especially with Thome, Soriano, Glaus, and Dunn. Imagine how good they can get when Grif comes back… Scary.
3. No.1 Dawgs: Pujols, Hafner, Lee… just these 3 alone keeps you in there. So many other hitters, like Edmonds and Mauer haven’t starting hitting yet, but they will.

Best speed
1. Baked Beans: Reyes and Figgins. Any fantasy team would love to have just one of these two. Baked Beans have TWO master thieves. Like they say, “There IS honor among thieves!”
2. Crazy Carl: Furcal and Lugo join a group of power/speed guys like Beltran, Crisp and Bay. Nice combination!
3. Dingle Berries: Something like “Crazy Carl-lite.” Ichiro and Taveras join a group of power/speed guys like Sizemore, Lopez, and Beltre.

Best overall team: (See the current point rankings)
1. Rounders
2. Bombers
3. Firebirds

Next best teams that could supplant the current top 3:
1. Baked Beans
2. Dingle Berries
3. K9s

Teams that WILL improve the most in the next few weeks:
1. Crazy Carl
2. Oaklyn Oddballs
3. Sting