Strange but true feats of the 2012 MLB season

Entertaining 2012 recap by Jayson Stark.

Ryan Freel

Zaps and Buckeyes trade

The Zaps traded Chris Capuano to the Buckeyes for pick 62.

Killer Bees and Warpigs trade

The Killer Bees traded Cliff Lee to the Warpigs for Freddie Freeman, Jerry Hairston, picks 85, 101, 117, 136, 144, 149, and 165.

FFTs and Fungoes trade

The FFTs traded Rajai Davis to the Fungoes for pick 155.

Probable Cuts

If you already know certain players who won't make your team, email me their names and I will move them to the bottom of the spreadsheet. I won't delete them yet, but it will separate them from your keepers, making it easier for everyone to see your roster. I've already done it for mine. Click here to see.

Uncarded Players

I changed the roster page. The highlighted players HAD been players who had been traded. The highlights now represent players without cards. You'll need a reserve pick for each of these you keep. Please check your roster and let me know of anyone I have overlooked.

Nads and Inmates trade

The Nads traded A.J. Pierzynski to the Inmates for picks 38 and 99.

FFTs and Zaps trade

The FFTs traded Geovanny Soto to the Zaps for pick 132.

FFTs and Bees trade

The FFTs traded Ervin Santana to the Bees for pick 154.

You're the One!

As far as I can tell, there were 49 1's given this year (pitchers excluded). That's 44 different players, 40 of whom are already on teams in NASOMA. Mike Trout of the Fungoes and Ben Revere of the Nads received 1's in all three outfield spots. Hard to believe that the Drillers got a 1 at 3b and it WASN'T Longoria. Ditto with the Rhinos at ss (it wasn't Tulo) and cf (not Kemp).

This is how they break down...

Warpigs (7) - c, 1b, 2b, ss(2), cf(2)
Inmates (5) - 1b, 2b, 3b, lf, cf
Rhinos (5) - 1b, 2b, ss, lf, cf
Mavs (4) - 1b, ss, cf, rf
Drillers (3) - 3b, cf, rf
FFTs (2) - c, ss
Fungoes (2) - c, of
Nads (2) - 1b, of
Sidewinders (2) - 2b, cf
Wahoos (2) - 2b, rf
Goofs (2) - 2b, rf
Bees (2) - lf, cf
DVs (1) - ss
Zaps (1) - cf
Tweeners and Buckeyes did not have any 1's.

There were 4 players receiving 1's who will be in the draft:
Adam LaRoche, 1b
Freddy Galvis, 2b
Andrelton Simmons, ss (Really? With all the young ss's taken last year in the draft, and nobody took this guy?)
Gregor Blanco, lf/rf

Trades

They are repaving our alley and have been for a week. In the process, they have cut our AT&T U-verse WiFi twice. If I have failed to get your trade posted this week, that's why. Email me and remind me.

These two trades were made this week:

The Wahoos traded Nick Swisher, Justin Masterson, Trevor Bauer, a reserve spot, and pick 74 to the FFTs for Anibal Sanchez, pick 20, and pick 67.

The FFTs also traded Freddie Freeman back to the Warpigs for Jesus Montero.

League Leaders

Individual hitting and pitching leaders are posted on the main page of our website. Just scroll down.

Warpigs and Rhinos trade

The Warpigs traded Blake Beavan to the Rhinos for Nate Schierholtz.

Things I (the DVs) learned at this year's playoffs...

Check out the clown in the middle

1. The Rhinos have very durable glasses – however he might want to consider contacts (and throwing your hat on the floor is much more convenient)

2. The Tweeners could consider a second career as an opera singer – or at least a backup gig at Silver Dollar City

3. I really love my dogs – but the Fungoes REALLY REALLY love their dogs – getting up at 3AM to feed them ? Wow.

4. It takes much longer to unpucker your sphincter after navigating the Rhino lineup than it does to pucker it when they roll on those cards

5. “#” readings on the fielding chart are a Godsend

6. Whenever there are more than 2 NASOMA managers together, there will be trade talk

7. As a statistician, the Nads are a tremendous musician

 

8. The Tweeners can pose for a photo shoot with the best of 'em.

An even better Tweener pose

Buckeyes and FFTs Trade

The Buckeyes traded Hunter Pence to the FFTs for David Ross and Edinson Volquez.

Buckeyes and Wahoos Trade

The Wahoos traded Ricky Nolasco, Devin Mesoraco, and pick 115 to the Buckeyes for Wilson Betemit and a 2014 5th round pick.

World Series - Rhinos vs DVs

The 2012 NASOMA World Series features two teams looking for their first Higdon Award. The Series opens at Propeller Park.

Game 1 @ Propeller Park- Rhinos win 8-3. The Rhinos never trailed. Joey Votto homered twice. Tim Hudson got the win.

Game 2 @ Propeller Park - DVs win 6-4. Allen Craig, Aramis Ramirez, and Brian McCann all homer for the DVs, but it took a missed 1-10 homer by Ryan Braun in the 7th to get the win for the DVs.

Game 3 @ The Rhino Preservation - Rhinos win 1-0. With two amazing sets of hitters on both clubs - and playing in a hitter's park, the chances of a 1-0 game were almost non-existent. And yet... an 8th inning homer by Troy Tulowitzki provided the only run of the game. Earlier, J.J. Hardy missed a 1-15 ballpark homer chance with two men on. Just before the 20-sided roll, Colonel Rhino called out from across the table, "Roll the 20!" And of course, he did. Or, as the DVs said, "What do you expect from an ex-Mav?"

Game 4 @ The Rhino Preservation - DVs win 10-6. The Rhinos jumped out early with a 1st inning grand slam by Alex Rodriguez, but the DVs did the DV grind, inching their way back into the game. The go ahead runs scored in an exciting/frustrating 6th inning. The DVs loaded the bases on 3 walks. The Rhinos brought in Axford to face Granderson, and the DVs countered with Jesus Montero. Montero rolled a 2b-x. Cano is a 1, but with the infield in, the roll resulted in a 2-run single to put the DVs ahead. After another walk to re-load the bases, the DVs rolled 1b-x. Votto is also a 1, but again the infield was in and again the ball zipped past him for another 2-run single. Pandemonium ensued. J.J. Hardy, the ex-Mav, hit a 2-run dinger in the top of the 9th to seal the win. Series tied 2-2.

Game 5 @ The Rhino Preservation - DVs win 5-3. The crucial game 5 started with a leadoff homer by Granderson. Stanton added a 2-run homer in the 4th, but the Rhinos came back with 3 runs in the bottom of the 4th, the last 2 on a home run by Tulowitzki. The go ahead run scored in the top of the 5th on bases loaded walk by Alejandro De Aza. Blanco hit one out in the 8th for the 2-run cushion. The DVs lead 3 games to 2, heading home for game 6.

Game 6 @ Propeller Park - The DVs are the champs! Jered Weaver and Daniel Bard combined to throw a 1-hit shutout in the deciding game, and the only run of the game scored when Aramis Ramirez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The 1 Rhino hit was a single 1-6 on Braun's card.

Congratulations to the DVs on their first title!

Round 2 - DVs vs Tweeners

The winner advances to play the Rhinos in the World Series.

Game 1 @ Propeller Park - DVs win 6-0. Jered Weaver throws a complete game, 5-hitter for the shutout. Mike Stanton hit 2 doubles. "Said the DV manager, "I think my goal this series will be to NOT use a single reliever. Or maybe to NOT allow a run. I can't decide. Both maybe. After all, I can do pretty much whatever I want against this team."

Game 2 @ Propeller Park - DVs win 11-9. Ian Kinsler hit two home runs, including an 8th inning grand slam to bring the DVs from behind to win game 2. Matt Holliday also homered twice for the DVs. Four different Tweeners homered.

Game 3 @ The HooverDome - Tweeners win 3-1. Gio Gonzalez allows only 1 hit over 6 innings.

Game 4 @ The HooverDome - Tweeners win 3-2. DVs get to D.Hudson for 2 in the first but that is all the Tweener pitchers allow. Tweeners score 1 in the fourth and 2 in the seventh on a 2-run homer by Hundley. Romo picks up the win in relief while Hanranhan collects the save. Weaver takes the loss.

Game 5 @ The HooverDome - Tweeners win 13-6. The DVs draw first blood, scoring 2 in the second off of King Felix, but the Tweeners come back with a vengence scoring 8 in the bottom half of the inning chasing Halladay and sending the Tweeners to a game 5 win 13 - 6. Halladay is saddled with the loss while the King picks up the win. Tweeners homer three times in the 2nd inning - the last one a Grand Salami hit by Morse. Venable hits three homers for the Tweeners, Hundley hits two homers and Victorino knocks one as well for the Tweeners. 6 RBI for Venable! DV hitters hit three Homers in a losing cause. The Tweeners are one win away from the World Series!

Game 6 @ Propeller Park - DVs win 6-4. The Tweeners start the scoring with a run in the top of the first. The DVs answer in the bottom half with a run of their own. The lead went back and forth from there. The Tweeners scored 1 in the 3rd. The DVs scored 2 in the 5th. The Tweeners scored 2 in the 7th. The DVs scored 2 in their half of the 7th. The DVs then added a run in the eighth to round out the scoring. Clippard picks up the win for the DVs while Bard gets the save. Oliver takes the loss for the Tweeners. The Tweeners are one win away from the World Series!

Game 7 @ Propeller Park - A game 7 for the ages! An epic battle with D.Hudson starting for the Tweeners and Weaver taking the mound for the DVs. Both teams break out with 4-run first innings. Zobrist hits a Grand Slam for the Tweeners in the first while Ramirez hits a 3-run shot for the DVs! Hundley hits a 2-run blast for the Tweeners in the second inning, Hundley's 5th Homer of the series! The Tweeners plate another run in the third taking a 7-4 lead. Stanton homers for the DVs in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 7-5.  It was still 7-5 entering the bottom of the ninth when Hanrahan allowed a lead off  homer to McCann. Granderson walked and scored the tying run on a Holliday double. Oliver came in for the Tweeners and salvaged a tie, sending the game into extra innings. Curtis Granderson ended the series in historic fashion in the 11th inning with a walkoff 2-run blast off Oliver.  Madson, the last available pitcher for the DVs, earned the win in relief for the DVs. The DVs move on to the World Series against the Rhinos. The Tweeners are one win away from the World Series!

 

Round 2 - Buckeyes vs Rhinos

The Buckeye piano recital ran long. Apparently he missed a few notes. But he's here now... Game on!

Game 1 @ Buckeye Ballyard - Buckeyes win 3-1. Alfredo Aceves shuts down the powerful Rhino offense. ARod homered for the only Rhino run.

Game 2 @ Buckeye Ballyard - Rhinos win 5-4 in 10 innings. Robinson Cano hit a bases loaded sac fly in the top of the 10th, and the Rhinos overcame a single and double in the bottom of the inning. Tulo and Kemp homered for the Rhinos.

Game 3 @ The Rhino Preservation - Rhinos win 12-1. The Rhinos unload on Chris Carpenter. Tulo and Kemp both homer for the second consecutive game. Tim Hudson and C.C. Sabathia combine for the win.

Game 4 @ The Rhino Preservation - Rhinos win 4-2. This time the homers were by Kemp and Markakis. Edwin Jackson gets the win. Octavio Dotel gets the save. The Rhinos lead 3 games to 1.

Game 5 @ The Rhino Preservation - Rhinos win 7-2 to advance to the World Series. Joey Votto doubled in a run in the first, then hit a grand slam in the 2nd and the celebration was on. Matt Garza got the complete game victory.

Round 1 - Tweeners vs Drillers

The Driller Dude finally showed up. Let the games begin...

Game 1 @ The HooverDome - Tweeners win 4-3. Felix Hernandez goes 7 innings, allowing only 4 hits. Sergio Romo gets the save. The Tweeners had only 6 hits, but 5 of them came in the 4th inning. Buster Posey homered for the Drillers.

Game 2 @ The HooverDome - Drillers win 5-3. Javier Vazquez gets the win. Cristhian Martinez earned the save. The Tweeners outhit the Drillers 9-7, but issued 10 walks.

Game 3 @ The Driller Mud Pit - Tweeners win 7-4. Daniel Hudson outpitches Ricky Romero. Darren Oliver got the save when Ellsbury missed a HR 1-8 in the 9th. Ellsbury had already homered and doubled earlier in the game. Ben Zobrist hit a 3-run homer for the Tweeners and Corey Hart hit a solo shot.

Game 4 @ The Driller Mud Pit - Drillers win 3-1. The Drillers had only 4 hits, but one of them was a 3-run homer by Jay Sidewinder Bruce. Dan Haren goes 6 for the win. Martinez gets his second save.

Game 5 @ The Driller Mud Pit - Tweeners win 9-2. Felix Hernandez wins again, and Pablo Sandoval goes 4-5. Headed back to Tweenerville.

Game 6 @ The HooverDome - Drillers win 6-3. The Drillers had two 3-run innings and Javier Vazquez pitched well again, evening up the series and sending it to a game 7.

Game 7 @ The HooverDome - Tweeners win 3-2 in 11 innings to advance to the 2nd round. The winning run scored when Mark Reynolds lofted a fly ball over the drawn in outfield to plate Zack Cozart. The Tweeners will meet the DVs in Round 2.