by Absolutely Adequate » Mon Mar 08, 2004 12:20 pm
I'd put down
1. Baldelli
2. Damon
3. Pods
for this year and next. The reason that Damon drops in my rankings:
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon showed up to camp 15 pounds heavier and a lot hairier.
"It's mostly Jesus Christ," Damon said Wednesday about the physical comparisons he has heard. "And then I got a Charles Manson a couple minutes ago. I get some Grizzly Adams. It's funny how many people still recognize me with this. Going around Orlando, people know who you are and they know who you are because you're a Red Sox player."
Damon, 30, bulked up this winter. He said the weight he added was "solid muscle" and that it won't slow him down.
"It's not going to bother me at all," Damon said. "In my off-season workout, I live on a street where there's 25 mph signs and the cops get you if you go anything over. I'll wait on the side of the street ... late at night. A car starts coming, I'll race it to my house. So I know I can go at least 25. I scare the cars to speed up a little more, seeing a caveman-looking guy, long-haired, running after the car at 10 or 11 at night."
It's a wonder the cops didn't pull him over.
Someone mentioned that he put on weight and Jason Giambi lost it. "But you know, I'm gaining weight the right way," Damon said. "I'm drinking beer."
A lot of his value comes from his steals. He put on 15 pounds of beer this offseason. Now, you'll never hear me bad-mouth beer but I'm afraid that he's lost some value here.
I actually am going to take a different bent. I don't like Baldelli all that much, although I do think he will get better. My biggest problem with him is his very low OBP. Now I realize most leagues don't count this (although mine does; perhaps why I am tuned in to it), however I feel it directly affects other stats. If a guy can't get on base, he can't score runs or steal bases, which is most of Rocco's appeal.....
I would rank them this way :
Keeper -
1 Podsednik
2 Baldelli
3 Damon
One Year -
1 Damon
2 Baldelli 2a Podsednik
Hooligan1
hooligan1
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That article about Damon is hilarious!! I'll rank him even higher though because if he has been sprinting, and has added muscle to his legs he will be FASTER not slower. He may have also added some pop to his bat.
Get on the bus guys - there isnt a lot of room left on the Baldelli Hype Wagon so you want to get on early.
I have rarely seen a guy as hyped in fantasy circles as much as Rocco. Maybe he will earn it, but I doubt it - put me down for a .280 average at best and numbers down across the board from last yr. Hooligan was absolutely correct in his evaluation of Rocco - too many SOs, doesnt get on base enough, it will affect his 5x5 numbers even more this yr.
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by DaShadyOne » Mon Mar 08, 2004 12:34 am 
/mickey.gif)
