In part 2 of the OBFBL Keeper Rankings report, we’ll take a look at all 8 remaining teams in the rankings. I’ve also decided to add one more piece of information for each team…their average age (including both keepers and RK’s). I felt that the age was an interesting addition since a re-building team would typically aim to go for younger, high upside players, while teams aiming for an immediate run would have more established and consistent players. If those rules are broken, then a rebuild likely isn’t going well (old team, low rank) or we might have a dynasty (young team, high rank) on our hands. Since I didn’t have the ages on the first segment, here are the ages for the teams I missed:
- Whitby Poo Dogs – Avg. age = 28.1
- *5th highest team age, but last in keeper points – this team could be in line to be blown up for a full rebuild or a longshot at a title run
- Toronto Motor Boats – Avg. age = 25.0
- Brampton Blue Balls – Avg. age = 25.2
- Beaverton Gaping Gash – Avg. age = 27.9
The first four teams all have the potential to make some noise in 2012, but they are all lacking something to put them in the elite “top 4”. Unlike those in the “bottom 4” where those teams really need a lot to go right in 2012 to win the cup or to possibly even finish in the money, the “middle 4” all have a shot at the money at least and depending on their draft and first month or two, each of these teams could be buyers or sellers come May or June 2012.
Analysis: Legacy was an interesting story in 2011, with high hopes of taking home the Shooter Cup, they made some big deals before the season, but unfortunately, followed that up with a no-show on draft day and it was downhill from then on. Luckily, Legacy quickly realized that it wasn’t going to happen and was able to swap much of his early depth for a tier 1 keeper (Kemp). That, in addition to his original set, with a couple other minor tweaks, has them in decent shape, but they’ll need to either compete again soon or look for a bigger re-build as this team is aging quickly (2nd oldest) and has no younger RK’d stars coming up.
Analysis: Starlin Castro first overall!?? Asshats 2011 season started with a full day defending his selection. Today, Castro is ranked 40th overall and 4th at SS. He’s expected to improve more in 2012 and is still only 22…I think it’s fair to say that Asshats got the last word here. It’s too bad Bautista wasn’t 22, but he is top 5 with a few good years ahead. With these guys as well as Verlander/Lee to form his base, Asshats is looking for Bruce and Gio to take another jump forward and Utley to rebound and avoid injury. With Chapman and Harper on the verge of contributing, Asshats has managed to build a mid-ranked team that’s still young enough to be competitive for 3-4 more years while he adds to that strength. If Asshats were happy to finish in the money several years in a row, this team is built for it, but we all know the Shooter Cup is the only thing that gets respect in this league…does he have enough to get that far?
Analysis: LOOK at all those players Dick Dogs owned that are ranked in the 2012 top 200…that’s why he took home the Shooter Cup in 2011. Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep them all, and gets to start with a middle-of-the-pack ranking and the OBFBL’s senior team. There’s still time in his position to use the experience on his team to make another run, but if it’s not now, this team will have to go back for a major rebuild in the near future. Whenever that time comes, stars such as Tulowitzki will bring back a great haul to a team looking to make a run, but letting go of a tier 1 keeper isn’t an easy thing to do…and Howard might be the best example of what happens if you hold on to them too long. Will Dick Dogs make a run for a 2nd consecutive title, will he fall short and need to get walkers for his players or will he explore the market for one of his marketable players in exchange for some youth?
Analysis: The Tribe has a great mix of youth/experience as well as covering almost all positions on their roster. One noticeable gap is a third base keeper, which may make for a tough fill at a premiere position, but he’s given himself a lot of flexibility to draft the best player available regardless of position. With 2 RK pick’s for 2012, the Tribe are looking to maintain the youth on their team, but in the end, they might be better served dealing those picks for added depth and a higher run since the team is already very young for his position in the rankings.
Finally!! We’ve reached the top 4 teams in the keeper rankings. All of these teams have built a solid set of keepers and have set themselves up very nicely for a run at the money or the Shooter Cup championship in 2012. Three of the four has won a Shooter Cup previously, so while Super Sods may have the most motivation to win, the others won’t be easy to beat while they attempt to win their second title. These teams are only separated by 3 pts in the rankings so any one of them has a legitimate shot at this year’s SHOOTER CUP!
Analysis: Watch out for Super Sods!! An average age more than a year younger than the rest of the top 4, Super Sods has the makings of a long-term winner. Solid pitching, a roster filled with experienced and reliable, yet fairly young keepers and possibly the best young player in the game has Super Sods ready to challenge for a Shooter Cup. This is a team that barely fell short in 2011 and probably doesn’t intend to let that happen two years in a row.
Analysis: Crackheads lead the OBFBL standings for most of 2011, but his team failed down the stretch, letting not one, but two teams jump him. Crackheads made several moves late in the year to strengthen his keepers and it could be argued that the loss of depth cost him the Shooter Cup. Regardless, those moves have put him in a great position again to challenge for top spot. Crackheads has his infield set (minus catcher) and will be targeting some outfielders, but every player on this roster is near the top at their position. A couple RK picks should also provide a boost or would help to make an aging team a bit younger.
Analysis: Tied for 2nd is Dynasty, with TWO tier 1 keepers! Dynasty has clearly moved into a top spot to challenge for the Shooter Cup in 2012. With several players in the top 5 at their position, offense should not be a struggle for Dynasty unless their draft goes badly. The only gaps on this roster are an outfield with potential, but that has also had its struggles and a lack of pitching. Felix Hernandez is lacking nothing himself, but similar to his position in Seattle…if Hellickson (or Pineda) is all the help he can get, it’s going to be tough to get wins. Look for Dynasty to lock up some starting pitching in the draft, but he’s shown an ability to find some fringe players to fill that gap in the past. Dynasty will be a force to reckon with in 2012.
Analysis: Congratulations on the #1 Ranked OBFBL Keepers…Frankford Fury!! Missing a tier 1 keeper, but with 6 keepers in the top 5 tiers, it’s easy to see why Fury will be dangerous this season. While some health issues may come into play (Wright/Hanley), there’s not much I don’t like about this team. It would be nice to see Prince sign, but with talk of a one-year contract, he’d have a lot to prove and may surpass his already outstanding past success.
Summary: While the Fury has taken the top spot, by no means will they have an easy run. There are 7 teams within 6 keeper pts of each other, so this may be the tightest race in OBFBL history if the initial rankings are any indicator of how the season will play out. It’s fair to say that any team in this report could challenge for the OBFBL 2012 Shooter Cup Champion title. Let the fun begin!! Good luck to everyone! PLAY BALL.
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