2011-02-19

Meet The Contestants

















I just want to start off by saying thank you and good luck to everyone that decided to play. The field this year is packed with some tough competitors and the response was fantastic. In total, 17 ballots were entered in the 25 Man Roster Challenge. Amazingly no 2 are the same. Think about that for a second.

Don`t forget to vote on the poll for who you think will win.

Some Notes:

The following 17 players were found on every ballot:

Romero
Cecil
Morrow

Dotel
Francisco
Frasor
Rauch

Arencibia
Molina
Lind
Encarnacion
Hill
Escobar
Bautista
Snider
Davis
McDonald

8 of the competitors think the Blue Jays will open the season with a short bench and an extra arm in the bullpen.

Everyone selected Frank Fransisco or 2Frank to be the closer for the tie breaker - except Team April and Team OKBluejays - who had Jon Rauch. Not much of a tie breaker. Team GC and Team Dave didn't even bother to select their closer. As such in the event of a tie after the rosters are set and another tie after the tie breaker, we will revert back to the tie breaker from last year which was the starting rotation. I made sure they are the first two names on everyone's ballot.

I used the words "tie breaker" 4 times and the word tie 7 times in the last paragraph.

The players that were selected only once will be bolded. 

In the interests of making things more exciting, I have decided to include a prize for this year's winner of the challenge portion. An autographed 8 by 10 picture of Randy Knorr. That's right RANDY FUCKING KNORR people. Check it:

Gotta love the lens flare


Team Last Row 500's

Drabek
Rzepczynski

Camp
Carlson 
Cordero 
Purcey

Rivera
Podsednik

Team April 
Team OKBluejays

Litsch
Drabek

Camp
Carlson
Purcey
Villanueva

Rivera
Podsednik

Team BJH

Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Purcey
Reyes
Villanueva

Rivera
Podsednik

Team Darell

Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Janssen
Purcey
Rzepczynski

Podsednik
Rivera

As a side note, eight of these guys' names start with J. What's up with that? Blue Js?!?

Team Peter
Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Janssen
Purcey
Villenuava

Rivera
Podsednik

Team Jeff

Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Carlson
Purcey
Villanueva

Rivera
Podsednik

Team Jonathan 

Litsch
Rzepczynski

Camp
Carlson
Purcey
Reyes

Posednik
McCoy

Might I add, I do not want to see Pods, Jo-Jo or Carlson make the club. Obviously Drabek, Janssen, Villanueva, McGowan and even Marcus Thames represent better options. Expected outcomes:


- Jo-Jo will play a few games in April and be DFA'ed
- Drabek will be help back until mid May so as to delay start of his FA one year
- Janssen will be called up at Jo-Jo's expense
- Villanueva will be called up with the first injury or Frasor's trade (for a 3B?)
- McGowan will start the year on injured reserve and remain in Dunedin to build up his arm strength
- Pods will be our backup OF until a better solution emerges (Bautista moves back to the outfield, pushing Rivera to 4th OF)

Team James 
Jays Fan In The Carolinas

Rzepczynski
Richmond

Janssen
Reyes
Villanueva 

Lawrie 
McCoy
Patterson

Team Rob
Drabek
Rzepczynski

Camp
Janssen
Purcey

Rivera
Podsednik
McCoy

It was between McCoy and Patterson for that last spot, and although I like Patterson as a late inning defensive replacement, I went with McCoy.

Team GC 
Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Purcey
Reyes

Posednik
Mastroianni
McCoy

and yes, Juan Rivera is gone by opening day.

Team Dave

Drabek
Rzepczynski

Camp
Purcey
Villanueva

Rivera
Mastroianni
And because I think they'll acquire a 3B: Pedro Alvarez???!

Team Andy Mc

Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Purcey
Rzepczynski

Rivera
Patterson
Podsednik

Team Gregor 
Drabek
Litsch

Camp 
Purcey 
Villanueva

Rivera
Podsednik
Patterson

The final spot in the rotation is a tough one... I keep going back and forth between Rzep and Litsch.

Team Human Rain Delay 

Drabek
Litsch

Camp
Purcey
Villanueva

Rivera
Posednik
McCoy

Team Nemesis Enforcer 

Rzepczynski
Litsch

Camp
Janssen
Purcey

Rivera
Patterson
Podsednik

Seems quite a bit tougher than last year.

Team Man With The Golden Arm

Litsch
Reyes

Camp
Purcey 
Villanueva 

Rivera 
Podsednik 
McCoy 

I was just gonna pick Bautista to do everything.

9 comments:

  1. awesome! Good luck to everyone!

    I was one who was a proponent of an 8 man bullpen. However, I had a look at the players with options and figured that Jo Jo Reyes will be given an opportunity to stay with the club to at least build up some kind of value or, a la Merkin Valdez, get DFA'ed at some point.

    Funny how no one put Stewart in there somewhere. If we weren't so deep in our 'pen, I'm sure he'd be there right now.

    McCoy is my wildcard, and I'm banking on Rivera being traded at some point during ST. I'll get a huge advantage in this competition if that happens, looks like just about everyone took him.

    You think Patterson is a little upset we signed Posednik? LOL

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  2. only one team had it ALMOST exactly as i would, thats gregor, go figure the guy who writes articles for the blue jays main site haha.

    THE ONLY CHANGE I WOULD'VE MADE IS I THINK SCRABBLE WILL MAKE IT INSTEAD OF LITSH. how ironic he puts in his comments he was having a tough debate over the 2.

    i just think zip. have a phenomenal showing in arizona league & maybe hes honed his craft that much more, and litsch hasn't really played for a full season, i don't see him ready to start with the big club out of spring training

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  3. poll is broken btw, i vote & it say's i've already voted & i haven't. and it only lists 1 vote so far so probably a sign it isn't working

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  4. @Nick,
    Thanks for the heads up on the poll. I normally use PollPub but it seems they are having some issues. This is the first time and the last time I tried these guys.

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  5. Whoops, didn't get my Pods-related modifications and closer designation in in time. No worries - Pods will get in a freak kayak accident two days before opening day, opening up a spot for for Maestro Yanni.

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  6. @Xave,
    Yeah I tried to find you on twitter and sent out a reminder.....Interesting take on Pods.

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  7. @Xave,
    Totally called it man. That's crazy.

    http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110221&content_id=16693938&notebook_id=16697596&vkey=notebook_tor&c_id=tor

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  8. To the guy who put Pedro Alvarez on his jays 25 man roster.....congrats on reaching new levels of stupidity. I can't even begin to tell u how many things wrong with even suggesting it.. But adding it to ur jays 25 man roster challenge???

    Wow.

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  9. Litsch
    Rzepczynski

    Camp
    Villanueva
    Purcey

    Rivera
    Podsednik
    Patterson

    I think someone from outside the organization will be acquired and claim a bench spot, but I just picked Patterson and/or Pods for now.

    ReplyDelete