Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Trade Deadline Review: 1998-1999

This is the fourth in a series of posts taking a look at the trade deadline action in each season during the CFCL’s first 29 years. Specifically, for each season we’ll look at each team’s trading turnover in the 3-4 weeks before the trading deadline. Individual deals will continue to be listed (though not analyzed) in the “This Week in CFCL History” posts.

Previous posts in this series:

1: 1984-1987
2: 2001
3: 2002

Today, we’re going to hop back a bit, and revisit the trade deadlines for 1998 and 1999.

1998
Trade Deadline: August 4 (first Tuesday after July 31)
Number of Teams / Number of Trades: 5 teams, 4 trades
Number of Players Changing Hands: 12
Busiest Teams: Six Packs (3 trades)
Contenders: Eric’s Lambchops, David’s Ruffins
Rebuilders: Six Packs, Steve’s Slackers

The 1998 trade deadline didn’t see a whole lot of action – only four deals – which is surprising because a month before the deadline only 12 points separated the top four teams in the league. Of those four teams, the Lambchops and Ruffins each completed trades, while the Copperfields and FlatFeet remained inactive.

That in activity may have been especially costly for the Copperfields, who fell from first to second, and missed the championship by 1.5 points.

Let’s take a look at the teams that were smart enough to actually do something…

SIX PACKS
Acquired
Traded
Results
Ruben Rivera
Bret Boone
JD Drew
1st round pick
3rd round pick
10th round pick
Raul Mondesi
Mike Lansing
Tony Eusebio
Carlos Hernandez
Hideo Nomo
Jose Mesa
5th round pick
A month before the 1998 trading deadline, the Six Packs found themselves in 8th place and spent set to work, trying to reset for the following year.  They completed a 7-player deal with the Ruffins early in July, then made a couple player-for-Rotation Draft pick deals at the deadline.
 
All three players the Six Packs acquired remained with the team the following season, and all three contributed double digits in HR and SB.
 
Rivera had the best season of his career power- and speed-wise, slugging 23 HR and stealing 18 bases, but struggled with the batting average and finished with a .195 mark.
 
Boone provided good power for a middle infielder, hitting 20 HR and adding 14 SB.
 
Drew, in his first full season, hit 13 HR and stole 19 bases.
 
It’s a good thing Rivera, Boone, and Drew all paid off, because the draft picks didn’t turn out so well.
 
With the first-rounder, the Six Packs selected Kevin Orie, who went on to hit .181 (the Six Packs had apparently forgotten their experience with Gary Scott, another Cub 3B phenom – see The Brett Barberie Incident ).  They used the third round pick to select Jesus Sanchez, who put up a 6.01 ERA, and passed when it came to use the 10th rounder.  I think the 10th round pick worked out best for them.
 
Despite the struggles in the Rotation rounds, the Six Packs’ rebuilding plan has to be considered a success – they went from worst to first and captured the 1999 CFCL Championship.
 

 STEVE’S SLACKERS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Tyler Green
John Frascatore
Shane Reynolds
2nd round pick
The Slackers weren’t quite as successful in their rebuilding efforts as the Six Packs were.
 
Frascatore didn’t make it through Winter Waivers – he was cut in order to make room for Lou Collier, a player the Slackers released prior to Draft Day 1999.
 
The Slackers kept Green going into the 1999 Draft, but he was a late cut by the Phillies in spring training and he never threw another pitch in the major leagues.
 
Perhaps predictably enough, the Slackers finished in last in 1999.
 

 ERIC’S LAMBCHOPS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Shane Reynolds
Jose Mesa
2nd round pick
Tyler Green
John Frascatore
3rd round pick
Heading into July 1998, the Lambchops sat atop the CFCL’s standings.  Three weeks into the month, and with just two weeks left before the trading deadline, they had fallen to third, so made two deals to try and regain their advantage.
 
Reynolds won 7 games for them, with a 3.46 ERA.
 
Mesa is an interesting story.  He had been traded to the National League only a week or so before the CFCL trade deadline and acquired by the Six Packs, who outbid the Lambchops for his services, .11 to .06.  The Chops, hoping Mesa might score a few saves, sent a draft pick to the Six Packs to acquire him at the trade deadline.
 
Unfortunately, Mesa didn’t make it out of a middle relief role, and he didn’t save a single game.
 
The Lambchops were never able to reclaim their lead, and finished 1998 in third place.
 
Things didn’t get much better when it came time to use the 2nd round Rotation Draft pick they had acquired.  They selected Manny Aybar, who posted a 5.47 ERA in 1999.
 

 DAVID’S RUFFINS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Raul Mondesi
Mike Lansing
Carlos Hernandez
Hideo Nomo
5th round pick
Ruben Rivera
Bret Boone
JD Drew
1st round pick
At the beginning of July, the Ruffins sat in third place, 10 points behind the league leading Copperfields.  A deal with the Six Packs gave them some a boost heading into the second half.
 
Mondesi was a power/speed threat, hitting 11 HR and stealing 10 bases, while also driving in 38 runs.  Lansing drove in 40 after the deal, hitting 8 HR and stealing 6 bases.
 
Nomo wasn’t quite as effective, winning just 4 games for the Ruffins with a 4.95 ERA.
 
The contributions of Mondesi and Lansing, though, helped the Ruffins pick up over 12 points in the offensive categories, which carried them past the Copperfields to the 1998 CFCL Championship.
 
In 1999, the Ruffins used the 5th round pick to select Greg Myers.
 


1998 Standings at Trade Deadline and End of Season (click to embiggen)

 
  
 

1999 Trade Deadline: August 3 (first Tuesday after July 31)
Number of Teams / Number of Trades: 2 teams, 1 trade
Number of Players Changing Hands: 4 players, 2 Rotation Draft picks
Busiest Teams: David’s Copperfields, DoorMatts (1 trade each) 
Contenders: DoorMatts, David’s Copperfields
Rebuilders: none

Wow – talk about a snoozer of a trade deadline. The 1999 season had become a two-team race fairly quickly, with the Six Packs and Copperfields jumping out to a double-digit lead over the rest of the field by mid-May, and it never shrank to less than that the rest of the season.

Things were tight between first and second all year long, though, which makes the lack of trading activity in the month before the deadline a bit puzzling.

The Six Packs had set themselves up well with three trades earlier in the season, including two with the Ruffins in consecutive weeks in May when they acquired Ryan Klesko, Ray Lankford, Ellis Burks, Barry Larkin, Omar Daal, Francisco Cordova, Dave Veres, and Matt Mantei.

It’s not just the lack of activity that’s surprising. The one trade that was made is fascinating in its own right … a deal made on the day of the trade deadline between two teams who were playing for the current season.

DOORMATTS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Eric Karros
Mark Grudzeilanek
Kevin Millar
Roger Cedeno
2nd round pick
7th round pick
The DoorMatts were in 6th place at the trading deadline, but this was very much a play-for-this-year move.  They had speed to spare and dealt their best SB guy for help in the other offensive categories.
 
The move paid off, as Karros and Grudzeilanek both hit over .320 and combined for 12 HR and 68 RBI the rest of the way.
 
Their contributions help the DoorMatts climb into the money, as they finished the season in 4th place.

 DAVID’S COPPERFIELDS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Roger Cedeno
2nd round pick
7th round pick
Eric Karros
Mark Grudzeilanek
Kevin Millar
At first glance, this looks like it might have been a rebuilding trade for the Copperfields, however a closer look at the category rankings shows that it was anything but.
 
On the day of the trade deadline, the Copperfields were in second place, trailing the Six Packs.  They led the league in every offensive category except Stolen Bases, where they ranked in the middle of the pack.
 
Seeing the potential for upward movement in SB, they acquired Roger Cedeno, who was leading the league at the time with 52 steals.
 
Unfortunately for the Copperfields, Cedeno promptly stopped stealing bases.  Despite starting nearly every game the rest of the season and getting on base at a .380 clip, Cedeno nabbed only 14 bases the rest of the way, which wasn’t enough to gain the Coppers even one additional point in the category, let alone rise to the top.
 
To make matters, worse, the deal had much darker implications for the Copperfields.  The race between them and the Six Packs remained tight the rest of the year, and after the final game had been played the Six Packs and Copperfields were knotted at 67 points each.  
 
Despite giving up Karros and Grudzeilanek, the Copperfields had maintained their lead in BA, HR, and RBI, so did not lose a single point there.  The Six Packs, however, had picked up a key point – they edged the DoorMatts for the top spot in SB by just 13 steals – which is a point the Six Packs might not have gotten if the DoorMatts still had Cedeno and the 14 bases he stole after the Matts dealt him to the Copperfields.  That in itself might have been enough to break the tie.
 
As it was the Copperfields and Six Packs remained tied after the first tie breaker (each team out-ranked the other in 4 scoring categories), so it came down to comparing the sum of the total AB and IP for the two teams.  The Six Packs came out on top, edging the Copperfields by less than 200.
 
If the Copperfields had kept Karros and Grudzielanek, they would have accrued an additional 270+ at-bats – more than enough to sway the tie breaker their way.
 
Despite the deal making all the sense in the world at the time, if the Copperfields DON’T make it, they probably win the 1999 Championship.
 

 
1999 Standings at Trade Deadline and End of Season (click to embiggen)

 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Meet Morkertzuma's Revenge

Back in 2008 the CFCL was in need of replacing two retiring owners (Splinters and Meisters).  Fortunately this dude saw an on-line ad an inquired about joining.  Tim Morkert came to the CFCL with tons of fantasy baseball experience.  He quickly gained the respect of the league by, among other ways, being consistently elected to the Executive Committee - a committee which handles rules interpretations and other league business.

Each year the Revenge steadily advanced up the standings, having placed 3rd the last two years.  In 2011 they held on to first until the final week of the season before the Ruffins put on a hell of a charge to take the title.  When we examined the end of the 2011 season it turns out the Revenge could have held on to the title if they had properly activate . . . wait for it . . . Brad Lincoln.

Below is a wonderful Q&A with Tim, but before we get to that, we have to share this hidden piece of history.  Not many people know that when Tim married his wife Denise, the thing that won her over was his side job.  Tim, at the time, was touring the country in a Brooks & Dunn cover band.  Tim, as you can see below, was Ronnie Dunn.


 For even more background information on Tim, you can click his team profile here.
 
Tim is absolutely one of the modern pillars of the CFCL, even if he doesn't have the guts to bid ".50" on Hanley Ramirez (in 2011).  And now it's time to meet Morkertzuma's Revenge.
 
You are currently involved in at least two fantasy baseball leagues.  The CFCL and one based in San Francisco CA.  How long have you been in the other league?
My other league, WHIFFLe (Wasting Hours in Fruitless Fantasy Leagues), started in 1993.  I’d been introduced to fantasy baseball a few years before and a few college buddies and I figured we could do this on our own.  Twenty years later, the league is as strong as ever…
What similarities are there between that league and the CFCL?
Lots of similarities.  Both leagues are NL only.  Both use an auction on draft day.  Active rosters are set up the same way.  Ten current, knowledgeable owners.
Any major differences?
I haven’t won a CFCL Championship!
Nothing compares to the intricacies of the CFCL.  The preparation to go 17 deep in the reserve draft more than helps prepare me for our 5 man reserve.  The contracts are also quite different.  My other league tacks on $5 to keep a player another year, with 4 years being the most anyone can be kept.  The $5 applies to minor leaguers as well, making it more difficult to grow a team as you can in the CFCL. I could go on and on with the differences in rules (but won’t bore anyone).
What’s your team name in the other league?
The Chicago Politicians.  My way or the highway!
How did you come to join the CFCL?
After moving back to Chicago from the Bay Area, I really was hoping to find a local group to join in fantasy baseball.  I found an ad online (Fantasy Baseball Café?) and was drawn in by the impressive history.  Sent back an email and was thrilled to be asked to join.
What is your perception of the CFCL now (2013) compared to when you joined (2008)?
I’m (a bit) less overwhelmed now.  Learning the ins and outs of the CFCL continues to be a fun, and great challenge.  I have more of an understanding and appreciation for the great history of the CFCL.  I don’t think another league like the CFCL exists anywhere.
With two consecutive 3rd place finishes, is the Revenge about to be the new dominant team of the CFCL?
Ha!  After the Revenge’s epic collapse a few years back, I will take nothing for granted…and assume nothing.  The baseball IQs and competition in this league is fantastic.  I’ll keep scrapping and fighting and hope that one year, the baseball gods will smile upon the Revenge.
In your “other” life, you’re a teacher.  Are there any skills that you have to use as a teacher that are the same as a fantasy baseball owner?
Now that is an interesting question.  In my classroom, I’ve got 23(ish) unique entities.  Each has their own personal strengths and weaknesses, that I must figure out how to best bring out.  There are days where I wish I could do an add/drop with a few of my adolescent boys! 
 

 

Monday, July 29, 2013

The CFCL Owners of 2003

Picture from left: [kneeling] Rich Bentel (Dem Rebels); Steve Olson (Steve's Stones); [standing] Matt Grage (Hard Hats); Jason Grey (Reservoir Dogs); Paul Zeledon (Da Paul Meisters); Nick Hansen (Nick's Picts); Eric Lamb (eventual 2003 CFCL Champion Lambchops); Matt Bentel (DoorMatts); Kelly Barone (Six Packs); David Mahlan (Copperfields); Bruce Ellman (Tenacious B); [not pictured but represented by the skinny white microphone - Dave Holian (Ruffins);

As with every year, there are some interesting nuggets.  The Lambchops would capture their second consecutive CFCL title.  The dynasty Copperfields, who never finished lower than 4th since 1984 would finish in 11th place.  We didn't have any new owners in 2003, but unfortunately we would be saying good-bye to the Six Packs and Tenacious B at the end of the season.

Again we drafted in the Oak Brook corporate room complete with internet connection so the Ruffins could draft remotely.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Diary of a Drafter III

You sit down at the draft table looking at nine guys who, you fear, know as much or more than you do and your job is to out-draft them.  Suddenly you have a flash back to high school finals and are convinced that you haven’t studied enough.  Thank god you wore pants so this doesn’t dive into another common nightmare.  But then you remind yourself, “I have a plan.  A strategy.  A plan of attack, if you will.”

So now you’re sure you can compete with the table, but then the Twin Killers bring up Donovan Solano.  You think, “Solano, right.  Wait?  Who?!”  Then you’re convinced you didn’t prepare enough – until Stranger Danger pays .16 for Ike Davis.  “Ok, at least I didn’t do that.”

You have a strategy, but you have to be prepared to change on the fly lest you really have a bad draft.  If your plan was to draft a big name starter but all the studs went for a higher price than you expected, you have to decide if you want to get a second-line starter or focus on relief pitching.

Or perhaps you wanted to get some power hitters.  If they’re all gone, do you overload on speed and hope to make a trade or go for a diamond in the rough who may get some power or could just as easily flame out.

The key is you don’t want to make a mistake.  So how do you avoid a mistake?  By research, gut feeling and trusting your eyes.  You read the websites, listen to the experts, check past performance (really, really not indicative of future results) and decide to play it safe by getting a “Sure Thing”.  But he won’t come cheap.

There are no “sure things” you say?  Sure there are.  Death, taxes and Matt Cain, or Cole Hamels, or Hanley Ramirez, or Tim Lincecum are about as sure as they come.  Until they’re not.

Hanley Ramirez 2011 (.49 Dem Rebels)  10 homeruns, 45 RBI, 20 SB

Matt Cain 2013 (.33 DoorMatts) 4.79 ERA, 12 QS

Cole Hamels 2013 (.39 Revenge) 4.08 ERA, 1.248 WHiP

Tim Lincecum 2012 (.37 Twin Killers) 5.18 ERA, 1.468 WHiP
 
These are just a very, very few of the purchases made over the years that didn’t pan out.  The thing is, on Draft Day no one knows it’s not going to work out.  Based on past performance, all three pitchers look fairly priced or even relative bargains.  **

 

**  Great quote from the Revenge in 2011 on the bidding for Hanley Ramirez.  “I let you have him for .49 but I just couldn’t say ‘.50’.”
 
So you do the best you can based on all the information you have around you.  And while research and planning is essential (the Copperfields didn’t win 11 championships because they guessed better than everyone else all those years), there is a definite “luck” component.  A player having a career year (hopefully unaided by PEDs), avoiding a season ending injury to a star player, an unexpected major contribution from your Reserve List, all come into play to develop the former and future CFCL Champions.
 
But at the draft, you are focused on acquiring the best players for the best value and not making any mistakes that will be legendary (see "The Ramon Martinez Incident" or the "The Brett Barberie Incident")
 
The draft ends, handshakes all around with promises that THIS will be the summer that we all get together for some event.  Then it’s the Drive of Shame when you try to convince yourself that all your marginal players will have breakout season.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

This Week in CFCL History


Here’s a look at this week in CFCL history, covering the dates July 21 to July 27.
July 21, 1987 BALD EAGLES trade Ken Griffey Jr., Candy Maldonado, and Rich Gossage to CROCKETTS for Tim Raines and Nolan Ryan.
Click here for Trade Deadline Review: 1984-1987 
 
July 21, 1987 COPPERFIELDS trade Terry Leach to ACES TO WIN for Bill Gullickson.   Click here for Trade Deadline Review: 1984-1987
 
July 22, 2003 DEM REBELS trade Eric Young to TENACIOUS B for Brandon Larson, Joe Borowski, and their 7th round Rotation Draft pick in 2004.
 
July 22, 2010 CANDY COLORED CLOWNS trade Mat Latos, Todd Helton, and Fernando Martinez to MORKERTZUMA’S REVENGE for Carlos Beltran, Francisco Cordero, and Yonder Alonso.
 
July 23, 1991 COPPERFIELDS trade Al Osuna to BALD EAGLES for Tim Crews and Gene Harris.
 
July 23. 1996 DEM REBELS trade Alex Ochoa and Mike Clark to RUFFINS for Fred McGriff.
 
July 23, 2004 HOT SLUDGE SUNDAE trade Jose Vidro and their 10th round Rotation Draft pick in 2005 to LAMBCHOPS for Wilson Alvarez and Greg Miller.
 
July 23, 2010 CANDY COLORED CLOWNS trade Ian Desmond, David Freese, and the Bulls’ 5th round Rotation Draft pick in 2011 to KENNDOZA LINE for Ian Stewart, Ricky Nolasco, and their 3rd round Rotation Draft pick.
 
July 23, 2010 KENNDOZA LINE trade Kyle McClellan, Carlos Lee, and Stephen Drew to MO’S RED HOTS for Edward Mujica, Seth Smith and their 3rd round Rotation Draft pick in 2011.
 
July 24, 2006 GRAGING BULLS trade Aaron Rowand and Aaron Sele to RED HOTS for Andre Eithier, Dustin Nippert, and their 7th round Rotation Draft pick in 2007.
 
July 24, 2010 COPPERFIELDS trade Heath Bell, Yunel Escobar, Travis Ishikawa, and Jeff Fulchino and Mitch Stetter for Ike Davis, Tony Abreu, Jhoulys Chacin Tim Stauffer, and Brett Jackson.
 
July 25, 1989 COPPERFIELDS trade Dave Magadan to PICKS for Keith Hernandez.
 
July 25, 1989 COPPERFIELDS trade Tom Foley and a first round Minor League Draft pick in 1990 to PICKS for Ryne Sandberg.
 
July 25, 1995 LAMBCHOPS trade Shane Andrews and their 5th round Rotation Draft pick in 1996 to DA PAUL MESITERS for Tom Candiotti and their 12th round Rotation Draft pick in 1996.
 
July 25, 2001 SIX PACKS trade Rich Aurilia, Brian Tollberg, Kelly Johnson, and their 1st round Rotation Draft pick in 2002 to PICTS for Sammy Sosa and Fernando Vina.
 
July 25, 2008 LAMBCHOPS trade Jon Lieber and Scott Hatteberg to KENNDOZA LINE for Jose Bautista and Matt Wise.
 
July 26, 2007 STONES trade Cliff Lee, Pat Burrell, Carlos Delgado, Roy Oswalt, Ryan Dempster, Tony Graffanino, David Wells, and their 8th and 13th round Rotation Draft picks in 2008 to KENNDOZA LINE for Matt Kemp, Fred Lewis, Ramon Martinez, Tony Abreu, Tim Lincecum, Kip Wells, Will Inman and their 4th and 7th round Rotation Draft picks in 2008.
 
July 26, 2011
GRAGING BULLS trade Aaron Harang to TWIN KILLERS for their 7th round Rotation Draft pick in 2012.
 
July 26, 2011 RUFFINS trade Mike Leake and Arodys Vizcaino to CANDY COLORED CLOWNS for Ubaldo Jimenez and Carlos Gomez.
 
July 27 2001 SIX PACKS trade Wilson Betemit, Jason Stokes, Junior Spivey, and their 10th round Rotation Draft pick in 2002 to RUFFINS for Antonio Alfonseca.
 
July 27, 2011 CANDY COLORED CLOWNS trade Drew Storen and Drew Stubbs to RUFFINS for Neil Walker and Brandon Beachy.
 
July 27, 2011 DEM REBELS trade Anibal Sanchez and their 8th round Rotation Draft pick in 2012 to GRAGING BULLS for Billy Hamilton, Mike Minor, and their 4th round Rotation Draft pick.
 
July 27, 2012 DEM REBELS trade Jason Heyward and Travis Wood to DANGER for Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Buehrle.
 

 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Trade Deadline Review: 2002

This is the third in a series of posts taking a look at the trade deadline action in each season during the CFCL’s first 29 years. Specifically, for each season we’ll look at each team’s trading turnover in the 3-4 weeks before the trading deadline. Individual deals will continue to be listed (though not analyzed) in the “This Week in CFCL History” posts.

Previous posts in this series:

1: 1984-1987
2: 2001

Now, we continue one, with 2002.

2002
Trade Deadline: July 31
Number of Teams / Number of Trades: 7 teams, 5 trades
Number of Players Changing Hands: 20
Busiest Teams: Dem Rebels (3 trades)
Contenders: Dem Rebels, Tenacious B, Eric’s Lambchops
Rebuilders: Nick’s Picts, Reservoir Dogs, Six Packs, Da Paul Meisters
2002 was the year of Trading the Gator. With the season being played out in front of a documentary film crew, you’d have thought the CFCL owners would have put on a great wheelin’ and dealin’ show. Instead, 2002 was one of the quieter trade deadlines of the early 2000s.

What’s really surprising is that, of the top 4 teams in the standings on July 1, only one – the league leading Lambchops, made any deals in the month before the deadline. Even David’s Copperfields, typically one of July’s busiest teams and in second place, 8.5 points behind the Chops at the beginning of July, did not make a single deal.

There were big changes in store for the CFCL in 2003. After 19 years of playing under standard Rotisserie scoring rules, the league was moving to non-standard 5x5 scoring in 2003. This is just speculation, but perhaps the radical category changes in the offing left rebuilding teams a bit uncertain about making big moves going into the following season. Whatever the reason, there weren’t a whole lot of deals being consummated in July 2002.

Happily for the producers of Trading the Gator,  at least one trade was captured on tape for inclusion in the documentary:  a deal between Dem Rebels and Tenacious B.

NICK’S PICTS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Luis Pineda
Nick Neugebauer
Woody Williams
13th round pick
15th round pick
All it cost the Picts to acquire Pineda and Neugebauer was the few remaining months on Woody Willams’ contract as he played out his option year and a couple late draft picks.  Still, it was a fairly empty return for the Picts, as neither player made it to Opening Day 2003.
Pineda was cut loose in October during Winter Waivers, and Neugebauer was released prior to Draft Day.
Not much was given up, so no real harm done, but as a rebuilding team the Picts didn’t help themselves much either.

 RESERVOIR DOGS
Acquired
Traded
Results
Danny Bautista
Ricky Ledee
Alex Cora
John Patterson
Kip Wells
Sammy Sosa
Roberto Alomar
Glendon Rusch
Scott Sullivan
Fantasy baseball guru Jason Grey made a big splash in his first CFCL draft, spending big on Sammy Sosa (.48), Roberto Alomar (.39), and Phil Nevin (.34).  Despite that fire power, though, they struggled right out of the gate, and after April failed to rise any higher than 10th in the standings.
July 31 found them in selling mode, as they prepared for hopefully a better year in 2003.

Cora and Ledee were both cut before the next season - Ledee in Winter Waivers and Cora prior to the Draft.

At a penny, Kip Wells proved to be a great pickup, posting a 3.28 ERA and 22 QS in 2003.  Bautista provided middling returns (.330 OBP, just over 100 TB), while Patterson bombed (6.05 ERA, splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen. 

 SIX PACKS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Tyler Houston
4th round pick
8th round pick
10th round pick
Adrian Brown
Edgardo Alfonzo
Hideo Nomo
The Six Packs had high hopes for the 2002 season, but a series of injuries left them in the second division by the time the trade deadline rolled around.
In their lone deadline deal (actually completed in early July), the Six Packs picked up catcher Tyler Houston, whom they released before Draft Day 2003, and a trio of Rotation Draft picks.
Since all three draft picks came from eventual 2002 Champions, Eric’s Lambchops, they were the last pick in each round.  Here’s how the Six Packs used them:
4th round – Russ Springer (8.31 ERA in 2003)8th round  – Oscar Villareal (7.00 ERA in 2003)10th - pass
I’m noticing a trend here … not much of value was obtained by rebuilders in 2002.

DA PAUL MEISTERS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Tim Worrell
Shawn Estes
13th round pick
Estes was playing out his final contract year, so was no use to the Meisters.
They picked up Worrell, who carried a .05 salary, and kept him going into the 2003 season where he paid healthy dividends. Worrell posted 39 HoSv and 2.87 ERA in 2003, the best season of his career.

DEM REBELS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Woody Williams
Shawn Estes
Jose Jimenez
13th round pick
13th round pick
13th round pick
15th round pick
Luis Pineda
Andy Fox
Tim Worrell
Nick Neugebauer
Pitching and 13th round draft picks, that’s what the Rebels were after in 2003.
Interestingly, despite all the draft picks they acquired, the Rebels were actually playing for 2002 with these deals.  All three pitchers they acquired were on expiring contracts.
In 6th place at the beginning of July, the Rebels were 23 points behind the leading Lambchops.  However they trailed the second place Copperfields by just 14 points, and were only 7 points from finishing in the money.  
They decided to make a move, and completed three trades during the course of the month, acquiring a pitcher and a 13th round Rotation Draft pick in 2003 in each deal (with an extra 15ht rounder thrown in for good measure).
The players they received were a mixed bag.  Williams ended up hurt for a good portion of the season’s second half, but performed well (3 Wins, 2.84 ERA) when he pitched.  Jimenez put up an ERA over 4, but did save 23 games.  Estes was terrible, though, posting a 6.00 ERA with just two Wins.
Despite the spotty performance from their trade acquisitions, the Rebels had a stellar final few months, and rose to finish the season in second place.
While all three pitchers completed their final roster year and were released at the end of the 2002 season, the Rebels did have something to show for their trades in 2003 as well – those draft picks.
Apparently targeting 13th rounders because they are the 13th is the first round in which players acquired receive a .02 salary, here’s how they worked out for the Rebels:
Meisters’ 13th–Scott EyreTenacious B 13th - Scott ThormanPicts’ 13th – Carlos Hernandez15th – Did not use
Eyre was the best of the bunch (3.32 ERA, 21 HoSv), while Thorman languished in the minors until the Rebels cut him and Hernandez put up a 6.43 ERA in limited duty.

TENACIOUS B

Acquired
Traded
Results
Sammy Sosa
Andy Fox
Roberto Alomar
Glendon Rusch
Scott Sullivan
Ricky Ledee
Alex Cora
John Patterson
Kip Wells
Jose Jimenez
Danny Bautista
13th round pick
Tenacious B made perhaps the biggest moves at the trade deadline, picking up some big names in an effort to rise above their current 5th place standing.
It didn’t work out so well for them, though.  Sosa was good, providing 17 HR and 40 RBI over the last two months, and Fox contributed 11 SB.  Rush was fine as well, posting 5 Wins with a 3.57 ERA.
Alomar was a big disappointment, though, hitting just .232 with no power or speed, while Sullivan’s ERA was over 6.00.
In the end, it was just enough to edge Tenacious B into 4th place, the last money spot. by the end of the year.

LAMBCHOPS

Acquired
Traded
Results
Adrian Brown
Edgardo Alfonzo
Hideo Nomo
Tyler Houston
4th round pick
8th round pick
10th round pick
Apparently supremely confident, the first place Lambchops completed just one small deal in early July, then stood pat the rest of the month leading up to the trading deadline.
Though there weren’t any superstars among the players the Chops acquired, all three contributed.
Alfonzo hit .312 with 12 HR and 31 RBI.  Brown was injured at the time of the trade, but he returned in September to hit a soft .333 and added 3 SB.  And Nomo won 7 games for the Chops to go with his 3.49 ERA.

In the end, the Lambchops cruised to their first CFCL Championship.
  



2002 Standings at Trade Deadline and End of Season (click to embiggen)