Cy Young Award

And if you're going to recognize the MVP in 1990 you HAVE to recognize the Cy Young Award.  The criteria for selecting the Cy Young is "vote for whatever pitcher was most valuable to his CFCL team during the season.  The CFCL votes for and distributes our awards (most of the time) well before any announcements are made by MLB for their awards, so we're not voting in a copy cat manner.  And as you can see on the list below, in the 23 years the award has been around, the CFCL has disagreed with MLB eight times.

The thing to keep in mind is that the CFCL used to use Wins as one of the scoring categories, along with ERA, WHiP and Saves.  So a pitcher with four or five more wins that someone else was VASTLY more valuable unless their WHiP and ERA was egregiously high.  In MLB, Wins may be discounted a bit.  But in the CFCL an extra win or two (or five) could garner three or four points in just one category.  That's huge.  That may explain how Mike Hampton won the Cy Young in the CFCL in 1999 over Randy Johnson (who took the award for the first of four in a row in the NL).

Same sort of concept in 1998 when Trevor Hoffman (53 saves) beat out Tom Glavine (20 wins).  The affect of the numbers has greater meaning in the CFCL. 

Here is the list of past winners.  The 'x' next to a player identifies that that player did not win the Cy Young Award in the NL that season.

1990		Doug Drabek		Dem Rebels
1991	x	Lee Smith		Eric's Lambchops
1992		Greg Maddux		Six Packs
1993		Greg Maddux		David's Copperfields
1994		Greg Maddux		ForGoetz Me Nots
1995		Greg Maddux		ForGoetz Me Nots
1996		John Smoltz		ForGoetz Me Nots
1997		Pedro Martinez		David's Copperfields
1998	x	Trevor Hoffman		David's Copperfields
1999	x	Mike Hampton		Six Packs
2000		Randy Johnson		David's Copperfields
2001		Randy Johnson		Six Packs
2002		Randy Johnson		Matt's Hard Hats
2003		Eric Gagne		Picts
2004	x	Ben Sheets		David's Ruffins
2005		Chris Carpenter		David's Ruffins
2006	x	Roy Oswalt		DoorMatts
2007		Jake Peavy		David's Ruffins
2008	x	Johan Santana		Steve's Stones

2009    Tim Lincecum        Kenndoza Line
2010    Roy Halladay         DoorMatts
2011  x Roy Halladay         DoorMatts
2012    R.A. Dickey           Dem Rebels

Most Valuable Player

It wasn't until 1990 that we expanded our awards.  That year we added three more, one of which was the Most Valuable Player.  One might think "well, Major League Baseball already awards the MVP to the National and American Leagues, so isn't this overkill?"  The MVPs of Major League baseball have different criteria, however cryptic, for determining their MVP.

Here's our definition, which still allows a wide swath of interpretation.

CFCL Most Valuable Player

This award is presented to the team that owns the player that the CFCL owners feel was the most valuable to a Rotisserie League team. Obviously, the criteria we use is slightly different than that used in determining the MVPs in Major League baseball. However, just as in the "real" world, the criteria is vague enough to allow a wide variety of interpretations. For example, CFCL owners are free to decide for themselves whether the position a player plays should have any bearing on the voting or whether it should be based on the stats alone. The first CFCL MVP award was presented in 1990.

 

This definition points out that we may focus solely on stats, stats and position or other values.  Here are the list of past winners:

 

1990		Barry Bonds		Eric's Lambchops
1991		Howard Johnson		David's Ruffins
1992		Barry Bonds		Clark's Kents
1993		Barry Bonds		Clark's Kents
1994		Jeff Bagwell		David's Copperfields
1995		Greg Maddux Craig Biggio		ForGoetz Me Nots David's Ruffins
1996		Ellis Burks		David's Copperfields
1997		Larry Walker		ForGoetz Me Nots
1998		Sammy Sosa		Eric's Lambchops
1999		Chipper Jones		Eric's Lambchops
2000		Todd Helton		David's Ruffins
2001		Barry Bonds		DoorMatts
2002		Vladimir Guererro		David's Copperfields
2003		Albert Pujols		DoorMatts
2004		Barry Bonds		Da Paul Meisters
2005		Albert Pujols		DoorMatts
2006		Albert Pujols		DoorMatts
		Jose Reyes		Teddy's Splendid Splinters
2007		Matt Holliday		Da Paul Meisters
2008		Albert Pujols		Steve's Stones

2009     Albert Pujols             Kenndoza Line

2010     Albert Pujols             Candy Colored Clowns

2011     Matt Kemp                Mo's Red Hots

2012     Ryan Braun               Twin Killers

 

Largest Increase in Place

The final award that originated in 1985 is Largest Increase in Place.  The astute reader of this blog would say "Hold on a minute!  Didn't you just cover this yesterday?" 

Yesterday we looked at Largest Increase in Points.  Today is Largest Increase in Place.  Most people would think that if you had the largest increase in points you would have the largest increase in standings.  Not so.  In fact if you compare the list below with the list from yesterday - don't worry, I saved you the time - you will see that the awards have been handed out 28 times.  Only 15 times, or 53.5% of the time has the same team won both awards.

I will let you draw your own conclusions as to why that's the case.  Here is the list of past winners:

1985		Mudville Sluggers		+ 4 (4 - 1)
1986		Paul's Penguins		+ 3 (6 - 3)
1987		Davies' Crocketts Aces To Win		+ 2 (7 - 5) + 2 (8 - 6)
1988		David's Ruffins		+ 2 (8 - 6)
1989		Six Packs Dem Rebels		+ 2 (5 - 3) + 2 (3 - 1)
1990		Mr. Paul's Swordfish		+ 4 (8 - 4)
1991		Bald Eagles Six Packs		+ 6 (7 - 1) + 6 (8 - 2)
1992		David's Ruffins		+ 4 (6 - 2)
1993		Da Paul Meisters		+ 4 (8 - 4)
1994		Eric's Lambchops Da Paul Meisters		+ 3 (7 - 4) + 3 (4 - 1)
1995		ForGoetz Me Nots		+ 4 (9 - 5)
1996		Six Packs		+ 3 (7 - 4)
1997		Da Paul Meisters		+ 5 (8 - 3)
1998		Welsch's FlatFeet		+ 5 (10 - 5)
1999		Six Packs		+ 9 (10-1)
2000		Dem Rebels		+ 6 (8-2)
2001		Matt's Hard Hats		+ 5 (12-7)
2002		Eric's Lambchops		+ 11 (12-1)
2003		Reservoir Dogs		+ 8 (11-3)
2004		David's Copperfields		+ 9 (11-2)
2005		Kenndoza Line		+ 9 (12-3)
2006		Teddy's Splendid Splinters		+ 7 (9-2)
2007		Dem Rebels		+ 8 (12-4)
2008		Mo's Red Hots		+ 9 (11-2)

2009     Copperfields                         + 6
2010     Red Hots                               + 6
2011     Kenndoza Line                     + 6
2012     Candy Colored Clowns        + 7

Largest Increase in Points

Getting back to the CFCL Post Season Awards.  Today we look at another award that was created in 1985.  Having two seasons under our belt we had the ability to see how teams had done, compared to themselves, from the previous season.  We decided to award the team that increased their point total the most with the (creative name) Largest Increase in Points.  Pretty self explanatory.  As you can see on the list below, there have been some magnificent increases.

This award is good and bad at the same time.  In most cases, the reason for winning the award is having a good year (the good) immediately following having a really poor year (the bad).  But the overall good news should be that since we're talking about an increase from one year to the next, the team is trending in the right direction.

Two teams (Copperfields and Lambchops) increased the point total one year to the next by over 50 points.  The Kenndoza Line and Dem Rebels have the most amazing transformations, increasing an astounding 67 points from 2004 to 2005 and 65 points from 2006 to 2007 respectively!  Since we keep score in ten categories, that means they increased their place in each category an average of almost seven places.

Here's the full list starting with 1985.

1985		Dem Rebels		+ 10 points
1986		David's Copperfields		+ 9 points
1987		David's Copperfields Bald Eagles		+ 4 points
1988		Dem Rebels		+ 11.5 points
1989		Six Packs		+ 12.5 points
1990		David's Ruffins		+ 15.5 points
1991		Six Packs		+ 38 points
1992		David's Ruffins		+ 18 points
1993		Da Paul Meisters		+ 17.5 points
1994		Da Paul Meisters		+ 13 points
1995		Dem Rebels		+ 14 points
1996		Six Packs		+ 16.5 points
1997		David's Ruffins		+ 22 points
1998		Eric's Lambchops		+ 21.5 points
1999		Six Packs		+ 40 points
2000		Dem Rebels		+ 46 points
2001		Matt's Hard Hats		+ 27 points
2002		Eric's Lambchops		+ 56 points
2003		not given (change to 5x5)
2004		David's Copperfields		+ 56.5 points
2005		Kenndoza Line		+ 67 points
2006		Teddy's Splendid Splinters		+42.5 points
2007		Dem Rebels		+ 65 points
2008		Steve's Stones		+45.5 points

2009     Moore Better                          +21.5 points
2010    David's Ruffins                       +42 points
2011     Kenndoza Line                       +35.5 points
2012    Candy Colored Clowns           +42 points

New Addition to the CFCL

As was mentioned in a previous post, the off-season for most fantasy leagues is fraught with many different things.  There could be rule changes, the CFCL has post season awards (still to be completed for 2013), owners leave and ultimately, hopefully, new owners arrive.  It became official on Monday, November 4th, 2013 that the 45th team in CFCL history came to be.

Pat Chesnut and Matt Barriball joined forces, passed a rigorous application and voting process to be accepted as new owners to the CFCL.  They immediately set about the task of naming their franchise.  They narrowed it down to two possibilities, hired professional Team Naming Consultants and were unanimously told to go with:

Hey Patta Matta Swing

The name harkens us all back to our Little League days, standing in position on the field (firstbase for me) and chirping at the batter.  While the name could be cumbersome at the draft "Hey Patta Matta Swing bids .07 on Schierholtz."  "Hey Patta Matta Swing acquires Jay Bruce." etc., the team will, in casual conversation, be known as The Swing - still a nice reference to the greatest game around.

More will be learned about our new owners as they will be featured in an upcoming exclusive interview with The Monroe Doctrine.  Additionally, they are hard at work putting together their Owner Profile.

But for now we would simply like to welcome Pat and Matt to the CFCL.

Best Waiver Claim

Also in 1985 we created the Best Waiver Claim Award.  CFCL (and all fantasy owners, honestly) try to build a winning team by drafting well, making astute trades, picking up talented free agents during the season and keeping a sharp eye out for who other teams cut.  When a team cuts a player during the season, that player is on our "waiver wire".  All teams have an oppportunity to scoop up waived players (our system uses the standings in reverse to decide which claiming teams have priority).

After a while the CFCL, due to constraints of the stat service we used, did away with the in-season waiver.  But starting in 2003 we began a thing called Winter Waivers.  Mainly it was an opportunity to do some management and tweaking of our rosters during the off-season.  There is nothing better that making some roster moves in early January.  The following list includes the winners of Best Waiver Claim and Best Winter Waiver Claim.

1985		Dem Rebels
1986		Bald Eagles
1987		Paul's Penguins
1988		Twin Picks
1989		Bald Eagles
1990		Lambchops
1991		Six Packs
1992		Twin Picks
1999		Roger Cedeno (W)		DoorMatts
2000		Jeffery Hammonds (W)		Dem Rebels
2001		Mike Williams (W)		Nick's Picts
2002		Mike Williams (W)		Matt's Hard Hats
2003		Winter: Edgar Renteria		Picts
		Season: Chris Reitsma		David's Copperfields
2004		Winter: Jim Thome		Picts
		Season: Rheal Cormier		Picts
2005		Winter: Aaron Harang		Dem Rebels
		Season: Roberto Hernandez		Sludge Sundae

2006		Winter: Freddy Sanchez		Kenndoza Line
		Season: Matt Capps		Nick's Picts
2007		Winter: Manny Corpas		David's Copperfields
		Season: Rudy Seanez		David's Copperfields
2008		Winter: Lance Berkman		Nick's Picts

2009      Winter:  Skip Schumacher            David's Copperfields
2010      Winter:  Casey McGehee              Dem Rebels
2011      Winter:  Ben Francisco                 Red Hots
              Winter:  Alfonso Soriano              Graging Bulls
2012      Winter:  Kenley Jansen                Candy Colored Clowns

Most Productive Farm System

In 1985 we added an award to recognize the team that dug deep and planned for the future by picking quality minor leaguers.  In the beginning (1985, 1986, etc) we were allowed to select three minor leaguers.  Many teams in the CFCL, still trying to figure out how to pick major league talent, would look at the Chicago Tribune and see who was in the Cubs minor league system.  That's no doubt  how guys like Don Schultze, Dan Rohn and Dave Owen were selected.  Not surprisingly the owners that selected those players did not win the award.

Then in 1992 we moved to Ultra and added reserve lists, 12 initially and then our current 17.  This afforded owners to really dig deep into the minor leagues and even Japan to snatch up all the young talent available.

The Most Productive Farm System Award goes to the team who ACTIVATES the most productive players from the minors during the current baseball season.  So, for example, let's look at 2009.  The Rebels won the award with Cameron Maybin, Andrew McCutchen and Mat Latos.  The Rebels didn't select McCutchen.  They traded for him while he was still in the minors.  When McCutchen went to the show in Pittsburgh, he was part of the Rebels team and therefore the Rebels got credit for him coming from their minor league system.

It's not perfect and maybe more credit should have gone to the Ruffins, but in truth minor leaguers are traded so frequently and multiple times over it would be near impossible to track the origin of each player.

Here is the list of all the Most Productive Farm System Winners:

1985		Fred's Friars		VColeman
1986		David's Copperfields		BBonds, JGonzalez
1987		Bald Eagles		R Palmiero, J Magrane
1988		David's Copperfields		R Alomar, R Gant
1989		David's Copperfields		G Jefferies, Dw Smith, E Anthony
1990		Eric's Lambchops		D Deshields, T Ziele, S Avery
1991		Bald Eagles		W Chamberlain, A Cedeno
1992		Clark's Kents		D Nied, M Piazza
1993		Dem Rebels		J Burnitz, P Martinez, R Klesko, J Lopez
1994		David's Ruffins		C Floyd, B Hunter, JR Phillips
1995		David's Ruffins		B Pulsipher, B Barber, R Bottalico
1996		David's Ruffins		A Jones, S Rolen, B Wagner, Al Benes
1997		Dem Rebels		L Hernandez, B Keischnick, P Reese
1998		David's Ruffins		A Boone, D Gibson, A Ramirez, K Wood, M Clement, S Elarton
1999		David's Ruffins David's Copperfields		M Clement, D Gibson, O Dotel, C Hermanson, D Ward, P Bergeron, L Berkman R Belliard, B Chen, B Petrick, J Ramirez
2000		David's Copperfields		Lance Berkman, Ben Petrick, Brad Penny
2001		Matt's Hard Hats		Josh Beckett, Jimmy Rollins, Bud Smith
2002		Matt's Hard Hats David's Ruffins		Josh Beckett, Jacob Peavy, Kurt Ainsworth, Peter Bergeron Bobby Hill, Jack Cust, Sean Burroughs, Juan Cruz
2003		DoorMatts		Dontrelle Willis
2004		Ruffins		David Wright, John Buck, Todd Linden, Scott Hairston
2005		Kenndoza Line		Ryan Howard, Rickey Weeks, JD Closser, Luke Hudson
2006		David's Ruffins		Angel Guzman, Cole Hamels, Carlos Quentin, Jeremy Hermida
2007		Graging Bulls		Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Upton
2008		Candy Colored Clowns		JR Towles, Jay Bruce, Chris Perez, Blake DeWitt, Chris Volstad

2009     Dem Rebels                    Cameron Maybin, Andrew McCutchen, Mat Latos
2010     Candy Colored                Buster Posey, Starlin Castro, Yonder Alonso
             Clowns
2011     Kenndoza Line                Danny Espinosa, Craig Kimbrell, Jordan Lyles, Jerry Sands
2012     Graging Bulls                  Bryce Harper