Atomic RoadRunners

Up:

• CM Mat Gamel
• MI Rusty Ryal
• DH Oscar Salazar

Down:

• CM Steve Pearce
• MI Ian Desmond
• DH Josh Thole

Notes:

• This being the final week, only X-Men made any pickups, acquiring OF Tony Gwynn, Jr. to replace Orlando Hudson on the active roster. He also acquired Diamondbacks P Billy Buckner, as a reserve, which won’t really help him in this final week.
• Final tally of players on the 2009 Atomic RoadRunners: 92  Yikes!
• Number of players still on the roster from Draft Day 2009: 7 (Chris Iannetta, John Baker, Mat Gamel, Chase Headley, Josh Johnson, Madison Bumgarner, Mike Gonzalez)

FAAB Acquisitions:

• C Josh Thole, Mets ($0, active at DH)

Up:

• C Ryan Hanigan

Down:

• C Chris Iannetta
• OF Cory Sullivan

Cut:

• RP Peter Moylan

FAAB Acquisitions:

• SS Ian Desmond, Nationals ($0, active at MI)

Up:

• CM Steve Pearce

Down:

• CM Mat Gamel
• MI Oscar Salazar

Cut:

• RP Jon Rauch

FAAB Acquisitions:

• MI Oscar Salazar, Padres ($1 bid, active)
• OF Willie Harris, Nationals ($2 bid, active)
• OF Cory Sullivan, Mets ($2 bid, active)

Up:

• CM Mat Gamel

Down:

• OF Kyle Blanks
• CM Steve Pearce
• MI Rusty Ryal

Cut:

• 1B Casey Kotchman
• 1B Jeff Clement

Notes:

• I had also bid $0 on new Giants starter Brad Penny, but was outbid.  The results: $15 X-Men, $14 Misogynistic Padres, $10 Get Off Kong, $0 Atomic RoadRunners.
• I outbid Misogynistic Padres for Cory Sullivan – he bid $0.
• 1B Casey Kotchman has been reduced to a pinch-hitter for Boston, and since he’s not protectable, he’s pretty worthless.
• 1B Jeff Clement wasn’t called up due to an injury at the end of the AAA season.  Thus he’s even more worthless.
• OF Kyle Blanks is out for the season due to a broken foot.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• RP Juan Gutierrez, Diamondbacks ($12, active)

Up:

• 1B/DH Jeff Clement (to DH)
• SP Johnny Cueto

Move:

• CM Steve Pearce (from DH)

Down:

• CM Casey Kotchman
• RP Rafael Betancourt
• RP Jon Rauch

Notes:

• RP Jon Rauch was traded on August 28th from Arizona to the Minnesota Twins for SP Kevin Mulvey.
• RP Juan Gutierrez had been on the Roadrunners in April and May of 2009, but was named the de-facto closer, following the trade of Rauch, and the season-ending knee injury of D’Backs closer Chad Qualls.
• Other bidding for Gutierrez: $12 Misogynistic Padres (1st place), $10 Get Off Kong!
• I also bid $5 on new Dodgers starter Vicente Padilla, but was outbid.  He went for $10 to Misogynistic Padres
• Also, there was a last-minute trade: X-Men gets former RoadRunner Ryan Theriot, Shoeless Jews gets Matt Holliday.  This trade was within the rules, as players traded between the protection deadline and the cutoff cannot be protected. Neither could be protected in this case.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• RP Peter Moylan, Braves ($0, reserve)

Notes:

• I bid $17 on new Cardinals SP John Smoltz, but was outbid.  The results: $54 Shoeless Jews, $26 Get Off Kong!, $21 X-Men, $17 Atomic RoadRunners, $11 Misogynistic Padres, $0 Cover Zero
• I bid $17 on new Diamondbacks 1B Brandon Allen, who had already been picked up and released by X-Men earlier this year.  The results: $20 Get Off Kong!, $17 Atomic Roadrunners

Trades:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Dodgers 3B Casey Blake
• The Pi Train receives: Rockies OF Brad Hawpe, Marlins 3B Emilio Bonifacio, Marlins RP Matt Lindstrom

FAAB Acquisitions:

• C/1B Jeff Clement, Pirates ($5 bid, reserve)
• 2B Rusty Ryal, Diamondbacks ($5 bid, active at MI)

Up:

• SP Sean West
• 1B Steve Pearce (to DH)
• OF Matt Diaz (replaces Hawpe)
• RP Nick Masset (replaces Lindstrom)

Moves:

• 3B Casey Blake replaces Bonifacio

Down:

• SP Johnny Cueto

Cut:

• SP Brandon Webb
• OF John Bowker
• SS Alex Cora

Notes:

• Mets SS Alex Cora is out for the year to have surgery on both wrists
• Reds SP Johnny Cueto on the 15-Day DL for a hip pointer

– No Roster Moves made, no FAAB bids – was on 2-week road trip –

Up:

• OF Kyle Blanks
• RP Matt Lindstrom

Down:

• OF Matt Diaz
• RP Nick Masset

Notes:

• On July 31st, 1B Casey Kotchman was traded to the Boston Red Sox for the recently-acquired Adam LaRoche.  Kotchman is no longer protectable due to the trade.
• I bid $27 on new Reds 3B Scott Rolen, but was outbid.  Results: $82 Pirate Smokers, $81 Cover Zero, $45 X-Men, $45 Misogynistic Padres, $27 Atomic RoadRunners, $22 Get Off Kong!, $7 Stanimals
• I bid $27 on new Phillies starter Cliff Lee, but was outbid. Results: $100 Cover Zero, $82 Pirate Smokers, $81 Misogynistic Padres, $68 Shoeless Jews, $49 The Pi Train, $45 X-Men, $44 Get Off Kong!, $27 Atomic Roadrunners
• I bid $21 on new Giants 1B Ryan Garko, but was outbid. Results: $55 Misogynistic Padres, $45 X-Men, $21 Atomic Roadrunners, $20 Get Off Kong!

FAAB Acquisitions:

• 2B Ryan Roberts, Diamondbacks ($0 bid, active at 2B)
• OF Delwyn Young, Pirates ($0 bid, active at OF)
• 1B Steve Pearce, Pirates ($5 bid, active at UT)
• RP Rafael Betancourt ($3 bid, active)

Up:

• C  John Baker

Down:

• C Ryan Hanigan
• OF John Bowker

Cut:

• 3B Brett Wallace
• OF Chris Duncan
• 2B Brooks Conrad
• SP Ryan Sadowski

Notes:

• Cardinals OF Chris Duncan was sent down to AAA Memphis on July 22nd.  Later that day, he was traded to Boston for SS Julio Lugo
• Braves 2B Brooks Conrad was send down to AAA on July 23rd
• Rafael Betancourt was acquired by the Rockies from the Indians for RHP prospect Connor Graham.
• Cardinals 3B prospect Brett Wallace was traded to the Oakland A’s on July 24th as the centerpiece of the package for OF Matt Holliday
• Giants 1B/OF John Bowker was sent down to AAA Fresno after the FAAB deadline to make room for the newly-acquired Ryan Garko
• I bid maximum $35 for Matt Holliday. Goodfellas won the bidding with a $96 bid, while  Shoeless Jews bid $75, Misogynistic Padres bid $53, X-Men bid $48, and Get Off Kong! bid $43
• I bid $21 for new Cardinals MI Julio Lugo.  Shoeless Jews won the bidding with a $25 bid, and Get Off Kong bid $14.
• I won the bidding for Steve Pearce (formerly Steven Pearce) with a $5 bid.  Both X-Men and Get Off Kong! bid $4, while Misogynistic Padres bid $0.
• Pearce’s salary was adjusted back to $1. He was drafted by The Pi Train in 2009, who released him July 14th.
• I won the bidding for Delwyn Young with a $0 bid.  Stanimals also bid $0, but due to the standings, he was .5 points ahead of me in the standings, so I win.  Here are his comments:

At 2009-07-28 09:43:26, Stanimals wrote:
So I lose Delwyn Young to Flynn because I’m a half-point ahead of him in the standings on the day the bids go through, even though I’ve been behind him the entire year, and I’m again behind him today and may be the rest of the year.  We have to change this rule.  Absolute crap.

And follow up:

At 2009-07-28 11:24:19, Atomic Roadrunners wrote:
You want Delwyn Frickin’ Young? Bid more than $0, cheap ass!

At 2009-07-28 12:01:13, Goodfellas wrote:
Stan, FYI-Dmitri is still available…I will not be making a bid, so you only have to worry about Mark edging you out with a $O bid.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• OF Angel Pagan, Mets ($0 bid, active at UT)
• RP Kiko Calero, Marlins ($0 bid, active)
• RP Nick Masset, Reds ($0 bid, active)

Down:

• C John Baker (was UT)
• SP Edinson Volquez

Cut:

• SP Todd Wellemeyer
• OF Reed Johnson
• RP Clay Zavada

Notes:

• I bid $0 on Nationals MI Alberto Gonzalez, but Goodfellas won (also with a $0 bid)
• Phillies P Pedro Martinez was a backup $0 bid for both the Calero and Pagan acquisitions.  Pedro went to X-Men for $12
• Nick Masset re-joins the squad, having been released just five days ago.
• 3B Mat Gamel was sent down to AAA Nashville on Monday, July 20th

Trades:

Trade 1:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Reds SP Edinson Volquez (active), Brewers 1B Prince Fielder (active at 1B)
• Get Off Kong! receives: Giants SP Tim Lincecum, Mets SS Jose Reyes

Trade 2:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Giants AAA C Buster Posey
• Shoeless Jews receives: Cubs SS Ryan Theriot

FAAB Acquisitions:

• John Bowker, 1B/OF Giants ($5 bid, active at OF)
• Mat Latos, SP Padres ($5 bid, reserve)
• Brooks Conrad, 2B Braves ($0 bid, active at 2B)

Up:

• OF Chris Duncan

Down:

• 3B Mat Gamel

Move:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio (to 3B)
• 2B Brendan Ryan (to SS)
• SS Alex Cora (to MI)
• 1B Casey Kotchman (to CM)

Cut:

• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres
• OF Alex Romero

Notes:

• Lost on bidding for Pirates 1B/OFGarrett Jones.  I bid $5, The Pi Train bid $16
• Minor league starter Mat Latos re-joins the Roadrunners, as he was cut June 30th
• Giants OF John Bowker re-joins the Roadrunners.  He was on the squad for several months in 2008.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• SS Alex Cora, Mets ($0 bid, active at MI)
• SP Ryan Sadowski, Giants ($0 bid, active)
• OF Reed Johnson, Cubs ($0 bid, reserve)

Up:

• C John Baker (to DH)
• RP Jon Rauch

Move:

• 2B Brendan Ryan (from MI)
• OF Alex Romero (from DH)

Down:

• RP Nick Masset
• SP Sean West
• OF Chris Duncan

Cut:

• 2B Matt Downs
• SP Shairon Martis
• SP Antonio Bastardo

Notes:

• Misogynistic Padres also bid $0 for Sadowski, but he was awarded to AaRr due to tie-break rules
• Reed Johnson was originally a 9th-round Minor League selection by X-Men, who then released him May 12th
• With the release of Shairon Martis, 10 of the 11 AaRr Minor League selections in 2009 have been released.  Only second-round selection Emilio Bonifacio remains (along with protected minor leaguer Mat Gamel).

Trades:

Trade 1:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives:  Reds SP Johnny Cueto
• Cover Zero receives: Nationals OF Adam Dunn

Trade 2:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives:
  • Diamondbacks SP Max Scherzer
  • Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw
  • Cardinals 3B Prospect Brett Wallace
• Misogynistic Padres receives:
  • Braves 3B Chipper Jones
  • Reds 2B Brandon Phillips
  • Giants Closer Brian Wilson
  • Braves SP Kenshin Kawakami

FAAB Acquisitions:

• Jon Rauch, RP Diamondbacks ($0 bid, reserve)
• Alex Romero, OF Diamondbacks ($0 bid, active)

Up:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio
• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres (to DH)

Down:

• RP Matt Lindstrom
• SP Shairon Martis

Move:

• 2B Matt Downs (from DH – replaces Brandon Phillips)
• 3B Mat Gamel (from CM – replaces Chipper Jones)

Cut:

• SP Mat Latos (prospect)

Notes:

• RP Matt Lindstrom was placed on the 15-Day DL on June 25th with elbow inflammation.  Will be out at least six weeks
• SP Shairon Martis was optioned to AAA Columbus on June 28th
• SP Antonio Bastardo was placed on the 15-Day DL on June 30th with a left shoulder strain
• Jon Rauch was originally protected by Misogynistic Padres for 2009, and was released on May 12th.  He retains his contract and salary – signed through 2010 for $1.
• Former RoadRunner Chad Gaudin was selected by X-Men for $6.  I had bid $5 to re-acquire Gaudin after two stellar outings.
• Former RoadRunner Jake Fox was selected by X-Men for $11 due to his strong interleague performance.
• The first big AL Free Agent joined the NL.  In this case, Mark DeRosa was traded to the Cardinals on Thursday.  Bidding was as follows:
  • $70 Stanimals
  • $46 X-Men
  • $45 Atomic Roadrunners (max bid)
  • $43 Shoeless Jews
  • $33 Get Off Kong!
  • $25 Cover Zero

Free Agent Acquisitions:

• Kyle Blanks, OF/1B Padres  ($17 bid) reserve
• Ryan Hanigan, C Reds ($5 bid) up to C
• Matt Downs, 2B Giants ($0 bid) 2B, active at UT
• Drew Stubbs, OF Reds ($0 bid) reserve

Up:

• CM Mat Gamel
• SP Kenshin Kawakami
• RP Matt Lindstrom

Down:

• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres
• CM Emilio Bonifacio
• C John Baker

Cut:

• John Grabow
• Carlos Ruiz
• Fernando Tatis
• Matt Maloney

Notes:

• Missed out on bidding for Kevin Correia.  I bid $2, and X-Men bid $1 and Misogynistic Padres bid $0, but Get Off Kong! bid $7.
• Blanks was originally a 3rd round pick by Misogynistic Padres, but was released last week.
• Blanks’ nickname is apparently the “Pillsbury ‘Fro Boy” – at least online