The FUHRER SPEAKS

PAT007OHMSS and Ajaxx88 wants you to call them.





First of all, madmuldoon is a charter member of this league, and provides an invaluable service with our blog, which is why his actions this past week have surprised me so much, as I have always respected him immensely. After he posted about vetoing a trade (I didn’t know which one, or why), I reminded him of the league rule, and asked him to call me (as I find the written word as opposed to being able to communicate in person on the phone to be to open to interpretation). I pretty much begged him to call me, over and over, with total resistance. If anyone would like to see our “World Chat’s” back and forth, I would be more than willing to send them via sitemail (but only with madmuldoon’s permission). One of the biggest reasons for the rule about discussing trades is so nobody has to do what I’m about to do, justify their trade. My feeling has always been, it’s hard enough to do a trade, and if it goes through the “approve-veto” process, everyone has had their chance to object, and no fight has been started on the World Chat. Realize that this one rule has made our league different than every league in HBD, and is even being adopted in another league I’m in. However, as Commissioner, the suggestion that I would, as mad says “pull a fast one” demands a response, if nothing else to assure league members that I’m not above scrutiny.




1 )I believe that in mad’s evaluation of his own trade is one of the main reasons for his anger about the one between me and the Astros, as evidenced by this sentence “Here I am paying dearly to improve my team while the Commish gives away players to my division foe.” (If my trade was with a team outside his division would he be so upset)?


2) I ALWAYS put $20M in Advance Scouting. Ajaxx88 (Houston) also has $20M, but madmuldoon $14M. As most of you know here, that can make quite a difference. Also, when I look at trades, and a players health and durability, I also factor in that I put $20M ALWAYS in Training & Medical. I have more than a few of my major stars with low numbers in those categories, and (I hope this doesn’t jinx me), have very few problems with injuries, or quick recoveries.

3) I build my teams only 2 ways, via Free Agency, and Trades. Hence, it is rare for me to have a young player come up through the system who’s going to make my ML Team. My last one is my current backup C, Higgins.


4) Now, the 2 trades discussed (with the 1st one done briefly). In last year’s trade, I needed a 5th starter (Borland), saw the chance to pick up a reasonable RP (Matos), but the diamond in the trade for me was Jeffries, who I feel will be a really top-notch SP for me for the next 9 years (arbitration and 5-year signing). Having no young SP’s, I was VERY happy about getting him. As far as what I gave up, Sheldon was 36 (and a comparable player could be gotten for cheap in FA), Carter was someone I couldn’t see ever making my team, and Moore was a major star, but 33, and was running out of trade value for me, but has been a boon for Houston.


5) Now, this year’s trade….Houston posts on the World Chat “I need pitching”. Having signed Bronson Mann in Free Agency, and adding a long reliever, I no longer need Borland (who is now 35). I have the opportunity to actually pick up something I RARELY have…..a young pitcher! And with $20M in Advance Scouting, here’s how I see Wallace’s projected numbers (age 24, and mine for the next 9): Health-49, Durability-43, Stamina-51, Control-72, Versus Left-47, Versus Right-69, Velocity-33, Groundball/Flyball-100, Slider-91, Splitter-89, Curve-61.


6) I actually thought that madmuldoon’s problem with the trade was that I was the one who was getting the better of the deal, not ajaxx88. In fact, I would do this deal a million times over. If he stays healthy, he’s exactly what I look for in Fenway (I wish his Versus Right was a few higher, but for God’s sake, 100 Groundball/Flyball, and 91/89 first 2 pitches)? Furthermore, if Wallace would “never make my roster”, as madmuldoon says, it just goes to show how much trades, and their balance, are open to interpretation. I traded for Wallace for two reasons. One, because I’m positive he can make my ML roster, and maybe even be an excellent player, and two, if nothing else, I think he’d be attractive to other teams as trade bait (which is something I rarely have).


7) madmuldoon states that “if anyone has a problem with any trade, just send it to me, and I’ll post it on the blog”. How does it come to this? Again, I tried to get him to call me multiple times, and he refuses to talk. He, by posting the above, is basically saying that he will circumvent the one rule which has kept this league controversy-free for year after year, over a trade he feels affected his division race. I can’t have that, and if I had a crystal ball, can see this getting ugly, totally unnecessarily so. If anything is posted on the blog while a trade is up for “approve-veto”, I have no choice but to have HBD remove the blog (which is the last thing I want to do), and even if it’s after the trade, is this where we want this league to go? Again, I ask madmuldoon, please give me a call. My telephone number is available to ANYONE in this league who wants to contact me. I promise to always try to have a reasonable conversation…..but again, the fact that mad actually thought that yours truly was the one that was “taken” in this trade is incredibly illustrative. In fact, if I offered every owner in this league the choice of Borland (35, at the end of his career, .156 WHIP, 6.31 ERA, and 2-2 as I type this), or Wallace, I suggest that the vast majority would take Wallace.


8)Finally, there are more than a few people here who know me personally, and believe me, EVERY ONE OF THEM will tell you the same thing. I would NEVER make a trade that I didn’t think was better for me than the other club. I’m waaaaaaaaaay too competitive.


A NOTE FROM MADMULDOON. I have obtained a old garbage scow and have stocked it with Bourbon and 12 issues of Hustler.If da Fuhrer pulls the plug on this most excellent Blog. I will sail into international waters and continue publishing this Blog. I should be able to hold out for several weeks before sneaking back ashore for supplies. Down with the Tyrant!!!