La Ruina

[Team name / Current point total as of Monday morning (+/- from last week) / Snarky comment]

Is there anybody alive out there!?!

1. Franklin Comes Alive (Chris Rosen) (me!) / 139 (-0): In prepartion for a potential 2nd straight title, I went back to my original team name from this year. It ain’t easy bein’ brown. Also, I probably didn’t need Brian McCann anyway. Hello Chris Snyder and Jason Varitek.

2. Made In The Dark (Justin) / 133.5 (-2.5): We all thought Justin’s lineup would propel him to the league championship, but who knew. His lineup sucks. Now that pitching is a different story.

3. The Audacity of VORP (Crimmings) / 130 (+4): Crimmings is probably going to take a lot of heat for the trades he made this weekend, but for the first time this year, I’m going to give him credit. Yes, dealing Ian Kinsler and Carlos Zambrano and only getting back Ichiro and Jon Papelbon seems a little foolish on the face of things. But maybe it isn’t. Maybe Kinsler has that predictable fall off that we have all expected for the last 2 months. Maybe Zambrano really sucks (he does.) Maybe Ichiro has a 350 month left in him (he doesn’t–it’s painfully obvious that he’s become an “every-other-year” player.) Maybe Papelbon is the best pitcher in the AL for the rest of the season. Maybe, just maybe, Crimmings finishes 2nd.

4. Berkman and the 1-4s (Kenny) / 129.5 (+0.5): It’s fitting that Kenny has John Grabow, after writing up a scathing slam job on him eariler in the year. Naturally he got a loss on Sunday.

5. Backslider (Alex) / 118.5 (-4.5): How to finish 5th, Chapter 16: Follow up Brandon Webb and Tim Hudson with Mike Pelfrey, Armando Galarraga, John Lannan, Jamie Moyer.

6. Bandera’s Mullet (Joey) / 117 (+3.5): Jermaine Dye is having a great year.

7. Lou Diamond Phillips (Brian) / 111 (+2): Why is Edgar Renteria still on Brian’s team?

8. Spicy Club Sauce (Kris) / 92.5 (+5.5): Kris is rapidly becoming the Robinson Cano of La Ruina.

9. No Drowning (Nick) / 76.5 (-8.5): If you were wondering what team David DeJesus was on, look no further than Nick. Owning David DeJesus is a sure sign that you aren’t having a good fantasy season.

10. Avoid The Clap (Tony) / 73.5 (+2): Tim Lincecum for life!

11. Rayburn (Chris Bleak) / 73.5 (+2): Here’s a tip: start trading for keepers.

12. 2nd Half Push (Chris Gottsegen) / 53.5 (-4.5): Clearly the team name is the work of a delusional psychotic. But otherwise, I have to give Gottsegen a lot of credit. Unlike some of the teams at the bottom (rhymes with “Rayburn”), Gottsegen is smartly looking ahead to 2009. Two days ago, he had a crappy last place team with questionable guys to keep. Now he can choose from Justin Morneau, Garrett Atkins, Ian Kinsler, Aramis Ramirez and Felix Hernandez. Or he can package two guys and upgrade even further. It’s the smart play. He might not crack 70 points (though with the players he’s added in the last 72 hours, he could), but he’s set himself up for a great 2009. Now we all know he’ll blow it by drafting Jeff Kent, Derek Jeter and Jarrod Washburn entirely too early, but still. Well done.