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The Most Interesting Man In the World This Week

It's rare to find a pitcher that's coming back from injury that has added three miles an hour to his average fastball, and even rarer still to find him available on the waiver wire in a deep league in mid-June. But that's where we are with James Paxton, and also why he has become one of the most important players to my success this season. And the funny thing is I'm not even going to use him this week in one of my two leagues where I own him (Hi, Red Sox!). Late note - it appears now that Paxton will face TB  instead of BOS, which still isn't a picnic given what the Rays do against LHP.

NFBC Main Event (15-team mixed)

TeamPlayerBidRunner-Up
El Scorchos MainJames Paxton (SP)13378
Team enfieldTim Anderson (SS)12537
CC's DesperadosJameson Taillon (SP)11218
Canadian BeaversCarlos Estevez (MR)9676
Strike Force MEDan Straily (SP)7033
Team KeikoanFernando Abad (MR)3719
El Scorchos MainMatt Cain (SP)27
Canadian BeaversMartin Prado (3B)1911
Doctor WhoDanny Espinosa (SS)132
Doctor WhoZack Godley (SP)13
Doctor WhoMichael A. Taylor (CF)11
Ozville Flying MonkeysBoone Logan (MR)9
CC's DesperadosJason Motte (MR)7
El Scorchos MainRobinson Chirinos (C)53
HARRY CRUMBRaisel Iglesias (SP)4
HARRY CRUMBDanny Santana (RF)41
Ninja squirrelKurt Suzuki (C)3
Canadian BeaversTyler Anderson (SP)3
Team KeikoanLuis Valbuena (3B)2
Money 2Tom Koehler (SP)1

My ratios in this league have improved from "historically bad" to "still gruesome, but not all-time bad" - I even have a better WHIP than one competitor in my league! But I still need a lot of help, and it was worth it to me to spend a good chunk of my dwindling FAAB on Paxton and use him.

Paxton's average fastball has leaped from 94.2 MPH last year to 97.8 MPH this season in three starts. I don't know if that's sustainable, but it's clear he's working at a different level. The "luck" stats tell (in three starts, so not much) a conflicting story - he's got a .460 BABIP against, but he's also stranded 95% of the runners he's had on. Five of the eight runs he allowed against the Padres were unearned, so that explains part of that disconnect, as does his 13.5 K9IP.

Meanwhile, Cain comes off the DL to have two good starts this week - at least, starts against teams that strike out a lot and are heavily right-handed. I overpaid though, which is going to be tough given how little FAAB I have left. Chirinos replaces Francisco Cervelli.

NFBC Online - Beat Jeff Erickson

TeamPlayerBidRunner-Up
Team MellerJerad Eickhoff (SP)13899
Something Something WheelJames Paxton (SP)13725
MudhensCarlos Estevez (MR)10415
MudhensBrandon Kintzler (MR)6715
Water on marsJameson Taillon (SP)5115
Had to be MOOBilly Burns (CF)503
Tigers Slappy BJETommy Joseph (1B)4321
the dirty pearlsTyler Chatwood (SP)37
Sack & Chip IPeter O'Brien (LF)2925
Team DuncanSteve Pearce (LF)2626
MudhensJavier Baez (3B)2618
Tigers Slappy BJEMelky Cabrera (LF)2121
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8Yordano Ventura (SP)16
the dirty pearlsRobbie Grossman (LF)121
Team MireeChase Anderson (SP)116
the dirty pearlsZack Godley (SP)10
MudhensLonnie Chisenhall (RF)5
the dirty pearlsCheslor Cuthbert (3B)4
MudhensBrandon Finnegan (SP)42
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8Mitch Moreland (1B)2
Griffey2016Tucker Barnhart (C)2
Sack & Chip IChristian Friedrich (SP)21
Sack & Chip IZach Davies (SP)2
Team DuncanMartin Prado (3B)1
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8R.A. Dickey (SP)1
Sack & Chip IChris Young (LF)1

Check out how heavily contested bidding was in this league this week, and compare it with my other Online League. It's really mind-blowing. There were a lot of potentially valuable contributors available in this league this week, but if my competitors have a similar dynamic to me, they probably had a hard time figuring out who to drop. Watch the drop list closely in your NFBC leagues - there's usually some treasure to mine. Here's the list for my league:

TeamTypePlayerPositionDate
Sack & Chip IWaiver ReleaseSmith, SethOF6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8Waiver ReleaseTravis, Devon2B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Team DuncanWaiver ReleaseDuffy, Matt3B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Sack & Chip IWaiver ReleaseSantana, ErvinP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Sack & Chip IWaiver ReleaseAndriese, MattP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Griffey2016Waiver ReleaseWood, AlexP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8Waiver ReleaseMorrison, Logan1B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
MudhensWaiver ReleaseDrury, Brandon3B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
the dirty pearlsWaiver ReleaseRasmus, ColbyOF6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
MudhensWaiver ReleaseBolsinger, MikeP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
the dirty pearlsWaiver ReleaseVolquez, EdinsonP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Team MireeWaiver ReleaseDuffey, TylerP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
the dirty pearlsWaiver ReleaseCrisp, CocoOF6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
THEHAZELCHARLIES - TUES 8Waiver ReleaseVelasquez, VinceP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Tigers Slappy BJEWaiver ReleaseSantana, DomingoOF6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
MudhensWaiver ReleaseJepsen, KevinP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Team DuncanWaiver ReleaseWhite, Tyler1B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Sack & Chip IWaiver ReleaseLee, Dae-Ho1B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
the dirty pearlsWaiver ReleaseSantiago, HectorP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Tigers Slappy BJEWaiver ReleaseDuda, Lucas1B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Had to be MOOWaiver ReleaseCabrera, AsdrubalSS6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Water on marsWaiver ReleaseGreene, ShaneP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
MudhensWaiver ReleaseShields, JamesP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
MudhensWaiver ReleaseOwings, Chris2B6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Something Something WheelWaiver ReleaseNiese, JonathonP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET
Team MellerWaiver ReleaseBuchholz, ClayP6/12/2016 10:19 PM ET

Ok, so this list (currently) isn't as interesting as I first thought. A lot of injured players and "No Game" James Shields.

NFBC Online - Beat Vlad and Jeff

TeamPlayerBidRunner-Up
Jobu's HeroesJameson Taillon (SP)443165
Captiva FoxJhonny Peralta (SS)757
Pearls of Pine TarDoug Fister (SP)681
ScorchedGutJames Paxton (SP)33
Mad RussiansRaisel Iglesias (SP)29
Royale with CheeseChase Anderson (SP)14
Pearls of Pine TarZack Godley (SP)11
Pearls of Pine TarAvisail Garcia (RF)11
ScorchedGutBrandon Kintzler (MR)11
Royale with CheeseIchiro Suzuki (RF)5
ScorchedGutRobinson Chirinos (C)3
Paps PlayboysJarrod Saltalamacchia (C)1

It worries me that those darn Mad Russians picked up one of our drops, Raisel Iglesias. You would think that we'd have some insight on how to defeat the Russians having Vlad on our side, but instead I'm starting to think that they have some insight on how to play against him instead. Very weird league, though - seven teams picked players up this week, so it's an active league, yet there were considerably fewer pickups overall and much less competition for those players.

FSTA

Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Tim Anderson awarded to SiriusXM for $171.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Tim Anderson: $76.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Chris Young awarded to Baseball HQ for $40.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Chris Young: $2.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Danny Espinosa awarded to RonShandler.com for $31.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Brad Miller awarded to Baseball HQ for $30.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Brad Miller: $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Fernando Abad awarded to Dr. Roto for $21.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Fernando Abad: $1, $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Carlos Estevez awarded to Colton & The Wolfman for $21.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Carlos Estevez: $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Carlos Perez awarded to Fantasy Alarm for $9.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Jake Peavy awarded to RotoWire for $5.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Brandon Kintzler awarded to RotoWire for $3.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Cheslor Cuthbert awarded to Dr. Roto for $1.

With six reserves and unlimited DL spots, the quality of players available on the waiver wire was considerably lower here, even with there being only 13 teams. I sort of didn't want to put my pickups in bold font.

In a related note, I have a whopping eight players on the DL in this league.

Mixed LABR

Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Carlos Estevez awarded to Razzball for $17.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Carlos Estevez: $3.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Tim Anderson awarded to MLB.com for $17.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Tim Anderson: $1, $4, $4, $6.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Peter O'Brien awarded to MLB.com for $17.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Fernando Abad awarded to Mastersball for $13.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Fernando Abad: $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Brandon Kintzler awarded to Fangraphs for $6.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Brandon Kintzler: $1, $4, $3.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Chase Anderson awarded to MLB.com for $5.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Failed bids for Chase Anderson: $3, $3.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Jason Motte awarded to Fangraphs for $5.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Chase d'Arnaud awarded to Fantasy Alarm for $4.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Miguel Gonzalez awarded to Fantasy Alarm for $3.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Enrique Hernandez awarded to USA TODAY Sports for $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Danny Espinosa awarded to RotoExperts for $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Derek Holland awarded to MLB.com for $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Rob Refsnyder awarded to Baseball HQ for $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Brad Brach awarded to Fantasy Alarm for $1.
Mon Jun 13 12:05 AM ET: Edwin Diaz awarded to Fantasy Alarm for $1.

I had bids in on Kintzler and Abad but lost both. Sometimes Abad is Bad.

AL Tout

Chris Liss: res JGallo Tex, pur JMorneau CWS 76
Mike Podhorzer: res ALind Sea, pur IDavis Tex 13
Mike Podhorzer: res MAndriese TB, pur JDiekman Tex 1
Steve Moyer: res SMoya Det, pur JBonifacio KC 1
Ron Shandler: res EEscobar Min, pur AAlcantara Oak 37
Rick Wolf/Glenn Colton: res JHoying Tex, pur TCunningham LAA 1
Rick Wolf/Glenn Colton: res SRobinson LAA, pur MTonkin Min 6
Seth Trachtman: dis PHughes Min, pur DMengden Oak 186
Larry Schechter: res PNeshek Hou, pur XCedeno TB 1
Larry Schechter: res RGoins Tor, pur JShuck CWS 6
Jason Collette: rel ARomine Det, pur MGonzalez CWS 36
Seth Trachtman: rel MLatos CWS, pur EDiaz Sea 1

RotoWire Staff Keeper League

Schin Kickers: Pick up Fernando Abad ($11), drop Jake Diekman
(High-A West Madison: $17)
(Erickson: $3)
(Factory of Sadness: $1)
Diamond Dogs: Pick up Robinson Chirinos ($5), drop NO PLAYER
(Factory of Sadness: $6)
(Casale Industries: $5)
(Schin Kickers: $4)
(Shoe and Liss' Dynasty: $3)
(Tuffy's Goats: $3)
McLovin's Spoonful: Pick up Zach Davies ($12), drop Joe Smith
(Diamond Dogs: $7)
(Browns: $6)
(Casale Industries: $5)
(Tuffy's Goats: $4)
(Tuffy's Goats: $4)
(Factory of Sadness: $4)
(Wakanda Panthers: $3)
Schin Kickers: Pick up Danny Espinosa ($6), drop Peter Bourjos
(Browns: $3)
(Browns: $3)
Factory of Sadness: Pick up Carlos Estevez ($15), drop Mikie Mahtook
(Shoe and Liss' Dynasty: $9)
(Tuffy's Goats: $6)
(Casale Industries: $5)
(Browns: $3)
(Browns: $3)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
Tuffy's Goats: Pick up Christian Friedrich ($2), drop Jimmy Paredes
(High-A West Madison: $11)
(Tuffy's Goats: $2)
(Shoe and Liss' Dynasty: $2)
Browns: Pick up Miguel Gonzalez ($4), drop Cody Anderson
(McLovin's Spoonful: $9)
(Browns: $4)
High-A West Madison: Pick up Brandon Kintzler ($23), drop Kevin Jepsen
(Erickson: $11)
(Shoe and Liss' Dynasty: $11)
(Tuffy's Goats: $4)
(Tuffy's Goats: $4)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
Browns: Pick up Tom Koehler ($1), drop Nate Jones
(Browns: $1)
Tuffy's Goats: Pick up Daniel Mengden ($2), drop Jeff Francoeur
(Factory of Sadness: $3)
(Tuffy's Goats: $2)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
Anderson: Pick up Jason Motte ($3), drop Wade Miley
Anderson: Pick up David Phelps ($1), drop Matt Andriese
(Anderson: $1)
Wakanda Panthers: Pick up Addison Reed ($1), drop Darren O'Day
(Wakanda Panthers: $1)
(Anderson: $1)
Casale Industries: Pick up Chris Stewart ($1), drop Brett Wallace
Erickson: Pick up Michael Tonkin ($3), drop Joaquin Benoit

It's so expensive to bid on closers in this league, once again, even if they aren't guaranteed the gig. I got outbid on Abad and Kintzler, but I was also unwilling to spend an amount that would make them not keepable, as a rebuilding team.