Fantasy Baseball 2009 - Toronto Blue Jays

SummaryThe Toronto Blue Jays are a part of the Eastern Division of the American league. They are based in Toronto in Canada, and are currently the only team in MLB to be based outside the United States. Despite having a relatively short history, the team has still enjoyed major success. The Jays can boast five East Division titles, two of which led to the aforementioned World Series victories.

History
The Beginning
The Blue Jays played their first game on April 7, 1977, against the Chicago White Sox, before a home crowd of 44,649 where Toronto won 9-5. Unfortunately, that win would be one of the rare wins the Blue Jays would receive that year as they finished last place in the American League East with a record of 54-107. In 1978 and 1979, the team met a similar fate as they finished last again. In 1980, they hired Bobby Mattick to be manager and in his first season as manager, although they remained at the bottom, Toronto almost reached the 70-win mark, finishing with a record of 67-95, a 14-win improvement.

1980s
Under new manager Bobby Cox, Toronto's first solid season came in 1982 as they finished 78-84. In 1983, the Blue Jays compiled their first winning record, 89-73, finishing in fourth place. The Blue Jays' progress continued in 1984, finishing with the same 89-73 record, but this time in a distant second place. In 1985, Toronto won their first championship of any sort: the first of their five American League East division titles. They finished 99-62 and ended up facing the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series, but lost the series and their hope of a World Series. In 1987, the Blue Jays finished with a 96-66 record, second best in the major leagues, but to no avail.
In 1988, however, Toronto could not duplicate the successes of the previous season, tying the Milwaukee Brewers for third in the division at 87-75.

World Series Era
In 1989, the Blue Jays' new retractable roofed home, SkyDome, opened in the mid-season. It also marked the beginning of an extremely successful five-year period for the team. After the 1991 season had ended, the Blue Jays acquired pitcher Jack Morris, who had led the Minnesota Twins to victory in the World Series. The 1992 regular season went well, as the Jays clinched their second straight AL East crown with a final record of 96-66. The Blue Jays would go on to win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves becoming the first team based outside of the United States to win the World Series. IN 1993 The Blue Jays cruised to a 95-67 record, one less win than 1992 and seven games ahead of the New York Yankees, winning their third straight division title. Then later on the win a consecutive world series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Aftermath
In the 1995 season, the Blue Jays proved that they had lost their contending swagger of the past 12 years. 1996 was another mediocre year for the Blue Jays. The next couple years that followed proved to be pretty mediocre while the Blue Jays continued to trade players in hopes of finding the right formula that’ll take them to the World Series again.

The Playing Ground
The Blue Jays played their first home games at the Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. In 1989, they moved to the SkyDome. In 2004, it was renamed Rogers Centers after Rogers Communications became the owners.

Hall of Famers
Rickey Henderson
Paul Molitor
Phil Niekro
Dave Winfield

Most Valuable Player
1987 - George Bell

American League Cy Young
1996 - Pat Hentgen
1997 - Roger Clemens
1998 - Roger Clemens
2003 - Roy Halladay

Edgar Martinez Award
1992 - Dave Winfield
1993 - Paul Molitor
Rookie of the Year
1979 - Alfredo Griffin
2002 - Eric Hinske

Fantasy Baseball 2009 - Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins franchise is a member of Major League Baseball's American League Central Division. Beginning in the 2010 season, the Twins will play their home games at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

History

The team began as the Washington Nationals/Senators from 1901-1960. The Senators were known for having a well known roster, including Hall Of Famers Goose Goslin, Joe Cronin, Bucky Harris and Walter Johnson. The Washington team won the 1924 World Series and the American League Pennant in 1924, 1925 and 1993, before moving to Minnesota.

In 1960, the Nationals moved to Minnesota to become the Minnesota Twins. The Twins enjoyed immediate success, with the help of star player Harmon Killebrew, as they won 91 games in 1962, and 102 games and the American League championship in 1965. They lost the 1965 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. They continued to play hard and compete throughout the 60's recapturing the American League West title in 1969, and a pennant win in 1970.

In 1987, the Twins built their team around pitcher Bert Blyleven and young star Kirby Puckett. The two All Stars led the Twins to World Series victories in 1987 and 1991. After these two titles, the Twins franchise fell into a poor slump recording eight straight losing seasons from 1993-2000.

Minnesota Twins of the 2000's
The Twins shed their losing habits in 2001, and put together six consecutive winning seasons from 2001-2006. They won the Western Division title in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009.
One of the biggest contributors to the Minnesota Twins success in the 2000's was 1999 draft pick Justin Morneau. Considered to be one of the best first baseman in MLB, Morneau won the American League MVP award in 2006, and won the Home Run derby in 2008. In 2005, the Twins signed another contributor to the organization, arguably the best catcher in baseball, Joe Mauer for nearly $6 million. In 2008, he won his first Gold glove, and in 2009, Mauer became the second catcher in Major League Baseball history to win the American League Most Valuable Player award.

The Twins finished the 2009 regular season (87-76) and won The American League Central title after playing a tie breaker game with division opponent Detroit Tigers. After defeating the Tigers, the Twins moved on to the American League Division series where they were swept in three straight games by the New York Yankees.

Active Roster

Pitchers:

Scott Baker
Nick Blackburn
Alex Burnett
Clay Condrey
Jesse Crain
Rob Delaney
Brian Duensing
Deolis Guerra
Matt Guerrier
Francisco Liriano
Jeff Manship
Jose Maijares
Joe Nathan
Pat Neshek
Carl Pavano
Glen Perkins
Jon Rauch
Kevin Slowey
Anthony Swarzak
Loek Van Mil

Catchers:

Drew Butera
Joe Mauer
Jose Morales
Wilson Ramos

Infielders:

Alexi Casilla
Estarlin De Los Santos
J.J. Hardy
Brendan Harris
Orlando Hudson
Luke Hughes
Justin Morneau
Trevor Plouffe
Nick Punto
Matt Tolbert
Danny Valencia

Outfielders:

Michael Cuddyer
Denard Span
Delmon Young

Designated Hitters:

Jason Kubel
Jim Thome

Fantasy Baseball 2009 - Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are part of Major League Baseball's National League Central Division. The Brewers play their home games at Miller Park, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

History:

The Brewers joined Major League Baseball's American League as an expansion team in 1969. They moved to the National League after the 1997 season.
The Milwaukee Brewers struggled early on, failing to post a winning record until the 1978 season. This first winning season sparked consecutive years of success. In 1979, Gorman Thomas set the single season home record for the team (45) and led the Brewers to second place in the Eastern division and a second consecutive winning season. In 1981, the Brewers reached their first playoff series, losing to the legendary New York Yankees. The next year, 1982, the Brewers won their first American League championship defeating the California Angels in 5 games. They lost the 1982 World Series, their first appearance, to the St. Louis Cardinals. The star players during the late 70's - early 80's winning seasons were pitchers Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich, and infielder/outfielder Robin Yount.Milwaukee Brewers of the 2000's

After the World Series appearance in 1982, Milwaukee fell into a slump. They recorded a winning season in 1992, then failed to record another winning season until 2007. Milwaukee was encouraged by their 83-79 record, and their young first baseman, Prince Fielder, became the youngest player ever to hit 50 homeruns in a single season. On the other side of the infield diamond, third baseman Ryan Braun shined, winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.The Brewers built on their 2007 season, adding key personnel to their lineup. Prior to the 2008 season, Milwaukee signed outfielder Mike Cameron, catcher Jason Kendall, and relief pitcher Eric Gagne. Hungry for a playoff appearance, in the middle of the season, the Brewers made a blockbuster trade for C.C. Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians. The personnel moves worked, and the Brewers reached the playoffs in 2008, the first time in 26 years. In the National League Division series, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, who went on to win the World Series.

The Milwaukee Brewers have continued to make personnel adjustments for the 2010 season. Centerfielder Mike Cameron left the team and will be replaced by Carlos Gomez. Gregg Zaun will replace catcher Jason Kendall. On the pitching front, the Brewers released Braden Looper and signed pitcher Randy Wolf from the Los Angeles Dodgers and relief pitcher Latroy Hawkins from the Houston Astros.

Active Roster:
Pitchers:
John Axford
Dave Bush
Josh Butler
Todd Coffey
Doug Davis
Marco Estrada
Yovani Gallardo
Latroy Hawkins
Trevor Hoffman
Chuck Lofgren
Chris Narveson
Manny Parra
Alex Periard
David Riske
Amaury Rivas
Mark Rogers
Cody Scarpetta
Mitch Stetter
Jeff Suppan
Claudio Vargas
Carlos Villanueva
Randy Wolf
Catchers:
George Kottara
Angel Salome
Gregg Zaun
Infielders:Craig Counsell
Luis Cruz
Alcides Escobar
Prince Fielder
Mat Gamel
Adam Heether
Joe Inglett
Hernan Iribarren
Rickie Weeks
Outfielders
Ryan Braun
Lorenzo Cain
Jody Gerut
Carlos Gomez
Corey Hart

Fantasy Baseball 2009 - St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball team, are one of six teams in the Central Division of the National League. The Cardinals were formerly called the Brown Stockings and the Perfectos. They play at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and wear white, red and yellow uniforms.

St. Louis won its first World Series championship in 1926 guided by infielder Rogers Hornsby, who won the Triple Crown twice by leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in, in 1922 and 1925. Hornsby’s lifetime batting average of .358 is 2nd only to that of hall of famer Ty Cobb.

During the 1930s and 1940s the club won seven pennants and five World Series championships with such stars as Dizzy Dean, Leo Durocher, Frankie Frisch, Joe “Ducky” Medwick, Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, and Red Schoendienst. Stan Musial, collected 3,630 career hits and recorded a .331 lifetime batting average.

The St. Louis Cardinals compiled three pennants and two World Series championships in the ‘60s, led by base-stealer Lou Brock, and slugger Orlando Cepeda. Gibson’s 1968 season, which earned him both the Cy Young Award and the NL most valuable player award, ranks among the finest pitching performances in modern baseball.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s Ozzie Smith won 13 consecutive Gold Glove Awards. He also played in more games, compiled more assists, and turned more double plays than any shortstop in major league history. The Cardinals won their ninth World Series in 1982. In 1998 first baseman Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs, breaking the single-season record of 61 set by New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris in 1961.

During the 1998 season McGwire and Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa both threatened to surpass Maris’s 37-year-old single-season home run record. McGwire broke the record on September 8, 1998, with his 62nd home run, off Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel. McGwire finished the season with a total of 70 home runs and Sosa finished with 66. In 1999 McGwire hit 65 home runs but the Cardinals finished with a losing record. In 2000 St. Louis won the NL Central Division to earn a postseason berth, but the team lost in the NL Championship Series to the New York Mets.

St. Louis made the postseason in 2000, 2001, and 2002 but lost in the playoffs each year. In 2004 the Cardinals won 105 games during the regular season, the most in baseball, and reached the World Series before losing to the Boston Red Sox.

Team Names
· St. Louis Cardinals (1900 – Present)
· St. Louis Brown Stockings (1882 – 1899)

Stadiums Played In
· Busch Stadium III (2006 – present)
· Busch Stadium II (1966 – 2005)
· Sportman’s Park (known as Busch Stadium from 1953-1966) (1920-1966)
· Robinson Field (1892-1920)

Titles
World Series (1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982, 2006)
National League Pennants (1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2004, 2006)Central Division Title (1982, 1985, 1987, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009)

Active Roster
Mitchell Boggs
Chris Carpenter
Ryan Franklin
Jaime Garcia
Ben Jukich
Kyle Lohse
Trever Miller
Jason Motte
Adam Ottavino
Brad Penny
Adam Wainwright
Francisco Samuel
Bryan Anderson
Jason LaRue
Matt Pagnozzi
David Freese
Tyler Greene
Mark Hamilton
Felipe Lopez
Julio Lugo
Albert Pujols
Brendan Ryan
Allen Craig
Matt Holliday
Jon Jay
Ryan Ludwick
Joe Mather
Colby Rasmus
Shane Robinson
Nick Stavinoha

Fantasy Baseball 2009 - Houston Astros

Houston Colts .45s

The Houston Astros joined Major League Baseball in 1962 as the Houston Colt 45's. They were founded during the National League's first expansion of the modern, ten team/two league structure (the New York Mets were the other team). A conglomeration of local business people headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, won the rights to build a baseball franchise in Houston. The team was originally founded as the Houston Colt 45’s, but in 1965 the name was changed to the Houston Astros.

Houston Astros

Along with the name change, in 1965 the Houston Astros moved to a new stadium called the Harris County Domed Stadium, currently known as the Astrodome. Four years later, the Astros did something they had never done before — they finished at .500. The Astros continued to improve throughout the 1970's, finishing as high as second place in 1978. During this time, the Astros featured star players such as Jimmy "The Toy Cannon" Wynn, a young Joe Morgan, Cesar Cedeno and Bob Watson. The talented pitching staff included Mike Cuellar, Don Wilson, Larry Dierker, Dave Giusti and Nolan Ryan.

In 2000, Houston moved to Enron Field (Minute Maid Park as of 2002), a hitter-friendly ballpark, and attracted nearly 3 million fans despite missing a post-season berth. They came back to win the Central Division in 2001 on the last day of the season. First baseman Jeff Bagwell had 30 home runs, 100 RBI’s, and scored 100 runs for his sixth straight season. However, like every other post-season, the Astros could not get out of the first round of the playoffs.

2005 World Series

The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball Championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series. After losing the 2005 World Series, the Astros attempted to strengthen their roster for the 2006 season, drafting catcher Maxwell Sapp, and hitter Aubrey Huff. After starting strong, the team went into a losing slump in last two weeks of the season and failed to reach the playoffs.

The Astros made several personnel changes that season, signing Woody Williams and Carlos Lee, and releasing Jeff Bagwell. Ace pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte filed for free agency, with Pettitte later signing with the New York Yankees for an extraordinary $16 million. To the Astros fans pleasure, the Astros renewed Craig Biggio's contract for one more year at a whopping $5.15 million.

Hall of Fame

While there has yet to be an Astros player to go into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as an Astros, two Astros announcers have been honored and inducted into Cooperstown. Even though broadcasters are not eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, the following men were honored with the Hall's Ford C. Frick Award, a lifetime achievement award that is baseball broadcasting's highest honor.
· Gene Elston
· Milo Hamilton

Current Active Roster

Pitchers:
Evan Englebrook
Jeff Fulchino
Samuel Gervacio
Matt Lindstrom
Fernando Abad
Alberto Arias
Yorman Bazardo
Tim Byrdak
Wilton Lopez
Brandon Lyon
Felipe Paulino
Wandy Rodriguez
Chris Sampson
Polin Trinidad
Jose G. Valdez
Henry Villar
Wesley Wright
Brain Moehler
Brett Myers
Matt Nevarez
Bud Norris
Roy Oswalt

Catchers:
J.R. Towles
Humberto Quintero

Infielders:
Lance Berkman
Edwin Maysonet
Wladimir Sutil
Chris Johnson
Geoff Blum
Pedro Feliz
Kazuo Matsui
Jeff Keppinger
Tommy Manzella
Jose Vallejo

Outfileders:
Michael Bourn
Hunter Pence
Brian Boguesvic
Yordany Ramirez
Carlos Lee
Jason MIcahaels