Week #3

Three weeks in the books, and a few trends have become evident already......
A) The Stingrays are the real deal, as they advance to a league leading 14-1 with the 3 straight top 8 finishes. They are the early season team to beat.
B) The C/D Conference is off to a much better start than the A/B Conference. I will refrain from calling the latter the "AA Ball" Division, as few minor league teams contacted the Commish last week, as they were quite offended to be lumped in with that group. Six of the top eight teams were from the C/D Conference in week three, not helping dispel the supposed myth of the lesser conference.
C) Records were made to be broken, just ask Mark McGwire! The record for futility in a match-up sunk to a new low as the Redbirds scored 1 stinking point on Sunday........ AND WON!!!!!!
D) Nothing brings fellow owners closer together than the news that the Cobras got swept! Amazing.......... (no pun intended)

Something was different in week three though........ WELCOME BACK SCORING! Through two weeks, just one team had cracked the 150 point barrier. Week #3 saw six teams post weeks of 150+. Unfortunately two of those played each other, leaving the Wiseguys and Creeping Death ownership wondering why we even let the Redbirds/Connection back in the league, as they scored 160 combined!!!!! Oh yea, something about defending champ?

INSERT SHAMELESS MESSAGE BOARD PLUG HERE
Stop by the league message board, it can be fun! :-)

Now, on to the results from week three:

Stingrays 4    Oysters 1
Merv/Mike seem to have the Stingrays on cruise control as they plow through another quality team with their league leading 172 point effort. The only downside for the team, was they actually lost their first game of the year. Come on, fellas...... no one goes 90-0!!!! The Myers gentleman will settle for 89-1, or at least another perennial playoff appearance. The 'Rays were lead by Damon, Floyd, EY and Bags who all posted 20+ point weeks. The Arizona pitching staff rebounded from a rough start, with the Big Unit's 21 point complete game to also give the team an impressive 62 point game on Sunday, the new league high for the year. The Oysters have petitioned the league to play every other week only. After the 1-4 week one, they bounced back with a 4-1 week two, but it was back to 1-4 as they stood little chance against the league leader. JR/Corey's team was led by Giambi/Biggio with 16 each, but the Oysters now sit 10 points back in the A Division. Sierra looks like a free agent steal, so I am sure it will be back to 4-1 for the Mighty Oysters, but what will happen in week #5?

Destroyers 4    Barracudas 1
Steve decides to go away for the weekend, to clear from his mind the awful start of his Destroyers team. The time away did both Coach and the team some good! The Destroyers take advantage of an off week by the 'Cudas, and take 4 wins rather convincingly, but miss the final spot in the top 8 by just 3 points. No matter, Steve will take what he can get, as his team was led by OF's Luis and Lofton with 22 & 25 respectively. No time to rest for the Destroyers, as they still have considerable ground to make up in the A Division race. Bert/Pam/Ron were pretty disappointed with the effort of their team this week. The 'Cudas could only muster up games of 6 & 7 on Saturday/Sunday. Jeter remains solid with 18, but sub OF Long's 11 was the only other offensive player to score in double digits. There may actually be a Jeff Kent sighting in week #4, as he has assumed a new position and returned to the starting lineup for the 'Cudas. Couldn't hurt more than Tino was hurting the team!

Vipers 4    Blackjacks 1
Rogan's team finally finds the swing as the Vipers bounce back from a slow offensive start to post a 3rd high 163 points in their 4-1 win. The team was led by.......drum roll please.......Todd Helton! Yes, that Todd Helton, the guy who was expected to contend for the triple crown this year. Helton slaps two triples Friday night to post a 17 point game and get back into the groove that Coach Rogan has been waiting for all year. A now healthy Giles puts up 27, along with Vidro's 20 to lead the Vipers  into 2nd place in the B Division. Coach Phillips is still yet awaiting the arrival of his team from their spring training home in Long Island. The Blackjacks continue to struggle and Mr. Phillips is about tired of the same old song with his team. Changes could be on the horizon, but playing up to their potential would cure all that ails him. Good news for the Blackjacks though, they now have the #1 priority on any free agent/waiver claims in the league. :>)

X-Men 3    Contributors 2
The Al/Mike show (yes, they have officially been reunited) get the Sa-Su wins, with just enough to take total points and the decisive 3rd win for the week. The X-Men were led  by suddenly stud 2B Spivey with 25, and support from Bernie and Valentin with 19 each. The more impressive stat of the week was Coach Mike's score keeping accuracy. Mike often struggled with getting the correct scores last year, but he was right on with the stats this week in his 2002 scorekeeping debut. I wonder if he gets a patch or something from the GS for his sash? (You figure it out....) McSwain/Frank were yet again disappointed with the week, something that seems to be the norm so far this young season. After a 2-0 start, John figured this was the Contributors bounce back week. Then a clean sweep of the remaining 3 games left the team still looking for the right combination. Magglio was huge for the team with 33, and fellow OF's Ichiro/Higgy both posted 20+. Sad part is, no infielder scored more than 5 for the week. Hmmmm, smells like a team looking for a trade!!!!!!

Clippers 5    Cobras 0
Mike/Harry's Clippers score an impressive 160 on their way to a clean sweep of the Cobras. Manny had 30, Nevin had 29 and Hernandez had a surprising 28. That was all she wrote for the Cobras. The 'Clips leap over the Cobras into second place in the C Division, and just 3 back from the Division leader. Maze/Sturken have to wonder why them? They score 139, a very respectable total, but only have a top 8 finish to show for it. To hear of a team scoring one lousy point and winning a game was not the medicine Maze needed to make him feel better. No fear Cobra faithful, the team will be back next week, Maze assures both of you devote followers! :>)

Creeping Death 3    Wiseguys 2
The Commish & partner Mr. Tom Brady were out to prove their team was a team to be reckoned with, not just a product of an easy schedule. So the week starts off with a BANG! A 93 point M-TH game was just what the terrible twosome was looking for. Of course, as the Commish predicted, the team probably should have saved a few points for the weekend. The team scored just 13 on Friday in a loss, but bounced back with 42 on Saturday, and then slumped off to 22 on Sunday. Oh well, the team is still #2 overall, a spot the Commish and Mr. Tom Brady are bound and determine to keep. Hunter/Rolen/Womack/Thomas all scored 20+ for the week. Chris/George get a solid week from the team, as the Wiseguys score 151. That is normally good for a 4+ win week, but the schedule maker was none to kind this week to them. Konerko was solid with 29, and A. Jones posted a nice 24. The 'Guys are in the C Division cellar, but if they keep scoring 150+ Chris/George will be a force to contend with each and every week.

Redbirds 3    Connection 2
Sunday Redbirds 1 Connection -1
Total Points Connection 84    Redbirds 76

Fill in your own humor here________________________________________.

Next game please..........

Hummers 5    Victory 0
Jeff & Scottx2 finally get their team on track as the Hummers get the clean sweep of the previously D Division leading Victory team. Sexson was huge during the week with a 21 point game, and finished with 29. Barry had his usual 20 and Anderson chipped in with 23. With the sweep, the Hummers have really tightened things up in the D Division, as just 3 points separates 1st from last. Coach Alford must have shared to much of his champagne with his team, although they did manage to secure the 8th spot in the bonus win. Soriano continues to make his case for his 1st round selection with another solid week with 23, as did Hildalgo post 23 for the week. The Victory drop out of first, but are just one game back even after the humbling week.

Week #3 Awards:

Player of the Week:    Ordonez, Contributors    33 Points
Mags leads the week but it wasn't enough to put a smile on the face of McSwain and Frank

Pitching Staff of the Week:    Atlanta, Hummers     33 Points 
Now that is the ATL pitching staff we have all come to hate! Imagine if Maddux stops pulling his groin and regains his form. The Hummers brain trust has their collective fingers crossed.

Surprise of the Week:    Sheffield, Redbirds    -1 for the week
Might explain the sad state of affairs in the Redbirds/Connection match up. Shef looked so good not so long ago.......

Quote of the Week:    Coach Rogan, Vipers
"Furcal had how many triples in Sunday's game? %^*!@#". Nice to have him on the bench for the week when he ties a MLB record.

Hey, we had 100% compliance on the scores, NICE JOB EVERYONE!!!!!

Good luck to everyone in week #4....... I am outta here!

The Commish


PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE COMMISH'S CORNER:


CLICK ON LINK TO VIEW THAT WEEK'S REPORT

COMMISH'S CORNER WEEK #1

COMMISH'S CORNER WEEK #2