Fantasy Baseball '07

We had our Fantasy Baseball draft Monday night. I had the added pressure of the first pick this year. Although everyone in the world would have done what I did - take Albert Pujols without thinking twice. Here's my starting lineup, which will definitely change as the season goes on:

• 1B: Albert Pujols
• 2B: Dan Uggla
• SS: Michael Young
• 3B: Mark Teahen
• C: Josh Bard
• OF: Magglio Ordonez
• OF: Nick Markakis
• OF: Aubrey Huff
• DH: Gregg Zaun (ugh - DH is so thin this year)
• U: Gary Matthews (hope he isn't arrested for HGH)
• SP: Chris Carpenter
• SP: Ervin Santana
• SP: Derek Lowe
• RP: J.J. Putz
• RP: Octavio Dotel

I'm pretty happy with my team, aside from my relievers and my awful DH. I also have some decent reserves, including Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia for my token Red Sox.

The biggest surprise of the draft was Daisuke Matsuzaka going in the first round. If you've never played fantasy baseball, it is very rare for any pitcher to go in the first round. Basically only a proven strikeout pitcher who will almost definitely win 20 games will make the cut - like Johan Santana - or I'm sure Clemens back in the day. This is because of they way scoring works - a slugger who plays every day is just worth more to your team. I hope Matsuzaka is great, but it definitely was a big risk.

Ted Leo

Ted Leo has a new song that is probably the best war protest song since Masters of War. Check it out here: Bomb.Repeat.Bomb. Just a great song to crank up and piss off any neoconservatives in earshot.

Looks like I have to add Living with the Living to the long list of new and not-so-new albums I need to buy (Arcade Fire, Grandaddy, Loose Fur, Beck, Sonic Youth). I did pick up Built to Spill's latest and the new Shins recently. The Built to Spill is great, I mean, it isn't anything earth-shattering, but if you like their previous stuff, it is good. The Shins took a few listens to get into, but now I am really digging it. A bit more complicated musically than their earlier stuff (not that it is Amnesiac or anything).