Vote Early, Vote OFten

Now, in a standard major league baseball season, there are 162 games. The increase from the old standard of 154 has caused many to question the validity of single season records, like Maris' 61 homers and Ichiro's 262 hits. That's not really the point of this blog though. What I would like to point out is the following:

The following description comes from an article at Fanball.com about players that qualify at several positions (that second link is for punning and humorous purposes only - it is decidedly not safe for work). No, that's not dirty, it's just fantasy. Fantasy baseball of course.

Brad Wilkerson, Nationals
2004 games played: 86 games at 1B, 80 games in OF
Recommendation: Wilkerson has power and speed, but won't do anything to help your team's batting average. Thus, if you draft a high-average first baseman (e.g. Todd Helton) or outfielder (e.g. Ichiro), Wilkerson makes a great complementary player.

The astute reader will realize that the amazing Mr. Wilkerson managed to play an astounding 166 games last season. How, I'm not quite sure. Perhaps in 2 games, at some point, he switched from 1B to OF, or from OF to 1B, as part of a double switch, and thus was recorded as having played 2 positions in 1 game, thus giving him the 4 extra games.

But it is apparently not just Wilkerson. Adam Dunn also seems to have played 166 games. And Chone "Flash" Figgins apparently didn't get the memo and played 182 games last year. Maybe this steroid problem runs deeper than we thought . . .

Or perhaps these guys defected at some point during a couple of the games and took some at bats for the opposing team. Kind of how those kids at recess in third grade would reveal themselves as secret agents during soccer and defect to the other (more popular and/or winning team). Bastards . . . .Considering the crowds the Expos played in front of, no one would have noticed Wilkerson's defection anyway.

Alternatively, Wilkerson and the others have perfected the art of astral projection (not the Israeli trance band). I don't think that's accurate, actually. I don't think your astral projection could cover the first base line. Maybe Bill Buckner could shine some light on that. But then again, maybe he couldn't. I suppose he's forgiven after the Sox won this past year, but the fact still remains that the '86 Mets were the best group of coke addicts to ever play the game.

Or perhaps Fanball.com is just plain wrong.

I know for fantasy baseball purposes, these guys can play at several positions in one game and it counts as more than one game, but c'mon, that just looks silly when Chone Figgins has "played" in 182 games.

And yes, in writing this blog entry, I had way too much fun with Google searches (is anyone curious as to what exactly Israeli trance sounds like?).

Oh yeah. Happy Birthday Richard. I hope you got the new Tekken game so I can come home and kick your ass.