IBC ARCHIVES: Volume 5 - Interview with Z, prior to 2003

[DBacks]

At the time of this interview, Z had just joined the league. In the text that follows, our good friend Brett talks about several players who have since vanished off the face of the Earth. Seriously, some of these guys...I don't even recognize the names.... Enjoy.

Brett Z. walked into this league knowing that he had a tough road ahead of him. He took over a team that had received very little attention from it's previous GM, and was thrust into one the IBC's premiere divisions, the NL Central. But, Brett has managed to avoid the traditional "New GM Rapings," and has begun the construction of a very young, very talented team. I, Gabe, the infamous interviewer of the IBC, was able to sit down with Brett and have a short little chat about all things baseball.

Gabe- Ok. First question. You're one of the newest additions to the IBC family -- so what's been your first impression of the league?

BZalaski12: I've enjoyed, i like the concept behind it, definitely different then any fantasy league that I've been in...the people have been cool on the most part too

G: You've made your share of deals since joining the league...but unlike most new GMs, you haven't been raped of all your talent. How did you manage that?

B: haha, i knew with the team i was given that it would be at the least a year before i challenged for anything so the goal was to get some young guys with pro experience who would put me in the position of being somewhat competitive--i have a decent lineup but I'm relying a lot on young pitching now--talented but young
and let a lot of my older, talented guys go for young players who can play right away

G: Now that you have a pretty good feel for the league, who would you say is the team to beat in 2003?

B: wow, good question, i cant lie, i like what JB has done with Toronto, good lineup, great rotation and a solid bullpen--i don't see many teams with his overall talent--i think the mariners are closest after that

G: Your division, the NL Central, is pretty damn tough. Do you think it's the toughest in the league? If not, which one is?

B: id say definitely, there are four excellent teams in the division--either the reds, cardinals, astros and cubs have the talent to compete this year

G: Which team do you think is the weakest in the IBC?

B: id say definitely Milwaukee right now, though bren has done a good job giving them a good young base

G: Which division do you think is the weakest the IBC has to offer?

B: id say the al central--i think with the switch of the mets in there they will be more competitive, but, top to bottom, i don't see a lot of strengths

G: What do you think is the best deal you've made since joining the league?

B: i think it was getting Vernon wells and Corey Thurman right away--i think both will be excellent players this year and for many years to come--each is young and talented and both had good years last year, though Thurman struggled a little at the end

G: Who do you think will finish last in each division?

B: new York yanks, Minnesota, Oakland, Montreal, Milwaukee, Los angeles

G: Is there anyone in the league that you've grown to dislike?

B: well i definitely find one particular AL central GM a tad annoying, but beyond that it has been a good experience so far

G: Are there any IBC Rules/Policies you would like to see changed?

B: i think bren does a great job with the league, I'm not a huge fan of the carryover rule though, though ben grieve seems to be a perennial carryover at this point, id just as soon the players go off their own accomplishments, not something they never did

G: What's the biggest weakness of your team right now?

B: definitely starting pitching--i like the potential out of jensen, rusch, van hekken, pavano, diggins, douglass and smith--but none have proven themselves at a high level yet, could be a rough area for me on the season

G: Do you think the team is better than it was when it was given to you?

B: I'm not sure if it's better as much as it is definitely closer to where i want a team to be...the team i inherited had a lot of problems with it...best hitters were old, relief pitching was awful...I've tried to turn it into a young team that can be competitive as opposed to an old team that can be competitive, i figure off I'm much better off this way

G: Have you developed any rivals yet, friendly or otherwise?

B: well, i cant be considered in his league yet, when all of pat's old fogies retire over the next year or two it will be a pleasure to beat my former classmate into submission

G: Haha. What teams do you see making the playoffs in 2003?

B: Toronto, Boston, new Cleveland, Seattle in the AL, Phil, St. Louis, cincy, sanfran/az too close to call.

G: Just so everyone knows, what are the Pirates currently in the market for?

B: young starting pitching, another infielder and bullpen depth, in that order

G: From 1st to last place, how do you expect your division to look at the end of the year?

B: St. Louis, cincy, cubs/astros too close to call, pirates, brewers

G: How soon do you expect the Pirates to be serious IBC contenders?

B: i think if bud smith can come back healthy next year and van hekken pitches how i believe he is capable of pitching, i think we can improve drastically in the 2004 season, and hopefully be competing full time in 2005

G: Any final comments?

B: none that i can think of

Notes:

1) Brett has since developed a taste for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

2) Z pins his hopes for future contention on Bud Smith and Van Hekken.

3) "i like the potential out of jensen, rusch, van hekken, pavano, diggins, douglass and smith" ..... Wow. Now, you could combine all those guys into one big uber-pitcher and he'd still have about a total of 20 wins and ERA north of 6.

[Yankees]

I hear that Jensen, Rusch, Van Hekken, Diggins, and Douglass are a rotation currently dominating the French Major Baseball League - so take that!

My fourth note would be that I would appear to be a better judge of talent. I honestly have no recollection of half the guys I mention in this article. Who the fuck is Corey Thurman? Good thing I pinned my hopes to his star...

[DBacks]

That was literally my first thought when reading his name - "Who the fuck is Corey Thurman?"

[Giants]

Corey Thurman

Major League Totals - 2 Season(s) 3 4 4.75 49 4 0 0 5 0 83.1 86 45 44 14 54 67 4 0 9.29 1.51 5.83 7.24 1.68 43%
Minor League Totals - 12 Season(s) 79 82 4.16 249 225 2 0 8 0 1,275.0 1223 671 590 140 507 1149 82 8.63 0.99 3.58 8.11 1.36 --

[Royals]

I forgot I had managed Milwaukee briefly...

[Orioles]

I forgot I had managed Milwaukee briefly...

So when did I take them over? I was reading these things and saying "was my team really that bad that everyone tagged them as the bottom of the league?" I minidrafted once when I took over, then again at the end of the season (b/c the original had only 3 really really bad teams). Ended up w/ a lot of the same guys, but definitely added a few key pieces w/ more to choose from. Still, my team was pretty horrendous either way.

I'd be down for an interview at some point as long as I have a few hrs warning to look over the league rosters.

[Dodgers]

So when did I take them over?

1/8/04

[Orioles]

So when did I take them over?

1/8/04

word. thanks. for some reason I always thought I started midseason, but I may just be confusing it with the period where we had a bunch of teams joining one after another and some kind of midseason minidraft fiasco. Could also be I'm just generally in a state of confusion.

Just found this doc from 04 draft

Team Pick Position Age School
Phi. Kaz Matui SS 28 Japan
Cin. Ryan Wagner RHP 21 U of Houston
Bos. Mael Rodriguez RHP 23 Cuba
K.C. Delmon Young OF 18 Camarillo HS.
K.C. Rickie Weeks 2B 21 Southern
NYY. Jeffery Allison RHP 18 Veterans Memorial H.S.
Mil. Chad Cordero RHP 21 Cal. State
Arz.. Kyle Sleeth RHP 22 Wake Forest
Tex. Tim Stauffer RHP 21 U of Richmond
ChA. Paul Maholm LHP 21 Mississippi State
SD. Aaron Hill SS 21 LSU
Pit. John Danks LHP 18 Round Rock HS.
ChN Michael Aubrey 1B 21 Tulane U.
Mon. Chad Billingsley RHP 18 Defiance HS.
Stl. Nick Markasis OF 20 Young Harris J.C.
Det. Chris Lubanski OF 18 Kennedy-Kenrick HS.
Bos. Lou Palmisano C 21 Broward Community College
Col. Shingo Takatsu RHP 35 Japan
Ana. Ian Stewart 3B 18 La Quinta HS.
Phi. Ryan Harvey OF 19 Dunedin HS.
Tam. Brad Sullivan RHP 22 U. Houston
Oak. Brian Anderson
Hou. Conar Jackson 1B 21 U of Cal.
Sea. John Banks RHP 21 Florida U.
Cin. David Aardama RHP 21 Rice
NYM Xavier Paul OF 18 Slidell HS.
S.F. Akinori Otsuka RHP 32 Japan
Hou. Roger Whitaker RHP 19 Lufkin HS.
Fla. Eric Duncan 3B 18 Seton Hall Prep
Min. Ryan Sweeney OF 18 Xavier HS.
Tex. Shan Marcum RHP> 21 SW Missouri State
L.A. Jamie Vermilyea RHP 21 U New Mexico
Bal. Vince Sinisi 1B 22 Rice
Tor. Andy Laroche SS 20 Grayton County
Min. Brandon Wood SS 18 Horizon HS.
Stl. Tony Gwynn jr OF 20 San Diego State
Mil. Adam Miller RHP 18 McKinney
Ari. Lastings Milledge OF 18 Lakewood Ranch HS.
Tex. David Murphy Of 21 Baylor
ChA Daric Barton C 18 Marina HS.
S.D. Matt Moses 3B 18 Mills Godwin HS.
Pit. Omar Quintanilla SS 21 U of Texas
Cub Tony Giarratano SS 20 Tulane
Mon. Thomas Gorzelanny LHP 21 Trinton CC.
Stl. Adam Jones SS 18 Morse HS.
Det. John Sborz RHP 18 Langley HS.
Cle. Luis Atilano RHP 18 Gabriela Mistral HS.
Col. Matt Murton OF 21 Georgia Tech
Ana. Joe Reyes LHP 18 Riverside Poly HS.
Phi. Jame Houser LHP 18 Sarasota HS.
Tam. Jamie D'Antona 3B 21 Wake Forest
Oak. Jason Hirsh RHP 21 Cal. Lutheran U.
S.F. Brian Finch RHP 22 Texas A&M
Sea. Seam Marshall LHP 22 Virginia Commonealth U
K.C. Robert Valido SS 18 Miami HS.
NYM Carlos Quentin OF 21 Stanford
S.F. Abe Alvarez LHP 20 Long Beach State
Hou. Wes Littleton RHP 21 Cal State
Tex Aaron Marsden LHP 21 U of Nebraska
K.C. Mitch Maier C 21 Toledo U.
Cin. Jonathan Barrat LHP 19 Hillcrest HS.
Atl. Bob Zimmerman RHP 22 SW. Missouri State
Sea. Andre Ethier OF 22 Arizona State
Bos. Jimmy Barthmaier RHP 20 Roswell
Min. Shane Costa OF 22 Cal State
Atl. Estee Harris OF 18 Islip HS.
Mil. Brad Snyder OF 21 Ball Stata
Arz. Ryan Feierabend LHP 18 Grafton HS.
Flo. Richard Nanita OF 22 Florida International
Bos. Chris Ray RHP 21 William and Mary
Sd. Vito Chiarava 22 U of Richmond
Pit. Scott Baker RHP 22 Oklahoma State
cubs Paul Bacot RHP 18 Lakeside HS.
Mon. skipped
Stl. Danny Core RHP 22 Florida Atlanic
Det. skipped
Cle. Logan Kensing RHP 21 Texas A&M
Col. Aaron Laffey LHP 19 Allegancy HS.
Ana. Nate Schierholtz 3B 19 Chabot
Flo. Jon Nickerson LHP 18 Stanhope Elmore HS.
Tam. Kurt Isenberg LHP 21 James Madison
Oak. John Hudgins RHP 22 Stanford
Flo. Tom Mastny RHP 22 Furman U
Sea. Chris Schutt RHP 21 Cornell
Cin. Jeremy Cleveland OF 22 UNC
NYM Errol Simonitsch LHP 21 Gonzaga
SF. Sergio Silva RHP 21 U of Pacific
Sf. David Marchbanks LHP 21 U of South Carolina
Bos. Michael Bourn RHP 20 U of Houston
K.C. Adam Bass RHP
Hou. Ryan Roberts 3B 23 U of Texas-Arlington
Tex. Matt Lorenzo RHP 21 Kent State
Bal. Brian Snyder 3B 21 Stetson
Tex. Justin Saltalamacchia
Min. Tom Pauly RHP 22 Princeton
LA. Ryan Klatt RHP 22 Biola U
Mil. Scott Beerer RHP 21 Newport HS.
Arz. Josh Whitesell 1B 21 Loyola Marymount
Tex. Lee Mitchell 3B 21 U of Gorgia
ChA Clinton King Of 22 S Mississippi
SD. Tyler Clippard RHP 18 Trinty HS.
Pit. Beau Vaughn RHP 22 Arizona State
ChN Josh Anderson OF 21 U of Eastern Kentucky
Mon. skipped
LA. Jai Miller OF 18 Selma HS.
Det. skipped
Cle. William Vaughn
Col. skipped
Ana. Jerry Owens OF 22 The Masters College
Phi. Jake Stevens LHP 18 Cape Coral HS.
Tam. Yobal Dunas 2B 35 Cuba
Oak. Ryan Garko C 22 Stanford
ChN Dennis Dove RHP 22 Georgia Southern
Bal. skipped
Flo. Eric Rodland 2B 23 Gonzaga
NYM Brian Marshall
NYY. Javon Moran OF 21 Auburn U
Hou. Craig Stansberry
Bos. Shane Hawk
KC. passed
SF. Pat Misch
Phi. Steven Doetsch
Bal. skip
Tor. Antoin Gray Southern Min.
LA. Peter Stonard

Some nice picks in there. Tried to highlight some of the everyday guys (or close). First ten are an absolute trainwreck of injuries, drug problems, overhyped cubans, etc. Billingsley and Markakis went one after the other mid-first and along w/ Quentin and Baker were some of the best picks.

[Astros]

Still kicking myself for cutting Adam Jones when the M's moved him to the outfield because I was hell bent on having a SS of the future from that draft

[Cardinals]

QUentin, great pick by me.

[Giants]

Good to see that the year before I got here whoever was the Oakland GM loved Stanford players too.

[Phillies]

that was me with the stanford prods and i wanted quentin too. im pretty sure i missed the first two rounds, i know i didnt take either brian anderson (who?) or jason hirsh, and i def would have went with quentin before either of them.

[Orioles]

Still kicking myself for cutting Adam Jones when the M's moved him to the outfield because I was hell bent on having a SS of the future from that draft

It's cool, I think I was the idjit who picked him up after you dropped him, then dropped him myself.