The big winner and the problem of Danny Darwin

Congratulations Jim Welch taking those 1941 Red Sox all the way!

I am so glad the Prairieland was a success, as all these tournament are turning out to be.  Next stop for the Mid-west, the Chicago Fantasy tournament in July.  I will be taking another run with those 2006 Twins with the addition of the 1977 Rod Carew. 

Jim's prize went in the mail last week: a new-in-the-box APBA Negro Leagues set. 

The Trouble with Danny Darwin

I sent an interesting question around Facebook yesterday and I will raise it here again.  I am playing in a small local tournament and I drew a team randomly from a pool: The 1990 Houston Astros. 

Standard tournament setup: Starters must go 5, grade reductions in effect, arms out of the pen limited to 6 outs, no restrictions on the pen pitching back-to-back games. 

There are 2 possible rotations:

#1

Mark Portugal By

Bill Gullickson Cz

Mike Scott Cy

Jim Deshaies C

or 

#2

Danny Darwin B(A*)yz

Mark Portugal By

Bill Gullickson Cz

Mike Scott Cy

The pen for rotation #1 would be

Darwin B(A*)yz

David Smith A*xz

Juan Agosto D*

The pen for #2

David Smith A*xz

Juan Agosto D*

Do I bolster the rotation with a Byz or the pen with a Ayz?

I will play 10 games, so Darwin as a starter will go game 1,5, and 10.  Minimum 18 innings of a Byz

He could throw 20 in relief as a Ayz

I really like the z out of the pen and I tend to be pen-heavy as a manager, but running a rotation of 3 C's is asking for trouble. 

What would you do with Danny Darwin?