[Lefty Noob]

So, fantasy baseball owners. Who here has clinched a playoff berth yet? Not me... I'm running 5th in a league where 6 qualify and the 4-5-6 spots are still up for grabs, but I can clinch this week if things work out right. How about everyone else?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

So, fantasy baseball owners. Who here has clinched a playoff berth yet? Not me... I'm running 5th in a league where 6 qualify and the 4-5-6 spots are still up for grabs, but I can clinch this week if things work out right. How about everyone else?

I did... I am in first...and was first to clinch...have never missed the playoffs since 1999...how anal is that?...3 titles to go with it

[EmpireWF]

I'm in four leagues. In one, everyone clinched (including me) a week or two ago and are just playing for seeding.

In two, I'm in 7th place and have to get into 6th by Sunday night to qualify for the playoffs.

In third, I'm pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot because my team is dominating in the final week.

In fourth, I was eliminated from playoff contension weeks ago.

[MJHMarc]

You seem to be doing fine, EmpireWF. Good luck to everyone these next few weeks in hopes of clinching a playoff-spot and carrying their team to victory.

As for me, I am riding second in a league of six. I believe that I am only percentage points away with a strong bullpen anchored by Mariano Rivera. I was expecting an easy ride into first, but Pedro Martinez got injured and won't return for another week or so. The good news is that there is still about two weeks left in the season and Martinez is promised to make about three starts before the closure. I'm in the Playoffs definitely, but I would always appreciate finishing in first place.

[ThePundit]

I'm in 2nd place and will definitely make the playoffs. But I would like to hold 2nd so I can receive a first round bye. That would be huge. It's really close.

[MJHMarc]

Who is your top player, ThePundit?

Update:Still riding first place in 2006 Fantasy Baseball.

I am also involved in a baseball simulation-type of league which is not really based on actual statistics. Lance Berkman has been my biggest contributer whacking 46-homeruns this past season. I almost pulled off a deal including Lance Berkman, Mike Mussina and two prospects (Justin Upton and Lastings Milledge) for Alex Rodriguez but I felt I was getting the bad end of the deal. This is a keeper league, so I value Lasting Milledge and Justin Upton more than anyone else on my team right now. Out of my luck, Alex Rodriguez turns out to be the MVP of the Season with a league topping-54 homeruns.

I'm currently in negociations involving Ryan Howard.

[ThePundit]

Cool MJH - hope you hold 1st place. Why would somebody trade you Ryan Howard? Are they nuts?

My best player? I would have to say Jermaine Dye. Chris Carpenter has been coming on as of late with my pitching. Young guys Markakis, Teahen and M.Itzuris have really bolstered my squad in the last few weeks - guys I never knew existed before this year.

[MJHMarc]

We've spotted and discussed Markasis in this Forum. He has had a great year and hopefully it should continue throughout his career. He has a load of potential if he keeps up the effort!

As I said, I am in a keeper league with a loose salary cap. By calling it "loose", I mean that it doesn't really impact your teams because it is made so that you can have multiple All-Stars.

Anyway, I am trying to work out a deal that would send Ryan Howard for Jason Giambi and possibly a prospect or cash. Giambi's contract is incredible and makes up more than 15% of my team's playroll. I'd rather have Ryan Howard who is obviously better and cheaper.

[Lefty Noob]

Aha - clinched yesterday as the #5 seed. Now its time to get ready for the playoffs.

Good thing Tom Gordon just came off the DL, too!

[ThePundit]

Check this out: I was in 2nd going into this weeks action:

Look at how the final standings ended up:

2nd place team: 182-133-37 .570
Me: 181-132-39 .570
3rd place team 181-133-38 .568

I had the same exact winning percentage as team 2 but the computer put me in 3rd I suppose because of the win total.

That save that F. Rod got at 11 'o clock last night cost me a bye and $125 in regular season money.

I almost kicked my TV screen in....Also, if John Gibbons hadn't sent out AJ Burnett in the 9th after tossing 107 pitches to get that CG, I would have finished 2nd also....I hope Gibbons get fired. It's a long season but fantasy always seems to come down to these little things.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Took my league by 3.5 games...1st Seed!...Thanks to 5 homers from A-Rod and Pujols and some fine pitching last night (10-0 week)...I have won the regular season 4 out of the past 5 years...

[MJHMarc]

My team, the Dodgers, won the World Series in a four-game sweep.

Lance Berkman turned around to win the NL MVP Award while my own, Pedro Martinez made me pleased by bringing home the NL Cy Young Award.

My season record was 123-39 (.759) which sent me to first-place in the league.

[ThePundit]

MJH - Don't you have playoffs?

[MJHMarc]

Sure do.

I won the World Series by beating the Blue Jays, in a four game sweep. Randy Johnson earned himself the World Series MVP Award by pitching for a record of 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in the most important games on the face of the earth.

It is a quick paced simulation league so I have already gone through the pre-season and started the regular season jumping to a record of 40-26. My top slugger of the year thus far is Alfonso Soriano who I acquired for Jose Vidro in the off-season, with a grand total of 19 homeruns and 57 RBIs through 60 games.

Not a bad start.

[ThePundit]

I'm losing 9-6 and the hitting categories are really close. This was NOT a good week for me to lose Mark Teahen on Tuesday and it was not a good week for Chase Utley's Phillies to get rained out and then not have the game made up until late September and it wasn't a good week for the Mets to get rained out and then they had to play a douleheader the next day so Delgado didn't play both games. Did you ever get the feeling that it's just not in the cards?