I’m feeling lazy on this cold Saturday night so here are a couple good articles from the Zealot network from the past few days worth reading:

As you may have already read, I took part in the Kiwanis Sports Trivia Championship last weekend.  What I didn’t mention in my article was that there was only one University of Illinois baseball trivia question asked all day.  Being a huge UI baseball fan, you would think I would have gotten it right but Murphy’s Law took effect here. 

Sheepishly, I’m learning all I can about the question’s topic and writing about it.   It’s all there in Lou Boudreau and Darrin Fletcher: not a trivial mistake at the Illinois Baseball Report.

***

If you are an APBA Baseball fan, you might want to check out The APBA Blog’s 10 Tips for Trading in an APBA League.  It’s getting to be that “hot stove” time of year for our league not to mention many other APBA leagues around the nation.  It’s not rocket science but some of us (myself included) need to be reminded of some of the basic tips and suggestions on how to deal with others when trading in an APBA league.

Though this piece is geared toward the APBA game, I’d wager that 90% of it applies to traditional fantasy leagues as well.

***

Speaking of APBA baseball and APBA leagues, our Illowa APBA League is finishing up its 35th season.  I’ve finally redone and updated our league web site.  IAL awards winners have just been announced and playoff spots determined.

If you’re a fellow APBA player, check us out.

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It’s cold as heck out there but it’s a good reason to celebrate baseball.  The APBA Game Company has begun shipping their disks for the 2009 Baseball season. 

While our APBA league (and many others) play the dice and cards version, the disk gives us an idea what the cards will look like.  Those of us in leagues all around the country have been waiting with bated breath to see how our teams will shape up for the coming year. 

Rob Moore has an article celebrating the fact over at The APBA Blog.

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I found my long lost George Brett autographed APBA card last night. 

There’s an interesting story behind it,  I posted about it at The APBA Blog. 

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I spent this past weekend with the Illowa APBA League as we had our All-Star get-together in Naperville, Illinois

Check out photos and summary of the festivities on The APBA Blog. 

The Illowa APBA League is a 10-team keeper league that is in its 35th year of existence. 

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Four years ago today, I wrote the first post for The Baseball Zealot. 

Four years goes pretty fast but we got a lot done.  We managed to put out a audio podcast for over a year (they’re still there if you want to listen to them).  I have a pretty impressive photo gallery if I may say so myself. 

I’ve spun off two websites because I thought the attention they were getting on the Zealot deserved it.  The APBA Blog focuses on the tabletop game APBA and the many leagues that play it.

Also, I began Illinois Baseball Report after covering the University of Illinois baseball team for a couple years on the Zealot.  I finally realized that the topic deserved their own site.  While the topic interest may not be as broad, I think it’s a website that well put together and I’m having a lot of fun doing it. 

By the way, not only is it The Baseball Zealot’s birthday but it’s also my good friend and co-blogger Teddy Ballgame’s birthday.  That’s how I remember his birthday.  Or maybe it’s the other way around. 

I couldn’t do the Zealot without Teddy and those aren’t just nice words.  I really couldn’t.  Especially during the college baseball season when I’m off to every home game covering the Illini, Teddy’s there writing about the MLB.  thanks, Tedd. 

Happy Birthday to you and us!

-TBZ

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I’ve launched a new blog centered around the sports tabletop game APBA. 

If you play APBA (either in a league or solitaire), please take the time to go to The APBA Blog.  With the help of Teddy Ballgame and Cluke and probably others in the the future, The APBA Blog will hit topics like leagues, replays, APBA product releases and innovations to the game. 

I’m excited about the project that deals with the game I’ve played since I was a kid.  The site is in its infancy so check back often for updates. 

The APBA Blog

-tbz

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This coming weekend is our annual All-Star weekend for the Illowa APBA League.  It’s one of the most fun weekends of the year for me as the ten managers in the league gather from 3 different states, play some APBA baseball.  The climax of the weekend, of course, is the IAL All-Star Game.  The league history dates back a while as this will be our 33rd All-Star Game. 

Above you see my team’s entries for the West Division for this year.  I’d like to say there are more but seeing that we are keeping the cellar warm in the Illowa League this year, we are only sending two.  Albert Pujols will be a starter and for that I am glad. 

I have a favorite story to tell that illustrates the fun we have at the All-Star weekends.  It goes back a few years when we got my friend Brando into the league (a great find, in my opinion!).  On our drive up to our destination, Brando expressed his confusion about his first All-Star Game.  Why was everyone was getting so excited about watching two managers play an APBA baseball game?  It didn’t occur to him that at least in our league, we roll for our own players when they are up to bat.  That simple change in perception changed everything.  The All-Star Game in the Illowa APBA League is a loud, raucous affair where every member is part of the game.  Yes, rolling for their players but also voicing strategic suggestions to their manager, high-fiving on any success and even a little trash talking across the table. 

The 34th annual IAL All-Star Game will take place this Saturday in Naperville, Illinois. 

Let’s Go West Division! and Go Twin City Thunderchickens!

What is APBA and What is the Illowa APBA League?

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Go figure.. APBA has a MySpace page now.  And it’s a 57 year old male… and its zodiac sign is Aries.

Well, at least under heroes they put "Dick Seitz" (may he rest in peace). 

Anyway, take a look and if you are a MySpace user, maybe you can befriend the tabletop game.

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My buddy CLuke purports to not care so much for college baseball but I’m beginning to think otherwise.  Every time I hear from him, he’s talking about something related to the topic. 

This time it’s pretty exciting.  Not only is it about college baseball but it pertains to another baseball interest of mine… APBA. 

Chuck pointed me to Steve Guthrie’s web site.  Steve has custom-made APBA baseball cards based on the 2007 NCAA season.

Wow! 

Steve pumped in the stats to Brian Davis’ APBA Card Generator for most of the Division I teams in the NCAA.  There are nine sets available:

• Set 1: SEC, Atlantic 10, Wright State, Hawaii-Hilo
• Set 2: ACC, Ohio Valley, Oral Roberts, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A and M, North Carolina A and T, Dallas Baptist, Prairie View A and M
• Set 3: Big XII, Sun Belt, Mountain West
• Set 4: PAC-10, Missouri Valley, Southern
• Set 5: Big East, Ivy League, America East, Texas-Pan American
• Set 6: Conference-USA, Colonial, West Coast
• Set 7: Big West, WAC, Metro Atlantic, Army, Navy
• Set 8: Big 10, Big South, Atlantic Sun
• Set 9: Southland, Mid-American, Illinois-Chicago, Lafayette, North Dakota State, South Dakota State

Each set is available for download from Steve’s web site and can be printed with minimal configuration. 

Me?  I got the Big Ten :)

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Posted in: APBA Baseball, College Baseball by The Baseball Zealot
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Every year, I bemoan the number of injuries in baseball, thinking they must be more than the year before.  Once again, I find myself thinking the same thing.  Atlanta alone has 12 players on the DL. 

Not to minimize the pain and stress that injuries cause the actual players.  They do.  But Right now, my APBA team is suffering with DL-itis. 

At this moment with a little creativity, I could make a full starting infield of starting players who are on my APBA team and are also on the MLB disabled list. 

• C: Jason Varitek is out with strep throat.  Fortunately, he’s day-to-day. 
• 1B:  Albert Pujols.  Yeah, Albert.  And people laughed at me when I drafted Mike Jacobs two years ago.  “You got Pujols.  Whaddya need him for?”
• SS:  Troy Tulowitski.  Tulo was my prized first round rookie pick this year.  He’ll miss almost 2 months already with busted quadriceps.  But no worry, he’s capably backed up by…
• SS: Julio Lugo, who is out with the flu.  Like Varitek, he’s day-to-day.
• 3B:  Ryan Zimmerman.  I got Zim from DonS in a trade for Huston Street.  I was pretty happy with the deal till June 3 when he hurt his shoulder.  A recent MRI says he’s 4-6 weeks away from returning if he comes back at all.  He may just be out for the season.

and finally,

• SP:  Tom Glavine:  Mr Thunderchicken, who’s been on my team since the early 90’s and never been hurt till this year.  Glavine has been hurt twice for the Braves and this last elbow injury may put him down till August. 

Here’s hoping I have plenty of draft picks next year.

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