RotoSynthesis Blog Posts for Jason Thornbury

Ichiro Trade is a Triple Win

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 50:00 PM 0000

The only surprising part about Ichiro Suzuki's trade is the Mariners actually pulled the trigger. Who knew they had it in them? That's why I believe the company line that Ichiro requested a trade.

Will the NFL's New Pads Rule Impact Fantasy Football?

Wed, 23 May 2012 47:00 AM 0000

The NFL decided to bring back lower-body pads starting next year. In 2013, players will be required to wear hip, thigh and knee pads. This used to be the case, but beginning in 1995, the NFL nixed the rule because many players weren't wearing them anyway, so I guess they figured why bother. What will this mean for fantasy football, if anything?

Tourney Talk -- Day 2

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 50:00 AM 0000

Hey, let's do it again. What's a full day of games without some water-cooler banter? Plus, I'll reveal the answer to yesterday's trivia question.

Who do you like in today's games? Any upsets brewing? Will there be more madness than Thursday brought? No Rafferty today, so that's a bummer.

Tourney Talk

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 38:00 AM 0000

Picking this year's tournament gave me fits. I found it really difficult to get a good feel. Not sure why, but the pairings definitely didn't help. An underrated Gonzaga got a terrible draw having to play West Virginia in Pittsburgh. Murray State is a very likeable squad, but got a weak seed (6), so it has Marquette waiting in the second round. San Diego State? Like 'em. North Carolina State? Like 'em. They play each other in the first round? Drat. It went like that a lot.

A few other thoughts:

• CBS should put Charles Barkley on the NFL Sunday morning show. First off, he has personality. And while he doesn't know ...

March Madness -- Upsets I Like, Upsets I Don't Like

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 39:00 AM 0000

March Madness is finally here. If you need last-minute help with your picks, check out our region previews. Also, if you're playing in a fantasy league for the tournament, here's a quick cheatsheet of tourney players.

And here are some upsets I like:

The Tale of Voros

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:00 AM 0000

Really interesting piece by Jeff Passan on Voros McCracken, the father of DIPS.

Lynch's Run Shook the Earth

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:00 PM 0000

This is pretty amazing. Marshawn Lynch's crazy run Saturday caused an earthquake.

For Those Who Appreciate a Good Defenestration

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 28:00 AM 0000

This one's for you, Liss ...

http://vimeo.com/16611269

Cy Young, Wins and Nonsense

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:00 PM 0000

Felix Hernandez won the Cy Young award on Thursday, which no doubt has people like Murray Chass wringing their hands because of Hernandez's 13-12 record. I think Hernandez deserved the award, though I can see the merits of a couple other pitchers.

What has my mind boggled, however, is that Hernandez ended up fourth on one ballot and fifth on another.

M's Fire Wakamatsu

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 42:00 PM 0000

The Mariners fired Don Wakamatsu today. Has a franchise ever crashed and burned so quickly? Well, yeah, probably, but the Mariners' crash-and-burn 2010 is still impressive.

Wakamatsu didn't get fired because of a 42-70 record. He was fired because he lost the clubhouse, and GM Jack Zduriencik ultimately backed the players over the manager.

March Madness is Maddening

Sat, 27 Mar 2010 32:00 PM 0000

This Kentucky-West Virginia game just is awful. It's a waste of time, at least so far. West Virginia shot 33.6 percent from three-point range this season and came into today's East Region Final hitting 28.9 percent in the Tournament. Yet, with 16:31 to go in the second half, the Mountaineers are shooting nearly 60 percent from long-range. SIXTY PERCENT! They have 10 three-pointers! And one two-pointer! They've made one two-point basket the whole game! And they're winning the game!

I hate games like this. There is no way anyone -- anyone -- could have predicted this. Kentucky isn't even playing poor defense. It's not like West Virginia has totally open looks. They're just drilling everything even when covered. Games like this distort the whole thing.

March Madness: Picks I Like, Picks I Don't Like

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 58:00 AM 0000

March Madness is here, and not a moment too soon. Our writers threw down their picks here. And here are some upsets I like:

A Few More Super Bowl Thoughts

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:00 AM 0000

I was beaten to the punch here, but let me just add ...

1. The best thing about Super Bowl XLIV to me is that it totally destroyed the pre-game coventional wisdom. Everyone who picked the Colts -- everyone -- did so because of Peyton Manning. The Colts have Peyton, therefore it's just short of a foregone conclusion they will win. That's what it felt like at least.

Zduriencik Finally Misses

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:00 PM 0000

Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has had an impressive tenure thus far, but the reported trade of Brandon Morrow to the Blue Jays for Brandon League and prospect Johermyn Chavez is baffling.

Bowl Season is Here

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 28:00 PM 0000

The college football bowl season kicks off this weekend. And until the powers that be join the real world and give us a playoff, this will have to do.

Thanks, Phil Cuzzi

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 25:00 PM 0000

On Friday's RotoWire Fantasy Sports Hour, I thanked umpire C.B. Bucknor for his two blown calls in Thursday's Red Sox-Angels game because it gave me example to use as the "worst call ever." Well, sorry C.B., you're going to have to work a little harder at sucking. Hey, maybe Phil Cuzzi can teach you a thing or two.

Have You No Shame, Seahawks?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:00 AM 0000

Today is a dark day in Seahawks history. Actually, it'll be a bright day -- but for the worst reason imaginable. The Seahawks are wearing these hideous, ugly, untraditional, ridiculous, immature, undignified and just plain goofy neon green jerseys today. It's a complete mockery of all that is noble about sports, football and the NFL.

Keeper Conundrum

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 46:00 AM 0000

I am in a 12-team football league that allows each owner to keep one player from the previous year. My choices this year are DeAngelo Williams, Larry Fitzgerald and Tom Brady (I picked him up last year after he was injured and subsequently dropped). Who should I keep?

Greatest Upset in Golf History?

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:00 PM 0000

That's what Yahoo's Jay Busbee thinks. Sorry, no sale. Not close, really.

Manny Should Fire Scott Boras

Mon, 11 May 2009 01:00 PM 0000

Not to excuse Manny Ramirez's own culpability, but Scott Boras really, really failed Manny on this whole steroids thing. An agent is supposed to protect his player and pay attention to the details so the player doesn't have to worry about anything. Boras, and/or his staff, dropped the ball big time.

Manny Takes Chick Drugs

Thu, 7 May 2009 54:00 PM 0000

So, twice now I had blogs ready to roll on Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension, but then the news changed each time -- Manny's a juicer! ... to .. Well, not exactly ... to ... Never mind, he is a juicer.

Did Arod Tip Pitches?

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 45:00 PM 0000

The latest charge leveled against Arod from Selena Roberts' soon-to-be-published book is that he juiced in high school. Maybe so, who knows. I can't get worked up about that. Much more provocative, though, is the charge that Arod tipped pitches to opposing hitters.

The Oklahoman is a Mouthpiece, Not a Newspaper

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 55:00 AM 0000

One of the most irritating aspects of the team formerly known as the Sonics playing in Oklahoma City this season was the coverage by the local newspaper, The Oklahoman.

Now, a certain level of enthusiasm is expected from any hometown paper, and perhaps more so in this case considering the circumstances. But the level to which The Oklahoman sunk this season could go down as an all-time low in the history of sports journalism. Frankly, it wasn't journalism. Most of the time it was like reading a cross between a high school newspaper and team press releases.

Nick Adenhart's Last Night

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 35:00 PM 0000

The randomness of Nick Adenhart's death, and that of his friends, is eery in this minute-by-minute account of their last night. As the police officer who arrived on the scene said, "A half-second before or after and there's no impact. That's like taking one more brush of your hair."

And the mother of the drunk driver who killed the trio has the gall to say, "It was an accident. He never meant to hurt anybody, ever."

Nick Adenhart Killed

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 23:00 AM 0000

Truly awful news about Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. The kid -- he was only 22 -- throws six scoreless innings Wednesday night only to be killed a few hours later in a hit-and-run accident by a guy barreling through a stoplight. Just terrible. Two others in Adenhart's car were killed and another is in critical condition. I imagine tonight's Angels-A's game will be canceled.