Pine Tar and Cold Beer update - 2nd place overall

I don't think and focus on Pine Tar and Cold Beer as much as I do on L.A. Slackers.

Though both A.L.-only fantasy leagues, PTCB is a weekly head-to-head league, which to this point I don't like as much as straight points Rotisserie.

Plus, in L.A. Slackers I've been in first pretty much all season, and in PTCB I'm only in second ;-).

Here is my roster for now on the Jo-Hari Hitters in PTCB:

SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM POS	H/AB	R	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	%OWN
C	Carlos Santana, Cle C, 1B K	87/370	50	17	55	4	.235	100
1B	Adrian Gonzalez, Bos 1B K	159/452	78	18	91	1	.352	100
2B	Dustin Ackley, Sea 2B K?	46/149	21	5	23	2	.309	91.7
3B	Kevin Youkilis, Bos 1B, 3B	102/374	62	16	76	3	.273	100
SS	Alexei Ramirez, CWS SS	113/420	61	10	45	4	.269	99.9
1B/3B	Danny Valencia, Min 3B	101/413	42	12	58	2	.245	53.6
2B/SS	Brett Lawrie, Tor 2B K?	3/7	0	0	1	0	.429	22.7
OF	Nelson Cruz, Tex OF K	94/358	47	24	72	6	.263	100
OF	Mike Carp, Sea 1B, OF, DH	29/99	8	2	14	0	.293	5.4
OF	Peter Bourjos, LAA OF	88/328	42	4	23	15	.268	4.6
UTIL	Colby Rasmus, Tor OF	91/375	64	12	45	5	.243	91.7
UTIL	B.J. Upton, TB OF	90/391	52	16	56	23	.230	100

This league, like L.A. Slackers, has but five keepers a year. I'd like each to have more. When I put work into scouting a player and then pick him up in the draft or as a free agent, I'd like to benefit beyond the current season.

I don't play a version of the game with auctions, prices, and/or salaries, though that would make things interesting.

In PTCB there is also a rule that keepers can only be kept for three seasons (counting the first). So, for instance, Kevin Youkilis must be turned loose for the 2012 draft, as he's been rostered in our league three consecutive years (all by Jo-Hari Hitters, but the status carries over in trades).

Looking just at the hitters above, Adrian Gonzalez is obviously a keeper. He'll be on the second year of his keeper contract.

Carlos Santana, despite being more valuable in L.A. Slackers because it uses on base percentage instead of batting average, is still one of the better A.L. catchers at present, in a position with a lot of scarcity. Alex Avila and Victor Martinez are the only catchers that have come close to Santana's productivity, as Joe Mauer has had a dismal season in terms of power production.

Nelson Cruz has not been otherworldly, but he has contributed in four categories, so it makes sense to keep him for his third season. He's always an injury risk, though.

And it's awfully tough to throw B.J. Upton's counting stats back into the free agent pool, but that .230 batting average sticks out.

One out of Dustin Ackley and Brett Lawrie might be a keeper for next year at second base, though shortstop in the A.L. is a shallower position, and Alexei Ramirez may make more sense, even with his "meh" season...

As for pitching, at most I'll keep one closer, as my starters are marginal talents. In fact, scanning the roster below, you will see a lot of "chaff" among the pitchers. In part that's for two weeks from now, when I loaded up on pitchers who will have two starts then.

Brandon Morrow gets strikeouts, but kills in ERA, and Gio Gonzalez gets strikeouts (not as many), but has an elevated WHIP. Jeremy Hellickson gets wins, but isn't striking out guys the way he was expected to.

Jordan Walden has not been without flaws this year, but is probably the best option of he, Neftali Feliz, and Brandon League. Or I could keep five hitters and draft a closer "too early."

SLOT	PLAYER, TEAM	IP	H	BB	K	W	SV	ERA	WHIP	%OWN	K/9	K/BB
P	Neftali Feliz, Tex	42	33	20	29	1	22	3.64	1.26	100.0	6.21	1.45
P	Brandon Morrow, Tor	119.2	108	44	139	8	0	4.51	1.27	93.6	10.49	3.16
P	Gio Gonzalez, Oak	136.1	122	64	138	9	0	3.10	1.36	97.0	9.13	2.16
P	Kyle Farnsworth, TB	43	34	8	34	3	20	2.09	0.98	100.0	7.12	4.25
P	Jeremy Hellickson, TB	122.2	94	45	79	10	0	3.15	1.13	100.0	5.82	1.76
P	Brett Cecil, Tor	70.1	69	26	52	4	0	4.35	1.35	7.7	6.68	2.00
P	Jeff Francis, KC	140.2	164	26	73	4	0	4.48	1.35	1.6	4.69	2.81
P	Tim Wakefield, Bos	106.1	106	32	58	6	0	4.99	1.30	0.9	4.92	1.81
B	Jordan Walden, LAA K?	44.1	35	18	47	3	24	2.84	1.20	100.0	9.59	2.61
B	Matt Moore, TB K*	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	0.0	11.97	4.85
B	Felipe Paulino, KC	88	96	26	84	1	0	4.19	1.39	0.4	8.59	3.23
B	Alfredo Simon, Bal	51.2	53	15	36	3	0	3.83	1.32	0.1	6.33	2.40
B	Chris Tillman, Bal	59.1	69	22	43	3	0	4.85	1.53	0.2	6.55	1.95