17 Days.
For some of us, time is running out.
For some of us, we wish the season were over days ago.
This is the forgotten part of the season. No 'expert' or analyst ever talks about this part of the season before our drafts.
At this time of year, we're not looking for a future from a player. We're looking for a hot streak.
Mike Trout is no better than Justin Maxwell.
Sure, we've banked Trout's stats and he's put us where we are in five categories.
Over the last week though, Trout has had zero home runs and zero rbi. He's also only had one stolen base and five runs.
In the mean time, Maxwell had two home runs, three stolen bases, six rbi, and six stolen bases.
If the season were just beginning or we were drafting now, Maxwell would be a bug on Trout's windshield.
But for now, he stands shoulder to shoulder with Trout, or, like last week, head and shoulders above Trout.
In September, John Axford has had seven saves with a 2.16 ERA.
In September, Aroldis Chapman has two saves, with a 7.36 ERA.
It's the time of season where we're dropping Ubaldo Jimenez and picking up a Cloyd or a Fife. Two names that were not even in 50 round drafts to begin the year.
It's the time of season when I think back to posts about one's team at the beginning of the year and seeing them wax poetic about even their 29th and 30th player drafted as if they'll be on the roster all year.
Accumulation is over.
Now we are fighting to gain some points in categories while holding our own in others.
It's a different game.
Some teams have left for good and are playing football, leaving their crash and burned baseball teams at the crash scene.
Instead of 15 FAAB'ers, there are now only five or six.
A stolen base from an unexpected source like Dan Uggla, which would result with his owner saying, "Cool", earlier in the season, could now result in a full blown fist pump and "Yes!!", even in front of the wife.
Accumulating stats is easy. If our players don't have a good day, we tell ourselves that they'll be better tomorrow.
Now, there are only 16 more tomorrows.
The last 10th of the season.
And the worst thing that can happen if we are in first place, is to let that 90% of accumulation go to waste.
If we're out of first place and making a dash for the cash, we want to ride our hot hitters to glory.
Yes, last week Justin Maxwell was better than Mike Trout.
Last week, pitching Stephen Strasburg, even without a start, would have been better than starting Felix Hernandez.
'Automatic starts' are not so automatic now.
Before the season, King Felix at home vs. the Orioles was a no-brainer.
Now, when deciding between that King Felix start and the two starts of David Huff vs. Minnesota and Kansas city and the only two categories left to be decided is Wins and K's, we may be tempted to go with Huff.
The schedule has also left us in a strange position.
This was the last week to truly take advantage of two start pitchers.
Next week, there'll be two start pitchers, but it's also guaranteed that those same pitchers will not get a start the following week.
When we come down to faab next week, with some pitchers stuck in six man rotations, there may be some hurlers who only get one start for the rest of the year.
Some pitchers may be shut down without much notice.
Some games could be rained out and not made up.
It's a time where we have less control, yet our decisions could make or break our season.
Good luck, and I hope your team's have the Justin Maxwell's and John Axford's to bring home your season and the Mike Trout's and Aroldis Chapman's that got you there.