Fantasy Baseball: Coca Cola Kids "A Team" Baseball Club Weeks 7-12

The Kids are off to a great start in 2025.  Even after a blowout loss in Week 6, they are still 21 wins over losses (63-42-15).  Two key players on the team are currently on the IL, SP Shota Imanaga and OF Teoscar Hernandez.  Both of these players have been key in the Coca Cola Kids hot start.  The Kids are also waiting for OF Garrett Mitchell to come off the IL too.  

It seems that the top comeback player of the year candidate, Spencer Torkelson, is beginning to cool off after his hot start.  But Torkelson is tied in team lead in doubles (11) for the Kids, second on the team in both runs scored (28) and RBI (33) and among team leaders in home runs (10).  

The Kids management did well with their Keepers from last season.  Elly De La Cruz leads the team in stolen bases with 14 and is among team leaders in runs scored (26) and hits (29).  Cal Raleigh has been pounding the ball in April and May.  He leads the team in Home Runs (12) and walks (27) and is among the leaders in runs scored (26).  Julio Rodriguez is the most pedestrian from last year's keepers.  It didn't seem that he could have as dismal a season as last year, so it seemed worth the risk to keep him.  It isn't paying off quite as much as management had hoped, but his numbers are strong enough to call it a win so far.  He leads the team in triples (2) and is among team leaders in runs scored (27).  The team would like to see more in the power and speed categories, but we will take slow and steady in his performance.  

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the MVP and RoY for the team in the first six weeks.  He leads the team in runs scored (31), tied for first in doubles (11), and second on the team in stolen bases (13).  Additionally, Crow-Armstrong is among team leaders in home runs (10) and runs batted in (28). 

Here is the team roster as of the beginning of Week 7: 

C: Cal Raleigh Mariners

1B: Michael Busch, Cubs

2B: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

3B: Isaac Paredes, Astros

SS: Elly De La Cruz, Reds

OF: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners

OF: Pete Crow Armstrong, Cubs

OF: Kerry Carpenter, Tigers

Utility: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers

Bench: Josh Naylor, Diamondbacks

Bench: Bryson Stott, Phillies

Bench: Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers (IL)

Bench: Pete Crow Armstrong, Cubs

Bench: Ozzie Albies, Braves

IL: Garrett Mitchell, Brewers

NA: Matt Shaw, Cubs

SP: Luis Severino, A's

SP: Michael Boyd, Cubs

SP: Framber Valdez, Astros

SP: Freddy Peralta, Brewers

RP: Luke Weaver, Yankees

RP: Jason Adam, Padres

P: Fernando Cruz, Yankees

P: MacKenzie Gore, Nationals

Bullpen: Kirby Yates, Dodgers

IL: Shota Imanaga, Cubs

Picked up in the first six weeks: 

Spencer Torkelson 1B

Ozzie Albies 2B

Michael Boyd  SP

Fernando Cruz RP

See Weeks 1-6 Here

Week 7: 

Kids vs. BrownTown  10-7 "A Balanced Offense and Pitching Attack brings Win for Kids"  

(1st Division, 1st League) 

Week 8: 

Kids (73-49-18) vs. Oxford Publicans (57-65-18) 12-5 "Publicans Offense Can't Keep Up with the Kids"

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 9: 

Kids (85-54-21) vs. ACEsymptomatic (57-88-15) 10-9  "The Kids Squeak One Out Against ACE" 

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 10: 

Kids (95-63-22) vs. Orange Drink (71-88-21)  9-11  "Kid's Pitching Can't Keep It Together for Loss"

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 11:  

Kids (104-74-22) vs. Pacaya Chilitepes (88-90-22)  10-8  "Kid's Win with Balanced Attack"  

(1st Division, 1st League) 

Week 12:  

Kids (114-82-24) vs. Tuffy's Tamaskan Buddhas (101-88-31)  8-8 "Kids Come From Behind to Tie It Up"  

(1st Division, 1st League) 

Head over to Weeks 13-18

X-Cutioner's Song

I have been surfing through the 80's and 90's X-Factor comic books on Marvel Unlimited over the last 9-12 months.  I've been on again, off again, but I have stuck with it.  Back in the day, I did not start reading this title until 1992 when my friend Pete and I would go to the local comic shop at college in Charleston, Illinois.  We each bought titles we wanted, but then would go home and read our own books then pass them across the room and read each other's books.  It was a good arrangement for both of us.  We got to double our exposure to stories at half the cost.  

Anyway, I didn't realize the notable X-Men stories that actually happened in the X-Factor book.  Most of the animated series X-Men 97 comes from the pages of X-Factor.  Now that I have caught up to the books I read in college, I am remembering some of the good times my friend and I had discussing the storylines, enjoying the art and "comic style," and arguing over who was the best hero, (who is obviously Spider-man).  I have recently come across a classic X-Men crossover story that shaped my love for my favorite X-Man of all time, Cable.  The story I have come upon again is the X-Cutioner's Song.  

People may disagree with me (hey, that is what literary discussion is all about), but I feel that this is the best 1990's X-Men crossover, hands down.  All the X-teams get involved, there is a murder and the suspect is pretty clear...or is he?  You have classic villains like Mr. Sinister, Apocalypse, Cable (?), the
MLF, and others going against our heroes.  The difficult issue is that the X-Men don't only have villains to contend with, but they are also at odds with one another.  What else is new, right?  Well, to me it was all new, and it was all amazing.  One might say it is an Uncanny story.  

If you don't have Marvel Unlimited and you love Marvel comics, you must raise the money for a year's subscription.  You won't be disappointed!  However, pro tip here.  If you are my age and went to college in the late 80's or earlier, you might want to find a tablet to read these on.  The phone has gotten a wee bit small for me to be able to read for very long.  Just saying!  You want to enjoy this.  

Check out X-Cutioner's Song or for that matter, do what I did and start at the beginning of the X-Factor title in 1986.  This is a comic book that I can't believe I didn't pick up when I was younger.  

Artist Playthrough 2025?

It is April and I haven't released a single Artist Playthrough 2025 post.  What's up with that?  

I must say, I have had an incredibly difficult time getting hyped to focus on a single artist for a month.  I don't know if I burned out on the Album Playthrough Project in 2024 or what, but I will get to the Artist Playthrough 2025 sometime soon.  I also will still cover 12 artists, but I will have to double up on a few months.  

 

Up first: INXS