2022 Coca Cola Kids Fantasy Baseball Team

We are a couple weeks into the new Major League Baseball season so it seems appropriate to introduce you to this year's Coca-Cola Kids Fantasy Baseball Team.  Established in 1988 as a National League Rotisserie Baseball Club, but then upgraded to an online team in the mid-1990s on Sandbox, the Kids enter their 34th season of fantasy baseball.  The Kids joined their current league, the League of the Gorgeous Rogues, in 2003 and took 7th place.  Since then the Kids won the championship twice in 2006 and 2013.  In 2021, the Kids shocked everyone in the playoffs to finish third, the only sub .500 team in the playoffs. They have finished last more times than they would like to admit, however.  Enough history, it is time to look forward to the 2022 baseball season. 

Each year teams in the league may keep up to three players from the past season. The Kids elected to keep: Brian Reynolds, Outfield, Pittsburg; Javier Baez, shortstop, Detroit; Kris Bryant, third base, Colorado.  Brian Reynolds quietly put together a good season last year and both Bryant and Baez are with new teams this year with promise to have really good years.   

Here is how the remainder roster shakes out after the draft: 

C:  Eric Haas, Detroit Tigers

1B:  Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

2B:  Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds

3B: Kris Bryant, Colorado Rockies

SS: Javier Baez, Detroit Tigers 

OF1: Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox

OF2: Brian Reynolds, Pittsburg Pirates

OF3: Cedric Mullins, Baltimore Orioles

Utlility:  Shohei Ohtani, Los Angels Angels

SP:  Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox 

SP: Robbie Ray, Seattle Mariners

SP: Tyler Mahle, Cincinnati Reds

SP: Yu Darvish, San Diego Padres

RP: Gregory Soto, Detroit Tigers

RP: Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox

P:  Diego Castillo, Tampa Bay Rays 

P:  Marcus Stroman, Chicago Cubs

Bench: Chris Taylor, 2b, 3b, SS, OF, LA Dodgers; J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners; Jarred Kelenic, OF, Seattle Mariners; Austin Meadows, OF, Detroit Tigers; Justin Steele, SP, Chicago Cubs; Yimi Garcia, RP, Toronto Blue Jays; Casey Mize, SP, Detroit Tigers. 

If you are counting, there are more players than our 23 man roster.  That is because three players are already on the 10-Day Injured List.  

At posting, the Kids are currently in 9th place (out of 10 teams) and are looking to use the benefit of a long season to catch up!  Anyway it turns out, it will be a great season of baseball.  

First Quarter of 2022 Personal Stats update

I am a couple weeks past due for this report, but here is the first quarter of 2022 "accountability" report for my Personal Stats of 2022!

I added a few things from 2021. Several people asked what books, movies, and series I had read. Once I turn the TV off, walk out of the theater or close the book, I just don't remember what I have read or seen (kind of sad, actually) at the drop of a hat. I guess I have moved on to the next thing! Anyway, at the bottom of the report, I have added that information. I also added a link from the 2021 First Quarter Report to see where I stood in comparison to approximately one year ago. If you have read or viewed any of the content I have experienced, I would love to hear your thoughts. Share in the comments below or reach out to me on Twitter: @draftline

Through April 13, 2022:

Movies watched: 7
Rewatch: 5
First time: 2

TV series (streamed):
Episodes: 34
Rewatch: 10
First time: 24

Books read: 6
Graphic Novels: 4
Fiction: 2
Nonfiction: 0
Pages read: 1039

Books abandoned: 0
Graphic Novels:
Fiction:
Nonfiction:
Pages read:

Audiobooks: 0
Fiction:
Nonfiction:

Short Stories: 0
Pages read:

Comic books read: 79
Digital: 22
Print: 57

Book Titles:
Critical Role Vox Machina Origins Vol. 1 1/2 (date finished)
Legend of Zelda vol. 3 1/2
Legend of Zelda vol. 4 1/3
Legend of Zelda vol. 5 1/28
In Sylvan Shadows Book 2 Cleric Quintet
Catfishing on the CatNet 3/13

Movies:
Back to the Future 1/1
Back to the Future II 1/1
Back to the Future III 1/1
Encanto 1/8, 1/29
Hamilton 1/8
The Courier 4/9

TV Series:
Book Of Boba Fett
Daredevil season 1
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
National Geographic: Welcome to Earth
Hawkeye
Moon Knight

Here is the link to my First Quarter Check-in for 2021  

Here is the link to the original Personal Stats post.  

New Logo!!

A benefit to working at a high school is that I work with a lot of talented people.  In this case, I am referring to the students I work with.  One of our advanced art classes does a unit on graphic design for business, and I asked the teacher if one of the students could help me with a logo for my blog.  

After emailing back and forth with the student a few times for her to get a feel for what my blog discusses, she sent me the first draft.  I liked it!  She nailed the "feel" for my writing, but I wanted a bit more visual.  I replied what I loved and asked for something that includes the feel of "galaxy" and "searching."  That is what I got!  What do you think?  I love it!

The positive that I want to share here is there is so much promise in our youth.  I know they get a bad rap about being constantly connected to their devices, and they catch a lot of heat for laziness or an "I don't care" attitude.  Let's remember that our youth learn by watching adults, and maybe we all could have a bit of a new look at our behaviors as well.  But don't fret, our youth bring talent to the table as they grow and mature, just like the generations before them.  I see it every day in their creativity, discussion, athleticism, drive, and positivity.

So, thank you to Heidi, for her hard work, creativity, and excellent listening to what I was looking for.  Seeking Positivity in the Galaxy now has a logo!