Mastersball

Each week, your friends at Mastersball will post the results of the weekly Tout Wars FAAB run, featuring the winning bid as well as the runner-up bids. There are three LABR leagues, a 12-team AL only, 13-team NL only and 15-team Mixed League. You can see the complete standings for each league by clicking on the appropriate heading, located just under each player photo.

Tout Wars uses a modified Vickrey system to award bids. For a complete description of the Vickrey system, click HERE for the Tout Wars constitution.

Included with each league report will be commentary from a Mastersball staff member participating in that league. We invite you to ask questions and post comments at the bottom of the report.

All contingency bids for awarded players are included. Sometimes, this is a bid tied to a player that the owner received, so at times the bid amount is larger than the winning bid. We are including it to provide as much information and context as possible with each report.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

PLAYERS AWARDED

UNAWARDED CONTINGENCY BIDS

Todd Zola's Commentary

Texas phenom Jurickson Profar was called up, primarily as Ian Kinsler insurance but since Elvis Andrus has been nicked as well, he could see some time down the stretch. It will be interesting to see what Texas does with its two talented young shortstops, but remember, it was not that long ago that we were all worried that Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock were both blocked by Mike Lamb.

Throughout all their injuries, especially at the hot corner, the Yankees stuck to their plan and kept Eduardo Nunez at shortstop to gain some necessary experience. But now its crunch time and Nunez' offensive and defensive versatility will come in handy.

Russ Canzler is an interesting guy to watch down the stretch as the Indians are likely going to give him a decent look. Canzler has had a modicum of success in the past and could provide some late season pop.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PLAYERS AWARDED

UNAWARDED CONTINGENCY BIDS

Brian Walton's Commentary

One consistency in sports is that injury creates opportunity. So it was in Los Angeles this week. The scary heart condition which has once again sidelined Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen for an indefinite period has created save chances for Ronald Belisario and Brandon League.

With the Dodgers in the midst of the wild card fight, the opportunities have already begun for the two. Each logged one save this past weekend. Three Tout warriors bid double-digit amounts for both, with two of three putting more cash on League than Belisario.

Even so, the latter had the highest bid, meaning one of three owners apparently had a bit more conviction about his feelings. Belisario had a $32 offer, reduced to just $11 by the Vickrey rules. League drew a $25 top bid, dropped to $22. When all was said and done, League cost twice as much.

Slick-fielding but weak-hitting third baseman Matt Dominguez, having moved from Florida to Houston earlier this season, is back in the bigs. His return elicited an $8 bid.

Brewers’ infielder Jeff Bianchi went for $6 and Tyler Cloyd, a new member of the Phillies' rotation, cost $5

MIXED LEAGUE

PLAYERS AWARDED

UNAWARDED CONTINGENCY BIDS

Zach Steinhorn's Commentary

At around 11 PM ET last night, I put in token bids on both Brandon League and Jurickson Profar. Maybe I’d get Profar for $2. But League for $7, this late in the season when almost all of my league mates had a larger remaining FAAB budget than I did? Not a chance! Turns out I won both players. Bidding more than $0 on Profar is a little risky, as no one really knows for sure how much playing time he’ll get down the stretch. At the same time though, it’s rare to find an impact middle infield bat on the wire in September. As for League, I’m OK with this investment. The only wrinkle here is that the Dodgers are planning on using both League and Ronald Belisario in the closer role while Kenley Jansen is sidelined, but at this point, I think League is the safer bet. Yeah, Belisario got the save earlier in the week, but then League closed things out on Saturday. Then, Belisario came in with the team trailing in the ninth on Sunday. And unlike Belisario, League has closing experience. I hope I’m right about this. If I’m not though, Tim Heaney’s $0 pickup of Belisario would be quite the steal.