Don't cry for me, Daunte Culpepper

It's official. The AUFL just voted to go redraft in 2005. That means my keepers of Daunte Culpepper, Ahman Green, and Torry Holt are going back into the draft pool. I feel like I'm losing family members. I had Ahman Green on my roster since the initial redraft in 2001 and traded for Culpepper and Holt during the 2001-2002 offseason. The first year of keepers we had four, and most owners opted to keep two running backs. The following year we dropped the keepers to three, with one per position.

I traded for Culpepper at the perfect moment. Pepper had 4400 total yards and 40 touchdowns in 2000. He went #4 in the 2001 redraft. In 2001 he had 19 total touchdowns. I traded a first-round pick and Plaxico Burress for Culpepper. Daunte averaged 33 touchdowns in the three years I had him on my roster.

I also traded for Holt, and I'm not sure how I pulled off Eddie George and Torry Holt for Curtis Martin. Oh yeah, George went from nearly 2000 total yards and 16 touchdowns in the 2000 season to 1200 total yards and 5 touchdowns in 2001. He was only slightly better in 2002 but TD inflation worked in my favor. Holt had 302 catches and 26 touchdowns in three years of loyal service.

Somehow I don't think that I'll get these guys in rounds one through three. Average draft position, according to www.antsports.com, is 2.11 for Holt, 2.04 for Culpepper, and 2.01 for Ahman Green. I suppose I could trade my first-round pick and get a second and a third. Somehow I doubt that anyone will be that drunk when the draft begins.

18 runs in two games? The White Sox have resembled their 2004 squad the past two days. Contreras and El Duque pitched some solid batting practice. The Sox haven't been swept yet this year, and hopefully Guillen won't use his series-ending 'getaway day' lineup when it's the middle of a long homestand.