Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365

Every year some barely or fairly established players break through and establish themselves as a true player, if not a force, in the league. Last year it was players like Anthony Rendon, J.D. Martinez, and Josh Harrison. My picks for this year's likely non-rookie breakthroughs are below. Please feel free to add any I missed.

My second list is my Top Ten "Perfect" songs. By perfect, I mean those songs where the writer(s), performer(s), and producer combined to create a recording perfectly succeeding in conveying its brilliance through its lyrics, music, performance, and production. Obviously, subjective opinion will be a factor. However, it's surprising to see how many people will share admiration for those songs people think highly enough of to deem "perfect."

Again, feel free to add any songs or list of songs you think qualify.

Top Ten 2015 Breakthroughs
1. Mookie Betts, 2b/ss/3b/of, BOS--Versatile mega-talent should greatly impact Boston's season with his skills.
2. Avisail Garcia, Rf, CHC--Powerful beast with 20-20 potential is healthy and ready to help Sox contend.
3. Gregory Polanco, Rf, PIT--5-tool talent was streaky last year, but full season should allow his tools to settle.
4. James Paxton, Sp, SEA--Hard throwing lefty held his own last year and has talent to become a #2 starter.
5. Marcus Semien, SS, OAK--Scrappy player with hitting skills ready to take over at SS with A's
6. Kevin Kiermaier, Rf/cf, TB--Defensive whiz kid with pop will get full-time shot with Myers trade.
7. Jonathan Schoop, 2b, BAL--Another potential 20-20 player really looked sharp at end of the year.
8. Marcus Stroman, Sp, TOR--Small stature belies wicked stuff of Jays' best starter and likely ace.
9. Kevin Gausman, Sp, BAL--Hard throwing ex-LSU star is ready to join Tillman and Chen as big 3.
10. Nathan Eovaldi, Sp, NYY--Fireballer is having excellent spring and looks ready to take next step.

Ten Perfect Songs
1. God Only Knows by The Beach Boys--Gorgeous love song led by Brian Wilson's production and Carl Wilson's vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkPy18xW1j8
2. Nightswimming by R.E.M.--Micheal Stipe's beautiful voice, John Paul Jones' strings, a brilliant paean to memory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-YHU6BwPR0
3. Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana--Pixies beat and Kurt's smoldering, fiery vocals brilliantly convey youth angst.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg
4. Don't Dream I't's Over by Crowded House--The brilliant Neil Finn's lush ballad of hope in love still resonates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9gKyRmic20
5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles--George Harrison's realized brilliance with Clapton's virtuosity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3RYvO2X0Oo
6. Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered by Rufus Wainwright--Greatest version of Rodgers & Hart's enduring gem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA0pP1nBmFk
7. Read My Mind by The Killers--Brandon Flowers' lovely, textured song of love's end and its pain. Best song of 00's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKghBQbNxWA
8. This Guy's in Love With You by Noel Gallagher--Oasis frontman gives best rendition of Bacharach's smooth classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBDikzxWIs8
9. One by U2--Recovering from Rattle & Hum fiasco, Bono voiced this dark love song that became an instant great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftjEcrrf7r0
10.He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones--Jones' sardonic wit and sublime voice make this Country's greatest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubKUP8c0FHE

Hi,

8. Marcus Stroman, Sp, TOR--Small stature belies wicked stuff of Jays' best starter and likely ace.

May have been but he tore his ACL and is out for the year (I feel for him I tore mine almost 2 years and still needing it fixed).

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Thanks, man. Then I'll replace him with:

10. Kolten Wong, 2b, STL--Smooth-swinging lh-hitter put on a power display at end of the season.

Hi,

Here are my 10 songs listing only one from each, if not I could just list 10 Elvis songs and call it a day.

Suspicious Minds-Elvis Presley
Satisfaction-The Rolling Stones
Sharp Dressed Man-ZZ Top
Johnny B. Goode-Chuck Berry
I Walk The Line-Johnny Cash
Great Balls Of Fire-Jerry Lee Lewis
Tutti Frutti-Little Richard
Bad To The Bone-George Thorogood
Jack and Diane-John Cougar
Takes A Lot To Rock You-Dwight Yoakam

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Cool list.

The Fine Young Cannibals introduced me to "Suspicious Minds" in high school, and it's still my favorite Elvis song. I also appreciate the love for Dwight Yoakam. He really helped bring back "traditional" Country music in the 80's, and Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. was the first Country album I ever bought.

Great list. I don't know if they are in order, but number one is exactly where I would put God Only Knows. As an unabashed fan, I could probably easily come up with ten Beatle songs that I would consider perfect, but the one that I would definitely have to find room for is In My Life. Almost fifty years of listening to it and it still gives me chills.

Thanks, and thanks for your input. A huge Beatles fan, myself, I definitely gave other Beatles songs--including In My life, Lennon's best--consideration. However I wanted to limit my list to one song per artist. And God Only Knows was a pretty easy number one for me as well. Everything came together quite nicely on that one.

Good luck in our theme league. It looks like it should be fun.

My partner and i are not aware of when they are usually in get, but number one is precisely exactly where I would put Lord Just Appreciates. As an unabashed fan, spanish programs - spanish learning I possibly could probably simply come up with five Beatle melodies i always could consider excellent, but the one which I would surely should discover area for is within My life. Nearly 60 several years involving following the idea and it however presents me personally chills.

Suspicious Minds is the only Elvis song I like.

Just Great songs, I didn't rank them

Night Moves - Bob Seager (Way up firm and high) Every guy should get that at least once.
Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy (She got up and slapped Johnny's face) Great Bar fight song.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light - MeatLoaf (I am praying for the end of time) Got what you thought you wanted
Its a Long Way to the Top (if you want to Rock and Roll) AC/DC (If you think it's easy doing 1 night stands try playing in a rock and roll band) This song rocks it!
The Ballad of Curtis Loew - Lynyrd Skynyrd Skynyrd is the Gods of Southern Rock and this is their best song of very, very many great songs. Tuesday's Gone, Gimme 3 steps, Don't ask me no Questions, Simple Man. This is the best band of all time. No one can touch the God's of Southern Rock Genre. I know I left out Free Bird but that was not as good as the songs that didn't play on the radio all day long. When you are a fan of Gods you understand what is really good and what plays on the radio.
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen (Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round) Queen has no rivals
Hold on Loosely - .38 special (and my mind goes back to a girl I left some years ago) This is the hottest girl I was ever with and she invited me to the concert! ZZ Top played also. Floor seats and she paid. Best night and next morning of my life!
Midnight Rider - Allman Brothers (Well I've got to run to keep from hidin') Great band that was doomed from the start.
Crossfire - Stevie Ray Vaughn (Cant catch a turtle in this rat race feels like I'm losin' time at a breakneck pace) He was as good as it could get with an electric guitar. Never hit his prime.
Flirtin' with Disaster - Molly Hatchett (When we gamble with our time, we choose our destiny) If you cant get your blood pressure up for this song you are dead. They had the best Album covers!

#11
Hungry Like a Wolf Duran Duran (Just kidding here

Queen has no rivals None, Nada, Zip. Zilch. Those guys reached the stars and passed them. They mixed Classical Music and Rock and made a Killer Casserole. Ludwig Von Beethoven can hear them play and he died last year. That and every High School still sings We are the Champions (which I hate) 30 plus years later.

Oh and breakout players?
My kid in 9 years. If you draft him before I do, I will have to find out where you live and break into your house and smash your computer.