Notice: Trying to get property 'display_name' of non-object in /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/generators/schema/article.php on line 52
keyboard_arrow_uptop

This is why there won't be a section of the book entitled, "Why I Kick Ass at Fantasy Baseball."

I play fantasy because it's fun. Or rather, I play fantasy baseball when it's fun. To me, that means playing in leagues with friends. I don't play NFBC or online leagues or anything where there isn't some connection to the people involved. The fantasy and Strat leagues that I am in because of the people.

Yesterday, the AL Tout Wars draft was held out at Citi Field; I like my team, and it could win–single-season deep leagues are high-variance monsters, and you win as much because you catch well with health and random big years as anything–but whether it does or not, the season has already been a success. I got to hang out with a dozen great guys, laughing and joking and competing over players for six hours, and then most of us came back to the city and spent the night laughing and joking and telling stories together. If I finished last every year–don't put it past me–Tout would be worth it just for a day like yesterday.

So much of the image of fantasy baseball and its participants is distorted through the lenses of people with an axe to grind, with a story to tell, with a vested interest in making the game seem less than what it is, in making the players into caricatures. What the game really is was on display at Foley's in midtown at 11 p.m. last night, just a bunch of guys who love the competition and the camaraderie and who happen to express that through a little friendly competition, not for cash or glory, but for bragging rights and buying the next round.

That beer garden last night? That was the true fantasyland.

Here's my team. AL Tout is a 12-team, AL-only, 5×5 rotisserie league.

C V. Martinez 22
C Avila 4
1B C. Carter 1
2B Ellis 10
SS Hardy 12
3B Longoria 33
MI M. Izturis 12
CR Wallace 1
OF Choo 26
OF Gardner 18
OF Snider 13
OF Brantley 12
OF Saunders 1
UT Ruiz 5

P F. Hernandez 30
P Weaver 15
P Buchholz 12
P Feliz 9
P Cahill 7
P Thornton 7
P Chamberlain 5
P Downs 4
P Aceves 1
 

Thank you for reading

This is a free article. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions support ongoing public baseball research and analysis in an increasingly proprietary environment.

Subscribe now
You need to be logged in to comment. Login or Subscribe
Olinkapo
3/27
Mmmm...huge fan of the Choo, Hardy and Chamberlain picks at those prices. If Chamberlain winds up starting, it's a steal. If he winds up subbing for Rivera for a few weeks and gets 8-10 saves, it's a steal. If neither happens and he gets 70 innings, it's still not a bad price. All reward, no risk. Lovely.
Ah Choo, I'm perhaps a bit too fanboyish about him. It could have said "Choo 35" up there and I probably would have finagled a way to defend the pick.
krissbeth
3/27
That's completely right about fantasy sports: it's why the draft is the best part of it.

Looking at this draft, I suggest that you think next year about drafting veterans as a hedge against your love of drafting for upside. This is a monster team if everything goes right: if the future is now for Carter, Brantley, Snider and Wallace; if two of Feliz, Thornton, and Chamberlain pick up saves or wins; if Downs becomes a Blue Jay closer; if Hardy gets it back; if Maicer Izturis gets enough counting stats, if Felix and Clay live up to their enormous potential, etc. If it all works, you look brilliant, but if Carter gets 100 AB, you ended up punting first base. (And so on...)

That can be an issue with drafting in friendship leagues: the drive to be the guy who picked a guy at the right time can lead to taking too many gambles.
tbone90125
3/28
I think you did a nice job Joe, especially with Ruiz for $5. I'll take 30 HR for $5 any time. Maicer Izturis is going to end up as the every day 3B. It may take a month, maybe six weeks, two months tops - but Brandon Wood just doesn't seem to have the motivation for some reason. You'll love what Izturis does for you. Cahill, Feliz and Thornton are all solid picks, but Carter will hurt you (Barton is the breakout guy there) and I'm a little skeptical about Brantley doing much for you this year.