Here are some thoughts while I decompress after staring at spreadsheets for 12 hours a day since November 1.
The Founding Fathers had it right – the best time to conduct your fantasy draft or auction is the weekend after opening day, with only those on 25-man rosters eligible for pick-up. I know, with the number of fantasy enthusiasts playing the game this is logistically impossible, but it provides the truest and cleanest opening of the season. This game should be about how we feel each player will perform, how we value that performance and how we assemble our rosters with the most potential to earn points. Granted, how we feel each player will perform encompasses a playing time component, but the guess is that much more educated after 25-man rosters are established. This may seem trite, but after spending two days a week since December 1 trying to assign playing time, doing it KNOWING the 25-man roster was so much easier.
While I am not rooting against any players, I admit I am sort of hoping a couple of players struggle a bit this season. It is not about wanting to be right; it is about trusting the system and philosophy that I want to be right. Emilio Bonifacio may be a great guy, but I think he is a complete mirage and on behalf of my system, I hope he struggles. Of course if he does, this does not mean the system is right, but it will make me feel better.
Ditto for Brett Lawrie and to a lesser extent Eric Hosmer and Desmond Jennings. Baseball is supposed to be hard to play and we are not supposed to expect that much out of rookies and sophomores. These guys are being drafted ahead of established veterans. I understand risk and upside, but the man-crush on this troika has been a bit over the top. As a fan, I hope these guys kick-ass. As a fantasy analyst – not so much.
This time last year, Matt Holliday was considered a rock, one of the most reliable players in the game. Then he had an appendectomy and a moth fly into his ear and he is suddenly a health risk? OK, he also had a quad injury that cost him some time, but if it were not for those other two flukes, Holliday would not be discounted. Heck, it took us three years to finally downgrade both Nelson Cruz and Kevin Youkilis based on their health history. How come everyone was so quick to lump Holliday into that group?
I know I am not the only one to say this so let me just join the crowd that feels opening day felt so diluted this year.
If the dude on my radio is so good at investing in the stock market, why does he need to sell a book explaining his method? Why isn’t he just cleaning up on Wall Street? Ditto for the guy betting on games in Las Vegas.
I know it means absolutely diddly-squat, but yet I spent about 20 minutes checking the live standings of all my leagues after the LA-SD game ended last night. I was happy when my team was at or near the top of the standings and bummed when they were not. Admit it; I was not the only one.
I hesitate to include this since I oversee a couple of leagues and it may seem self-serving, but it is not. Sometime in the next week or so, shoot your commissioner a note thanking him or her for their getting your league good to go, they deserve it.
We’re not quite there yet, but we are close to the play-by-play guy screaming RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN with a chorus of vuvuzelas blaring in the background when a guy crosses the plate.
Yes, Andrew Bailey is injury-prone and a health risk. But come on, his thumb injury was a complete fluke, not a reflection of his character.
Here is a question to all those saying Ryan Braun will struggle because his buddy Prince Fielder is no longer with him – exactly who did Matt Kemp have in the lineup last season?
Is it just me or has the majesty of a great throw from the outfield slowly disappearing?
With Passover falling on Easter Sunday, do Chinese restaurants even bother opening?{jcomments on}