Thursday · May 13 2004
My fantasy baseball team is humbling the pride I once had. The last 3 years I finished 2nd, 1st, 1st out of 12 teams. I scoffed at trades and ignored marginal players while Albert Pujols and Barry Bonds propelled me to the top. This year is a pure struggle. A sampling of news headlines related to the guys on my team:
- Andruw Jones (ATL) dropped in order
- Jim Thome (PHI) sits out on Wednesday
- Junior Spivey (MIL) still unable to start
- Jerome Williams (SF) plays catch
- Jason Phillips (NYM) to stay in majors
- Tike Redman (PIT) might leadoff again
- Mike Piazza (NYM) gets routine day off
The best news is that Jerome Williams, young starting pitcher for the Giants, is playing catch. I should be so pleased. Meanwhile, Mike Hampton is pitching AAA level stuff, Randy Johnson is wearing out the last threads of cartilage in his knee, and I have no closer nor anyone who steals bases.
I realize most of these guys aren't household names, and you might think that is why my team is so brutal, but the talent pool is thin in 12-team NL-only leagues and you have room for a handful of all-stars, at best. How you spend the rest of your budget is what matters. And I did a poor job at that.
I take issue with calling this activity (obsession?) “Fantasy Baseball”. A roster full of players a squeak above a .250 batting average is not the stuff of dreams.
I am lucky there are only 6 people in my league - I am much closer to a fantasy team. Even though I am in 3rd place.
I have a feeling your players will start doing better. Weather is getting warmer....who knows? I am crossing my fingers for you.
i feel yr pain... i have one team that is so bad, it is laughable, but it is a H 2 H league so u can turn it around quickly... otherwise i took alot less gambles upon drafting, and like u, i ended up with some bad ones, see Nomar, Piazza, Giambi, my best players are Michael Young and Jose Mesa, frightening, isn t it...