Fantasy Baseball Time!

As Merrit so pleasantly reminded me this morning... Fantasy Baseball Season is among us! My firm has had a Fantasy League for almost 20 years. Long before there were websites to help you with the calculations, and when you did a "live" draft at some one's home (or at a bar) instead of on the Internet. In fact, only two members of the league still work at my firm - myself, and a Shareholder. All the rest are Alumni.


I have to be honest - my husband and I manage the team together. He helps me a lot during the season, particularly in setting my line up each week (this league goes head to head each week, as opposed to daily scoring.) My favorite part is the draft. After that is done, I lose interest long before the All Star Break, and then get back into it closer to the playoffs. DH and I are the only "non attorney" in this league, and let me tell you... playing fantasy sports against attorneys is hell. They cheat, they find loop holes, they have an agenda, and they argue.


Last year, we came in 4th. The difference between 2nd place and 4th place was that damn extra game between San Diego and Colorado. The points added from that game only benefited the man who won second. We argued to no avail. And thus, a new rule was added this year!

"Beginning in the 2008 Draft, all games, including playoff games, taking place after Sunday of Week 26 will be excluded from counting toward either Week 26, second half, or season totals."

Damn Attorneys! Always a loop hole, and always a cover up at the beginning of the year.

DH did not want to return to this league this year because of what happened last year. It was hard to talk him into it, but I really would have missed the drafting. For me, I rarely use the trade magazines for help, nor do I research it all much. The day of the draft, it comes down to who's hot, who's cute, and who will help me the most. If I'm choosing between a cute Angels player, and a not so cute Yankee, and their stats are similar - I go with the Angels. In the later rounds, I just pick on cuteness. It works for me us.

Here are last year's results:
2007 Payoff Amounts

R - $156.50
B - $114
M - $107.50
Kelly - $45
D - $38
J - $23
J - $23
D - $13
J - $12
A - $8

And most impressive, here are the Second Half Standings (with the total season points in parenthesis:)

B – 10-3 (T1); 4001 (2)
Kelly – 10-3 (T1); 3990 (3)
J – 8-5 (3); 3734 (6)
M – 7-5-1 (4); 3986 (4)
J – 6-5-2 (5); 3794 (5)
R – 6-6-1 (6); 4146 (1)
A – 6-7(7); 3382 (10)
D – 5-8 (8); 3732 (7)
D – 3-10 (9); 3717 (8)
J – 2-11 (10); 3418 (9)


Not bad for the only women in a league full of male attorneys! ;) Our 2008 draft begins Monday (St. Patrick's Day!)

As a footnote (in typical lawyer speak), here's another fun rule that was added last year.

"Beginning in the 2007 draft, teams may designate up to 2 keepers. Keepers must have been drafted in the previous year in round 3 or later, and must have remained on the player's team throughout the previous year. Keepers are drafted in the same round as they were drafted in the previous year. Keepers must go back into the draft pool the following year."