Early in 2005 Nails was creating a new fantasy baseball league and asked me to be in it.
Years earlier I had sworn off fantasy sports for several reasons including the fact that I didn't want to devote the time necessary to fielding a winning team, and I didn't want to compete in anything in which I wouldn't do well.
Also, unlike most fantasy owners, I'm still an avid fan of the game who pores over each morning's box scores. Being a fantasy owner adds nothing to my enjoyment of the season.
But due to Nails's nagging I relented and joined the league. During a season in which my team did horribly (although an incredible late charge almost got me into the playoffs), I remembered why I disliked fantasy sports.
I didn't find myself following baseball more closely, but when I looked at those same box scores I used to enjoy each morning, I became angry when my pitchers got bombed or my hitters went 0 for 4.
And I often found myself in that awkward position of rooting for players who were playing the Mets and against Mets who were on my opponents' teams (I drafted Beltran with the 3rd overall pick to have a good Met on my team, but he hit 16 HR that year).
After that miserable year I decided not to participate again the next year and though they were disappointed, Nails, Focks and Freedo never let it affect our friendship.
That's more than I can say for some other people.
Back in Syracuse I used to participate in fantasy baseball, football and even basketball (before Pizza Parlor Derek ruined the league by dumping his two best players for a box of donuts) but after graduation and several annoying e-mails with insulting trade offers I decided to stop playing.
While this decision seemed ok with most of the league's owners, in subsequent years I've been ostracized on at least two occassions and the only reason I can think of for this is because I'm not in the fantasy owners' circle.
One of my "friends" got married, and despite the fact that I invited him to my wedding (he declined), and despite the fact that every single other friend of mine was invited to his wedding, I was not.
Another "friend" is known for sending extravagant baby gifts, which he has sent to three other friends who have children. He gave Chase nothing.
Now I know I can be a dick but I don't recall ever having done anything so horrible to either of these people to warrant being insulted in this fashion.
Which brings me to my current quandary. I've recently been asked by SCZA and Jems to join their fantasy baseball league. I really don't want to for all the reasons stated earlier in this post, but if I don't will I no longer receive generous invitiations to attend Mets game with SCZA? Will I no longer receive encouraging poker e-mails and the occassional influx of cash from Jems? I sure hope not.
Definitely not Paul. In fact, now that I know how strongly you feel about this I would discourage you against playing. I thought it would be fun for us to toss stats around back and forth and dicker in trade talks. I also thought it would be fun to go up against one of the few people that know as much about baseball as I do. But if your heart isn't in it, and it wouldn't add anything to your experience than take a pass. It actually adds some joy to baseball for me. A pointless game on Weds night that I'd have no interest in otherwise suddenly is exciting if I have 2 players involved. I enjoy talking smack, making trades, and being the first to know about the sensational rookie just called up. I get giddy about draft day like a kid on Christmas morning.
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