Category: MLB

A Briton shouldn’t really love baseball. In fact, why in the hell would you love a game that’s a little to close to a girl’s game we call Rounders?

Truth be told, if I hadn’t fallen in love with New York City during a trip to the place in the 80s, I probably wouldn’t have liked baseball. And if I hadn’t spend endless summer vacations inside watching WGN TV and the crazy Harry Caray, I probably wouldn’t have fallen in love with the game.

“Nothing will ever be as much fun as baseball.”–Mickey Mantle

Truer words were never spoken. When faced with having to use up 5 vacation days before the end of March, it was pretty clear what I needed to do. I could either go to Rio with my girlfriends or Tampa alone. (Or stay home and watch daytime television and capitalize on the fact you can have McDonald’s delivered in NYC.) I received more than a few weird looks when I told everyone at work I was taking off for Spring Training by myself. Or as my boss said, “The Yankees are going to sic a restraining order on you soon.”

Why did I venture to Legends Field solo? Because no one else I know would want to arrive at the stadium 4 hours before it started just to watch Yogi Berra drive around in a golf cart. Or would want to sit in the stadium long after the game was over just listening to “New York, New York” play on a loop. Or would recognize that the beauty of Spring Training is not the games themselves, but what they represent. They’re not just a pre-party for the impending best months of the year. I wasn’t just taking a vacation from TPS reports. I was taking a vacation from steroids, exhausted media-coverage of certain rivalries, running tallies of payrolls, and watching once-awe-inspiring players become shells of their former selves.

Remember where we left off in the first article where I offered the tips to build a great fantasy team cheap?  You don’t?  Terrific.   If not then please refer to my previous article titled “Don’t Panic, Be Relieved!” to get the low down on pitching.

The purpose of this part two is to make sure you win the hitting categories 3-2 and 4-1 every week. Like I said before, and what has become common knowledge in the fantasy baseball world specifically…it’s a marathon to win these leagues and here is how to pull it off.

I know you’ve pictured it a million times in your head.  It haunts you. In fact, you’ve even dreamt of it. You’re sitting in front of your computer screen waiting for your draft to begin.  The blue glow of the computer screen is fixing your eyes like a bug zapper to a wayward mayfly.

Then it happens.

I’ve always considered the home run the most American part of baseball.  With one swing of the bat, the hitter gets it all, and quickly too.  He gets all four bases, all the adulation of the fans, all the credit for the one (or more) runs driven across the plate, and possibly, all the credit for a game, series or championship won.