The Writing on the Wall

[DOUGHBOYS]

Maybe I am too 'Old School'. Or maybe I am just too plain old. I don't know.
This is the first year since the 80's that I have thought about not playing fantasy baseball in the coming year.
Oh, I am playing. No doubt about that. We already have the PreMature E-Draftulation League ready to go.
But still, I thought about it.
I thought about it.
I've never done that before.

I love baseball. According to my parents, it's been a part of my life since my first word
My first word was not 'Mom' or 'Dad'. It was "Ball"
My life has revolved around the sport. When I wasn't playing baseball, I was home listening to it.
Willie Mays, Willie Mcovey, Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills, Don Drysdale.
I knew every one of their characteristics. Better than my own brothers and sisters.
In first grade, I received a report card that stated my math skills far exceeded kids in my class.
I am not smart. Nor was I smarter than the other kids in that class. I knew I just had to figure out batting averages and ERA's.
It was driven by baseball.
In second grade, my teachers recognized this and I was sent home with a different report card.
Under 'Comments' was the statement....
"Danny suffers from a bad case of Baseballitis"


I never got over baseballitis. I played and followed baseball through Little League, High School, and College.
Then played in National and World tournaments in softball leagues. All the while, following baseball at the Major League level.
Fantasy baseball started in the 80's. This coincided with working at the local softball parks and scorekeeping professionally.
My family knows of my baseballitis and they've been very caring and loving about letting baseball be first sometimes in my life.
They're so wonderful that they're trying to push me to see the Hall of Fame.
Too nice.

The first thing I do every morning is check these Boards. It's been a habit of mine since the latter part of 2005.
Then I'll check my teams. I get chided from family and even fellow NFBC folks that I haven't answered an email sent three days ago, yet I'll post on these Boards. And they're right. And I'll apologize.
E-mail is usually not about baseball. So it is put on the back burner of my mind.
My wife likes to remind me that I can't remember a friends name, but I can rattle off a player from the 1920's statistics.
Of course!

This year has been different. Instead of looking forward to Sunday's, I started dreading them.
Sunday's were a day to replace players with better players! I loved Sunday's.
Now, the process has become more tedious than exciting.
It has become a 'hafta' instead of a 'want to'.
Worse, the game itself is getting worse in my mind.
All connecting with the wussification of America.
Players are rested more and more.
Pitchers are throwing less and less pitches.
Physical fitness guru's, agents, and outsider's have all conspired to make baseball a lesser sport.

Baseball is a pastime more than a sport. A sport infers constant motion.
If loving and wanting to play baseball every day, players should not overtrain.
Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken, Billy Williams, Pete Rose, Boog Powell, and yes, even Bartolo Colon have baseball bodies.
And even though Colon gets made fun of, he sees the field more than a 'physical specimin' like Yasiel Puig.
Agents push 'rest'. And teams and players listen to these guys that feed off these players.
Stupid. Stupid in every way, shape, and form.
In effect, agents are the bad parents of Little League baseball.
Only seeing what is good for 'Little Johnny' instead of the whole picture.
But, that's part of the whole wussification thing working against baseball.

I am sad. I'm sad that I've thought about not playing fantasy baseball.
It means that in the near future, I will not.
It won't be this coming year.
But I know it is coming.
The first step is that I've promised myself that three FAAB teams will be the limit for me.
One of which will be the PreMature League.
That leaves one Main Event team and another team.
My menu will consists mostly of DC teams.

I haven't tired of the Monday lineups and Friday hitting changes.
I still look forward to them.
I dread the day when I don't.
That'll probably signal the day when I bid adieu to this game.
This year, I've only thought about it.
That's bad enough.

[Bronx Yankees]

That is a sad post. It is tough to imagine the NFBC - and especially these Boards - without you, Dan. I suppose it will happen one of these days - as it will for all of us - but hopefully no time soon. I definitely can understand how one could feel the way you do about FAAB, especially towards the end of what is a very long, grinding season. I do not know how many FAAB leagues you've been doing, but limiting them next year might help. This year, I did 10 DC leagues and 4 FAAB leagues, and that balance seemed to work pretty well for me. At this point, I think I could handle a 5th FAAB league next year, but no more than that. Let's face it - to do well in these very competitive leagues takes time and effort, and at some point, as fun as it is to draft, you can easily wind-up with one (or more) teams too many, and then it can feel more like a chore than a fun hobby/game/obsession. If trying to cut down on in-season management a little, perhaps substitute a couple of FAAB leagues for a Cutline team or two? That format does not really appeal to me, but it would keep you drafting and with "juice" in the game and something to root for without taxing your free time. Anyway, here's hoping the "love of the (fantasy) game" comes back to you, at least until you have had that elusive perfect draft.

Best regards,
Mike

[DOUGHBOYS]

Thanks Mike, I really appreciate the post.
In the 30 years of playing the game, never an inkling till this year.
And that itself is sad.
FAAB is just a small part of it. I can control that.
Cutline holds no interest for me whatsoever.
I like making lineup changes for baseball. Hit or miss, I know that it is me to pat on the back or me to kick in the ass, whether I make good decisions or bad.

What I'm really hoping is that this is an end-ofthe-year blues thing that'll pass.
Already I am looking forward to drafting again, so that hasn't changed.
I don't know, we'll see.
I'm looking forward to the first DC of the season as well.
Congratulations on that league. It looks like you are maintaining a splendid lead there and will run away with first place.
Way to go!

[Edwards Kings]

Right. It is late February/early March 2017 and we check in on Dan Kenyon.

Announcer: Dan, how do you feel about the upcoming baseball season?



Announcer: Now, late last year, you had expressed concerns. What brought you back?



"I got no place else to go!"

Announcer: What message did you receive from other fantasy baseball "enthusiasts"?



Announcer: I understand you also heard from the Head of the NFBC family. Can you share his message?



Announcer: So how do you feel about you draft prep and support?



Announcer: Come October 2017, what do you think your message will be?

[Joe Sambito]

Dan,

Step One: Get your ass back to Vegas next year. I'll contact the Jockey Club and have them make up your suite. Same as always? Closest to the vending machine with a view of the alley?

Step Two: The rest will take care of itself...

[DOUGHBOYS]

Dan,

Step One: Get your ass back to Vegas next year. I'll contact the Jockey Club and have them make up your suite. Same as always? Closest to the vending machine with a view of the alley?

Step Two: The rest will take care of itself...

Thanks for the note, Andy.
Just love that Jockey Club. FREE POPCORN!
For those of you who do not know, the Jockey Club is the ass-crack between the Cosmopolitan and the Bellagio.
I can't stay at hoidy toidy places like those, so the Jockey Club was perfect.

I'll try, Andrew. I love seeing you, Stevie, and Kent.

[Glenneration X]

Dan, I think it's only natural to have those thoughts this time of year, even for a Diehard like yourself. The baseball season is a long one, and fantasy baseball by the end of the season can sometimes feel like a grind. I often feel the same way after 26 weeks of games & boxscores, lineups & FAAB, ups & downs.

But a short break is all I need, because this is a GREAT game, and it's in my blood. And it's more in your blood than it'll ever be in mine.

In a few weeks, once the season is over and after you've had a chance to reboot, you'll be back leading the charge. And the NFBC and those who play here wouldn't have it any other way. You're a big part of what makes the NFBC the great event it is and the institution it's become.

[DOUGHBOYS]

I hope so, Glenn.
Thanks for the kind words.
It's a strange phenomena for me. Baseball and fantasy baseball have always been a part of me. No thoughts of ever letting go till this year.
My approach will be different for the coming year. I am hopeful that it'll help keep me involved for the future.
I still haven't lost that fire that burns in all of us.
When that flickers or goes out, I'll know it'll be time to douse the ashes.
Thanks again.