Sweet Misery

[DOUGHBOYS]

There is six weeks till the end of the season. It is at this point that I change my way of thinking about our pennant race.
For the Overall Race in the Main Event, I like to multiply the weeks left by 15.
In short, we have six weeks left, multiply that by fifteen and we have 90.
If your team is in the top 90 overall teams, then there is still a chance at the top prize. True, if we're 90th right now, we only have a glimmer of hope, but it's hope nonetheless.
I keep the 15x as the weeks shrivel to five, four, three, two, and then one, where we'd have to be in the top 15.

The first 20 weeks are about 'banking' numbers in 10 categories as best as possible. In our own leagues, now is the time where I start looking at who the closest competition have on their teams. It takes this long to find out who the 'real' teams are around us. This does little good till this time. A lot of teams can be carried for a month or even two, by hot players or productive players that get hurt.
The final six weeks marks the stretch run for us. It's ok to look at the teams close to us. It gives us players to now root against as well as rooting for our own players.

We are not buying players on faab any more. That is what we do during the early season. Now, we rent players in hopes of a good six week run or even a good week or two.
We know now what categories we are strong in and it's time to try and build our weaker categories.
We can purchase players on faab for one dollar that no other teams will have interest in, but can help us in a lagging category.

This is the time of year that sets fantasy baseball apart from fantasy football.
Fantasy football is a matter of putting the best lineup on paper 12 or 14 times a year.
Fantasy baseball changes during the last six weeks. We'll play players that we'd never dream of playing during the first part of the year. We're ekeing out points in order to get to a money finish, first place in our league, or for those lucky enough, the overall prize.
Players like Jeremy Affeldt, Eric Kratz, Craig Gentry, or Tommy Hunter now become important to some teams.

Those nights where our offense goes five for fifty with one run scored and no rbi hurt a lot more.
Before, our mind set was that we can make up for this kind of night later, but the 'laters' are running out.
A blow up by a pitcher can only be made up for by having two superlative pitching performances.
When our team has a low performing night, it hurts worse this time of year.
When we have an above average night, we give a little fist pump and hope for the same the next night.

It is sweet misery.
Sweet misery usually comes in a lesser time frame.
A decision made in an instant.
A life changing moment.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Our sweet misery lasts for six weeks. One night at a time.
No video game can touch that.
No other fantasy game can touch that.
Only our game.