2022 NFBC Champion Profile Andrew Geller

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Tom Kessenich
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2022 NFBC Champion Profile Andrew Geller

Post by Tom Kessenich » Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:36 am

With a pair of Top 5 finishes to his credit in 2019 and 2020, Andrew Geller had certainly tasted success in the RotoWire Online Championship. But coming oh so tantalizingly close to the ultimate goal in fantasy baseball was not enough, there was still one more hurdle left to overcome.

In 2021, it finally became a reality. A bridesmaid no longer, Geller became a champion.

Geller took down a record field of 2,388 teams to win the record grand prize of $150,000 as he won the RotoWire Online Championship title in 2022. Needless to say, after coming close to winning the previous two seasons Geller was elated to have finally cleared that elusive hurdle last year to become a national champion in the NFBC a season ago.

“Finishing second and fourth, while awesome, it was still not the ultimate goal,” he said. “I think I’ve also led the contest at least three to four times over the years throughout the season but being able to close it out finally really was the pinnacle of my fantasy career.”

As is so often the case in the NFBC, Geller’s accomplishment came in twofold fashion – a strong draft and then some meticulous work on the Waiver Wire during the season. He was particularly adept at landing strong pitchers in the early rounds, especially Aaron Nola in the third and Sandy Alcantara in the fifth.

Building a strong rotation proved vital throughout the season.

“I was able to avoid streaming pretty much all season,” he said.

That’s not to say he didn’t work the Waiver Wire aggressively, however. There was one category of his team where he focused specifically.

Steals.

“While this team was contending for most of the season, there was still a glaring weakness on the team – speed,” he said. “In fact, this team was around 600 points in the steals category in mid-June.

“I had to really focus on steals and with a limited bankroll I had to make early speculative adds and stashes on speed guys all season. Oneil Cruz, Thairo Estrada and Bubba Thompson were all Waiver Wire pickups who were keys to this squad taking it down. I ended the year around 2,200 points in Stolen Bases and that was easily enough to contend in that category.”

It was a speed race to the title to be sure. Geller’s The Gildz team was in ninth place with two weeks left in the season. It then moved up to fifth heading into the final week before jumping into first place and holding on the final three days of the season.

Not surprisingly, those final few days were agonizing for Geller as he watched his team jockeying for the lead with so much on the line.

“It was intense,” he said. “The final three days were agonizing for sure.”

But ultimately highly rewarding. Geller had finally accomplished everything he sought out to achieve. The title was his after having so close the two previous seasons.

At some point he’ll make a plan what to do with all the prize money he’s won.

“I haven’t done much (with it) yet,” he said. “I’m waiting for my kids to siphon the majority of it away. One day at a time.”

Plus there’s a title to defend.
Tom Kessenich
Manager of High Stakes Fantasy Games, SportsHub Technologies
Twitter - @TomKessenich

JohnP
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Re: 2022 NFBC Champion Profile Andrew Geller

Post by JohnP » Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:00 am

Nice write-up. Congrats Andrew!

Thurman15
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Re: 2022 NFBC Champion Profile Andrew Geller

Post by Thurman15 » Tue Nov 29, 2022 6:14 pm

Well dine Andrew. I can imagine the homestretch was nerve wracking. Nice write up Tom.
Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Famer with the Cardinals was once asked " You love Baseball Rogers, but what do you do in the winter ? " His response......"I stare out the window and wait for spring "

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