2008 NFBC Champion Profile - David DiDonato
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:52 am
1. How did it feel to win the league title?
Winning was especially gratifying this year because I came from behind in august and beat Shawn Childs. Also, i was in the process of building another house and went way over budget...the 40k helped
2. What were the keys to your championship season?
The keys were a solid draft and some great FA pickups when some of my regulars underperformed or were injured. I got K-Rod in the 5th round and he kept me up in saves all by himself since I didn't have another closer until later in the year. Manny gave me first-round numbers as a third-round pick, Harden in the 14th and Ervin Santana in Round 22 were steals and anchored my pitching staff until Oswalt and Burnett had big second halfs.
Waiver pickups put me over the top as I picked up Ludwick in Week 2 and he put up first-round numbers, Alexi Ramirez on June 1 who outperformed most middle infielders from that point on and then Mike Pelfrey in mid-June and he went on a roll. Later I picked up several relievers who helped me in saves, including Joel Hanrahan, Matt Lindstrom, Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour and Jensen Lewis. All in all I think my free agent pickups helped out more than my draft.
3. Was there a point in the season when you began to realistically believe you could win the title?
I thought I could win the league in late July. My team started to gel and put up consistent numbers. On paper I believed my team was good enough to pull it out.
4. What draft day strategies worked out the best?
I always try to build a well-rounded team and at the end it worked out. My second closer was weak as Gagne was awful. The waiver wire helped me out big-time in saves
5.How did FAAB work for you?
As I said before, I couldnt have won the league without the success I had with waiver pickups. Ludwick and Ramirez were like having 2-3 extra picks
6. How was the competition in your league and the overall event?
The competition in this league is always intense. It's the best of the best. I feel the Ultimate in Vegas is the toughest from top to bottom year after year. I have been in four of them and they don't get any easier as everyone knows everyone now.
7. How long have you been playing fantasy football/fantasy sports?
I have been playing fantasy sports since the mid-80's in a small local league with a $30 entry fee. Many of the same guys are still in it to this day but the prize money has grown significantly.
8. Personal info - married/single, where do you live, what do you do for a living?
I am divorced with two beautiful children. Nick age 10 and Emily age 8. They are my inspiration in all that i do, including the NFBC. They share in my success always and want to know how the draft went, monitor the standings all year long and are patient with me on Sunday's when i make them hang around while i make my free-agent bids. Last year, early in the season, we were at the park and then off to eat when I checked the box scores from my phone and saw that Ryan Ludwick had hit two homers that day and went something like 4-for-5. I was going to release him in both leagues and bid for other players. Needless to say I decided to keep him and had to hurry home to beat the deadline. They didn't complain and this one move may have made the difference between first and second place.
I live in Smithfield, RI and currently own a waterfront restaurant and bar also in Smithfield. Shawn Childs and Eddie Gillis, two of my main competitors but also two of my good friends from the NFBC, have come to visit me there.
Winning was especially gratifying this year because I came from behind in august and beat Shawn Childs. Also, i was in the process of building another house and went way over budget...the 40k helped
2. What were the keys to your championship season?
The keys were a solid draft and some great FA pickups when some of my regulars underperformed or were injured. I got K-Rod in the 5th round and he kept me up in saves all by himself since I didn't have another closer until later in the year. Manny gave me first-round numbers as a third-round pick, Harden in the 14th and Ervin Santana in Round 22 were steals and anchored my pitching staff until Oswalt and Burnett had big second halfs.
Waiver pickups put me over the top as I picked up Ludwick in Week 2 and he put up first-round numbers, Alexi Ramirez on June 1 who outperformed most middle infielders from that point on and then Mike Pelfrey in mid-June and he went on a roll. Later I picked up several relievers who helped me in saves, including Joel Hanrahan, Matt Lindstrom, Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour and Jensen Lewis. All in all I think my free agent pickups helped out more than my draft.
3. Was there a point in the season when you began to realistically believe you could win the title?
I thought I could win the league in late July. My team started to gel and put up consistent numbers. On paper I believed my team was good enough to pull it out.
4. What draft day strategies worked out the best?
I always try to build a well-rounded team and at the end it worked out. My second closer was weak as Gagne was awful. The waiver wire helped me out big-time in saves
5.How did FAAB work for you?
As I said before, I couldnt have won the league without the success I had with waiver pickups. Ludwick and Ramirez were like having 2-3 extra picks
6. How was the competition in your league and the overall event?
The competition in this league is always intense. It's the best of the best. I feel the Ultimate in Vegas is the toughest from top to bottom year after year. I have been in four of them and they don't get any easier as everyone knows everyone now.
7. How long have you been playing fantasy football/fantasy sports?
I have been playing fantasy sports since the mid-80's in a small local league with a $30 entry fee. Many of the same guys are still in it to this day but the prize money has grown significantly.
8. Personal info - married/single, where do you live, what do you do for a living?
I am divorced with two beautiful children. Nick age 10 and Emily age 8. They are my inspiration in all that i do, including the NFBC. They share in my success always and want to know how the draft went, monitor the standings all year long and are patient with me on Sunday's when i make them hang around while i make my free-agent bids. Last year, early in the season, we were at the park and then off to eat when I checked the box scores from my phone and saw that Ryan Ludwick had hit two homers that day and went something like 4-for-5. I was going to release him in both leagues and bid for other players. Needless to say I decided to keep him and had to hurry home to beat the deadline. They didn't complain and this one move may have made the difference between first and second place.
I live in Smithfield, RI and currently own a waterfront restaurant and bar also in Smithfield. Shawn Childs and Eddie Gillis, two of my main competitors but also two of my good friends from the NFBC, have come to visit me there.