We're Only Missing Don Pardo

[DOUGHBOYS]

In our game, we have 10 categories.
Offensive players can fill any category at any time. The possibilities are limitless.
Same is true for most pitchers. Wins, K's, WHIP, ERA and s...s.
Yep, saves has become a cuss word.

Saves are just one category. A 10 per cent problem. As smallish as a kickers stats in fantasy football. But, fantasy football uses a total points system. Kickers don't stick out like a sore thumb and there are usually some available.
Once a closer loses his job, it takes a little guess work by us to come up with his successor. The guess work is tough. It could be a dominating pitcher like Chapman if Marshall were to lose his job. It could be Perkins replacing Capps, which is like Curly replacing Moe.
Sometimes, we flat don't know and the Manager is the last to help us. Robin Ventura kept his closer under his hat all spring training. Fantasy owners replayed Ventura getting noggin punched by Nolan Ryan in their minds several times for this slight.
The Manager has the advantage here. He can tell his staff what is going on and keep us in the dark.
There is no doubt that Bruce Bochy went to a Giants reliever and told him that he is 'The Man' when it comes to saves. But, it's up to us to cipher which pitcher he chose.
Fantasy Football has no such problem.

It could be worse.
Leo Durocher was infamous for starting a righty and then taking him out one batter into the game so that his lefty could face a left handed hitting dominated lineup. There is nothing in the rules that says a Manager couldn't do this now, but he would lose respect among his peers and maybe turn the gambling venues in a whirlwind.

The ironic thing is that we treat saves with utter disrespect UNTIL the season begins. Slow drafting closers has become an art for most. We consider it a victory if we can get our two closers in the 13/14 rounds instead of rounds 10/11.
Woo hoo!
Then, we lose a closer.
NOooooo!
All of a sudden, that 10 per cent category becomes worth a $300-500 bid with faab.
Irony is a bitch.

To further muddy the waters, there is something wrong with every closer.
Mariano is great, but gets few k's.
Kimbrel hasn't had the job more than a year.
Marmol is a cigarette two inches from an open flame.
To make matters worse, they have to have just the right circumstances to get a save.
While a starter can throw for five innings and get a win and an offensive player can hit a homer in any inning, a closer can only get a save in the ninth inning...with a lead....a lead that has to be three runs or less...
It's sweet misery.

The players who punt saves are having a hardy laugh. Not only are they saving faab, they are not put through the angst and grind that closers provide their owners.
These 'punters' are part of the '90 percenters'. They're probably forming a rally as we speak. We look at them with disdain. But, their lives sure look a lot easier than ours.

The game 'Jeopardy' has nothing on Fantasy Baseball.
Sure, the questions are tough.
And maybe I would shrivel when the category is 'Third World Leaders'
But, Jeopardy never had 'Closers' as a category.
They wouldn't know the answers, let alone the questions.
Neither do we.
But yet, somebody today will say, 'Santiago Casilla for $400, Alex!"
And then, hope he is right.