NFBC Message Boards

Recently, someone asked me how I got started playing in the NFBC.

Well, years ago, I was sitting at the Hard Rock Casino playing Hold'em. Suddenly, the guy sitting next to me jumps out of his seat and starts yelling profanities at the baseball game that's on TV. Soon, he calms down and sits back down. I ask him why he's so upset.

He says that the pitcher who just gave up the grand slam probably just cost him $10,000. Then, he proceeded to tell me about his NFBC fantasy teams. I tried to reassure him that the season is long. It was only May. I guess he didn't like my answer. He didn't say much to me after that.

Telling this story got me thinking about my annual New Years Resolution.

I'll stop getting worked up every time one of my pitcher(s) has a bad game. It happens.

Your Ace is pitching against the Marlins. Your eager to watch the your 3rd round pitcher pick apart the Marlins. Your wife walks past the TV, as the announcers are going over the starting lineups.
You laugh out loud, "Greg Dobbs is the Marlins clean up hitter. Greg Dobbs!" Your wife doesn't know who Greg Dobbs is nor does she really care, "that's good, I'm happy to hear that," she says. You shout out to her as she walks away, "honey, don't bother me for the next 3 hours, I'm watching the game."

You go in the kitchen to grab a cold beer and before you know it, the bases are full of Marlins, no outs, and your pitcher has thrown 40 pitches in the first inning.
Then, after your pitcher gives up a couple of runs, your disgusted, you turn off TV. Only to turn it back on 10 minutes later.

It's five to nothing and the bases are now loaded again in the 2nd inning. Now, your on tilt, you turn the TV off again, palms are now sweaty, your mind is racing trying to think of how many fantasy teams that this sheety pitcher is on.

Later that night your wife sees you on the computer checking the NFBC standings, "honey, I thought you were watching the game."
You hold your breath for a second,"I don't want to talk about it." Your wife looks worried, "Is everything Ok?" You want to cry but you know that you can't. You think your team is ruined.

A couple days later, you are having a nice dinner with your family at the local Olive Garden. You have your guy Cliff Lee pitching vs Mets. You check the boxscore on your phone. 7th Inning. Phillies 3 Mets 0. Your feeling good.

You get home and check the box scores before you call it a night. You see that the game is still going on.
Phillies 3 Mets 3. And all the little bases on the computer screen are lit up. Papelbon is pitching.
I don't have to tell you how this ends.
Now, your up all night thinking about how your season is really ruined this time.

So, THIS year, I promised myself that I would stop agonizing over every run given up and every bad outing. The season IS long, one bad game isn't going to BREAK my season. But one bad fall might.

As I am writing this, I see that a recent draft pick of mine hasn't figured out how to properly walk up and down the stairs without hurting himself. My 2 and 4 year old kids manage to climb the stairs countless times a day without hurting themselves, but I guess Derrick Holland can't.

I'm on tilt.


Krys

I give you a week, tops.

We root for our hitters, and are very happy when they have good games, but there are so many batters, and so many at bats, that most twists and turns don't get us too excited unless we are looking to cash in September. But, when a pitcher implodes ... that is excruciatingly painful be it April, May, June or September. There is nothing like a 1.1 inning, 6 earned run, 8 hit and four walk performance to obliterate two categories and piss you off to no end. And, having Hamels on two teams last year, I well know the agony of having an under-performing pitcher who then regains his glory for two beautiful hours to pitch a commanding performance, only to have a way-over-priced Paps, who has been sitting on his ass all game, come in and promptly blow your much-needed win. I learned to hate Papelbon last year (until a few days ago when, having waited a round too long on closers, was forced to draft him for the first time this year - go Paps!).

It's a crazy game/disease, but addicting like no other.

Mike

Tell me if this is a familiar scenario. Your pitcher allows a seeing eye single, followed by a bloop hit that his outfielder got a bad read on, then the ump starts squeezing home plate a little bit and your man walks the bases loaded. He gets two quick strikes on the next guy. You're sure he has him struck out at least twice, but again your man's not getting the corners. Then the first hard hit ball of the inning clears the bases.