Fantasy Nutrition and Attrition
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:38 am
When we draft players, everything in our fantasy world is tits, corvettes, and found money.
Translation: Our players can do no wrong....till they do us wrong.
We project that we're going to get certain stats out of these 30 players. Of course, all 30 players are so good, we can't fathom the thought of them under performing or getting hurt.
Even for those that do not project, we still project in our minds, that at the least, we're going to kick some serious fantasy ass.
Then the season begins.
Those tits become covered, the corvette turns to a kia, and now we owe Uncle Sam.
The 30 players we drafted have, for the most part, turned against us. The team we projected to do so well, is now projecting a middle finger at us.
Some of it is not our fault. Tommy John in baseball is like a sneeze in real life. It could happen to anybody at any time.
But, instead of saying 'God bless you' after the sneeze, we say 'Gawddamn you' for the Tommy John news.
During the draft, we assume good health. When the season begins, it is a reminder that our players are not on a ball field, but a mine field.
We hope everyday that it isn't our player being blown up.
Then, when it happens, we rationalize.
We tell ourselves we can find an even better player on FAAB.
FAAB is the M*A*S*H* unit of fantasy baseball.
Most players found on FAAB are band-aids. Somebody that will help heal our wounds of having a player hurt.
If a player is lost for the season, we go through several band-aids, hoping each will work better than the last.
Sometimes the players we get through FAAB are better than our drafted players. 'Dumb and Dumber' plays a part here.
We're dumb for taking that original player, but found dumber luck to replace him.
Right now, Gio Gonzalez owners do not feel smart for drafting him. He has gotten more strike outs than innings pitched, which is fantasy gold for pitchers. He has three Wins too.
But, there is something wrong. He has been beaten up over his last two outings like a Georgia tourist on a dark New York street.
And now, Gonzalez goes in for an MRI.
In real life, MRI means that the player is going in to see what exactly is wrong with him.
In fantasy, MRI means 'More Roster Issues'.
A fella like Gio perplexes us. Do we want him to be hurt?
If he is hurt, it gives explanation to his bad outings.
If he's not hurt, then, he just sucks.
Sometimes it is easier to deal with health unluckiness over under performance suckiness.
Projectionists give pitchers like Jose Fernandez, or Gio, or other good pitchers 15-20 Wins.
It's an easy thing to do before the season begins. All they have to do is what they've done in the past, and since that projectionist is the one that selected Fernandez or Gio, they expect a little more.
They forget that fantasy baseball is changing.
Attrition plays more of a part to a fantasy season each passing year.
Drafting a team in the past meant that we lived and died with those players most of the year.
Drafting now, is building a foundation. If lucky, we will see half the players drafted, on our rosters at the end of the year.
Our game is changing from a game of nutrition in the draft room to a game of attrition once the season begins.
It's fair.
It afflicts some worse than others, but it's fair because none of know who is the next for an MRI among players, making 'More Roster Issues' for his owner.
Some think that injuries are affecting the NFBC Overall game.
I don't think so.
It's a curve ball when we're sitting dead red, but we all have to deal with it.
A dl list of any kind would only make the M*A*S*H* unit less capable of dealing with attrition.
And the NFBC has had problems enforcing who and who is not a dl'ed player in the past.
In the end, it is up to us.
We're forced to roll with punches, because we're all getting punched.
We're forced to grind through the season, not just ride our drafting ability to Championships.
In effect, we are playing a new game.
In-season management is becoming as important in June as who we selected in March.
In some cases, even more integral.
Do we drop Omar Infante for an extra roster spot?
To me, that is a lot tougher question than asking who should I draft, Infante or Beckham?
When playing games, we find it hard to embrace change.
There are not a lot of folks who are not 'enjoying' these injuries. They are a game changer.
At the same time, any game that does not have constant change becomes dull.
This season is anything but dull.
Translation: Our players can do no wrong....till they do us wrong.
We project that we're going to get certain stats out of these 30 players. Of course, all 30 players are so good, we can't fathom the thought of them under performing or getting hurt.
Even for those that do not project, we still project in our minds, that at the least, we're going to kick some serious fantasy ass.
Then the season begins.
Those tits become covered, the corvette turns to a kia, and now we owe Uncle Sam.
The 30 players we drafted have, for the most part, turned against us. The team we projected to do so well, is now projecting a middle finger at us.
Some of it is not our fault. Tommy John in baseball is like a sneeze in real life. It could happen to anybody at any time.
But, instead of saying 'God bless you' after the sneeze, we say 'Gawddamn you' for the Tommy John news.
During the draft, we assume good health. When the season begins, it is a reminder that our players are not on a ball field, but a mine field.
We hope everyday that it isn't our player being blown up.
Then, when it happens, we rationalize.
We tell ourselves we can find an even better player on FAAB.
FAAB is the M*A*S*H* unit of fantasy baseball.
Most players found on FAAB are band-aids. Somebody that will help heal our wounds of having a player hurt.
If a player is lost for the season, we go through several band-aids, hoping each will work better than the last.
Sometimes the players we get through FAAB are better than our drafted players. 'Dumb and Dumber' plays a part here.
We're dumb for taking that original player, but found dumber luck to replace him.
Right now, Gio Gonzalez owners do not feel smart for drafting him. He has gotten more strike outs than innings pitched, which is fantasy gold for pitchers. He has three Wins too.
But, there is something wrong. He has been beaten up over his last two outings like a Georgia tourist on a dark New York street.
And now, Gonzalez goes in for an MRI.
In real life, MRI means that the player is going in to see what exactly is wrong with him.
In fantasy, MRI means 'More Roster Issues'.
A fella like Gio perplexes us. Do we want him to be hurt?
If he is hurt, it gives explanation to his bad outings.
If he's not hurt, then, he just sucks.
Sometimes it is easier to deal with health unluckiness over under performance suckiness.
Projectionists give pitchers like Jose Fernandez, or Gio, or other good pitchers 15-20 Wins.
It's an easy thing to do before the season begins. All they have to do is what they've done in the past, and since that projectionist is the one that selected Fernandez or Gio, they expect a little more.
They forget that fantasy baseball is changing.
Attrition plays more of a part to a fantasy season each passing year.
Drafting a team in the past meant that we lived and died with those players most of the year.
Drafting now, is building a foundation. If lucky, we will see half the players drafted, on our rosters at the end of the year.
Our game is changing from a game of nutrition in the draft room to a game of attrition once the season begins.
It's fair.
It afflicts some worse than others, but it's fair because none of know who is the next for an MRI among players, making 'More Roster Issues' for his owner.
Some think that injuries are affecting the NFBC Overall game.
I don't think so.
It's a curve ball when we're sitting dead red, but we all have to deal with it.
A dl list of any kind would only make the M*A*S*H* unit less capable of dealing with attrition.
And the NFBC has had problems enforcing who and who is not a dl'ed player in the past.
In the end, it is up to us.
We're forced to roll with punches, because we're all getting punched.
We're forced to grind through the season, not just ride our drafting ability to Championships.
In effect, we are playing a new game.
In-season management is becoming as important in June as who we selected in March.
In some cases, even more integral.
Do we drop Omar Infante for an extra roster spot?
To me, that is a lot tougher question than asking who should I draft, Infante or Beckham?
When playing games, we find it hard to embrace change.
There are not a lot of folks who are not 'enjoying' these injuries. They are a game changer.
At the same time, any game that does not have constant change becomes dull.
This season is anything but dull.