NFBC Weekly Profile - Paul Gromek

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Tue May 17, 2011 3:51 am

The top of the overall standings in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship’s Main Event have been a revolving door of elite fantasy players in the early portion of the season. The first five weeks of the season saw a different first-place team at the end of each scoring period.

Then along came Paul Gromek.

Gromek became the sixth different overall leader after Week 6 but rather than surrendering the coveted spot in the standings, he did what no other NFBC owner has yet to do this season – he remained on top when the following week began.

Gromek entered Week 8’s action on Monday in first place in the Main Event and he remained there entering play on Tuesday. He currently holds a 27-point lead over 2009 Main Event champ, Lindy Hinkelman, in the standings.

“I’ve been relatively healthy, which is a big key in the NFBC because the competition is so tough,” Gromek said. “I lost (Evan) Longoria for a few weeks to start the year and Ike Davis is on the DL now but I haven’t had any injuries to my pitching staff.

“I have a really balanced offense. I’m getting contributions from every spot in my lineup which you need to have.”

Three players in particular have helped propel Gromek’s team to the top of the Main Event standings.

“The amazing starts of Jose Bautista, Curtis Granderson and Justin Verlander have helped tremendously,” he said. “I can’t say I foresaw the kind of production that Jose Bautista has delivered so far, but he was a guy I was targeting in the second round because I thought he was being undervalued by many experts. I had some lingering doubts but after watching some of his at-bats last year you could just tell he had a solid approach that didn’t scream fluke. The third base eligibility was the clincher for me.

“Justin Verlander was a guy I was targeting to start my staff with. I wanted 200 reliable innings and being from Detroit I get to watch him a lot so I know what a workhorse the guy is.

“I usually like to hit outfielders early but getting two top-tier third basemen in Longoria and Bautista was something I couldn’t pass up. I wanted to get as many guys that contributed across the board as I could and who had a good chance to outperform their draft spot. Granderson’s second half last year sold me on him.”

Gromek also applied some valuable lessons he learned after competing in the Main Event for the first time last year.

“Last year was a learning experience for sure,” the 31-year-old Gromek said. “My biggest failing last year was in the power department. Due to injuries to high picks Grady Sizemore and Kendry Morales and some underperforming players I finished near the bottom in home runs and RBIs.

“I realized that power was something you needed to be sure you acquired at the draft because it’s hard to acquire in-season. I also took note of the drop in power throughout MLB last year. Those two things told me that I wanted to build my team this year around reliable power.”

Gromek hasn’t just sat on his Draft Day laurels, however. He has been aggressive working the Waiver Wire in the season’s early going as well.

“I jumped on Darwin Barney a few weeks ago to hopefully shore up my weakness at Middle Infield and in batting average and it has paid off,” he said. “The chance for regular playing time at the top of the order and a history of a high batting average in the minors sold me. I overpaid but so far it’s worked out.

“ Erik Bedard also has a chance to hopefully be a nice pickup for me. Ryan Ludwick and Ramon Hernandez have been nice fill-ins for me this past week with Ike Davis and Nick Hundley on the DL.”

Gromek lives in Plymouth, MI with his wife Kristin. He works in the Army as an operations research analyst. Having played fantasy baseball for nearly a decade, he graduated to the NFBC in 2009, playing in a $500 satellite league which he would win, before making the jump to the Main Event last year.

So far, the season could not have been scripted any better. But Gromek knows there is a long ways to go before the campaign comes to an end and much will occur that will ultimately determine this year’s $100,000 champion.

“I’m fortunate to be in the position that I am now,” he said. “It goes without saying that I need my team to continue to stay relatively healthy and avoid big injuries.

“Offensively, I like where I’m at. I need more consistency from my starting pitchers outside of Verlander. Gio Gonzalez and Jonathan Sanchez need to pitch better and avoid the disaster starts. And I need Farnsworth to continue to do what he’s been doing in Tampa to solidify my bullpen.”

Paul Gromek · Post by **Paul Gromek** » Tue May 17, 2011 5:12 am

I want to give a shout out to Jason Duponte, who is in my league and right on my tail. His team is 3rd overall right now and he has another Main Event team in the top-15. That's amazing.

My league is very competitive and full of experienced owners. It will be a fun battle all season.

Red Sox Nation- · Post by **Red Sox Nation-** » Tue May 17, 2011 11:51 am

Originally posted by Paul Gromek:

I want to give a shout out to Jason Duponte, who is in my league and right on my tail. His team is 3rd overall right now and he has another Main Event team in the top-15. That's amazing.

My league is very competitive and full of experienced owners. It will be a fun battle all season. Thanks Paul. It's been a nice start. You have 92 HR's! I guess you really did focus on HR this year. Great start. Good luck

Jason

Asumijet · Post by **Asumijet** » Tue May 17, 2011 1:46 pm

Great start Paul! Keep it up.

Glenneration X · Post by **Glenneration X** » Tue May 17, 2011 3:45 pm

Impressive start thus far Paul and nice team. Keep it up, 1/4 of the season down, everyday we get closer to the finish. They say it's early yet, it may be. Still, I'd rather be where you are in the standings today than where anyone else is. Congrats.