By Tony in Hitchin
League 4
League 7
“Hey, Tony, how’s the Mafia team doing against the rest of the elite of the fantasy baseball website world?” I hear you ask. Well, I’m here to tell you, we’re doing pretty well right now.
By Keith Wire
League 8
Welcome to my first feature article … boy, that was quick! I remember back in February when Bob asked me to join the writing staff; I said I was honored, and I was put down for one or two feature articles, and then I said to myself that “Ah, it’s a long way off, I should be able to come up with something by then”.
Well, here it is, and if not for the friendly reminder I received the other day, this deadline would have come and gone. I had all kinds of ideas for this back in February that required research and number crunching, and I assure you that everybody would have been dazzled by my brilliance.
Speaking of Bob, are we lucky to have him or what? Am I sucking up to conceal the fact that I am unprepared for this article? You betcha! Still doesn’t mean it is not true.
By Chris in NorCal
Cappo, League 6
In a recent column, I mentioned that the NFBC includes something called a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB). Team owners use this to acquire free agents during the season.
There’s no simple reviewing the waiver wire and grabbing whoever you like. You can’t pick up free agents, or stream pitchers, on a daily basis like we can in our Mafia leagues. The NFBC is a different “animal”.
A few people have asked me to explain how the FAAB works.
By Tony in Hitchin
League 4
League 7
Okay people, we’re having a pop quiz today. There are only four questions, so this shouldn’t take long. Ready? Let’s go:
Qu. 1: Who invented fantasy baseball, when, and where?
Qu. 2: Where does the term “rotisserie” come from, and why is it misleading?
Qu. 3: Why do we use the categories that we do for fantasy leagues?
Qu. 4: What was the name of the first team ever to win a fantasy league?
Entry details and prizes are set out after the jump …
By Chris in NorCal
Cappo, League 6
This was, by far, the craziest and most unpredictable draft that I have ever been involved in. Speed went early (Bourn went in round 7, Gomez in round 13), and players were going, at times, four to five rounds before I had them pegged to go. One team selected Johan Santana in the first round, Jake Peavy in the second round, and Erik Bedard in the third round.
I guess, in a 15-team league, with no trading, strange things are bound to happen … but wow! So goes the experience I had in my first ever NFBC draft.
By Todd “Shoeless” Dulmes
League 18
At the start of the fantasy baseball season, everyone is excited and looking to set their leagues on fire. After the first week, however, some league owners lose their enthusiasm and fail to compete on a daily basis.
All league managers with FBM have access to Sporting News Fantasy Source. If you haven’t utilized this resource, it would be in your best interest to do so. Sporting News Fantasy Source can provide all the information you need; and utilizing these five easy steps will keep your team competitive throughout the season.
By Son of the Raven
League 3
As you may remember, I almost missed the League 3 draft by, somehow, oversleeping. Having made it, however, with seconds to spare, I set about executing my plan, which was to grab an outfielder that combined speed and power with the third overall pick in Round 6 (the first round of drafting), another speedster in the second round, and then to add two closers and a starter in the next three rounds.
By Tim Collins
League 14
We’re a week into the season, and already there are a bunch of players people are ‘counting on’ based on a hot start — or ‘counting out’ due to a cold start. Here are some small-sample size “specials” from the new season, with predictions on whether or not the anomalies will continue.
The Journey Begins
By Son of the Raven — aka Corey from Florida
League 3
This year, I am returning from a forced hiatus from fantasy baseball, having joined the Army and shipping off to basic training in March of 2006. That year represented the first that I had not participated in a fantasy baseball league in over 14 years.
I completed my initial training and arrived at my first duty station in February of 2007, by which time it was really too late to find and join a league. This year, I decided to ‘get back in the game’ and find a league to join.
Compiled by Bob in Cleveland
League 4
Greetings, fellow Mafia members!
Score the senior editor with a big “E”, my friends. Just when he thought he had all of the bases covered, he bobbles the grounder, rushes the throw to 1st, and puts the ball into the stands. We’ve got one writer left to give us his take on the FBM Writing Staff League’s draft, and I missed it! Not to be forgotten, here’s Staff Columnist — Butters in DC - with his take …