The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Aug. 10, 2011
Fantasy sports.
They're fantastic sometimes.
Between football and baseball, it can be easy for an any sports fan with access to the Internet to get hooked on statistics and watching an injury report.
WHEN MY career as a fantasy sports manager began a few years ago, my basketball team wasn't that great.
In fact, I'm sure that somewhere between Thanksgiving and Easter, whoever was on my roster had likely been out for the season or had since been relegated to the bench. Granted, I watch as much NBA basketball on my days off as I do between July and early October, but I at least try to know what I'm doing.
As the football season went on this year, having Adrian Peterson and Rashard Mendenhall as my starting running backs didn't hurt, as either could be guaranteed for a good amount of points on any given weekend.
Finishing the season 11-2 didn't hurt either, along with a seven-week win streak.
That was until the playoffs started and unfortunately Peterson was injured and Mendenhall wasn't getting the ball as much and suddenly, those points disappeared.
Just as quickly, I disappeared from any hopes of a championship, finishing third in the league.
Hopefully with a little more experience from last year, the lesson has been learned and remember to expect the unexpected.
WITH A record of 12-5 in baseball so far this year, to say that a similar finish to this season could surprise me, might be an understatement.
Instead of going with offense, that may or may not pay off down the road, I instead opted to load up on starting pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia, Cole Hamels and Felix Hernandez as early-round picks.
It may not have been the smartest thing in the eyes of some of those within my league, but looking back - I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Whether that leads to the ultimate goal of winning a championship — who knows?
Stranger things have happened in these leagues, and while my lineup appears set for the upcoming playoffs — injuries are a part of baseball.
Not that I’m hoping Sabathia or Hamels get hurt anytime in the next month because, like a lot of baseball fans — the best players should be available for the playoffs.
Barring injury, Hernandez will be a key piece of my rotation when it comes to the playoffs this season. Whether the Mariners win or lose no longer matters, because despite a 2-1 defeat on Sunday to Anaheim, the Mariners ace still got me 34 points to get another win in the fantasy ranks.
And judging by the way the Mariners have played, that is the only place I’ll see him in the playoffs.
Fantasy land.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].