Chapter 72.1: Pitchers and Catchers

It's freaking cold outside! While I'm very happy about the Giants making the Super Bowl (more on that over the weekend), I'm getting a little antsy waiting for baseball. I just started reading Fantasyland by Wall Street Journal reporter Sam Walker, which is about how he fares in his first Rotisserie baseball experience, playing in one of the toughest leagues out there, Tout Wars.

I've been playing fantasy baseball for close to ten years now, though not in a formal Rotisserie league. My unfamiliarity with Roto drafts hasn't gotten in the way of my enjoying the book, which -- at least from a baseball fan's perspective -- is hilarious. Indeed, I'm finding the book inspiring; I will spend some time this weekend starting to analyze the players and getting a better sense of who I might want for my team. If the guys in my league are anything like those described in the book, I'm way behind already.

Baseball is an important part of my life. I know it's a game, but there's something that's so eternal about the sport that it transcends simple things like who won and who lost. Of course, I want my team to win, but I also enjoy being able to look back on the careers of players I've watched and discuss with other fans whether this guy was better than that guy or great plays from the past.

Yes, I'm a traditionalist, and I'm a guy who appreciates the little things that help teams win. As any fantasy baseball player out there reading this has probably determined, it's true: I suck at fantasy baseball.

So, with approximately twenty days to go before pitchers and catchers report, I issue a request: Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor tips for how I can improve my play. Tell me Web sites you find helpful. Leave a comment (anonymously is fine with me). What's in it for you? I don't know yet, but I'll at least give you the electronic equivalent of a hearty handshake and genuine thanks for well meaning advice.

I play in a free Yahoo head-to-head league with guys from work. For the first time we're going to include Holds. So I've got to figure out who the better middle relievers are and likely will be. I'm not sure where to start evaluating them and how they'll affect my staff. So any thoughts on that in particular would be appreciated.