How Fantasy Baseball Gave Me Back the Love of the Game

Looking back at the past few years, I think there is a harsh realty I need to face. Baseball and I have turned into kind of an old married couple. I acknowledge its presence, it has a big place in my day to day life, and I’ll go all out on special occasions. But, we both know, there is a fresher attraction out there. Demanding much less maintenance, just an encounter once a week and it’s quite the thrill. Yes, I’ve been straying in the fields of football.

This isn’t easy to admit. I almost feel wrong to put it down in writing. Baseball was my first love and gave me some of my most joy filled days (especially in October, 2004). So what happened?
Well, the Red Sox finally won the World Series, which changed everything and then, in contrast, they were just awful last year, which is when I pretty much completely lost interest. The Patriots, on the other hand, were the ones who all of the sudden are coming up just short. More importantly, most of the time, they don’t play their games at 2 am local time (my local).

But this season is already different. I think that in a month’s time, I’ve watched more baseball then I did the entire previous season. I’ve definitely watched more non-Red Sox games than I have in forever. Why? Well, that’s where fantasy Baseball comes in.

For the three of you out there who aren’t familiar with the concept and are probably related to me in some way, google it. The main idea is that you make up a team of real players and your team is scored directly based on how the real players played in the real game. So the trick is to get the best team out there on any given day.

Fantasy sports is a weird animal. If you haven’t experienced it, it’s on some days it’s the greatest thing ever and you don’t know how you ever lived without it. On other days, it is PURE EVIL, created by the devil itself, and you just want to make it stop, but you know you’ll never be strong enough to walk away. It’s seriously addictive. For years I stayed away and I knew why.

So back to baseball. After dabbling last season in a pretty loose roto league and after a semi-successful full dive into fantasy football, this season I joined a points based league run by a friend. Knowing some of the people involved outside of the internet, gives an extra incentive to win and I’m still trying to figure out all the nuances so my I’ve got quite a lot to handle. Not doing so well so far… But to get to my point, because I’m so invested in my team and want it to do well, I’ve been tuning in to the game to check out live how my players are doing. Some play in real life for the Red Sox, but most don’t. So when the Sox aren’t playing, I’ve tuned in to the A’s, Braves, Angels… and rooting for my fantasy players aside, you know what I found out? Baseball is GREAT! Your fantasy players, your team, whatever. It’s just the most nail-biting-never know what’s gonna happen next-edge of your seat, sport in the world! Nothing beats this game, as a game, as a sports. And I actually knew it all along. I’m seriously ashamed that I almost let myself forget. Maybe I just needed to miss it for a while.
Either way, I’m ready to renew the vows.