Virtual Diamond, Cyber Gridiron; The most wonderful time of the year!!

OK fantasy junkies, we have entered the Mecca, the holy land!! The time of year when the biggest fantasy sports schedules overlap!! If you are fortunate enough to still a have a baseball team in the running, it can be a very busy, yet extremely satisfying few weeks. Lets take a quick look at late season baseball and early season football strategies.

First on the diamond. If you are in an ESPN non custom league, you are in the playoff bracket by now. Either the winners bracket, or the also ran, first loser, better luck next year, bracket. Be sure to go back  into the league rules to determine what the payout structure is. It is quite possible that winning your bracket would still result in a non paying season. If this is the case, concede your season, wish the remaining teams good luck, and move on to your football season. (last season I changed my team name to “congrats **insert winners name**) Do not waive all your players, as it reeks of collusion, and most likely you would like to re enter that league next season for some revenge and to recoup some losses.

If your team is in the winners bracket, congratulations!! It is a long, and at times tedious process, but your work has paid off!! It is my opinion, at this point of the season, to stay with what got you into this enviable position. If you have an all star pitching staff, concentrate on that. If you have a heavy hitting offensive line up, work that line up by paying extra attention to your match ups. Carefully track your h2h numbers. If you need wins and saves, move some pitching around. Aim to have 3 PP in every game. If you are ahead in W and  K , but your ERA and WHIP columns are close, consider benching your starters. No need to get cute trying picking up extra unneeded Ks or Ws, while jeopardizing your other pitching columns. All you need is a starter to go out and get lit up, blowing your ERA and WHIP numbers.

On to the cyber grid!! Week one certainly held some surprises!! (anyone start Vick?). Brees put up a paltry 13 points, shows that all the analysis cant predict an every week scenario. Is it my advice to trade Brees for Vick?? Only if you are in my league!! How about this weeks No. 1 back Arian “bananas”Foster?? 41 points?!?!?! Nearly outscored my entire team by himself!! (Yes,it  was a bloodbath for yours truly) Matched his 09 TD numbers in his first game of this season. I saw the potential pre season, but was uneasy with his lack of NFL experience (entering his 2nd season). We will need to keep an eye on this youngster, if he can put up 20+ next week, I may become more of a believer.

Looking at the WR column, I begrudgingly have to mention Chad Ochocinco. 21 cyber points on 12 grabs. Not exactly sure what the future holds for the leagues biggest ego maniac. Reasonably, one could expect some big numbers, with ego maniac #2 (its a toss up I know) Terrel Owens drawing coverage across the field, and an above average QB Carson Palmer throwing to him.  However, history tells us that Chad’s mouth  always supersedes his on field performance. Being a lifelong Bengals fan (I clearly remember going to every home game at the now defunct Riverfront Stadium, in snow and brutal cold, to watch them lose nearly every game in the mid to late 70s) I am finding it hard to root for a team that has the 2 players i detest (oops, did I type that out loud?) the most in the NFL. (see overpaid, crybaby, underachieving, reality show hosting, millionaires). But, as noted, I have been through some rough times with my beloved team, and I am not a bandwagoner so… ( keyboard can’t form the words “go Chad and TO” but Im trying!!)

Red faced, I have to report that neither of my gridiron teams broke the 100 pt mark, which led to yours truly being on the wrong side of 2 blowouts!! I neglected my reasearch and as a result, will be entering week 2 in a deficit, which is magnified by the length of the NFL season, (17 games vs 162 MLB games). Hope you all fared better!!

On a brighter note, I entered the winners bracket on the virtual diamond as the #1 seed. I am clinging to a 7-3 lead currently, but HR and RBI columns are way too close for my liking. I will need my studs to continue their above average production to hold on to this one!!

Best of luck in the playoffs, and as we enter week 2. Much like the day when the kids return to school,It most clearly is the most wonderful, and hectic, time of the year!!

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