Ahhh, Opening Day. The 2003 Major League Baseball season brings so many aspirations and even more possibilities for all 30 teams. Even the Milwaukee Brewers started off in first place Monday afternoon, even if it only lasted four innings.
Believe it or not George Steinbrenner, the fresh smell of pine tar and botched all-star games are not the reason for the enthusiasm. Nor are the hot dogs, cracker jacks and overpriced bottles of Miller Lite. The sparked interest is however for the statistics of average baseball journeymen such as San Francisco Giants 38-year-old catcher Benito Santiago. Why?
He's on my fantasy baseball team. And chances are someone very similar is on yours.
For the next six months, fantasy fanatics, myself included, will be glued to live games and updates on the Internet as well as ESPN's Baseball Tonight hoping their team members and precious free agent pick-ups, such as Milwaukee's Alex Sanchez, swiped a couple of bases and scored a few runs.
Fantasy baseball is gambling for free. It tests your baseball intelligence against friends, family members and strangers who believe their knowledge is superior. Plus, it is the only feasible way to keep track of a strung-out regular season, especially considering that 15 to 18 teams are out of playoff contention by Memorial Day.
Think the Monday night injury to Yankee's shortstop Derek Jeter momentarily stopped the pulse of New York fans? Try asking the person in your fantasy league who drafted Jeter in the second round.
Jeter is expected to miss \a best-case-scenario of six weeks,"" Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told ESPN Tuesday.
If the news wasn't bad enough for those owning Jeter, they probably took another slap in the face after crawling out of bed yesterday to see all respectable shortstops removed from the free agent pool. Who would do such a thing?
That inconsiderate SOB is me. Sorry, but it's day one of another ruthless, and exciting fantasy baseball season.
That's right. I'm now offering a trade for all-world second baseman Alfonso Soriano for recently acquired shortstop Jose Valentin, along with Josh Phelps and Ramon Ortiz. And you might have to pull the trigger on this deal because of Jeter's lengthy absence. On second thought, it might be wise to buy another fantasy team.
Back to reality, Santiago is at the plate.
wrcooney@wisc.edu.
