Opening Day Giveaways

This necklace honoring Hanley Ramirez's batting title has to be the coolest opening day giveaway in baseball this year.

Most teams opt for the standard magnetic schedule, though the Mets are giving away a cool home run apple:












Also, someone in Anaheim has got to have a sense of humor in giving away Hideki Matsui Blankies knowing what his favorite programming and what he'll likely be doing under his. Eew.

Vanity Fair preview: Tiger Wood's Inconvenient Women

When I first read the headline, I thought it said "Incontinent." What a strange twist to the story that would have been. As it stands, this article should be really good.

Expectations Anyone?

This 1,500 word feature on a 9-year old basketball wonderkid is a little out of hand. Who knows how young Jaylin Fleming's career will turn out, but it's unlikely this media attention is going to help in the long run. The kid's practice jersey is so big he has to crossover the tops so it won't fall down. One thing's for sure, the kid can dribble like hell around those cones.

Black Flamingo

This blog will make you root for Michelle Wie.

Winter Cure

Slow - Cooker Weeknight Chili (ATK Recipe)
2 TBsps, vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped medium
1 red bell pepper, chopped medium
1/4 cup chili powder
1 TBsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground meat (85% lean)

1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans red kidney beans
salt, pepper, fresh basil, red pepper flakes

1. Heat oil on stovetop over medium heat. Add onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayanne and 1/2 teaspoon of salt & pepper. Cook until veggies soften, 5 min. Stir in garlic, cook for 15 seconds.

2. Add beef, increase heat to medium high. Cook & break up beef, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in tomato puree and diced tomatoes w/ juice, scrape up bottom of pan. Bring to simmer, then pour into slow cooker. Add basil & red pepper flakes.

4. Cover, cook. 6-7 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. Stir in beans during last hour of cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.

Hangover 2

It's On!

Fat Ichiro - Ryoji Nakata

Love this guy, at 5'6" & 260 lbs, he's easily my favorite Japanese player. The best part of this video is watching him hustle it to third on a sac fly. Kid could eat two Daisuke Matsuzakas and still have room for okonomiyaki after.

Web-roullete

These two articles show some of the differences that technology is having on our world.

Old Guard: You can cherry pick your preferred corporate soundbite from this article (CNN usually does its best to offer up an assortment of them): fear time over flex time, working hard is the new working dumb, etc. Either way, it's hard to argue that economic induced anxieties wouldn't cause anyone to act out of fear to try to save their jobs, and it's only natural for today's workforce to respond by putting in more hours clutching to their desks under the fluorescent light for safety.

New Guard: Compare that mentality to this website created by a 17-year old Russian high school student, Andrey Ternovskiy. Chatroulette (feel free to link to the site here, but you might want to read on first) is a site that allows users to connect randomly to other users around the world via webcam. Built over three days on an old computer in Ternovskiy's bedroom, the site launched in November of 2009, and by February had attracted 30 million unique visitors with over one million new visits each day. There's also a map showing where each unique visitor is located around the world. Going on the site is a strange exercise, and I'm not sure what sort of interaction anyone would be getting out of this other than satisfying one's curiosity. There is a "report" button on the site to deter offensive users (though the penalty for being reported three times is a 10 minute timeout from access to the site, hardly a deterrent). Chatroulette is appropriately named after the Russian roulette scene in Deerhunter, as the upside seems fairly limited given what you are exposing yourself to.

In any case, I thought this was an interesting contrast of the worlds we live in. There are those clinging to their desk jobs, and there are those who build websites in three days that attract the world's attention in just a few month's time.

Links of the Week

Here's some links for people to check out.

I Learned the Hard Way: First up, some internet tunes to listen to while going through the links. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings always bring the funk and the soul, their new album is streaming on NPR until its release April 6th. Jones was a corrections officer at Rikers island before catching a late career break as a back-up soul singer. So I guess she took out the funk and the soul in her old job before bringing it in this one.

People.com: Elin Nordegren doesn't want to attend the Masters next weekend according to an unnamed source. No surprise there. What are the odds the "source" is an intern at people.com? 80%?

Speaking of Tiger: The PGA is likely more desperate than we think that his return is a ratings success. The tour's TV contracts are up for negotiation next year and its still seeking corporate sponsors for 10 tournaments in 2011. Needless to say, the stakes are very high for Tiger and the golfing world next weekend. Oh, and there's a great video in the article where Tiger gets showered with beer cans after a hole in one. Times seemed so much simpler back then.

Lavin to St. John's? St. John's went 6-12 in each of the last two seasons in Big East conference play. Lavin went 6-12 in the Pac-10 in his last season in Westwood. Perfect. Anytime you have an opportunity to lock up someone who hasn't actually coached in seven years, you have to do it. Don't discount Lavin's wife being an actress with the move to New York. Also, how pleated are Lavin's pants in that picture? I actually count seven pleats there somehow.

The Big Short excerpt: In case you haven't yet read this piece from Michael Lewis' new book.

Microsoft's Creative Destruction: An interesting Op-Ed piece about internal management stifling innovation at the world's largest computer software company.

Art of the Steal: Wired article on trailing the world's most ingenious thief.

Schrute Farms: 81% of travelers can't be wrong.

The Get By

How to Make it in America, HBO's new show produced by Mark Wahlberg's Entourage team, has the same look and coolness that the early shows of Vince and his boys held (that is, before we were subjected to a shirtless Turtle and the wheels completely fell off). The fourth episode is the turning point where things start to come together (specifically, the moment when Eddie Kaye Thomas rolls up to a nightclub in the back of a Bentley wearing his trying-too-hard get up), and there is just too much hipness (dope music, street fashion, pretty people) here to think it won't be a cult hit. Luis Guzman's Rasta Monsta hustle is adding a cultural street element that is stealing the show, and the foray into his just out of prison street business lifestyle is reminiscent of Avon Barksdale's world in The Wire (though, of course, slinging caffeinated beverages in bodegas is a bit tamer than crack on the streets of Bodymore). The catchy opening above gives insight into these themes.

Anyone else feeling the Wire with this intro? It's amazing how slow this feels comparatively just a few years later.


NYC skate culture is also featured in this 18 minute documentary relating to the show, tapping into underground coolness to promote a show on a mainstream level. It feels like the mainstream return of skating is inevitable now that everything 80's is back in a big way.

Check the vid The Get By here:

The Get By

The Nut Chopper

Comments to a legitimate Williams-Sonoma product shouldn't provide this much unintentional comedy. Some highlights:

" I would recommend this nut chopper to anyone and everyone who has the need for one. It saves so much time and energy. It chops up the nuts to the perfect size." - MSkater, Colorado

"I was pleasingly surprised when I got the nut chopper and saw the high quality. Using it has been a real pleasure" - bingo1, Etna, California

"When I saw this on the web site, there was no question that I was going to have it! Even chopping with a knife can be a pain when you have nut meat projectiles bouncing off your kitchen walls." - Hollywood Boy, Los Angeles, California

"i was a little skeptical about this product, but all fears were put aside once it was put to use. It is so easy and smooth...there really is a difference in the size of the nut, which you chose quickly and can change at any time." - dcain, snellville, ga

Fantasy Sleepers - Spring Training All-Stars

Here are some fantasy sleepers that are putting up some interesting numbers during spring training, along with links to their spring training stats on MLB.com.

Andruw Jones, Chicago White Sox (OF): Posting an OPS over 1.000. If he finds his stroke at the Cell, he could be in for a big year. Amazingly still just 33. (http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=116662)

Tom Gorzelanny, Chicago Cubs (SP): The Illinois native has a 3.07 ERA in 4 games and could be this year's Randy Wells, providing depth for the Cubs at the back of the rotation. With competition like Carlos "Me Want Food" Silva and Jeff "You're giving me how much not to get hit on a football field?" Smardzija, the 28 year old lefty could find himself making the bulk of the starts. (http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=452733)

Conor Jackson, Arizona Diamondbacks (OF): Johnson's been tearing the cover off the ball, hitting .421 with 3 HRs and an OPS above 1.300. Arizona's been hitting the high OPS 28 year old first in spring, which could be provide a push for his counting stats. (http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=433582)

Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers (2B): Weeks has been doing his usual early season mashing, posting a .317/.440/.488 line with 3 SBs. Most importantly, he's been playing everyday, showing no ill effects from his wrist injury. This could be the year the stud prospect puts it all together. (http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=430001)

Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers (OF): Gomez has been posting his usual numbers, a low OBP hovering around .308 with 9 steals (versus 0 CS) in 17 games. Jim Edmonds has made the squad as Gomez insurance, so expect a heavy dose of steals from Gomez early on as he tries to cement his spot in the lineup. (http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=460576)

MIT Sloan Sports Conference Video

Found this video on Sports Guy's website. It's long, but an interesting discussion amongst some very elite sports personalities. It certainly is worth watching, and I think Bill Polian steals the show. It's easy to understand why the Colts have been run so well the past few years with Polian at the helm.

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5012595

Fantasy Baseball - End Game Sleepers (NL)

Continuing with our list of fantasy baseball sleepers, this time with the National League.

NL East
New York Ponzi Schemes: Fernando Martinez (OF). The oft-hyped Martinez is still just 21 years old, but injuries have limited him to less than 300 ABs in 3 of his 4 professional seasons. He was rushed to the majors last year, and produced a paltry .176 average in 1oo ABs before going down for the count with a knee injury. He's been pounding the ball in spring training, pacing the Mets in HRs and RBIs while posting a 1.200+ OPS. In an outfield crowded with injured (Carlos Beltran), overpaid (Gary Matthews, Jr., Jeff Francoeur), and unproductive (Angel Pagan) veterans, F-Mart could provide the young production Minaya & Manuel will need to help keep their jobs.

Florida Marlins: Mike Stanton (OF). After hitting an eye popping 39 HRs in single A at age 18, Stanton scuffled a bit in Double A last year, hitting just .231/.311/.455 in 341 ABs. He's torn up spring training thus far, cracking 3 HRs in just 21 ABs. While he's unlikely to break with the club (both for seasoning and monetary purposes), the 20 year old who was signed by USC as a tight end out of high school has the type of power that could make a large impact in the 2nd half of the year. There's a reason Peter Gammons once said, "I have seen the future, and he is Mike Stanton." Think Chris Davis circa 2008.

Flip-flip-flipadelphia Phillies: Placido Polanco (2B, 3B). Like the Red Sox and Yankees, the Phillies have had enough recent success that most of their players are a known quantity from a fantasy perspective. Polanco had a down year in 2009, and he's essentially a singles hitting infielder at this point, but he should still put up 90+ runs and hit .290 batting second for the Phillies. The move to the national league and playing 3rd should help. It's interesting that Polanco once blocked Chase Utley at 2nd for the Phillies, and is now rejoining the squad with Utley bonafide star.

Atlanta Braves: Troy Glaus (1B, 3B). Glaus is amazingly still just 33 years old, and might have another season or two of mashing in him yet. While 2009 was a lost year for him, he did put up a .270/.373/.483 line as recently as 2008 with 27 HRs and 99RBIs that season. The move to first should help, and hitting in what should be a contending lineup surrounded by the likes of Chipper Jones and Brian McCann should set up for some nice RBI opportunities. The added positional flexibility at 3B doesn't hurt, and Glaus has hit well in spring training, posting a 1.040 OPS in 27ABs. The last time he hit this well in spring? 2008.

Washington Strasburgs: Ian Desmond (SS). For now, Desmond appears to be blocked by Christian Guzman, an aging overpaid veteran coming off a shoulder injury. The good news for Nats fans is that Guzman is in the last year of his contract, and the 24 year old Desmond has been tearing it up in spring training. Though he's no super prospect, Desmond did steal 22 bases across 3 levels last year, and performed well in his 89 AB cup of coffee last year in the majors. The petals feel like they are starting to bloom in Nationalsville, and it may not be too long before the Nats brass turns to the youngster and dumps Guzman to the land of Elijah.

NL Central
Chicago Cubs: Starlin Castro (SS). As every self-flaggelating Cubs fan knows, the latest franchise savior to be isn't famous simply for being a letter away from sharing names with two communist dictators. Castro has shown an ability to hit for average and stole 28 bases across two levels in the minors last year. With the win now mentality inherent with new ownership, Lou Pinella's contract year, and Jim Hendry's employment, Castro is likely to find himself in the majors at some point, shifting Ryan Theriot over the second and the incumbent Jeff Baker/Mike Fontenot platoon to the garbage dump. Castro's .423/.444/.692 line in 26 spring training ABs only increases the hype on the 20 year old.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Pedro Alvarez (3B). A hot streak in the last month of the season (.323, 5Hrs) is all that kept Andy LaRoche's season respectable. Now 26, the one time prospect should be feeling the heat from Alvarez, the 2nd overall pick in the '08 draft who has posted a .296/.345/.519 line in spring training (compare that to LaRoche's .214/.267/.357 and you get the picture). Alvarez projects to be a first baseman down the line, but either way, he's going to be part of many Pirates advertisements this decade along with Andrew McCutchen as the faces of the franchise.

Cincinnati Reds: Drew Stubbs (OF). Now 25, the 8th pick of the 2006 draft made his major league debut last season while playing great defense in center. His calling card are steals, he had 56 of them last season, though just 10 in of those came in the majors. Bruce is likely to get first crack at leadoff this year, giving him every opportunity to rack up the steals at the top of the lineup. Hitting in Great American Ballpark doesn't hurt (he posted a .337/.380/.616 line at home compared to .202/.272/.277 on the road). While he strikes out too much to be an elite burner, his defense should keep him in games and adding up steals for a cheap price.

St. Louis Cardinals: Jason Motte, Kyle McClellan, Jaime Garcia (RP). The odds are short that Ryan Franklin will be able to finish another season as the Cards' closer. Now 37, most Cards fans realize they will need another hurler to step up and take over the end game role for what should be a championship caliber team. Remember, Motte and his favorable K rates had first crack last year before blowing his chance on opening day and finding himself in LaRussa's doghouse. McClellan is likely best suited to his role as set-up man. Garcia is the dark horse here, a former highly touted starter, the lefty is still just 23 years old and has been used out of the pen in spring training, posting a tasty 1.42 ERA with a 13K/5BB ratio in 12.2 IP. Monitor this situation as Franklin's goatee loses its lucky charms.

Milwaukee Brewskis: Carlos Gomez (OF). The Brewers did well to replace Mike Cameron in center with Gomez, who rates as an excellent defensive centerfielder. We all know Gomez has wheels, but his achilles heal has always been his low OBP - he's never been able to post one above .300 in the majors. Perhaps the move to the NL will help Gomez enough to keep him in the lineup, though there's a reason Jim Edmonds is likely to make the team as a backup. Michael Bourn was able to steal 41 bases with a sub .300 OBP in 2008 before his 61 steal campaign last season (the improved .354 OBP sure helped). Gomez is three years younger than Bourn, and has 9 steals in the spring (versus zero caught stealing), so there's hope. Hitting in front of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder should help as well.

Houston Astros: Brett Myers (SP). Myers is a reclamation project after being discarded by the Phillies. Though his ERA and K/9 have been trending downward, he is currently penciled in as the Astros' third starter. Still just 29 and two years removed from a stint as closer, Myers could have a bounce back year pitching in the NL Central. Matt Lindstrom (RP) is another reclamation pitcher that could take over the closer spot from an injured Brandon Lyon and run with it.

NL West
Arizona Diamondbags: Kelly Johnson (2B). After two seasons posting an OPS close to .800, Johnson tanked last year in losing his starting job in Atlanta. He's moved to a hitter friendly park in Arizona on a one year deal and seems like a prime bounce back candidate. Still just 28, Johnson should be able to get his average back to the high .280s and his OPS to .800. He could be a good end game gamble at second given the positional scarcity.

Colorado Rockies: Eric Young, Jr. (2B). On the other end of the second base spectrum is Eric Young, Jr., who finally appears ready to take over the keystone position from Clint Barmes, who is on a one year deal and is starting to get old (31) and expensive ($3.23M in 2010) for a hitter with a sub .300 OBP. The 25 year old Young has blazing speed, having stolen an average of 66 bases in his 4 minor league seasons. Young scuffled early on in spring training, but a late tear has him in competition for the job.

Los Angeles Divorcees: Barring injury, I actually don't see any sleeper value on the Dodgers. Sure, Broxton could blow a tire (or two), Padilla could reverse his career trend and continue to pitch well in the NL, or DeWitt could catch fire at second, but I just don't see it. Sometimes you have to move forward to go backwards. Better press on.

San Francisco Pandas: Dan Runzler (RP). Runzler has been a revelation, going from a power reliever with control problems to just a power reliever. He blitzed his competition last year, posting 82Ks against just 22BB in 46.1 IP across three levels, including a successful 11 appearances in the majors. He's continued his roll in spring training, striking out 11 in 5.2 IP, giving Giants fans something to look forward to at the end of games other than Brian Wilson's X marks the save.

San Diego Padres: Luke Gregerson (RP). Simply put, Gregerson is the likely next closer for the Padres once Heath Bell gets dealt. Given Bell's salary ($4M on a one year deal), a trade is highly likely as he's about to get real expensive. Pitching in Petco is like surfing at lower trestles, paradise. In his first major league season, Gregerson posted a 3.24 ERA with 93Ks in 75IP on a stellar 3:1 K:BB ratio. Doing this despite a less than favorable .314 BABIP portends good things for the future.

Fantasy Baseball - End Game Sleepers (AL)

Brackets are busted, spring is in the air, and fantasy baseball drafts are starting to take place all over the country. Here's a list of some lesser known baseball sleepers (I tried to come up with at least one player per team) that might be good end game pickups for your drafts.

AL East
Boston Red Sox: Daniel Bard (RP). Bard's line last year at age 24: 11.5 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, 3.65 ERA, 1.28 WHIP. Papelbon's line at age 24: 9 K/9. 4.5 BB/9, 2.65 ERA, 1.471 WHIP. The next season Papelbon saved 35 games and a star was born. Papelbon's getting expensive ($9.35M in 2010) and it appears the Sox have the heir apparent in the bullpen already. Bard's strikeouts alone make him a worthwhile reliever in fantasy. If Papelbon gets shipped as part of a prospect package for a power hitter, Bard could be a gold mine.

New York Yankees: Nick Swisher (OF). Yankees are all well known commodities, so this isn't so much a sleeper pick as one that you should consider taking based on his surroundings. Swisher smacked 29 HRs with 80+ Runs and RBIs, despite hitting only .226 w/ 8 dingers at Yankee stadium last year. His .249/.371/.498 last year essentially matched the .262/.381/.455 he put up in 2007, his last year on the A's back when he was on everyone's fantasy lists.


Bodymore Orioles: Brian Matusz (SP). Matusz could be this year's Brett Anderson. He's a tall lefty that was the first pitcher taken in the 2008 draft. He blitzed through the minors last year, should break camp in the Orioles rotation and be a mainstay there for years to come. Take out one bad start from his 8 start majors debut last year, and his ERA falls to 3.86 with 37 Ks in 42 IP. In 4 spring training outings, he's put up a 2.51 ERA with 18Ks, 2BBs and a .63 WHIP in 14.1 IP.

Toronto Blue Jays: Travis Snider (OF). The glass half emptiers will say that Snider disappointed in his rookie season, hitting just .241/.328/.419 in his first go around the big leagues. The glass half fullers will point to Snider posting a 1.094 OPS in triple A as a 21 year old, smacking 14 HRs in just 204 ABs. Snider could make a big leap forward in his 2nd go around in the bigs at age 22, and 25+ HRs is not out of the question.

Tampa Bay Rays: Sean Rodriguez (2B). The youngster I wanted to point out here is Desmond Jennings, the heir apparent to Carl Crawford in left. While most people already know DJ's situation (in the minors, awaiting the inevitable Crawford to Yankees trade for a call-up), Rodriguez is quietly having the best spring in the majors, posting an absurd .425/.477/.975 with 6HRs in 40 ABs. Now a lock to break camp with the team, the former prospect that hit 29 HRs in the minors last year might be on the verge of a Ben Zobrist-like breakout.

AL Central
Chicago White Sox: Matt Thornton (RP). The past 2 seasons, Thornton has a K/9 over 10, a K:BB ratio of over 4, and a paltry 1.03 WHIP. Jenks' calf injury may be all Thornton needs to take the closer position and run with it. J.J. Putz is also lingering around and may vulture saves as well.

Detroit Tigers: Scott Sizemore (2B). Sizemore is the reason the Tigers let Polanco go, as the 25 year old is primed to take over as the starting second baseman this season. While he puts up solid power numbers for the position, he's been hampered in his recovery from a broken ankle and hasn't really shown an ability to hit for power during his spring training campaign. Another Tiger to watch is Ryan Raburn (1B, OF), an older utility hitter that blasted 16 HRs and a .892 OPS in 291 ABs last year.

Minnesota Twins: Jon Rauch, Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain, Jose Mijares, Anthony Slama (RP). A bit of a cop out, but this looks like the list for Joe Nathan's in-house replacement as closer this year. I'm going to remove Guerrier from the conversation because he's likely too valuable as a set-up man (leading AL in appearances past 2 seasons). Likewise, Mijares is too valuable as a situational lefty, and while Slama has been tearing up spring training he's a pitcher that relies on deception and his minor league numbers are a bit inflated given that he's entering the majors as a 26 year old. That leaves Jon Rauch as the leader in the clubhouse - he's sure got the height and the tattoos for the part, and while he may not strike enough hitters out to be an elite closer he may be serviceable if he can keep his BABIP in line with past seasons. The darkhorse of this group is Crain, the one-time 98 mph throwing golden child who has been limited by injury. Expect Rick Springfield to take Target Field by storm this summer if Crain can make it all the way back to close out games for the Twins.

Cleveland Indians: Michael Brantley (OF). Brantley had 46 SBs in the minors last season before a cup of coffee in the majors. With Matt LaPorta shifting to 1B, the former Brewers prospect who came over in the Sabathia deal could start to pay dividends for the Indians this season. He's had more walks than strikeouts every year in the minors, and is hitting .323 in spring training. He might start the year in the minors, but could be a great source for SBs when he gets called up.

Kansas City Royals: Move along, nothing to see here. Outside the names you already know, the Royals are the Miss Zarves of fantasy.

AL West
The The Angels Angels of Anaheim: Erick Aybar (SS). Having been anointed by Mike Soscia as Chone Figgins' replacement at the top of the lineup, Aybar should be good for a 100+ Runs and 15+ SB season, which certainly means something for a shortstop. His SB rates have been bad throughout his career, but he's got the wheels, putting up four 30+ SB campaigns in the minors. Entering his age 26 season, Aybar is a great sleeper at a position with little depth.

Seattle Mariners: Brandon League (RP). All the numbers suggest that the former St. Louis Crusader dominated in 2009. He posted 76 Ks versus 21 BB with less hits (72) than IP (74.2). Yet somehow, League still ended up with an ERA over 4.50. There's no hotter hand at the poker table than Jack Zduruencik right now, and I wouldn't want to bet against his move in trading Brandon Morrow for League. The move to Safeco should help, and League provides insurance should David Aardsma fail to repeat his breakout performance.

Texas Rangers: Colby Lewis (SP). A former hard-throwing Rangers prospect turned flame-out, Lewis reinvented himself the last two years leading the Japan leagues in strikeouts while showcasing full season durability for the first time. He could rack up wins and strikeouts on a good Rangers team, and while his ERA might take a hit in that ballpark, he's a deep sleeper with a good defense behind him and a good pitching coach (Mike Maddux) in front of him. He could repeat what Scott Feldman did last year.

Oakland Unathletics: Justin Duchscherer (SP). Duchscherer lost all of 2009 first to an elbow injury, then to clinical depression. He finally made his spring debut, throwing a successful 4 innings. While a return to his elite 2008 level seems unlikely (a .235 BABIP hardly seems repeatable), at least he's done it before and it's hard to root against him doing it again.

Roto Baseball - the best fantasy sport out there

For my tastes, rotisserie fantasy baseball is the best fantasy sport out there. I know the mass denizens have designated football as the "it" fantasy sport, with its widespread appeal and once per week lineup decisions. The most common criticism of fantasy baseball that I hear is that it takes too much time. While baseball by its very nature does not provide its audience with any immediate gratification, I'd argue that it is perfectly suited as a fantasy endeavor. It may indeed require a time commitment beyond that of fantasy football. On the other hand, a fantasy baseball team is easier to maintain throughout the season. In football, it is imperative that you pay attention to the waiver wire every single week, lest you miss out on the latest sub running back or replacement wide receiver. Add in the last minute injury reports, weather changes, bye weeks, and fantasy football can induce heartache and despair just minutes before kickoff. Is there gratification in benching the right player? Sure. But all too often you hear of an angry owner pissed off because of going the wrong way, with nothing to show for their efforts in building a solid roster.

Baseball is a lot more forgiving. Too busy with family/work/life to follow waivers in a particular week? Not to worry, a single missed player here or there generally isn't going to make or break your season. In football, that is absolutely the case. The single most valuable (and volatile) commodity in football are running backs. A good one can single-handedly carry you to a title, an injured one can ruin an entire season. How many seasons did Matt Forte destroy last year? How many championships did Jamaal Charles win? I understand that the argument that this volatility is part of football, but is it fair when that trumps all else? What's the fun in participating in something over 13 weeks, only to see a random occurrence inevitably determine a championship year in and year out?

In baseball, the most volatile position is closer. Bummed out that you missed out on the latest newly appointed closer? Don't fret, there's bound to be another soon enough. Last year there were 37 different relievers that recorded 10 or more saves. Upset you missed out on the top pick? Not to worry, in baseball there is always plenty of value available in later rounds, particularly with the annual revelation that are young prospects in the game. Each year, previously unheard of players deliver great seasons - Adam Lind, Joey Votto, Brett Anderson and Pablo Sandoval are all young studs that put in fantastic numbers for teams without being high picks.

All that being said, the single most important factor as to why baseball is the best fantasy sport out there is that it is not nearly as context dependent as football is. In baseball, each batter generally gets to hit three to four times a game against the other team's pitcher. Outside of the occasional sacrifice or hit and run, it's essentially an individual matchup - pitcher versus hitter four times per contest. Whether a team is winning or losing a blowout, every batter and every pitcher is going to go out and try to win that matchup, either by getting on base or by recording an out. This is not so in fantasy football. Unless you have Belicheck coaching the '07 Pats, forget about getting more passing yards out of a quarterback that's up 24 points in the 4th quarter. Draft a great running back on a crappy team? Better hope he racks up some yardage in the first half before the game devolves into a passing contest. That same great hitter or pitcher on a crappy team in baseball is going to have every opportunity to win enough individual matchups to determine the context of the game rather than be subject to it.

Of course, participation in fantasy sports, as with anything, comes down to a matter of individual tastes. I can see the appeal of fantasy football or a head to head baseball league, and have participated in many. For me however, the most fun and fairest league of them all is roto baseball. As with all sports, there's always going to be volatility involved. it's part of what makes sport so compelling. A few years back, I started a roto baseball league by cherry picking the 3-4 best owners from three separate leagues (sort of a personal roto "champions league"). We're now up to 15 keepers, and each squad has 5 minor league spots. Is this something joe football fan would be interested in? Probably not. But if you're a sports fan, and you're gonna throw money at something, why not make it the best league possible? At least this way I know my time spent is going to be worthwhile at the end of the year. Plus, if the volatility gets the better of me, at least I'll have the opportunity to rebuild and get it right the next year.