Kicking Rocks: In the Hole

In the real world, “in the hole” means I’m standing at the top step of the dugout, helmet on, bat in hand, waiting to get into the on-deck circle. In the fantasy world, it means I’ve screwed the pooch. Let’s face it. There’s nothing worse than starting the fantasy season with a bunch of your guys on the DL. Not only do you have to replace players you drafted and hoped would bring you much joy throughout the season, but you also have to fight off an entire league of eager beavers for said replacements.

With the season having just begun and the excitement of draft day still fresh in everyone’s minds, the waiver wire is a hotbed of action. Even those guys in your home league that are usually dead money by the end of May are making roster moves galore, whether they really need to or not. Some have good reason while others are embarking on the gamesmanship that involves moves made to prevent others from acquiring the players they need. When you’re the guy who is need of making those moves, you better hope your schedule is wide open.

I’ve been living on the west coast for a number of years, but still play in one home league that is chock-full of east coasters. Not only are injuries killing me in this league, but the time difference ain’t helping much either. When I’m at my other job, these guys are done for the day and are already two pages into the afternoon’s Rotowire updates. When I’m trying to catch a few Z’s, these guys are enjoying their mornings with a bowl of Cheerios in front of their laptops making pick-ups left and right. I’m still scraping crusties out of my eyes while these guys are grabbing Alfredo Aceves off the waiver wire and now I’ve been beaten to the punch by guys that never had any fantasy fight in them to begin with.

And then, of course, there are the leagues that use FAAB as the preferred waiver/free agent acquisition. You get a budget for the entire year and inevitably there’s someone out there who, pretty much, blows their entire wad on a small handful of guys. I lost Ryan Madson in one roto league, put bids in on Sean Marshall, Jonathan Broxton and Greg Holland, and when I woke up, I learned I missed them all because one owner blew more than 75% of his budget on them and already had two closers. An all-reliever strategy? Possibly. But then why draft so many starters to begin with? Trade bait? Likely. Now I can’t wait to see what kind of price-gouging takes place.

I’m certainly not saying there’s anything wrong with what they’re doing. It just makes things more difficult, is all I’m saying. Strategy is strategy and it’s always good to have active owners in a league. Hopefully, they’ll stay this active throughout the season, although of course, I’m skeptical. Still, it’s a good fight now and I welcome the challenge to improve my squads in other ways. Doesn’t mean I don’t hate the fact that I’m still starting off this season in the hole.