The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

Alright, so my team began playing better in recent weeks, thanks largely to my team getting healthy again - Matt Kemp being the most notable return. Then late last week, Emilio Bonifacio - the league leader in steals - got placed on the DL for the second time and won't be returning this season. Michael Cuddyer got placed on the shelf the very next day. Now slugging first baseman, Paul Konerko, is on the disabled list. Brian McCann has missed a couple games. Brandon Phillips just came back after missing 4-5 games. To say my offense is a mess would be like saying Ben Stein is boring.

No, I doubt anybody cares, but a guy can vent about his fantasy baseball team, right? Right. Also, I just find it kind of humorous. So, overall, my team is around .500 and I'm even shocked by that. I had the first pick in the draft and took Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder Matt Kemp. Early in the season, it looked like a genius move, as the guy has hit .355 with 12 home runs and 28 RBIs...but in just 36 games. The Dodgers have played 64 to this date. The guy was an early MVP candidate, but after two stints on the disabled list with hamstring problems, he's been anything but dynamite for me in the long-term. Then there's do-everything guy Emilio Bonifacio of the Miami Marlins. Before he went to the DL, he led the league in stolen bases and his bat was finally coming around. He's been out for a while and isn't expected back until just after the all-star break. Atlanta Braves' catcher, Brian McCann was out for a week not long ago with the flu and is only final...

Okay, so this is stupid to complain about, right? Fantasy sports? Who cares? I agree. But, I'm done with my work for today (well, most of it), am bored, in need of a break and I just got word from a buddy of mine about the football team we drafted yesterday and just feel like venting for a moment. Alright, so, the only reason I play fantasy sports is because an old buddy of mine in Omaha loves it and it's a way he and I can stay in touch with one another. So, from that standpoint, it's nice. It always gives us something to talk about and reason to write or call each other. Both of us have had pretty good success with baseball. We used to team up, but now have separate teams. We've in two of the same leagues. I'm in 1st place in both leagues and he's in 3rd and 5th, respectively (out of 8 and 12 teams). One league we call the "normal" league, because it's a pretty straight-forward fantasy baseball league. The people don't get cheap, don'...

I admit that I have been involved with fantasy sports in the past. I've done pretty well. You'll usually see me in the top 3 of the league or top 1 of the league if it's with some friends of mine. Yeah, I follow my sports and I've gotten quite lucky. It takes just as much luck as knowledge in fantasy sportsland. But, I don't go crazy over fantasy sports and I don't go nuts if a player of mine didn't perform well on a certain night. What effect has fantasy sports had on sports and on fans? Has it helped or hurt the games? The fans? Why or why not? While there are two positives I can think of when it comes to fantasy sports, the negatives sure outweigh those two positives. The two positives that I believe fantasy sports bring are 1) An interest in the game, regardless of how well one's team is doing and 2) Broadening a person's horizons with whom they watch. It's very easy if our team is not performing well, to not pay attention anymore. But,...