I was all set to open up my column with a big rant about how "old school" rotisserie baseball (12 team monoleagues) knocks the knickers off of the shallow mixed leagues that have become the choice of the masses, when I stopped to think about the path that I followed in my "fantasy" life.

The first signs of my fantasy obsession came in 1981 when I was in sixth grade. I had started reading the baseball preview magazines that were popular at the time. I decided that I could do better and wrote a complete preview magazine of my own, complete with projections. I learned every cliche in the sportswriting book and still struggle to stay away from them today.

The next pivotal event occurred when I saw an ad for Strat-O-Matic in one of those same magazines. I saved up the huge sum of 20 bucks from my paper route and somehow convinced my parents to order it for me. For those of you not blessed with Strat experience, it is a game that uses dice and player cards, based on actual player stats, to simulate games. If played correctly, the games played out very true to real life. A few mulligans a game, however, certainly changed things. I still remember when the 1983 version of Ron Cey inexplicably knocked out 54 homers for my World Champion Cubs. Bart Giamatti would roll over in his grave if he knew the way I influenced countless Strat-O-Matic seasons.

After a few glorious seasons of Strat-O-Matic, it dawned on me that the female gender didn't seem to appreciate the statistical insights that I was gaining. In a mistake that has haunted me since, I tossed the game to the wayside and became obsessed with something else (duh!).

The next milestone took place in 1992 at Southern Illinois University, when a friend of mine asked if I wanted to try out rotisserie baseball. Liking rotisserie chicken, I decided to give it a try. That first season was memorable. The league had a rather radical beginning to the auction. Owners submitted "blind bids" on players of their choosing. If you bid the highest amount, you won that player. The blind bids took place before the actual auction even began. It sounds silly now, but it sure did make for some great gamesmanship and incredible bluffing in the weeks leading up to the draft. I still remember my first blind bid of $5 on a young Brave hurler named John Smoltz. In those days we had to keep stats manually and waited eagerly for the Wednesday edition of USA today to publish the weekly stats. We wrote all the numbers on paper and tabulated results with a calculator. I still believe to this day that I was a better player then because I knew the numbers of every player inside and out.

Later, when that same friend learned this new program called Excel, it was the modern-day equivalent to the birth of Napster. I also remember dialing some 800 number many nights to see how my team did. Imagine trying to wait until the next morning when the box scores would be in the paper. I haven't missed a season since that first year. Since then the internet has come along and changed the hobby forever. Fantasy baseball has shifted heavily (and unfortunately in my opinion) toward the shallower mixed-league formats. Fantasy football came along and has now passed baseball in popularity. For me, though, old school is still best. I just might revisit my Strat-O-Matic ways once again...On-line of course.

As I wipe a nostalgic tear from my eye, I'll try to regroup and come back to the present day and recommend a few players who might help you rejoice in the big Yoo-Hoo shower (another old school tradition).

[all statistics current through Friday, August 22]

NOW THAT SPELLS RELIEF
A look at the top prospects to deliver value as closers, setup men, and long relievers at this point of the season.

Jim Johnson, RP, BAL
Johnson looks to be the main beneficiary of George Sherrill's elbow woes. Johnson's numbers are very impressive this year. Despite his lack of Ks (36 punchouts), he has limited batters to 49 hits in almost 66 innings. His WHIP numbers in the minors were above 1.40 the last two seasons in a much larger sample size, so this year's 1.16 may be a bit of a mirage. There have been many pitchers, though, who figure out things with a move to the bullpen. It's hard to say how long the 31-year-old lefthander will remain the closer. Sherrill could be back by the end of the month, and last year's closer, Chris Ray, may return with September call-ups. Johnson is not the long-term answer and probably has zero keeper value, but he could provide a handful of saves without major damage in other categories. Those in AL leagues should definitely swoop in, and if a few saves could help you in your mixed league, Johnson just might be your huckleberry.

Warm Body, RP, NYM
This is getting a bit ridiculous. Luis Ayala isn't good enough for MLB's team, but he slides right into the closer role for the first-place Mets? Ayala has been terrible this year but does have success to fall back on. It looks like he'll get his shot at closing, but I imagine a blown save or two will see Aaron Heilman right back in the picture. Also don't forget the Mets just signed Al Reyes, who figures in the equation somewhere. Mixed-leaguers are probably best served by avoiding the situation altogether, but NL-leaguers may be forced to get their hands dirty. My gut tells me that Heilman will end up with the job, but then again, I just had a huge bowl of chili, and my gut is feeling a little funny.

CALL TO ARMS
Get your starting pitchers here! … Maybe… Targeting starting pitchers on the waiver wire is a dangerous practice, but here are a few who might have something to offer.

Gorzelanny was a mess to start the year, but seems to have figured out whatever it was that made him a viable fantasy starting pitcher last year. Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Tom Gorzelanny, SP, PIT
Mixed leagues and non-keeper leagues can skip this entry, but NL owners in keeper leagues might want to take a shot on the 26-year-old lefty. Gorzy looked like an up-and-coming hurler last year, winning 14 games to go along with a sub-four ERA for the lowly Pirates. He's done nothing this year, though, and there are whispers of arm troubles. In his recent minor league stint, he seemed to find himself, posting a 2.06 ERA with an impressive 33/4 K/BB ratio. The Brewers knocked him around in his return Saturday night, but Gorzelanny should get ample opportunity to reestablish himself. Those in the hunt for money should stand clear, but if you're building for next season, a low-cost investment could be in order.

Carl Pavano, SP, NYY
Didn't he used to pitch for the Expos? Pavano made his annual MLB appearance Saturday night and even came away with a win. All you Sidney Ponson owners out there may have reason to be nervous. Seriously, Pavano may have something to offer down the stretch. During his five-start rehab stint, he did manage a 3.32 ERA to go along with a nice 19/4 K/BB ratio. The Yankees will score him runs, so four or five wins from here on out is not unthinkable. He's more likely to hurt himself than your fantasy team, so a claim is not likely to haunt you. His contract is up, so I'm sure he'll do everything he can to take the hill.

Jesse Litsch, SP, TOR
I'm not one to take gambles on starting pitchers, but Litsch deserves some credit for his two starts since returning to the Toronto rotation. He's now pitched 13 scoreless innings, despite somewhat respectable numbers. The young right-hander has quietly collected nine wins, with a 4.01 ERA and a WHIP that has inched below 1.30. There are worse pitchers on most teams in mixed leagues. If he's been dropped in your league, it might be time to ride a little hot streak. His low strikeout rate limits his upside, but he should provide solid innings with a few wins.

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES
Lacking home runs?  Stuck with a dearth of stolen bases?  Here are some ideas to better shore up your offense.

Travis Hafner, DH, CLE
Two years ago the man known as Pronk wouldn't have had a whiff of the waiver wire... Two years seems like a long time ago for his owners. Despite the cliff that Hafner has fallen off, he is still worth a gamble in all leagues. You don't often get the chance to claim a player that could produce numbers like Hafner has done in the past. I'm far from certain that he'll re-emerge as the feared hitter I remember, but if that ferocious swing returns, it will be fun to watch.

Jayson Werth, OF, PHI
Werth was splitting time with Geoff Jenkins and is probably available in many mixed leagues. With the injury to Jenkins, Werth has a chance to claim the job for good. Werth has pounded 17 HR in 292 AB and also added a sneaky 12 SB. Werth could provide solid value in four categories for mixed league owners. Think Chris Young without the hype.

Daniel Murphy, 3B/OF, NYM
If it seems like Murphy has come from nowhere, it's because as far as I can tell, he has. It amazes me that in the internet age, a player like Murphy can still sneak through. Despite mediocre numbers last season, Murphy is tearing up the majors with a .380 AVG. in 50 AB. Obviously he'll cool down, but he may have earned himself a role on the Mets for 2009. Omar Minaya is obviously a genius, building his offense around guys like Fernando Tatis and Murphy, while manning his bullpen with Luis Ayala and Al Reyes. Obviously I saw all of this coming. Sometimes baseball is so predictable.

If you'd like to reminisce about your formative fantasy years or discuss a memorable Strat-O-Matic season, drop Doug an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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