I hate to admit this, and perhaps it has already been the case for the past month.
My 2015 season in the NFBC is over, and it's only August 12th.
The Main Event has humbled me on an annual basis, stifling any semblance of an ego that may begin to grow upon other roto achievements.
For the past four years, I have gone into the NFBC Main Event with my friend, colleague, and boss, Tim Schuler.
Currently, we are sitting in 14th place in our 15-team Main Event League.
Let's go ahead and write "They didn't finish last!" on that tombstone.
In the "Beat DVR" League (part of the 12-team Online Championship), I am in dead last entering play today.
How about: "He thought his team was good, but still finished last!" on this one?
History hasn't been much better:
- 2014 Main: 14th out of 15
- 2014 Online Championship: 8th out of 12
- 2013 Main: 4th out of 15
- 2013 Online: 2nd out of 12
- 2012 Main: 10th out of 15
- 2012 Online: 4th out of 12
There is no way to get around having just one cash finish in eight attempts on what is arguably Fantasy Baseball's greatest stage.
I am in the red, and I am not happy about it.
My goal is simple: I want to win an NFBC Main Event Overall Championship.
In recent years, playing in fewer leagues throughout the year has become a conscious goal for me. It seems counter intuitive for someone who earns a living working full time at a fantasy sports company, but playing in too many leagues is a fast track to a diversified portfolio in mediocrity.
My primary job at RotoWire is to produce content -- mostly on our Sirius-XM show, in podcast form, and occasionally in video spots with 120 Sports. With that, I am responsible for managing and overseeing our baseball coverage. There is no time left over to get fully dialed in on the other non-football sports.
Fantasy hockey? Gone. I love hockey, but I was not focused enough on it to be great at it. That time is better served analyzing players and prepping for baseball season.
Hoops? I tried it for DFS last season, and think it could be a lot of fun. I might as well take up fantasy cricket, however, as I have minimal knowledge of the NBA player pool, coach tendencies, etc.
It is a poor use of my time with respect to my current goal.
Mostly because the majority of games are concentrated on one day, and because I get personal enjoyment out of watching games, fantasy football is above the cut line for now.
Even there, my annual number of leagues has gone down considerably. Extra mock drafts and empty (no prize) industry leagues are wasteful right now.
If it were my job to be a jack of all trades over several sports, I would do that, but it is not the work I am paid to do.
As part of the learning process and the always fun "hindsight is 20/20," here's a look back at how the 2015 foray into the Main Event became such a disaster.
1.13 - Edwin Encarnacion -- It would have been nice to take a guy that some owners wanted in the 13th overall spot in 2014 in Bryce Harper, but the picks between 14 and 17 were all pitchers: Felix, Strasburg, Harvey, and Price. This is more about a very steady power bat playing hurt this year and falling well short of projections than simply missing something obvious, in my opinion. (2015 Earnings: $18)
2.3 - Troy Tulowitzki -- It's hard to believe that with consistently good health throughout the year, and a move from Colorado to Toronto, that Tulo hasn't returned more. Josh Donaldson went a pick later. That would have been a better choice. (2015 Earnings: $19)
3.13 - Adrian Beltre -- An old guy with gradually increasing injury trouble over a budding star at the same position in the league's most hitter friendly environment (Nolan Arenado, who went one pick later)? Give me the old guy! (Excuse me while I go punch myself in the face...2015 Earnings: $2, Arenado: $30)
4.3 - Aroldis Chapman -- The only thing worse than investing in a closer early is investing in Hanley early. $11 in value from an early fourth-round pick simply isn't enough.
5.13 - Mark Melancon -- Melancon has outearned Chapman after a disastrous start where he showed diminished velocity. It's a miracle this pick has turned out to be palatable, but the closer-closer push looks like a mistake I won't make again. ($14)
6.3 - Joey Votto -- After making a pick that was almost as helpful as giving a way a third-round pick with Beltre, Votto in the sixth falls under the "Good Calls" category ($23).
7.13 - Michael Wacha -- The Cardinals Devil Magic will never work in your favor. Wacha v. Arrieta v. Gray was the debate. ($16 for Wacha, $27 for Arrieta)
8.3 - Sonny Gray -- Connected here. ($27)
9.13 - Jean Segura -- We'll always have the memory of April 2013, but .259, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 16 S, and 34 R = $1.
10.3 - Brett Gardner -- Just as valuable as Michael Brantley this season at $21.
11.13 - Shin-Soo Choo -- A horrible April has undoubtedly dragged down the total return, but he was active for all of it ($6).
12.3 - Lance Lynn -- Wisely chose Lynn over Anibal Sanchez, but passed on Chris Archer who went just seven picks later (Lynn: $10, Archer: $25).
13.13 - Steven Souza -- Was sniped on Avisail Garcia ($7) in this spot, and settled ($3) for Souza. If only he could hit for average. The best nearby pick was Yasmany Grandal two picks later to friend @CTMBaseball.
14.3 - Ian Kennedy -- The ratios have been awful, and Kennedy hasn't even cracked $1 earned yet over 21 starts. Could have had Francisco Liriano ($11) or Jake Odorizzi ($7) instead.
15.13 - Javier Baez -- We knew the risk at the time, and an injury at Triple-A this summer prevented him from getting a look in Chicago. Good thing Shoe and I grabbed the Arismendy Alcantara handcuff in Round 17!
I'll stop here. There wasn't anything good about the last 15 rounds this year. We thought that we liked John Jaso more than Stephen Vogt back then, Aaron Hill over Devon Travis, and LaTroy Hawkins (third closer!) more than Jason Hammel.
As the final six-plus weeks unfold, please be sure to share your greatest 2015 fantasy baseball regrets with me on Twitter @DerekVanRiper with the sure-to-trend #RotoRegrets hashtag.