Beisbol de Fantasia

The regular season is over; three rounds of playoffs are on the horizon; the eight team owners of my fantasy baseball league are poised over their mice in the hopes that they may add that player whose stolen base, save, or RBI may put their team over the top and onto a glorious championship.

Of course, it may just be me who obsesses to this extent over his team. After all, my poor young cousin hasn't altered his lineup for months, leaving two excellent players squandered on his bench, and leaving his team as a whole buried at the bottom of the standings.

For those most passionate fans, Fantasy Baseball often causes relationship stress. See Exhibit A, from the early Bronze Age:

Fred

"Hold on just a second Wilma, I gotta see if Vladimir Guerrero (LAA - OF) is going to DH tomorrow against Seattle."

Wilma

"Fred, you spend more time with Vladimir Guerrero than you do with your family - and I don't even know who he is!

Fred
"He's a Dominican man with a Russian first name who used to play an American sport for a Canadian team. But more importantly, he could win me RBIs this week - my time with him is very important and special!"

Wilma
"When I divorce you for neglecting me, I'm keeping the kids, Dino, and the cave - you can keep Vladimir Guerrero and his %&?@#$! multi-million dollar contract!

But this week evidence came to light that fantasy baseball actually brings people together, and not just when they slink off to their live drafts, giving their significant others some lame subterfuge.

For the first time in several weeks I got to have a lengthy phone conversation with my brother, who spends most of his waking hours at a job about which he feels the utmost passion. But he took time out of his day to call me and talk about how great a week it was watching his team compete against mine, vying for a higher seed in the postseason.

While I ended up as the lower seed, I only slightly cared. What was important was that I got to talk to my brother for an hour over the course of three nights, as two young men were brought into each others' fellowship by their mutual love of the sport, albeit a fantasy sport. Fittingly, we ended the week tied 6-6, and both winners.

-Nails