Prince Fielder is Dead To Me

Let me start by saying, I don't really get Fantasy Baseball. I roughly understand how it works but I've never played in a real league. This year I decided to try my hand at the Fantasy League through MLB.com. For anyone unfamiliar with MLB's Fantasy League, it seems to be more of a “T-Ball / Coach Pitch” League. You're not in control of very much other than setting your starting lineup at the beginning of the week and picking up free agents in between. I'm going to figure out how a REAL Fantasy League works in the off season this year and then possibly try my hand at it next Summer.

I'm proving myself to be about as good in the Fantasy League as I was at real Baseball back in the day. I could catch anything hit or thrown. I could have given Rickey Henderson some lessons on base stealing. But, I couldn't hit Zack Hample's ego with a Dump Truck. And apparently he has a big ego.

All of that being said, Prince Fielder is officially dead to me. Now, Prince is having a decent year in my opinion. He's 87-327, averaging 6 hits every 22 At-Bats. Based on the point scheme of the League, he's averaging 20 points per week which isn't bad. I've started him 8 weeks out of 15 and based on those numbers and the times started/benched I should have 160 points with him and I should have lost 140 points without him.

But, I assure you, that's not the case. Here's a recap of our love/hate relationship:

Week 1 – PLAYS - Prince went 8-22 with 21 points. I'm glad I started him.

Week 2 – PLAYS - Bit of a rough week 2-23, 6 points. Let's not take any chances this early in the season. Mike Jacobs, you're up.

Week 3 – SITS - Prince hits 4-18 with 25 points. Good points but 4-18? Let's let him ride the pine another week. Maybe 2007 was a fluke.

Week 4 – SITS - 7-23. 35 points. Crap.

Week 5 – PLAYS - Back on 1^st Base. EXACT SAME Hit ratio 7-23. 20 points less with 15. Maybe he had another rough week. We learned that lesson the hard way in Week 4. Play ball.

Week 6 – PLAYS - Nope. He's a fluke. Prince goes 4-20 with 10 points. Go grab some sunflower seeds and catch up on the latest Grisham novel, Prince. I start Adrian Gonzalez over Fielder.

Weeeeeeeek 7 – SITS - Come on! Are you serious?!? 9-24. 26 Points. Grab your glove.

Week 8 – PLAYS - You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension. A dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind.

(One of these guys is Billy Shatner, but I'm not telling you which one.)

You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas, you've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone. 7-26. 10 points. Frank Thomas, your turn.

Week 9 – SITS - I bench him but at least I'm seeing the trend now. Lava one week, Produce Section the next. Or is it... Prince goes 7-24 with 27 points. Regardless, so far this season, this is what ALWAYS happens. Week 10, he should start even though Week 9 was good.

Week 10 – PLAYS - And it finally pays off! Prince goes 8-22 with 29 points. Week11 should be the bad week so now Jason Giambi gets a crack at it.

Week 11 – SITS – This was supposed to be a bad week right? Nope. 8-24. 22 points. Now I'm even more confused. That's three great weeks in a row. There's no way he can make it last for 4 weeks! Have a seat, Mr. Fielder. Keep your glove on, Mr. Mustache.

Week 12 – SITS – WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR KID, CECIL?!??!?! 8-22, 2 Doubles, 5 Home Runs, 9 Runs Scored, 8 RBIs, 3 Walks!! 44 P O I N T S ! ! ! !

Weak 13 – PLAYS – Prince Fielder is a Baseball God!! He is a man among mice. He is a ... what the crap! 1-24 with 3 points! I give up...

Week 14 – PLAYS – Who cares. 6-26. 15 points.

Week 15 – SITS – At this point, It's a toss up. Through Wednesday Prince is 1-6 with 11 points. Add in the 1 point he's scored in tonight's game (Top of the 7^th) and he's 4 points from outdoing last week.

Instead of having 160 points with him (the average) I have 109. And instead of having lost 140 without him, I've lost 190. But considering that he's “undroppable” in my league I guess I'll start him Week 16...

That's supposed to be his good week anyways...