Fantasy Baseball – My League’s Draft Disasters

One of the fantasy leagues I am in is a draft-'em-and-forget-'em league. It's great for busy people who don't have the time to manage the trades and lineup setting of a more active type league. But there is no recourse for fantasy managers when injuries and poor performances creep up. After just a handful of games, here are some of the players making managers in my league wish they had some draft mulligans.

Drew Storen, RP - Storen, the closer for Washington coming into this season, went in the 20^th round and hasn't pitched yet this year. He had surgery last week to repair bone fragments in his pitching elbow. The team has forecast a return for Storen later this year.

Heath Bell, RP - Bell has pitched this year, but my friend who drafted him may wish he hadn't. Bell signed a free agent contract to pitch for the new-look Marlins this year. He was drafted in the 15^th round, relatively early for a closer. Bell has blown his only two save chances this year, and on Saturday he experienced one of the more embarrassing outings of his career. He entered the 9^th inning with a 4-1 lead to protect and gave up four runs on four hits and an error to take the loss. After 10 games with his new team Bell sits at 0-2 with 2 blown saves and an ERA of 12.00.

Brian Wilson, RP - This doesn't seem to be a great April for closers, does it? Wilson was taken even sooner than Bell in my league. It appears his season is over after he suffered an elbow injury that will require reconstructive surgery. If that is indeed the case, his 2012 line will not look good on the back of next year's baseball card: 0-0, 1 save, 9.00 ERA.

Jacoby Ellsbury, OF - Ellsbury had reached the high status of being drafted in the first five rounds in my league, certainly warranted after his stellar 2011 campaign. Unfortunately, he won't be scoring any points for several weeks. Saturday he dislocated his shoulder in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. A statement from the Red Sox said Ellsbury, who last season led the AL in total bases while driving in 105 runs and scoring 119, will miss up to eight weeks.

Brad Boeker has managed a fantasy baseball team for over 15 years.

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