A true fantasy

Every year major league baseball tries to tell us that fantasy baseball infringes on their copyrights and every year they can’t stop anyone from drafting their teams on a wide array of sites. MLB thinks that its players names, their stats and all their information are somehow copyrightable and their exclusive property – not to be used for the purpose of games. But since when was information not public domain? Well MLB can keep on spinning its wheels over that while I set up my sweet team for the 2008 season.

Who did I manage to snag you may ask? Well here’s how my team, in a standard Yahoo! Public rotisserie league:

C: Ivan Rodriguez. Catchers were running out and he was the best available. Hope he holds up.
1B: Mark Teixeira. Last pick in the second round. Monster numbers at first.
2B: BJ Upton. Great potential and a solid five-tool player. Can also play OF.
SS: J.J. Hardy. I missed out on the early, better shortstops. Hardy can play though.
3B: A-Rod. How could I not be happy about this? I wouldn’t have minded drafting second and getting Reyes to clean up in steals though.
OF: Hideki Matsui. In a contract year and is usually good for 100-25-100 with average.
OF: Juan Pierre. I’ve got to get steals somehow and he’ll score more runs with L.A.’s new lineup.
OF: Jeff Francouer. My sleeper. Had 19 homers last season and 20 doubles that bounced off the wall. Now that he’s put on 20 lbs of muscle, I expect great things.
Util: Todd Helton. Doesn’t have as much pop as he used to but a discount in the 12th round.
Bench: Aaron Rowand, Stephen Drew and Jose Guillen. I don’t think I’m too bad off if I’m hit with an injury or two.
SP: C.C. Sabathia. Contract year/Yankees audition.
SP: Cole Hamels. Number 2 in the rotation means easier matchups.
RP: Bill Wagner. The Mets are going to win a lot of games.
RP: Trevor Hoffman. A saves stud. Even if he’s getting up there in years
P: Jeff Francis. Only getting better and 17 wins last year.
P: George Sherrill. Could save 35.
P: C.J. Wilson. Needed one more closer.
The pen: Heath Bell. Matt Garza. Bell in case Hoffman goes down and Garza has a lot of hype behind him.

Overall, I’m feeling pretty good about my team. I could use a few more steals and I’m not sure about my K’s but we’ll see how the season plays out.