I will cover fantasy football but first, a quick aside.
Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle died today. I am sitting in my home in New York City as I write this column. I am glad MLB cancelled the playoff game at Shea Stadium tonight, even if it was because of rain. I am a huge Mets fan and postponing the NLCS favors the Cardinals pitching matchups and hurts the Mets. Why?
The Cardinals could start Jeff Suppan and Chris Carpenter in the first two games and save Jeff Weaver for Game 3 in St. Louis. But it just seems too weird to play a big game in New York only a few miles from where a New York baseball player died a few hours before in a plane crash. Not on the same day.
I know Lidle was only with the Yankees for a couple of months. The guy was a journeyman pitcher, appearing with seven different teams. But the last time he will ever pitch was this past weekend in a Yankees uniform. That makes him part of the greater New York baseball community.
So I’m glad they postponed the game. I had a caller to my radio show who wanted to know if it seems that more accidents and incidents are happening with athletes these days. He mentioned Ben Roethlisberger and his motorcycle accident before this season. If there are more accidents, it is likely because athletes have more money these days than they used to have. They can afford more expensive toys like airplanes. But for as long as athletes have been rich, competitive thrill-seekers, these kinds of things have been happening. Think of Thurman Munson, the Yankees captain who crashed his plane back in August of 1979.
I never met Cory Lidle. But it is such a stunning shame that a husband and father at age 34 was alive this morning and now he is not.
Okay, let’s talk football. Speaking of Ben Roethlisberger, which I was earlier today, he is crippling my fantasy team. Not because I have Ben on my roster, but I did draft Hines Ward. I know Ward has a chronic hamstring strain but how come he had a huge fantasy night with Chas Batch as his QB and has been a no-show with Big Ben at the helm?
Roethlisberger is clearly not the same player he was last year. In addition to the motorcycle accident, he also had the emergency appendix surgery. Believe me I am sympathetic but Ben has thrown seven interceptions and zero, yeah zero, touchdowns so far.
And last Sunday night in San Diego, he was spotted leaving the locker room with his arm in a sling. Apparently, it is nothing serious. But I am benching Hines Ward until further notice… until I see the Steelers put up a good passing game.
Next in my stream of consciousness rant is staying ahead of the free agency curve. I am just plain mad at myself so far this year. The only really good free agent I have picked up so far is Rex Grossman. I jumped on him after the first week of the season. But since then, I have been one week too slow.
Two years ago, I was the person who picked up Reuben Droughns the week before he had the breakout game. Yeah, I was the one in my league that everyone envied and hated. But this season, I have reacted too slowly to hunches. I live in New York and while I am not a Jets fan, I do watch some of their games.
It did not take a rocket scientist to sense that Leon Washington was going to get an opportunity to be the Jets starting RB. Eric Mangini had tried Blaylock and Barlow and neither had impressed. But instead of getting shifty, little Leon on my roster for a couple of dollars, I waited until after he got his chance to play two weeks ago.
So I was stuck bidding with everyone else in my league for his services. Not shockingly, I got outbid. Same with Eric Johnson. It does not take a PhD to figure that Vernon Davis seemed to be hurting and maybe Johnson was worth a flier.
Instead I waited until Vernon got really injured to bid for Johnson with everyone else in my league. Some guy bid over $500 for Johnson. Just an insane bid. You can have him for that. But I should have picked EJ up the week before when I thought of it.
So here is my new strategy. I am taking one spot on my roster and using it as my flyer spot. Every week I plan to make a low bid on someone who could have upside. For example, last week I won Broncos WR David Kircus with a one-dollar bid.
Next, I may try Sammy Morris since the Dolphins just cut Lee Suggs. Maybe Ronnie Brown will get hurt this week. Never know. Final thought: if you are in dire need of a QB for a bye week replacement, you could do worse than Tampa Bay starter Bruce Gradkowski. I know the TB offense has been a disaster. But John Gruden is raving about this kid and after last week’s decent showing,
Gradkowski could get you fifteen to twenty points on a bye week. Mind you, I do not like him as your regular QB. But in a bye week emergency, you could do worse.
Lori Rubinson co-hosts a sports talk radio show in New Jersey. Feel free to tune in from 5-7 pm EST, Monday through Friday at WCTC.