Saturday, September 09, 2006

Travis Hafner is out for the season. There is no God.
Yes, it's true. I've spent a mostly carefree day of exercise, spending time with the family, and watching triumphs for both the Yankees and Golden Bears. Now, however, I'm confronted with the news that what was once a bruised right hand for the Indians slugger is broken and will end his 2006 campaign. What's the big deal, you ask? Hafner isn't on New York, the injury isn't regarded as threatening to his career, and it might not even require surgery, according to those close to the situation.

In the end, it all boils down to one word: fantasy. Like millions of other Americans insane enough to believe they can create and manage their own make-believe franchises, I expected that the same team that led me to a superior regular season record would make its appearance in the playoffs. Sure, there's never any guarantee that a team, whatever its quality, will win on any given week, leaving me to confront the possibility that I could finish 23 and a half categories ahead and still be defeated in single-elimination postseason play. Still, you at least get your best shot with your finest players, and let the chips fall where they may.

I like to think that, above all other preseason draft selections, I stole Hafner from my league by the name of Orange County Championship '06. While it's true that he only qualifies as a designated hitter under Yahoo rules, I obtained a hitter at the end of the fourth round who, up until September 1, compiled a .308 batting average with 42 homers and 117 runs batted in. Taking a page from baseball analyst Bill James' book, I've looked at some other numbers. His on-base percentage of .439 and slugging of .659 add up to a whopping OPS of 1.097. Without question, one of the very best batters in this or any other era.

Like some of my league mates, I was proud to have gotten some other relative bargains down the line. Derek Jeter, Vernon Wells, Jason Giambi, and Mike Mussina all turned out to be positive selections for yours truly, but Hafner was my crown jewel. I still remember remarking to a non-participant attending the draft that I hoped he'd still be around when my turn to select rolled around. After I called the name, ecstasy ruled the day within my baseball-stitched mind.

Pronk, an odd but endearing nickname given to Hafner by his teammates, made me very happy during the course of the year. He even tied a big league record by crushing six grand slams for Cleveland. Those bright, sunny summer days seem so long ago now. Like the second place finisher in the season, my Big Stein's Calzones have gotten a reprieve from taking part in the playoffs for this week. However, once Monday arrives, my team will need to win in two consecutive weeks to take home the hardware. My starting pitching has gone through some trouble, Giambi has injuries of his own to deal with, and Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon may also be lost for the year. I've shored up the relief pitching by adding Pittsburgh's Salmon Torres and Mike Timlin, the Red Sox replacement for the time being. Still, my team feels a little less insulated from the pressures that come from trying to succeed in a myriad of statistical categories (HR allowed, RBI, fielding percentage, to name a few), each and every week.

Not that I have much to complain about, from an injury standpoint. Sure, I lost second baseman Marcus Giles to the health bug, but he was largely ineffective during the time I actually kept him. I am heartened to know that his recent heart trouble appears to be under control. Still, my dad's team fared far worse, proving that luck may be the number one factor determining how far a particular fantasy franchise can travel. We were watching on television as his first baseman Derrek Lee was injured on a freak play against the Dodgers early in the year. A recent grand slam notwithstanding, Lee has played too few games, and less effectively that one would expect given his production in seasons past. Third baseman Eric Chavez, usually a true stalwart at the hot corner, also proved to be a detrimental selection, but you can't blame my dear father for banking on a player who usually shows up healthy wherever the All-Star game is played.

It's possible that I've been listening to too much R.E.M. recently. Perhaps losing Hafner isn't the end of the world as I know it. It does free up a roster spot so I can activate Mussina from the disabled list in time for next week, and I have several batters who can slide into the utility role. Still, there simply is no replacing Hafner's power. Who knows? In baseball, you never can be sure. There's a chance he could have had a poor showing next week even if he were physically perfect.

Really, though, there's a reason I got upset to begin with: I doubt it.

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