"Baseball is like church, many attend few understand" - Leo Durocher
History: The SFRRC Fantasy Baseball League
In 2010, a group of 16 long distance runners and baseball fans united to form the San Francisco Road Runners Club Fantasy Baseball League. The league was formed by "The Commish" Robert Hood, a 25-year veteran of fantasy baseball leagues. A few other owners had some experience in fantasy baseball but, overall, the league was an introduction to the hobby for the majority of owners. The only requirement for owners is that they belong to the SFRRC or are alumni, have an interest in Major League Baseball, and enjoy the social aspects of fantasy sports. As you can see, the bar was not set too high.
2010 - The Inaugural Season
The Regular Season: Miguel Cabrera and Robinson Cano powered Los Coche Bombas to the best regular season record in the inaugural season. The Bombas won 149 games and the South Division pennant. SFRRC Head Coach Jenni Kirk owned the Bombas and showed how successful a first-year fantasy owner could be. The Lower Haighters, behind Pujols, won 153 games and the West Division pennant by 18 games over A-Rod's Mirrors. Bacon at Mile 11 and owner Eric Brown won 148 games and earned the North Division championship. Adam Dunn and Cliff Lee were his star players. Finally, Sunni York, in her first year as a fantasy baseball team owner, won 138 games and claimed the East Division pennant. Her team, Twinkle Toes, was led by rookie catcher Buster Posey ("My Boy").
The Championship Playoffs: The first round of the playoffs featured the No. 1 seeded Bombas against the No. 4 seeded Toes and the No. 2 seeded Lower Haighters against No. 3 seed Bacon at Mile 11. The Toes, in a massive upset, knocked off the Bombas 7-5 while the Lower Haighters dominated Bacon at Mile 11, 9-2. This set up the first ever SFRRC Fantasy Baseball World Series between the upstart Toes and the Lower Haighters.
2011 - A Dominating Performance by the Lower Haighters
The Regular Season: Only one franchise, the Vicious Fishes, changed ownership during the off-season. Vanessa Jameson left the league and Dan Perez was handed the reigns of the league's 8th place team from 2010. From the outset, it was clear the Lower Haighters were out to avenge their 2010 championship loss. The team set a league record by opening the season with 14 consecutive series wins. The team that broke that streak was The Machine and it foreshadowed a post-season matchup. The Lower Haighters finished the season with 169 wins and became the first franchise with two divisional pennants, finishing 34.5-games ahead of A-Rod's Mirrors. HUMA, a team that narrowly missed the playoffs in 2010, won a franchise-record 141 games and won the South Division pennant. The Bulls, a franchise that struggled in the first year as owner Carolyn Greene learned how fantasy baseball is played, won 132 games and claimed the North Division pennant by 10 games over Bacon at Mile 11. Finally, The Machine won 134 games and earned the East Division pennant on the final day of the season by a half game over The Jersey Boys and owner Leigh-Ann Wendling.
The Championship Playoffs: The first round of the 2011 playoffs featured a husband-wife matchup between the No. 1 seeded Lower Haighters and the No. 4 seeded Machine. No. 2 seed HUMA faced the No. 3 seeded Bulls. Three of the four teams, The Machine, HUMA, and The Bulls, were making their first playoff appearances. The Machine kept things close, but fell 7-5 on the final day of the series as the Lower Haighters rallied behind pitcher Felix Hernandez and a strong bullpen. HUMA overpowered The Bulls, 8-2, thanks to the hot bat of Joey Votto.
The World Series - A Big Potato - The Lower Haighters returned to avenge 2010's loss while HUMA, led by owner Michelle Perry, was making its first appearance in the World Series. The series was close all week with HUMA owning a narrow 6-5 lead with two days remaining. The Lower Haighters scratched back into the lead and held a 6-5 lead over HUMA entering the final day. That's when another closer left his mark on the league. Jose Valverde, the Big Potato, closed out the series with a save and then danced on the mound as the Lower Haighters claimed a 7-5 series victory.
2012 - A Season to Remember for Los Coches Bomba
The Bulls lost in the championship semifinals for the second consecutive year. This time, pitching was to blame. Roy Halladay, Chris Capuano, and Matt Moore gave up 12 runs over 9.1 innings. Los Coches Bomba rode the hot bat of Pablo Sandoval into the team's first-ever championship final.
The World Series: An unlikely hero emerged in a tense championship final between Bomba and the Slammers. In a see-saw series that went down to the final day, Blake Beavan tossed a quality start that enabled Bomba to win the title. Much like the 2010 championship final when Felix Hernandez was pulled from his final start for the Lower Haighters handing the title to Twinkle Toes, the Slammers lost out on an opportunity for a quality start from Yovani Gallardo when he was pulled. Had Gallardo earned a quality start, the Slammers would have won the title.
Bacon at Mile 11 is owned by Eric Brown. Bacon won the North Division in 2010 with a 148-110-18 record. The team defeated Los Coche Bombas in the Championship Playoffs to earn third place. In 2011, Bacon finished second in the North Division with a 126-134-16 record, 10 games behind The Bulls. Bacon failed to earn a berth in the Consolation Playoffs. The 2012 season is one the franchise would like to forget. The team finished 105-150-21, earning a last-place finish in the North and its first Wooden Spoon.
The Bulls are owned by Carolyn Greene. Carolyn was new to both baseball and fantasy leagues when she joined the league in 2010. Consequently, she struggled her first year, compiling a 113-145-18 record, 15th overall. She did manage to finish third in the division and avoid the Wooden Spoon, which is presented annually to the last place team. In 2011, Carolyn demonstrated her new found knowledge in both baseball and fantasy team management. The Bulls won the North Division pennant with a 132-120-24 record and finished third overall. It was clear 2011 was no fluke when the Bulls won their second North Division title in 2012 with a 134-120-22 record. The team has improved its record each year but is still looking for that first Championship Series berth.
Home Run 101 has struggled in the first two seasons. Owner Baily Penzotti finished 103-155-18 in 2010, earning the Wooden Spoon for her last place finish. In 2011, Home Run 101 again finished last in the North Division but they were a much improved team. The team's record was 115-142-19, good enough for 14th place overall. In 2012, the team failed in its quest to qualify for the playoffs but it did improve its record for the third straight season, finishing 120-138-18. The team was led by the best bullpen in the league and has now improved 17 games over the last two seasons.
Give it a Yankee, owned by Brian Benzing, is finished second in the North Division with a 134-122-20 record in 2010. Give it a Yankee then beat the Vicious Fishes in the Consolation Playoffs before losing to the Jersey Boys in the fifth place game. In 2011, the team took a step backward, finishing third in the division with a 121-132-23 record and failing to make the playoffs. Give it a Yankee improved to 129-130-17 in 2012, finishing second in the division, but failing to earn a playoff berth.
Los Coches Bomba is the league's third champion in as many seasons. The team has never finished lower than third in the South Division despite the fact that owner Jenni Kirk is new to fantasy baseball. In 2010, Bomba won the division by a whopping 20 games with a 149-105-22 mark. They were upset by Twinkle Toes in the first round of the Championship Playoffs and then lost again to Bacon at Mile 11 to finish fourth overall. In 2011, Bomba finished third in the division with a 128-129-19 record, edging The Cys for the final Consolation Playoff berth by a half game. This time, Bomba won both playoff series, beating arch-rival High Cheese and the Jersey Boys to finish fifth overall. In 2012, the team finished with the league's best regular season record at 145-108-23 before winning two hard-fought playoff series for its first title.
HUMA, under the direction of owner Michelle Perry, finished the inaugural season at 133-129-14, ninth overall, and narrowly missing the playoffs. In 2011, Perry hired a general manager to help guide the team to a 141-111-24 record and its first South Division pennant. Only a narrow loss to the Lower Haighters on the final day of the season prevented HUMA from winning its first championship. In 2012, Perry sold the team to new owner David Kahn. The team started strong but a series of injuries and the trade of closer Jim Johnson left the team with a 122-136-18 record, its first losing record in three years and a last-place finish in the South Division.
High Cheese was one game away from the Promised Land in 2011. Owner Matt Patchell guided his team to a 143-115-18 record but, after leading the division for most of the season, he saw HUMA win the pennant by one game in the last week of the season. The team faded in the Consolation Playoffs, losing to the arch-rival Bomba before rebounding for a victory over A-Rod's Mirrors and a seventh place finish. Despite the late-season heartbreak, 2011 was a significant improvement over 2010, when the team finished 119-135-22, last in the division. The team regressed in 2012, despite a strong pitching staff. High Cheese finished 122-130-24 and third in the South Division.
The Cys were this close to a playoff berth in 2011. After going 131-133-12 owner Carla Baughman-King was edged out of the final playoff spot by Bomba - by a half game. Considering the team played in the league's toughest division, the ninth place finish in 2011 can still be considered a success. Compared to 2010's 122-134-20 mark, it was about 10 games better. The Cys broke through the playoff barrier in 2012. They finished 141-122-13, a franchise record for wins. It was good enough to earn the top seed in the Consolation Finals. Unfortunately, the team lost to the Jersey Boys and A-Rod's Mirrors to finish a disappointing eighth in the overall standings.
Twinkle Toes fell apart in 2011 when young catcher Buster Posey was lost for the season due to injury. Owner Sunni York never recovered. Instead of repeating 2010's pennant-winning 138-117-21 mark and a championship run, the 2011 Toes fell hard. Their record was 125-134-17 and they sunk to third in the division and 11th overall. Things didn't improve in 2012. The team finished a franchise-worst 115-141-20 and last in the East Division. Which direction is this team headed in 2013?
The Machine had one of the greatest turnarounds in the short history of the league in 2011, as owner Donna Hood won the pennant with a 134-130-12 record. The team narrowly lost to the Lower Haighters in the first round of the Championship Playoffs and were then thumped by the Bulls in the second round to finish fourth. Given the team finished last in the division in 2010 with a 118-142-16 record, it was a tremendous improvement. The Machine entered 2012 as the team to beat, but injuries fell Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Jose Bautista. The team finished 132-128-16 and third in the East Division. A new owner, Jordan Mazur, will take the reigns this year and the team name will change to the Eephus Monkeys.
No team has been more consistent in the first three seasons than the Jersey Boys. Owner Leigh-Ann Wendling has made the Consolation Playoffs every year, finishing fifth in 2010, sixth in 2011 and fifth again in 2012. The Jersey Boys just missed their first pennant in 2011, finishing 129-126-21, a half game behind The Machine. The overall record was nearly identical to 2010, when the team finished 129-124-23. In 2012, the team finished 128-126-22, third in the division but good enough for another playoff berth. Can the Jersey Boys finally achieve 130 wins in 2013 and earn its first pennant?
Scully's Slammers not only earned the first playoff berth in franchise history, but came within a quality start of winning the championship in 2012. The team won the East Division pennant with a 138-115-23 record, a huge improvement on the 113-150-13 record in 2011. Veteran outfielders Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran were healthy and productive and complimented pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Zack Greinke. The 2012 team flashed power at the plate, something the 2011 team lacked. In the inaugural season, the Slammers finished 120-136-20, as that team also lacked power. Owner Leslie King had a great draft in 2012 and made some deft personnel moves that showed she can compete annually for a pennant.
The Lower Haighters are the Yankees of the SFRRC Fantasy League. They are the only team to win three pennants. They are the only team to appear in the World Series twice. But the dynasty is beginning to show cracks. The team failed to make the World Series for the first time in league history and it finished with a 143-120-13 record, the lowest mark in franchise history. It was a far cry from the team that went 169-93-14 in 2011, winning 14 straight series to start the season. In 2010, the team finished 153-111-12, second only to Bomba. Owner Robert Hood has built a strong contender but can he continue to meet expectations?
A-Rod's Mirrors had the West Division in their grasp in 2012 before a late collapse allowed the Lower Haighters to repeat as champions. The Mirrors finished 134-123-19, their best mark in three years, and they were within six games of the division title. They also won a Consolation Playoff series for the second time in three years, finishing seventh overall. In 2010, they finished 133-127-16, 18 games behind the Lower Haighters. They lost their first playoff series to the Jersey Boys before defeating the Vicious Fishes to finish seventh overall. In 2011, owner Sean McKenna managed the team to a 131-124-21 record, 34.5 games behind the Lower Haighters. For the second straight year, they lost to the Jersey Boys in the first round of the playoffs and then they dropped their second round game to High Cheese to finish eighth. The Mirrors will be looking to build on 2012 and win the team's first West Division pennant in 2013.
After qualifying for the Consolation Playoffs in 2010, the Vicious Fishes fell flat in 2011. Flat as a pancake. Their 106-150-20 record earned them the Wooden Spoon and was the second worst regular season record in league history. Owner Dan Perez resigned at the end of the season and was replaced in the off-season by Nikhil Dinesh, an expert in artificial intelligence who brought a focus on sabermetrics to revive the franchise. The team improved in 2012, finishing 119-142-15 but it still failed qualify for the playoffs. In 2010, owner Vanessa Jameson managed the team to a 126-121-29 record and earned the team's only playoff berth, finishing eighth overall. For the first time in franchise history, the Vicious Fishes will enter the 2013 season under the same ownership.
In 2012, under the stewardship of new owner Elizabeth Gravely, the Marin Menehunes, formerly the Sasquatch Sluggers, posted their best mark in franchise history. They finished 131-129-16, barely missing out on their first playoff berth. This was an amazing turnaround. In 2010, under then-owner Jay Morrison, the team finished last in the division with a 120-145-11 record. In 2011, the team finished 116-137-23, third in the division and 13th overall. Under previous ownership, the team was not active in either the trade or free-agent market, failing to add a free-agent after the first week of May in 2011. That quickly changed under Gravely, who made several free-agent acquisitions to help the team. With a year under her belt, expect Gravely and the Menehunes to make more magic in 2013.
The Regular Season: Led by Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, and Andrew McCutchen, Bomba posted the league's best record during the regular season at 145-108-23. This was significant because it was the first time in league history that a team other than the Lower Haighters led the league in regular season winning percentage.
Pennant winners included the Bulls (North), Bomba (South), Scully's Slammers (East), and the Lower Haighters (West). It was the second pennant for both the Bulls and Bomba and was the third for the Lower Haighters.
The Championship Playoffs: The Championship Semifinals were defined by high drama. Bomba faced the Bulls, a team they had lost to in the regular season, while the upstart Slammers were charged with slaying the Lower Haighters, a team that had defeated the Slammers 8-3-1 in Week 17 of the regular season.
The Slammers advanced to the championship - and became the first team to knock the Lower Haighters out of the title game in two years - because of superior pitching. Kyle Lohse earned two quality starts, giving up just three earned runs over 13 innings while Zack Greinke struck out eight over eight innings as the Slammers ended the series with a playoff-best 1.53 ERA and 0.96 WHIP.
The World Series: An unlikely hero emerged in a tense championship final between Bomba and the Slammers. In a see-saw series that went down to the final day, Blake Beavan tossed a quality start that enabled Bomba to win the title. Much like the 2010 championship final when Felix Hernandez was pulled from his final start for the Lower Haighters handing the title to Twinkle Toes, the Slammers lost out on an opportunity for a quality start from Yovani Gallardo when he was pulled. Had Gallardo earned a quality start, the Slammers would have won the title.
The Teams
NORTH DIVISION
Bacon at Mile 11 is owned by Eric Brown. Bacon won the North Division in 2010 with a 148-110-18 record. The team defeated Los Coche Bombas in the Championship Playoffs to earn third place. In 2011, Bacon finished second in the North Division with a 126-134-16 record, 10 games behind The Bulls. Bacon failed to earn a berth in the Consolation Playoffs. The 2012 season is one the franchise would like to forget. The team finished 105-150-21, earning a last-place finish in the North and its first Wooden Spoon.The Bulls are owned by Carolyn Greene. Carolyn was new to both baseball and fantasy leagues when she joined the league in 2010. Consequently, she struggled her first year, compiling a 113-145-18 record, 15th overall. She did manage to finish third in the division and avoid the Wooden Spoon, which is presented annually to the last place team. In 2011, Carolyn demonstrated her new found knowledge in both baseball and fantasy team management. The Bulls won the North Division pennant with a 132-120-24 record and finished third overall. It was clear 2011 was no fluke when the Bulls won their second North Division title in 2012 with a 134-120-22 record. The team has improved its record each year but is still looking for that first Championship Series berth.Home Run 101 has struggled in the first two seasons. Owner Baily Penzotti finished 103-155-18 in 2010, earning the Wooden Spoon for her last place finish. In 2011, Home Run 101 again finished last in the North Division but they were a much improved team. The team's record was 115-142-19, good enough for 14th place overall. In 2012, the team failed in its quest to qualify for the playoffs but it did improve its record for the third straight season, finishing 120-138-18. The team was led by the best bullpen in the league and has now improved 17 games over the last two seasons.Give it a Yankee, owned by Brian Benzing, is finished second in the North Division with a 134-122-20 record in 2010. Give it a Yankee then beat the Vicious Fishes in the Consolation Playoffs before losing to the Jersey Boys in the fifth place game. In 2011, the team took a step backward, finishing third in the division with a 121-132-23 record and failing to make the playoffs. Give it a Yankee improved to 129-130-17 in 2012, finishing second in the division, but failing to earn a playoff berth.
SOUTH DIVISION
Los Coches Bomba is the league's third champion in as many seasons. The team has never finished lower than third in the South Division despite the fact that owner Jenni Kirk is new to fantasy baseball. In 2010, Bomba won the division by a whopping 20 games with a 149-105-22 mark. They were upset by Twinkle Toes in the first round of the Championship Playoffs and then lost again to Bacon at Mile 11 to finish fourth overall. In 2011, Bomba finished third in the division with a 128-129-19 record, edging The Cys for the final Consolation Playoff berth by a half game. This time, Bomba won both playoff series, beating arch-rival High Cheese and the Jersey Boys to finish fifth overall. In 2012, the team finished with the league's best regular season record at 145-108-23 before winning two hard-fought playoff series for its first title.HUMA, under the direction of owner Michelle Perry, finished the inaugural season at 133-129-14, ninth overall, and narrowly missing the playoffs. In 2011, Perry hired a general manager to help guide the team to a 141-111-24 record and its first South Division pennant. Only a narrow loss to the Lower Haighters on the final day of the season prevented HUMA from winning its first championship. In 2012, Perry sold the team to new owner David Kahn. The team started strong but a series of injuries and the trade of closer Jim Johnson left the team with a 122-136-18 record, its first losing record in three years and a last-place finish in the South Division.High Cheese was one game away from the Promised Land in 2011. Owner Matt Patchell guided his team to a 143-115-18 record but, after leading the division for most of the season, he saw HUMA win the pennant by one game in the last week of the season. The team faded in the Consolation Playoffs, losing to the arch-rival Bomba before rebounding for a victory over A-Rod's Mirrors and a seventh place finish. Despite the late-season heartbreak, 2011 was a significant improvement over 2010, when the team finished 119-135-22, last in the division. The team regressed in 2012, despite a strong pitching staff. High Cheese finished 122-130-24 and third in the South Division. The Cys were this close to a playoff berth in 2011. After going 131-133-12 owner Carla Baughman-King was edged out of the final playoff spot by Bomba - by a half game. Considering the team played in the league's toughest division, the ninth place finish in 2011 can still be considered a success. Compared to 2010's 122-134-20 mark, it was about 10 games better. The Cys broke through the playoff barrier in 2012. They finished 141-122-13, a franchise record for wins. It was good enough to earn the top seed in the Consolation Finals. Unfortunately, the team lost to the Jersey Boys and A-Rod's Mirrors to finish a disappointing eighth in the overall standings.
EAST DIVISION
Twinkle Toes fell apart in 2011 when young catcher Buster Posey was lost for the season due to injury. Owner Sunni York never recovered. Instead of repeating 2010's pennant-winning 138-117-21 mark and a championship run, the 2011 Toes fell hard. Their record was 125-134-17 and they sunk to third in the division and 11th overall. Things didn't improve in 2012. The team finished a franchise-worst 115-141-20 and last in the East Division. Which direction is this team headed in 2013?The Machine had one of the greatest turnarounds in the short history of the league in 2011, as owner Donna Hood won the pennant with a 134-130-12 record. The team narrowly lost to the Lower Haighters in the first round of the Championship Playoffs and were then thumped by the Bulls in the second round to finish fourth. Given the team finished last in the division in 2010 with a 118-142-16 record, it was a tremendous improvement. The Machine entered 2012 as the team to beat, but injuries fell Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, and Jose Bautista. The team finished 132-128-16 and third in the East Division. A new owner, Jordan Mazur, will take the reigns this year and the team name will change to the Eephus Monkeys.No team has been more consistent in the first three seasons than the Jersey Boys. Owner Leigh-Ann Wendling has made the Consolation Playoffs every year, finishing fifth in 2010, sixth in 2011 and fifth again in 2012. The Jersey Boys just missed their first pennant in 2011, finishing 129-126-21, a half game behind The Machine. The overall record was nearly identical to 2010, when the team finished 129-124-23. In 2012, the team finished 128-126-22, third in the division but good enough for another playoff berth. Can the Jersey Boys finally achieve 130 wins in 2013 and earn its first pennant?Scully's Slammers not only earned the first playoff berth in franchise history, but came within a quality start of winning the championship in 2012. The team won the East Division pennant with a 138-115-23 record, a huge improvement on the 113-150-13 record in 2011. Veteran outfielders Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran were healthy and productive and complimented pitchers Yovani Gallardo and Zack Greinke. The 2012 team flashed power at the plate, something the 2011 team lacked. In the inaugural season, the Slammers finished 120-136-20, as that team also lacked power. Owner Leslie King had a great draft in 2012 and made some deft personnel moves that showed she can compete annually for a pennant.
WEST DIVISION
The Lower Haighters are the Yankees of the SFRRC Fantasy League. They are the only team to win three pennants. They are the only team to appear in the World Series twice. But the dynasty is beginning to show cracks. The team failed to make the World Series for the first time in league history and it finished with a 143-120-13 record, the lowest mark in franchise history. It was a far cry from the team that went 169-93-14 in 2011, winning 14 straight series to start the season. In 2010, the team finished 153-111-12, second only to Bomba. Owner Robert Hood has built a strong contender but can he continue to meet expectations?A-Rod's Mirrors had the West Division in their grasp in 2012 before a late collapse allowed the Lower Haighters to repeat as champions. The Mirrors finished 134-123-19, their best mark in three years, and they were within six games of the division title. They also won a Consolation Playoff series for the second time in three years, finishing seventh overall. In 2010, they finished 133-127-16, 18 games behind the Lower Haighters. They lost their first playoff series to the Jersey Boys before defeating the Vicious Fishes to finish seventh overall. In 2011, owner Sean McKenna managed the team to a 131-124-21 record, 34.5 games behind the Lower Haighters. For the second straight year, they lost to the Jersey Boys in the first round of the playoffs and then they dropped their second round game to High Cheese to finish eighth. The Mirrors will be looking to build on 2012 and win the team's first West Division pennant in 2013.After qualifying for the Consolation Playoffs in 2010, the Vicious Fishes fell flat in 2011. Flat as a pancake. Their 106-150-20 record earned them the Wooden Spoon and was the second worst regular season record in league history. Owner Dan Perez resigned at the end of the season and was replaced in the off-season by Nikhil Dinesh, an expert in artificial intelligence who brought a focus on sabermetrics to revive the franchise. The team improved in 2012, finishing 119-142-15 but it still failed qualify for the playoffs. In 2010, owner Vanessa Jameson managed the team to a 126-121-29 record and earned the team's only playoff berth, finishing eighth overall. For the first time in franchise history, the Vicious Fishes will enter the 2013 season under the same ownership. In 2012, under the stewardship of new owner Elizabeth Gravely, the Marin Menehunes, formerly the Sasquatch Sluggers, posted their best mark in franchise history. They finished 131-129-16, barely missing out on their first playoff berth. This was an amazing turnaround. In 2010, under then-owner Jay Morrison, the team finished last in the division with a 120-145-11 record. In 2011, the team finished 116-137-23, third in the division and 13th overall. Under previous ownership, the team was not active in either the trade or free-agent market, failing to add a free-agent after the first week of May in 2011. That quickly changed under Gravely, who made several free-agent acquisitions to help the team. With a year under her belt, expect Gravely and the Menehunes to make more magic in 2013.
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