The Playbook, Inning 1 – How to play fantasy baseball

(The full, nine-inning Playbook was originally published during the spring of 2020. It has been updated for 2022 where applicable.)

Some may call it a silly little game, but I’ll tell you a secret: Once you play fantasy baseball, you’ll be hooked for life.

There’s a simple reason: It’s great.

That’s because it’s fun and easy to play. Whether you’re an obsessive fan who doesn’t like to miss a pitch in a given season or a casual fan who simply enjoys a game from time to time, anyone can fall deeply, instantly in love with fantasy baseball. In fact, it’ll transform the way you watch the game.

On Opening Day, you’ll shriek with child-like excitement as your ace starting pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces in the top of the first inning, propelling your team to the top of your league’s live scoring page. On a Sunday in June, you’ll groan in misery when your opponent’s top slugger hits a walk-off two-run double, those two RBIs providing the critical edge needed to defeat you in your weekly head-to-head matchup. And as the regular season’s final game enters the ninth inning, your heart will race with anticipation as you root for your closer to convert that solitary save required to capture your league’s championship.

In the process, you’ll gain a greater appreciation for the game. You might be a die-hard Cincinnati Reds fan whose knowledge extends deep enough to be able to name all eight pitchers who made an appearance for them during the 1990 World Series. Or, you might be a casual San Diego Padres fan who despises A.J. Preller for his decision not to trade for additional starting pitching depth in July, forcing the team to squeeze starts out of Jake Arrieta, Reiss Knehr and Vince Velasquez over a…