Major League Baseball

Pitchers and catchers report this week. The hideous lull between the end of football and the beginning of baseball is beginning to fill. Pro basketball? You're kidding, right? Pro Wrestling is more realistic than the farce they call the NBA, And college hoops? Not interested.

And with the beginning of Spring Training comes another February ritual. Fantasy Baseball draft. There hasn't been that much buzz this year. Now I know why:

Fantasy players wonder where their games have gone.

Read it then come back.

Seems that in their infinite (greed) wisdom, the MLBPA and MLB have come to an agreement. To corner the fantasy market. To charge for it. The entry fees proposed for smaller fantasy leagues are ridiculous.

In their quest for every last penny, these jackasses are going to destroy one of the best new fan creation tools in existence.

As an example. Mrs. Oilman was not a baseball fan. But she is competitive and she likes games. I suggest she play fantasy baseball to see what is going on. Draft guide in hand, she plays. Starts to learn playersnames. Positions. Statistics. She's becoming a fan. And not just of our beloved Astros (bat, Drayton, we need another bat) but of baseball in general.

Many of the members of Mad Oilman's family participates in this endeavor. My young nephew is about to begin. Can you say "young fan" Mr. Selig? Of course you can't.

This issue is currently in the courts. Hopefully baseball loses (which means they actually WIN in the long term, short sighted morons). If they win? They alienate millions of fans. And what potential new fan is going to pay to play something they know nothing about. Exactly. That Baseball Package on cable is not looking so promising about now.