commentary

In the past few weeks bad news has been heaped upon bad news for many fantasy baseball owners. Injuries sustained by the likes of Ken Griffey Jr., Nomar Garciaparra, Kevin Brown, Derek Jeter, John Smoltz, Adrian Beltre, Greg Maddux, and Orlando Hernandez have sent hundreds of thousands of Fantasy owners scrambling to the free agent market and trading block. The full spectrum of the cost of these injuries and ensuing attempts to bolster ailing squads is yet to be determined.
Investigators working for the Federal Reserve have been assigned to determine the effects these events have had on the nation�s labor force. It is widely whispered that Allan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve and known fantasy junkie, is personally involved in this investigation. A formula for determining the socio-economic effects of Multiple Spring Training All-Star Injuries (MSTASI) is being developed in the hopes of curbing the slide down an already slippery slope towards economic ruin and fantasy embarrassment.
Currently theories are few and discouragement is plenty.
It has been only two weeks since
Mr. Greenspan, no doubt with the first rumors of injuries to Nomar, Beltre, and Jeter in mind, described our nation�s economic condition as �weak.�
When asked to amend this proclamation, less than twenty four hours after learning of Griffey�s hamstring pull and Nomar�s impending surgery, a dejected and slightly

intoxicated Mr. Greenspan replied, �We�re shit out of luck.�
Not the best news for America�s day traders or baseball enthusiasts.
Layoffs, already rampant in the Technology sector due to the correction of inflated internet stock prices, have increased across all sectors but seem to be growing with alarming speed among 21-35 year old males. Especially at risk for layoffs are those who spend more than half of their work day on fantasy sports web sites.
One of the investigators working towards developing the MSTASI theory was willing to comment extensively on the possible connection between fantasy injuries and massive layoffs.
"Under present conditions, our labor force can not be expected to spend the same amount of time on task as an employer would normally require. The problem isn't that people aren't work hard enough, considering the situation we may all be spending too much time at work."
He continued, "It's the employers who need to adjust their thinking if we're going to have a chance to battle back from our current condition. Until these infury situations are resolved, until the Fantasy Owners of America can feel comfortable and secure with the health and well being of their teams, employers must be willing to sacrifice the level of efficiency they are used to working at.
"We've fallen on some hard times and there is no end in sight. All we can hope for, from an economic sense, is a speedy timetable for recovery [from injuries] and an increase in allowable internet useage for those employees with ties to the Fantasy Sports community.�