To Eric, Brad Radke personifies his fantasy baseball failures.
2001 was my first season of fantasy baseball. I was swept into a world where it didn’t matter whether or not the Cubs won that day, as long as Ricky Gutierrez got me some fantasy points. Division standings and wild-card races took second place to my unquenchable thirst for fantasy points. Needless to say, I sucked (and the entire Baseball Evolution staff will tell you that I still suck) at fantasy baseball, constantly trading for “promising” players, only to be racked by injuries, suspensions, and Tim Wakefield. But there was some satisfaction to be had from the experience, and his name was Brad William Radke.
Four years removed from what would be his only 20-win season in 1997, Brad Radke appeared to me at the top of the free agent standings, and he looked good. Sure, after his only good year, he amassed three straight 12 win seasons, and his career ERA hovered around the 4 mark. Anyone else with common sense would have stayed away. They would have seen the tendency for mediocrity, and would have not clicked on “Add to Team.” But I only saw a 28-year-old pitcher on a solid team that would eventually get it together and start challenging for the division. Ah, to be 14 years old, pining after a relatively solid pitcher on a team I couldn’t care any less about.
I hate you, Brad William Radke.
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