The Poor S.O.B. of the Week

You know that player you always somehow pick in the mid to late rounds of your fantasy drafts every year? You don't know why you keep taking him as he usually does nothing but disappoint and frustrate you for a solid 3-4 months before you lose all hope and dump him to waivers. For some reason, each Spring you end up gravitating towards him, like a moth to a flame.

Well for me, that guy seemed to be pitcher Brian Lawrence. Now Brian isn't a horrible pitcher, but he hasn't been outstanding either. He's the type of guy that baseball analysts like to say is good at "eating up innings", which I've found is usually only mentioned when nothing else good can be said of them. Eating up innings? What the hell is that supposed to even mean? Just go out there for 6 or 7 innings and try not to totally suck? Does that mean Rex Grossman is good at eating up quarters? I mean when he's not busy throwing picks that is.

Anyway, for about three seasons I seemed to be constantly picking Lawrence in my drafts. Last year he did me a favor by tearing his labrum early in the Spring so I didn't even have to consider him. Now to further cement my stance in avoiding him like the plague for this season, Brian has signed with the Colorado Rockies. A good choice for a middle of the road pitcher coming off shoulder surgery. Pitching in Coors will certainly get him back in good form again.......oh wait.

Somehow I can still see some poor schmuck taking Lawrence late in the draft this season followed by a couple managers saying "nice sleeper pick", only to dump him in disgust by June when his ERA is hovering around 5.00. I just hope that poor schmuck isn't me.