The now-infamous MLB fantasy football league reportedly included two ex-Royals stars
The only winner in this wild story about a fantasy football league that has gripped Major League Baseball is the NFL.
A dispute in the fantasy league led to Reds outfielder Tommy Pham slapping Giants outfielder Joc Pederson before a game last month.
Major League Baseball then slapped Pham with a three-game suspension. Pederson told reporters last week the dispute resulted over the fantasy football league’s rules on putting NFL players on injured reserve.
Pederson said he did nothing wrong, but Pham disagreed, just like Will Smith at the Oscars.
The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans spoke with Pham about the incident, and he said part of the blame must go to ... Angels star Mike Trout. Pham came to that conclusion because Trout was the fantasy league’s commissioner.
“Trout did a terrible job, man,” Pham told Rosecrans, with the hint of a smile. “Trout’s the worst commissioner* in fantasy sports.”
*Sidebar: A fantasy commissioner’s job is absolutely no fun. If you’ve ever been one, you know this to be true
Reporters covering the Angels will have a new reason to speak with Trout now that Pham has thrown him under the bus.
Pham, who played for San Diego last season, said he also took exception to Pederson making fun of the Padres in a text chain** among the fantasy football owners/MLB players.
**Sidebar 2: Truth really is stranger than fiction
Fantasy league details
The Athletic story includes some details of the MLB fantasy league.
There was a $10,000 buy-in (just like the one you’re in, right?), and the last-place finisher in the 12-team league had to pony up another $10,000.
In addition to Pederson, Pham and Trout, a pair of former Royals stars were in the league: Mike Moustakas and Hosmer, Rosecrans reported. Padres star Manny Machado also had a team in the league.
When he was with the Royals, Hosmer played fantasy football but seemed to have trouble unseating the clubhouse champion, Alex Gordon.
Yet to be answered: who won this now-infamous fantasy football league?
