2002 Orioles Fantasy Camp Finale

As my wife Meg reported during the week of this year's fantasy camp, I identified "The Rock," Rocky Johnson's team, as the best team in the camp tournament, and they proved me right by winning the championship in relatively easy fashion over Jack Voigt's Vultures.  The final score, if I recall correctly, was 9-4.  John Reed, one of the members of the championship team, sent me a couple of digital images from this year's championship--the team photo, immediately below, and a photo of the lineup card from the championship game.  In John's four years of fantasy camp attendance, he's played on the championship team three times--a truly incredible percentage.  (By contrast, I've been to the camp four times and never even played in the championship game...not once.  Hmmmm.... <g>)

John is in the front row, center (#3).  He's a great hitter and a fine infielder, definitely one of the top ballplayers at the camp.  I've only been lucky enough to play with him once, in the veterans tournament two years ago.  Immediately to John's left is Steve Baldwin, an outstanding pitcher coming back from (I believe) three rotator cuff operations.  Based on what I saw from Steve this year, he's all the way back.  He got stronger and stronger, it seemed to me, as the camp wore on.  To Steve's left is Frank Petrucci, without question one of the top two or three all-around players in the camp each year.  In fact, Frank might well be the best all-around player at the camp.  Frank shared camp Cy Young honors with...get ready for this...Steve Baldwin.  Yes, the top two pitchers in camp, as voted by the staff, were on the same team.  Ouch.  

Missing from the team photo (and lineup card) is long-time camp veteran David Main, who--much to his chagrin, I'm sure--had to fly home a day early to attend an important function.  Despite missing the championship game and festivities, he too was a key contributor to the team's success during the week.

Rocky Johnson, a member of the Orioles 1966 World Championship club, is in the back row, center, in the orange jersey.  (The staff members wear orange.)  To Rocky's right is Deacon Jones, the advance scout for the Orioles.  To Rocky's left is Pat Kelly, a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays.  I played on Rocky's team last year and, while we weren't nearly as successful as his 2002 edition, we all had a great time.  Sam Horn coached on Rocky's team, along with Pat Kelly last year (Sam was only down for the weekend this year), and was a lot of fun.  Deacon is one of my favorite staff members and Pat's a great guy too.

Here's the lineup card for the game...there's not an easy out on the entire list.  "Murphin" is Steve Murfin.  (Rocky can manage and assess talent with the best of them, but he has a bit of a problem spelling proper nouns. <g>)  When Murf is hitting sixth in your lineup--as every fantasy camp regular knows--you've got a deep lineup.  When Steve Siegel is hitting ninth, you have an exceptionally deep lineup.  It's no wonder these guys steamrolled the rest of the field...two great pitchers, a tremendous lineup...that spells a championship team.

My heartiest congratulations to Rocky and all the members of The Rock, the 2002 Orioles Fantasy Camp champs.