As we approach the 1/3 mark of the season the BBFL leagues are as close as ever.  Whilst Billie's Bashers, Schroedinger's Bat and the London Tigers lead the way, no fewer than 17 teams are within ten games of the top spot in their respective leagues.

Billie's Bashers, the Burlington Mazters and Cripplers of Ellington lead the way as the BBFL season starts to round into shape. Things are close in Barfield and Carter with half a dozen teams within a big week of the top, not so much in Alomar as the Bashers and Austin Senators have opened a little distance over a pack being led by the Fish Candy, who have started strong despite being sabotaged by the Yahoo auto-picker on draft day.

The weather and injuries have affected the BBFL in the early weeks, but they haven't slowed down the Magic 9, Pohnpei Papayas, Baseball North and the Garth Iorg Gremlins who are leading their respective leagues.

The Gashouse Gorillas, Baseball North and the Megalomaniacs lead the way in the early going.

Vital info for league members below the fold…

The BBFL has only one proposed rule change. It and additional league information are below the fold…

UPDATED at 11pm EST Feb 28...

Three divisions.
Twenty teams per division.
Twenty-Five players per team.
Twelve statistical categories.
Promotion and relegation.

Welcome to Year Five of the Batter's Box Fantasy League.

Your 2006 Champions:
Alomar Division: Edmonton Decepticons
Barfield Division: Pohnpei Papayas
Carter Division: The Wedding Singers

Only three of the twelve lower-seeded teams won in the opening round of the BBFL playoffs. This week, the bye teams return to battle.

Death By Statistics

Your Regular Season Champions

Alomar Division: Edmonton Decepticons
Barfield Division: Magic 9
Carter Division: Sexy Underpants

The regular season ends this week. In the Alomar Division, the six Championship bracket teams are virtually carved in stone, whereas ten teams separated by only seven games are fighting for six Consolation bracket spots. The top-level postseason bracket in Barfield is likewise almost fully decided. The Carter Division has the most entertaining battle for the Championship bracket. Both the Alomar and Barfield Divisions have one team guaranteed relegation, one nearly certain, and two other teams struggling to avoid the last demotion spot.

Head-to-head fantasy ball plays much differently than roto leagues and, in my opinion, is much more entertaining. Many roto leagues are essentially decided soon after the All-Star break, compelling owners to waste their free time on fantasy football or even their spouses. In the BBFL, with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, most owners have tenuous grips on their current ranks. 0-12 or 1-11 thrashings are rare, but they do happen and can upend the standings in seven short days. Disaster, or salvation, is always just around the corner.

Trades consummated before the deadline of August 13th:

Alomar Division: The division-leading Edmonton Decepticons traded Brian McCann to Billie’s Bashers for Ivan Rodriguez and Roger Clemens. The Decepticons also traded Roy Halladay to Reykjavik Fish Candy for Robinson Cano, Reed Johnson, Torii Hunter and Mike Mussina. Third-ranked Mebion Glyndwr traded Lance Berkman to Fish Candy for Bill Hall, Johnny Damon and Jim Edmonds. And Slippery Pete sent Joe Nathan and Adam Eaton to the Chatsworth Halos for Chone Figgins and Aubrey Huff.

Barfield Division: Jicks Rays swapped Chad Cordero for MulReduxMonkeymen’s Hank Blalock. The Middleclass Elistists traded Vernon Wells and Elizardo Ramirez to Moscow Rats for Prince Fielder and B.J. Ryan. Pohnpei Papayas traded Sean Casey to the Angry Gnomes for Jorge Julio. The Cooney Islanders sent Francisco Liriano to the Lubumbashi Posse in exchange for Garrett Atkins. Finally the top-ranked Magic 9 surrendered Carl Crawford for Vancouver Cyphers’ Johan Santana.

Carter Division: The Trembling Wilburys gave up Ryan Freel and Bobby Howry to the BSL Blue Sox for Jay Gibbons and Mariano Rivera. The Sox also traded Michael Cuddyer to Sexy Underpants for Anibal Sanchez.

With only six shopping days until the Trading Deadline, look for chaos in the BBFL as owners scramble for those last-second fantasy gifts.