In his seventh year participating in Fantasy Baseball Camps, Roy Berger shares his experience playing with the New York Yankees. Although most fantasy baseball camps take place in the spring, the Yankees are the only team that holds a camp twice a year. Keep reading to learn about his experiences on opening day. 

Fall New York Yankees Fantasy Camp opened on Tuesday morning at the Yankees Tampa Steinbrenner Complex and as the rosters were finalized, I really liked the look of our team.

We have four zany and talented Long Island buddies: Cary Adler, Jason Roberts, Craig Steinberg, and Jay Kobak—the last two I know from previous camps. There’s also the hardest throwing shortstop I’ve ever tried to catch, and a teammate from last year, Mike Labanowski.

Sprinkle in three Bergers, a couple of rookies, and a newcomer named Adam Bristol that’s so gung ho, he practices sliding and diving head first in the clubhouse. On paper, it’s the making of a fun and winning week.

I am the oldest on the squad of a dozen with our average age in the high forties. It’s the first time I’ve ever been the senior, but that’s not a bad thing as I can still quasi-play the game and if I’m the oldest, I like our chances.

Former Yankees Homer Bush and Chris Chambliss are at the controls of the group named the Bombers in the six team, 75 camper league for the next five days.

There’s only one thing working against us: Jason. He’s on an 18-game personal losing streak, dating back to 1999, his senior year in high school in Wichita, Kansas as the starting catcher for his team that finished 0-18. It’s been almost 17 years since he’s won a game.

The opener this morning, on another “delightful” 90 degree, 90 percent humidity day, without a cloud in the sky or anything resembling a breeze. The morning became even hotter as we drew the Jeff Nelson-Gil Patterson coached four time defending champion Bambinos right out of the box.

Suiting up as Yankees with Jason and Scott Berger before the opener was a dream come true for me. That translated on the field as Jason got a clean base hit up the middle in his very first at-bat since before the turn of the 21st century; Scott then made what will be one of the highlight plays of the week with a running over the shoulder catch in center field on his first chance, to temporarily save a couple of runs.

However, for the Bombers, the game ended as we left the bases loaded in the ninth, down a run and a terrible, terrible call at first base that would have been immediately overturned by today’s replay system. It would have tied the game and put us in a good position to win. We finished on the wrong end of a very crisply played 3-2 loss; the game was briefly on my bat in the eighth inning but a diving grab of my line drive to left by the Bambinos third baseman saved two runs and ultimately the win. There went my Nike endorsement.

Jason caught three innings, where the temperature under his equipment must have hit 120 degrees. He also recorded his 19th straight personal loss, nullifying any talent we may have on paper.

The afternoon warmed up to 94 degrees and we lumbered-out after a lite and nutritious lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, and baked beans, to play the Blanchards, coached by El Duque Hernandez and Tanyon Sturtze. They were coming off a 13-4 win earlier.

The top of the first inning produced something that has never happened in my 63 years. All three Bergers got base hits in the same inning.

The old man started it with a double to left, and a couple of batters later, after advancing to third, Jason knocked me in a with a solid shot to left-center. Scott followed with a line drive up the middle.

Three innings later, not to be outdone by his older brother, Scott also poked my run in from third on a well hit sacrifice fly.

All I kept thinking, above the constant stream of sweat and a towel, was “How cool is this?”

Combined, the three of us had a great afternoon with seven hits and five RBIs. As a team, we took a 12-4 lead to the eighth, and despite trying our darnedest to give it away, we held on for what is now a memorable and special 12-10 inaugural win together.

The best part is that Jason is now on a one game winning streak!

Keep reading to learn about Roy Berger’s experience during Day Two of Fantasy Baseball Camp.

By Roy Berger for PeterGreenberg.com