Two years ago, I wrote in this column that I was giving up my fantasy baseball and auto racing teams.

I really meant it, too. After a year away, I had no interest in jumping back into it.

That idea lasted just one year.

This year, I decided — actually, my wife did — that I needed to find a hobby, something to distract me from the daily grind.

Here I am again.

Two years ago, I filled in for someone who couldn't finish the season, so it's been three years since I was involved in draft day.

I think it showed.

I liked my first few selections, but, as usual, doubts about the rest of the draft began to set in. You can never go wrong in the first few rounds, but I always look back after a pick and think, "I should have gone in another direction."

For this draft, I didn't do a lot of research. I didn't buy a draft guide, but I looked at a couple of web sites to get a good idea and then ranked players by position.

If you're like me, you always think the other teams are more loaded than yours. Maybe that's a little paranoia setting in, but I like to be realistic. Overconfidence can be a bad thing.

The league, made up of Butler Eagle employees, their friends and family, has 10 teams this year and I drew the No. 6 pick.

Ouch.

There's something about being stuck in the middle of the round I don't like. I'd rather pick first or last in the rounds so I could have two picks in a row.

My strategy usually is to pick the best players in the thinner positions, such as catcher, shortstop and second base. With the sixth pick, I grabbed Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, by far the top receiver in the draft.

In the second round (pick No. 15), I went for first base, taking the Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera. He was ranked sixth overall in draft projections, so I didn't want to pass him up.

As it turned out, five of my picks were ranked in the top 31 and seven in the top 57, so it might not be as bad as it seemed.

I have players like Dan Uggla, Elvis Andrus, Mark Reynolds, Mike Lowell, Brandon Inge, Jayson Werth, Andre Ethier, as well as aging stars Manny Ramirez and Magglio Ordonez. I also picked the Philadelphia and Tampa Bay pitching staffs.

Still, it never seems good enough. I always feel I can do better. I convince myself I should have an All-Star performer at each position.

No matter the picks, I'm a trader at heart. I like to trade and trade some more. To me, that's the best part of fielding a team. I don't trade for me. I find needs of other owners and work a deal with them, so I can take that player and trade him to someone else.

I'm always looking to strengthen my team, even if it backfires. A struggling player could be traded or dropped, or I might thin out my bench, then suffer an injury and have no depth.

No matter, I like the art of the deal. The season hasn't started yet and I'm already working the phones. It's never too early to get better. Not a week goes by I don't look for a trade.

Good luck to all those fielding teams. And, if you're in my league, sit tight. I'll be getting in touch with you soon.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.