About

Tim on Twitter:

http://www.twitter.com/Tim_Heaney

Fantasy awards:

• 2008 Fantasy Sports Writer's Association Finalist, Best Baseball Article in Print
• Winner, 2009 Fantasy Baseball Trade Association Expert Baseball League
• Winner, 2009 KFFL Fantasy Baseball Analysis Draft

Current location:

Oceanside, Calif.

Hometown:

Massapequa, N.Y.

Favorite sport:

Baseball

Favorite team:

New York Yankees

Favorite athlete of all time:

Tino Martinez

Also: Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Mark Messier, Emmitt Smith, Patrick Ewing

Favorite current athlete:

Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter (you really want me to choose?)

Also: Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Chris Drury, Jason Witten, LeBron James, David Lee

Fantasy sports you participate in:

Baseball, football, NASCAR and hockey. Next on the list: college hockey - GO BU - and curling.

When did you start playing fantasy sports?

I was one of those stats-obsessed kids who collected baseball cards (Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card was my prized possession) and kept marble notebooks with fake box scores. Not much has changed, sans the notebooks. In 1999, at age 15, I found out you can kind of, sort of be the GM of your own team. Didn't have to worry about clubhouse chemistry or choosing a leadoff hitter. Cool.

Pretty sure I drafted Bernie Williams in the first round and Derek Jeter in the second - not a bad start back then - but I think followed up with David Cone. Safe to say I eventually learned to diversify.

How did you get your start in the industry?

Writing for KFFL.com as a volunteer contributor back in 2006. I originally was on track for a job in newspaper reporting. Can't say I'm disappointed.

Best fantasy sports memory?

In '09, I won my first two baseball expert league titles in my second year in the industry. I was camping out next to my computer during the last weekend of the regular season in two tight races. Stat tracker ticks unleashed my World Series championship-esque celebrations when spot starter Ryan Rowland-Smith threw a home gem against the Rangers, Prince Fielder clubbed two homers and Andrew McCutchen stole two bases to put me over the top.

Close second was a June 2005 sell-high trade in which I swapped Brian Roberts for Pedro Martinez (look up his stats that season) on my way to a championship. How I wish I was that smart during Martinez's 1999 campaign.

What is the one thing you would tell a rookie fantasy sports player?

Have an open mind. Don't give blind allegiance to your real-life team - there are many other good players out there. Also, don't immediately write a player off because he had a bad year, and don't instantly sanctify him if he had a great year. Consider injuries, his team's quality and statistical flukes for both sides of the coin. Look deep when analyzing a player's performance from previous seasons.

Hobbies:

Fantasy baseball domination, sports viewing, music, movies, TV, pop culture quote machine

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I lived a few blocks from Fenway Park during junior and senior years at Boston University, and I'm embarrassed to admit I like most Red Sox fans I've met.