Fantasy Baseball's Impact

DO Rotisserie and other statistical baseball leagues make for better baseball fans and more of them?Bill James, a leading baseball statistician: "It makes me more aware of certain types of things - who's hot, who's coming up, who's in the minors who might be good. I don't think it makes me understand more about the real game of baseball." Frank Deford, prominent sports journalist: "The purists are very upset about these guys who are more interested in the fantasy league than the real league. And I do sometimes think it gets out of hand. But in the final analysis it makes baseball fans and that's good." Dan Okrent, Rotisserie's founder: "I used to be a Tigers fan; now I'm a baseball fan because I'm as interested in every game going on as I'm interested in any game. I know a lot more about the players and how managers are using them ... because of the intensely close observation that Rotisserie breeds."