It's like a game of telephone. Somebody starts and tries to explain a new concept to somebody else. Person #2 then passes on his interpretation to person #3, who then adds his own take to person #4. By the time the original concept reaches person #20, "grand slam home run" has become "ground ham on a bun." And so it has become with the LIMA Plan. This was the first year that I have seen so many references to the concept in so many diverse places. And half of the time, they get it wrong.

For the uninitiated, the Low Investment Mound Aces (LIMA) Plan is a strategy that allows you to target high skills pitchers at low cost, thereby freeing up dollars for offense. While the individual tactics are designed for Rotisserie play, the skills-based concepts have applications in any type of fantasy game. LIMA can be implemented in straight draft leagues, with some careful tweaking in

Three little words that nobody thought I would ever utter. "Billy Wagner, $40."

The LIMA Plan is a strategy for Rotisserie and fantasy leagues that allows you to target high skills pitchers at very low cost, thereby freeing up dollars for offense. LIMA is an acronym for Low Investment Mound Aces, and also pays tribute to Jose Lima, a $1 pitcher in 1998 who exemplifies the power of the strategy.

About four hours after the results of the American League Tout Wars competition were posted online, I received the following e-mail from one of my loyal subscribers... "Hey Ron, how come you drafted such a crappy pitching staff?"