Jake Mauer has died (the Ottoneu Fantasy League)

Tonight, Jake Mauer has died. A fantasy league that led me into the world of Ottoneu back in 2012, a man that was drafted by accident and changed lives. I feel that I owe him to say a few words on the night of his wake. Jake was set to death by lethal execution tonight by our league commissioner.

Back on that fateful night; February 28th, 2012, a day that doesn’t even happen except on damn leap years, I jumped out and bid $16 to win the manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He was the Dark Meat Mauer. He looked like Joe Mauer except if Joe was missing a chromosome. He had a Lloyd Christmas haircut when I researched who I had spent my draft money on.

We invented ‘The Jake Dog’ which was marvelous in his honor. We discussed him way too much. We would claim him at the end of the year when he had no business being claimed. In fact, the last transaction in the league ever was him being placed on a roster. Jake would pop up like a splinter in your thumb.

Jake took on a legend of his own.

He is forever heralded and loved in the fantasy community. He is survived by his wife, his more successful and more notable brother Joe, his labrador retriever and his dozen birdhouses in his backyard which are the home to hundreds of birds in different seasons.

Jake, you will be missed. Anyone who would like to say a few words can do so in the comments section.