What’s more exciting than watching Paul Konerko hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to win a big game? Making it your own accomplishment, of course.

After decades of shouting at the television, man has found a way to feel more in control of America’s favorite pastime – fantasy baseball. The name says it all. Fantasy baseball allows enthusiasts to join leagues, draft and trade players and ultimately win championships from the comfort of their own home. Teams win points based their players’ performance in actual games.

“The thing that makes it most interesting is the fact that you learn so much about the game,” said Steve Harnden, a senior communication major. “Before playing fantasy baseball, I could have cared less what Brian Jordan’s OPS [on-base plus slugging percentage] was, but in a few years it was an obsession.”

Harnden is not alone. The Fantasy Sports Trade Association estimates more than 15 million people participate in fantasy sports per year.

Fantasy baseball isn’t just for the sports fanatic. Danielle Steinway, a senior math education major, said she became more interested in baseball after joining a fantasy league.

“I started to be interested in [fantasy baseball] because I like sports, and it made me watch [baseball] even more,” Steinway said.

Fantasty baseball’s demands can sometimes overtake school as a priority.

“It’s fun to see how many teams I can have and how competitive I can be,” said senior history major Tim Buczkiewicz. “Sometimes it can kind of take over your life. It’s highly addictive.”

Fantasy baseball encourages participants to watch more than just their home teams. Players draft their own teams so their rosters are full of players from several different teams.

“[Fantasy baseball] makes watching baseball that much more fun,” said Christopher Bock, a junior kinesiology and physical education major. “You get excited to watch just about everyone play, not just your favorite team or teams.”