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Baseball Teams Get Help from Yankee Fans

The website cool standings is simulating the 2006 baseball season using 2005 statistics, and as usual the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are competing for the top spot in their division. In this fantasy season, however, fans are able to influence the outcome of each game by boosting the offensive or defensive performance of their favorite teams.

As expected, the Yankees and Red Sox have continued their rivalry in the fantasy season. Their games have attracted the most boosts from visitors to the site. In traditional fantasy leagues, participants select individual players to form their own teams, and as such do not share in their success with fellow participants.

The idea at cool standings, according to co-founders Greg Agami and Sean Walsh, is that people are more attached to their major league teams than to the individual players. By enabling fans to root for their natural teams and significantly affect their team`s performance, Agami and Walsh hope to build a stronger sense of community among fantasy baseball participants.