Quote:
Originally Posted by soundmind
Is there a reason you steer away from the speed guys? One of my mock drafts, I got complimented at the end for snagging speed - granted they were all late picks....Logic is trying to tell me that the guys who carry the biggest sticks are potentially contributing in more categories....?
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Hmm... I disagree with Hootie. SBs can be a huge game-winner because I think too many fantasy players are obsessed with HRs and RBIs or obsessed with players who bring a lot of speed but are crappy everywhere else. My advice would be to steer clear from guys like Taveras--you do NOT want to sacrifice HRs, RBIs, and OPS just to move up one or two spots in the SBs category. My approach has always been to overrank players who are productive in HRs and SBs. I prefer guys who can hit 30 HRs and 30 SBs over guys who can hit 45 HRs with 0 SBs. I would have players like Ramirez and Reyes especially, and then someone like Sizemore on the top of your list. I would also consider reaching for guys like Rollins or Carl Crawford, two guys who will light up your SB categories and while they will not dazzle in any other category, they won't kill you either. The key is not to avoid the SB category altogether, it's to avoid guys like Taveras and to avoid loading your roster with too many guys like Rollins or Crawford--you only need one or two of the Rollins/Crawford mold. In later rounds, if you think two players are fairly equal, always let SBs be a tie-breaker--you'll be surprised at how building a roster full of 15 SB guys can really make you dangerous. I would also really overrate a guy like Bobby Abreu. Here's why I don't like sacrificing one category--every league will have one lucky son of a bitch who will end up with a 10-HR guy who for some reason is hitting 40 HRs for you that season. You don't want to put all your eggs into the HR or RBI basket because even if you stack your team with thoroughbreds, you might still get beat by someone who got lucky.
The key to winning fantasy baseball from an offensive standpoint is not to win any category. It's to be good enough that you're 7 out of 10 on almost every dimension and that no dimension makes you fall less than 5. Too many people are focuses on being 10 of 10 on only a few key categories and that's the wrong approach.
My second word of advice? Never give up. Never. I promise you that about half or your league will stop paying attention by midseason--almost every year I place in the top 3 because I am a vulture in midseason when there are a ton more quality players on the waiver wire because nobody else paid any attention.
Pay close attention to saves. And don't be afraid to reach. This is a category that is extremely difficult to upgrade after the draft, so make absolutely sure that you have 2 stud closers on your roster. If you don't have 2 studs, you need to carry 3 good ones on your roster. Again, no reason to sacrifice one category. And in almost every draft I've been in, there's a huge run on closers in one of the rounds. Don't miss out on the wave, or else you'll be picking from the scrap pile.