Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategies

[soundmind]

I have played Fantasy Football since 1997, and feel like I have a pretty good grip on it. Having played the actual sport for over a decade, and having an unhealthy interest in the sport my whole life, I've never really worried about the draft, waivers, trades....it all makes sense to me.

However, in an attempt to fall back in love with baseball, I agreed to join a fantasy baseball league, and I'm just curious what some strategies are for the draft?

I realize like any sport, there's positional value, but having basically stopped watching since the strike, I'm fearful I'm going to end up picking 3+ players based solely on name recognition (which isn't good, cause they're probably old!)....

Any help and/or wisdom is welcomed and appreciated.

[Old Dog]

5x5 roto, head to head, or what's the scoring system?

[soundmind]

Originally Posted by truebigdog

5x5 roto, head to head, or what's the scoring system?

It's a 12-team head to head league, with a standard scoring system - though my friend has told me he gives just a little more love to Relief Pitching than most leagues, "but nothing crazy".

Obviously the scoring system is paramount in my research.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by soundmind

It's a 12-team head to head league.

ok, here you go...

Stay away from drafting starting pitching...if you want to be good, you stream...plain and simple...streaming means you keep 2 or 3 open spots on your pitching rotation and every day you stream starting pitchers...you want to play match-ups as much as you can...side with home pitchers against bad offenses, etc...but you want to start 2 or 3 pitchers a day.

Then you draft 4 or 5 closers...2 great closers, 2 good ones, and maybe take a waiver at a few late closers for shitty teams...

That way...every week you'll most likely win 3 of the 5 pitching categories...wins/K's/saves...

On to offense...

I tend to sacrifice one category and draft others...I usually don't go for SB's...so I draft power guys...I'd focus my entire first 5 rounds on guys that hit a lot of homeruns and drive in a lot of runs...

I also take flyers on guys who are usually good but have down years the year before...

I haven't prepared for my fantasy drafts yet...but use ESPN's live draft lobby to practice a few...and this list is probably the best tool you can use to know when a player should be taken...

http://games.espn.go.com/flb/livedraftresults

I'm not a big fan of H2H because of the streaming factor...but if you want to win you have to do it.

I usually play roto leagues...it's much more about skill than activity...which is why a lot of people sour on FBA and FLB...and love FFL.

[soundmind]

Originally Posted by Hootie

ok, here you go...

Stay away from drafting starting pitching...if you want to be good, you stream...plain and simple...streaming means you keep 2 or 3 open spots on your pitching rotation and every day you stream starting pitchers...you want to play match-ups as much as you can...side with home pitchers against bad offenses, etc...but you want to start 2 or 3 pitchers a day.

Oh craptastic, so playing a H2H league means I've started my Fantasy Baseball journey on the highly involved side....damnit.

Thanks for all the help guys, this is all being committed to my draft day notes!

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by soundmind

Oh craptastic, so playing a H2H league means I've started my Fantasy Baseball journey on the highly involved side....damnit.

Thanks for all the help guys, this is all being committed to my draft day notes!

Depends on what kind of league it is...if it's casual, streaming probably won't happen...if it is competitive, people will be staying up until midnight every night snagging the best SP on the waiver wire...

I tend to go with HR hitters because they are generally 4 tool players while guys like Tavaras in Colorado really only steals bases...and he steals an OF power spot on your roster...

I usually just forfeit SB's when I draft H2H...and ERA/WHIP...

Power guys and closers...I'd spend my first 6 picks or so on offense and then turn to closers for the next 4 rounds (unless you find a great value somewhere) and then take guys like Rich Harden later on (good SP that will fall) or starters that switched from the AL to the NL...

If you're in a casual league and you stream 10 SP games a week...you will pretty much be guaranteed the playoffs.

[soundmind]

Originally Posted by Hootie

On to offense...

I tend to sacrifice one category and draft others...I usually don't go for SB's...so I draft power guys...I'd focus my entire first 5 rounds on guys that hit a lot of homeruns and drive in a lot of runs...

I also take flyers on guys who are usually good but have down years the year before...

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....?

[chiefzilla1501]

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....?

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.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Don't draft a pitcher in the first 5-6 rounds.

Tend towards players who have good home parks to play in if it's a tossup (Coors, Arlington, that shitbox in Philly).

Beware of Matt Holliday.

[soundmind]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Don't draft a pitcher in the first 5-6 rounds.

Tend towards players who have good home parks to play in if it's a tossup (Coors, Arlington, that shitbox in Philly).

Beware of Matt Holliday.

Thus far, your ballpark comment has definitely been echoed by some others, and sounds right on.

Are there any "bad" ballparks to call home vs. the "good" ones? I would assume a "bad" park is one that's HUGE.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by soundmind

Thus far, your ballpark comment has definitely been echoed by some others, and sounds right on.

Are there any "bad" ballparks to call home vs. the "good" ones?

Petco is the worst, by far.
Safeco is pretty bad.
Dodger Stadium isn't great
Metrodome
PNC
McAfee (A's ballpark)

[Old Dog]

Closers (IMO) are more important in a head to head league. Still don't want one in about the top 5 rounds, but a GOOD one can win saves for you and do a lot of good in WHIP and ERA in a given week.
In a roto, they're not as important toward WHIP and ERA

[58-4ever]

Get at least one closer that can get you points for ERA, saves, WHIP, etc...

I've had K-Rod the last few years, and he's been a gem.

[Hootie]

It's imperative you draft at least 3 closers...I'd go with 4 or 5.

If you only draft 1 or 2, you might as well just draft 0.

[Denver Dave]

Originally Posted by Hootie

It's imperative you draft at least 3 closers...I'd go with 4 or 5.

If you only draft 1 or 2, you might as well just draft 0.

Not true. With 1 or 2 safe closers, you are fine. 10-12 closer jobs in baseball will not have the same guys who start the season in those roles. There's also established closers who will go on the DL and have temp replacements for 15-20 days.

If a manager stays on of top it by following box scores, it's easy to pick up relievers who will find their way into closer roles.

When it comes to winning in fantasy baseball, having 4-5 closers is important, but a manager doesn't have to invest a lot of resources in them to get there.