My name is Rob Lindsey and I love baseball: fantasy baseball.
If I lived in a baseball city like Boston or Chicago, my baseball energy would be consumed going to games and following the home team in the paper. Since I’m in a dead zone (South Carolina), and the closest team is four hours away (the Braves), I have to live my baseball life vicariously. With free online services from Yahoo! and ESPN, fantasy baseball is a fun, easy way to get my fix. If you’re a newbie, here are a few tips for you to consider as you take the plunge this season.
1. Your first time free.
Fantasy baseball isn’t for everyone. In fact, I’ve been doing this for five years now, and I have yet to convince any of my friends to join me. In order to do well, you really have to have a love for the game. There are 162 games in the Major League Baseball season. That means everyday you’ll be adjusting your pitching rotation and your batting order to make sure you maximize your points. Those long summer months can be grueling if your heart isn’t in it. That’s why I recommend you try your first season at a free fantasy baseball service. I’ve used Yahoo’s service every year, and I have no complaints.
2. Think outside the box when building your team.
Last year, I won my fantasy league. I won it with speedy infielders and a bench full of relief pitchers. See, in Rotisserie scoring, each category (runs, home runs, steals, ERA, and so on) is its own point total, meaning if there are 12 teams in your league, each team will get one to 12 points in each category based on their ranking in that category. For example, if my team has the most stolen bases, I’ll get 12 points in the stolen base category. If my team has the fewest home runs, I’ll get one point.
So last year, I didn’t draft many great all-around players; I drafted a bunch of specialty players whose strengths complimented each other. My inspiration was when I drafted Ichiro. I knew he wasn’t going to blow anyone away with his power, but his average, runs scored, and stolen bases would be off the charts. So that colored the rest of my draft. I wound up winning those three categories.
The point is, every scoring category counts the same, and most fans are going to be looking at players who hit 40 home runs and 120 RBI. But if you can find players who score 100 runs, hit .315, and steal 30 bases, you’ll be leading in three categories to your opponent’s two. And the best part is the guys like I’m describing fly under the radar for the most part. They aren’t name guys, and you can usually find a couple of them on the free agent board a couple of weeks into the season.
3. Beware the slump.
Baseball is a strange game. Even the best players are subject to long slides of abysmal numbers. Just ask Derek Jeter a couple of years ago. That’s why you have to monitor those things closely. Don’t be afraid to bench Alex Rodriguez and play Joe Crede if A-Rod is slumping. Just because he’ll end up with 35+ homers by the end of the season doesn’t mean he’ll hit one every night.
4. Watch the free agent board.
This is maybe the biggest pointer I can give you. Even in a 12-team league, I guarantee you you’ll be able to find someone to plug into your starting lineup on the free agent board a week into the season. You just have to keep track of the numbers. And toward the end of the season, watch for AAA players getting called up to try out for teams out of contention. You might be able to find a real gem of a player to get you through a late-season push. Just always check the free agent board. You never know what you’ll find.
5. Keep a second catcher on your roster.
This is the most difficult thing to do, but catchers in baseball are like tight ends in football: only a handful of them have good offensive numbers. You’ll constantly be looking at that second catcher, doing nothing on the bench, taking up a slot you could fill with a fifth outfielder. But you’ll thank me later, and here’s why: catchers are relatively fragile. There is constant wear and tear on their knees, legs, and back from crouching so much every day. And if they get injured, it won’t be easy to find a replacement on the free agent board. Also, a lot of catchers take every fifth game off, meaning you’ll have an empty slot in your starting lineup every fifth day. Having a second catcher is key.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be staring down the barrel of another MLB season. The dead time between the Super Bowl and Opening Day is excruciating. But it’s almost here. Go Sawks!
Oh wait… who am I looking to draft this year? Funny you should ask. I’ve got my eye on Brian McCann, Jonathan Papelbon, Alfonso Soriano, and I would love to land Ichiro again in his contract year. It’s going to be a fun year. Play Ball!
