It's that magical time of the year where players of the original fantasy sport begin dusting off their laptops, preparing to endure the long six-month ride ahead of them. If you're new to this amazing endeavor known as "fantasy baseball," here are eight tips that'll help you find the path to success in your league this season:
1.) Know Your League
It may sound simple, but actually knowing how your league is set up is by far the most vital piece of advice you can take away from this post. Baseball is the most statistically scrutinized sport. Straight up. If you don't know what statistics are winning you the trophy, then how are you supposed to win it? Sure, Chris Carter of the Houston Astros hit 37 home runs last season, but how much would his .227 batting average lower your team collectively? Some questions that you should know the answers to are: What type of league is this? Which statistics are being scored? How are waivers selected? Knowing this information can help you at least start the race to finishing first place in your league.
2.) Walk the Wire
Fantasy Baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. Sure, you out-drafted the opposition, but what happens when half of your team has made a trip to the DL before the All-Star Break? Constantly be observing the names of players that are available at positions that your team could use some help with. ALWAYS be on the prowl for unrecognized talent. There is always a plethora of players that will either burst on the scene this season or boldly surpass their projections.
3. Streaming Pitching
Know the "maximum starts" or "maximum innings pitched" limitation in your league, if there's such a thing. Check out the match-ups daily, and if you need an extra start or appearance, pick that pitcher up off the waiver wire and start them that day. Maximizing starts and innings pitched can increase points, if used correctly. The key word in the last sentence is "correctly." If you make bad streaming pitching selections, it can dilute your team's pitching statistics.
4. Avoid Bias
Everybody is going to be guilty of a little bias from time to time. The key is to limit how much bias you use. Always compare roster moves to statistics and production and consider all factors. Try to base judgements off of present play. Don't believe that 2015 Albert Pujols is 2006 Albert Pujols.
5. Do Your Homework Prior to Draft Day
Go ahead, I know you want to take Yu Darvish with that third pick. Before you do, however, make sure you know who isn't going to play in a single game before you pick them. Darvish will miss the entire 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Make sure you see who's healthy and who's not.
6. Don't Stress the Closer
Having a good closer isn't going to make-or-break your team. If you choose to draft an upper-tier closer kind of early, great. If you don't, then don't sweat it. The closer isn't going to earn a bulk of your pitching stats, besides saves. Unless you go top shelf, wait until the season is underway and find a closer that you're comfortable with off the waiver wire. Teams will change closers, close by committee, and rotate accordingly. Unless you go strong with a Craig Kimbrel or Greg Holland type that's been around for a little bit, it's best to sit back and see who will get the save opportunities. If you feel too much of a void from the saves category, then beef your team up somewhere else.
7. Be Vigilant
You'll notice that some teams just tend to hit better of a certain pitcher, or certain hitters will struggle against a certain pitcher. Try to take note of this. Baseball is an odd game where teams/players will create their own trends. The 162-game schedule is also long enough to where we can begin to make observations that are based off of these trends.
8. Have Fun
Besides knowing your league, this is the most important tip I can give you. Fantasy Baseball is a great game that has taught me most of what I know about mathematics up to this point. Go with your gut, and enjoy crushing the opposition!
As always, thanks for reading and be sure to follow me on Twitter @griffaldo.
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