h2h Corner ~ Fernando Rodney, “opening day closer”

April 1, 2009

With news that Jim Leyland has founded a new way to confound fantasy players, Fernando Rodney has become the Tigers’ opening day closer. Seriously, that’s his title. You cant read much into this, except that Rodney will likely get the first shot at saves, which makes him worth owning, if only on a speculative basis. Read more

Written by Albert Lang · Filed Under Player News | 4 Comments 

Who’s On Third In St. Louis?

April 1, 2009

With Troy Glaus reported to miss a minimum of two months, there is a veritable free-for-all at the hot corner in St. Louis.  Who will win the job? Let’s explore manager Tony LaRusa’s potential choices:

1. David “Mister” Freese – Not a blue chip prospect, Freese drew some attention the past two seasons by batting over .300 and belting 17 and 26 homers in 2007 and 2008, respectively.  The only problem is that he is going on 26 years of age and still ranks somewhere between Alfonso Soriano and Ryan Howard in plate patience, with none of the pedigree and proven power.  Nonetheless, with Glaus out for an extended period of time, here’s Mr. Freese’s shot at the bigtime. Let’s see if he runs with it! 

2. Brian Barden – At age 28, Barden hardly ranks as a prospect anymore.  With unremarkable speed and power, Barden does not seem to have the makeup of a Major League star.  But let us not forget that Tony LaRussa is a manager who favors the throwback player who does the fundamentals right (see Skip Schumaker).  So we can hardly knock Barden out of the mix.

3. Joe Mather – This is a stretch.  But, Mather played 3B throughout college and eight at-bats in the minors and certainly did make an impression during a cup ‘o coffee in 2008.  If Mather proves capable of handling the job defensively, this darkhorse candidate at third base may just break through in ‘09.

4. Brendan Ryan – Ryan just won’t go away – probably because he is a multipositional utilityman.  That fact would ordinarily all-but-condemn Ryan to bench duty, but if the Cards deem Freese unworthy, Mather unable, and Barden incapable, then Brendan Ryan could swoop down and snatch the job up.  From a fantasyball perspective, the question you might ask yourself is, “what does Brendan Ryan offer my team even if he does start?” The answer – nothing.  Keep moving even if he does win the job.

Written by Russell Sandman · Filed Under Player News | 6 Comments 

Minor Talent, Major Potential

April 1, 2009

Sometimes, some players are just not cut out for the big leagues.  Despite all their positive praise from scouts and ability to tear up AA and AAA, they just don’t have what it takes. For every Evan Longoria you will find ten Angel Berroa’s.  Like Berroa, many players show a lot of potential in the minors or in their rookie season, but may never regain the glory of yesteryear ( Berroa also stole the AL Rookie of the Year Award from Hideki Matsui, but that’s besides the point.)  

Some minor league players are just one step away from breaking into the majors and for Ebby Calvin LaLoosh, his step was Crash Davis (prize for anyone who got the Bill Durham reference.)  Below are a list of my top three players who have the chance to come up this season and help out their respective clubs but mostly importantly, your fantasy team.

1. Dave Price, TB, P

Give me a break, I needed at least one sure bet out of the group.  I know he was probably going to be a stud right out of the gate if he started the season with the Rays, but come on, once Tampa sent him to the minors, he is fair game for this article. Since he was delegated to riding a bus from city to city, his arm will be saved for later in the season.  He still will put up fantastic stats, barring an injury or setback, and you can expect numbers along the lines of 10-3 with a 2.9 ERA and roughly 120 K in 140 innings.  Of course, those numbers could be altered due to the timing of his inevitable call-up.  He should be drafted in the late-mid to late rounds.  

 2. Matt LaPorta, CLE, 1B/OF

If this guy could get past his unmerited defense stigma (he is a lot better than people think), he would be an instant call-up.  Despite his lack of speed, LaPorta can play the corner outfield respectably, but will mostly be delegated to first base assignment.  He slugs with the best of them and has been compared to Ryan Braun (what’s not to like.)  Here is what Indians scouting has said about him:

“Matt brings a right-handed power bat to our organization. He’s a guy that can do damage. He has a chance to be a run-producer/middle-of-the order type on offense. And he’s a better defender and athlete than he gets credit for.”  

Cleveland does not have a spot on their roster at the moment, but an injury or a poor start by their current crop of outfields, could lead to LaPorta getting some playing time.  He has tons of power to all fields and is not against taking a walk; that is a solid combination.  

3. Cameron Maybin, FLA, OF

Besides Price, Maybin has probably the best chance of performing immediately in the big leagues.  The Marlins have holes in their outfield that will likely give the youngster a chance to play early and often.  He is a five tool player that combines speed and power in a 6′4” 200 pound frame.  Maybin has a real chance to join the 20/20 club in his first season with numbers probably teetering around 15 HRs and 30 SBs.  If your team is lacking speed and needs stolen bases, Maybin is definitely your guy at a cheap price. 

-Bobby Holt


Written by Bobby Holt · Filed Under Draft Strategy, Minor Leagues | 1 Comment 

Tackling Apathy In Your League

April 1, 2009

Apathy is the enemy of a high quality fantasy baseball league.  Too often the excitement on draft day wanes to discernible disinterest by the all-star break.  Teams that get off to a poor start and are out of contention no longer manager their roster, ignore trade offers — or even worse, dump their best players to other teams in contention.  The result is a league where only a handful of managers stick around until season’s end.  If you want a better fantasy baseball experience, I suggest you tackle apathy and create an environment where all managers maintain interest in their their team.  It is worth the effort and will make your league more fun for everyone involved.  This article explores several ideas to defeat apathy in your league.

1. Establish A Keeper League

Allow teams to keep players beyond the current season.  If out-of-contention teams know they can make roster moves that will help them for next season, they will be more likely to stay actively involved with their team.

2. Play For Money & Distribute It Broadly 

Let’s face it, prize money always makes things more interesting.  If you have a chance to win money, you will try harder and pay closer attention to your team. 

Many leagues have a winner take all approach to prize money.  This may create a high-pitched battle between the top three teams in a league, but it does not cure indifference on a broad scale. 

Instead, I recommend distributing prize money as widely as possible.  In one of my leagues, for example, first place gets $300, second place $150, third place $50 and fourth place $25.  There are only ten teams in that league, so 40% of the league gets some amount of money.  This keeps the majority of the league active throughout the season because teams in fourth, fifth, sixth, and even seventh place are all battling for the final two money positions. 

3. Penalties For Last Place

It is always a touchy subject when the topic of penalties is raised.  But sometimes both a carrot and a stick are needed to motivate you.  Penalties for last place will encourage teams to do whatever they can to get out of the cellar.  A penalty can take many forms.  Some leagues use monetary penalties, others impose draft penalties for the following season. 

4. Prizes For Best Second-Half Record

In addition to prize money for overall finish, some leagues allocate prize money for teams that improve the most in the second half of the season.  In a Roto league, this means rewarding the team that gains the most amount of points from the all-star break through the end of the season.  In a head-to-head or points league it is even easier to calculate.  Simply add the total number of wins or points in the second half and compare it to the other teams.  This reward has the obvious effect of encouraging teams to remain active in the second half of the season.

5. Prizes For Best Performance In A Category

In addition to overall finish, some Roto leagues offer prizes for teams that finish the best in one particular category.  For example, if my team leads the league in homers, but finishes in eighth place, i’ll get a prize for winning the home run category even though my overall team was terrible. 

I like this idea because it gives teams not in the race a chance win something.  But you should be aware that leagues using this rule may experience odd trades.  For example, if my team has a chance to win saves, I may trade good players for closers, even if it is to the overall detriment to my team. 

6. Hold A Live Draft & Winter Meetings

The internet allows many more fans to play fantasy baseball, but it also promotes anonymity and indifference.  There is little sense of belonging if you do not know the people in your league.  As a remedy, I recommend that you form a league with a group of friends, acquaintances, classmates, co-workers, or some combination thereof.

Then, do two things: First, hold a live, in-person draft.  Draft day is always more fun when everyone is in the same room.  It also allows managers to get to know each other better and builds camaraderie.  Second, hold winter meetings.  The winter meetings have the same intent; they allow managers to build friendships, which promotes trading and activity during the season.  The winter meetings may be a good time to review your league’s by-laws, review keeper eligibility, or to just watch some football. 

7. Maintain An Active Message Board

Be an active participant on your league’s message board.  Let other managers know you are checking in and paying attention to the league, and they will be more likely to engage you in trade discussions.  And don’t forget to trash talk.  Nothing gets people riled up more than some good trash talking.  After all, nobody wants to read a disparaging comment on a message board without making a valiant comeback.   

8. Use An Impartial Commissioner And/Or FB 101’s Trade Mediator

Few issues ruin a league faster than a nasty trade dispute.  If an unfair deal goes through, the rest of the league loses interest because they wonder how they can win when dumping is permitted.  Similarly, if a deal is vetoed the teams involved in the trade get upset with the rest of the league and feel like they are being unfairly restricted. 

Avoid allegations of partiality and debates over vetoes.  Instead, use an impartial commissioner who does not own a team in your league, or use Fantasy Baseball 101’s Trade Mediation service.  Avoid the headache, avoid the animosity of league managers, and avoid the resulting apathy. 

Do you have other ideas on how to tackle apathy?  Share them in the comments section below.

Written by Evan Rosen · Filed Under Best-Of FB101, Blog, Miscellaneous | Leave a Comment