The First BABS In-Season Update
On the other side of the links below, you’ll find the first BABS spreadsheet update of the young season. It is important to point out just how young 2016 really is. If a single baseball season represented someone’s full lifespan, today would herald the onset of puberty. And for those of us who’ve gone through…
Read MoreThe BABS Guide to DFS
If you missed my previous DFS articles, they are here (free) and here (not free). Assuming you’ve read them, let’s jump right in. My DFS planning process typically takes about 60-75 minutes, sometimes less. Depending upon my schedule on a given day, I might prep my starting pitcher options in the morning (15-20 minutes) and…
Read MoreHow I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love DFS
Love DFS? Hmm. Perhaps to my detriment in this changing world, I am not a gambler. I started playing fantasy sports back in the mid-1980s for the intellectual challenge and the camaraderie. The money was a nice carrot at the end of the season, but it was never even remotely a part of the motivation…
Read MoreThe Complete Past 6-Month History of DFS, Abridged
(FREE ARTICLE) My opinions about daily fantasy sports (DFS) have evolved over time, with alternating condemnation and praise. My earlier writings are still accessible at BaseballHQ.com. A few more recent works are available here, and here, and here. Last fall, the proverbial human sewage hit the fan and I started peppering my Facebook newsfeed with…
Read MoreBABS In-Season
The concept of assessing talent using broad measures, and balancing assets and liabilities, applies to all stages of the baseball season. Even though our drafts are over, the need to evaluate talent does not end. BABS works just as hard during the season as in the weeks leading up to it. In some ways she…
Read MoreFantasy Curmudgeon
(FREE ARTICLE) Mort lives down the street from me. He is probably in his late 70s, is a huge Yankees fan, reformed gambler (as he describes himself) and has been playing fantasy for about 10 years. Whenever I run into him, he cracks me up; admittedly, I feed him. The following is a composite of…
Read MoreA BABS-Eye View of the Pennant Races
(FREE ARTICLE) The last time I attempted pre-season standings projections was when Bill Clinton was faithful. I’ve always considered them a fun exercise with nearly no basis in reality (like Bill’s exploits, I suppose). Opening Day is just a starting point for a season full of roster activity, so to project what October will look…
Read MoreDynasty Leagues and a BABS Love Letter
Can BABS work in a deep, dynasty league format? I took it out for a spin in the XFL Experts league to find out. The incidentals: The XFL is the industry’s only experts league with keepers, but it’s really a hybrid keeper/dynasty competition. It is a 15-team mixed league that uses 9 of the 10…
Read MoreBroad Assessment Balance Sheet – March 27 Update
I’m a few days early, but here are the BABS spreadsheets updated for Mixed leagues, with data as of March 26. This will be the final update before Opening Day. The updated files (both Excel and html online) include the new indicators for on base average. The ADPs and converted dollar values remain those from…
Read MoreThe Lower Depths of BABS
The Asset and Liability ratings generated by BABS hold no bias towards playing time. Whether you are a 600-AB full-timer or a 100-AB backup catcher, your skills and risks are evaluated on the same scale. However, those who are in line for significant playing time do get pushed up in the rankings, leaving the mid-timers…
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