Posts Tagged ‘fantasy baseball’
Living the Ultimate Fantasy
When fantasy baseball started, it was all about control. It was all about the prospect of making better decisions than Major League general managers. It was about being able to pull the on-field strings better than field managers. We were hell-bent on proving that we could assemble a winning ballclub better than the professionals. Fantasy…
Read MoreDeconstructing an Outwardly Lopsided Trade
I run polls on this site because the results often fascinate me. There was no better an example this past week with my fake case study regarding a keeper league trade decision. I asked: You own hot prospect Alex Bregman in a keeper league in which you still have 2016 title hopes. The last place…
Read MoreThe 9 Rookie Trajectories
Last month at ESPN.com, I wrote a piece about how difficult it is to project young players when they are first promoted to the majors. As much as we’d like to draw conclusions based on minor league performance or scouting reports, they are faulty indicators for future success. BABS essentially throws her hands up, shakes…
Read MoreDonaldson, Bradley pace June BABS leaders
Nearly halfway through the season and we are seeing many players’ performances settle down to the levels we had expected in the pre-season. A reminder about how to use the chart: Batters and pitchers, individually, are ranked by skill, regardless of playing time. In this way, you can identify the skills tiers and cherry pick…
Read MoreWhy I hate FAAB
This article was originally published at BaseballHQ.com on June 10, 2005. My opinion has not changed. Sometimes I can’t believe the things we accept about this game. One of the great allures of playing fantasy — you might even call it the foundation of the game — is the sense of control it gives us.…
Read MoreHow to Make Enemies and Influence Pennant Races, part 2
In part 1… Back in 2009, I was trolling the trade wires with the owners in the Fantasy Xperts League (XFL) 15-team mixed keeper league. I received six sub-par offers, so I decided to up the ante. I sent out an email with a list of all the offers, so everyone could review, compare and…
Read MoreHow to Make Enemies and Influence Pennant Races, part 1
The following column, condensed from its original version, was published at BaseballHQ.com in two parts, on June 12 and June 19, 2009. I usually don’t like to dredge up dirty laundry from the past, but… um, heck, who am I kidding? I love to dredge up laundry, wallow in the dirt, use people as my…
Read MoreThe Mega-Challenge Trade
A version of this article was previously published at ESPN.com. In a recent ESPN piece, I wrote about how I was dealing with my under-performing pitching staff. One idea I offered was trying to trade my bad eggs for someone else’s equally bad eggs. Maybe a “change of scenery” could work for fantasy players too.…
Read MoreWhat are the odds of finishing in the money after a slow start?
Over the past week, I have been asked that question twice. “What are the odds of finishing in the money after a slow start? I recall you mentioning the odds in an article at one point, and they weren’t real good.” No, the odds are not good. But this seems like a good time to…
Read MoreBetts, Fowler Top the BABS Leaderboard
Through nearly two months, we are starting to see some of the early season’s extreme performances settling down. But even within that settlement, there are a few players who are taking that next step up. A reminder about how to use the chart: Batters and pitchers, individually, are ranked by skill, regardless of playing time.…
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