By Rodney Southern
Entering your first fantasy baseball draft can be a daunting experience and at the least intimidating. There are so many different things to consider and mistakes that can be made. The last thing you want to do is embarrass yourself, right? Fortunately, you are likely not going to be the only rookie at the draft table. Fantasy baseball is still one of the fastest growing games out there. Most drafts have at least two or three beginners so you are not likely to be alone. There are, however, some fantasy baseball beginner tips that could help you to save face on draft day.
Make sure you know what type of league you are going to be in.
The various formats and style of fantasy baseball can be very confusing and all of them demand specific knowledge. There are leagues that are head to head, roto leagues, NL only leagues, AL only leagues and even some leagues that only count pitching or hitting. Know your league and what they are scoring so that your research will be accurate. Speaking of research…
Don’t simply depend on the magazines for knowledge.
The fantasy baseball mags are great, but they simply are inadequate to get you through the entire draft with accuracy. Many of these magazines are printed far in advance of the drafts, so they are not always accurate. Every single draft, some guy skips out on checking the injury wire and drafting a player that is not even on the roster due to injury. Don’t be that guy. Do your homework!
Draft based on talent and not position.
When your picks come around, take the best possible player that is available. Once a starting lineup and core of the team is finalized, then start filling in holes. The beginner needs to focus on talent and understand that they can always make trades later and utilize the waiver wire. Get the best players you can and the team will come together.
Stay clear of the “hot” rookies
Is it exciting to snare that rookie and watch him have a huge season? Sure it is. Problem is, that rarely happens. Almost every break out star ends up struggling instead, so you can be a leg up on the competition simply by drafting solid players that are consistent rather than trying to hit home runs (no pun intended) with rookie players. If you simply must pick up a rookie or youngster, then make it in the late rounds so that your risk is minimal on your return.
These are some basic fantasy baseball tips, but they are solid ways to be ready for draft day. If you do each of these things and put in some effort, you might just be the surprise of your league.
————————————————————————————————–
Rodney Southern is a longtime online writer that runs several online venues including rodneysouthern.com and toptenisms.com. His first novel is right around the corner, but his first love is still online copy.
—————————————————————————————————