How to use Mastersball?

[tamburgy]

Hi all,

I'm new to Mastersball, just signed up for the platinum tools (been using other sites over the years) and am very excited to try a new approach this year. I've used SGP in the past (relatively new to fantasy) and can't wait to expand.

My question, is how to effectively use the site to learn and best use for my upcoming draft. What makes it a little difficult, is that I'm in a non-traditional league.

I'm in a 20 team Roto (non-keeper), 7x7 league (HRs, RBIs, Runs, AVG, OBP, Net Steals, and Bases Produced (which is Total Bases + SBs) for batters) and (Net Wins, Net Saves, Holds, WHIP, ERA, K/9, and Quality Starts for pitchers).

Roster Positions: C, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, CI, MI, OF, OF, OF, OF, Util, 10 Pitchers, 5 Bench.

How can i best use Mastersball to prepare the best i can for the upcoming draft.

Also, I have the first overall pick in this 20 team draft. Who would be your choice for the first overall pick in such a league.

Thanks for any help. I appreciate any help I can get. I can't wait to learn more about new ways to improve the way i look at this season.

[Guest]

Welcome aboard.

A few ideas:

1. I'll assume you've read everything, but if not, read everything.
2. I imagine you're concerned with 7X7 rankings - one of the challenges here is we don't project QS or H, but we can certainly recommend strategies for dealing with them.
3. Someone on here just participated in a 7X7, 20 teamer this weekend. I think it was posted in the Strategy section, but they may have observations on who this league liked.
4. Todd, my partner, should be around later and can certainly discuss the 7X7 method a bit to valuation, but I responded in that other thread and I think a lot of it would apply to you here.

[tamburgy]

Excellent!

Thanks for the quick response. I'm reading up on the articles as we speak, trying to wrap my head around the math

I'll check out the post you spoke of and give it a look.

Thanks again.

[50 Desert Eagles]

Hey Tamburgy, ok, I just got done with a 20 team 7x7 league. 11th pick though...some of the 7x7 stats are different then yours though...I would look at trading your pick if you can get a good deal for it. Hanley of course was the first off the board and should be your first pick as well(if you don't trade it) After about round 6, the talent goes straight down. I found a TON of OF out there, so if you can snag a different position player in spots 2-4, thats good. I took 3 OF 2-4, Markikas, Rios and Maggilio.....not too bad, but wish I would have taken a 2B or something else. With my first 11th pick, took Teixeria. Check your league to see if it favors RP/MR, if so, then don't take a SP too early. I took my first SP in round 8 and got Josh Johnson, My league heavy favors RP/MR (for Svs,Hlds,ERA,WHIP,K's) so I waited to the run of them started in round 5 and took Riveria, then took BJ Ryan 9th round......got several other RP/MR in late rounds.

[tamburgy]

Thanks Desert Eagle. I thought about trading the pick but there's really no good offers that came out of it. I'm currently torn between Pujols and Hanley. I know Hanley is the usual #1 pick, but i'm hesitant based on the categories. Draft is in two days, so i have some more time to think about it.

I did this draft last year (my first year in the league) and you're right about the talent dropping off. The league drafts very hitter heavy. No one really takes pitchers until after the first couple rounds (with exceptions of course).

The league, at least i think, favors RP/MR - based on categories such as WHIP, ERA, Holds, Saves, Net Wins, and K/9. However, we have an innings minimum of 1200 which means i'll have to mix. But the majority of the categories favor RP/MR.

It'll be weird this year since i do have the first pick, but i'll have to wait 40 picks for my second (but i get to pick back to back, which is nice).

Whether I choose Hanley or Pujols will determine rounds 2 and 3 for me. However, if a good power/speed combo guy is there, that'll be the choice. Pitchers i'll wait on, but try to grab a couple of closers before Round 10. Closers become very valuable trade chips mid-season in this league.

I'm still reading through the articles and trying to figure out how to value players based on my categories and number of teams. Hopefully i'll be able to figure it out by Thursday

[Todd Zola]

Welcome!!

The first thing you need to do is get some draft rankings based on your league's scoring system. Keep an eye on your e-mail, I will send you some hitter's data incorporating your league's parameters, we can decide how you want to handle your pitching with QS and holds at that time.

[tamburgy]

Thanks so much!

I've been reading the articles on the site and all i can say is wow.

It's made me think about things in such a different way, which is exactly what i was hoping.

It's amazing what a little bit of information can do to change your perspective.

[viper]

I've used a variation of SGP for a number of years. I have also followed Todd and Gary from the old Mastersball to FantasyBaseball and now back to the new Mastersball. After all these years, I am now only using Todd's valuation techniques. The reality of things are they don't differ enough from my old SGP all that much but the manipulation I can perform with CVCR are extensive. I'm not sure it will help my actual evaluations but I feel better about my drafts and tier rankings.

You will be happy here and rumor has it that if you actually understand everything Todd write, you can an honorary Masters degree from the University of Phoenix. To date, only Todd & Gary have that degree. The final exam is a true bitch.

[Guest]

Who said I understand everything Todd writes?

[viper]

yours was actually a honorary honorary degree.

[Todd Zola]

Actually, I'm not sure I understand everything I write.

Next year we budget for an editor

[viper]

so we have blind squirrels giving directions to deaf dogs. As I often say, "It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack"

[tamburgy]

Hey all!

So, thanks to some very quick and amazing work by Todd, I now have some values based on my league parameters.

Does anyone have any strategy advice they might be willing to offer? I took a look at the results of last years draft from the league, and only 15 pitchers were taken in the first 5 rounds (100 total players). I'd say half were starters and half were closers.

I'm thinking about drafting hitting for the first four rounds, then perhaps pick up a closer in the 5th (i pick back to back, so 4th or 5th doesn't make a difference). I figure i'll wait a few rounds to grab pitchers - how long though, i'm not sure.

I'd love any advice you might have in dealing with a deep, 20 team league. But I also have a few specific questions in mind.

1) Based on my league rules, would you wait until the 5th round to grab a closer; would you wait longer than the 5th?
2) I think that my league parameters favor MRs and RPs - do you agree? (K/9, Holds, Saves, WHIP, ERA, Net Wins, etc . .)
3) If you agree, how many RPs would you grab (10 pitchers start - 1200 innings minimum for the year).
4) Now that I have values for players, do you recommend drafting, at least in the beginning, based on best value?
5) If a pitcher has a higher value than a hitter on my list, but it's early (round 2-4) should i grab, or still go hitting?
6) Any other general advice.

I want to thank everyone for being so hospitable to the new guy, i've learned so much just over the last day reading.

I also want to thank Todd for helping me get values for my league, and doing it so quickly. Amazing work.

Draft starts tomorrow - it's a slow moving draft, usually takes the 2 weeks. I have the first pick - Hanley it is.

I can't wait for a great year!

[50 Desert Eagles]

If you send me your email addy, either public or PM me, then I will send you some screenshots of my recent 20 team draft and who was taken where....My league was a new league, BUT its a money league, so all players had anywhere from 3-8 years experience....so no rookies were around. One stratagy someone had was take ALL SP's with his first 5 picks....he got Lincecum, CC, Beckett, Harden(who knows why) Dice-K. Since he has traded Lincecum, CC....got Oswalt, Bay, Kemp back. So he now has some balance...his best BAT before trading was Dye Round 6.....

[tamburgy]

Interesting strategy.

There was a guy last year in the league who did a similiar thing. He drafted 6 catchers then dealed them for position players.

[cwk1963]

Interesting strategy.

There was a guy last year in the league who did a similiar thing. He drafted 6 catchers then dealed them for position players.