Mastersball Fantasy Forum

Need some advice how to prepare and any strategy info

Hate to do this (especially since we just exchanged e-mails) but I'm on deadline for three articles due tomorrow and am visiting ESPN in the morning.

Here are some old threads to check out while waiting for the troops to come yo your aid. I know they're mostly team reviews, but maybe you can get an idea of some specific questions. The thing you want to decide first is how you want to approach pitching. We'll use 25H/25P as a starting point. A couple of us will suggest closer to 27H/23P while others will preach 23H/27P.

I'll pop back on Friday, I promise.



http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3448

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3488

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4949

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4882

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4884

Todd and Perry can probably give you better overall strategy and hitter/pitcher splits, but one piece of advice to your dive into the NFBC DC leagues is to understand that you have no ways to fix your mistakes during the year. Your draft plan needs to factor in your appetite for risk, whether that be injury-prone players, the top minor league prospects that may or may not be called to the majors and position flexibility. A big part of success in these leagues, in addition to a little luck in staying healthy, is to be able to field a quality lineup all year long, as many have to take zeroes at a position because they didn't draft enough depth at a position or get too unlucky with the amount of injuries during the year.

Good luck in the draft - if you have the right mix of players that like to chat during the draft, it adds to the great time these drafts can be in talking baseball with similar minded people.

Mark

I look forward to it Todd.

Todd Zola wrote:Hate to do this (especially since we just exchanged e-mails) but I'm on deadline for three articles due tomorrow and am visiting ESPN in the morning.

Here are some old threads to check out while waiting for the troops to come yo your aid. I know they're mostly team reviews, but maybe you can get an idea of some specific questions. The thing you want to decide first is how you want to approach pitching. We'll use 25H/25P as a starting point. A couple of us will suggest closer to 27H/23P while others will preach 23H/27P.

I'll pop back on Friday, I promise.



http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3448

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3488

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4949

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4882

http://forum.mastersball.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=4884

Twags012 wrote:Need some advice how to prepare and any strategy info

When does your draft start Twags?

We have a lot of material going up December 1 (I believe - Todd can correct) for NFBC early leagues.

I will be glad to answer any questions and Todd has linked some good discussions.

Here are a few personal thoughts:
1) At least half your roster should be pitchers - more attrition there than anywhere else
2) I would want four catchers (those with additional position eligibility are big plus - Gattis, Gomes)
3) Be very careful about drafting minor league prospects - if they don't get called up next season they do you no good (for every Trout, Puig there are tons that just took up a roster spot that never played for the team that drafted them)
4) Good hitters with multiple positions (Matt Carpenter, Jed Lowrie etc are very valuable) ... at the right point

Fire away with specific questions

Drafted started today. I got 15th pick. I took encarnacion and longoria

Captain Hook wrote:

Twags012 wrote:Need some advice how to prepare and any strategy info

When does your draft start Twags?

We have a lot of material going up December 1 (I believe - Todd can correct) for NFBC early leagues.

I will be glad to answer any questions and Todd has linked some good discussions.

Here are a few personal thoughts:
1) At least half your roster should be pitchers - more attrition there than anywhere else
2) I would want four catchers (those with additional position eligibility are big plus - Gattis, Gomes)
3) Be very careful about drafting minor league prospects - if they don't get called up next season they do you no good (for every Trout, Puig there are tons that just took up a roster spot that never played for the team that drafted them)
4) Good hitters with multiple positions (Matt Carpenter, Jed Lowrie etc are very valuable) ... at the right point

Fire away with specific questions

LOVE EE -- not so much Longoria. I don't think we can blame health on less than 1st round numbers. Yet, he continues to be drafted in 1st round range despite never having finished with first round numbers.

ESPECIALLY because you're at the turn, you really need to think how you want to approach pitching.

Take 2 SP at 3/4?

Take 1 at each turn?

Take 2 at 5/6 turn?

Take 1 at 5/6 turn?

Take 6 straight hitters?

I didnt love longoria but with his fly ball rate and age i feel a big year is coming. Health is always a concern. Im thinking of grabbing lee and kimbrel next. Do you think that is to early for closer? 3 starters already taken through 8th pick of 2nd round. One team has kershaw and fernandez.

Bullpens are a complete clusterfrick -- even more so than normal.

If I am presently drafting in a league that used FAAB, I'm not drafting any closers.

In the DC's, a strong argument can be made for Kimbrel this early.

The problem with Longoria and his FB rate is his home digs aren't conducive to power hitters so if it doesn't clear the fence, it is usually caught which is why his BAvg is lower than 1st round worthy.

Ive got longoria/ee/cespedes/bumgarner.

If holland or chapman is available in the 5th i feel like ive got to take one. Jansen and kimbrel already gone

Twags012 wrote:Ive got longoria/ee/cespedes/bumgarner.

If holland or chapman is available in the 5th i feel like ive got to take one. Jansen and kimbrel already gone

Well you never "Have to" take one but I would certainly take Holland there (there will be Plenty of closers available later)
The one caveat with Chapman is that Cincinnati may again look at putting him into the rotation

Don't forget about Trevor Rosenthal as his late season numbers would suggest the same strikeout value as Kimbrel while ostensibly closing for a team that will have more save chances than the Braves

Closer run. All mentioned including rosenthal gone. Not chasing anyone else. This is a shitload of fun

Take a chill pill - you could win your league without a save and will still have lots of opportunity to get some closers or potential closers later - meanwhile you are ahead on offense and maybe can be better than most at SP

I went with mauer and santana back to back. Hoping to gain a catcher edge with at bats

No stolen bases yet on my team. Maybe a problem

Twags012 wrote:No stolen bases yet on my team. Maybe a problem

WHY? as I see it you are only through six rounds

Just grabbed perkins and janssen in 7th and 8th. That makes 10 closers taken was hoping to start another run. Really hate closers

going C-C and then Cl-Cl means you'll be behind on strikeouts -- which is fine if you choose ample starters so you can really maximize match-ups.

Plus, a there's a plausible path that neither Janssen nor Perkins close so I'd think about handcuffing them with Burton and Santos (I need to research this a little more.)

With so many bullpens in flux, I can easily see Perkins being traded as well as Jannsen. Janssen is sort of a tweener -- doesn't have the experience/reliability (health) you want for a WS contender but he's highly skilled so you can get a piece for him if you're rebuilding.

I'd consider Cody Allen of CLE later as a possible closer. You need guys like that in this format anyway and he seems like a good gamble.

I took belt and then lawrie. Reach for lawrie but hoping for the small sample size to continue. Belt ditto. Still have only 1 SP and very few SB

just picked Alexi Ramirez and Ryu

Ryu is an SP3 -- you're going to have to hit on some late starters. "Wait on pitching" doesn't generally work in the NFBC unless you get pretty lucky with picks in the teens.