How to Win Your Auction Style Fantasy Baseball League

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Go into the draft with a plan

   How will you spend that money on the 23 positions available?
2. 2

   Step 2: don't just wing it.Most money leagues have a salary cap of $260 on draft day.

   , On this list, have the most you are willing to pay for a player, and set yourself at that price.
   
   Don't go too hard after certain players because they play for your home team. , $1 players are usually the backups, or subpar starters. ,, A well-balanced team may leave you smack dab in the middle of the standings, unable to dominate in any particular statistic. ,, Take the redeemers and reap the rewards. , If your league has minor league and minor league picks, use those in your trades.
   
   Trade for categories you are in need of, not something you are already strong in. , If you read the book, you realize Billy Beane is just running a de facto fantasy baseball team.
   
   Though you needn't overanalyze your fantasy team, general principles outlined in the book for picking players can be useful.
   
   Joe Shlabotnik's .350 batting average means diddly squat next year, because he can't walk and can't hit for power.
   
   Only fools would pick Shlabotnik high in next year's fantasy draft. , Advanced statistics can be good as predictive tools, but in the end the league will likely be scored based upon more simplistic statistics. , As the great P.T.
   
   Barnum once said, "there's a sucker born every minute."
   
   and this applies even in fantasy baseball leagues.
   
   You will almost surely have someone in your league who insists on buying high and selling low and riding every player's short-lived wave of success for all it's worth.
   
   Use them to purchase players with high upside for nominal prices.
3. 3

   Step 3: Get a season preview

4. 4

   Step 4: preferably the most recent edition; most of the time they are weekly publications.

5. 5

   Step 5: Rank players for each position -- do about the top 50 or so for each position

6. 6

   Step 6: and more than that for pitchers

7. 7

   Step 7: utility players

8. 8

   Step 8: and corner men and middle infielders.

9. 9

   Step 9: Determine what players are really worth $40

10. 10

    Step 10: what players are worth $20

11. 11

    Step 11: and what players are the minimum ($1).

12. 12

    Step 12: Find the middle-priced guys that will help back up your highly-priced star players.

13. 13

    Step 13: Decide if you are going to build your team around pitching or hitting

14. 14

    Step 14: either strategy can bring you success

15. 15

    Step 15: but ensure your team is strong in one or the other so you can take all available points in the categories.

16. 16

    Step 16: Think hard about in-season pickups

17. 17

    Step 17: especially if pickups cost additional money in your league.

18. 18

    Step 18: Look for "the redeemers": stars who disappoint for one year and fall in the fantasy draft.

19. 19

    Step 19: Make sure you are making good trades.

20. 20

    Step 20: Read "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis.

21. 21

    Step 21: Forget a lot of what you know about advanced baseball statistics.

22. 22

    Step 22: Prey on the ignorant owners.

Detailed Guide

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