Ask Mike: Fantasy Baseball Is Here
Hey Guys,
Back in the day, fantasy baseball was strictly for stat freaks: Guys (like myself) who obsessed over things like Mookie Wilson’s batting average (.274 lifetime, FYI) and how many batters Nolan Ryan would strike out each season (answer: around 245).
Nowadays fantasy baseball is almost as popular as the real thing. And with the season starting up, players are turning to Yahoo! Answers for advice on how to draft a contender. A simple search on “fantasy baseball” brings up nearly 200 open questions on the tricky topic.
Some community members want tips on draft strategy. For example, Johnny731 is looking for all around contributors who dominate in multiple categories a la A-Rod. Another fantasy player wants feedback on the team he’s drafted. He’s already gotten a few responses from folks who suggest he needs a pitcher or two ASAP.
But fantasy baseball is more than the draft. It’s also about trading players throughout the year. I’ve seen more than a few community members ask if a proposed trade is a good deal or a rip off. Not a bad idea, really. An impartial third party on Yahoo! Answers is probably more likely to give you an honest opinion than a rival player.
Of course, like anything, fantasy baseball isn’t for everyone. Still, those who love to play really love to play. I’d like to know why. Is it the stats? The competition? The chance to feel like a real general manager? To all who play, please leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading,
And that’s why when people want answers for fantasy baseball they come to the Owner
Its nice that for once a sports section gets the chance to featured. It shows that at least they recognize the hard work that a lot of us have put in to help out a lot of people in the fantasy sports section.
From current people like Owner, RedSoxfan, SeahawksBlitz, Dugout Stories, to older guys like Roadkill and CrashFu. Its really nice to at least see some recognition.
Thanks,
Owner
I believe it makes the game as a whole, more interesting. I admit I was a fair-weather fan of baseball growing up, but since I started playing fantasy baseball (and other sports) nine years ago, I watch the games (not just my home teams) with interest because I have something vested in it…
The reason i like to play is mainly because of the competition. And also I’m a Mets fan so I watch nothing but Mets game and fantasy baseball actually got me interested in other games that isnt Mets related. I would tune into a game between lets saw the Washington National and the Florida Marlin because I want to see if my guy Mike Jacob could give me the fantasy point I need to beat my rival. So fantasy baseball gives me more interest in other Mlb games
It’s kind of the natural thing to do when you’ve grown up as a diehard baseball fan in the electronic age. I’m even more impressed by those folks who used to play fantasy baseball without computers (Jack Kerouac, et al), but I’m not that dorky (well, yes I am…). It is a great way to keep up with what’s going on around the league any given season. And if you love the sport, you’re bound to enjoy the company of those who duke it out against their friends, family, and work buddies–even if vicariously so. I like to listen to my friends talk about their exploits against fantasy managers in leagues that I’m not even directly involved in. It’s all a bit of a learning process, and a fun thing for a fan to do. It’s great to be able to pull for players from different teams.
What serious baseball fan has not at some point dreamed about running his own team?? I’m thinking most have — and fantasy baseball comes close to that. Each fantasy player determines things like who to start and bench, as well as roster moves and trades. Fantasy baseball makes real fans out of trivial fans, and makes those who already loved the game total baseball junkies.
It’s everything. It’s a mix of your initial draw to the sporting events, it’s the math, it’s the $$$, it’s the drive to succeed and put forward the best competition you can possibly orchestrate.
It’s nice to see all of the people who are contributors in the fantasy sports section such as myself, finally getting some credit. That’s not what I’m in it for. I’m in it to help people make decisions on building the foundation for a team that will contend. I’m not in it for the points and the “best answers”, I’m here to reassure people they are doing that right thing, and I am trying to spread my sports knowledge into the minds of others.
I know fantasy baseball is tricky sometimes and it is tough to make certain decisions (I have spent an hour contemplating one roster move) because one false move could break your season. Good job to all of the regulars out there who share their advice. CrashFu gave some great answers while he was here and many others have followed suit. Just remember that the answers are about quality, not quantity, and the best reward for helping someone is knowing you made a decision easier for them. Best answers are secondary.
Thanks for the recognition,
seahawksblitz8
Don’t tell me that there is another person who plays Yahoo Fantasy Baseball who remembers the olden days of snail mailing your weekly lineup!
How did we survive without the StatTracker? Oh yeah, we got up before school and ran outside in our underwear to grab the box scores . . . and the rest of the meaningless newspaper. Hand made pencil spreadsheets on notebook paper, Baseball America for top prospects, and listening to Joe Nuxall describing Mario Soto’s awesome change-up!
Tough times we saw.
Thankfully, now, it’s much easier to control my 22 teams.
I really enjoy the draft. I’ve played fantasy football and baseball, and for me, baseball blows FF out of the water.
It’s the out-thinking of your opponents during the draft. Knowing whom to pick and when. Getting that gem that only you know about during the later rounds. Someone named Josh Hamilton, overlooked by quite a few, batting over .600 in ST last I checked (last week). I know, rough past, but still.
Another draft I got a 30 save guy (Accardo) in the 21st (last) round. Praise the Lord, lol.
BUT! It gets better! Ittttt gets better! People get injured! People have bad seasons! So what do you do?! You search the free agent list to see who’s the suprise of the year. Xavier Nady and Kasey (or is it Casey) Kotchmann were decent pick ups for me last year.
That’s the thrill of it! You just don’t know, you never know. You can have a pretty good idea, but you never. Know.
It’s the out-thinking, craftyness of it that I love the most.
And of course, crushing them. It’s, now I can’t see it’s as great as crushing an opponent in real-life ball, but it’s still sweet.
I’m not a basketball fan, however I believe it has its advantages and disadvantages it depends on the individual, who’s to say a basketball fantasy, is just a fantasy, it depends on the individual
Thank You
Iris Jackson
Baseball is cool. -_*
For some it helps them love the game more. For others, like myself, it helps pass the time until the fantasy football rolls back around. The biggest reason we are all addicted to fantasy sports in general is for the competition factor. Getting to rub that 3 Homer (or 3 Touchdown) game in your buddies faces is just great.
How did you get this job? I mean you probably got a degree from a decent school, but that doesn’t mean you know more about sports than me. It doesn’t necessarily make you a better writer either. Gotta love America.