What did you learn last year? My advice for this year...

[Steve-o]

Last year I kept a running diary of my fantasy baseball thoughts. It was a what I did wrong and how I think I can correct it for next year. Here are some of the highlights:


1.) Never start a pitcher against a team he faced less than a week ago
2.) Avoid injury plagued players in rounds 1-5
3.) Really, really follow the age 27 rule
4.) MR should not be drafted unless as a backup to an elite closer
5.) Average your sources, do not rely on one item (Shandler this year)
6.) Know your scoring system – double check the day before or the day of the draft
7.) Avoid hitters switching leagues – dramatic decrease in OPS
8.) It’s hard to win in a daily transactions league with little flexibility in your bench
9.) Spring training really does mean crap. If you happen to have the ST HR leader – probably should trade him
10.) Don’t spot start NL pitchers in AL parks during inter-league play
11.) Only draft NL pitchers
12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues
13.) SP is overrated. Not in the first 5+ rounds.

Obviously some of the nevers and onlys should be taken with a grain of salt. And some of them are fairly obvious, but it needs to be said nonetheless.

Be curious to learn what tidbits anyone else came up with last year.

[AcidRock23]

I totally agree w/ many of these points! Great list. I tested the MR theory last year and stunk it up. Very little gained from having top (projected) MR on several teams, including a HOLDS league. I'm steering clear this year. I did not keep a diary though as it was too painful....

[ensanimal]

12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues

Since when is Edmonds a part-time player?

[BigLebowski]

12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues

Since when is Edmonds a part-time player?

I don't get that either. Also if it's a daily transaction league, why does it matter if they are part time or not. Use them in a platoon, you know if they are gonna start or not, so it should be an issue.

[AcidRock23]

12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues

Since when is Edmonds a part-time player?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5151/splits;_ylt=AikmfHUxGrKJunaDmFfu0IOFCLcF

look at his splits month by month last year, he was BRUTAL...especially if you are trying to run a bunch of MR too...he's too powerful to bench but 90 AB one month and 60 the next really can make it challenging, particularly if there's little info and you miss games constantly (this H2H, BTW...) because he 'might' play and then blows it off @ the last minute...maybe he just had an off year but I'm steering clear of him and watching out for guys who do that this year....

[MotorCityKitties]

12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues

Since when is Edmonds a part-time player?

I don't get that either. Also if it's a daily transaction league, why does it matter if they are part time or not. Use them in a platoon, you know if they are gonna start or not, so it should be an issue.

You dont always know who is going to start. I agree though that the Edmonds comment doesn't make sense. Did he maybe mean Larry Walker? He turned to part time for a long stretch of the year.

[dewey finn]

I learned not to draft pitchers early either....because for hitters, there's a drop off fantasy wise after the first 5 or so rounds.

[Steve-o]

12.) Don’t draft part time players (like Edmonds, Nixon, etc) in H2H leagues

Since when is Edmonds a part-time player?

I probably wrote that becuase last year So Taguchi seemed to be playing a lot. I was in a H2H league and really needed more of an everday player.

Looking back at the numbers, I can see what I meant.

2002 - 144 G, 476 AB
2003 - 137 G, 447 AB
2004 - 153 G, 498 AB
2005 - 142 G, 467 AB

I don't know about you, but I want 500+ AB from a guy who was drafted in the the early 4th round (in 2005 - ADP was 38). Looking back on where I took him, I think it was a mistake, especially since it was a H2H league.

[WittyC]

9.) Spring training really does mean crap. If you happen to have the ST HR leader – probably should trade him

Wasn't Andruw Jones the ST homerun leader? Seems to me like he had a pretty decent year.

I learned just one thing last year during fantasy baseball... don't trust a man if his name is Adrian.

[AcidRock23]

I don't know about you, but I want 500+ AB from a guy who was drafted in the the early 4th round (in 2005 - ADP was 38). Looking back on where I took him, I think it was a mistake, especially since it was a H2H league.

Unless, of course, WebGems is a cat...