Help! Fantasy Baseball Newby!

[kenley1]

Can you help a newby out?

This is my first season with fantasy baseball and I have gotten data and advice overload so far. Could you help me with these questions?
1) ESPN or CBS Sportsline or other website game?
2) Beginner drafting advice?
3) How to get into a league as an independent?
4) Most important indicator of a hitter? Pitcher?
5) Anyone looking for additonal owners? (Experience not necessary)
6) Any other advice?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to the replys.
Rob

[pilambp]

My advice.

1.) Yahoo. You don't have to pay to get great fantasy baseball.
2.) Do the live draft if possible. If not, look around at other ratings and adjust your prerankings as such. Don't go with the default because you'll miss out on a lot of great players.
3.) Join a public league. They are not as good as private ones, but good for a beginner. Otherwise, organize a bunch of people and start your own.
4.) Past Performance, Present Situation, Future Potential.
5.) No.
6.) Try not to get addicted

[Arlo]

For #5, check the Classifieds section.

[KDOGG]

all good suggestions except if your looking for a league to join you can search or post the classifieds forum on this site everyone always needs an extra owner

[Spartans Rule]

1. Yahoo is free and is a solid game. Very customizable league settings, you can play the way you want there.

2. As a beginner, don't try anything crazy as far as your draft strategy. You may read about all sorts of exotic strategies, but odds are if you haven't played before you aren't going to be able to find the necessary sleepers to execute them. Draft a balanced team and focus on low-risk players, and then learn as the season goes on.

3. The best bet is to get involved with a community like this one, get to know some good owners, and form a league with them. Private leagues with strangers are destined to end up collusive and public leagues are graveyards.

4. For hitters, look at walks. A lot of young hitters like to swing at everything. It may work for a year, but eventually pitchers will find something they can't hit. This is the reason you hear about the "sophomore jinx." Very few hitters can sustain long-term success without learning patience.

For pitchers, focus on Ks. Pitchers who strike out lots of batters generally have better stuff and better potential. Walks are also very important for pitchers, because if you can't throw strikes you can't be successful in the long run. K/BB ratio is a commonly used indicator of future pitcher performance.

5. I have a league with openings, but its not the best strategy to take strangers with no experience. Still, if you're interested, shoot me a PM.

6. The biggest key in fantasy baseball is patience. The season is very long and many studs will start out slow. Don't panic! I've seen many teams dump their best players in April only to watch them blow up in May. Stay the course, and maybe even look for bargains as other teams panic.

[rkenley1]

bump

[beej-lo]

1. yahoo is free and easy.
2. draft advice - 1st try and look at some expert mock drafts to see where players are going. 2nd - don't be keyed in on selecting your favorite player...people do this and it hurts their team. 3rd - get an idea of your personaly player rankings for each position...like saying you'll draft sexson before giambi. 4 - don't forget about last year's injured players 5 - don't expect rookies to be great. 6 don't trust spring training stats. 7 have fun and don't give up...no one likes a manager who drafts a team and gives up the first month.

[rkenley1]

Thanks to all who have offered suggestions.

[Mookie4ever]

Can you help a newby out?

This is my first season with fantasy baseball and I have gotten data and advice overload so far. Could you help me with these questions?
1) ESPN or CBS Sportsline or other website game?
2) Beginner drafting advice?
3) How to get into a league as an independent?
4) Most important indicator of a hitter? Pitcher?
5) Anyone looking for additonal owners? (Experience not necessary)
6) Any other advice?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to the replys.
Rob

1) if you are really new and broke - Yahoo. If you have money, Sportsline (you can join my league hehe)
2) visit the cafe as often as possible, get MLB Extra Innings and play at least one H2H and one roto this year
3) check cafe classifieds
4) if I had to pick one each OPS for hitter and WHIP for pitcher
5) you got the cash, I got the space
6) when you start out try to find a league with friends - it makes it a lot more enjoyable. Only once you have experience and need a bigger fix should you be joining online and impersonal leagues.


oh yeah - and register dammit!

[rkenley1]

bump