Recruiting a friend for a keeper league. Help!

[NYNY]

I'm trying to convince a friend of mine to join my keeper league. He has only done H2H in the past, which is obviously a different animal. I've already made some quick notes for him, but what would your advice be to a first-time keeper player?

[MashinSpuds]

This is a great question and could conceivably be put in the Baseball Leftovers for more discussion. Mods, think about it.

You would need to try and determine your friend's dedication and love of baseball. I find that if I only had a passing interest in baseball, or fantasy baseball for that matter, a keeper league wouldn't work out. You have to be willing to know information about most of the players on every team as well as their minor league system. You also have to be prepared to know the difference between parks, divisions, and manager tendencies. If this friend is merely a draft-and-watch kind of guy with minimal interest in trading, then he might be a tough addition.

As for advice to join a keeper league, tell the friend to study depth charts. He should also consider picking up a few issues of Baseball America to get the idea behind prospect watching. Finally, a few tips should be related to the scoring of your league. Are pitchers or batters more important? Are there too many categories to worry about just saves? If it's an auction league, is it better to spend money or go cheap? You can reveal as much or as little (competitively) as you wish, but through these explanations the friend will know what he's getting into. Even though it sounds like he can be scared away, I bet it is equally if not more likely he'll be more enthusiastic to join.

You may also want to remind him that in a keeper league having a player on the roster carries more weight than a redraft, so consider options more carefully regarding trades and drafting.

I hope this helps.... er, got a moment?

http://www.fantasybaseballcafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=420326

[fast dogs]

its just like single season leagues only alot more fun.
if you can't decide between 2 players go with youth. trading is much more interesting because you always weigh in helping you this year vs long term thinking. depending on how many keepers you get & if you have a minor league roster, you spend alot more time reading on AA & AAA players. the fewer # of keepers you hold over, the more it plays like a single season league. Larger # of keepers means you are always aware of who your bottom keeper or 2 are. Its the same game but with more thinking involved.I don't know any magic recruiting words, its just fantasy baseball for those that enjoy it more than the rest

[NYNY]

Thanks. I was debating about where to post this so (mods), if you want to move this discussion, feel free.

[thejusman1]

I would definitely try and gauge his interest. If he's only done casual fantasy baseball so far, tell him the commitment to a keeper league is significantly higher. If he bails the first year, it gets that much harder trying to get another owner to take over a failing team with bad keepers.

[BitterDodgerFan]

don't keep closers
don't keep too many SPs

[NYNY]

Thanks Bitter Dodger Fan. That's kinda the little stuff that I would like him to know. But I guess part of the strategy is that he needs to figure that out for himself!

[ayebatter]

Don't keep catchers, and if you have Posey/Mauer/McCann/Santana, trade 'em NOW.

[West]

All I do is keeper leagues.

Draft young, improving players in secure jobs.
I think some guys in keeper leagues consistently overvalue rookies and "can't miss" prospects. I see managers who play keeper leagues like a redraft and have success year in and year out. It just takes a bit more planning for the future and the ability to hand off aging superstars before they become obsolete that makes you a competitor every year.
And patience. I kept Felix Hernandez every year until he had his breakout. It paid off in the end.

[A Fleshner Fantasy]

don't keep closers
don't keep too many SPs

Agree on closers, not so much on SP. If you can have a dominant staff year in and year out, that's hugely valuable. Don't keep INJURY PRONE SP is a better piece of advice.