The Latest Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide
Are you looking for a fantasy baseball draft guide?
Pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training before you know it. We’re also getting closer to your baseball fantasy draft.
We’re in the middle of the silly season in baseball and most fantasy baseball players are enjoying the offseason rumors. Those who are getting ready to win their leagues this season are planning their teams now.
That’s why we created this guide.
Is your competitive drive going? Good. Keep reading for our fantasy baseball draft guide.
The Top Baseball Fantasy Draft Tips
You don’t need to be an online sportswriter to understand the ins and outs of putting together a championship winning fantasy team.
You just need to know a few simple things.
Have the Right Mindset
Before you look at your stats or pick your first player, you might need an attitude shift.
ESPN 5-time champion Tristan Cockroft says that you have to say the magic words “I will win this league.” You have to say them out loud and believe it.
At the same time, you have to keep in mind that anything can happen in baseball. That’s why you love the sport so much.
With that in mind, expect a 65% rate on your team. That’s a high bar, but leaves a lot of room for error.
Imagine if someone bats .600. That would be incredible. So would winning your league.
Know Your League
To have a killer draft, you have to know the league rules and format.
What are the roster requirements? What’s the scoring system? Are there bench rules, wavier-wire rules, and trading rules?
Certain players are going to be great fits for certain formats. That’s why you need to know the rules beforehand.
For example, in a points based league, look for players who frequently hit doubles. In a rotisserie league, draft players that are fast. That’s because stolen bases count for about 20% of the points.
Draft the Right Pitchers
This fantasy baseball draft guide recommends that you be bold and draft a top pitcher in the early rounds. There are few elite pitchers you can count on to deliver an ERA of 3.00 and 200 strikeouts.
What kind of difference would having two of those elite pitchers on your team mean to your stats? It would make a massive difference. We think that you should have 2 aces by the seventh round.
With closers, don’t try to get them off of the wavier-wire. It’s not worth it. And besides, drafting a top closer early can add strikeouts to your points tally.
Draft Players in Peak Production
It’s rare to see a young player have a major impact on a consistent basis. Baseball players tend to peak around 26-32 years old.
You want to be certain that you’re picking players that are in the prime of their careers, not players that are up and coming or past their prime.
Check Out Mock Draft Results
Mock drafts are a great way to practice your drafting skills and prepare yourself for just about any outcome.
You can also study mock drafts by experts at Rotoworld, Baseball America, and MLB.com to see how they’re drafting their teams.
It’s a great chance for you to see who potential sleepers are.
Make Your Fantasy Baseball Draft a Party
A fantasy baseball draft guide wouldn’t be complete without talking about the draft day itself.
If you want to make your fantasy draft awesome, make it a party. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your league mates and start the trash talking early.
Here are a few tips to make your draft party unforgettable:
The Big Rule
The first rule of the draft party is: Do not disturb. Find a space that’s big enough to hold the league members and where there will be zero distractions.
Also, the party must be limited to league members only. No significant others, kids, or friends. This will keep the draft focused.
Food and Beverages
A baseball fantasy draft can be a long day. You’ll need to have food and snacks to keep people fueled for the important task at hand.
Don’t go crazy with food–you should keep it simple. Pizza or some kind of takeout will be fine, as long as people eat before the draft begins. For snacks, you can’t go wrong with chips and guacamole.
You will want a mix of soft drinks and adult beverages, too. Remember, it’s a long day and you want people to be able to drive themselves home.
Don’t Let the Computer Pick the Order
Up the ante and the suspense of your draft by having a lottery. It can be a simple as picking numbers out of a hat.
You don’t want the computer to decide the order. That can take the fun away from the draft before it starts.
Have a Giveaway
A fantasy baseball draft can be long. You can break things up by having giveaways during breaks.
For example, have a set of trivia questions for people to answer correctly. Prizes can vary from team trading pins to team memorabilia. You can even make your own baseball lamp to giveaway.
Have a Draft Board and Timer
It’s the 15th round of your draft. Some guy who thinks he’s Billy Beane is taking 40 minutes to decide his pick. At this point, everyone in the room wants to take his stat sheet and tear it up.
This situation is completely avoidable with a timer. Have an agreed time limit and have some kind of penalty if someone goes over.
A draft board adds a professional touch to your fantasy league. You can go old school with your board or you can connect your TV to a computer and have your draft board there.
Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for Winners
This fantasy baseball draft guide showed you how you can make the best picks in the best atmosphere on draft day.
To be successful, you have to have the right attitude, expectations, and be as prepared as possible to win. That’s not far from what the pros do every day.
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