Monday, 21 November 2011

Fantasy MLB Pitchers Pickup

Drafting in fantasy MLB can be difficult to some who are not prepared and do not know which player to pick. Don’t be like the fantasy MLB manager who seems to be groping in the dark. Here we have a list of Pitchers who are notable and worth the pickup. Some of the pitchers here are packing up on their potentials for 2012.

Jason Motte, Cardinals
Key stats – 5 SV, 0 BS, 2.19 ERA, 0.49 WHIP
It seems that the Cardinals have found their closer. Motte took over ninth-inning duties in September and ran with the job. Even with La Russa’s record-setting October bullpen use, no other reliever received a save chance during the Cards’ World Series run. Consider Motte a solid second-tier closer for 2012.

Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
Key Stats – 4-0, 3.25 ERA, 36 IP
Probably one hailed as a hero and will be talked about long after his career ends. Not surprising that he performed well back in October. He’s still an asset for the fantasy MLB staff despite the 4-7 first half. he only cause for concern is his workload. When all was said and done, the right-hander tossed a whopping 273 1/3 innings in 2011.

C.J. Wilson Rangers
Key Stats – 0-3 5.79 ERA, 1.71 WHIP
His outstanding statistics can be quite a hook for most fantasy managers out there. The 30-year-old walked 19 batters in 28 October innings and we won’t soon forget the batter he hit with his first pitch in Game 6 of the World Series. But some say to stay away from this pitcher, the lack of control can be quite concerning and if you combine his high innings total and his October struggles perhaps one will understand.

Matt Moore Rays
Key Stats – 1-0, 0.90 ERA, 0.60 WHIP
This lefty of a pitcher is insanely talented. Combine Moore’s masterful regular season start against the Yankees with his domination of the Rangers in the postseason and you have 2012's biggest pitching sleeper. Moore silenced two of the top offenses in baseball and fantasy owners will be excited to see what he can do against weaker competition. Expect the Rays to clear out a rotation slot for him this winter.

Justin Verlander, Tigers
Key Stats – 5.31 ERA, 1.43 WHIP
Well, it seems that this pitcher is also human. After an MVP-caliber regular season, Verlander battled a pair of top offenses in October. His postseason stats will serve as a reminder that he’ll be hard pressed to duplicate his magical 2011 season next year as any pitcher would.

Evaluation Tips for Fantasy MLB Players!

When it comes to evaluating players, we just don’t take it at face value. We should go in deeper and analyze their past performances in order to predict their future performances and if they are worth it to be in our fantasy MLB team. This is what veterans do and here we have gathered tips on evaluating players from fantasy MLB champions and experts.

Hitter Evaluation
What should you look for when making rankings and projections for hitters? Focus on three aspects such as power, place discipline and speed. A hitter who has command of the strike zone is going to put himself in a better position to have a higher batting average than a free swinger. Years of Sabermetric evidence also show these players have a higher ceiling as well. Home runs are a key category in any fantasy game, so we like to see growing home run totals. Remember when players age minor league doubles often turn into home run power. In fantasy MLB games, speed on the basepaths I an important element mostly but is an overrated factor in the real game.

On Base Average – We commonly would like to see a batter above .350 and are worried when a batter is below .300. A low OBA means poor plate discipline and the batting average is a risk to go lower.

Sluggish average – We would like a batter above .450 at a minimum and like to see true prospects hit above .500 in the minors (depending on park factors) and are worried when a batter should go lower than .400.

Stolen Base Ratio – It’s wonderful when batters get to steal a lot of bases in the minors or early in their careers. On the other hand if their base stealing rate is less than 60% then they are likely costing the team runs and their stolen base attempts may be reduced in the future.

Batting Average – Statistical research has shown batting average has a lower relation to runs scored than on base average. Basically there are too many factors (fielding, ballparks) that can cause wild fluctuations in a hitter's batting average. Command of the strike zone is a better indicator of future batting average than previous trends in batting average alone.

RBIs – You can spot a good hitter when he produces RBIs if given a good spot in the order and on a team that can put runners on base.

Drafting Rookies for Your Fantasy NBA Sports

If you’re thinking to draft rookies in your team then you are in luck. Today, we have all the top rookies that should be in your fantasy NBA team. You may have heard in the past to stay away from drafting rookies or if they should be drafted at least wait for later rounds for them. However, after the past two seasons this is not the case anymore. High draft picks have been getting quality minutes and therefore are able to produce fantasy viable stats.

Let us get down and dirty with the top rookies that should make your fantasy NBA team.

John Wall WAS | PG
He definitely has a ton of hype going on this season since not only is he the number one overall pick but he is also fresh off of winning the NBA’s summer league MVP.

We believe he will live up to every bit of the hype. Wall is slated to start at point guard and we believe he is more than NBA ready with his amazing athleticism, great vision, and his CP3 like quickness. This attributes and the fact he will have the ball in his hands the majority of the time will lead to a ton of assists and good amount of points. The one category Wall could really help your team out in, is steals. So make sure your league actually accommodate steals in scoring.

DeMarcus Cousins SAC | PF
They’ve been playing greatly and true enough they have packed up some power to their team. Their rank in the overall pick increased and they are in the top three. Having them in your team will definitely amp things up.

Blake Griffin LAC | SF/PF
After a tragic knee injury, Griffin is back in the game and he could be a steal for you. Though he can be quite small we say talent is talent and everyone knows that he can definitely score and be an asset in your fantasy NBA team.

Wesley Johnson MIN | SG/SF
Now this is a player that has been touted as the most NBA ready rookie and of course, it comes with good reasons. He has a good frame for the NBA and the range to hit NBA three pointers. If you need one more reason to like him, he is on the Timberwolves where he will be asked to score.

Greg Monroe DET | C
If you want a strong defense Monroe is definitely the no-brainer choice.

Drafting Guides for Fantasy NHL


Drafting for fantasy NHL may be quite different than the other fantasy sports games out there so knowing how this works can save you a lot of time, effort and also money if you are betting for it.

Fantasy NHL drafts are a tradition to some once NHL seasons kicks in and most of them are preparing for the season through mock drafts, gathering information with players and more.

Fantasy NHL Leagues are fun to join in and they are also fun to create with friends, colleagues and even family relatives.

When it comes to drafting, a strong draft is a great foundation for the season. It can give you an enormous advantage in your league, one that could translate into a spot in the winner’s circle at the end of the season. The key here is to be prepared at all times and to go into your draft with a focused tactic to back you up.

Here is a guide for fantasy NHL draft in order to dominate your game:

If your players have a new coach then it could have an impact with their game. Take note of this nitty-gritty information as most fantasy managers don’t. This could be an advantage so know what sort of reaction players have for new coaches. Do they perform better or worse?

Instead of using traditional categories like goals and assists, suggest that your pool move to a more advanced statistics such as Corsi and Delta SOT that do a better job of measuring a player’s true value.

Also, be sure to take a nice and thick magazine with you to the draft. This will be a good back up when your laptop keeps on cutting out of the internet or even take a few to lend to your other league members.

Every year there are a few players who greatly exceed even the most optimistic projections, and who can almost single-handedly determine the winner of a pool. You should probably try to figure out who those guys are going to be and then draft a whole bunch of them.

Don’t be “that guy” who goes to a hockey game and yells at the players to let them know they’re on your fantasy team. To really get their attention, you’ll need to whisper it from under their bed just as they’re falling asleep. Screaming to players is just crass and pedestrian, have some class and try consulting a voodoo expert on that.

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Drafting in Fantasy Football Tips!

We are here once again to give you the latest tips about drafting fantasy football, keep your eyes open and keep the tips handy! Drafting is one of the keys that will help you win in Fantasy Football!

Never draft according to bye weeks. I’ve experienced this before, since when you in a middle of the draft byes are always the first thing that I seem to forget, true enough it is very easy to forget. Football of course hasn’t quite caught up with baseball so we are stuck with head to head leagues making winning every week a necessity but if the value is there, draft the best guys and sort the rest out later.

Know the basics like Average Draft Position since this is very important in Fantasy Football. It won’t hurt to check out ADP especially the ADP from the site you are using if that’s possible.

Cheating ain’t so bad unless you are cheating with your wife. Here, you can use a cheat sheet, you can make your own or take one from a site or expert that you prefer but be prepared. There’s nothing crappier than having that draft clock ticking down and you’re absolutely clueless who to pick. Keep yourself updated with your own tier sheet as I created myself. Being a boy-scout and being prepared will save your ass.

The D or K is for the last two rounds, otherwise, don’t draft either. This is a no brainer but keep in mind that there will always be managers who will reach for defense and sometimes even kickers. From year to year fantasy defenses and kickers often change so often that wasting a pick, even a round or two earlier is a waste! I don’t often take a kicker or even a defense at times, especially if the draft is before or during preseason games. If you can’t take a late round flier on a player that could win a position battle and be worth more than someone you picked earlier, you can be head of you league mate. It is also feasible to stream kickers and defense.

You can also try making mock drafts as much as possible since a lot of your run of the mill fantasy leagues have very few bench spots because people have to mow the load, pick up the kids or take the dog for a walk and it is often difficult to make up for bad draft picks with late upside bench players. You need to feel comfortable drafting from different positions.

Daily Fantasy Strategy Drafts Worth Keeping

If you are thinking about some hard and fast rules when it comes to draft strategy, keep in mind that the one rule that trumps all of these rules as they call it – it that there are absolutely no rules that are hard and fast. If you are hesitant to draft a Quarter Back early but then Mike Vick is available in the third round and you pass on him, then you deserve to be pitched to the hell-hole of humiliation. It won’t hurt to use a little bit of common sense.

Now, these are simply a few guidelines that would help you draft a competitive team.

Being able to think on your feet and make informed decisions on the spot is what makes a competitive team into championship team. Your daily fantasy strategy drafts are coming right up!

Draft A Load Full of RBs

If you want an easier to predict than running backs then try a good 2nd and 3rd wide receivers, this should give you a smooth start. They are always able to remain healthier than RBs since RBs touch the ball more, which also means that they get hit a lot as well. Productive waiver wire receiver are easier to come across with than running backs. The right late round running back is like having a fantasy football golden ticket but of course, without the crazy chocolate river boat ride. Go and grab your starting receivers and then stock up on running backs!

Reach for your desired players: It’s a humbling experience to learn from this especially last season when like most people, I was so high on Arian Foster but I always seem to miss out on him in my drafts. Don’t play it safe. Don’t worry about league mates deriding you until you weep in a corner. Choose the guy you want despite picking through teary and blurry vision.

In the first round, drafting a quarter back is a NO-GO. Though this question is old and has been questioned often, any position where you only start one player needs to be waited on. There are 32 teams and if you are lucky enough to be in the 12 team league then you got it! Remember that there are only 12 starting QBs. Stick to this rule and things will be fine.

You daily fantasy strategy drafts dose have been given! Now is the time to put it to action and try it out yourself!

Daily Fantasy Strategy: Baseball Draft Day Tips

Here are essential tips you should consider on draft day as part of a successful daily fantasy strategy. They are in no particular order, nor are they presented in any type of weighted format. They are just here for you to consider, so use the ones you want while skipping those you don't.
  • Everyone knows the key players, so take the time to research the players who will be taken in the late middle rounds to the end of the draft.
  • To jack up the price of a player in a draft auction, open with a high bid. Usually, everyone bids at least once on a superstar player in an effort to drive up his price.
  • Nominate the following players early in the auction: players you do not want, players from positions you are strong in, players on local teams, rookies, overhyped players and players coming off injuries.
  • Balance the categories and don't throw one away. Wins and batting averages are the least predictable of the categories so these are the ones to spend less on and let luck work in your favor.
  • Pay attention to last-minute trades and transactions in Major League Baseball and judge how these will affect the playing time and dollar values of players.
  • Draft some multi-position players or utility players to give you roster flexibility. This can be a season-saver when injuries strike.
  • Keep track of the prices players are going for compared with what you have anticipated, and then jump in and start buying when the players are going for less than expected.
  • Do not come into the draft thinking you have to acquire a certain player at all costs. Moreover, do not obsess over your favorite players.
  • In figuring out which pitchers to take, get those that throw strikes. You cannot defend against a walk. Also, check for statistical trends. Are they walking fewer, more, or staying consistent yearly? Look at their strikeouts to innings pitched ratio. The closer that ratio is to being one or above, the better. The fewer a pitcher's walks allowed, the better.
  • Stay away from long relievers, or relievers who may get put into the starting rotation. These are the sacrificial lambs left on the mound when a team is behind 11-3 in the third. They will pitch no matter what way until the eighth.
  • Track the money your opponents have and the categories and positions they need. Know who you are competing with and each owner's salary situation, especially in the end game.
  • With all the things you need to keep track of, it may be smart to have a partner or a friend be with you on draft day and share in the draft duties.
  • When acquiring hitters, try to get as many everyday starters as possible. It’s not necessary to be big-name players. A lineup of regulars is better than two or three superstars and a bunch of utility guys.
  • Write down the name of the team that you outbid for a particular player. That team's owner will likely be the most interested party in the event you wish to trade that player later.
  • Generally, do not spend double digits on a rookie. That way, if they bomb—and most do—it will not hurt you too much. There are always exceptions to the rule, but you are better off following this advice more often than not.
  • If you don't pick the pitchers you want in the early stages of the draft, then get situational lefties and set-up men to fill your roster. They will post excellent stats, vulture some wins and keep you in the running until you can land those starters.
  • Finally, remember that the draft is like a poker game. Almost all the players have been reading up on info and advice. Many know the other players' strategies through the years, so they may do something totally different than expected to ambush you. Be wary, adjust to the trends and expect the unexpected when planning for your daily fantasy strategy.