FANTASY BASEBALL 101 – A GUIDE FOR NOVICES
Whether you are a fantasy baseball novice or an experienced player looking to branch out to new formats, this section
provides a summary of terms that are typically used to describe different methods of playing fantasy baseball.
Introduction. Fantasy baseball allows you and your friends to act as general managers of an imaginary baseball team. You
and your friends, colleagues, whomever, form a league and each of you draft a roster of real life baseball players onto your
team. Like real life general managers, you can make trades, pick up free agents, and make waiver claims. The statistics
your players compile in real life are tabulated on a daily basis. The statistics of your team are compared to the statistics of
the other teams in your league. The team with the best statistics (under the scoring format your league uses) wins the
league.
Fantasy Format
1. Traditional 4x4
When fantasy baseball was created, this format was the first used. Offensive categories used are home runs, RBI, stolen
bases, and batting average. Pitching categories used in the 4x4 format are wins, saves, WHIP (walks + hits/innings
pitched), and ERA (earned run average). A team earns points in each category used, with the maximum number of points
being the number of teams in the league, the minimum amount of points in a category being “1”. Thus, if you are in a 12
team league and have the most saves, you get 12 points in that category. Add up all the points your team has earned in
each category to determine your league’s standings.
2. Extended 5x5
As fantasy baseball became increasingly popular, the traditional format expanded and began to take a new shape. Interest
in runs and strikeouts as peripheral statistics pressured the introduction of both as formal categories. More and more
leagues nowadays are adding statistical categories beyond just runs and strikeouts. You do not have to look hard to find
leagues that employ extra-base hits, caught-stealing, slugging and on-base percentages, holds, etc. Such leagues use
these peripheral categories as substitutes for the traditional 4x4 categories, or as extra categories that in effect create a
6x6 or even 7x7 leagues.
3. Draft vs. Auction
Your league will begin with either a draft or an auction. Both formats have unique advantages and drawbacks. Many
fantasy general managers try both before deciding which format s/he favors.
Traditional fantasy baseball began as a live auction. League members would meet at a common location and dedicate
themselves to the task of bidding against each other for available players. Typically, equal sums of money (traditional rules
say $260 for 23 players) are allotted to each fantasy GM. Each participant will nominate a player by bidding at least $1 and
then the bidding war ensues.
One benefit to the auction format is that all fantasy general managers have access to all available players. If a manager is
willing to pay richly for a superstar, that player is always within reach. Another benefit is that it’s just plain fun and involves a
lot of strategy!
Auctions, however, do involve the additional pressure of bidding against competitors live. They require a sizeable time
commitment relative to drafts, and often last five, six, or even seven hours depending on league size and auction style.
Auctions can be tiring also. The emotional rollercoaster of feeling as if you have landed a bargain only to watch another
team sneak in at the last moment and register a winning bid is taxing for many fantasy general managers, and may not be
fun for everybody. When fantasy baseball moved from the living room to the internet, interest in the auction format waned.
With dedicated general managers or local leagues, the auction has seen resurgence in popularity recently.
The alternative to bidding on players in an auction-style is a draft. Fantasy GM’s have the option to draft in real-time,
extended-time, or have a computer auto-draft. Like any professional sports draft, teams draft in snaking fashion until the
final roster spot is occupied. A manager does not have access to all players when selecting in a draft format. Once a player
is drafted, that player becomes unavailable to other teams outside of a trade. For this reason, a draft involves different
strategy than an auction. Keeper leagues often grant the last place finisher from the previous season the first pick in the
following season’s draft.
No matter whether you choose to draft or auction, both are great fun. If you have not tried either, we recommend trying
both and then deciding which format best suits you.
4. What is Rotisserie Style?
Rotisserie style is a method of scoring. In this format, statistics are compiled throughout the season. A team’s point total in
each category depends on the total number of teams in the league. If there are ten teams, then the team that leads in
steals is credited a “10” in steals. The team with the fewest steals gets “1” point. Each category is additive and at season’s
end, the team that has the highest point total wins the league.
5. What is Head-to-Head?
Head-to-Head (H2H) scoring is entirely different than Rotisserie style. Instead of rewarding the team that amasses the
highest totals in each of the statistical categories, H2H scoring pits teams directly against each other in simulated games
based upon real statistics during a given period of time, typically a week. Teams that have the best record by season’s end
after squaring off week to week against each other make the playoffs. The winner of each divisional playoff will compete
against each other in a fantasy world series for the crown.
6. What are Points-based leagues?
Points is another method of scoring. In this format, each player on your team earns points based on their statistics.
Typically, homeruns will be worth 4 points, triples three points, doubles two points, singles one points, walks one point, and
so on. Points are often also awarded for innings pitched, complete games, wins, strikeouts saves, and stolen bases.
Players lose points for losses, blown saves, walks allowed, strikeouts (by hitters), and when caught stealing. Thus, a
particular player on your team may have earned 600 points for the season. Teams add up the total accumulation of points
from everyone on their team and the team with the most cumulative points wins the league.
7. Keeper Leagues
Keeper leagues allow teams to retain a certain number of players from one season to the next. Typically, keeper rules vary
depending on whether the league uses an auction or draft format. Draft leagues often place a limitation on the number of
keepers a team may retain. In addition, draft leagues typically restrict the number of seasons a player may be kept before
returning into the pool of players available in a draft. Auction leagues usually allow a team to retain a player at the previous
year’s salary, plus some additional cost. For example, if you purchased Jake Peavy in the ’07 auction for $25, you could
keep him in ’08 for $30 and then in ’09 for $35.
8. Roster Positions
Traditional rules require each team to draft two catchers, a first basemen, second basemen, shortstop, a cornerman
(capable of playing 1B or 3B), a middleman (capable of playing 2B or SS), a utility man (capable of playing any offensive
position or DH), and nine pitchers.
More recently, leagues have modified the traditional rosters. For example, many leagues require teams to draft only one
catcher. In addition, it has become popular to permit reserve/bench and disabled list spots on each team’s roster. Players
on the bench or DL will not contribute to your team’s active stats.
9. What is a Mixed League Format?
A mixed league format refers to the universe of players available to be drafted. Mixed league means one can draft players
from both the American and National Leagues. Teams that do not like the mixed league format play in an American League
or National League-only format, meaning they can only draft and obtain players from that one league.
Most fantasy baseball leagues have between 10-15 teams. Realize that in a 10 team mixed league format every team will
have the equivalent of an all-star team. If you prefer more of a challenge, you may want to join a 22 team mixed league, or
a 12 team national league-only league. In such leagues you will need to have a greater knowledge base of lesser-known
bench players.
10. Transactions
Almost every league allows fantasy baseball teams to make transactions during the season. Whether it be free agent pick-
ups, waiver wire claims, or trades with other teams, transactions are a fun part of fantasy baseball. Leagues vary on how
frequently a team may make transactions. The two common choices are daily or weekly transactions. Daily transactions
require a larger time commitment and careful attention to daily box scores and major league transactions. Many
experienced players contend there different strategies apply depending on the transaction rules.
There are many other rules and formats that you can utilize in customizing your league. From innings pitched minimums to
trade vetoing guidelines. Feel free to e-mail us at fantasy_baseball101@yahoo.com, or post a message in the FB101
forum with any questions about rules or starting a league.
|
|
