Winning Fantasy Baseball Advice

The baseball season is a few short weeks away, and fantasy baseball drafts are in full swing. Baseball fans everywhere are hooking up on the web, and in living rooms trying to put together the best possible fantasy roster. Is there a specific formula for winning in fantasy baseball? Not necessarily, but if you follow these tips, you'll be sure to be at the top of your league.

1. Do your homework- This may sound obvious, but there's more to do than seeing who had the most fantasy points last year. Check out reports on each team to see who's hitting where in the lineup. See who's pitching where in the rotation. A player who hits third in a lineup will be able to take advantage of much more opportunities, while someone hitting fifth will have less. Little things like this can make a huge difference in the fantasy world. If you're doing your draft online it's smart to do some research into specific leagues before you actually join one. See how the playoff format works, as well as what stats count towards fantasy points. Believe it or not, some leagues don't count stolen bases while some don't count walks. I'm not saying to study the draft like it's a medical exam, but a little planning will go a long way.

2. Target contract year players- A contract year player is a player who is in the last year of his contact. In other words, he'll be trying to have the best season of his career so he can make a ridiculous amount of money. If you have to choose between a few players, and one happens to be in his contract year, pick him. It's a no brainer. Last season Alex Rodriguez, Torri Hunter, Aaron Rowand, and Mike Lowell all had career years, and yes, they were in their contract years. Here a list of players who are worth mentioning that will be playing for a new contract: Bobby Abreu, Adam Dunn, Joe Nathan, Manny Ramirez, Francisco Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Mark Teixeira, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, A.J. Burnett, Rafael Furcal, Jon Garland, Kenji Johjima, Derek Lowe, and Oliver Perez. These guys will all be playing for a big payday, and nothing can motivate a pro athlete like the almighty dollar.

3. Don't play favorites- The downfall of so many fantasy teams is that the owner is too biased towards their favorite team and players. This can especially hurt your team in the early rounds. Don't make risky picks in the early rounds just to get players you like. If one of your favorites is available and it doesn't seem like such a reach, then go for it, but if you know there's better players still around then steer clear. Also remember to not neglect players that you don't like. Just because you're a Red Sox fan doesn't mean you shouldn't pick Yankees players. In the late rounds it's a little safer to pick favorites, but avoid playing favorites in the first ten rounds.

4. Watch out for fallen stars- Make sure to keep an eye out for elite players who had sub par or injury plagued seasons last year. The majority of these players will drop to the mid to late rounds, and could turn out to be major producers for your team. Here's a list of players who had off seasons last year, who could bounce back to All-Star status: Vernon Wells, Barry Zito, Jermaine Dye, Julio Lugo, Dontrelle Willis, Andrew Jones, J.D. Drew, Roy Halladay, Pedro Matinez, and Jason Bay. There's no guarantee that these guys will get back to the top of their games, or in some of their cases stay off the DL, but they're easily worth the risk.

5. Try to get your catcher and second baseman early- Positions like first base and outfield are absolutely stacked with lots of solid options that will be available to you throughout the draft. Shortstop and third base don't have quite as much options, but there's still plenty of talent to go around. The same can't be said of the catcher and second base positions. Both C and 2B only have a few good players who will be solid producers for your team. Try to get a top four or five player at both of these positions, or you will be screwed. Not securing a top player at these positions means they will be your weakest link throughout the season. Obtaining a top catcher or second baseman will also give you a big edge on half of the teams in your league.

As a final note, I think it's obvious that Alex Rodriguez should be the top pick in any draft. He was the top player last year, he's in the prime of his career, and he hits in the middle of a very dangerous line up. After A-Rod, things get very debatable, but I'd go with Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers. Cabrera has been a top fantasy producer since he's been in the league, and now he's surrounded by some great hitters in Detroit.

Most importantly, don't forget that fantasy baseball is all about having fun. Try to find a league with players who are at the same competition level that you are and have a blast. I hope the above advice will help you get the edge in your league. Good luck in your drafts, and have a great fantasy baseball season!
-Joe Osborne