Time for Fantasy!

That's right, with the season starting, it's time for fantasy. And since I barely have time to write anything (but really need a post here), here's a few points quickly.

Why to do it

First of all, it will allow you to see what's going on all over the league. Sure A-Rod, Pujols, Santana, and the other first round dudes will put up great numbers. But where are you going to find that flier to pick up mid-season that will take off? Who will be Francisco Liriano or Hanley Ramirez for you?

Secondly, it reveals how a good night or a bad night can be determined by one hit, or even one walk. That enables you to get more points for a run, RBI, stolen base, etc.

Thirdly, it will demonstrate which statistics translate year to year and which ones do not. WHIP and K/9 translate more than ERA, etc. Some stats are dependent on the team more than the player (RBI, R, W, S) - look for #3 or #4 hitters for RBI and runs, even on worse teams.

How to do it

Go to any major sports site (ESPN, CBS, Yahoo!) and look for fantasy. Don't play for money, unless it's either so low that it's just enough to make the league more competitive, or if you're an expert and like gambling. But if you're an expert, would you be reading this?

Look at the scoring rules and lineup rules. CBS does weekly lineups, and ESPN and Yahoo! can do daily lineups (and allow for MUCH MORE customization). Scoring rules will depend on whether you do head to head or a rotisserie league. In a head to head league, you'll get points for different events, and in roto leagues, it's about being ahead in each category.

Find a league with a draft time that looks good. Then do a bit of research, and have fun!

Tips
Buy low, sell high. Don't trade if desperate for a player - look for free agents. Also watch for free agents that could be hot prospects that might do it. Be aware of a player's career trends - if he hits for decent average but is slumping early on, get him. If a player is hitting better than he will the rest of the year, ship him out. I swapped Kevin Youkilis for Ryan Howard last year in May.

Get closers, and keep starting pitchers on your bench, avoiding injury risks as position players. You can use starters when other starters aren't playing, or in weekly leagues, use pitchers with 2 starts over those with just 1.

And have fun!