Fantasy Baseball is here!

by MissouriKev on Mar 3, 2006 7:07 AM CST

I have started a salary cap challenge on the Sporting News website.
The league name is...Bleed Cubbie Blue
The password to get in the league is...Ivy

This is how it works. You sign up and pick a team name. You have $30 Million to buy 8 players. Once opening day comes you have 2 trades per week. A trade is where you drop one of your players. You do not get charged for picking up a replacement. It has been suggested that we only use the free trades given to us. To keep it an even playing field, let's make an agreement to not buy any more trades. Each week they will give you two more trades. The trades rollover so you can save them for the season. Players receive points based on their performance, Im not going to list all the point values, you can read that. So go ahead and sign up. It would be fun to have as many people as possible playing the game.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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web link

could you place a direct link here

by slink on Mar 3, 2006 7:21 AM CST reply actions

Sorry about that.

Link is now there. Click on "Sign Up Here"

MissouriKev

by MissouriKev on Mar 3, 2006 7:53 AM CST up reply actions

Can't get in

Is it maxed out with 10 teams? I am getting an error reading

by StairsnCoomer on Mar 3, 2006 2:42 PM CST up reply actions

Well...

... there are now 11 teams. But I can't get in either.

by Al Yellon on Mar 3, 2006 3:05 PM CST up reply actions

Hmm...

did you put in the capital 'I' in the password? Because I did it with no capitals and got nothing, then I did the capital and was able to sign on.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 3:18 PM CST up reply actions

Thank you!

Never occurred to me. And it might have, if I hadn't gotten that weird error message.

But now I'm in.

by Al Yellon on Mar 3, 2006 4:05 PM CST up reply actions

Interesting...

... that mlb.com is now a partner in this. I suspect this is a reaction to the pending lawsuit where MLB claims it "owns" all the statistics. Sporting News is likely just trying to cover itself.

by Al Yellon on Mar 3, 2006 8:18 AM CST reply actions

I have done the ultimate salary cap baseball

league for the past two years, and mlb.com has always been associated with it.

What is the lawsuit in regards to?

Also, any update on the Tribune ticket broker lawsuit in chicago?

"You know what God told the cubs. Don't do anything until I get back!" Pete Rose

by Will71081 @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Mar 3, 2006 8:51 AM CST up reply actions

The lawsuit is...

... MLB's claim that they "own" the statistics and thus anyone running a fantasy league must pay them a license fee.

Ridiculous, IMO. Once the game is played, the stats become NEWS, and thus ought to be in the public domain.

Here is a good summary of the issue.

Have not heard anything new about the Tribune ticket lawsuit appeal.

by Al Yellon on Mar 3, 2006 9:08 AM CST up reply actions

Is this hard?

I kinda wanna try it because I think it would be fun, but if it's hard I'm not going to.

I think I can handle it though.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 11:44 AM CST reply actions

This is going to be fun

so everyone is welcome, even if you have no fantasy experience. Sign up and give it a try.

MissouriKev

by MissouriKev on Mar 3, 2006 1:35 PM CST up reply actions

Ok...

I'm gonna do it.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 2:02 PM CST up reply actions

A few tips for Sparkles and other newbies

This is not a league with a competitive draft or the keeping players in the offseason. Everyone could pick exactly the same players if they wanted (and in past years, many Cub fans have tended to pick a lot of Cub players). What I have learned over the last few years:

You can't expect players to appreciate in value very much. Picking good, young players can help spread your salary dollars, but it probably doesn't make sense to select a guy just because you think you'll be able to "trade" him later and reap the gains in his worth to other fantasy players.
Always keep a trade or two in reserve. It's amazing how injuries can come in bunches. I've had weeks where two or three players on my squad were suddenly out for the year.
Using trades to swap position players may improve your team a little, but using trades to squeeze extra starts out of the league's best pitchers is better. Bite the bullet and spend top dollar for at least one or two starters, and then you can use one or two trades a week to switch to another good pitcher who is starting the next day.
Hot streaks actually happen, and they last longer than you might expect. If a player is having a true breakout year (especially in a good hitter's park), and you notice it after a week or two, it might still pay to trade for that player. You might end up with somebody who has another 30 games before he sees teams for the second time, and they change the way they pitch to him.
If you have only a little money left for the last guy on the roster, it may be better to add somebody who almost never plays (or is on the DL temporarily) than pay for somebody who is a truly bad player. For hitters, outs deduct points. Why pay a million to be losing 10 points a night when you can pay a half million to only lose 3?
The guy who is scheduled to get all the saves for a bad team doesn't get many saves.

As they say, your mileage may vary.

by cubzfan on Mar 3, 2006 9:15 PM CST up reply actions

Thanks...

for the tips, Zfan.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 9:29 PM CST up reply actions

All of that is very good advice...

... I have found good luck (such as it is) trying to find young players whose values are low. Not to try to trade "up" later, but to leave more money for other slots on the team.

Also, the advice about starting pitchers is sound. I have found that having closers/other relievers generally gives you less points than having a couple of the better starting pitchers.

by Al Yellon on Mar 4, 2006 4:26 AM CST up reply actions

I have the same problem Sparkles

I think (and hear) that is is awesome and lots of fun for baseball fans but I would be the guy who gets outta control and thinks he can buy up everyone he can and then end up out of money having to unload everything I built and clearly...win no money.

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 3, 2006 11:47 AM CST reply actions

LOL

I would just draft hot players. :)

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 11:48 AM CST up reply actions

If you like red hair...

you'll be able to grab a certain left fielder for cheap.

by gauchodirk on Mar 3, 2006 12:43 PM CST up reply actions

Oh yeah...

me too! As long as they look good in their uniform right?

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 3, 2006 12:01 PM CST reply actions

first time playing

..but i'll get in on this action

by bobby h on Mar 3, 2006 1:54 PM CST reply actions

Incidentally...

... it would help if you used your BCB username when you signed up, that'd help keep things straight.

by Al Yellon on Mar 3, 2006 3:03 PM CST reply actions

It wouldn't let me

so I just added "Cubs" after it....How original

by LT on Mar 3, 2006 9:08 PM CST up reply actions

Well...

It wouldn't let me have the '7' in my handle so I'm sparkles21. Its still me, so I hope no one freaks out. :)

I love my team name too, by the way. It was either Sparkle's Hotties or Darlings, but I figured not everyone that would be on my team would be hot, so I chose darlings.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 3, 2006 9:37 PM CST up reply actions

the game

my rather clever name of MIKE was taken, as was my nickname CHOPS. Therefore, I shall be known in the game as MIKESCHOPS. Not clever, but it does the job.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Mar 4, 2006 11:42 AM CST reply actions

My lineup is set

I should easily win the 1/2 half....

C - Sandy Alomar Jr
1st/3rd - Tino Martinez
2nd/SS - Brett Boone
OF - Larry Walker
OF - Sammy Sosa (I may use Corey Patterson here)
P - Ugueth Urbina
P - Kerry Wood
P - Kip Wells

by Neifi Puppy on Mar 5, 2006 9:41 AM CST reply actions