Star Power

Welcome to the top of the world.  Fame, glory and name recognition reside here.  Big salaries and commercial endorsements are part of the territory.  Here we find Derek Jeter, Josh Hamilton, Alex Rodriguez and Justin Verlander.  In this stratosphere lies the pinnacle, the home of the stars.

Knocking on the door is the next wave of rising stars.  Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and others blossoming into the new superstars.

It is these men who represent the game of baseball to the average fan.

But not every player reaches these heights.  Maybe they play in a small market or on a bad team.  Maybe they are overshadowed by teammates who are giants of the game.  Whatever the reason, I present the underrated.

Austin Jackson resides here.  It isn’t hard to get overlooked when you are teammates with giants of the game such as Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder.  Austin Jackson provides the Tigers with really their only plus defender, speed, and someone for the sluggers to drive in.

Sometimes versatility comes into play.  Take for example shortstop/second baseman/outfielder Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays.  He provides great defense at multiple positions and also speed and an on base presence.  In fact both Jackson and Zobrist were on base at a better clip than all but seven other players in baseball in 2012.

One statistic created to help demonstrate the overall contribution of a player’s worth is WAR.  WAR stands for Wins Above Replacement.  It is intended to include not only batting statistics but also defensive value and baserunning. 

In 2012, only eight American League position players managed a WAR rating greater than five.  Two of those players were indeed Jackson and Zobrist as you can see the statistics here.  Their WAR is better than stars such as Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Joe Mauer and Josh Hamilton.

Digging a little deeper we have the bad team example.  Shortstop Alcides Escobar of the Kansas City Royals provided gold glove caliber defense and a batting average just under .300 last year.  If he did the exact same thing for the Yankees or Red Sox, he would not be so anonymous.

None of the aforementioned players are big home run hitters.  Home runs make the highlight reels.  Therefore, very few good power hitters are underrated.  Unfortunately, they also seemed to fuel the steroid and PED scandals as well. 

So they say chicks dig the long ball.  While that might be true, it is probably not the best way to seek out an underrated player.

Feeling a Draft

 

Draft Day.  All your preparation, your strategy, and your plan leads up to this moment.  The clock ticks down.  Your pick is up next.  This is your moment.  Will you grab that moment and shine?

Okay, while that was definitely over the top, taking part in a fantasy baseball draft can be a fun experience.  You get the opportunity to be the owner and general manager of your own team.  Besides, most times, it will at least provide another excuse to hang out with your friends and talk baseball.

So how does one approach a draft?  There are plenty of theories.  Always draft sluggers early to make sure you have enough power on your team.  Or never pay for saves since closer is a volatile position.  Whatever path you choose, there are a couple of general tenets to remember to help prevent the draft from being a day of regret.

First, do not get locked into a particular player.  There will be other players available that will provide you with similar value.  Therefore, it can provide an advantage to look at players in groups.  That can serve as a signal for when to select a player.  Once players in that same group are being selected, that would be the time to look to pull the trigger on one of them.

Besides, you are likely to be in a league with your friends and people that live geographically close to you.  Therefore, don’t be shocked if Justin Verlander just may be someone else’s favorite player in your league as well.

So as a second rule, hometown players are likely to be overvalued in your particular draft.  If you are drafting with Tiger fans and really want Austin Jackson on your team, be prepared for the likelihood you will have to overpay or draft him earlier than you may have thought.

And a final thought is to remember it is your team.  Remember why you signed up for the league in the first place.  If it is just for fun, then you can avoid players from hated teams.  However, if you really want to win bragging rights or money, then you just might have to stomach a Cleveland Indian on your roster.

Joy of the Game

KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.  Advice to live by disguised as an acronym.  And what could be simpler than a couple of guys hitting a ball with a stick?

It seems to follow.  Kids can grab a bat, some gloves and play in a field.  Nothing complicated there.  Catch a game on TV.  Enjoy a day at the park.  The simple pleasures of life.

Baseball can be great in a take me out of the real world old school kind of way.

However, baseball can add layers.  It’s versatile.  Complexity is built into the game if you choose to look for it.  Bunt to move the runners into scoring position?  Shift the defense with the lefty at the plate?  Second guess the skipper’s strategy?  That side of baseball is available on demand.

Also, baseball can also serve as the backbone for bragging rights and winning money.  Beyond the obvious gambling on the game’s outcome, lies fantasy baseball.

Fantasy baseball creates camaraderie with the people in your league and creates a way for you to take ownership of “your team”.  You get to select the players for your team.  Create your draft strategy and watch it play out over the season.  Brag about the gems you found late in your draft.  And unlike the general manager of your favorite Major League Baseball team, unceremoniously drop the underperforming bums off your team when you feel like it.

Guys like these

Joining a fantasy league can deepen your investment in the game.  Why else would you normally care about how Kansas City’s left fielder did at the plate today?

And then you can just dial it right back down again.  Sit on the couch and crack open a beer while cheering on the Tigers.  Take your daughter for a day at the ballpark just like your father did when you were young. 

Keep It Simple Stupid.  That is, until you’re ready to dig a little deeper again.