I'm not ready!
Most of us have been en route to a fantasy draft and proclaimed, "I'm not ready!" It's a pretty normal thought for draftniks. No matter how much studying is done, there's still a feeling that at least one stone has been left unturned. I'm here to tell you not to fight it. Embrace it. It can help you.
Every year I prepare for my league's draft by ranking players at each position based on the previous season's value (total points actually). This isn't necessarily the order I will draft them in, but it provides a nice base from which to work. It also stops me from overlooking those players that don't get much attention but quietly produce results. Yes, good fantasy owners should be aware of those players, but it can be easy to forget about them in the heat of the draft when superstars, prospects and sleepers are running through your brain.
I'll follow the happenings of Spring Training, hoping to see which players have recovered from injuries, which ones have developed ailments and whether any position battles are being clearly decided. As news becomes available, I'll make notes on my rankings, often highlighting in several different colors. Green might mean a player's value should be higher than his listing, pink would be a warning that he's not a good value, and yellow might indicate a player dealing with an injury.
There are many visits to websites - professional and personal - to get an idea of how others view the players heading into the season. If I think someone is going to be a Top 50 player but the general thought is that he's not a Top 100 performer, it lets me know that I might be able to wait a little longer before drafting him, providing even more value to the pick. It doesn't mean I'll definitely wind up with that player (somewhat may take him before I do), but knowledge of what the majority thinks is a very useful tool.
For players with limited MLB experience, I'll try to find out about their minor league production. Did they hit for average? Power? Both? Is a player's game based solely on speed? How often does a player K? A minor leaguer could club 40 home runs and tally 130 RBI, but if he strikes out 170 times, I'll probably shy away. The guy might be a stud immediately, but a high K total usually indicates early struggles in the Show. If minor league pitchers can miss his bat that often, just think about the trouble he will have putting the bat on the filth that major league hurlers can deal.
Those aren't all the things I do, but it's obvious that my preparation is extensive. But, despite that fact, I still go into drafts feeling unprepared. And, honestly, I think it helps.
That uneasy feeling keeps me on my toes at the draft and I'm always trying to stay one step ahead of the other owners. I'm looking for anything that can give me an advantage. Maybe it's spotting the beginning of a closer run. Perhaps it's knowing that only two teams need a starting catcher: mine and the guy picking right after me in a particular round. I might realize that teams are willing to take more risks with young, unproven players, meaning a large pool of solid veterans will be there for the taking. Whatever it is, I'm looking for an edge. I want it. I need it. Why? Because I'm not ready. I need any advantage I can find.
One thing to be wary of is feeling like you are ready and there's nothing more you can do: you're prepared, have gathered all the info possible and there's no way anyone can have a better draft than you. That type of thinking will knock you out of the running right away. It will lead to being lazy at your draft and things will slip right by you.
As the start of the season approaches, be sure to do all the things you have to in order to try to be fully prepared. Just know it isn't going to happen. You'll be heading to your draft and you'll utter, "I'm not ready." Don't get upset about it. Embrace it...then use it to conquer your draft.
Every year I prepare for my league's draft by ranking players at each position based on the previous season's value (total points actually). This isn't necessarily the order I will draft them in, but it provides a nice base from which to work. It also stops me from overlooking those players that don't get much attention but quietly produce results. Yes, good fantasy owners should be aware of those players, but it can be easy to forget about them in the heat of the draft when superstars, prospects and sleepers are running through your brain.
I'll follow the happenings of Spring Training, hoping to see which players have recovered from injuries, which ones have developed ailments and whether any position battles are being clearly decided. As news becomes available, I'll make notes on my rankings, often highlighting in several different colors. Green might mean a player's value should be higher than his listing, pink would be a warning that he's not a good value, and yellow might indicate a player dealing with an injury.
There are many visits to websites - professional and personal - to get an idea of how others view the players heading into the season. If I think someone is going to be a Top 50 player but the general thought is that he's not a Top 100 performer, it lets me know that I might be able to wait a little longer before drafting him, providing even more value to the pick. It doesn't mean I'll definitely wind up with that player (somewhat may take him before I do), but knowledge of what the majority thinks is a very useful tool.
For players with limited MLB experience, I'll try to find out about their minor league production. Did they hit for average? Power? Both? Is a player's game based solely on speed? How often does a player K? A minor leaguer could club 40 home runs and tally 130 RBI, but if he strikes out 170 times, I'll probably shy away. The guy might be a stud immediately, but a high K total usually indicates early struggles in the Show. If minor league pitchers can miss his bat that often, just think about the trouble he will have putting the bat on the filth that major league hurlers can deal.
Those aren't all the things I do, but it's obvious that my preparation is extensive. But, despite that fact, I still go into drafts feeling unprepared. And, honestly, I think it helps.
That uneasy feeling keeps me on my toes at the draft and I'm always trying to stay one step ahead of the other owners. I'm looking for anything that can give me an advantage. Maybe it's spotting the beginning of a closer run. Perhaps it's knowing that only two teams need a starting catcher: mine and the guy picking right after me in a particular round. I might realize that teams are willing to take more risks with young, unproven players, meaning a large pool of solid veterans will be there for the taking. Whatever it is, I'm looking for an edge. I want it. I need it. Why? Because I'm not ready. I need any advantage I can find.
One thing to be wary of is feeling like you are ready and there's nothing more you can do: you're prepared, have gathered all the info possible and there's no way anyone can have a better draft than you. That type of thinking will knock you out of the running right away. It will lead to being lazy at your draft and things will slip right by you.
As the start of the season approaches, be sure to do all the things you have to in order to try to be fully prepared. Just know it isn't going to happen. You'll be heading to your draft and you'll utter, "I'm not ready." Don't get upset about it. Embrace it...then use it to conquer your draft.
posted by Russ Simeone at
11:29 PM
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