10.31.2014

It Takes a Team

What a great World Series!  Loaded with mega-stars and top 25 fantasy baseball players it was – NOT.  What were the teams loaded with?  Good players who formed great teams – a bunch of top 100 fantasy players supplemented by solid players.

For those who like classic baseball, it was a classic series.  Good pitching, speed and defense were the keys.  Joe Panik was not voted the MVP but he made the MVP (most valuable play).  Without Joe’s incredible start of the double play when Bumgarner was struggling early, there would have been no award for Mr. Madison.  Indeed, without that play, your humble writer suggests that Kansas City wins the Series.

What else was in evident?  Good managing.  OK, like many others I will express concern about Ned Yost and his love of bunting.  I personally follow the Earl Weaver method of managing:  Never, ever give up an out.  But to be fair, it worked for Mr. Yost until the final game of the playoffs.  His decision to take the bat out of Alcedis Escobar’s hands and give it to Nori Aoki proved a poor one.

But wait, was it really a bad decision?  The result would have been totally different had Bruce Bochy and staff not positioned Juan Perez down the line in left – which is exactly where Aoki hit his line drive.  Game 7 of the World Series:  Bochy starts Juan Perez?  Yep, he wanted him in there for defense.  When you position a good defender perfectly, you get optimum results.

Now that I’ve talked about the good defense, let’s consider the second to last play (which was NOT an example of good fielding).  Should the 3B Coach have sent Alex Gordon knowing the chances of him being thrown out were high?  Normally I would say – go for it.  But not here.  Despite the armchair questioning, he would have been a dead duck (no offense to Duck Dynasty of course).  Gordon should have been held at third and he was.

So what’s the deal with this article?  Good teams on which players like each other, know each other’s tendencies and watch each other’s backs become champions.  Teams loaded with stars CAN win but teams loaded with good players who play together well DO win.

This article will also appear on www.rotoprofessor.com.

10.30.2014

NFL Picks

WEEK 9
Game
Rich
Kevin
NO @ CAR
CAR
CAR
TB @ CLE
CLE
CLE
ARZ @ DAL
DAL
ARZ
PHI @ HOU
PHI
PHI
NYJ @ KC
KC
KC
JAX @ CIN
CIN
CIN
SD @ MIA
SD
MIA
WAS @ MIN
MIN
MIN
STL @ SF
SF
SF
DEN @ NE
NE
NE
OAK @ SEA
SEA
SEA
BAL @ PIT
PIT
PIT
IND @ NYG
IND
IND



Standings
Rich
Kevin
Current Week
9-4
11-2
YTD Record
94-39
89-44


10.26.2014

NFL Picks

WEEK 8
Game
Rich
Kevin
SD @ DEN
DEN
DEN
DET @ ATL
DET
DET
STL @ KC
KC
KC
HOU @ TEN
HOU
HOU
MIN @ TB
TB
MIN
SEA @ CAR
SEA
SEA
BAL @ CIN
CIN
BAL
MIA @ JAX
MIA
MIA
CHI @ NE
NE
NE
BUF @ NYJ
BUF
BUF
PHI @ ARZ
ARZ
ARZ
OAK @ CLE
CLE
CLE
IND @ PIT
IND
IND
GB @ NO
GB
GB
WAS @ DAL
DAL
DAL



Standings
Rich
Kevin
Week 8 Results
11-4
11-4
YTD Record
85-35
78-42


10.17.2014

NFL Picks

WEEK 7
Game
Rich
Kevin
NYJ @ NE
NE
NE
ATL @ BAL
BAL
BAL
TEN @ WAS
WAS
WAS
SEA @ STL
SEA
SEA
CLE @ JAX
CLE
CLE
CIN @ IND
IND
IND
MIN @ BUF
BUF
BUF
MIA @ CHI
CHI
CHI
NO @ DET
DET
DET
CAR @ GB
GB
GB
KC @ SD
SD
SD
ARZ @ OAK
ARZ
ARZ
NYG @ DAL
DAL
DAL
SF @ DEN
DEN
DEN
HOU @ PIT
PIT
HOU



Standings
Rich
Kevin
Current Week
12-3
11-4
YTD Record
74-31
67-38

10.11.2014

NFL Picks

WEEK 6
Game
Rich
Kevin
IND @ HOU
IND
HOU
DEN @ NYJ
DEN
DEN
PIT @ CLE
PIT
CLE
JAX @ TEN
TEN
JAX
CHI @ ATL
ATL
ATL
GB @ MIA
GB
GB
DET @ MIN
DET
DET
CAR @ CIN
CIN
CIN
NE @ BUF
NE
NE
BAL @ TB
BAL
BAL
SD @ OAK
SD
SD
DAL @ SEA
SEA
SEA
WAS @ ARZ
ARZ
ARZ
NYG @ PHI
PHI
PHI
SF @ STL
SF
SF



Standings
Rich
Kevin
Current Week
11-3
9-5
YTD Record
62-28
56-34


10.08.2014

Abe Lincoln

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

10.04.2014

NFL Picks

WEEK 5
Game
Rich
Kevin
MIN @ GB
GB
GB
CHI @ CAR
CAR
CHI
CLE @ TEN
CLE
CLE
STL @ PHI
PHI
PHI
ATL @ NYG
NYG
NYG
TB @ NO
NO
NO
HOU @ DAL
DAL
DAL
BUF @ DET
DET
DET
BAL @ IND
IND
IND
PIT @ JAX
PIT
PIT
ARZ @ DEN
DEN
DEN
KC @ SF
SF
SF
NYJ @ SD
SD
SD
CIN @ NE
NE
CIN
SEA @ WAS
SEA
SEA



Standings
Rich
Kevin
Current Week
14-1
12-3
YTD Record
51-25
47-29

10.01.2014

Weekly Matchup Strategy

One of the questions I often receive in fantasy football has to do with matchups. That is, how important are matchups when you are determining who to start? Should you be concerned if Aaron Rodgers is playing a tough team on the road? Should you sit him and start your QB2 who is playing a weak team at home?

While there is no surefire answer to the issue, I follow the following guidelines. Tier 1 players start every game. Tier 1 players in shallow leagues would be those listed in the Top 40 or 50 of the Rotoprofessor list. Tier 1 players in deeper leagues would be Top 60 to Top 80. At a minimum half of your players should be worth starting every game. More is better.

Simply determine a core group of players who will start every week. Don’t over think it. Just start them. The core players would be QB1, RB1, WR1, and if you have Orange Julius or Jimmy Graham, then also TE1.  Add in RB2, WR2 and TE1 in deep leagues.

OK, so the Tier 1 is simple. What about the Tier 2 players (Flex, WR3, etc.) This one is a little tougher but I default to the player who is performing better – unless the matchup is really rugged. Even then, I usually start the better player. After all, cream rises to the top.

I also default to the player over the matchup for another reason. Have you ever started a lower ranked player because he had a great matchup that week – and he totally bombed? I have. From a pure team management point of view, I would rather miss out on a good performance by the lesser player than kick myself for not starting the better player. Not a very good reason? Well, I’m just saying…….

My favorite approach: Determine a ‘rotating’ position(s) in your starting lineup. For example, if you have a team with 9 offensive starters, make the 9th position a rotating matchup position. That way you ‘run with your horses’, play a little matchup roulette for fun, and have an overall plan for managing your team – which makes Sunday morning angst a thing of the past.

Do not start Tier 3 players regardless of the matchup. They are bench fillers. They are on your bench to fill bye weeks and protect you in case of injury. They are not there to utilize for favorable matchups.

Bottom line: Have a plan and stick to it. Start your Tier 1 players every week regardless of matchup. Determine how many ‘matchup slots’ your team will have and stick to it. Life is always better with a plan…….