When last we left off, C.C. Sabathia and Ray Durham became Brewers, Billy Beane shipped Rich Harden to the Cubs and Joe Blanton to the Phillies, Jon Rauch came out west to Arizona and even good ol’ Randy Wolf got himself a new address.  The waiver wires were a frenzy as the NL got loaded up on starting pitching, leaving AL-only leaguers to fight for scraps.  Well, it’s gotten even better.  More trades, more league crossovers, more fantasy angst and excitement.  And just think…it’s probably only just begun.  Let’s take a look at the most recent deals and discuss how these trades are impacting your fantasy squads.  And while we’re at it, let’s talk about what could happen next… (more…)

One of the more exciting weeks in baseball, isn’t it?  Sort of makes me feel like a little kid the week before Christmas.  We’ve got the trade deadline coming up on Thursday, injuries popping up all over the place, and a whole slew of new guys added to the player pool.  You’ve got more players switching leagues and you’ve got guys losing their jobs left and right.  The “haves” are getting stronger for this year and the “have nots” are showcasing the future talent.  All of which can be flipped to your advantage if you’re looking in the right places.  Lagging in stolen bases?  Maybe search for who’s doing all of a team’s pinch running.  Maybe even one of these young rooks can help you out.  Ratios out of whack?  Start mixing in some of these low WHIP/ERA relievers that are floating around.  He didn’t make the list today, but Brad Zeigler comes to mind here.  So keep your eyes and ears open.  You never know where you’re going to find help.  Like some of these guys maybe… (more…)

"Don't ask me where I hide my gun."

It is important to come out of the gate fast.  The second half is here, and it is a fresh start.  Time to pull out all the stops, produce top results, and put your best foot forward.  I mean, without a huge hottie presenting the first Buzzie Awards of the second half, why even bother to show up?  So we need someone good.  Let me check my messages……. OH!  Sweet!  She has called a couple of times, but our schedules haven’t worked out until now.  There is a certain visual that I have every time I think of this woman, and HEY!  There it is over to the right.  What a coincidence.  We are honored to welcome Halle Berry as the presenter of this week’s edition of the Buzzies.  So the question now is, who has had the best two weeks since the All-Star Break?  Well, there really is only one choice this week.  So without further ado, this week’s winner of the Buzzie for MVP is…………. (more…)

To play or not to play. That is the question.

You know what sucks?  After the trading and waiver pickup deadlines have passed, there is nothing that we can really do to improve our teams.  What ya’ got ya’ got.  All that is left to do is to manage your roster.  Get those hurt guys out, put in guys that are winning time, and check for good matchups.  You have to make the right decision about who to put in for the emerging bums in your active lineup.  Personally, I have about 20 emerging bums in my lineup.  They travel in packs.  They will head straight for your lineup and pop up like clowns from a little VW Beetle.  If you aren’t careful they will run all over your team and infect more players with their bumliness.  So before they turn your team into a infectious hazard area, get them out and stick in guys with better matchups.  Since this is all we can do…… let’s do it. (more…)

If kinesiology, the study of physiology and its relation to body movement, can be a declared major for some in college, then who’s to say we can’t create a Fantasy Kinesiology Department here at the Rotobuzz Fantasy Education facility?  We’ll call it the study of roster adjustment and its relation to player movement.  Yup.  That’s right.  School’s in session, and today’s lesson is all about the trade movement and it’s impact on your fantasy squads.  We’ve already had quite a number of moves happen and we’ll start to see the trickle-down effect in the coming weeks.  But how are those effects treating you?  Is your team going to thrive or suffer?  Whether you’re in a standard roto, head to head, AL/NL only, or mixed league, the MLB trade deadline and it’s vast player movement need to be studied and analyzed to see whether you, as a fantasy owner, need to counter in your own way.  Here’s what’s happened so far with a quick glance at some hot stove rumors as well… (more…)

Who's on your bench?

Depth is key.  Without viable backup players on your bench, you may as well pack it in right now.  The waiver deadline is approaching.  The trading deadline is approaching.  Soon your roster will be set, and to quote my ol’ grandpappy, “Ya’ got what ya’ got.”  Injuries are a fact of professional sports, and therefore of fantasy sports.  Often, which team wins the league comes down not to who has the best team on paper, but who has the squad that can replace thier injured players best.  So who is warming your bench?  Suffice to say that if all you have is a retarded paperboy, a gay video clerk, and a smelly midget, you are in trouble. (more…)

Keep working. You still have another two months to go.

Here we go.  Second half is underway and it’s back to business.  If you’re in contention, then you should be surfing the waiver wire every chance you can get.  Other league members could be dropping someone that may fit better on your squad, and the call-ups are already coming.  If you’re in an AL or NL-only league, you need to have your ear to the ground and hear what the rumor mill is saying about trades.  We’ve seen a lot of league crossover deals, so you have to stay sharp.  You also have several guys coming back from injuries that others have forgotten.  Any way you slice it, you’ve got to be dilligent and do your work.  These championships just don’t grow on trees.  Let’s take a look at who’s waiver worthy this week and who can possibly be cut loose… (more…)

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! I've got a question!

Here we are, less than a week into the second half of the season and we’re still being inundated with questions about the booms and busts of this year’s fantasy season.  Should I keep this guy?  Will he continue to play like this?  What can I expect in a deal for this guy?  The list goes on and on.  But who can blame you?  This is a crucial time for the fantasy contenders, what with only a little more than two months left in the season.  Rosters need to be tweaked, trades need to be made, and then for those in the keeper leagues, preparations still need to be made for 2009.  So I’ve sifted through the emails and had plenty of conversations (especially at work where I think my job is riding on the success of my boss’ fantasy team) and have compiled the top 10 most frequently asked questions regarding those in this year’s fantasy spotlight.  Let’s take a look… (more…)

Every manager's got it rough...even fantasy ones.

Well, all right.  The All Star Break is over and we’re past the short week.  Time to get back to business.  We’ve got a big second half here and it’s make or break time for many of you contenders.  Now while Keith and I have watched our trade deadlines come and gone, many of you still have a few weeks to go before your rosters get locked for the stretch run.  You have to make the most of it.  It’s live or die.  Sink or swim.  Finish like a champion or go down like a chump.  The next 2 months are going to be big so you need to stay on your toes and keep a very watchful eye on your waiver wire with all of the late season call-ups expected soon.  The MLB trade deadline…well, the official one….is also rapidly approaching and as we’ve seen, there’s plenty of movement that has immense fantasy impact.  But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.  Baby steps towards the championship.  I’ve got the ”play ‘ems” and Keith’s got the boys to bench.  Here’s how the upcoming fantasy week looks to us. (more…)

Do you understand the words that are comin' outta my mouth?

We geeks have a code.  Our own special language.   Often we aren’t even aware we are speaking it.  The words come out, and those who aren’t in the fantasy baseball world have no idea what we are talking about.  In the effort to help communication with our non-baseball loving brethren (and sistren), I have developed a Fantasy Baseball to English Dictionary.  This should help your friends and family translate all of your jibber-jabber.  This will probably the the first installment of several.  Please feel free to send your ideas as well. (more…)