| The latest craze in fantasy baseball is the 15 | | | | fantasy baseball draft, but there is a very good |
| team mixed auction draft. This combines players | | | | chance that Upton goes at a higher price than |
| from both the American League and the Nation | | | | Bay does in the auction.. |
| League into one player pool. It seems like 15 team | | | | Let's examine some numbers from a 15 team |
| leagues are gaining in popularity due to the | | | | mixed auction league last season. For 20 dollars |
| outbreak of high stakes fantasy baseball leagues | | | | and and higher, there were 60 players which |
| that are emerging thanks to the continued growth | | | | accounted for 45.3% of the total available auction |
| of the sport. | | | | dollars. It works out nicely because if you convert |
| One thing to keep to remember when viewing | | | | that to a draft, it will equals exactly four rounds |
| auction dollar values in a magazine is what is the | | | | (60 players divided by 15 team). |
| league size that is being used. Some magazines will | | | | In the dollar range of $10-$19, 105 players were |
| use 12 teams, some use 152, while others only | | | | selected which again works nicely from a mach |
| post dollar values for a AL or NL only format. | | | | standpoint. This translates to exactly seven |
| You have to be sure to look at the fine print | | | | rounds of players. A this point, we have a total |
| before using those dollar values in preparation for | | | | player pool of 165 players taken (11 rounds) for |
| any draft you are doing. | | | | $3,241. |
| The other thing to consider when using the dollar | | | | In the range of $1-$9, there are 180 players for a |
| values from a magazine is that the majority use | | | | total of $638. If you combine the dollar amounts |
| a dollar amount for what they think a player will | | | | for all of the groups, you will see that comes out |
| earn. Quite often, the player in a real auction will | | | | to $3,879. This means there were $21 not used |
| get bid higher than the amount in a magazine | | | | during the auction. |
| because of the position scarcity factor. For | | | | Looking only at $1-$2 players, there were 86 |
| example, a player like Victor Martinez at catcher, | | | | players selected. By knowing this, you can plot |
| his dollar value in a magazine for a 15 team league | | | | out before the auction what places on your |
| will be around $17, but his actual dollar amount in a | | | | roster you are willing to take a dollar player at. |
| live auction will be closer to $25. So you need to | | | | The choice is yours on the strategy, but if you |
| plan for that when you are doing your | | | | want to dominate the final portion of the auction, |
| preparation. | | | | it is best to plan for $2 per roster spot. |
| If you have some free time on your hands and a | | | | By saving $2 per roster spot, you are guaranteed |
| calculator handy, you will see a problem with most | | | | of getting the players you want. For instance, |
| of the magazine dollar values. The majority of | | | | there were 55 players bought for $1 last season. |
| magazines use dollar values but they don't equate | | | | At the final stages of an auction when each |
| to a real auction. For example, if you are in a 15 | | | | owner has only a dollar per player left, it |
| team with 23 man rosters, then a total of exactly | | | | essentially turns into a draft at that point. Your |
| 345 players need to have a dollar value and the | | | | team will be in a much position if you are able to |
| dollar value needs to equal $3,900. This is | | | | roster the best four players out of the final 55 by |
| calculated based on a $260 budget for 15 teams. | | | | having $2 saved per position than by waiting for |
| An auction can vary slightly from a draft in that | | | | players with only $1 left. If you are 8th in the |
| players that steal bases tend to go for a few | | | | auction order with only the ability to only bid one |
| dollars more than players that don't. For example, | | | | dollar per player, you would end up with players 8, |
| Jason Bay might go higher than Justin Upton in a | | | | 23, 38, 53 instead of the top four that were left. |