| Fantasy baseball has been around, in one form or | | | | to an auction format this year. You do not have |
| another, for three decades now. In that time the | | | | to marry it. You do not have to sign a multi-year |
| hobby has undergone a number of face lifts which | | | | contract. All you have to do is give it a shot. As a |
| seem to always accommodate the fantasy | | | | social experiment, I have asked all of my friends |
| football/instant gratification crowd. Rotisserie | | | | and anyone else I have spoken to recently who |
| leagues, the traditional format, are now being | | | | plays fantasy baseball to try and get their league |
| changed to point scoring head to head formats. | | | | to switch over to an auction format. It is amazing |
| This is done so the fantasy football crowd can | | | | to me, but the look on the subjects' faces when I |
| equivocate a home run to a touchdown and | | | | bring it up is the same look my Mother-in-law, |
| check their win-loss record weekly instead of | | | | who doesn't know how to use a computer, gives |
| enjoying the six month marathon that is the | | | | me when I ask her to shoot me an email. Just |
| rotisserie baseball season. American League Only | | | | utter stubbornness and refusal to embrace a |
| and National League Only baseball formats are | | | | better, more innovative and exciting version of |
| now more commonly converged into Mixed | | | | something they have been doing the same exact |
| League settings. | | | | way for years. Here are some reasons why I |
| Again, this is geared to the fantasy football | | | | think everyone who does a straight fantasy |
| players who do not want to take the time to get | | | | baseball draft should try out an auction: |
| to know the player pool, the second and third | | | | 1. Fantasy auctions are infinitely more fun than |
| stringers, etc. In a mixed league all you have to | | | | straight drafts. My baseball auctions typically last |
| know is the starters on each team, and not even | | | | 5+ hours and it feels like ten minutes. The |
| all of them at that. The biggest and most | | | | intensity is indescribable and you do not have to |
| important trend I have noticed over the years is | | | | wait a half hour in between picks. My friends who |
| the transformation from my favorite part of | | | | do straight drafts go through two packs of |
| fantasy baseball, the auction draft, to the fantasy | | | | cigarettes during their draft because there is so |
| football friendly straight (or serpentine) draft. | | | | much down time. It just gets boring after awhile. |
| There is no right or wrong answer to this, | | | | You are constantly involved in every single |
| everyone is allowed their own opinion as to which | | | | moment of an auction, you must be alert and |
| one is better, but what I see far too often is | | | | involved, at least mentally, in every single player |
| people who employ the straight draft function and | | | | nomination. |
| backing it with the reasoning that "that is how we | | | | 2. Auctions factor in so much more strategy than |
| have always done it". Well, I am here to try and | | | | drafts. Do you want to roster Alex Rodriguez |
| open some minds because, let me tell you, there | | | | AND Albert Pujols (two of fantasy baseball's best |
| is nothing in the world that is more fun than a | | | | hitters)? Roy Halladay AND Tim Lincecum (best |
| fantasy auction draft. | | | | pitchers)? You can have them all, but it will cost |
| Before I get into my sales pitch, allow me to | | | | you a pretty penny and you will have to manage |
| briefly explain the differences between the two | | | | your remaining funds exceptionally well to fill out a |
| drafting formats. In a straight draft, every team | | | | balanced roster. This is not for people who like to |
| owner is assigned a number. If there are twelve | | | | print out rankings the day of the draft and just |
| owners, then everyone gets a number one | | | | yell out the name of the next player on the list |
| through twelve. Then, in a snake like fashion they | | | | when it is their turn (which I am guessing is one |
| make draft picks in that order, from one to | | | | cause of the resistance). This is where you have |
| twelve, and then in the following round it snakes | | | | to think about what you are doing, where you |
| back and they draft twelve through one. There is | | | | are going, and what every other team is doing |
| usually two or three minutes of time allotted to | | | | and where they are going. There are so many |
| each draft pick, so in a twelve team league one | | | | layers of strategy to this it is ridiculous (in a good |
| round of drafting can take up to thirty-six | | | | way). |
| minutes. If you are picking at the wheel (first or | | | | 3. Luck is minimized, skill is enhanced. No longer is |
| last), you could legitimately wait an hour in | | | | your fate determined by a deck of cards or |
| between your picks. And so it goes. | | | | pulling numbers out of a hat. The days of one |
| In an auction format, each owner has $260 of | | | | team drawing the Ace of Spades or picking a |
| fake money and still gets a number, one through | | | | piece of paper with a "#1" on it, getting the best |
| twelve in this case, but all that indicates is the | | | | player and riding him to the championship are |
| order in which you are to nominate a player. Let | | | | over.. |
| me explain. In an ideal auction, the league's team | | | | 4. Everyone has a friend who spends money like |
| owners will be sitting in a circle with an impartial | | | | it is water in real life, right? If his employer were |
| auctioneer standing in the middle. Whoever has | | | | to give him his annual salary in one check he'd be |
| the number one nomination (traditionally the | | | | broke in a month. Coincidentally, this same guy |
| defending champion of the league and even more | | | | always spends about ninety percent of his budget |
| traditionally, that is me) announces a player's | | | | within the first ten minutes of the auction. So, |
| name and a price. For instance, someone might | | | | from a pure comedy standpoint, wouldn't it be fun |
| say "Joe Mauer, $20". Then, anyone in the room | | | | to see your friend do this.....and then go smoke |
| can make their own bid. There is no minimum | | | | two packs of cigarettes while waiting for the |
| amount, so you could say "Joe Mauer, $21" or | | | | end-gamers? Conversely, it would also be great |
| "Joe Mauer, $27" or anything else you would like | | | | to see your friend who is, lets say, "careful with |
| (there is strategy involved in this). Normally, a | | | | money" refuse to spend any of his money with |
| bidding frenzy breaks out among the team | | | | the hope that he gets to keep his unused balance |
| owners until the auctioneer says "going once, | | | | (he can't, it is fake money). |
| going twice, sold". Whoever has the highest bid | | | | I hope I have convinced you to at least try out |
| rosters that player. Sounds fun, right? | | | | an auction draft. If you do not like it you can go |
| People. Friends. Strangers. This is me begging you | | | | back to your straight draft next year, but my |
| to open your minds and embrace something new | | | | money is against that. Once you go auction, you |
| and positive. Your draft league needs to convert | | | | never go back. |