| The first month of the fantasy baseball season is | | | | improve your team. Work the free agent pool. If |
| behind us. By now you have a good idea of what | | | | you are excelling in Average, perhaps you can |
| your team is, and equally as important, what your | | | | afford to take on a speedster that is struggling at |
| team is not. If you find yourself at the bottom of | | | | the plate for a week or two. Sure, your average |
| the standings, the thought of clawing your way to | | | | will dip a bit, but it's a lot easier to raiser your |
| the top may not be very realistic. That doesn't | | | | team average than it is to rack up SBs. Besides, if |
| mean you have to waive the white flag. There is | | | | you're only doing it in short spurts, you're only |
| plenty of baseball left to be played, plenty of time | | | | talking about a small percentage of your overall |
| for your team to turn things around, and plenty | | | | At Bats. If your average dips to a point you're |
| of ways you can accomplish that goal. | | | | not comfortable with, stop using the speedster |
| A good start would be to assess your team. | | | | for a while. You don't necessarily have to drop |
| What categories are you strong in? Which ones | | | | the guys when you are done with them. You can |
| are you week in? Typical fantasy baseball leagues | | | | just stash them on your bench until you're ready |
| are 5x5 leagues, meaning there are hitter | | | | to use them again. |
| categories for Average, Runs, Home Runs, Runs | | | | Take some risks. If you're in last place don't be |
| Batted In, and Stolen Bases; and pitcher | | | | afraid to shake some things up. I don't |
| categories for Wins, Earned Run Average, Walks | | | | recommend trading away your key players |
| + Hits per Innings Pitched (WHIP), Strikeouts, and | | | | because they have started the season slow, but |
| Saves. You are awarded points based on your | | | | perhaps you can find an owner who will. You buy |
| rankings in those categories. If there are 12 | | | | a solid player low, and reap the rewards when he |
| people in your league the team that leads the | | | | turns it around. If he doesn't turn it around, the |
| category will get twelve points, and the team in | | | | risk is minimal because you were struggling to |
| last will get one point. If you are dominating a | | | | begin with. |
| category, perhaps you can make a trade to | | | | Finally, pay attention. If a player gets hurt, you |
| improve an underperforming category. For | | | | can stumble into a goldmine by simply picking up |
| example, if you are the league leader is Saves | | | | the replacement. This is especially true for injured |
| you get the same amount of points if you are | | | | Closers. The replacement is not typically owned, |
| ahead by one Save as you get for being ahead | | | | and can be a short-term boost to your Saves |
| by 20 Saves. Now say you're middle-of-the-pack | | | | category. Pay attention to match-ups as well. If a |
| in the SB category. If you can trade away one of | | | | guy struggles against a particular Pitcher, or even |
| your Closer for a speedster you can still win your | | | | vs. righties or lefties, you may want to bench him |
| Saves category, maybe by 10 Saves instead, and | | | | against those match-ups. One of the most |
| you can improve your ranking in the SB category. | | | | satisfying things is to bench someone that goes 0 |
| You would still get your 12 points from the Saves | | | | for 4. Occasionally you'll guess wrong, but if you |
| category, but perhaps you would gain a couple | | | | do your research you'll probably be ahead of the |
| points in the SB category. If you can do a couple | | | | curve. |
| strategic trades you could make your way up the | | | | Follow these tips and you could find yourself |
| standings in no time. | | | | looking down at the pack instead of up at it. |
| Trading away your players isn't the only way to | | | | |