| The first thing you want to do to play | | | | auction method, you can force teams to |
| fantasy baseball is find, or form, a | | | | stay under the 260 credit unit salary |
| fantasy baseball league. Ten to twelve | | | | cap, or allow the purchase of remaining |
| teams is usually the norm in a league, | | | | players once the bidding is complete and |
| though you may have anywhere from four | | | | the owners have their teams completed. |
| to 24 teams in a given league. Each team | | | | Players and Their Eligibility |
| in the fantasy league must consist of 23 | | | | A player may play any position that he |
| players. Many of the leagues you will | | | | played in at least 20 major-league games |
| find use only American or National | | | | the previous year. If he doesn't have a |
| League players, so the number of quality | | | | position that he did play 20 times, he |
| players is limited. | | | | is eligible for the position he played |
| Your team's roster will consist of nine | | | | the most often. The player is also |
| pitchers, five outfielders, two | | | | allowed to play any position that he may |
| catchers, one player for each of the | | | | appear in through the season. |
| three bases, a middle infielder, one | | | | How Fantasy Baseball is Scored |
| corner man, and a miscellaneous player | | | | Cumulative scoring system- |
| (designated hitter in AL based fantasy | | | | There are a total of eight categories |
| leagues, utility man in NL based fantasy | | | | each team will be scored on. These are |
| leagues. | | | | batting averages (pitcher excluded), |
| Players: Choosing Your Team | | | | home runs, runs batted, stolen bases, |
| Each owner is given a list of players, | | | | run average, wins, saves, and WHIP |
| and their eligible positions on draft | | | | (Walks and Hits divided by total Innings |
| day. There are two methods used to | | | | Pitched). At the end of the season, each |
| select your team in a fantasy baseball | | | | team is ranked from first to last in |
| league. One method is the draft method, | | | | each category. In a ten team league, |
| the other is the auction method. | | | | first place in each category will |
| Draft method- The teams are arranged in | | | | receive ten points. Second place |
| a random order. Following this order, | | | | receives nine, so on and so forth. The |
| owners take turns selecting players | | | | champion of the league is determined by |
| until all teams have twenty three | | | | the highest score at the end of the |
| players. The draft order is usually | | | | year. |
| reversed for even numbered rounds. | | | | Head to head scoring system- |
| Before drafting starts, decide if the | | | | Based on the same eight categories, |
| league will wipe the slate clean for the | | | | teams play a game each week with another |
| next season, or whether it will protect | | | | franchise. Each team will receive a |
| seven to fifteen players. | | | | point for each category they win, and |
| Auction method- In the auction method, | | | | ties are thrown away. Alternatively, |
| each fantasy baseball team owner will | | | | teams can receive two points for wins, |
| start with 260 units of credit. Owners | | | | and one point for ties. If tied games |
| will take turns opening bids on players. | | | | will not be allowed to stand, |
| Bidding proceeds, as with a normal | | | | strikeouts, doubles, runs, triples, and |
| auction, until only the highest bidder | | | | home team wins are excellent tie |
| remains. Bidding will have a minimum | | | | breaking categories. |
| increase of one unit of credit. With the | | | | |