Sell High/Buy Low

With the February 18th NBA Trade Deadline quickly approaching, NOW is the time to think about the future (ie. playoffs) and where you can improve your roster/league standing. Many owners are starting to lose interest, whether it be due to their place in standings, lack of time, or plain boredom. Other owners, however, are brainstorming ways to improve their team (possibly your target!). Don't wait until its too late to decide you want to shake things up. Don't rely on waiver wire players to carry you to a title. And most importantly, don't assume that the other owner will reject your offer. To use an old basketball analogy...You will miss every shot you don't take! There's a sucker born every minute, so if you can be the one to benefit from a last minute deal, offer him a couple trades and see if he takes the bait.


Below is a list of players to take a chance on and players to send-a-packin' ! If you've been thinking about any of these players: go with your gut, pull the trigger, move on up the standings! Feedback is welcomed.

SELL HIGH:

• Chris Kaman

• Rodney Stuckey

• Luol Deng
• Randy Foye
• Vince Carter
• Brendan Haywood
• Robin Lopez
• Kevin Garnett

BUY LOW:

• Eric Gordon
• Luis Scola

• Russell Westbrook

• Jameer Nelson
• David West
• Amare Stoudamire
• Paul Millsap

NBA 2009-2010

Generally speaking, I do one fantasy basketball team per year. Much like baseball, the daily scheduling/substituting can be a little overwhelming, so right or wrong, I put all my resources and effort into one draft. For those of you who do not participate in mock drafts, I highly recommend joining at least a couple before you do your live draft. This does a couple things:

1. It allows you to make your draft strategy depending on your draft position. Having a high pick (1-5) is great but can also affect the depth of your roster. In snake drafts, it is always nice to get the back-to-back picks to lock down two potential studs. Mess around with several positions so you have a better idea of how things might play out.


2. It allows you to see where certain players are going according to Average Draft Position (ADP). That "special someone" you've had your eyes on may drop a round or two, allowing you to fill another need. No need to reach for someone that you KNOW will be there later on.


3. It teaches you to ALWAYS have a backup plan. If "your man" gets picked just in front of you, it can be very frustrating and cause you to lose focus. Have a couple players in your watch list so that you never waste a pick. EVERY pick has the potential to be the most important!

After several mock drafts and some research at my favorite sites (see links below) I put my skills to the test. Through 6 weeks of the season I am in 2nd place and am sitting pretty (based on maximum games played) So, without further adue, I present to you the '09-'10 GOODFELLAS:

1. (11) Deron Williams


2. (18) Andre Iguodala


3. (39) Josh Smith


4. (46) Mehmet Okur


5. (67) Andris Biedrins


6. (74) Hedo Turkoglu


7. (95) Lois Scola


8. (102) Rodney Stuckey


9. (123) Jason Thompson


10. (130) Jamal Crawford


11. (151) T.J. Ford


12. (158) Brendan Haywood


13. (179) Rudy Fernandez

...MORE TO COME...STAY TUNED...

Target Acquired

I like to think that I'm a scary judge of talent and what better way to craft a championship team than to do a little scouting of your own. Do your homework. Know the players that make everyone else around them better. Good team chemistry will result in better performances; and you guessed it...better performances result in better stats. Some are from the obvious corner, while the others are from your standard role player prototype.

• Jay Bruce- Once this kid gets comfortable with the off-speed stuff, look out. Unlimited potential (he's got the rock-back step like Griffey) in a High School sized ballpark. Besides the Batting Average woes, he's a HR, RBI, & Runs machine. Get him! Especially if you have the luxury of a bench spot.


• Corey Hart- This Grizzly Adams look alike is just a player. Any manager wants a guy who comes to play everyday. His numbers have quietly crept from year to year and I don't see this year being any different. If Hart remains in the heart of the Milwaukee lineup, he's destined for another solid season.


• Jose Reyes- When Reyes goes, the Mets go. If this guy gets on base, he's scoring. 2008 was considered a sub-par performance (for almost anyone else, its a career year) and the Mets have done nothing but add to their Stable of Stallions. This is the year that the Mets win the NL East and Reyes is going to be the catalyst to that mission.


• Shane Victorino- The Flyin' Hawaiian has always been one of my personal faves. In a star studded Phillies lineup, and a mini-me ballbark, this speedster is due to stay healthy and perform at an all star level. He is a roto stud and is a welcomed addition to any team.


• Adam Dunn- There seems to be a theme in the small ballpark occurences, but this just goes to show how important it is. Dunn is "strong like bull" and I would guess that he'll adjust just fine in DC. Another Batting Average killer, but you know what to expect from this lefty.

• Sleeper Pick: Daniel Murphy- Although I think this kid is on a lot of peoples' radar, he could slip through some cracks on draft day. If so, you need to be there to swoop him up. Has a very favorable situation in New York (placed between Reyes and Wright) and seems primed for a stellar sophomore season.

• Adam Wainwright- I might be a little bias with this pick (I'm a die hard Cardinals fan), but Wainwright has quickly become the staff ace of the Cardinals. He will continue his progression this year and will be a multi-category contributor (K, ERA, WHIP, decent W's).


• Yovani Gallardo- Injuries have killed this potential all-star. I'm going out on a limb and saying that he will remain healthy long enough to make a difference for your fantasy team (is 15 wins too ambitious?).


• Heath Bell- The time has finally come for Bell as the closer of the Fathers. Expect at least 25-30 saves this year and a healthy ERA and WHIP. Probably not the best stallion in the closer stable but you can ride this steady horse all the way to the promised land.


• Jair Jurrjens- Loved this guy in Detroit. Love him in Atlanta. Love his chances of bettering what was an impressive '08 campaign (13 wins, 139 K's, a decent 3.68 ERA). With Tim Hudson on the shelf until August, Jurrjens is expected to pick up alot of the load. Expect him to rise to the challenge.

• Sleeper Pick: Chris Volstad- Flies under the radar in a talented young Marlins pitching staff. He is slated to be the 4th starter in the rotation but will pitch more like 2nd or 3rd. Two things stand out in my mind with Volstad: 1) his job security is very high in Florida, and 2) his ballpark has one of the deepest outfields in the majors (420 ft.).

War Room

The Scene: Laptops, Fantasy Strategy Guides & Cheat Sheets, Cold "Beverages", Eleven Anxious Owners and a $280 Salary Cap



The Rundown: As opening day quickly approaches, our attention shifts from the winding-down NBA season (which I will soon receive my gold medal for) to the much anticipated MLB draft. I will give you a little quote that I go by when getting ready for your respective drafts: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
This year's format was a little different than in years passed. An auction style, NL-only draft was chosen by the commissioner and having never participated in an auction draft, I was a little skeptical of the process. With only the help of my "trusty" fantasy guide, I had to gauge the spending habits and needs of the other owners, but still commit to my list of desired players and pre-draft rankings. One thing that I immediately noticed was that tossing the players that I wanted didn't always turn out to be the right move, as many owners overpaid early on in a 'heat of the moment' atmosphere. Waiting too long to make a move could result in missing out on the top tier players, but too much, too soon could leave you with an incomplete or unbalanced roster. Patience is a virtue. But remember, if you want someone...GO GET THEM! As spending cooled, budgets dwindled, and rosters emerged, it became clear who the real players were going to be.

I know as well as the next competitive fantasy owner that a League Championship is not won or lost at the draft. However, I am smart enough to know that getting a solid foundation to build around is vital when negotiating trades, working the wire, and taking into consideration the reality of injuries. Every relevant fantasy article will tell you that knowing your opponents tendencies, favorite teams/players, and willingness to wheel & deal is important. I cannot stress enough how true this is. There's a sucker born every day and you have to be ready to pounce on his weakness. Be proactive, not reactive.

The Results: Below is a list of my drafted players followed by their selling price (don't judge!). Any feedback or comments are welcomed. Too many people take criticism in a negative way instead of embracing it and using it to their advantage.

GoodfellasC- Russell Martin LAD (28)

1B- Lance Berkman HOU (45)

2B- Rickie Weeks MIL (15)

3B- Kevin Kouzmanoff SD (17)

SS- Khalil Greene STL (1)

OF- Adam Dunn WAS (27)

OF- Rick Ankiel STL (18)

OF- Eric Byrnes ARZ (3)

Util- Troy Glaus STL (5)

Bn- Chris Dickerson CIN (Supplemental Draft)

P- Brandon Webb ARZ (45)

P- Edison Volquez CIN (21)

P- Jair Jurrjens ATL (13)

P- Clayton Kershaw LAD (10)

P- Matt Capps PIT (14)

P- Matt Lindstrom FLA (13)

P- Joel Hanrahan WAS (5)

Bn- Jon Rauch ARZ (Supplemental Draft)

The Verdict: On paper, I like my pitching staff better than my sticks. The more I see my list of position players, the more I see a bunch of high risk, high reward players (Weeks, Greene, Kouz-man, and Byrnes). With guys like this you cannot be afraid to pull the trigger on early trades (2-for-1 package deals, perhaps). This is when knowing your opponents' needs/wants comes into play. The jury is still out on how this will play out...