NY 2 Champion Profile - Michael Caputo
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:07 am
Position scarcity is one of the most popular buzzwords in fantasy sports. Some owners believe heavily in it; others don’t take it to heart nearly as passionately.
Michael Caputo is definitely a believer. And he has 5,000 reasons why after the 2005 NFFC season came to an end.
Caputo’s Draft Day strategy revolved heavily around the position scarcity approach and he said that played a key role in his championship season in New York League 2.
“My draft strategy has always been to draft with the position scarcity approach,” the 32-year-old Caputo said. “Basically going with middle infielders and corners early in the draft.
“When it comes to pitching I tried to look for value in the middle rounds. Middle-round pitchers I selected (in 2005) were Dontrelle Willis, Kevin Millwood and John Lackey.”
All of those pitchers definitely panned out for Caputo last year. But he said there were other factors involved in his first-place season as well.
“Basically, it comes down to three things: Draft preparation, solid free-agent pickups and most of all – luck,” he said. “I also spent a good amount of time reading Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster. There isn’t a better publication.”
Caputo, a statistical analyst for the New York City Probation Department, has been playing fantasy baseball and football for about 10 years. So he definitely knows the ins and outs of the game. That helped him realize as August began to dawn that his team was in good position to best the field in New York League 2.
“I knew with about six weeks left in the season that if everyone stayed healthy I would have a good shot to win the league,” he said.
He also has high praise for the NFBC.
“The NFBC was a great fantasy baseball experience,” he said. “Everyone brings their A game to the table. You can’t ask for anymore than that.”
Well the $5,000 is a pretty nice bonus too, right Michael?
“It definitely feels great to win the title,” he said. “The NFBC brings out the best in fantasy baseball.”
Michael Caputo is definitely a believer. And he has 5,000 reasons why after the 2005 NFFC season came to an end.
Caputo’s Draft Day strategy revolved heavily around the position scarcity approach and he said that played a key role in his championship season in New York League 2.
“My draft strategy has always been to draft with the position scarcity approach,” the 32-year-old Caputo said. “Basically going with middle infielders and corners early in the draft.
“When it comes to pitching I tried to look for value in the middle rounds. Middle-round pitchers I selected (in 2005) were Dontrelle Willis, Kevin Millwood and John Lackey.”
All of those pitchers definitely panned out for Caputo last year. But he said there were other factors involved in his first-place season as well.
“Basically, it comes down to three things: Draft preparation, solid free-agent pickups and most of all – luck,” he said. “I also spent a good amount of time reading Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster. There isn’t a better publication.”
Caputo, a statistical analyst for the New York City Probation Department, has been playing fantasy baseball and football for about 10 years. So he definitely knows the ins and outs of the game. That helped him realize as August began to dawn that his team was in good position to best the field in New York League 2.
“I knew with about six weeks left in the season that if everyone stayed healthy I would have a good shot to win the league,” he said.
He also has high praise for the NFBC.
“The NFBC was a great fantasy baseball experience,” he said. “Everyone brings their A game to the table. You can’t ask for anymore than that.”
Well the $5,000 is a pretty nice bonus too, right Michael?
“It definitely feels great to win the title,” he said. “The NFBC brings out the best in fantasy baseball.”