Terms
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:39 am
Some of you know that I dislike the word, 'sleeper'.
Few words in the English language remain, while having a change of definition.
'Sleeper' is one.
Back in the day, 'sleeper' described a little known or obscure player of which little information was known.
With the information explosion, such a player hardly exists now. That definition was put to rest.
Now, a 'sleeper' refers to an 'undervalued' player.
I dislike the word 'undervalued'.
Jacoby Ellsbury, Grady Sizemore, and Matt Wieters will be selected by drafters next year. They will extol the virtues of how 'undervalued' these players are.
The reality is that they've dropped price in the market due to injury or coming off a year of bad performance. Such a player should be called a 'rebounder' instead of 'undervalued', since the 'value' has been taken under consideration by drafters who know the risks involved.
Drafting a player in the 10th round with an adp of the eighth round is also considered getting an 'undervalued' player. Who is to say that those 14 drafters in that league are smarter than those that combined for the adp?
Once drafters have the 'sleepers' or 'undervalued' players, they make 'projections'.
I dislike 'projections'
Almost every magazine has to make 'projections'. It is their duty. These 'projections are ok by me. They are selling magazines or their website's name. These projections hardly ever vary though. They are a regurgitation of the previous years numbers combined with a more extended history with injury taken into account.
The 'projections' I dislike are the ones that are made by some players after drafting a team. These players like to say how many home runs, rbi, ERA and the like that their team will accumulate before the season starts. The thinking is, that these players will not suffer injury, underperformance, or be replaced by faab players. I know of a few players who increase some of these 'projections' once a player is safely drafted and on their roster. C'mon, man.
I'd rather read the 'experts' projections.
I dislike the word 'experts'
For some reason, if writing for a publication or website, the word 'expert' is attached. Although some fantasy writers know baseball as well as NFBC'ers, few dominate actual fantasy leagues.
Put a veteran NFBC'er in a league against one of these 'experts' and I'll put my money on the NFBC'er every time.
Good fantasy terms?
'The five category player'.
I like 'five category player'.
It is the equivalant of baseball's five tool player. Matt Kemp, last year, was a five category player, not so much this year. It is a term that perfectly describes a player. Finding that player, however, is difficult.
Before becoming a 'five category player', a player should have a 'breakout' year.
I like 'breakout' year.
It suggests that a player has had the year that could define him for the rest of his career. At the same time, it also may be a year that will never be seen again.
Even 'experts 'can be fooled by 'breakout' years.
One 'expert' was so enamored with Joba Chamberlain's 'breakout' year that he had him as the number one pitcher in his publication the following year.
'Breakout' does not define a one year wonder, career consistency, or a rebounder, only that the player has obtained a high level of play over the course of a year.
What are some of the terms that you like or dislike?
I didn't mention 'on pace'.
It really isn't a fantasy term and is usually only mentioned in April, when expectations may be a little too high for a player or team.
Few words in the English language remain, while having a change of definition.
'Sleeper' is one.
Back in the day, 'sleeper' described a little known or obscure player of which little information was known.
With the information explosion, such a player hardly exists now. That definition was put to rest.
Now, a 'sleeper' refers to an 'undervalued' player.
I dislike the word 'undervalued'.
Jacoby Ellsbury, Grady Sizemore, and Matt Wieters will be selected by drafters next year. They will extol the virtues of how 'undervalued' these players are.
The reality is that they've dropped price in the market due to injury or coming off a year of bad performance. Such a player should be called a 'rebounder' instead of 'undervalued', since the 'value' has been taken under consideration by drafters who know the risks involved.
Drafting a player in the 10th round with an adp of the eighth round is also considered getting an 'undervalued' player. Who is to say that those 14 drafters in that league are smarter than those that combined for the adp?
Once drafters have the 'sleepers' or 'undervalued' players, they make 'projections'.
I dislike 'projections'
Almost every magazine has to make 'projections'. It is their duty. These 'projections are ok by me. They are selling magazines or their website's name. These projections hardly ever vary though. They are a regurgitation of the previous years numbers combined with a more extended history with injury taken into account.
The 'projections' I dislike are the ones that are made by some players after drafting a team. These players like to say how many home runs, rbi, ERA and the like that their team will accumulate before the season starts. The thinking is, that these players will not suffer injury, underperformance, or be replaced by faab players. I know of a few players who increase some of these 'projections' once a player is safely drafted and on their roster. C'mon, man.
I'd rather read the 'experts' projections.
I dislike the word 'experts'
For some reason, if writing for a publication or website, the word 'expert' is attached. Although some fantasy writers know baseball as well as NFBC'ers, few dominate actual fantasy leagues.
Put a veteran NFBC'er in a league against one of these 'experts' and I'll put my money on the NFBC'er every time.
Good fantasy terms?
'The five category player'.
I like 'five category player'.
It is the equivalant of baseball's five tool player. Matt Kemp, last year, was a five category player, not so much this year. It is a term that perfectly describes a player. Finding that player, however, is difficult.
Before becoming a 'five category player', a player should have a 'breakout' year.
I like 'breakout' year.
It suggests that a player has had the year that could define him for the rest of his career. At the same time, it also may be a year that will never be seen again.
Even 'experts 'can be fooled by 'breakout' years.
One 'expert' was so enamored with Joba Chamberlain's 'breakout' year that he had him as the number one pitcher in his publication the following year.
'Breakout' does not define a one year wonder, career consistency, or a rebounder, only that the player has obtained a high level of play over the course of a year.
What are some of the terms that you like or dislike?
I didn't mention 'on pace'.
It really isn't a fantasy term and is usually only mentioned in April, when expectations may be a little too high for a player or team.