NFBC Weekly Profile - Adam Kleeberg

[Tom Kessenich]

Adam Kleeberg has a confession to make. He doesn't like baseball. There he said it. His admission is likely to startle some, especially when they take a peek at the NFBC's Double Play and Double Play Live standings.



After all, one would expect a person who has not one but two teams residing in the Top 10 in both events, including the first-place team in the Double Play Live, to be a baseball fan.



But not Kleeberg. He has little interest in the game itself.



"I love fantasy baseball, but I am not a so-called baseball fan," he admitted. "I have probably watched less than 30 innings this season. I follow stats, injuries and read various analysis. Fantasy baseball is like a math project for me with a degree of gambling. I think not being a fan of a team or particular players allows me to make better statistical decisions because it is a straight numbers decision."



It's difficult to argue with the results Kleeberg has delivered so far. Not only was he leading the Double Play Live event entering Week 12 but both of his teams were in the Top 5 overall standings. Those two teams were also both in the Top 10 in the Double Play's overall standings as well.



"Obviously, to have two teams consistently in the Top 5 out of 228 teams in the Live Double Play and 750-plus teams in the overall Double Play has meant that I have gotten very lucky," he said. "It has been a fun ride so far but we aren't even halfway through the season so it is still critical to stay ahead of the curve via free agency."



The primary constant between the two teams has been Ryan Braun. The Brewers' slugger is off to a great start and has spearheaded Kleeberg's teams rise to the top or near the top of two national event's overall standings.



"I had Braun has my No. 2 best player going into my drafts," he said. "In my first draft, I picked fifth (which was my top choice in KDS) because I was fairly certain based on ADP I could get Braun and pair him with Matt Kemp and then Ian Kinsler. Well, I got Braun, but Kemp went early so I took Prince Fielder and Kinsler.



"In my second draft, I picked ninth because I was going to take Adrian Gonzalez and pair him with Kemp. But since Braun fell to nine I couldn't pass on him and just stacked my outfield with Braun and Kemp, who I took at pick 16."



Those picks have proven to be quite fortuitous. While Braun has been terrific, so have Fielder and Kemp. Fielder is off to a .305-19-58 start while Kemp is batting a robust .331-20-56-14 with 45 runs scored.



"I also hit on some other key guys," Kleeberg said. "I have Russell Martin, Adam Jones, Billy Butler, Cole Hamels and Shaun Marcum in both leagues. They have as a whole been extremely productive and, more importantly, they have been healthy."



Another key Draft Day strategy Kleeberg employed with success is not being afraid to target a player regardless of position.



"I try to avoid drafting a guy just because there has been a run on a position," he said. "Sometimes you have to, but other times you reach for a third baseman in Round 10 just to fill the spot when you could get one of similar value in Round 20.



"In one league, my team consisted of Braun, Kemp, B.J. Upton, Jones and Carlos Quentin. I really didn't want to keep taking outfielders so high but I liked the player and felt they had value when I got them. Another key is not being afraid to make a big reach, taking someone two rounds or so above their ADP. But that should only be on 2-3 players throughout the draft."



As Kleeberg noted, his work on the Waiver Wire will be critical the rest of the way. Thus far, he has been able to effectively supplement his draft work with some quality free-agent pickups. Among the best so far have been Jordan Walden although Anthony Rizzo could quickly prove to be another impact acquisition.



The 31-year-old Kleeberg lives in Atlanta with his gilfriend and works as an aviation attorney. This is his third year in the NFBC and he is a relative newcomer to fantasy baseball, having only played for the past four years. However, he is a fantasy football veteran with 15 years of his experience in that hobby under his belt.



With three years of NFBC experience to rely on, he knows that despite his impressive start to the season there is still a long ways to go before anything is settled.



"It is always tough competition in the NFBC," he said. "I have gotten extremely lucky this year to be in the position I am in considering how tough both of my drafts were. One team has a bench of Jason Heyward, Ike Davis, Jonathan Broxton, Jake Peavy and Denard Span who are all on the DL. It is going to be difficult for that team to keep it up until it gets healthy. So I need to get healthy and stay healthy."