Empty Stadiums and Full Drafts

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DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Empty Stadiums and Full Drafts

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Tue Apr 07, 2020 9:33 am

By now, most of you have heard about the playing of baseball in empty stadiums. Possibly, all games being played in Arizona.The first plan of isolating players, umps, officials, tv personnel, team trainers, coaches, owners, and everybody else involved with games seems very far fetched.
At the least though, it offers hope. Hope is something we've had damned little of lately. So, I'm in.

I look at everything through a fantasy mind. Let's say that these games start tomorrow.
Who would I want to draft?
And who would I want to avoid?
Here's my take...

First, I would take Mike Trout with the first pick. Trout doesn't need the crowds cheering. He isn't driven by a "LOOK AT ME AND WHAT I CAN DO, MOM!" attitude.
He just plays.
I believe Acuna Jr. is more driven by the look at me, Ma!'' playing style. He thrives on adulation. He may even drop to third, fourth or fifth on my personnel list.

I would also avoid players that are abnormally helped by their home fields. This includes every Colorado Rockies hitter who would drop in drafts like balloons with rocks in them in drafts.
The New York Yankees won't have that friendly right field fence.
Padres, Mets, and Giants pitchers won't have friendly parks to throw in.
Home/away splits rendered meaningless.

I would avoid high octane players.
Max Scherzer thrives on a big game atmosphere.
Now, he would be throwing as if he were 'Tommy' in the Who's rock opera.
'Can't hear no buzzers or bells, can't see no lights flashing'.
Scherzer and pitchers like Scherzer who feed off the crowd and surroundings would be lowered on my draft list.

And you know ho really gets a bump up with this plan?
The Houston Astros.
Not one fan will be ragging on the Astros.
Hopefully, the microphones on the field will pick up what rival teams yell at them!
THAT, would make for great television!
From a fantasy perspective, they all get a bump up to where they were being drafted before their tomfoolery.
And no, there is no truth to the rumor that the Astros started this virus.

A month ago, the Commish said that the report about the Red Sox and their wayward ways was complete.
Where is it?
Why not bring it out now when few are concerned?
Stupid suits.
Anyway, from a fantasy look and playing to empty crowds, this will help the Red Sox.
Especially when playing the Yankees.
A Yankees-Red Sox series without fans will be like eating and drinking with no taste buds.
It happened.
But, we'll feel little excitement.

From an Overall look...
I believe there would be even less stolen bases. Stolen bases are mostly driven by adrenaline. Nowadays, there are no 'steal' signs flashed by Managers. It is almost 100 % left up to the players. I believe fewer and fewer players will have the impetus to steal bases.
I also believe that Managers will play it safer with their pitchers.
90 pitches becomes the new 100.
With rosters being larger, relievers will be used quicker.
Older pitchers who have 'been there and done that' may be picked over a fledgling pitcher who will see less time on the mound.

No matter the 'professionalism' we expect from players, I don't think we'll see many players diving into empty stands or crashing fences to catch baseballs. These games would have the same look as a scrimmage to these players. And if playing ball in high school, College, or somewhere else, you know it was tough getting up for these type games.
We would see names come from nowhere.
Kevin Kiermaier or Andrew Benintendi may play better than those drafted higher in drafts like Tommy Pham or Ramon Laureano.
Some players may thrive with no crowd noise and no fanfare.
It'll be up to us to judge who will take that next large step under these strange circumstances.
And if indeed, playing with no fans and in one area does come to be, we will certainly have our work cut out for us on draft day!
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

Bronx Yankees
Posts: 1238
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: Empty Stadiums and Full Drafts

Post by Bronx Yankees » Tue Apr 07, 2020 3:48 pm

Great post, Dan. This has been the most challenging season to prepare and draft for from a fantasy perspective.

Remember when we were stressed out about not knowing what type of ball MLB would be using? LOL. We went from that to not knowing when the season would start, to now readjusting everyone to, potentially, neutral parks. Of course, we don't really know that, do we? Let's say all of games are played in Arizona. I'm guessing that, except for the Diamonbacks' home park which has a roof, none of the other parks that would be used will have a roof. I'm also guessing in the hot Arizona weather, the ball will fly. Great for hitters, not so great for pitchers.

Will teams play most of their games at one or two parks, thereby making those parks' dimensions particularly relevant for those teams, or will they just shuffle things up so all teams will play some random amount of games at each park? Do the Arizona Spring Training parks even play differently? Can we get someone on this?

There is a multitude of other potential adjustments one can make in light of the Arizona scenario. Even if things change, for a day I'm just happy that folks are talking about how to get back on the field and the return of baseball. Can't come soon enough.
Mike Mager
"Bronx Yankees"

DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Re: Empty Stadiums and Full Drafts

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Wed Apr 08, 2020 2:03 pm

Bronx Yankees wrote:
Tue Apr 07, 2020 3:48 pm
Great post, Dan. This has been the most challenging season to prepare and draft for from a fantasy perspective.

Remember when we were stressed out about not knowing what type of ball MLB would be using? LOL. We went from that to not knowing when the season would start, to now readjusting everyone to, potentially, neutral parks. Of course, we don't really know that, do we? Let's say all of games are played in Arizona. I'm guessing that, except for the Diamonbacks' home park which has a roof, none of the other parks that would be used will have a roof. I'm also guessing in the hot Arizona weather, the ball will fly. Great for hitters, not so great for pitchers.

Will teams play most of their games at one or two parks, thereby making those parks' dimensions particularly relevant for those teams, or will they just shuffle things up so all teams will play some random amount of games at each park? Do the Arizona Spring Training parks even play differently? Can we get someone on this?

There is a multitude of other potential adjustments one can make in light of the Arizona scenario. Even if things change, for a day I'm just happy that folks are talking about how to get back on the field and the return of baseball. Can't come soon enough.
Thanks Mike and I agree with you completely.
We are going into unchartered territory both in our real lives and our fantasy lives.
We already know our real lives are a pain in the ass.
We are just taking each day one at a time, hoping for that light at the end of the tunnel....and hope it's not a train.

For fantasy baseball, I believe it evens the playing field.
I believe a Yahoo Kid can find no better time to enter a Main Event league if his in-season management skills are keen.
The sharks have been neutralized a bit.
Drafting is more luck than skill this year.
In a sense, we were all putting down bets for fair weathered Kentucky Derby, only to find out they shortened the race considerably and it's raining.
In baseball, we're used to a full race.
Now we have to find the best sprinters and mudders.
Good luck to us!
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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