Live Chat With Greg & Tom: Tuesday, 3 pm ET

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, it's time to get some interaction going here on the NFBC boards. Not only that, but Tom and I haven't talked to many of you folks for a long, long time. So let's gather together and have a Live Chat!!

Tom and I will be free to talk for an hour or so tomorrow at 3 pm ET. But feel free to post some questions ahead of time and we'll have some answers in advance. We're here to answer any questions you may have and to get the smack talk rolling. Bring it on and we look forward to the dialogue over the next day.

LIVE CHAT!! Who has some questions or snide comments about our new radio gig?

[Red Sox Nation-]

Greg/Tom,

Can you share with us any technology enhancements we will see this year? Live Overall scoring, Smart Phone App, etc.

Thanks

Jason

[Doctor Who]

Two kinda fun questions...

Who are your top 5 values according to the adp at this time?

What would you tell your new audience of NFBC players coming the 3 most important things or strategies that have worked in past to hang with the "sharks" in the water?

[TRAIN]

How about starting a 12 Team Draft Champion contest? The 15 team DC takes way too long to complete and the format is mainly for those playing in the 15 Team Main Event contests.

A 12 Team DC would attract a lot of those who people who only want to play in a 12 Team format, would be a lot less time consuming, and would be hugely popular with the Online Championship participants.

[Joe Sambito]

Let's talk Brewers... Will Mat Gamel finally get a chance to prove that he can hit in the Bigs? If Gamel hits well, any chance Hart sees more time in the outfield than expected? At whose expense, are the Brewers sold on Aoki? Does Hunter Morris have a chance to throw a wrinkle in "Gamel's last stand"?

What about Jean Segura? If Alcides Escobar is Elvis Andrus-lite, Is Jean Segura, Alcides Escobar-lite?

[DOUGHBOYS]

Speaking of the Brewers...
Why was there more HR's hit at their park than any other NL park?
Is it THAT hitter friendly?
Was it the Brewers hitting?
Was it the Brewers pitching?
Their bullpen?

And speaking of pitching, what do you expect out of their rotation this year?

[King of Queens]

or snide comments about our new radio gig?

Has the remote equipment arrived yet?

Will Tom be able to hear this week?

Did the time slot get moved AGAIN?

[Greg Ambrosius]

Greg/Tom,

Can you share with us any technology enhancements we will see this year? Live Overall scoring, Smart Phone App, etc.

Thanks

Jason

Let me answer this one right away and get more information today before the Live Chat. We have our IT meetings on Wednesdays, so I'll ask for an earlier update today on some of these other items we're working on so we're all on the same page.

As for the two above, our IT guys have said that we will have Live Overall Standings and an iPhone and Android app available at the start of the season. These are obviously the two biggest items we are working on now, not only for baseball, but football and basketball as well. Live Scoring upgrades were unveiled in September, but we have some other features that should be ready by Opening Day. We can also look at the categories that we are displaying there and make sure they are what is needed. So all is on course for the three big items you are asking about.

We have several other items on the To-Do List, including some of the suggestions you folks provided. I'll try to get an update on those items for you folks shortly.

[Tom Kessenich]

or snide comments about our new radio gig?

Has the remote equipment arrived yet?

Will Tom be able to hear this week?

Did the time slot get moved AGAIN?

No.

Hell yes.

Yes but hopefully for the last time It's now 7-9 ET on Wednesday nights and expected to stay that way.

[Greg Ambrosius]

How about starting a 12 Team Draft Champion contest? The 15 team DC takes way too long to complete and the format is mainly for those playing in the 15 Team Main Event contests.

A 12 Team DC would attract a lot of those who people who only want to play in a 12 Team format, would be a lot less time consuming, and would be hugely popular with the Online Championship participants.

This is an interesting question and a worthy one. In the NFFC this year, we are changing our NFFC Draft Champions National Championship from 14 teams to 12 teams because we know there is a bigger audience at that format. However, the real lure of these off-season DCs is to learn the entire player pool as well as you can, so the bigger league size makes perfect sense. Sure, we could go 50 rounds with 12 teams, but you folks would be going 600 players deep instead of 750. I can see some of you going "Yeah, that's the point. I want fewer players!!" And maybe that's a good thing.

But these 15-team DCs are really a big hit now, so it's tough to change. That being said, we'll definitely look at this during the off-season. For football, it's possible that we will offer a 12-team National DC Championship and a 14-team DC with just league prizes. I don't know if we'd go that way in baseball next year, but offering two formats is a possibility. We'll see. It's something we're already looking at in football and will consider in baseball next season.

[Greg Ambrosius]

or snide comments about our new radio gig?

Has the remote equipment arrived yet?

Will Tom be able to hear this week?

Did the time slot get moved AGAIN?

No. We've been told we'll be "LIVE, FROM IOLA" next Wednesday.

What did you say? Tom can't hear you.

We are now SET at 7-9 pm ET. Arli$$ follows us at 9 pm ET. We're the lead-in to Arli$$!!!

[Tom Kessenich]

As far as the Brewers I have very low expectations. I think they have major questions in the starting rotation beyond Gallardo and I don't trust their offense besides Braun. Ramirez always gets his numbers but he typically takes the first three months off and that can be a huge problem as was the case last season. The Brewers have done next to nothing in the offseason to improve, instead signing backup castoffs and long relievers. I fear it's going to be another rough season in Milwaukee in 2013. The fun that was had watching Braun and Fielder together with a standout rotation appears to be a distant memory.

[Ando]

Good morning Gents,

Can you name your top 3 candidates in the Top 15 ADP that you believe will not return 1st round value?

[Tom Kessenich]

Good morning Gents,

Can you name your top 3 candidates in the Top 15 ADP that you believe will not return 1st round value?

I have two:

Buster Posey
Josh Hamilton

Like both guys but not where their current ADPs have them ranked. Hard for me to view Posey as a first-round player and while I like Hamilton I'd feel better about him later in the second.

[Quahogs]

Greg,

What once started out as the only high stakes event option(15tm Main Event), it now shares the stage with a multitude of different play options. The ME 15tm has two weekends and now a 3rd option yet probably won't budge from 420 total entries. The NFBC has grown tremendously but the $1500 live/online event ME contest has become a niche contest it seems. A no doubt best of the best test but probably will never be the NATIONAL 2,500 entry 250k 1st place contest we all want it to be. There are just too many other options.

If it's going to be the same 300 hardcore high stakes diehards with a few new souls sprinkled in now and then maybe it's time to slant it toward the "high stakes" player and make the entry $2000 and get the overall prize to $150,000. Let's celebrate that type of player with a grand prize worthy of that accomplishment.

[ALL-IN JD]

And let's name it "The Steven Jupinka Invitational", with all entry fees going directly to Steven!!

[Quahogs]

Wise guy Dobies !

The entry fee has remained stagnant as has the prize. Player's budgets have increased but increasing faab team ownership may flat line. It's not easy to manage multiple faab teams. Maybe it's time to cater to the high stakes player and make those leagues very attractive with a big grand prize

[Glenneration X]

And let's name it "The Steven Jupinka Invitational", with all entry fees going directly to Steven!!

Yup Jeff....Juprinka always trying to get more of our hard earned money. As if he doesn't get enough of it already!

Still, I like his idea.

[California Aces]

Hello Greg and Tom,

Which players do you think will benefit the most from the fences coming in at Seattle and San Diego?

With the increase on drug testing, which players are most likely to get caught this year and penalized?

Who do you think will be the comeback players of the year in each league?

Thanks

[swampass]

it seems like baseball is getting more specialized. in fantasy football we have to deal with 2nd and sometimes 3rd running backs and its changing the fantasy game.

In colorado this season they seem intent to use a 6 man rotation and only letting starters throw 75 pitches. do you think you can get any value out of any of those starters? also do you have any different strategies this season with regard to a larger portion of players platooning? its an ugly fantasy word, but its happening more and more to the non "all star" players.

lastly..is the closer situation more turbulent and unknown than ever before?

[DOUGHBOYS]

Greg,

What once started out as the only high stakes event option(15tm Main Event), it now shares the stage with a multitude of different play options. The ME 15tm has two weekends and now a 3rd option yet probably won't budge from 420 total entries. The NFBC has grown tremendously but the $1500 live/online event ME contest has become a niche contest it seems. A no doubt best of the best test but probably will never be the NATIONAL 2,500 entry 250k 1st place contest we all want it to be. There are just too many other options.

If it's going to be the same 300 hardcore high stakes diehards with a few new souls sprinkled in now and then maybe it's time to slant it toward the "high stakes" player and make the entry $2000 and get the overall prize to $150,000. Let's celebrate that type of player with a grand prize worthy of that accomplishment.

Man, I hardly ever disagree with Steve, but I do here.
Some of us allot a certain amount of monies that we can play fantasy baseball with during the year. Such an increase would make me out of two events and into one and may edge others out from one to none.
The Main Event is just that, the Main Event. It should be optionable for as many as possible.
There are Supers and Diamonds for those who wish to play at higher levels and the $150,000 first prize is not a much bigger hook.

For my money, with all the new partners that Greg is coming up with, this is the time to increase the player base.
Pricing possible new players out of the Main Event would be counter productive in my mind.
Just my two cents and I know I did not put that in the form of a question for Greg

[Quahogs]

Hey dough aren't you signed up for a Diamond ?

You know it just seems like the light has been on in the window for quite a while. I think the ME event as an OVERALL event is just as prohibitive to the mainstream as is the price point. I've been witness to more than a few conversations stating dislike for prize $ to be taken away from the league and pushed into a grand prize. They view winning that a lottery ticket.

Maybe it can grow like you say, after 10 years though maybe it is who we say we are. A niche event for high stakes players and the only way we'll see better overall prizes is a bump in entry fees.

[Joe Sambito]

This may be a stupid question, but I am going to ask it anyhow , If the Cardinals sign Lohse now, do they lose their 1st round pick? Do they lose the draft slot $$?

[Tom Kessenich]

I've been witness to more than a few conversations stating dislike for prize $ to be taken away from the league and pushed into a grand prize. They view winning that a lottery ticket.

Are you hearing these conversations mostly with baseball Steve? Reason I ask is because football is clearly the exact opposite. What we've seen with our events and the competition is that people playing in the national contests want larger grand prizes first and foremost. League prizes are nice but what matters most to them is the huge overall prize. And it doesn't matter how many are in the event or if their chances to win are greatly reduced. They want that big carrot. Personally, that's been one of the biggest revelations in this industry for me the past few years because it runs contrary to my thought process as a player. Greg and I have played in high-stakes events in football and our thought process was always the same - win the league and then take our chances in the playoffs for the grand prize. But winning the league was always the primary goal. That's clearly not how most people are viewing things now, though. It's all about chasing the big prize and the bigger the better. Or maybe it's just a football thing?

[Greg Ambrosius]

Two kinda fun questions...

Who are your top 5 values according to the adp at this time?

What would you tell your new audience of NFBC players coming the 3 most important things or strategies that have worked in past to hang with the "sharks" in the water?

You know, now that Tom and I no longer write for pre-season magazines, we probably know less about the splits of players and tendencies of players now than at any time we've been working together. I mean, for 20+ years, I started reviewing players starting in November and putting a magazine out for newsstands in January. I wrote player profiles and did rankings plus dollar values for every player for 20+ years. Now I'm barely looking at player splits or profiles. It's just the nature of our jobs now.

So who am I to give out player bargains? A handful of guys who seem to have good value where they are being drafted:
Desmond Jennings at 69 (I'm buying and hoping for a better season)
Madison Bumgarner at 59 (he's a bargain among that second tier of SPs)
Brett Lawrie at 67 (you have to love his fiery style and the 20-20 skill set is still there)
Tim Lincecum at 134 (the ultimate gamble this year)
Wil Myers at 213 (he's coming up to the big leagues by May 15)

Advice for all new NFBC players:
1. Know the player pool inside out; everyone else in the NFBC knows 750 players deep
2. Know WHEN each of these players are expected to be drafted and don't be afraid to jump players you want a round early. Look at the ADPs, but realize that on Draft Day the good players will get their players much earlier than the ADPs.
3. Grind, grind, grind during the season. As Stephen Jupinka said last week on our SiriusXM show, the draft is 50% of the battle. Picking up free agents and massaging your roster is the other 50% of the battle.

Good luck all.