Playing Out The String: An Etiquette Guide

[Yah Mule]

A competitive nature and a large degree of self confidence are necessary traits among NFBC competitors. I fully accept that losing more than you win is part of the game. What kills me is when I blow it and draft a badly flawed team that I feel compelled to manage to the bitter end. Even if I find myself in a hopeless situation in early May, I will keep changing lineups bi-weekly and continue participating in FAAB.

Down the stretch, I try to be cognizant of not impacting the race between the top teams in my league. I keep setting my lineups as usual, but I will generally blow out whatever FAAB I have remaining at the end of August and just save a few dollars. I really don't want to beat a contender in my league out of player in the final weeks. Even though its perfectly fair and legal, it still feels like a kind of interference. I believe I fulfill my responsibility to the overall contest by keeping a lineup free of dead spots.

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

[skmetz51]

I couldn't agree more, and appreciate the fact there are people like you who play the game the right way. Wish there were more. Thanks for your posts. -- Steve M/The Citgo Sign

[DOUGHBOYS]

I do the same thing. I will, however, give a lot more time to teams that are looking to cash.

The NFBC used to give weekly prizes. I'm looking at a Tony Gwynn signed jersey and a picture signed by Roger Clemens right now. Both, weekly prizes from long ago.
At one time, this was considered a 'perk' in being in the Main Event.
But, it also had the effect of keeping folks from folding their teams, giving them something to play for even if out of the cash running in standings.
During that time, there were less 'folders' than now and that was probably a reason why.

[Edwards Kings]

I don't change. I usually like to have a little more left in FAAB $ at the end than others, to get the players I want. Even when I am out of it, I try for the players that I think will best help my team. Hopefully that is not wrong, but that is the way I have always done it.

[TParsons]

This is an interesting topic. It's one I've thought a lot about, and discussed thoroughly with others in the past. I don't think either approach mentioned here is wrong. It's all about being consistent imo.

Several years ago I was in a league that had an owner go almost a month without changing his lineup. I watched teams pass this owner in several categories. I thought nothing of it at first. Then after a month of being dormant, the owner started bidding and changing his lineup again. I was in a dog fight with two other teams to cash, and was on the cusp of passing him in 3 categories when he came out of hiding. I took it personal. I reached out to see what the heck was going on. The owner blamed his partner for not setting lineups, and gave me the good ol' "I paid to play. I'll do what I want with my team." It all worked out in the end, but that approach has always bothered me. I compare this to the keeper league experience that everybody seems to relate to where two owners that are friends/family draft a mediocre team on an annual basis. Like clockwork, each year around the All-star break, one of them dumps their expiring/high priced productive players to the other for the next big prospect, a low $ TJS arm, or a closer in waiting. With this approach one of them cashes each year. Is it within the rules? I guess so. Does that make it right? I don't think so.

I've rambled on long enough. To summarize, consistency is key. If you're going to play it out, that's fine. Kudos to owners that continue to try to improve their standings. If you're going to give up, then please don't change courses after clearly not paying attention for a long stretch. It makes absolutely no sense when your team is out of it. In doing so, you're affecting the standings in a way that is within the rules, but is extremely shady...And will likely gain you some enemies. You never know when you will be in the running for a title and karma will bite you in the butt.

[Cocktails and Dreams]

When I am out of it, I always try to field my best lineup without looking at the standings. Basically pretending that it is a new event starting this week. I choose not to look at standings as I don't want to influence the races for prizes. I do want to have my best outfit out there however. There are some that try to get every point that they can and play it out to maximize their league score. This is absolutely fine as well, so long as they do it consistently and do not selectively target who they are try to gain points on etc. That crap has no place in fantasy baseball and completely saps the fun out of it when someone thinks it is their place to do that. If you saved your free agent money and want to use it, you certainly can and should. What you should not be doing is targeting individual players in the league to block them because you don't want them to win. However one opts to play it, just be consistent from league to league and do not think it is your right to get involved in who cashes what in your league with intent to harm. It is also not necessary to so things like sit two elite closers that can impact ratios the last week when you are in a save battle and ratio battles and have no shot at cashing or benching white hot starters that are going twice the final week for guys not pitching at all for whatever reason. Play your best team. That is why I choose to not even look at the standings when setting my lineups. I don't care if I gain one point in a category. I just want my best team in general out there if I cannot win. If I have time I will use faab to fill in holes for injured guys but I don't go out of my way to look to see has what or exactly how much my bid should be to try and screw someone. This stuff is especially important in contained leagues that are not part of main events.