Why We Play the Game

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

Why We Play the Game

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:41 am

We've all heard it before. You see some 'crazy' picks like five pitchers to start a draft. Or selecting JT Realmuto at the end of the first round.
This is when we hear the "I wanna be in a draft with you" comments.
Which really, are stupid comments.
I've come to the realization that it doesn't matter who your competition in these drafts are, if they're NFBC players, it'll be a tough draft.

I was in a Main Event League with KC Cha and Shawn Childs last year. Both, NFBC hall of famers.
From the 2020 season, I came away with a new respect for KC. I didn't feel like he drafted the best team. In my eyes, I didn't think he would do that well in our league. Being a 60 game season, we have to come out of the gates and try to move to the front. KC's team floundered.
I wasn't surprised.
But here's the thing.
KC started making moves every week that improved his team. He had a bulldog mentality. Every week, even with FAAB money nearly gone at the beginning of September, he made several one dollar bids work for his team.
In the end, he made a team that should have finished in 12th place a fifth place team. I had more respect for that than if he had drafted a wonderful team and cruised.
Like KC, I didn't like Shawn's draft either. He went heavy pitching, light hitting. Very light.
Shawn's approach was the opposite of KC's. He put heavy FAAB money on players. His last large bid being on Tony Gonsolin.
Gonsolin was fine and helped many fantasy teams with a fine ERA and WHIP. Shawn HAD pitching though. He needed hitting.
He would finish near the bottom of the standings.
While I didn't care for either of KC's or Shawn's drafts, I felt KC's in-season management was superb while Shawn's fell short.
It's funny how we think of things from past drafts and really, I don't even know why I brought this up. :lol:
Except to say that even the best of drafters and in season management fellas can impress and fall flat.

We are all of high calibre in playing this game. Our approaches are what makes each of us our own player.
We shouldn't care who is in our drafts. They're going to do what they do. It's what WE do that counts.
Going back to the five pitcher guy starting the draft or the fella that takes Realmuto in the first round, they can be as lethal to our plans as the best of drafters.
We all have players we like. A Maverick drafter may select OUR players far before we want to draft them.
It puts a stake through our hearts.

In a recent Draft Champions, I was thinking ahead.
It was the 15th round in the draft. In my mind, I was charting the course for how I was going to play out the next few rounds.
I knew that in round 21, I was going to select a certain pitcher. A perfect fit.
At the same time, my pitcher was selected in.... the 15th round.
It's nice that another drafter thinks highly of the same player we do, it is. It really is. Asshole.
My first reaction is always the same. I give the middle finger to the screen that delivered the bad news to me.
This drafter was not necessarily a good drafter.
But his act in the 15th round made me adjust my plans for later in the draft. While other drafters were crowing that he had 'overdrafted' this player, I cussed him for it.
Bad drafters can hurt us as much as good drafters.

In the end, whether your competition is KC Cha, Shawn Childs, or Joe Blow...all of them can hurt us in one way or another.
The perfect draft?
Probably unobtainable.
What we would need is 14 drafters who do us the solid of drafting players that we never covet.
Whether those drafters are above average or merely average, THAT is what we want most.
And we want them to let some players we covet even fall a round or two.
Never happens, does it.:lol:
Even if happening four or five times in a draft, we feel fortunate.
It's why we keep drafting.
One of these days, we will get ALL the players wanted and they will ALL play up to our expectations. We know it.
That, that is why we play the game.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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

Re: Why We Play the Game

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Mon Mar 01, 2021 11:14 am

I've received a couple of comments about the KC and Shawn comments.
Even Hall of Famers don't make the best decisions. Going into the season, after the draft, I thought that both KC and Shawn would struggle.
They may have thought the same about my team.
I love this game!

So, I am in a current $400 DC draft. Even if I disagree with a fellas assessment of players, I can usually find the logic in constructing a lineup.
Here is a draft from somebody. I can't tell you what his name is but I will tell you that he is in just about every DC draft over the last few weeks.
And that his first name ends with a C.
:lol:

1. Mike Trout
2. Cody Bellinger
3. Eloy Jimenez
4. George Springer
5. Keston Hiura
6. Lourdes Gurriel
7. Teoscar Hernandez
8. Byron Buxton

After seven rounds, he has seven Outfield eligible players.
It's alright, you say, Bellinger is also eligible at 1B.
Ok, so he has his five OF covered, his U spot, 1B and 2B.
Everything is good, right?
Here is who he drafts in rounds 12 and 13.

12. Rhys Hoskins
13. CJ Cron

Sure, one of them can be a Corner. At the same time, I believe the 13th round is the earliest I have ever seen a bench player taken in a draft.
The cons are that he has handcuffed himself from any other OF coveted, and then Corners. Not to mention this approach has left gaping holes in middle infield, Catching, and pitching. We all have holes after the mid-rounds. These, are enormous.
The Pro's are that he got his most coveted players. Positions be damned.
He also puts a position out of his mind for at least 20 rounds.
It's an interesting approach.
I don't like it.
But interesting nevertheless.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

mbendar16
Posts: 204
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:00 pm

Re: Why We Play the Game

Post by mbendar16 » Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:02 pm

Dan,
As always, enjoy reading your posts. I'm usually a little late to the party like the innings minimum discussion, so usually keep my comments to myself. On that topic, I think unless it dropped to 900, it wouldn't accomplish what it is intending, and that low, could be manipulated. Most teams doing well won't have an issue figuring out how to get those extra 50 innings (with a 950 cap) without killing their teams ratios or will have good enough luck to not have to worry about it IMO.

I have been meaning to write this for a week or 2 about a draft I was in. I am not great in the dc format, so usually don't do too many, but decided on an nfbc 50 for a miracle shot at a free ME. Anyway, giancarlo stanton keeps dropping and with every round, you were crossing my mind of when he became a "value" pick LOL. All joking with value aside, there is a round that every player is worth the risk in our minds, and the 14th was the round for me to select stanton. As opposed to others claiming "value", I take stanton and lamet in our mia draft with the knowledge that the pick will blow up in either direction, hopefully to my benefit. I will get zero value (or potential stats LOL) or a top 50 pick or better at a significant discount (only relevant if my other picks work out).

We'll thought you would enjoy the small story above and your KC story reminded me of my own battle from the bottom last season.
Was great drafting 2 DC's with you and best of luck with all your teams this year.

Best,
Mark

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

Re: Why We Play the Game

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Mon Mar 01, 2021 8:47 pm

Hey Mark,
Love the story. Yeah, it's not 'value', it is just a risk/reward option at that point.
We are all in the business of reading the tea leaves of what the season will bring.
I believe innings will be a bit of an issue. Especially, again, with the unknown of Covid. I believe it will become a problem for some drafters.
But, I'm just one opinion.
I do feel sorry for a LOT of DC drafters. I've seen teams that do not have a prayer of finishing with 1,000 innings.

Always great drafting with you, Mark.
Hopefully, we can see each other again at a live draft in 2022!
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

mbendar16
Posts: 204
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:00 pm

Re: Why We Play the Game

Post by mbendar16 » Mon Mar 01, 2021 10:46 pm

I agree that there will be many teams that struggle with the innings minimum, but don't think those teams will be in contention enough to impact the contests. I could be wrong and time will tell as the season moves along and the impact of COVID and injuries is minimal or high.

That would be great Dan to see you in 2022 - there are small signs of hope with fans in the stands of every spring training game I see and hopefully by this time next year, there will be full crowds again at games and at the NFBC draft tables.

Bigperl
Posts: 82
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:00 pm
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Re: Why We Play the Game

Post by Bigperl » Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:36 am

Hi Dan. I don't like it either...and looks like we have a front row seat as he is doing it again.

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