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Tradeophobia: fear of trading one's fantasy players, even when in dire need of a move
Three signs you suffer extreme tradeophobia (in order of severity):
1. You’ve gone through a whole season without dropping a player.
2. You’ve gone through a whole season without making one deal.
3. The one and only trade you made last season had about as much impact as adding former professional pinch hitter Mark Sweeney to the team.
While your case probably isn’t this extreme, many fantasy managers are tradeophobic.
Too scared or prideful to change their team, they simply let it run its mediocre course.
Successful managers actively analyze their team. They adapt to its needs and carefully maneuver their way up the standings.
Bartering is usually necessary to win your fantasy baseball rotisserie league, so here’s a general guide to help conquer fears and hesitations.
Too terrified to trade?
No matter how good your draft was, your team is not perfect.
It’s a long season and there’s always room for improvement. Players get injured, prospects don’t prosper, and veterans have off years.
Maximize your team’s potential by addressing its weaknesses and facing the various challenges that inevitably arise throughout the season.
If your third round pick is going to be out for three months, you might have to drop him.
If it’s July and you’re first in bags and seventh in Ks, it’s probably time for a trade.
Most rotisserie league members compete in at least 10 categories. In order to be as strong as possible in each category, it’s crucial to watch and persistently tweak your team.
Inactive managers end up with stagnant teams. Active managers give themselves the opportunity to progress and achieve success.
The seasons and stages
As spring turns into summer, your team’s true colors start to reveal themselves.
Be open in your assessment of your team. Things may not have turned out the way you expected, so try not to let your pre-season predictions result in a biased analysis of your team.
Analyze your team and consider trades throughout the various stages of the season. Some key times to assess your team are right after the draft, a month-and-a-half in, midway, and at the trade deadline.
Trade for your team, not necessarily overall value
Look at your team’s ranking in each category.
Clearly, if you’re first in home runs, you don’t need to acquire Adam Dunn.
A good deal makes your team stronger. Look at your team in terms of its rankings by category, and identify if you’re:
1. Strong
2. Weak
3. Clustered
4. Stagnant
Remember that each place contributes to your overall ranking. If you have the potential to move up a couple of spots in a category, make a move.
Address the weaknesses by compromising some of your strengths and maximizing your team’s potential.
As the season progresses, note the stagnant categories, whether good or bad. Focus on obtainable goals, but don’t give up on categories too easily. If your team’s ranking in a category is stagnant, trade away players whose strengths are in this area.
Aim for first place by competing in as many categories as possible. This requires balance in both pitching and hitting.
Hitters vs. Pitchers
Hitters are generally ranked higher overall than pitchers because they typically contribute to an additional category (pitchers get either saves OR wins).
Don’t let this deter your from trading a great hitter for an ace if your team needs pitching.
Plus, only the best hitters are actually five-tool players. Most batters excel in only four categories.
One strategy is to draft good pitchers, load up on innings, achieve a hefty lead in pitching, and then trade for hitting.
The Deadline
It’s the last chance to assess your team and make a drastic change.
Right before the trade deadline is often the best time to deal your most valuable players.
Let Ryan Howard lead you to the top of home runs, then trade him for batting average, speed, and/or pitching.
Get value out of a player in some categories, then trade for a player with value in other categories.
If you can gain two or three spots in one category while risking zero to one spots in another, make the deal.
For example, it’s 90 games in and you’re leading stolen bases by 53 but are fourth in home runs. Look at how many home runs you need to catch third, second, or even first place. If you can jump a few spots, consider trading a speedster for a power hitter.
Watch your back
Examine the teams catching up to you in the rankings. Determine competitors’ rates of increase in each category and whether or not you can sustain your lead.
Will their hot hitters continue at that pace? What do you need to do to stay ahead?
I’ve seen too many teams lose huge leads because they got too comfortable and stopped paying attention.
After analyzing your team by category, solidify and improve your rankings accordingly.
Make the deal
Many are either too worried about getting ripped off, or are trying too hard to rip people off, to ever get a deal done.
Each team needs different things, and trades can truly benefit both sides. To win your league, you’ll probably have to make a deal.
So when it comes down to it, don’t be too scared to pull the trigger. Make the trade happen.
Breathe. That’s it. Inhale…exhale…click it…yes…you can do it…
Be brave. Make the move. How else will you see rewards?
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