Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy: Definitive Guide to the Perfect Draft

Fantasy baseball drafts are just around the corner and rivalries in old leagues will be renewed while there will be a number of people who are entering new leagues. Everyone that has a draft is looking for a way to gain an edge.

This is your definitive draft guide for all 5-by-5 rotisserie leagues. There are a number of different strategies out there, but this one should help you win your league, some cash and a lot of bragging rights.

By following these tips, it should be easy sailing to one of the top spots in your fantasy baseball league.

Remember That All Categories Are Worth the Same Amount

Often times people will forget that home runs are worth the same amount as saves in a 5-by-5 roto league. This is something that you can take advantage of.

If you see early on that one category will be tough for you to win, then shift your focus to other categories that others have forgotten. You could focus on WHIP by getting set-up men and middle relievers while giving up a few spots for saves.

Draft as Many 20/20 Players as You Can

These guys may not put up the massive power numbers, but guys that are a lock to put up a 20/20 season are almost as valuable as the sluggers that drive more than 35 balls over the fence but don't steal any bases.

The value of players like this increases if they are run scorers or RBI machines. These players will likely be gone by the time that the early rounds are over, but players with 20/20 potential such as Drew Stubbs stick around for a while.

Remember Position Scarcity

There are some positions that are very deep, while others are very top-heavy. For example, there is no need to worry if Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Joey Votto all go off the board early because there are a number of very good fantasy first baseman left. The same goes for the outfield positions as well.

Finding an elite fantasy shortstop, second baseman and catcher is a much more difficult feat. Finding top guys in these positions is not easy to do and taking them in the right spot can help lead you to a championship.

Don't Be Too Tempted to Take Top Starting Pitchers Early

Guys like CC Sabathia and Roy Halladay will go off of the board very quickly. However, there are a number of good pitchers that will be available to those that wait a little while.

These stars will only make 30-something starts a year while position players are going to hopefully play 140-plus. Think about which will have a bigger impact on your place in the standings. Second-tier starting pitchers are much better than second-tier position players.

Take a Risk

Playing it safe throughout the entire draft is not going to be the strategy that the winning owner has. To get a reward, you need to take some risk.

Ryan Braun will be sitting on draft boards for a while because of his suspension. Someone needs to snag him. The question here is if Braun in the third or four round for 110 games plus a late round pick is more valuable then another player available at the same point. In most cases, the answer will be yes.

Another way to take a risk could be by drafting an elite prospect towards the end of the draft. You many not know how much you are going to get out of them, but there is more possible reward than there is to picking someone who will just sit on your bench.

Look Carefully at Players That Could Outperform/Underperfom

Fantasy players need to be on the look out for potential sleepers and potential busts. One way to do this is to look at the sabermetrics from the previous season.

A player with a sky-high BABIP likely will not hit for as high of an average as he did last season. Conversely, a player with an xFIP that is much lower than his ERA is likely to have a better year.

Be aware that there are some players that have overperformed or underperformed based on their sabermetrics for years and this trend could continue for some.

Don't Be Drawn in by Name Recognition or Fandom

There are certain players that will be selected early because of the fact that fans know their names. Another group of players will be selected because of the team that they play for.

For example, Derek Jeter will likely go much earlier than a player like Erick Aybar. However, from a fantasy perspective, the difference in value is not that great. Aybar can likely be had at least three or four rounds later if not more.

Go with Your Gut

There will certainly be a number of times during your fantasy draft that you are deciding between two players. You won't be sure of how to decide between the two of them.

If this situation occurs, it is best to trust your gut. Just make sure that the reason that you are going with one player is not because of their name.