MLB 13 The Show: Fantasy Draft Strategy for Building Winning Team

MLB 13 The Show's release is less than a week away, and if you're not pumped, you probably only have an Xbox 360, or you just don't like baseball.

I was fortunate enough to get my retail copy early this year (I love what I do), and I'm already putting in some hours with the game.

The PS3 exclusive is the sole reason I bought the console, and as usual, I'm ready to kick off another franchise with my Chicago Cubs. It'll be the Cubs in colors, logo and ballpark only. As usual, I will begin my journey with a fantasy draft.

It makes me feel like Theo Epstein, and for the moment, he is the man to most Cubs fans. I love trying to build a team from the ground up.

Depending on how invested you are in the entire franchise mode concept, there are a few rules of thumb you should know.

If you're looking to play just one season but still want all of the bells and whistles that come with playing in franchise mode, you can look to draft a team ready to win now.

That said, don't make the same mistake I made with MLB 12 The Show.

I drafted a ton of guys ready for the retirement home, and their performances didn't exactly match their ratings. They were injured a lot, and let's just say my version of the Cubs struggled almost as much as the real-life North Siders.

This year, I'll be sure to create a balance of youth and experience. I do plan on playing more than just one season, but if by chance I only get through one 162-game campaign, I want to get the most out of my experience.

This year, a whopping 17 players are rated 99 overall. Here is a list of them:

• Felix Hernandez
• Clayton Kershaw
• Stephen Strasburg
• Justin Verlander
• Aroldis Chapman
• Craig Kimbrel
• Buster Posey
• Albert Pujols
• Robinson Cano
• Troy Tulowitzki
• Miguel Cabrera
• Ryan Braun
• Carlos Gonzalez
• Josh Hamilton
• Matt Kemp
• Andrew McCutchen
• Mike Trout

This almost insures that you'll be able to draft a cornerstone with your first pick. If you're not new to the series, tailor your selections to fit what you do best and where you struggle.

If you're like me, you could barely hit your weight in MLB 12 The Show. With that in mind, I'm going to make sure my lineup has some pop this year and a good balance of speed.

You'll want to be able to manufacture runs, but you'll also want the players capable of going yard to put runs on the board in an instant.

I still like to alternate between position players and pitchers in a fantasy draft, especially early on. It almost guarantees you to have a balanced squad.

That's the best way to ensure you don't get stuck with a team that does one thing well but fails miserably in a bevy of other areas.

If you're going to cut the amount of games down to allow more seasons of play, make sure you don't neglect your farm system. As time goes on, you're going to need developing prospects, just like a real-life franchise.

MLB 13 The Show has put an emphasis on their scouting system, an it'll be more important this season than in past years.

Take a moment to think about how you're going to play, who you are as a Show gamer and make smart choices. If you don't, you're liable to go through a few controllers as you explode in frustration after continually squandering run-scoring opportunities or blowing late leads.

Trust me, I'm speaking from experience.

Once the game releases on Tuesday, Mar. 5, feel free to follow my journey with my fantasy Cubs on YouTube. We'll see just how my fantasy draft strategies work out.

Follow Brian Mazique and Franchiseplay on YouTube and Twitter for reactions, analysis and news from the world of sports and sports video games.