Building a fantasy baseball team that can compete for a championship is a season-long endeavor. While MLB projections can tell you you're in good shape heading into the playoffs, it never hurts to analyze your team from multiple perspectives to make sure you're loaded up when it comes time to play for keeps.
Managers should always pay attention to fantasy baseball news and analysis from RotoWire experts, but that gets ramped up even further heading into the playoffs. You'll know if you're a true contender when it's time to focus on the postseason. There are a number of enhancements you can make to improve your team further to give you the best chance for fantasy greatness.
Evaluating Roster Strengths and Weaknesses Before the Playoffs
All fantasy baseball sites let you analyze your team's stats in the appropriate categories in comparison to the rest of the league. While that's important, managers should also consider how their players have performed in recent months. If a pitcher was stellar in April and May, but has fallen off the table after the All-Star break, just looking at overall stats won't do much good.
Beyond looking at how your stats compare, analyze fantasy baseball rankings to get a gauge of how players will perform the rest of the season. If the majority of your players are ranked higher for the rest of the season than where they are currently, it's a good indication that you have solid momentum heading into the playoffs.
How Remaining
Building a fantasy baseball team that can compete for a championship is a season-long endeavor. While MLB projections can tell you you're in good shape heading into the playoffs, it never hurts to analyze your team from multiple perspectives to make sure you're loaded up when it comes time to play for keeps.
Managers should always pay attention to fantasy baseball news and analysis from RotoWire experts, but that gets ramped up even further heading into the playoffs. You'll know if you're a true contender when it's time to focus on the postseason. There are a number of enhancements you can make to improve your team further to give you the best chance for fantasy greatness.
Evaluating Roster Strengths and Weaknesses Before the Playoffs
All fantasy baseball sites let you analyze your team's stats in the appropriate categories in comparison to the rest of the league. While that's important, managers should also consider how their players have performed in recent months. If a pitcher was stellar in April and May, but has fallen off the table after the All-Star break, just looking at overall stats won't do much good.
Beyond looking at how your stats compare, analyze fantasy baseball rankings to get a gauge of how players will perform the rest of the season. If the majority of your players are ranked higher for the rest of the season than where they are currently, it's a good indication that you have solid momentum heading into the playoffs.
How Remaining Schedule and Matchups Should Drive Roster Decisions
This is also where volume comes into play. Are your top batters and depth pieces getting consistent plate appearances? Are your pitchers still going every fifth day, or will they maybe skip a few starts as they prepare for the MLB postseason? Beyond just performance, you want to know the status of your top players heading into your own postseason. If a veteran or impending free agent is sitting more often, you may need to look at more reliable options. If a starter on a contender is getting extra rest days or joining a six-man rotation, that's going to have a real impact on your team.
When it comes to depth pieces that you could potentially move, it's good to look at upcoming schedules. Hitters in favorable ballparks like Cincinnati, Colorado and Arizona make for great options down the stretch, while pitchers in Seattle, Texas and San Diego get an additional bump. This is especially true for pitchers; managers can look at a starter's projected appearances and see if they're worth hanging onto or bailing on.
Trade Deadline Moves That Separate Playoff Contenders
The best fantasy baseball managers are the most active. Trading for talent you're confident in down the stretch or someone who's MLB player stats help fill a void on your team is an art, not a science, but is a strategy that can push you closer toward a championship.
Identify which stats your team is best in and can afford to lose to shore up a spot where you're not as strong. Don't forget that you can punt categories in head-to-head leagues (like stolen bases or saves) and still have a strong team, so the key should be maximizing categories that will get you wins each week vs. balance that you see in Rotisserie leagues. RotoWire resources found in the fantasy baseball draft kit can help you identify trade targets.
Managing Your Pitching Staff for Playoff Innings and Streaming Value
Pitching rotations in the MLB get a bit wonky down the stretch, either with teams going to a six-man rotation or veterans skipping starts to preserve their arms down the stretch and into the MLB postseason. Reading up on the latest news from MLB managers can give you an indication of what to expect from starters down the stretch and whether you need to stream certain players because of your studs having a different schedule.
There are also a number of September call-ups who will get spot starts. If they're in favorable positions–either in a good ballpark or facing a struggling team–sweooping them up for a spot start on your own team can go a long way toward squeezing the most out of late-season stats.
Waiver Wire Priorities and Roster Moves Before Your Playoff Run
The later into the season, the more you should be checking the waiver wire. Changes to MLB depth charts or rest days down the stretch can mean unlikely producers in August and September. There may not be any significant difference-makers, but niche categories like saves, stolen bases and strikeouts are always available on the waiver wire down the stretch.
Preparation is key. Your league mates will be doing the same as they gear up for the playoffs. Managers who subscribe to RotoWire will have the latest updates, information and analysis on the players who matter most. That gives those managers a leg up on the competition to build, tweak and perfect their roster before the postseason begins.
