by Moonlight Graham

The top ten in my draft this season were Pujols, Hanley, ARod, Mauer, Utley, Braun, Miguel Cabrera, Howard, Longoria and Lincecum.  I know it’s early, but how many of these are still in next year’s first round and who replaces the guys that drop?  Artie DiSori -  Wallin, PA

Hey, Artie.  Looks like your fantasy baseball draft was standard, shotgun format last season. However, it’ll bear little resemblance to next year’s I’m afraid, especially with the emergence of a few young superstars.  If I was to sit at a draft table today, I’d still expect Pujols to top the list.  What follows may surprise some, but it’s how Moonlight’s first draft list will look.  Votto, Hanley, Cabrera, Cano, Braun, CarGO, Longoria, Tulo and King Felix.  Don’t get me wrong; I still love guys like Mauer and Lincecum but prefer to populate my Top Ten with young studs on the rise.

A big problem in my fantasy baseball league this year was that the guys that dumped failed to maintain their rosters for the rest of the season.  Any ideas how we might be able to avoid the same problem next year?  Pete Westad – Ruth, OK

A perennial problem, Pete, like kids stealing candy in a candy store.  You can never really stop it, but you can minimize the effect by adding incentive to team maintenance.  In the Hausier’s Krowedum Roto League, we’re content that we’ve handled it.  First, in a ten team league, we pay the top four spots instead of three.  Second, there is a cash award for each of the twelve statistical categories so, even if a team is out of the running, there’s still a chance for financial gain.  Finally, although our draft order is determined by the previous season’s standings, we don’t just flip the order.  The first selection goes to the fifth place finisher; the highest finisher not in the money.  Then sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth so that everyone is motivated to finish as high as possible.

I’ve finished in the bottom half of my league in each of my first three seasons, mostly due to lack of preparation, I must confess.  How early can I get moving on my fantasy baseball draft prep for 2011 and what are the best resources?  Ray Reilly-  Mumble, AZ

First thing I would do, Ray, is take a look at last year’s draft and see where you may have reached for a player too early and how many guys you drafted based on a peak performance that was probably a career year now unattainable.  That done, my first move is to get a Sirius/XM radio account and tune in to both the MLB Network and the Fantasy Sports Channel (especially Rotowire’s Fantasy Sports Today with Jeff Erickson and Chris Liss).  Both are terrific resources for off-season info not available elsewhere.  Another helpful tool is Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster which ships in early December and can be ordered online at baseballhq.com.  It’s a little heavy on the math and you won’t use all of his theories but there are some tremendously useful trends and statistical info that should give you a leg up on the competition. Lastly, log on to MockDraftCentral and CBSSportsline for free mock drafts starting in January.  Try different tactics: pitchers first, outfielders first, etc., and you’ll garner a very helpful sense of where players are being drafted.

I came very close to winning my head to head league this season on the strength of a terrific draft.  What really ticks me off, however, is that, even though I prepared for my draft better than my competition, I lost to a guy that made in-season pickups like Buster Posey, Travis Wood and Ike Davis.  What’s the best way to identify next year’s rookie stars?  Cookie Gilchrist- Farco, MO

Well, Cook, my first stop would be the Organizational Rankings issues of Baseball America that print throughout the winter. But, at the risk of sounding like a shill for Sirius/XM, MLB Network offers the most comprehensive source of minor league information with its Minors and Majors program every Sunday morning from 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM.  The host, Grant Paulsen, is quite simply, the most knowledgable broadcaster on the subject. That he is also funny and carries the enthusiasm you’d expect from a 22 year old makes the listen that much more enjoyable.

So, Moonlight, what can I do over the winter to prepare for next season?  It’s a question that’s found its way into my mailbag more than a few times over the last few weeks.  Now, I don’t expect that many of you follow the box scores from the Arizona Fall League or the Hawaii Fall League but, aside from those, there are a few easy steps to lay the groundwork for next season.

For the moderately serious fantasy player, a weekly check of sites like CBSSportsline or ESPN will provide you with Hot Stove updates regarding transactions, injury rehabs, contract status, etc.  Keeping yourself informed about these types of situations could potentially add a little more flavor to the player evaluations you’ll start during Spring training.

Serious players subscribe to the numerous websites available.  Two of my favorites have been Rotowire.com and Ron Shandler’s BaseballHQ.  As many know, Shandler is the founder of Tout Wars, a league of Roto experts chronicled by Sam Walker in his highly entertaining book, Fantasyland.  It was Shandler who first bridged the gap between the worlds of Fantasy and Major League baseball when he was hired as a consultant by the St. Louis Cardinals.  His annual tome, The Baseball Forecaster comes out in December and is full of all kinds of trends and analyses that I use to support or debunk some of my own opinions.

Also in December, the website MockDraftCentral.com begins hosting mock drafts for baseball.  They can be an invaluable tool in slotting players in your upcoming draft as well as getting a feel for how long you might be able to wait on your favorite fantasy sleeper picks.

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It was an eventful year for the members of the HK Fantasy league.  The league title wasn’t determined until the final batter of the final game when Seattle’s J.J. Putz recorded a save that gave Bobby Carr the half point he needed to break a three way tie with Lou Carducci and Luke, Bob and Lou Ricciardi. More importantly, as has always been the case in the HKRBL, friends who remain in touch with each other because of Fantasy Baseball were able to share in each other’s accomplishments and milestones.  Jack Sullivan’s son, Andrew, exploded on to the college recruiting scene with his 90 MPH fastball that has even drawn interest from the Chicago White Sox.  Unfortunately, Andy’s rights are currently held by the Shady Gradys and have been deemed untouchable.
Eddie Mayrose proudly watched his son, Terrence, complete his college football career on his way to a Sport Management degree in May 2009.  Luke Ricciardi, at the tender age of 9, became the youngest fantasy owner in league history as well as the youngest player to go yard in his Little League.  Jamie Farley survived his first year in the league while both Tim Alfano and Chris Aucone got to face the television during the draft.  Most importantly, Ken Jankowski is expecting any day and will join Patrick Grady as a brand new father.

While on the subject of the Shady Gradys, they easily take the award for milestones this year.  Not only did Patrick welcome his two baby girls into the world but Dylan Grady, nephew of Pat and Brendan brought a little class to the operation as a new owner.  Uncle Brendan will be the league MVP next week as he and his beautiful fiancée, Kelly Dolan, tie the knot.  All in all, it’s been a great year. Despite all of the economic worries and fears about job security our spirits were buoyed by each other and our mutual friend; Baseball.

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Well, you know I… I never got to bat in the major leagues. I would have liked to have had that chance. Just once. To stare down a big league pitcher. To stare him down, and just as he goes into his windup, wink. Make him think you know something he doesn’t. That’s what I wish for. Chance to squint at a sky so blue that it hurts your eyes just to look at it. To feel the tingling in your arm as you connect with the ball. To run the bases – stretch a double into a triple, and flop face-first into third, wrap your arms around the bag. That’s my wish, Ray Kinsella. That’s my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?  Archibald “Moonlight” Graham

Enjoy the Holidays.  Ninety four days till pitchers and catchers.