live draft advice

[JEFFFESPERMAN]

Having never participated in a TSN live draft before, I was curious to hear of the various draft strategies other managers have employed before, especially with regard to the timing of one's stadium selection.

[TomP]

Stadiums are usually selected near the end of the draft (last or next to last pick). I tend to lean toward a balanced team since that gives you more flexibility in a live draft.

[LMBombers]

Before the draft I write down (in pencil) 25 players just like I would for an AD. Tailor them for a type of stadium (pitcher's park, HR park, neutral, etc). There are plenty of stadiums to fit these categories in the 2007 game so picking a stadium is low on your priority list. I would get my stadium somewhere in rounds 22-25.

I use an Excel spreadsheet of all the 2007 players and highlight the player names as they are drafted by any team. This way I can better keep up with who is gone and who is still available. From your list of 25 players try and draft the players you think will be drafted the quickest OR the players that you just gotta have on your team first. If there is a player you like that you don't think is very popular you can play Russian Roulette with him and hold off on drafting him for several rounds. You always run the risk of some other crazy owner drafting him earlier than you thought but that is the fun of live drafts!

As other owners take some of your players you should erase his name and look for who else you would want in that position. Sometimes you might decide to go cheap at that position which will leave you more money to upgrade who you are targeting at some other position so you would erase and replace two players on your roster sheet. Keeping your roster sheet does a couple of things. It makes sure that at all times you are targeting a team that will fit under the salary cap and prioritizes who you will be targeting next.

[J-Pav]

Same as what [b:cf0a4cbaf3]LM[/b:cf0a4cbaf3] said.

I just open up a new team rather than write down my picks, so I can track my salary. The biggest newbie mistake is going to the grocery store while you're hungry. No need to have Howard, Hafner, Ortiz and Thome all on the same team just because you think they're too good to pass up. But newer managers do this all the time.

Pick a theme (such as hitter's park) and lay out a dream team that fits the salary cap. Then, as you go, just replace the players taken by the other managers with the next best pick. This allows you to better focus on getting the mid-range (and lower range) players that can make or break your team. Truth be told, you can probably get your hammer very late in the draft, if you're not too picky about it. Stadiums should be last, or maybe next to last in my opinion.

I also like to track what positions have been taken by each manager, just so at a glance I know when I can stall off a pick. If I need a shortstop and a centerfielder, it's sometimes helpful to know that the teams picking around me have all taken centerfielders already.

If you're doing a tour live draft, [i:cf0a4cbaf3]remember the rules[/i:cf0a4cbaf3]. The live draft running right now is no DH, though I'll guarantee you that 2-3 guys will be factoring DH's into their picks.

My two. GL.

[FoggyOne]

keep an eye on division rivals. This year's set doesn't have any extreme unbalanced (left versus right) stadiums BUT some owners may have more LH starers etc so you need to be mindful of that. Also, if your divison guys are loading up ealry rounds on high priced hitters with high ball park HR effects, you may decide to be a contrarian (or if their teams start looing like pitching/defensive teams) and draft for a pitchers park.

[JEFFFESPERMAN]

I appreciate the sage advice of those who responded to my inquiry. It was very helpful in formulating my first live draft roster. I was leaning towards PETCO, but I haven't make a final decision yet on home park.

C Mauer
1B Teixeira
2B Giles
SS Rollins
3B Atkins
LF Bay
CF Sizemore
RF Francouer

S1 Wang
S2 Westbrook
S3 D. Davis
S4 Duke
Closer M. Gonzalez
Setup Howry

[cummings2]

The Trop maybe?

[MICHAELTARBELL]

The best advice i ever received in regards to a live draft was from Luckyman, who said to just take the best available players as your turn comes up, keeping in mind your salary cap, and then pick your stadium towards the end of your draft, when your choices will more clearly dictate what park you should be in.

The problem I find with going in with a particular park strategy is that if those types of players do not come up later in the draft, what do you do? It is much easier to just take the best you can at the time, then decide where you should be playing....

my .02 :)

[durantjerry]

Agree with tarbell. You have to be flexible in case opportunity knocks.