When the season begins, a fantasy baseball team is usually pitted
head-to-head against another team within the league each week. The teams
will remain opponents for approximate one entire week. Statistics from the
activated players on each team are compiled for the whole week and
applied to each team’s total points. The team with the most points wins
that week’s game.
So, a real major league team may play 5 to 7 games in a
week‘s time, but a fantasy team plays only one game using the
statistics generated from all of the real major league games. Before the start
of the next week’s game, each fantasy owner will have the opportunity to
make lineup changes, conduct trades and even pick up free agents
(non-drafted players). Once all games have been played, the team with the
most wins is declared the overall winner.
Wheeling and Dealing
For many fantasy baseball enthusiasts, the real fun of the game comes
from negotiating deals with fellow fantasy owners for the hottest
players. Leagues usually have strict rules about trading players in order to
keep the game fair for all. Most leagues require a vote from the rest
of the league before two teams can complete a trade deal. This can
alleviate any unfair trade practices that could undermine the integrity of
the league. Teams are generally free to shuffle lineups, remove players
from their rosters, conduct trades, add free agents and in some leagues
even place players on disabled lists. Fantasy baseball get as detailed
as the league commissioner and players want.
Play Ball!
Fantasy baseball has become a virtual link to major league players and
franchises often thousands of miles away. Highly addictive and
enjoyable, fantasy baseball has produced a bevy of Internet leagues and
statistical services who have joined in on this national phenomenon. There
were more than 15 million fantasy sports participants last year, according
to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. Will you be the next? Batter
up!