Phenoms Promotion Pitch

Seeing that fantasy baseball phenoms is the greatest source for fantasy information ever, it is time to remind you the reader why you're not at the biggest site.

Before the season started I was talking to someone about Zach Duke. We both didn't like him that much. I thought he had low win potential and lacked the credentials to continue his rediculous start as a rookie last season. My friend said "he won't strike out that many guys. He'll be more like Jamie Moyer." I didn't quite agree based on the idea that Duke was still very young and I remembered reading about how he struck out 7 or more batters in 8 starts while in Single A. Comparing him to Moyer just didn't seem right if anything because of the 2 decade difference in ages.

It was the next day when I realized how my friend could compare these two guys. I read Tristian Cockcroft's article where he said exactly what my friend had said. It is from this that it occured to me that espn.com is the equivalent to the Wall Street Journal in that everyone buys the information that Cockcroft and his buddy Eric Karabell are writing.

It is for this reason that when Cockcroft wrote about my number one up and coming stud (Matt Holliday) a week before our draft that I was irate. Everyone who cares about fantasy reads what these guys say. So even though I formed my own opinion on Holliday at the end of last season that this guy was going to be good, I had to worry that the secret was out. Ultimately I got Holliday in all of my drafts by picking him about 2 rounds earlier than many other experts including the fellas at ESPN had him going.

I think Karabell and Cockcroft know what they are talking about, but it is very unlikely you will pick up a knowledge advantage over your opponent because each person will read the article. The other fault of the guys at ESPN is that they can only see fantasy players as individuals and not project them together as a team. So when they write their article telling you about how C.C. Sabathia has recovered since his DL stint and encourage you to trade for him, your situation may be that you are looking to deal pitching. As Curtis emphasized in an earlier blog, both your opponent and you have certain strenghts and weaknesses - the bottom line is that every team in every league does not have the same strengths and weaknesses. Karabell and Cockcroft can't tell you how to make these trades. That is really only up to interpreting your team.