Trash talk is all part of the fun for many fantasy baseball players, especially in head-to-head formats. However, it's still important to maintain a respectable etiquette amongst the peers of the league. A good attitude can be the difference between first and second place. It can also be the difference with meeting active players who you can play with in fantasy leagues for the next season. There aren't many things that are worse than a league with 15 inattentive owners by June.
Are you a beginner to fantasy baseball? Here are ten tips for maintaining a healthy and respectable presence in your fantasy baseball league.
Read The Rules Before Joining
There are millions of fantasy baseball leagues which have different rules on scoring, roster transactions, lineup changes and roster spots, to name a few things. Don't join a league until you've educated yourself on every aspect of it. Don't complain about any rules that you weren't aware of.
An example of this is when somebody complains about the drafting strategies of the other players. However, the complainer believed that he had joined an autobid league when he really joined a live auction draft league.
Don't Autobid In A Live Draft League
I'm always baffled when people join leagues but aren't committed enough to draft their teams. Those in attendance at the draft will stick those users with Ryan Howard and Grady Sizemore because the autobidder doesn't recognize their injuries, just their projected values.
Autobidding in a live draft league is like not exercising one's right to vote on Election Day: the autobidder loses his right to complain about the economical well-being of his team.
Don't Continuously Run The Autobid Clock To One Second
Live auction drafts can last approximately 3.5 hours. Most people have a life outside of fantasy baseball. The last thing they want is for someone to keep wasting 10 seconds on a bid when they were going to bid anyhow. Just move things along quickly and smoothly.
Avoid Spoiler Alerts
I've committed this sin before. I never realized that there was anything wrong until someone scolded me for it.
While I was preparing to make my final pick in a draft, I told someone (who was already finished) the names of three players that I had coveted. Ironically, after I took my first choice, the other two players were off the board within the next 20 seconds.
My bad.
Don't Spam Your Trading Block
There's nothing wrong with posting your trading block or sending trade offers throughout the league. The problem is when this becomes a daily occurrence. Don't flood other peoples' emails with constant offers when they've already rejected your trade offers or haven't responded. They'd probably send a counteroffer if they were interested.
Normally, One Should Abstain From Vetoing Trades
Unless it's just blatantly ridiculous and fraudulent. E.g. Matt Kemp for Michael Bourn.
Don't Alienate Yourself Toward Other Owners
You never know when they'll have players that you might covet or need in July or August when you're trying to steal points and clinch a championship.
Trash Talk Is Fine…
Just don't resort to personal attacks or other childish maneuvers. Save those rants for the players on your roster who decided to go on the disabled list just one day after you set your lineups in a league with once-per-week lineup changes.
Remain Active!
As a respect to the other members of the league, one should check his or her lineups and rotations at least once per week throughout the season. Don't ignore trade requests. At the same time, don't try to be nice and give them Craig Kimbrel for Carlos Marmol just because you've quit. Respect those who are still playing for the championship.
Most Importantly, There's No Crying In Fantasy Baseball
This doesn't apply to anybody who has ever drafted Matt Bush on one of their fantasy teams.
Joshua Huffman is a Chicago Cubs fan who suffers from an addiction that he refers to as "Fantasy Baseball Auction Draftism." At the end of March, Huffman often finds himself trying to update as many as eight rosters throughout the course of a six-month season. In 2012, he hopes that he can avoid the dilemma that occurs from updating a fantasy baseball team on a faulty internet connection so he can win his first rotisserie league championship in 2012.
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