Baseball Reflections

Fantasy Baseball Stretch Drive: Rookies or Veterans?

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Call it boring if you will, but when it comes to fantasy baseball, slow and steady wins the race.

There is no better time of the year for me to put this theory into practise than down the stretch. As fantasy owners start to gear up for the final month, which in many

Picking up late-season call-ups can make fantasy owners grimace as few emerge as Mike Trouts.

leagues represent the “playoffs,” they usually will try to hit a home run in regard to picking up the flashy rookie call-up or the “next big thing.”

Before you run right out and grab the first September call-up you can acquire, take a minute to consider your situation as it pertains to your fantasy league.

If you are at or near the top of your league, you don’t always need to take chances. After all, you are near the top of the league for a reason. No doubt, a keen mix of skillful drafting, adept waiver wire moves and deft trades have put you into the elite of your fantasy league. As a result, taking a risky gamble on a hot rookie may not be the wisest of moves for you to make at this point of the season. Don’t forget, very few rookies this side of Mike Trout come into the league and turn baseball on its head. More often than not, it is the crafty veterans who provide real value down the stretch both to their real teams and their fantasy owners.
While other managers in your league scramble like crazy to overspend free agent acquisition budget funds on unproven young talent this time of year, consider instead a few grizzled vets to help give your team the boost it needs to come out ahead.
While it may seem that rookies have a lot to prove (and they do), players on the other end of the career spectrum have just as much at stake, if not more. The chance to stay in the major lleagues or the opportunity to land one more contract can be enough motivation for an experienced player to turn on the jets in the final six weeks of the baseball season.
While other owners compete for the next superstar, don’t be surprised to see more than your fair share of experienced players come available either through trade offers or on the waiver wire. Before you go crazy trying to land that hot rookie (who will most likely underwhelm), instead think about acquiring a player or two who may be a bit longer in the tooth, so to speak. You might just be thrilled with the results.
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