Category: AL

Tout AL: All Over But…

We asked Tout AL second placer and RotoWire founder Jeff Erickson how he saw his chances of catching Larry Schechter for the AL crown:

Jeff says: “I need a time machine, so that I can tell a young, impressionable Jeff that investing in Jacob McGee and Fernando Rodney is a fool’s errand. Spend that money on Kyle Farnsworth and Jordan Walden, or on starting pitching, so that I don’t have to tear apart that beautiful offense that I assembled. I spent too much of my surplus chasing saves, all for a 2.5-to-3.0 point boost. I think I lost at least that much in trading away the bats in the process.

Oh yeah, and not owning Vin Mazzaro would have been a good play, too.

I don’t see where I can gain enough and Larry can lose enough in points to catch him at this point. Second place in a money league is nice, but here it’s just a case of being the first loser. Hopefully I can hold off Jason for second.”

Sandlot Shrink vet Larry Schechter’s perspective is just a bit different: “I’ve got such a big lead, I can’t possibly blow it now!  Oh wait, isn’t that what the Red Sox said a few weeks ago?”

Good luck, gents!

Jason Collette’s TOUT AL midseason review

If you were a subscriber to baseballprospectus.com you could have read Jason Collette’s midseason Tout Wars roundups two weeks ago. Jason and BP, however, are making them available to us all now, for which we are thankful. Jason Collette’s column appears at every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at baseballprospectus.com.

Playing in Tout Wars is a rewarding experience because of the exposure the league gets. It, like the LABR (League of Alternative Baseball Reality), are the two best gauges fantasy players have to see how the “experts” apply their knowledge at the draft table. It is one thing to read the work each of them publishes online, but it is another to see what they do with their imaginary money, or in the case of playing in high-stakes leagues such as the ones in the NFBC leagues, real money.

Over the next three pieces, I will examine each of the three Tout Wars leagues to see which touts have done the best job so far in 2011 in terms of current player values compared to what those players went for at the draft table. This will allow us to see who did a good job in player valuations, who struggled, as well as who was affected by injuries. Lastly, it will show any kind of correlation between value attained and current place in the standings.

Here are the current standings for the 12 team AL-Only League:

  1. Larry Schechter – 97.5 points
  2. Jeff Erickson – 90.0 points
  3. Jason Grey – 79.5 points Continue reading “Jason Collette’s TOUT AL midseason review”

The FAAB Hatchet

Only Baseball Prospectus subscribers can read all of Jason Collette’s excellent look at the Tout Wars FAAB reduction rule that went into effect this year, but enough is available before you hit the paywall to be worth a look, if you’re interested in what JC dubs the “FAAB Hatchet.” Non subscribers will unfortunately find their palates whet, their thirsts unslaked.

If the Tout AL Teams Played Perfect…

STATS’ Dean Peterson’s first monthly look at which teams are using all their talent, and which have some in reserve…

The Second Scoop

Why is that guy on the bench?

The rules in Tout Wars allow each team to have up to four players on their bench.  These players can be major or minor leaguers who can be interchanged with active players each week, but do not include disabled players.

Naturally, one of the keys to success rests with teams that have viable options on their bench. Since only American league players are used, and few free agent players are available the bench is counted on to replace wounded players.

Continue reading “If the Tout AL Teams Played Perfect…”