X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Baseball Advice: Confessions of a Trade Junkie 5/18/13

A couple of fantasy baseball industry experts that I follow on Twitter were discussing trades recently and one of them mentioned that “trading seems to be down in all leagues.”  As a self-proclaimed Trade Junkie, this was discouraging to read, but it really wasn't all that surprising.  After all, I've participated in plenty of fantasy leagues where trading has been essentially non-existent.

Sometimes, you just get stuck in a league where your fellow owners become tied to the players they drafted.  No matter who you try to trade for - be it a high-end player like Matt Kemp or a fill-out-your-roster-type like J.J. Hardy - the answer is always a resounding and definitive ‘no.’  Other times, you get trapped in a league where your trade offers float around for several days (or weeks) with no response.  To me, there is nothing more frustrating in fantasy baseball than dealing with an unresponsive trade partner.  If you need a few days to think about a trade that I've offered to you, that’s totally cool, but at least give me the courtesy of a phone call, text, email, tweet or Facebook message to let me know that it might be a minute before you get back to me.

To combat this problem, I usually accompany my trade offers with a quick email (if it’s a league with random strangers) or text (if it’s a league with friends).  I’ll send something simple and friendly like “Hey, I just shot you a trade offer; let me know if you want to discuss further.”  The goal here is simply to make the owner aware of the trade, as not everyone checks his or her league site every day/hour/minute.  Oftentimes, your outreach will help you get a much quicker response.  If not, and if several days pass with no response, I usually just withdraw the offer.  You have to be careful with offers that sit out there for awhile, because sometimes the player(s) that you’re trying to acquire suddenly get injured.  From an ethical standpoint, it may not be right for your trading partner to accept a deal under those circumstances, but as long as the trade offer is out there, it’s fair game.

Fantasy trade grievances aside, I've fielded some great trades from you RotoBallers this past week via Twitter @RyanRufe and via the RotoBaller Fantasy Chat Room.  Lets analyze!

Cliff Lee, philly@Ericka via the RotoBaller Fantasy Chat Room:  In a 10 team, 5x5 league, I GIVE: Allen Craig and Paul Maholm. I GET: Cliff Lee and R.A. Dickey.  My starting pitchers are David Price, Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Kris Medlen, Shelby Miller and Kyle Kendrick.  I have Dexter Fowler and Shane Victorino on my bench to replace Craig in the outfield.

  • Absolutely go ahead and do this trade. With both Price and Hamels struggling (and injured in Price’s case), you need to stabilize your pitching staff, and Lee and Dickey should help you do just that.  Yes, Dickey has struggled to start the year, but he wasn’t great in April last season, and he still ended up winning the NL Cy Young award.  The best part about this deal is when - not if, but when - Price and Hamels return to their elite form, your pitching staff will be superior to most (if not all) others in your league.  Hell, I would even trade Craig and Medlen for Lee and Dickey if your trade partner really demanded it.  Giving up Maholm, who is certainly no superstar, makes this trade an absolute steal for you.

Evan Longoria 2009

@TurnTwo21 via Twitter:  In a keeper league, I was offered Evan Longoria for Aramis Ramirez and James Shields.  I am very deep at SP with Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Moore, Zack Greinke, Ian Kennedy and Brandon Beachy and need hitting badly.  Do I accept Longoria?

  • In a standard redraft league, I’d say no to this deal because you’d be giving up too much, but since this is a keeper league, I would definitely accept the trade.  Longoria seems like he’s been in the league forever but he’s still very young at 27 years old.  In my opinion, he’s a Top-20 keeper talent who would be in the Top 10 if he had remained healthy over the past two seasons.  Quite simply, Longoria is an upgrade over A-Ram in both the short term and long term.  Even with the loss of James Shields, you’ll still have four keeper-worthy arms on your roster in Strasburg, Bumgarner, Moore and Greinke.  If you’re really that desperate for hitting, you might consider putting Greinke on the Trading Block now that he’s healthy and coming off a strong performance, as he could bring you back a very nice return as well.

Felix Hernandez close up

@Oscarfantasy7 via Twitter:  Felix Hernandez and Melky Cabrera get me Andrew McCutchen and Josh Hamilton.  What do you think?

  • If you can afford to sacrifice the pitching, this is a great deal for you.  Even if you can’t afford to sacrifice the pitching, it’s still a net gain for your team.  Anytime you can get two early-round players for the price of one, it’s a very good deal for you.  Is Josh Hamilton still considered an early-round player?  I suppose that’s debatable, but at least he’s beginning to show some signs of turning things around and getting back to that level.

To wrap things up, here is your weekly Fantasy Baseball Trade Junkie Trade Tip.  Before you go proposing trades to your fellow league mates, do your homework.  You don’t want to include Starlin Castro in a trade offer to the owner who already has Troy Tulowitzki and Jean Segura employed on their roster.  When selecting a trade partner, take a quick glance at their roster and try to determine his or her biggest area of need.  Maybe he's short on steals?  Perhaps a boost in saves would help his team?  Or maybe he could use to replace a player that recently hit the DL?  Only offer the trade if it makes sense for both sides.  Otherwise, you’re just wasting yours and your trading partner’s time.

Until next week, keep those trade questions coming!  You can chat with me weekdays in the RotoBaller Fantasy Chat Room or hit me up anytime on Twitter @RyanRufe.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF