The concept of GBFBS is simple. We wanted to create a multi-division competition for British baseball fans. You compete to win your division while simultaneously going for the overall prize.
However, we wanted the competition to appeal to novices and experts alike. We recommend that all participants read the following tips, but they will undoubtedly be interesting for less experienced players.
SLOW DRAFT TIPS
If you are in the slow draft, make sure you know when it starts. You don’t want to get auto-drafted for your first-round pick.
You have a maximum of one hour per pick, although you are strongly encouraged to use as little time as possible so that the whole draft can be completed before GBFBS’s Opening Day.
The draft room clock stops between 11pm – 7am. You can make picks during this time, but you won’t get timed out, and the clock won’t start again until 7am.
Slow draft extra tips
- Ensure you have Fantrax notifications to alert you when it is your turn to pick.
- Make a queue of players and keep it updated. You don’t want a power cut or unexpected visitor to result in Fantrax drafting an injured pitcher for you.
- Utilise Fantrax’s autodraft tools. You can rank players and set the system to pick certain positions in certain rounds. In a recent draft, a team that was entirely drafted using Fantrax’s autodraft tools was projected 3rd out of 15.
Slow draft etiquette
If you know that you will be unavailable, turn on autodraft. Watching the hour slowly run out is frustrating for the rest of the league. Obviously, this isn’t always possible.
If the timer does run out, Fantrax will automatically pick for you based on your settings or, if you haven’t set up anything, their default rankings. You will then be set to autodraft until you log back into the draft room.
Note: If progress is too slow to meet the Opening Day deadline, the time per pick will be reduced.
FAST DRAFT TIPS
Check your league settings to see the day/time of your draft, and prepare to enter the draft room at least 10 minutes before the first pick.
You have a maximum of one minute per pick.
It is a snake draft, which means the team picking 12th in the first round will start picking first in the second round.
Make a queue of players and keep it updated. You don’t want a power cut or unexpected visitor to result in Fantrax drafting an injured pitcher for you.
Fast draft extra tips
- Have a plan for the first rounds.
- How many (if any) pitchers do you want in these opening rounds?
- Mock draft from different draft slots to discover position strengths/weaknesses
- Work out a strategy for the latter rounds.
- You can’t fill every position with elite players. Decide which positions you are prepared to wait on.
GREAT BRITISH FANTASY BASEBALL SUPERLEAGUE TIPS
- GBFBS-specific draft tips
- Consider leaving catcher until one of the last rounds. Unless you really want Cal Raleigh or William Contreras, or Shea Langeliers there is not much to choose between the next 10-12 catchers. Unless you have a great preference, why not wait until the end?
- Think twice before drafting a second or third top closer. The position is so volatile that several may lose their jobs before the start of April. Consider leaving the final RP slots until the end.
- Drafting your bench
- Multi-eligible players are very valuable
- Maybe you want coverage for every position in case of a late injury.
- Although you will probably want one or two SPs. Some people might fill their bench entirely with SP to maximise the additional points available in two-start weeks.
- Perhaps you will want to stash a superstar prospect on your bench, but remember that this is a wasted slot until the guy gets promoted.
- In-season management
- Check your team at least once a week and move injured players onto the IL.
- Utilise your two adds/drops every week
- Who is out of form?
- Who is carrying an injury?
- Which prospect might get called up next week?
- Which hitters are travelling to Colorado?
