Tricks Of The Trade Trade

Tricks Of The Trade Trade

Here we are fantasy boys and girls. More than a month into the season, and while many are still hanging on tight to Cedric Mullins or are hoping Christian Encarnacion-Strand will pan out, I think it’s officially time to loosen the reins and start trading. I am a serial trader and never have a player on my team that I won’t move. This is probably why it irks me when league mates clench tightly with both fists to, say, their second and third first baseman (when I’m in desperate need of a 1B because all I have is CES).

Not that they all slap, but each year I typically have success in maneuvering a trade or 10 and I think I know why. Here are five things to consider when making deals.

1. Know Your Roster.
Identify strengths, and double up on the wire if possible. For instance, if you have 2B Jose Altuve, consider adding Mariners leadoff hitter, Josh Rojas (15% owned in Yahoo!), who has a .969 OPS through 27 games. Rojas is not Altuve, but he’s hitting the ball well and can provide value. Then work on moving Altuve for a position of need—ranked 31st in Derek VanRiper’s (The Athletic) latest top 300 list, you are not likely to hear “No way, Jose.” from folks in your league.

2. Know Your League.
First, figure out who your good trading partners are. Let’s say you’re America — are you trying to swap goods with Canada or Antarctica? When you get that figured out, think about if your league is filled with starry-eyed dreamers who lust over the talented rookies or established, less flashy (but more effective) players. If you know where the fish are, and what they’re biting, it makes casting much easier.

3. Cast Often.
To continue with my fishing analogy, once you know your team, identify trade partners, find players you want/need, then let ‘er rip regularly. Unless I know exactly who I want, I start big. I’ll offer up deals with seven total players just to get the juices going. Then, hopefully, with some negotiating I can whittle it down to the one or two guys I’m really trying to land, explain the mutual value, and hope it works out.

4. How to Negotiate.
Tossing deals into the wind is not a fruitful strategy. If I can get phone numbers, I text folks. I’ll usually email, and message people in our league chat. Because this is fun, and I’m not trying to sway someone to switch political views, I keep the banter light. Being persistent is good, being a bully is bad. I try to propose deals that everyone can feel good about because it’s a long season and trading, like many things, is based on relationships. Do not purposefully hose anyone.

5. For God’s Sake Just Go for It.
There is no science to this, and no matter how much I’ve read about players or how many videos I’ve watched, I have been burned by bad trades more than I care to admit. However, the amount of fun I’ve had making deals over the years makes up for it. Fantasy baseball is a silly hobby, we’re not going to live forever, and we inhabit a huge rock that is rolling through space. There were many before us, and there will be many after us. Don’t take this too seriously.

Waiver Wire Three-Pack

Patrick Bailey, C, San Francisco Giants
Catchers get injured regularly, and it’s always good to have a backup on the radar. I recently read about Bailey’s offensive jump this season and then looked up his numbers here. He’s currently on the IL7, but should be back in a few days to help Willson Contreras owners.

Davis Schneider, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays
While poking around some stats sites a while back I noticed this guy’s name a few times, for the right reasons. On the season, the 25-year-old has an .845 OPS, his career AAA OPS was .939, and his savant batting section is full of red.

Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees
He’s 21 years old, a top 40 switch hitting prospect, is nicknamed “The Martian” because of his otherworldly ability, and is set to start a rehab assignment (Tommy John) in the next two weeks. As far as stashes go, this feels like a good one. OMJ.

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