It appears that 2002 will be an uninterrupted 162-game season after all. After a turbulent off-season, all signs appear that the collective bargaining agreement will be extended for one more season, at least. The owners say there will be no lockout, and the MLBPA says there will be no strike � which is a hopeful sign. Also it appears that no teams will be contracted for this season. Still, you have to be prepared for various situations.
In 1994 the season abruptly ended in early August due to the last players strike. Savvy challenge owners that season made the calculated risk of using their purchases early, and in most cases it paid off for those entries. Be aware of that in case Donald Fehr sets another Armageddon date for this season. There is also the possibility of Spring Training (and the season) being delayed if Bud Selig and the boys decide to lock out the players. In that case the possibility of a shortened season beginning in May or June exists. In that event CDM reserves the right to modify the rules of the game and would probably allow 7 or 8 purchases instead of the usual ten. In the case of owners using replacement players CDM would suspend the game until a certain percentage of union players (70%) cross the picket line.
And then there is the much-documented plight of the Montreal Expos. MLB will be running this lame-duck franchise in 2002 with MLB employee Frank Robinson as the manager/general manager. And the team will be playing its home games in front of countless dozens. Obviously, these will not be the best working conditions for the players on that team. Also one has to wonder if the attendance situation will get so blight that at some point this season MLB decides to have the team play all of its games on the road. Colorado made an offer to move a late-season series scheduled for Montreal to Coors Field (proceeds would had gone to a relief fund) � which was rebuffed by MLB. The Montreal situation is one to watch this season, for this is uncharted waters for an MLB team to navigate. My guess that the mental state and motivation of many Montreal players will not be the greatest This is something to consider before selecting Vlad Guerrero or Javier Vazquez for your roster.
Other than that, it is time for my annual �it�s a marathon not a sprint� spiel. Football has its beauty of being a once a week game, making it great for both the casual fan and fantasy player. Meanwhile, the beauty of baseball, despite all its present problems � is that it is played almost every day for six months. That�s plenty of time for owners to be astute to trends and other patterns, along with finding hidden gems just starting to emerge. Dedicated owners who follow MLB news and notes on a daily basis in the end emerge at or near the top. Like in school, homework may not be fun at times � but those who do and are always prepared get rewarded.
One good suggestion is to play one of the many free fantasy games out there on the side (such as Yahoo, Sandbox etc.) Many of these sites have their own research tools, which is helpful in finding which players are being picked up a lot, along with who is hot and cold, along with player notes. Playing these games serve as a good trial ground that becomes useful in improving your CDM team.
Another good suggestion, if you have the financial resources. Is to play two, three, or even several teams in a challenge or points game. Some players in the cheaper budget and internet games have been known to enter 10, 20, or even 30 teams. Some of these contestants will use several variations of different lineups in hopes of having those one or two teams that can stay at or near the top. The teams not doing so well are �tanked� by these owners � in other words give up, and cease to make any more moves which cost money for a team unlikely to win any money back. If you�re only playing one team and you get off to a bad start, quitting and jumping into the Second Season Challenge in June or the Mid-Season Points game in July is another option. Just be sure that you had learned from you�re early season mistakes.
Kacsports.com will once again run a weekly series regarding trends in the CDM games, along with injury and schedule information to help you for the following weeks games. Feel free to read the archived articles from the 2001 season on the kacsports baseball page for your own reference. Also research many of the great references on the web, many of which are linked on this web site. For all you rookies and veterans alike, here�s hoping that this is your best season ever!!!