How to Win The Money Ball
The Moneyball is this weekend. A $10 buy-in multi-entry MLB contest with a $25,000 guaranteed prize pool. One lucky soul will get their paws on the first place payday of $4,000. Here are some tips on how to be that person.
High Variance Plays are Good
In a field size this large, it’s almost guaranteed that the eventual champion will have 2-3 guys on his roster who had huge days that almost no one else started. Normally, the little “1% started” statistic on your roster is paralyzing because it means you were the only putz dumb enough to take that player. But for The Moneyball, being a lucky putz is the objective. Having guys on your roster that almost no one else started should be viewed as a good thing.
Diversity is Your Friend
If you’re entering multiple lineups as I plan to (I’m emptying my whole account on this bad boy, it’s all-in time for runitup), you have a better chance of winning with a bunch of really diverse lineups than a bunch of lineups that feature the same 4-5 guys over and over again. So even if you’re convinced that Matt Kemp is the play of the century, leave him off a few of your lineups in favor of Jose Baustia, Ryan Braun, and other comparable options. Baseball is an absurdly high variance sport. It’s the reason they have to play 162 regular season games just to begin to differentiate between the contenders and the pretenders. You should never really be too bullish about any single player in any single game. Vary those lineups like a boss.
Check Lineups that Day for Anomalies
Typically, MLB lineups are released a few hours before first pitch. So if you’re making your lineups on Sunday morning, considering perusing through each team’s lineup to check for odd-ball substitutions for that day.
Protip: Sunday is often rest day for starting catchers since teams are typically on an afternoon game following a night game. One savvy plug-’n’-play could be the key to success in The Moneyball.
Leave a Sweat for the Night Game
The Angels are playing at the Yankees Sunday night on ESPN after all other games have completed. Leave yourself a sweat for this game by including at least one participating player on your roster. Would you really want to be in the lead at the conclusion of the afternoon games having to fade a sea of guys behind you with A-Rod, Pujols and company? Of course not. That’d just be an agonizing tease. Give yourself something to root for during the primetime night game. Imagine the excitement you’ll be feeling if a Brett Gardner double in the 9th would seal a win for you. It’s +EV for your emotions. The potential for entertainment value here is too powerful to pass up.
Pray
Don’t be such a skeptic about the power of prayer. It might really work. Imploring a deity to help you triumph over 2,000+ competing rosters can’t hurt. Form a prayer circle. Like some candles. Do a chant. You can do this!
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