Editor’s Note: The following write-up features more info about the new month-long fantasy baseball game at Fantrax. Want to play fantasy baseball using stats for only one month? Now you can with our Fantrax monthly fantasy baseball leagues. Put together a team of 25 players under a salary cap with payouts up to 90%. Deadline is Monday, June 5!
Click here to join a league and build your team now!
If you are a diehard fantasy baseball player and utilize social media to follow the “industry”, you may have seen or heard some buzz surrounding the new monthly cash game being offered by Fantrax. And if you have, you likely glanced it over thinking, give me the short version, because ain’t nobody got time for that. I’ll be honest, if I weren’t on the Fantrax team, I probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought, either. But I am writing to tell you why I think you should. It is not to benefit me, but really because it will benefit you. The game is designed to be the perfect blend, bridging the gap between season-long fantasy baseball and daily gaming. It is designed to be intense, yet easy enough to not overwhelm. It is designed to be affordable, if you just want to get your feet wet, or slightly ambitious, if you are ultra-competitive. If you are a true fantasy baseball player, you know season-long can be a grind, and daily can shortchange your knowledge and ability.
In short, if you are a true fantasy baseball player, this is the game for you!
To start things off, I mentioned it is a cash game, which means you have to pay to play. Currently, there are three entry points being offered at $10, $25, and $50. All leagues are filled with 12 owners, and the Top 3 owners finish in the black. That means you have a 3-in-12 (25%) chance of, at the very least, making your money back! The breakdown, essentially, is first place wins 7x the entry fee, second place 2x, and third place 1x. With the entry fees not being overwhelming, you can enter multiple times. There are even two options for game style, with a choice between Points leagues and Roto format!
Fantrax is known for being the most customizable hosting site, and all variations of fantasy baseball are being considered for this contest, as well. As for the rosters, you select 25 players in total, and have a $300 salary cap in which to do so. There are 17 starters that include C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS OF (4), INF, P (7), and 8 bench spots. You can change your lineups on Mondays and Fridays, and you are allowed to make 3 Add/Drops during the length of the contest. That’s it! Of course, the way everyone will approach this criteria, and formulate their strategies will differ.
The best part is that the contest is only a month long! That means you can get the season-long feel without the season long commitment, for an unlimited number of times! If you are a true fantasy baseball player, what is there to not like about that?!
This game style has run in beta mode during April and May, and those who have played so far have helped to fine tune it. There can still be tweaks added, but the core concept is now ready to be a paid contest. Let’s be honest again, free leagues offer little competition, period. I have two contests running this month, and will continue each month going forward, as well. My preferred style is points, so if you think you’re up for the challenge, let me know, and we can go head-to-head. I plan to write some updates on how I assembled my team and why, as well as share user feedback on the setup.
I invite and encourage you to share your thoughts on this game if you are entered into at least one league. Yes, this is in its infancy stages. Heck, we don’t even have a cool #hashtagable name for it yet (suggestions welcome). I can attest, though, this is a game you will be hearing more about going forward, and has been designed and built for the true fantasy baseball player. Whether you jump in with both feet right away, or take your time waddling in, this is something you should at the very least be familiar with. I would love to answer any additional questions you may have, so please use the comments section if you have any. This first run is scheduled to kick off Monday June 5th, and run through Sunday July 9th (All-Star break included). If all goes well, the goal is to have new contests start on a weekly basis – all with a four-week cycle.
Try getting in one now, and check back to see my updates and thought process on strategies employed. Until then, good luck to all!