Auction Strategies

[Hornsby]

I've left a few Playboys out on the table when I've hosted drafts. One year, it completely threw 2 owners off their game as they couldn't stop looking at them and talking about them. Both finished in the bottom 3rd of the league that year.

Playboy threw them for a loop? Those boys need to get out more often...or was one of those owners Mac?

[DMT]

I loaded a video up on my computer one year and turned it around to face my opponents, but only got a few comments. Maybe retro print mags would have a greater effect

Although we always have servers now, might get a bit awkward.

[gcstomp]

Prep beforehand so you dont need to scramble when a name is up. At auction, I try to land value, regardless of balance. Spend everything, worst thing is to be stuck with money and no quality left to buy. I know I will trade more than most any team during the year, so for me getting more than my share of value is more important than anything else.

[Hornsby]

Prep beforehand so you dont need to scramble when a name is up. At auction, I try to land value, regardless of balance. Spend everything, worst thing is to be stuck with money and no quality left to buy. I know I will trade more than most any team during the year, so for me getting more than my share of value is more important than anything else.

Hrumph...pretty big talk. Trade more than any team? We'll see about that....

[willthethrill]

Another thing that I do is plan my end game. Say, for example, that I want $13 for my last 6 players, usually 3 pitchers, a catcher, a utility, and an outfielder. That means that I have $247 for my first 17 players. I know it's all one budget, but breaking it up a bit just helps me manage my draft better. And this is where tiers help me-Planning what positions are deeper for end-game targets.

[DMT]

Another thing that I do is plan my end game. Say, for example, that I want $13 for my last 6 players, usually 3 pitchers, a catcher, a utility, and an outfielder. That means that I have $247 for my first 17 players. I know it's all one budget, but breaking it up a bit just helps me manage my draft better. And this is where tiers help me-Planning what positions are deeper for end-game targets.

Yep...I've got sub-budgets of $xx for 2 OFs, $xx for 3 SPs, $xx for 2 RPs, and $1 budgeted for X, Y, and Z.

[Judge Jude]

Once I have uninflated prices set for all players, I'll bid every player up to at least that number in the early rounds. Unfortunately, all of my rivals have been in this league for at least 12 years and half for more than 25 (and one, like me, for more than 30). So not a lot of chances there.

But I did get Will Venable at 12 last year in mid-auction - the one guy who went below his uninflated price to that point. He wasn't on my "preferred" list, iirc, but I'll take what the auction gives me. (Exceptions such as: If you already have 2 closers in NL-only, for instance, and a 3rd closer is near value, it might make sense to pass if it would be difficult to get full value in trades in your league).

[RSF]

This is not a good way to use tiers IMO. If there are only 3 players in a tier, then it's not one I'm going to be targeting. That's why I never end up with guys like Posey, Cano or Tulo. There are very few elite players at those positions and so they generally go for much more than I'm willing to pay.

I can see people saying 'tiers don't work for me' but to claim they aren't an effective strategy is nonsense...and I got the hardware to prove it

Fully agree that dismissing tiers is silly. I think what you are saying above isn't the only way to use tiers, it really a statement that you believe in balance (which is a valid strategy, of course) and value in addition to using tiers. At its core, using tiers helps decide how to bid on players within a tier, and when to go to next tier---but it doesn't require tossing out a tier that has only a few people in it.

[BigJonEmpire]

Tiers are not so much a strategy as they are a tool within various strategies. Their primary purpose is to identify where in the drafts/auctions there are large groups of players of similar value. It is within a large tier that a manager is most likely to find undervalued players. How you use the information a tool like this provides is where the strategy comes in.

[lope]

Gotta mix and match. ONe strategy cannot be used at all times. Sometimes you have to call out players you want. The keys are to be flexible depending on how the auction is going, and also to not be predictable. It also depends on what your money position is compared to others. For players at positions that I need, I typically like the players I seek to be called out before players at that position that I would have to settle for. I.e I do not want to bid on the 2nd or 3rd player best catcher, only to see the top player go a few picks later for the same price.