In this piece I'll quickly review what the Rotoderby event is all about before giving you some tips on how you might want to construct your roster. That's right, the Oracle is giving away how to set your lineup to win some cash, and bragging rights, but taking down the Fantasy Alarm Crew.
WHAT IS THE ROTODERBY LEAGUE?
The competition with Rotoderby is FREE to sign up for. The winner gets $250 and there are monthly prizes given out for each month of the regular season.
You chose your team based on homers hit last season (six infielders, four outfielders).
You use the following scoring rules (HRs = 5pts, RBIs = 1pt, Ks = -1).
You set your lineup once a month.
Simple.
For more on the event check out Rotoderby: Take on Flowers and Mans for Free.
HOW DO YOU CONSTRUCT YOUR TEAM?
Our very own Rick Wolf put together a spreadsheet that can help you to understand the value of players in this tournament. It's an excellent cheat sheet. Give it a look.
THE ORACLE's TEAM
I can't exactly give you my team, where would be the fun in that, but I can certainly point out a few players that are solid targets as well as some guys you might shy away from in this preview of the event.
TARGETS
Evan Gattis (22 homers in 2015): If he doesn't exceed his homer total of last season then there's a problem. Everyone will be rostering him, but in two seasons of just 362 at-bats as an average he's hit 22 homers with 59 RBIs and 89 strikeouts.
Edwin Encarnacion (34 HRs): One of the few sluggers in baseball who keeps the strikeouts under control. EE has hit at least 34 homers each of the past three seasons but averaged just 79 strikeouts a season.
Robinson Cano (14 HRs): After 5-straight seasons of 25 homers he hit just 14 in his first year with the Mariners. The power should increase and he's drive in at least 82 runs the last six years while never reaching 100 Ks.
Nolan Arenado (18 HRs): Only hit two homers on the road in '14 but his pace from last season equates to 24 homers over 150 games. He only struck out 58 times last season.
Troy Tulowitzki (21 HRs): He's averaged 23 homers and just 71 strikeouts the last two seasons in an average of 109 games a campaign.
Mark Trumbo (14 HRs): The strikeouts will be monumental, an average of 169 a season his last two healthy campaigns, but he also hit at least 30 homers with 95 RBIs each season and offers a depressed cost because of an injury shortened '14.
Ryan Braun (19 HRs): People think it was the PED removal that led to his struggles last season. That wasn't it. Twas his thumb. Rumored to be healthy and hitting better of late, Braun should at least hit 25 big flies in 2015. At least.
Bryce Harper (13 HRs): Just 22 years old, Harper had averaged 21 homers his first two seasons before last years injury induced slump.
MISSES
Mike Zunino (22 homers in 2014): He's hit like 29 homers in spring. He also blasted 22 big flies last season. Unfortunately his K-rate was horrific at 33.2 percent leading to 158 strikeouts in just 438 at-bats.
Chris Carter (37 HRs): An average of 33 homers and 85 RBIs the last two seasons is impressive, but with K totals of 212 and 182 he's a bad fit for this competition.
Brian Dozier (23 HRs): There's no homer upside and through two full campaigns he's averaging a mere 69 RBIs a season.
Chris Davis (26 HRs): Given that he only hit half as many homers as 2013 it's tempting to go Davis. At the same time he struck out 199 times in 2013 and a whopping 173 times in 127 games last season.
Alexei Ramirez (15 HRs): This isn't fantasy baseball where Ramirez is a strong play. He doesn't strike out, less than 85 in each of his seven seasons, but he's also hit a total of 30 homers the past three seasons.
Nelson Cruz (40 HRs): Last year was the only time in five seasons that Cruz has hit 30 homers. Don't overpay for the Mariners new power bat.
Carlos Gomez (23 HRs): How many of you were aware that Gomez has never hit 25 homers or driven in 75 runners?
George Springer (20 HRs): The power bat is immense, but the term immense isn't strong enough to detail Springer's strikeout proclivity. In 78 games last season Springer struck out 114 times leading to a pathetically poor 33.0 percent K-rate.
So there it is folks. For more on how to get involved in the contest and to take me and the Fantasy Alarm staff on click on the banner below.
Happy hunting.