I can't tell you, I really can't even guess, how many times I get questions from folks via Twitter, email, on the Fantasy Alarm website, or by carrier pigeon, that start out something like this: “I’m in a 12-team league and we just had our draft. I didn't know that our points league awarded eight points for a home run. No wonder why everyone was drafting power early. What should I do now?” Or (and I love this one): “I thought we started three outfielders, but we start five and now I'm left scrambling. Any advice, Ray?” You should have read the damn rules before you started, fool.

There are so many issues in fantasy sports that are out of our control. Will someone in your league make an idiotic trade? Is there some buffoon that dropped Corey Dickerson after he had one hit in a week? Are injuries crippling your team? Will that organization simply not call up the young hotshot rookie that you, me, your significant other and the postman knows is better than the crapola the team is running out there right now? Will that manager do the right thing, demote that struggling closer, and give the job to the more talented middle reliever you own? These are all valid situations that arise on a weekly or perhaps daily basis and we have to be nimble to work around them.

However, not knowing your league rules and putting yourself in a hole before you even start the season is simply idiotic (Note I didn't say “stupid.” A friend of mine says that's a hurtful word that typecasts people. Wait, isn't “idiotic” worse?). You must know your league rules, as they dictate how you construct your roster at the draft. Do you start two catchers or one? Five outfielders or three? Do you start nine pitchers, or do you have to start a certain amount of starters and relievers? Are trades allowed? How does the waiver-wire work? 

Seems so obvious to me to read and understand the rules, but I know folks don't. Do yourself a favor. Use that high school education you have and read what you're getting yourself into (arrogant Ray makes an appearance). Not only will it help you to prep for your draft, it might also allow you to catch a mistake in the current setup that can be rectified before your draft takes place because once the curtain falls on the offseason and you enter the draft room, the time to change the league setup is in the rear view mirror (Rear Window is a masterpiece for those of you that haven't seen the Hitchcock film starting James Stewart).