Tips and Tricks by ReturntogloryND

So, now that you heard from all the elites giving useful advice, here is some you can ignore. I’m a proud member of the country club, but am one who is having an off season. Luckily, this is not the Premiership, otherwise I’d be kicked to the "other board". I am ranked 5456 and ready to get a fresh start in the second half. I ended the half with a bang with my first 400+ week of the season and a 92 (highest score of the day in the CC)... hopefully the momentum carries over!

A little background on me, I’ve been playing the game for 8 years now. Some years, I’ve been fully dedicated to the game, and some years I’d play for a few weeks off and on. Now, I am a full-timer. Back in the day, I’d post as the $$$ lineup, when I was riding on the leaderboard for a while, but in an attempt to get to 1st at the very end with crazy picks, I had unfortunately fell off
.....and now on to the good stuff

In accordance with gomer’s blog, these are my tips & tricks, and I’m sure it won’t fit everyone’s style.

1. Know when to take the minority PS – exceptions Lincecum/Beckett/King Felix right now, but it changes throughout the season

Example 1 – JA Happ of Phillies gets me 28 pts @ Petco only time I have taken Phillies staff this year

Example 2 – Trevor Cahill & Josh Outman avg 28 pts only two times I have taken A’s staff this year

Will this strategy always work? Absolutely not, but when it does, it is automatically a good day no matter how bad your bats suck.2.

Stay consistent. Pick it the same way each time. If you don’t like your team after it is picked, consider changing part of your strategy, but continue to stay consistent.

3. Know your Hitters parks (Phillies, Reds, Coors East, Coors, etc) to avoid obvious PS implosions

4. Know your Pitchers parks (Mets, Padres, http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor for both 3 &4)

5. Back to one... how do you identify such gems as the examples above – recent quality starts, pitcher’s parks, weak hitters

10. Have Fun! Enjoy, post, compete, and enjoy the country club

Did I miss a few numbers? Well, I can’t let you in on all of my strategy. After all, you don’t want to be down in the 5000s with me.

Random Stats
Most often picked batter
Pujols – 173 pts, 35 games, 4.9 avg, more points than all but my top 3 pitching staffs

Highest Avg batter
Prince Fielder – twice with 12.0 avg
Wes Helms – once with 12.0 avg (just proves you don’t need to pick the big bats)

Highest Avg batter (min 5 games)
Ryan Ludwick – 6.2 avg (6 games)
Ryan Zimmerman – 5.9 avg (7 games)

Apparently, you need to be named Ryan.... others named Ryan
Ryan Doumit – 9.5 avg (2 games)
Ryan Braun – 4.5 avg (10 games)
Ryan Howard – 4.0 avg (4 games)
Ryan Theriot – 3.5 avg (4 games)
Ryan Church – 1.0 avg (1 game) – well, maybe he’ll be better as a Brave, but as a Mets fan, I wasn’t thrilled to see him traded

In honor of this Ryan revelation, all of them will be in a lineup of mine for the second half, I just don’t know when that will be yet.

Am I still blogging ... or has the hook already taken me off?

Good luck to everyone in the Second Half!-(not Ryan) James (return2glorynd)