Larry Schechter - Winning Fantasy Baseball: Secret Strategies of a Nine-Time National Champion

Larry is possibly the best fantasy baseball player in the world.

Nando Di Fino, senior fantasy writer, CBSsports.com

Larry is almost certainly Earths greatest fantasy player. His record of success in experts leagues is, at this point, ridiculous. The seasons Larry played at ages 5054 are the fantasy equivalent of the games Barry Bonds played at ages 3539. We should be testing him regularly or at least thats what I thought before reading Winning Fantasy Baseball. It turns out Larry is just a master tactician. Anyone of any skill level will be a better player after reading this book.

Andy Behrens, fantasy writer, Yahoo! Sports

Larry should be your E.F. Hutton for fantasy baseball advice; when he talks, you should listen. While other guys are out talking on radio, television, and social media, Larry is reviewing the numbers and putting the moves in place to win experts leagues and competitions year after year after year. Teddy Roosevelt was talking about Larry when he said to speak softly and carry a big stick. He has a totem poles worth of league titles and the respect of everyone in the fantasy baseball industry.

Jason Collette, fantasy writer, RotoWire

Larry challenges some of your assumptions about how to be successful in this game. His track record demands your attention, and this book demanded mine. There are many ways to win a league, but to consistently win a league is something else. Larry provides a road map to do so that can take any player to a new level.

Jason Grey, professional scout for the Tampa Bay Rays,
and three-time Tout Wars and two-time LABR champion

Ive played against Larry. Im glad I read his book. Now I have a chance to beat him.

Alex Patton, founder of pattonandco.com and
author of six books on fantasy baseball

Its all about winning, and all Larry Schechter does is win.

Ron Shandler, columnist for USA Today, author of
Baseball Forecaster, and founder of BaseballHQ.com

With its game smarts wryly explained using real-world examples from Schechters long and successful experience, this book should become for fantasy baseball players what Doyle Brunsons SuperSystem became for poker players: the indispensable guide to understanding the game and winning. The only drawback was that I didnt get to bed until 3:30 A.M. because I couldnt stop reading it.

Patrick Davitt, BaseballHQ.com

This is good stuff. I hadnt thought about mixed auctions the way Schechter does. All I knew was that the pricing structure is not rational. I cant believe how stupid I have been not to see it his way.

Gene McCaffrey, founder, Wise Guy Baseball

The part about how position scarcity can be overrated is very clearly articulateda lot of fantasy blogs try to make that point, but dont make it as clear as Schechter does. This book rocks!

Michael Cohen, former writer for CDM Sports fantasy baseball
hotsheet and Fantasy Baseball Index magazine.

Outstanding statistical and dollar value analysis. The position scarcity piece was unique and enlightening, almost groundbreaking.

Dennis LePore, head writer and editor, The Sandlot Shrink

I was impressed by the depth of Schechters observations, analyses, and recommendations. If you are not enjoying consistent roto success, this book will show you why.

Mike Lombardo, three-time NL Tout Wars champion

This book is being provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and its contents should only be utilized for lawful purposes. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any liabilities, losses, or damages related to the use of the information or suggestions in this book. The book is also sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher are engaged in rendering professional financial, legal, investment, or accounting services or advice, and that if such services or advice are desired, that you should seek the services of a competent professional.

Published by Emerald Book Company
Austin, TX
www.emeraldbookcompany.com

Copyright 2014 Lawrence Schechter

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Emerald Book Company

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Emerald Book Company at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design, Cover Design, and composition by Greenleaf Book Group LLC Cover image copyright R. Gino Santa Maria, 2013. Used under license from Shutterstock.com

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-937110-58-1

Ebook Edition

I would like to thank Michael Cohen, Gene McCaffrey, and Dennis LePore for their early feedback and encouragement when I wasnt sure if I was actually going to write a book. Thanks also to Todd Zola for our many strategy discussions. And to Ron Shandler for writing a terrific foreword.

Additionally, Id like to thank Tristan Cockroft, Mike Gianella, and Greg Ambrosius, as well as everyone who provided a review or quote for the book cover and website.

Special thanks to my editors and designers and the entire staff at Greenleaf Book Group.

Above all, I appreciate my wife, Joanne, my daughter, Talia, and my son, Jared, for all of their help and support, as well as for putting up with my fantasy baseball obsession.

Finally, thanks to Dan Okrent for inventing this game. Damn, I wish Id thought of it!

by Ron Shandler

For several years during the last decade, I used an advertising slogan for my website that said, simply, Its All About Winning. The supporting argument was that it didnt matter how accurate your projections were, or how quantitatively rigorous your valuation model was, or what draft strategy you employed. All that mattered was that you won.

Well, thats what Larry Schechter does. He just wins.

Hes never played major league baseball. Hes not a media insider. Hes not a full-time baseball analyst.

But it doesnt matter, because all he does is win.

Hes won big money in national high-stakes competitions. Hes owned the Tout Wars national experts leagues. He started by winning three mixed-league titles in a row. Then after getting promoted into the American Leagueonly contest (the league profiled in the Fantasyland book and movie), he took home titles in his first three tries.

These are leagues in which the other owners are media insiders and full-time baseball analysts. These are the leagues I helped create in 1998 as an exhibition for the most talented professional experts in the industry. Frankly, we are stumped as to Larrys stranglehold on us.

If it happened once, we could write it off as luck. If he pulled off the feat twice, we could still probably discount it. But when you keep winning again and againsix times now, in nine triesthere has to be something more to it.

Several years ago, I decided to research the elements that contribute to consistent success. I polled a dozen of the most prolific fantasy champions over the past few decades and asked them to rank six variables, ranging from the best in-draft strategy (which finished first) to most accurate projections (which finished last).