If you haven’t seen this before, it’s pretty cool. Definitely one of my favorite videos on YouTube in 2008. A guy travels across forty-two different countries, dancing at various cities and the people join along. Also, he’s from Seattle too.

I think one of the things that I’ll remember in the news are the two major natural disasters this year that shook Asia. We all remember Chengdu and the 69,000 people that died due to the massive 8.0 earthquake that hit the region. But just about ten days earlier, there was an even more disastrous event in Cyclone Nargis. Over the course of those two weeks, over 200,000 people died due to those two events. It’s just baffling to think about. Think about it this way. The number of lives lost is equivalent to about half of the population of Seattle…

But the responses that the two areas had were different. Myanmar’s government and leadership failed to really answer the problems that they now had to deal with. The Chinese now had to answer the calls of the media questioning the concerns of the structural stability of their buildings and other national concerns with regards to safety and emergency response. But it makes us wondering about our ability to respond to disasters of such magnitude, should another one happen. How will we respond?

A lot of people were in the news as well. Arguably the biggest individual in the news was that of Barrack Obama. Charismatic, charming, and young, he became the first African-American (and minority in general) to become elected as President of the United States. Now the question is how will he help the country respond to the struggling times of the world economy and other issues that he inherits from the past eight years?

But as one person came to power, another one fell because of her enemies. Benazir Bhutto was looking to become the next president of Pakistan. But as she addressed her supporters and people, she was shot and the target of suicide bombers. If it wasn’t for her assassination, it could have changed relations around the world completely with new leaders coming to power this year.

But I think it was also a year of triumph as well. The Beijing Olympics provided a lot of great news and new rivalries. Out is the rivalry between Russia and the U.S. and in is China vs. the U.S. Both competed until the very end in terms of the medal count, and while the U.S. won the most medals… The Chinese came out on top in the pedestal with more golds.

The headline of it all was Michael Phelps though. Sure, Usain Bolt set two new records, but for someone to win eight gold medals was a major feat. It did require some help from teammates, but he pulled it off. It was a true showing of stamina, endurance, strength, and will by Phelps to achieve the impossible in such a time where athletes are getting stronger and quicker by the second.

I know for me, personally, this year was definitely one of its ups and downs as well. The struggle with finding a job, figuring out my future, struggling relationships, and other issues, it was definitely tough to grind it out and get through it all.

But in the midst of that, there were a lot of surprises as well. One of the things I never expected was that I would be working with youth. I figured I was too old and also not the greatest influence on those that were younger than I am. But this year, opportunities arose to work with youth, namely at Mt. Hermon and through the youth group at my church. I came in with a lot of fears and worries as I had no real experience as a youth leader. But that’s where God’s grace and strength came in. It’s been an amazing process and experience so far in the past six months to see many of the students I’ve been work with grow in their faith.

I kind of took for granted the importance of family too. As it came closer to Christmas, the weather started to worsen and grave. It became more difficult for me to go home, to the point where I had to spend Christmas away from family. While I was thankful and enjoyed spending Christmas with friends of mine, I realized how important my family was to me.

Soccer and work has been very much an experience as well. As I play on my teams and work with Underdog Sports Leagues, I’ve enjoyed hanging out and working with my teammates and co-workers. Sure, winning division titles and watching and working the games have been fun, but it’s about the relationships that I’ve gotten to develop over the course of the year. There have been a lot of great memories this past year and I know there will be many more in 2009.

I think what I really experienced most was grace. To be honest, I didn’t expect to be in the kind of shape or mentality that I am in today. I can still run around, talk to people, and well, live. In May, I managed to suffer my third concussion in as many months playing soccer. The effects of the concussion could have been much, much worse, but I managed to come out alright from the incident.

Thinking about everything else, I’m much better off than I could be. I’m not struggling financially, my health is alright (barring another concussion), and I have clothes on my back, a roof over my head, and food on the table each day.

As I went to a Seattle City Council meeting to speak to them with regards to their 2009-2010 budget, I listened to other individuals and groups advocate for specific issues, whether it be homeless shelters, youth at-risk programs, or other services that serve the community. But to hear and see the needs of just the city alone made me aware of the reality of the world today. Today, I still think and hear the stories that I heard from that meeting and constantly think about how I can help when I can, and how fortunate I am to be in the position that God’s put me in.

As 2009 comes around, I know there will be a lot more surprises, a lot more victories, and a lot more trials that I’ll encounter as well. But I’ll be ready and take them as they come.

Because of all this, it’s given me a bit more appreciation of the way that the European football (soccer) leagues are run. Let me explain this model in a manner that people can identify with as possible. It’s one of the simplest, yet effective ways of determining a league champion and also bringing other aspects that encourage and drive teams to play to the very end.

You play each of your opponents twice: Once at home. Once away. With the whole regards to schedule of strength, this removes that aspect of the game. Teams don’t get punished and have no chance of making the playoffs bceause they have to play everyone on their home turf and on their opponent’s field. No longer do we have the Steelers having to fight every single week playing a difficult team each week or the Arizona Cardinals breezing through the NFC West. You don’t have to worry about being punished for being in a difficult or weird division to travel in, like the Northwest division in the NBA. Oklahoma City… in the Northwest. Right…

No divisions, but rivalries are still there. One of the things about having few games is it creates more drama and build-up leading to the game. So when things get a little intense, say with controversial calls or fisticuffs flying, it makes the next meeting that much more exciting and vital to win. If you meet four times in a season, the emotions die quickly because you’ll have two or three more times to get your revenge and win.

No playoffs, but rather “Winner takes all”. This one is one of the better aspects, probably one anyone other than soccer purists won’t appreciate as much. There are eighteen or twenty teams in each league. Like I said earlier, you play two games against each team, meaning that your team will play either 34 to 38 games, depending on the size of the league. After that, you determine the league champion by playing in an eight-team playoff right? Wrong. Whoever is at the top of the standings wins the trophy. Simple as that. It makes each game of equal importance. You can’t have a bad night because that loss might cost you in the end. You can’t make it up like you would in a 82 or 162 game season like the NBA, NHL, or the MLB. Make it count.

Last place means good draft pick right? Nope. It’s relegation, sucker. Right now, the Detroit Lions are 0-13. It means that they’re lined up for a pretty solid draft pick in 2009. Same with Cincinnati and Seattle (due to tiebreakers). But in European soccer, if you’re in the bottom three or four, it means you’re getting sent down to a lower league (think of it like the minor leagues of baseball). It means less money and less air time on TV. There are no drafts. It’s a fight for survival and you have to play out the entire season to ensure that you stay in the top league.

Teams earn money for their finishes. This is simple enough. Depending on where you finish in your league, it can make a huge difference in the amount of money you receive at the end of the season. That money goes to help out in paying to bring in new players, new coaches or staff, or even expand or build your new stadium.

Can’t win your league? Well, there’s always the league cup. While only one team can win the league championship, there’s other trophies you can play for. Each country has their own country-wide tournament. Think of it like a nation-wide NCAA basketball tournament but almost anyone can play in. It’s single-elimination for the most part, but think about it… You might get the opportunity to play against a professional team at least once in your lifetime, even though you might not be a pro yourself. But in any case, it’s a consolation for many teams to win their country’s cup as they can say they managed to be the last one standing in their country. It also gives you an opportunity to play in something bigger too…

European bragging rights… I think this is the coolest aspect of soccer in Europe. Even if you’re no longer in the race for the league title, you still have something to fight for. That being a shot at your place in a huge tournament.

The top three or four teams in each country’s top league all get rounded up and compete in the ultimate tournament: The UEFA Champions League. There’s a few qualifying matches that teams have to play in order to get there, depending on their country’s performance in tournaments and so forth (as there are 51 or so countries in the entire federation).

It eventually comes down to 32 teams in a group stage, then cut down to 16 to have a home-and-home elimination tournament (play one at home, one away, team with most goals advances, away goals in the case of a tie), all leading to the final in some large venue in Europe, whether it be London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, or somewhere grand. Famous teams battling it out, contrasting styles of play, and your favorite players from all over the world all on the same field. Sure, World Cup is cool, but nothing of this sort.

And there’s a smaller version of it in the form of the UEFA Cup (to be called the Europa Cup), for those teams that finish in fourth of fifth place, depending on their league, as well as league cup champions (assuming the’re not in the Champions League).

That the way that a lot of our leagues are organized and structured, there’s that sense of boredom or apathy at some point. Because of such long seasons and so many games, they’re sometimes not as important as others, so the smaller games, people aren’t as likely to come to. And if you’re doing so horrible, you might as well just shut down operations for the season and get that nice draft pick. How is that fair to your paying fans that come to watch your team? There’s no benefit for playing a strong lineup either if your team isn’t doing well enough to make it to the playoffs nor poorly enough to get a solid draft pick because of the potential for career-ending injuries. Again, no incentive to play out the entire season, even if it is just for the fans, which teams and their owners don’t really care about. It’s about the money that they can bring in.

Playoffs are pretty cool because it creates new energy and revives people’s desires in the league after the long boring season. But in doing so, it negates the purpose of the regular season. Why? Because everyone starts all over again. Your regular season record helps you determine your seed, but if you did well against that team, seeding doesn’t matter in the first place. There ultimately is no incentive other than home-field advantage (playing one more game at home) and playing in front of your fans in finishing first. Think about the Lakers playing the Hornets last season. It was a blowout in that playoff series, despite the fact that the Hornets had home-court advantage. Why spend all that energy playing 82 or 162 games to negate it playing your worse match-up? This is also where the complacency and apathy towards playing out the entire season comes in. If you’re in, you want to prepare for the playoffs, thus you rest starters and play your bench. How is that fair to fans that want to see your star players near the end of the season?

And the way that the schedule is structured and organized, sometimes, it might screw your team over. Like the Steelers in the NFL this year. They not only have to face teams in the AFC, but also arguably the hardest division in the league as well in the NFC East with Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, and the N.Y. Giants. And yet, the Arizona Cardinals are playing in NFC West, where they have six of their sixteen games against teams with records of 5-8 or 2-11. Note that five of the Cardinals wins are from the division alone and that they’re 8-5, with still one left to play against Seattle. Not so in the European model.

And ultimately, there’s no incentive beyond your league. In the end, you’re going to be there regardless of what happens, good or bad. You know that you’re the best team in the league by winning the championship? Cool. That’s it. There’s nothing left to really go after… except another one the following year. I think that’s what the European tournament does that the U.S. model will never be able to achieve. It gives teams something even higher to fight for, beyond their domestic leagues. Not only that, but it brings in more revenue as well. More of these games, more air time, more money. How wrong can someone go with that? And it truly brings the ultimate title of “best team in the continent” and puts more foreign press focusing on your sport.

While radical reformations of these leagues are out of the question due to the sheer controversy and problems that would result from it, there has got to be some changes that can push teams to try harder as the season progresses or at least not lose their interest over its course. Why is this? Maybe it’s something else. Maybe it has to do with team management. Maybe it’s the players. Maybe it’s the way the leagues run. There’s so many different things we can point at. But maybe we can take a look at the European soccer model for ideas to start off. While the current league models in the U.S. have been succesful, there still can be a lot of improvement to them.

While I’m usually the one that looks for gifts that will be useful and practical for someone, this year, I’ve wanted to go with something that’s more sentimental and cheap and using the rest of the money that would have been spent on gifts to donate to more charitable organizations to use more wisely. Why the change? Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve had more of a changed heart with regards to Christmas. Maybe it’s the fact that my eyes are finally open to the reality of the world around me and the needs that so many people around me need answered. Or maybe it’s the realization of the current events that have made us fearfully aware of the path we’re taking today. Let me explain.

I’ve been reminded a lot over the past few weeks of this constant theme. What is Christmas really about? It’s the season of giving. Sure, that makes sense. But why? It’s because we received the ultimate gift: God brings into this world His one and only son. That son who would eventually grow up to become a man who never sinned, gather a group of ragged men together and teach them how to turn their world right-side up, dine with tax collectors and prostitutes, showing grace and mercy to all, and eventually would die on the cross to forgive us of our sins. It’s hard not to not take a “religious” spin on this, but I can’t see any other way. The fact of the matter is this. We’ve received this amazing gift from Him, yet we’re using it for the wrong things or just keeping it for ourselves.

We know that we have received and been blessed with so many gifts in our lives. Our fame, our wealth, the people in our lives, the love we’ve received. It might seem like we’re struggling financially, but in truth, we’re not. Here’s something to put things in perspective. Earlier this week, I helped pay for a couple of friends and myself for dinner at a local restaurant. The total bill was around $35 (A little over $10 per person). In Vietnam, that one meal of three is almost equivalent to feeding a family of four for several weeks, at the very minimum. When I reminded myself about that, I felt a little sick to my stomach.

While we are concerned that we only have a few hundred dollars in our bank accounts or not sure if we have enough money to buy that iPhone for our loved ones, maybe we need to reconsider how we spend it this holiday season. While we’re “struggling”, it’s nothing compared to that of the rest of this world right now. Maybe it’s time we start sharing that gift that we’ve been blessed with to others that really need it more than ourselves or each other, who are much more well off. We hear a lot about fighting the war on poverty. But as many of us complete agree with the idea and support it, we choose to be complacent and not actually take any action other than just saying “Down with poverty! Yeah…!” Maybe it’s time we actually take a stand against it and do something about it. The Christmas season seems like the perfect time to make that change.

Money has that unfortunate effect that causes us to idolize it and horde it whenever we can. It’s become our false god. Without it, we feel weak, struggle, and live in fear each day. That is the way that society in the U.S. lives. It’s time to change that. To release the grip on our bank accounts and be willing to give some of it away to help others that actually need it. We’ve already received all the love we can ask for in God and those around us. That’s all that we really need. Especially in a time where people feel hopeless and there is no one out there that cares about them, this is the time to show them that there is someone that does love them. To that family in Vietnam that can’t struggling to feed their children… To the orphan in Africa who can’t go to school because of lack of funds…

So as I still work on my Christmas shopping list this year, I’ve been a lot more thrifty. Maybe a little too cheap. But I know that those that those I’m giving gifts to will understand my reasoning in the end. It’s not because I’m trying to save money. It’s because that money is better off spent or given to someone that actually needs it. That is what I’ve come to realize this season: It’s not about the quality of the gifts. It’s not about the amount of money we spend. It’s about making a difference in the lives of others. To love others just as God loves you. That is what Christmas is really about.

Give someone hope. Make a difference in someone’s life.

This is pretty impressive. (Originally take from CNNSI.com)

Dear Co-Rec Soccer Players and Managers,

Mayor Greg Nickels and Seattle Parks Superintendent Timothy Gallagher have sent their proposed budget for 2009 to the Seattle City Council for approval.  Unfortunately, it includes a huge increase in field-use fees from $40 per hour for sand fields to $50 per hour!  Even worse, artificial-turf fields will go up from $40 per hour to $60 per hour!!

Field-use fees have traditionally been based on the maintenance and scheduling costs of a field.  Years ago, we gave testimony that the fees for sand fields not only covered all of the costs, they actually generated extra revenue.  Artificial-turf fields cost even less to maintain, as Parks acknowledges on page 9 of the budget.  So, there is no justification at all to increase fees by 50%!

Middle and lower-income participation has already fallen off because of the 2003, 2005 and 2006 fee increases.  There is no logic behind raising fees on adult soccer again, when the result will be to lose even more teams, reduce City revenue and destroy community spirit.  Why turn adult sports in our city into something only the affluent can afford?  With so many people in financial difficulty in today’s economic climate, it is extremely poor policy to raise fees on recreational sports, which provide camaraderie and exercise for so many Seattle residents.

Please forward this letter to your teammates and supporters and if possible attend the upcoming 2009 Budget Hearings to help keep sports fields affordable.  Send your e-mails of protest to Parks Chair Tom Rasmussen and the rest of the Seattle City Council (cut and paste all of them into your “send to” line), and let them know that you don’t approve of the proposed fee increase and its negative effect on local recreational soccer!

tom.rasmussen @ seattle.gov; richard.conlin @ seattle.gov; nick.licata @ seattle.gov; jan.drago @ seattle.gov; sally.clark @ seattle.gov; bruce.harrell @ seattle.gov; jean.godden @ seattle.gov; richard.mciver @ seattle.gov; tim.burgess @ seattle.gov

Public Hearing:  This coming Monday, October 27th at 5:30pm (call-ins begin at 4:30pm at 206-684-0481) in the Seattle City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, located at 600 Fourth Avenue (entrance on Fifth Avenue).  In order to speak, you will need to sign in on the speaker sign-up sheet which will be made available outside council chambers at 5:00pm, 30 minutes before the start of the meeting. The Seattle City Council will be voting on the Mayor’s Proposed Budget before Thanksgiving.

Further information about the Seattle City Council, including phone numbers, can be found at:  http://www.cityofseattle.gov/council/councilcontact.htm.

Thank you for giving these issues your consideration.
Sincerely,

Derek Goldingay
Manager, Co-Rec Soccer Association

The overall costs to maintain a turf field is very low. Much lower than the costs to use it per hour, which is what makes this increase very unfair. These costs in general have a much greater impact though and that’s in the communities that these fields create through its usage. There are a number of leagues around the area that use these fields and people come from all over the greater Seattle area to play. Whether they’re in college or in their later years, it brings people together to do something that they all share in common: recreational sports.

By the increases in costs, they are damaging these communities. The last thing, especially in such difficult economic times, is to have people have nothing to look forward to than to be able to play their favorite sports in the leagues throughout the city. It helps people relax, have fun and enjoy playing together with others. Are these increases in costs worth destroying the camraderie and fellowship? Through these groups and leagues, it helps bring people in the city. There have been a number of field fee increases already in the past and that has already resulted in people having to give up on recreational sports in Seattle due to too high of costs. Letting this happen again will only see the community shrink more.

If you are in one of the sports leagues in Seattle, strongly consider e-mailing the city council and protesting the increased costs in field usage. Also, try to come out to the City Council meeting this upcoming Monday to speak to the board in protest. I know I’ll be there and probably speaking on the behalf of the community.

Use your right to freedom of speech. Speak up, speak out.

For anyone that doesn’t know how the electoral process for determining the next President of the United States works, this is a great explanation that takes under five minutes and is in layman’s terms.

Two weeks until the election. Remember to vote!

(4:01:47 PM) Benji: I think it’d be kinda fun just to lay on a rooftop and snipe zombies walking around
(4:01:51 PM) Ed: lol
(4:02:06 PM) Ed: yeah…
(4:02:18 PM) Benji: just setup some claymores in the stairwell
(4:02:23 PM) Ed: haha
(4:02:37 PM) Benji: so if any zombies or other survivors try to sneak up on you then you know they are coming
(4:02:46 PM) Ed: obv obv
(4:03:01 PM) Benji: of course that doesnt really cover you if you have to eventually leave the building
(4:03:10 PM) Benji: but if you had a safehouse
(4:03:16 PM) Benji: on the top floor of a building
(4:03:22 PM) Benji: and maybe a garden on the roof
(4:03:24 PM) Ed: lol
(4:03:50 PM) Benji: if I ever become rich, oh man zombie fortified paradise on top of my building!
(4:04:26 PM) Benji: fucking zombies
(4:04:55 PM) Ed: lol
(4:05:32 PM) Benji: though that wouldn’t guard well against nucelar attacks…
(4:05:37 PM) Ed: yeah…
(4:05:45 PM) Ed: well, nothing would guard well against one
(4:05:53 PM) Benji: or nuclear for that matter
(4:06:04 PM) Benji: well you could have an underground bunker
(4:06:13 PM) Ed: yeah, but then you can’t run away from zombies
(4:06:18 PM) Benji: so that if you survived you would have somewhere to live
(4:06:21 PM) Benji: exactly
(4:06:22 PM) Ed: just cornered yourself
(4:06:29 PM) Benji: its quite a dilemma
(4:06:32 PM) Benji: OOH
(4:06:35 PM) Ed: and if you run out of resources, you’re screwed
(4:06:41 PM) Benji: you could have a building that starts in the ground
(4:06:53 PM) Benji: then after the nukes, it can raise into the air
(4:06:56 PM) Ed: lol
(4:07:02 PM) Benji: to guard against the nuclear zombies!
(4:07:06 PM) Ed: rofl
(4:07:15 PM) Ed: i’d rather just build a death star and not worry about any of that
(4:07:24 PM) Benji: and of course you’d have supplies that would last like 100 years minimum
(4:07:37 PM) Benji: bah, yeah but then you have to live in space
(4:07:45 PM) Ed: nah
(4:07:46 PM) Benji: and worry about those pesky rebels and ventilation shafts
(4:07:48 PM) Ed: you could come back when you needed
(4:08:05 PM) Benji: but then were would you stay when you come back?
(4:08:29 PM) Benji: and I guess the top of your building would need to be covered
(4:08:36 PM) Ed: lol
(4:08:39 PM) Benji: to guard against nuclear winter
(4:08:43 PM) Benji: and radiation proof
(4:08:45 PM) Ed: just bring a star destroyer
(4:08:59 PM) Benji: lol, and land it on the planet?
(4:09:06 PM) Ed: nah, it hovers
(4:09:08 PM) Benji: but then how do you guard against zombies?
(4:09:13 PM) Benji: ahh true
(4:09:16 PM) Ed: LASERS. DUH
(4:09:25 PM) Benji: psssh, lasers
(4:09:27 PM) Benji: weak
(4:09:30 PM) Ed: pfft
(4:09:36 PM) Ed: unlimited ammo ftw
(4:09:37 PM) Benji: its more fun to explode things than fry them
(4:10:16 PM) Benji: I’d probably have my building be a pyramid
(4:10:20 PM) Benji: that’d be sweet
(4:10:28 PM) Ed: like in stargate?
(4:10:36 PM) Benji: hell yes
(4:10:50 PM) Benji: it could be a star destroyer pyramid!
(4:11:26 PM) Ed: LOL
(4:12:03 PM) Benji: uber w00t
(4:12:09 PM) Ed: haha
(4:13:58 PM) Benji: I think with my luck, I’d end up getting eaten by zombies trying to get to my super secured anti-zombie pyramid star destroyer
(4:14:08 PM) Ed: yeah
(4:14:18 PM) Benji: fucking zombies
(4:14:22 PM) Ed: lol

It all started when I was driving back with a friend from small group when I was telling him about something that happened nearly three years ago. It was spurred on by a discussion about that evening. Was the specific event life changing? Kind of. Probably not when in comparison to that of everything else that happened around that time. It fascinated me though just because of the decision that was made. Unfortunately, I can’t get into details to protect the parties involved, but let’s say that looking back on it now, it was quite surprising. Maybe borderline bad call at the time. But in the end, that decision did two things: it affected a friendship completely and how it would progress for the next three years… but it also changed someone’s life as well.

That someone was mine…

I guess it was about this time those three years ago when it happened and I kind of laugh at it a bit because we were two completely young, somewhat immature individuals at the time. But when I start looking into it more, I start to wonder about it. Why did she say what they did and do what she did that one late night? She knew the risks outweighed the gains, yet they took it anyway. She took the chance. And because of that decision, it ultimately led me to reevaluate the life I had lived and I committed to a completely new life a couple of months later.

I guess that is where the spiraling effect started to happen. From there, I started to think more about that year in general. It was a year of confusion, frustration, disappointment, and depression. I asked more questions about that year. What would have happened if I hadn’t had the conversations about God and life that I had with some of the people I met during that summer? What would have happened if I didn’t have that serious conversation online with my friend that one summer evening while I was back in Portland about each others’ directions in life? What if I didn’t go watch my friend do her performance that one evening that really put a burden on my heart about my past? What if seeing that friend do some organic chemistry homework spur me to introduce myself to her never happened?

That same friend that I saw doing organic chemistry was ultimately the one that said the same words that had more risks than it did gains. The same words that really changed the way I saw life as I knew it. The decision that could affect our friendship forever.

It all seems like a bit of a jumble of thoughts and questions. To me, it is and still is in my head. I just sit here now, thinking about it. It leads to the big question: What would have happened at any time on that journey that one year if I had chosen any other path than the one that I had taken that one year? Where would I be now?

It leaves me with chills to think about because I don’t think I would be the same as I was today. The people I’ve met because of all this, the amazing experiences and relationships that I’ve been able to build over the course of these three years, the events that I’ve been through, and the love I’ve been able to really see through all of this. All of that not there if I hadn’t gone through the kind of journey I did that one year that I struggled to understand and realize a different kind of life that I could possibly experience.

In hindsight now, maybe that decision wasn’t so bad after all. While the friendship that we had has dramatically changed from that of three years ago, I can only be in thanksgiving for the new life that I got the experience through all this: To be closer to a God that loved me so dearly He was willing to give up His one and only son for me.

I can’t imagine any other life than that. All because of a simple prayer, one decision, and one huge risk.

Focus on the performances from the past month, not the entire season. Why? Because you can tell whether the player is on a streak or not. While a player may have thirty home runs in the season, if they’ve only had two in the past month, it’s obviously telling you that he’s cooled down quite a bit. Picking up players when they’re slumping isn’t particularly the best idea.

Check game logs when checking the last month’s stats. I think this is just as key as checking the past month. The reason you want to see their game to game stats is that even though they may seem to be on a streak in terms of hitting or pitching, if they aren’t playing daily or had one big game with a bunch of games that are pretty much productionless, it might not be the best pick-up.

It’s not worth picking up injury prone players. I made a mistake in drafting Josh Beckett from the Boston Red Sox due to the fact that he’s known to get injuries over time. Basically, drafting players that are injury prone means you’re not getting the full potential for them. You know they’re going to have those recurring injuries over the course of the season, so why bother? You want players that won’t always keep going back on the DL every few months, because you’ll get no stats from them when you could be with someone else.

The waiver wire is your best friend. Last season, I managed to pick up Carlos Pena. This season, it was Carlos Quentin. Both players had big seasons in those respective years, having over one hundred RBI and at least thirty five home runs. But how did I get them? I looked at players from the first two points. Seeing how they did over the course of the month and game-by-game (it leads to my next point as well). Even if you have a bad draft, you can always at least one gem on the waivers and free agents that you can pick up to make your team better, depending on how deep your league is.

Look at previous seasons. Something you have to look in mind is previous seasons. A lot of fantasy baseball is about a game of averages. For the case of players that have been in the season for several seasons, by looking back at their previous seasons, you can get a general idea of how consistent and successful they’re going to be for your team. Unless they’re on some enhancement drug, it’s not likely they’re going to go from a ten home run, fifty RBI season to having a forty homer, hundred RBI season (assuming they’re playing the same number of games). It shouldn’t be completely discounted that this will happen, but more often than not, it’s a rarity.

Find players around 27 or 28 years old. It’s around here when a player really reaches his full potential in the league. It partly has to do with the experience when it comes to pitching or batting, but also their strength, power, and speed as well. For example, three of my top hitters on my team are all around that age. Mark Teixiera, Justin Morneau and Carlos Quentin are all around the power age. Each with at least one hundred RBI and twenty home runs (Morneau with the fewest at twenty three).

Draft pitchers early. This has been my strategy for a while, but at the same time, I’m also playing in an AL-only league, so this might be different. But here’s the reasoning behind drafting pitchers first. There are only a few people that I would strongly consider drafting first in terms of hitting. Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, David Wright, and probably a few others. However, beyond that, the power hitting starts to even out and you have a lot of people to choose from. In playing an AL league only, you can see that there becomes a ton of depth when you have an all-MLB universe league and a lot of players to choose from.

Pitching, on the other hand, is harder to find. Yes, you can make the same point about pitching in that there’s the top tier and then everyone else. But remember this: hitters play everyday, pitchers don’t necessarily. If you neglect those stats, it’s going to bite you in the butt. Because starting pitchers pitch usually only once a week, you have to make the most of those starts. Having consistent pitchers that will keep your ERA and WHIP down, while getting you a lot of strikeouts and wins are always worthwhile. They’re hard to find and if you dominate the draft in picking up the stronger pitchers, you will likely dominate other teams in that area. (Also, if you’re playing in Yahoo! leagues, the first tiebreaker in playoffs is lowest ERA.)

If you have the opportunity to draft a top tier hitter, then go for it. But else, I would focus on solidifying your pitching first, because there’s always a lot of hitters that you can get that will help you out in the long run, especially those called up from the minors. Not so much with pitchers.

Steals vs. Saves. Which one? Personally, based on the last point, I would say go with saves. However, always be careful in selecting the right people for this. Choose solid closers, not the questionable ones. People like K-Rod, Rivera, Papelbon or Joe Nathan, to name a few (notice that they’re mainly in the AL). While it’s definitely situational for a save to occur, the thing is that not only do they help get you a SV in the standings, but they also reduce your WHIP and ERA, more often than not. Steals might not always get you a hit or a run. And again, pitching is far more important than hitting due to the fewer opportunities for starts than at-bats.

Keep an eye on call-ups and young players. There’s a few reasons. First, they’re not as likely to get hurt. Secondly, towards the end of the season, they’re going to get more chances to get up to the plate, especially if they’re out of contention for the playoffs. But from experience in selecting players, you get a lot of success out of the younger players and those in their power years. My current team right now consists of two older players (Mike Lowell, who is hurt half the time unfortunately, and Raul Ibanez), and youngsters. As a result, it’s really been beneficial for me as they don’t get hurt and get a solid production out of all of them.

Don’t draft catchers early. There are only a few players that I would strongly consider drafting early. Brian McCann and Giovany Desoto. But beyond that, that’s about it. Catchers don’t have a lot of power usually. Also, they don’t always play everyday due to the physical demands that it takes to play in the position. It’s not worth it.

Choose players on teams that will be competitive and making or fighting for the playoffs. Don’t choose players from the Nationals or other awful teams. If you choose the best player from there, you’re not going to get a lot out of them due to the fact that the rest of the supporting cast won’t provide much for you. There’s always a few exceptions for this, for example Tim Lincecum from the Giants, but beyond that, it’s hard to warrant getting the better players from weaker teams. Having a player from a team with a strong supporting cast will make that player a lot better. Teams like the Phillies, Red Sox, and Angels will provide some good offense for you, as well as strength in pitching as well. There’s a reason why they’re in the top of their division. They’ve got the solid players.

Don’t hesitate to make trades. While you don’t want to benefit your opponents, you do want to find ways to benefit your own team as well. Don’t hold back on making trade offers or making counter-offers. You may be able to pull off some steals from time to time, depending on the needs of the team you’re trading with. For example, one of my friends was deperate for a third baseman and desired Evan Longoria. While he was one of my better players on my roster, we worked out a deal that benefited both of us. I managed to pick up Justin Morneau, Joe Saunders, and Jacoby Ellsbury for Magglio Ordonez, Evan Longoria, and Justin Verlander (Verlander was having several strong starts, which was why he was in there). While he met his needs, I managed to maintain my power while also picking up more steals and someone else to lower my ERA and WHIP. I knew I could sacrifice some power to get other stats, which turned out to help me considerably in the final weeks of the season.

Anyway, that’s all the tips I can think about. But overall, I learned that it’s a lot about paying attention to the news and seeing the potential in players. It also requires a bit of risk-taking as well, but in doing so, you can reap the rewards of whatever gains that they might give you. For an AL only team, I managed to get four players with over a hundred RBI, six players with over twenty home runs, and almost all my pitchers with under 4.00 ERA (except my highest draft pick left in Beckett) and at least 12 wins. If you’re wondering who is on my roster, here it is. Note that I made changes for the sake of the playoffs since players were hurt or producing at all:

C - Taylor Teagarden (TEX)
1B - Mark Teixiera (LAA)
2B - Alexei Ramirez (CWS)
3B - Mike Lowell (BOS)
SS - Mike Aviles (KC)
OF - Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS)
OF - Shin-Soo Choo (CLE)
OF - Raul Ibanez (SEA)
Util - Justin Morneau (MIN)
Bench - Carlos Quentin (CWS) (Injured)
Bench - Nelson Cruz (TEX)
Bench - Nick Swisher (CWS)

SP - Ervin Santana (LAA)
SP - Jesse Litsch (TOR)
RP - Francisco Rodríguez (LAA)
RP - Brad Ziegler (OAK)
P - Josh Beckett (BOS)
P - Joe Saunders (LAA)
P - Jose Arredondo (LAA)
Bench - Brandon League (TOR)

Cruz, Choo, and Teagarden were all picked up for the sake of the post-season. Before I had them, I had Marlon Byrd (TEX), Jed Lowrie (BOS), and Jeff Mathis (LAA). I use the waiver wire a lot, with a total of 35 different transactions and two major trades. And by the end of the season, a league championship for 2008 fantasy baseball.

Hope these tips help out when the 2009 season comes around.

Thanks to Tyler Smith, for all the discussions with regards to fantasy baseball over the past few years.