The 2010 baseball season is finally here, and you were so close to winning your 2009 fantasy baseball league. What could you have done to win the league? Fantasy Baseball analyst Ryan Hilberth will discuss the best fantasy baseball strategy to win fantasy baseball leagues.

The most important key to success in fantasy baseball is understanding position scarcity. Those who took Joe Mauer in the first round instead of letting him slip to the second get the hint. Position scarcity basically means some positions like catcher and shortstop are so thin that there aren’t even 10 solid one’s. Take catcher for example. Joe Mauer is much better than even the second or third best options McCann and V-Mart. However, the dropoff is considerable even if you’re lucky to nab one of these top replacements. At shortstop, Han Ram, Jeter, Tulo, Rollins, and Reyes are considerably better than the rest. Rather than getting the top guy on the board, always consider the drop off between player options based on position scarcity.

The next most important fantasy baseball tip is to completely understand your league settings before you draft. 10-team 5×5 Roto is much different than 12-team Fantasy Points with strikeout penalties. A prime example would be Ryan Howard. In 5×5 Roto, he’s a top 10 lock and a 4 category killer who will probably lead the MLB in RBI and HR. In Fantasy Points however, strikeouts are usually -1 so Ryan Howard becomes actually less productive than Prince Fielder or Mark Teixeira even. Another example is with pitching. Many leagues offer P slots rather than SP and RP spots. This makes it much easier to capitalize on Saves or Wins and Ks because you can start all SP or all Closers. Use information like this to your advantage during the fantasy baseball draft and your picks will be much more sensible.

Finally, do not ignore stud pitchers! I know how much more fun it is to dominate hitter categories and cash in mediocre pitching lines. The fact of the matter, however, is that aces like Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum are bargains because of the consensus to overdraft on offense. I’ve won 3 fantasy baseball leagues in a row with only 1 familiar name, Roy Halladay, on all the teams. Also, getting a lights out closer can be the difference in your championship. Guys like Jonathan Broxton and Mariano Rivera are incredible 4-category pitchers bound to help you dominate WHIP, K, SAVES, and ERA at the same time. Sounds like a delicious recipe for fantasy baseball success!

And remember, Albert Pujols was a waiver wire claim in early 2001! Being on the lookout for the next big superstar can help patch your early-season woes out of nowhere. Using all of these valuable fantasy baseball tips should help you seal the deal this year and win your 2010 fantasy baseball league.