From: cabanrf@wkuvx1.bitnet
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Subject: Re: Gollenbock, Benson books out
Date: 23 Jan 93 20:16:20 CST
Followup-To: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy
Organization: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

In article <wall-210193164830@elvis.swarthmore.edu>, 
wall@cc.swarthmore.edu (Matthew Wall) writes:
> "How to Win at Rotisserie Baseball" by Gollenbock, et al and
> "Rotisserie Players from A to Z" by the immortal John Benson 
> are both out in the stores this week.
> 
> A couple of quick impressions:
> 
[GOLLENBOCK STUFF DELETED]
> 
> Benson's new "lite" version of the bigger and later-appearing Rotisserie
> Book is simply an alphabetical listing of about 1200 players and pitchers,
> including most of the reasonable minor league prospects. This book is a
> little hard to use because there's no index and no lists of any sort (which
> is why you may want to sneak into your bookstore and crib the 101 top
> undervalue list from the Gollenbock book, although of course if we all do
> that, they'll no longer be undervalued, what?) but it has concise
> evaluations of the players from rotisserie perspective and a to-the-point
> listing of '92 stats and '93 projections with "high" and "low" projections
> to supplement the dollar value. Benson himself urges you to use several
> different sources and not rely just on him, but he's more often more
> correct about the actual *values* in my experience than any of the other
> major publications. I would also recommend this as a guide when considering
> trades of guys you don't know too well during the season, since it's a
> quick but alphabetic guide -- just try to keep up with minor leaguers in BA
> or USATBBW to keep current. Quibble: transactions are about six weeks out
> of date, which is only to be expected with a mid-January publication.
>
Another point/opinion.  I just got my Benson today (it came in the
mail).  If you are in a fantasy league (as opposed to a Roti league)
the Benson book is almost useless.  The only stats they give FOR
HITTERS are 

AB RUNS HR RBI SB AND AVG

a lot of leagues use additional stats. IMO  It also seems as though he
overvalues minor leaguers.  (opening the book at random), lets see,
Mark Leonard $3, Jesse Levis ($4), Pat Lennon (5).  The blurbs are
nice and that's really what I got the book for.

A question, This is the first year that I got the Benson book.  How
accurate is he at estimating playing time.  Is his better than STATS?
 
> Note well, by the way, that The Sporting News Fantasy Baseball Owners'
> manual uses Benson's values and very likely his reports for their player
> guides, so for the casual rotisserian, at $6.95 you might as well just buy
> that. Buying the complete Benson "lite" book gives you a little extra
> player background and more players, but all in the margins.
> 
I disagree about using the reports, the player writeups are different.  

TSN is organized by
position.  In my mind that makes it MUCH better for comparing players
and setting draft/auction strategies.  If I were a newby (and given
the way my team came out last year, I might as well be)  I'd want TSN
for position by position evals.  Benson (or some other such book that
had them in alphabetical order) that covers the minor leaguers in more
detail than TSN.

bOTH MUST BE ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR PLAYER MOVEMENT!!!!

> The publication date for the Big Benson book is 2/25...
> 

It may be, but I won't be getting it.  I'm bitting the bullet and
getting the full STATS set instead.
 
> - Matt
> 

-- 
Roy F. Cabaniss......................*Wait till Tommy meets the Lord and
Western Kentucky University..........*finds out that He's wearing pinstripes.
All opinions contained herein........*Gaylord Perry (talking about Lasorda)
Are all mine own, and that's the sin.*Baseball, what a way to spend a day!!
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball.fantasy