If you think about it, many aspects of life works as a pyramid scheme. Kinda cynical, but the analogy works. As background, I have on one occasion been offered to engage in a pyramid scheme: in high school, I was offered to "sell products" to others for discount prices, and if I could get others to go in on the same prices, I would get further discounts on the goods, etc., etc. I was contacted by one of my friends who "knew a guy" who was offering an intriguing business opportunity, and the "friend of a friend" sat me down at a coffee shop, showed me some brochures, and tried to get me to sign up. Standard pyramid scheme, right down to the "get your friends interested quickly" and "So do you see why this isn't a pyramid scheme?"
But as far as I see it, pyramid schemes consist of 3 things: 1. organizers at the top who want to take advantage of other people in advancing their scheme, 2. signin up followers who are supposed to "sign up" even more people, and 3. consistent spreading until the scheme ends.
1. Law school: Lawyers make a great deal of money in the profession, so law schools have a great selling point to recruit more people into law school, and they use law school graduates who have done well to "sell" the idea of law school to prospective law grads, except for the fact that the more lawyers there are, the less opportunities there are for each newly minted lawyer. The new lawyers spread word to new prospective law students, and so on.
2. Viral TV shows: LOST. The disappointing nature of the final season of LOST really emphasized its similarity to a pyramid scheme: Get everyone hooked with more questions, have viewers tell their friends and family of the "awesomeness" of the show, and keep enticing them with more questions and mystery, all the time knowing that there's really no substance at the heart of the show. Well played, LOST producers.
Anyway, yesterday I observed some fantasy baseball trends. Here are some tips for the rest of the year:
1. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if Bartolo Colon is still on your free agent wire, go get him. He had some sort of weird surgery last year on his arm, or maybe he spent a year in the jungles of Brazil praying on small animals, but Bartolo looks revived, and throwing like it's 2000. AND he plays for a team in the Yankees that can score a run or two. Definite add.
2. buy low on some heavy hitters ( as the weather gets warmer, these guys will heat up): Nelson Cruz, Kevin Youkilis, Pablo Sandoval (injured), Joe Mauer (injured), Adam Dunn, Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez. Hits are coming, people.
3. Not to state the obvious, but Derek Jeter is DONE. I've watched most Yankee games this season, and EVERY ball Derek hits is on the ground. Unfortunately, most everyone in the US knows this too, so it's almost impossible getting any value for him. If he somehow hits 2 HR's again, it's time to sell. Right away.
4. Definitely some unstable closer situations in the league.........so don't panic if you don't have enough closers: traditionally the best time to pick up closers is the beginning of the year, when bullpens still sorting themselves out, but still some movement during the year. No need to trade a bona fide hitter just to chase some saves (I have to tell myself this in my own league).
5. Do due diligence on young guys coming up........this was the time last year where Buster Posey, Carlos Santana, Trevor Cahill, Madison Bumgarner, etc. all got called up and or/emerged. If a young player is a highly touted prospect, he could either become a dud or REALLY GOOD........some even if you're not picking them up, know what you're passing up.
Good hunting.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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