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tough decisions about who to keep and who to drop. If it’s a player you drafted in the first eight rounds, I’d recommend holding on to the player. He’s too valuable to risk losing to another team once the fantasy playoffs hit. If it’s a mid-round pick or worse, then I’d recommend dropping the player. At some point, it’s not worth holding up a roster spot for a player who isn’t guaranteed to return. JUNE: Prospect Watch A lot of fantasy teams can get lazy as the summer months hit, but the month of June often represents a great opportunity for a sharp owner. Teams often promote top pitching prospects at this time and these players can be a big boost for a struggling team. Last year, pitchers like Gerrit Cole, Zack Wheeler, and Chris Archer were promoted to the major leagues in June and ended up making a big impact. For a fantasy team with injured or struggling pitchers, players like these can really help settle a turbulent situation. Meanwhile, if some of your middle or late round draft picks are still struggling, it’s probably safe to let them go at this point, especially if your team isn’t near the top of the standings. Most fantasy team owners quit completely if their team has a poor record, but it’s not too late to turn things around. Young pitchers like Cole, Wheeler, and Archer can help a lot, and so can emerging hitters like Yasiel Puig. Keep an eye out for prospects like Oscar Taveras of the Cardinals, Archie Bradley of the Diamondbacks, and Noah Syndergaard of the Mets. JULY: Trading Up The end of July marks the MLB trade deadline, and it also represents an opportunity for your fantasy team to get better. A change of scenery can be just what a player needs to live up to his potential. Any player who gets traded from a struggling team like the Astros or Marlins to a contending team is likely to produce a better fantasy output as a result of playing in a stronger lineup and getting more opportunities to score and drive in runs. For example, Giancarlo Stanton could be a player to target if there are rumors he could be traded by Miami. Stanton is already a very good fantasy player because of his raw power, but he’s at a disadvantage playing for the Marlins. Not only does he have to work with a relatively weak lineup, but he also plays his home games in Marlins Park, a stadium where it’s difficult to hit home runs. If Stanton is traded to a stronger team with a friendlier park, his overall fantasy production could go through the roof. For those of you who play in rotisserie leagues, now is the time to look at where your team has the most potential to earn points in certain categories. For example, if your team is dead last by a wide margin in ERA, but close to a lot of teams in wins, it’s probably time to ditch ERA as a lost cause and focus on While the home stretch of the season will see more micromanaging of players, resist the urge to pull big producers like Joey Votto from the lineup. Closers can fluctuate. Koji Uehara started off the season as the Red Sox’ set-up man and finished it off by closing out the World Series. JOE SARGENT/GETTY IMAGES SPORT ROB CARR/GETTY IMAGES SPORT


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