Below are some tips for you to consider on draft day. They are in no particular order, nor are they presented in any type of weighted format. They are just there for you to consider; use the ones you want while throwing away those you don't.

1. Everyone knows the key players, so take the time to research the players who will be taken in the late middle rounds to the end of the draft.

2. To run up the price of a player in an auction, open with a high bid. Usually everyone will bid at least once on a superstar in an effort to drive up his price. So start the bidding at $20 or $30 on top-tier players instead of $1. People who do not want that particular superstar will bid on him once, then start dropping out. The higher openening bid will result in a higher sold price and less competition from your opponents who will have less money to spend later in the draft. However, don't start too high. You may wind up getting the player whose price you're trying to drive up!

3. Nominate the following players early in the auction: players you do not want, players from positions you are strong in, players on local teams, rookies, overhyped players and players coming off injuries. Everyone has money at the beginning of the auction and players usually go for more than they are worth. Once again, this is done in an attempt to water down the amount of money your opponents have when the bargains start to pop up.

4. Be careful of throwing out the bum for one dollar expecting someone to bid two. He may just go all the way around the table and YOU will get him for one. (This is called the Chuck Carr Rule, also known in expert leagues as "Crickets.")

5. Beware the Peter Gammons Curse! Whomever Peter Gammons hypes in the preseason tends to bomb. (Otherwise known as the Pat Mahomes Rule or the Sparky Anderson Rule.)

6. Balance the categories and don't throw one away. Wins and batting average are the least predictable of the categories so these are the one to spend less on and let "luck" work in your favor here.

7. Pay attention to last-minute trades and transactions in Major League Baseball and judge how these will affect the playing time and dollar values of players.

8. Draft some multi-position players or utility players to give you roster flexibility. This can be a season-saver when injuries strike.

9. Keep track of the prices players are going for compared with what you anticipated, and jump in and start buying when the players are going for less than expected.

10. Do not go into the draft thinking you have to acquire a particular player at all costs. Also, do not fall in love with players from your favorite team or the local team.

11. In trying to figure out which pitchers to take, get those that throw strikes. You cannot defend against a walk. Also, check for trends. Are they walking fewer from year to year, more from year to year, or staying consistent? Look at their strikouts to innings pitched ratio. The closer that ratio is to being one or above, the better. The fewer a pitcher's walks allowed, the better.

12. Avoid long relievers, or relievers who may get put into the starting rotation. These are the sacrificial lambs left on the mound when a team is behind 10-2 in the third. They will pitch no matter what until the seventh or eighth.

13. Avoid pitchers who play for Colorado. The thin Rocky Mountain air can be highly hazardous to your ERA and WHIP.

14. Track the money your opponents have and the categories and positions they need. Know who you are competing with and each owner's salary situation, especially in the end game.

15. Call out the names of players you want when it gets to dollar days. Keep some money in reserve so you can bid $3 if need be. However, if you have done #14 well, you'll know when you can bid $1 without getting trumped!

16. Do not have too much of your favorite beverage on draft day (or the night before, for that matter!), especially if your favorite beverage happens to be alcoholic. Be happy to offer to buy that same beverage for you opponents the night before or during the draft, however!

17. With all the things you need to keep track of, have a partner or a friend accompany you on draft day and share in the draft duties.

18. When selecting hitters, try to have as many everyday starters as possible. They do not have to be big name players. Accumulating at bats is important. A lineup of regulars is better than two or three superstars and a bunch of utility guys, otherwise known as Studs & Duds.

19. Write down the name of the team that you outbid for a particular player. That team's owner will likely be the most interested party in the event you wish to trade that player later.

20. Don't be afraid to draft a player who is already on the DL. Injured players can often be had at bargain-basement prices, and even if they miss significant time, you'll have a cheap keeper for the following season.

21. If you have not had a chance to do a lot of homework, watch the top owners during dollar days. Save some extra money for the end of the auction. When that guy who is always in the money throws out a guy for one dollar, you bid two. That guy doesn't finish in the money every year for nothing. Take his one dollar sleepers from him.

22. Generally, do not spend double digits on a rookie. That way, if they bomb (and most do) it will not hurt you too much. There are always exceptions to the rule, but you are better off following this advice more often than not. (Isn't that right, Josh Hamilton owners?)

23. If you don't get the pitchers you want early in the draft, then get situational lefties and set-up men to fill your roster. They will post excellent ERAs and ratios, vulture some wins and keep you competitive until you can land those starters.

24. After the draft, run your draft through a projection program. This will tell you where you are strong and where you are weak. If you are off to a bad start, this will tell you whether to worry or whether to be patient. The same is true if you are off to a very good start. The projections will show you if you have a formidable team, or an April flash in the pan.

25. Finally, remember that the draft is a poker game. Almost all the players have been reading info and advice. Many know the other players' strategies through the years, so they may do something totally different than expected in order to ambush you. Be awake, adjust to the trends and expect the unexpected. For example, we may have to break one of our own rules on draft day, just to keep the owners in our leagues who read this honest. Somewhere in the draft you should throw your competition a curveball, too, just to keep them on their toes and wondering.

Good Luck in your draft!