For a deeper understanding of fantasy baseball players and how to survive in the many types of fantasy baseball leagues, look no further than "Tumbling Dice," KFFL's exclusive column from Mastersball writer Lawr Michaels. The Tout Wars and LABR vet pursues knowledge that will affect your fantasy baseball team, whether you play in a rotisserie, head-to-head or simulation game like Strat-O-Matic or Scoresheet.

2012 Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice with Lawr Michaels, of MastersBall.com

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: A Good Trade (05/22)
  

  Sometimes fantasy baseball players forget the cost of the pursuit of victory, but the Zen Master parts with a possible future hot cornerstone to remind us.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Stats or Instincts? (05/15)
  

  Lawr reflects on what an important source told him about his fantasy baseball strategy, and how it has applied in 2012

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Rethinking Freakout (05/08)
  

  It may be tempting to take a decent package for the Angels' struggling superstar and a host of others off to slow starts. Don't.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Dump City (05/01)
  

  Lawr can rebuild. He has the technology ... and the know-how. Balancing salaries, age and talent, he navigates the long-term XFL market.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Early Plotting (04/24)
  

  The Zen Master acknowledges the stage but asserts that it's not too soon to begin planning ascension in your fantasy baseball league's standings.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: All mixed up (04/17)
  

  Lawr Michaels reflects on past successes and analyzes his future chances of getting back on track in this week's Tumbling Dice.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: The Paradox of Last (04/10)
  

  Even the Zen Master can't resist tracking his fantasy baseball teams' stats daily, but his ability to maintain perspective is what keeps him in it six months from now.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Tout Turnabout (04/03)
  

  Lesson from the Zen Master: If you aren't willing to try something new, you probably aren't willing to do what it takes to win your fantasy baseball league.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Mixed-Up Mixed Draft (03/27)
  

  The Zen Master wonders why studs in mixed fantasy baseball leagues cost less than they do in AL or NL rotisserie leagues, like they did in Tout Wars.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: The Line of Least Resistance (03/20)
  

  Lawr tries to explain how to skin a cat - err, find more than one way to win a fantasy baseball league, using one of his deep keeper leagues as an example.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Baseball wasteland (03/13)
  

  In deep fantasy baseball leagues, it's not often that you strike gold, but, as the Zen Master relates, we consider it a worthwhile venture to seek it nonetheless.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: LABR pains (03/06)
  

  The Zen Master shares his wisdom regarding early nominations - and reminds rotisserie baseball players not to forget about their own teams when playing that game.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Slower (and tastier) than mock turtle (02/28)
  

  Slow fantasy baseball drafts reveal biases and bargains. Lawr takes notice of the cheap but intriguing fliers in his latest.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: To ADP or not to ADP? That is the question. (02/21)
  

  Is there a benefit to using the data that average draft position provides? What is it, then?

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Broken hearts and baseball bats (02/14)
  

  The Zen Master doesn't mind a trumpet like Cory Luebke - come again? - but he had his heart set on a beautiful six-string.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Strat-O-Gee? (02/07)
  

  It's freeze time for the Zen Master in a couple of leagues. He finds himself in two drastically different positions and uncertain if he'll be able to benefit from either of them. But Alex Gordon is a keeper.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Mocking in the free world (and other tales of pitching hope and woe) (01/31)
  

  Look at ALL ... THAT ... PITCHING. The Zen Master combs through a couple of slow mock drafts to reveal a couple of maxims that fantasy baseball players can't forget.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: (I love a league that has a) slow draft (01/24)
  

  In his latest draft, the Zen Master opts for the "sure thing" instead of Troy Tulowitzki, a player he took in a similar position only a few years ago.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Sirius-ly drafting (01/17)
  

  The results of the first official fantasy baseball draft of 2012 - yep, the Fantasy Sports Trade Association's premier roto league has already begun, and it counts - are in. The Zen Master, as always, has some astute observations, and they'll certainly be of help to the rest of us.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Tout starts swinging (01/10)
  

  Lawr Michaels imagines the draft and roster possibilities resulting from one of Tout Wars' recent rule changes.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Rules Go Round (01/03)
  

  KFFL welcomes back Mastersball for the 2012 season. Lawr Michaels kicks things off with his meditation on a rule change and high hopes for his disappointing 2011 core.

2011 Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice with Lawr Michaels, of MastersBall.com

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Bye bye Fernando, hello Allen (10/25)
  

  The Zen Master's freeze list is due for the Experts Fantasy League, and the rotisserie wizard has a change of heart just before he submits it.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: It's in the numbers (not) (10/18)
  

  Statistics tell us a lot in rotisserie baseball, but the details in real-life games - and, often as a result, in fantasy sports - that determine winners.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Even better when it doesn't count? (10/11)
  

  The Zen Master finally takes a moment to collect his fantasy baseball thoughts and then, on a rare occasion, watch games for the sake of games.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Tiger's Blood comes through (10/04)
  

  An MVP in any other year, perhaps, Michael Young was an important piece of Lawr's Scoresheet puzzle. But is Young a fantasy baseball keeper?

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: For the love of "Moneyball" (09/27)
  

  The hit film hit home for Lawr Michaels, in a number of ways. But did it hit a home run? Based on a true story.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: How do you beat these guys? (09/20)
  

  In a fantasy baseball league in which 600 players are drafted, players like Eric Hosmer are long gone. So how does Lawr plan to compete?

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Then the wheels came off (09/13)
  

  Lawr reflects on the painful tumble that his pitchers took in the second half and files it away for future fantasy baseball reference.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Ugh! (09/06)
  

  A bittersweet Nick Swisher homer in LABR and a battle of pitching staffs in Scoresheet have Lawr hopeful but not especially optimistic for the stretch run.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: This is it (08/30)
  

  Lawr's LABR title run may depend on a couple of Chicago White Sox - including dependable veteran Mark Buehrle - and the belief that a hot streak is coming.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Surprise numbers (08/23)
  

  The standings show who's ahead and who's behind, but the numbers tell us why and how, and Lawr likes to listen long enough to hear them.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: It never fails (08/16)
  

  A painful week from Coco Crisp and others almost - almost - spoils Lawr's return from a tech-free week. It's more than just serendipity.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: When your eyes are bigger than your belly (08/02)
  

  Some lessons are hard to learn, even for the most experienced fantasy baseball players and Zen masters.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Strat-O-Matic meets the Rubik's Cube (07/26)
  

  Lawr's favorite league has become quite puzzling, mainly in his team's lineup construction surrounding Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman and Shane Victorino

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: The genius of hindsight (07/19)
  

  What a difference a dollar or three makes. CC Sabathia is part of a contingent leading Lawr's AL LABR squad to victory, while the New York Yankees' ace casts a large shadow on his AL Tout team.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Meet Pitcher-AAA (07/12)
  

  The heroics of Kevin Correia weren't enough to offset the damage caused by an inexplicable showing from Lawr Michaels' Scoresheet team. It's a funny game.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: The Rene Tosoni Social Club (07/05)
  

  FAAB rules and strategies usually help to determine league outcomes, especially for those who remember what the ultimate goal is.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Maybe hitting is just lousy? (06/28)
  

  Lawr's experience at a Twins-Giants game magnifies the overall decline in MLB offense.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: You never know, you know? (06/21)
  

  Nothing is a sure thing, including - especially - the best fantasy baseball team on paper.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: The times they are a changin' (indeed) (06/14)
  

  The Zen Master reconciles his time-tested strategy with the effects of the influx of MLB prospects in fantasy baseball games.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Hurts so good (06/07)
  

  You can't always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes, you get what you need.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Rebuilding the walls of Jericho (05/31)
  

  When it's time to look for ways to improve for 2012, a few simple thoughts can ease your transition in your quest for top prospects like Eric Hosmer

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Jake Peavy can play (05/24)
  

  The Zen Master appreciates all the little things that help us evaluate players, but sometimes we forget to take a step back.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Bench pressing (05/17)
  

  Lawr's experience has taught him about the importance of patience, but also the importance of knowing when to act

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: A period of adjustment (05/10)
  

  Lawr Michaels discusses the need for adjustments in fantasy baseball leagues.

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Free Falling? (05/03)
  

  Andrew Bailey's pending return might be a shot in the arm to a great team like yours - and Lawr's - but the Zen Master isn't letting early returns go to his head

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: Closer Crazy (04/26)
  

  No matter your feeling about "SV" as a roto category, maybe it kind of works - and drives us nuts at the same thing with its lack of sure things

• Fantasy Baseball Tumbling Dice: That Hamilton Man (04/19)
  

  Lawr has some advice for fantasy baseball managers, especially those in deep leagues, who lose top players, and here's a hint: not a terrible thing

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (03/29)
  

  "When Trade Winds Go South" | Lawr uses a recent Jered Weaver exchange to illustrate his points about the perceived value of the game's top prospects

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (03/22)
  

  "Cash or M*A*S*H" | Together, Lawr, Jake Peavy and a host of so-called "underachievers" stare down conventional wisdom

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (03/15)
  

  "Drafting Deep" - In the offseason, Lawr subtracted Max Scherzer from his studly Scoresheet rotation to seal a hole in his lineup. Did he pay too big a price?

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (03/08)
  

  "$trategy" - LABR presents Lawr with a teachable moment in live auction strategy and provides us all with a crucial lesson

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (03/01)
  

  "What to Do When Arms Go Wainwrong" - Fantasy owners who've lost Adam Wainwright in a mixed league may be down, but they're far from out

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (02/22)
  

  "The 35-Hole Mulligan" - Brian McCann is one of Lawr's more pleasing do-overs from his recent mock auction, which contained some interesting developments

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (02/15)
  

  "Brothers in (Outfield) Arms" - Sibling rivalries in baseball have often been a little one-sided, but the latest edition isn't, and Lawr wonders why we've given up so soon

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (02/08)
  

  "Taking a Bite Out of Big Mack" - Lawr tells a cautionary tale that we've all heard at least a few times but for some reason fail to absorb the lesson

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (02/01)
  

  "First Real Team of 2011" - Lawr compares his FSTA expert league draft results with last week's expectations and offers a few takes on players

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (01/25)
  

  "First Real Draft of 2011" - Mastersball's Lawr Michaels gives us the players he is targeting in each round of this year's FSTA draft

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (01/18)
  

  "Digging Into the Prospect List" - Mastersball's prospect list gives top prospects their due, but it also uncovers some under-the-radar farm talent of fantasy baseball interest

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (01/11)
  

  "What I'm Going to Do, I Think" - Try something new in your fantasy baseball draft, and don't forget that players like these are still good players

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (01/04)
  

  "New Year's Resolutions, Fantasy Style" - Personal growth is a year-round endeavor, at least for the fantasy baseball player

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (12/28)
  

  "Skinning Cats" - Young players - catchers, in particular - can make a great foundation ... but what are you sacrificing for the payoff?

• Fantasy Baseball: Tumbling Dice (12/21)
  

  "You've Got to Roll Me" - Lawr Michaels asks you to order a cup and take a seat

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