For those trying to hold off for your team to make one last roto push, your time has come. We are more than 1/4 of the way through the year and the odds are growing worse and worse. Here are a few things you can do to ensure a brighter tomorrow (and maybe salvage some respect from your league mates)

1. Load up on prospects. When I say sell I mean sell. If a team is borderline top tier with Headley, Kershaw, or Bruce (etc) on their bench waiting, there is little excuse not to completely sell to get them. While they need the production now, you can afford to go from 11th to 12th as long as the future is promising.

This is more applicable to leagues with -3 rules. When impact guys go undrafted and you can keep them for nothing, it should greatly enhance your draft plans for next year.

2. Control what you can control. If you are determined to work your way into 8th for that middle of the road draft spot for next season (not that there’s anything wrong with that), then make sure you climb in things like holds and saves. You don’t need to lose anything besides a few roster spots and SP to get holds. Same thing with SB. Freel will steal you some bases, and everything else he does wont bother you because you are going from last to ….. well further into last.

3. Take some fliers. So what if Homer Bailey never figures out his control problems? You will know by season’s end if he can cut it in the bigs or not. Why not pick him up and take a chance that he turns out to be the 3rd young gun in the Reds rotation? Not all diamonds in the rough are prospects, Colon got the call this week. His velocity is back, so maybe he is worth looking into if you want a free boost and can afford to drop someone.

4. Don’t be afraid to use your waiver. You were saving it for Kershaw to put you over the top in Y! system. Well the only thing you are going to do is upset everyone by wasting him on your 11th place team. You can get a top of guys if you are willing to use a waiver and are looking to move up a little bit. At this point the lower risk/reward guys will probably do you some good.

5. Trade Jeff Kent and Gary Sheffield. I hate them. The end. Sorry guys but you cripple my team(s).

My team has gone into tank mode for next year. I have Bruce, LaRoche, Headley, and Bailey on my bench (with only 5 bench spots in the league). I have 70% of the Tigers team (sweet). That did not work out too well for me, because now no one will touch them with a 15 foot pole. Needless to say, this year is over. But next year looks extremely good considering the guys I can protect and the lower round picks I will lose. I wonder who my number one pick will be….?