Making a Fantasy trade can be difficult. You have to find a team that meets your needs, negotiate with an owner who is trying to get the best of you and determine what you can give up in order to make a deal happen. Fantasy trades require work and persistence (sometimes too much). With that in mind, here are a few tips when negotiating with other owners.
DO: Respond to trade offers promptly
Even if the offer is total garbage, you owe it to the other owners in your league to respond to an offer quickly. Either accept, reject or counter-offer a deal within 24 if possible. If you're an active owner, you should be checking the site on a daily basis. Let that owner know what you think. If you want more time to think over the deal, send an email letting the owner know. There's nothing more frustrating than sending a deal out and having no idea if the other owner has seen it.
DON'T: Let offers sit for days
This one is self explanatory, really. Don't be that guy.
DO: Pay attention to the trade block
If used properly, the trade block should give you an idea of the players a certain owner is willing to deal. There will be times when certain owners offer nothing but scrubs and expect awesome returns, but, when used right, players of value will be made available. This seems extremely obvious, but offer deals for those players. The flip-side can be very frustrating.
DON'T: Ignore the trade block
The one owner in your league who has Troy Tulowitzki and Hanley Ramirez just put Ramirez on the block. While it's pretty clear that owner is open to dealing a shortstop, don't be the guy who makes the offer for Tulo. The owner didn't put Tulo on the block for a reason, meaning they are probably not excited to part with him. Plus, there's nothing more frustrating than updating your block only to receive an offer for a guy you didn't list.
DO: Offer an explanation for a rejection
You just offered what you believe to be a fair trade to another owner. You sit around and wait for a response or counter offer only to receive a flat out rejection a few hours later. No explanation, no response. If you receive an offer and you don't want to make a deal, putting a one sentence note explaining why can be helpful. Something as simple as "I'm not looking to deal ____ right now" or "I don't need a SS at the moment" is helpful. It's not as helpful as sending over a counter-offer, but it will do.
DON'T: Brag about your players/team
It's always fun to get an offer where the opposing owners talks up the guy he's trying to trade. "Over the past eight games, Player X is hitting .400, with three home runs. He's an absolute monster. I heard he was going to hit third soon. My team is stacked at first base, so I can't use him." If you love the guy so much, why are you dealing him? There are ways to sell players to owners without overdoing it. Don't be the owner who attempts to talk up a player hitting .230 and expect other owners to buy it.
DO: Ask for a counter offer
Fantasy trades are rarely made immediately. It often takes many offers before a deal is finalized. Always ask for a counter-offer in a trade proposal. If an owner has zero interest in making a trade, that may at least motivate them to respond in their trade rejection. If they do have interest in a player you offered, that could be the start of a blossoming deal.
DON'T: Evaluate the other owner's team
This is a personal favorite. When trying to make a trade, don't play roster doctor for another team. "Listen, your roster is strong, but Player X is not going to cut it at third. Have you seen him at the plate this season? He's awful. Oh, and three of your pitchers are getting extremely lucky this season. Once they regress, you'll probably be in seventh. I've done the calculations. You need to make this deal or else you're screwed. Cheers." No one wants to hear your unsolicited Fantasy advice, Mr. On top of that, how happy would you feel if someone told you that your team sucked? Suddenly, I don't have much motivation to make a deal with you anymore.
Have any other rules that might fit here? Feel free to share them in the comments.
