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SBI Fantasy MLS: Round 29 Preview

ErickTorresChivasUSA1 (USAToday)

By CASEY CANNON

Hello and Welcome to the Soccer by Ives Fantasy Corner – now with new management. Every week I dig through statistics, news, and rumors to provide the reader with the kind of fantasy advice that only a man fasting until Sept. 10th can provide.

This week the international call-ups will devastate some teams. Consider taking a four point deduction if two trades isn’t enough to field 11 players. The math here is simple: expected points – 4 >0? Yes, replace an inactive player. No, don’t make the transfer.
Last week the “All about the Math“ won the SBI league with 91 points followed closely by the creatively named “Bite Me Seattle” with 88 points. Meanwhile Murder Inc sneaked into the top s SBI top spot and 7th universally while only earning 60 points. Last round I earned 88 points and moved up to 61st place. Hopefully using the advice below I can have another successful week.

TEAM PICKS
Take Three  Houston For the first game the Dynamo travel to Columbus to face the Crew with a new Interim head coach Brian Bliss. Players often play to let the world know how much they cared for an outgoing coach so expect a 12-0 Houston win. In the second game, the Dynamo welcome the Red Bulls to the Texas heat. The Red Bulls are playing without Tim Cahill and have been awful on the road. I expect a 1-0 Houston win.

Take three – Chivas The goats travel to Seattle Wednesday. I don’t believe that Chivas will win, and I’d be shocked if they earn a shutout. Still, I think Chivas scores a goal and presents a compelling game. In the second game the Goats go home to face DC United in a battle of MLS heavy weights that drag down league attendance averages. DC United is missing one more piece than Chivas. The spreadsheet thinks Chivas has a 47 percent chance of a shutout. I’m not banking on that although I expect Chivas to earn at least two 2 goals.

Avoid – Toronto FC Traveling to the other side of the continent Toronto will try to beat their .53 Away goals per game average. It’s possible they score a goal against Portland although there is a 50 percent chance of them being shutout. More likely Portland hang a few goals on Toronto FC, eliminating them from the playoff and allowing the good people of Toronto to fully focus on Hockey as God intended.

INDIVIDUAL PICKS

Captain – Erick Torres, Chivas USA In all my time writing about fantasy soccer I have never recommended a Goat as captain. I don’t suppose there is a way to be fully emotionally ready for a first time with a Chivas in the captain’s spot. Almost 6 percent of your peers have at least experimented with Torres before and, given his 6.3 PPG, I guess they are satisfied.

Value – Jhon Kennedy Hurtado After earning the shutout in Columbus, Hurtado has a double again this week. Note: Hurtado costs less than his teammate Yedlin, has fewer owners and has a higher PPG. Of the Sounders’ defenders this is the one to choose.

THREE-PLAYER MONTE

The three player Monte game has two elements selecting: three players to score goals and creating a streak of picking a captain who scores every week. The players can be awful, tossed out of the game for reprehensible fouls, and single handedly responsible for costing his team the game but like absurd back heel flicks for a goal all that matters is that singular moment of brilliance.
Captain: Torres , Chivas (vs DC United)
2. R. Johnson, Portland
3. Davis , Dynamo (vs New York)

Tiebreak: 27

That’s all for today. I’ll be back next week with more Fantasy advice.

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