Fantasy player pool is a term that is used in association with all fantasy leagues. A pool of fantasy players are the ones you can choose from in the league’s format and can change depending on the style of the league’s play.

Fantasy player pools are an interesting subject as they get at the heart of what makes the fantasy game interesting. The following looks at some of the issues surrounding fantasy player pools that may help you decide what kind of league you want to join.

Why Fantasy Player Pools Exist

When someone sets up a league, they must immediately decide who goes into the fantasy player pool. Most standard leagues online feature only the players from the current season. The real-world stats are then tracked for these players as the season progresses, and the fantasy manager gets the stats from the players on his team.

Other leagues, such as those in Diamond Mind Online, allow fantasy team owners to draft players from throughout baseball history. Obviously, that’s a lot more appealing to baseball fans with an appreciation for the many spectacular players from the game’s past.

Popular Fantasy Player Pool Variations

As noted above, Diamond Mind Online offers players the chance to choose from baseball greats of the past. Sophisticated software is then used to simulate the season, allowing a pitcher from 2012 to face a batter from 1912. Along with that comes stadiums from the past, as well.

Other leagues might only use players from a specific year. Or, they could be limited to current players, but only from either the National League or the American League.

Single-Season vs. Keeper Leagues

A single-season league allows you to pick players from the pool for one year, then you start over the next season. A keeper league means you keep the players from season-to-season. In a league based on the current season, the fantasy player pool is that year’s major league baseball teams.

How The Pool Impacts the Game

In many ways, the larger the league, the more flexibility and fun there is in building your own team.

Whatever type of league you enter, understanding the fantasy player pool before choosing to enter a league is a key step. The pool is a crucial factor in how you play the game.