The Detroit Tigers, after sweeping away the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, were a very attractive World Series pick just three days ago.

The San Francisco Giants had other ideas, taking the first to games against the Motor City at home by scores of 8-3 and 2-0.

What happened? Justin Verlander imploded in Game 1, the Tigers have scored 3 runs in two games, and the Tigers, who have gotten out to at least a 2-0 lead in each series this post season, are now down by the the same margin.

A thought has to pop into everyone’s head. Is time off bad for teams in the post season? The Tigers took care of the Yankees so quickly, and basically chilled out, played some pick up baseball, and waited for the National League Championship Series to go seven games.

As I usually bring up in blog posts, let’s look at some history. In 2006, the Detroit Tigers did the exact same thing, taking care of the Oakland Athletics in quick fashion in the ALCS so they could let the Cardinals and New York Mets fight to the death in the NLCS. The Tigers then lost the first game of the Series at home, and lost three straight games on the road in the World Series.

Let’s look at another team. Remember how the Colorodo Rockies steam rolled the National League in September and October in 2007? They won 21 of 22 games to cruise into the World Series, waiting for the ALCS between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians to go seven games. The Red Sox then blew out the Rockies out of Fenway Park in Game 1, and then before going back to Denver, they were out-pitched in Game 2.

In fact, since the LCS expanded to seven games in 1985, only one team has swept their opponent in the LCS and went on to win the World Series. Who was that team? The 1995 Braves, when Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz were all in their prime.

Now, there is a caveat. The Giants won the first to games at home. According to the 2-3-2 format of the World Series, they were supposed to. This series is exactly where the series should be considering the home field advantage factor.

Can the Tigers still win the World Series? Of course they can. However, the odds seem a little stacked against them, making them less attractive as a World Series pick.

Want something to do over the fantasy baseball offseason to stay in shape? I suggest playing both fantasy football and basketball. In my opinion, fantasy basketball is better practice than fantasy football, but I have learned new strategies and tendencies from both. Here’s a few tips I learned from playing these secondary fantasy sports.

From Fantasy Football:

1. Don’t stop making acquisitions, even if you are in last place. Acquisitions should be used for two reasons: 1) to help your team (obviously), and 2) hurt somebody else’s team. In one of my fantasy football leagues, I started 0-5 and tied for last place with a 4-10 record (thanks, in large part, to Steve Slaton and Marion Barber). However, I frustrated so many owners by picking up guys so the good owners couldn’t get them. It wasn’t necessarily about making my team better; it was about making their team worse. Plus, if it is a keeper league, you can keep some of those players for a very low price.

2. Use your waiver claims carefully. Fantasy football is a little different in that managers are more dependent on their waiver claims. This makes evaluation of a player on waivers that much more important. There have been several times where I picked up a bust of the waiver wire, and lost a player that I needed to a higher claim later in the season. This is especially true for Non-mixed leagues in fantasy baseball, for the trading deadline deals can change your league standings in a heart beat.

3. Use your bench wisely. Utilizing your bench spots can be the difference between first place and sixth place. If you have a player on your bench that you rarely put in your lineup, either cut him for a guy who you can use or use him as trade bait. Having guys who you can’t use on your bench can really limit your options, especially if other players get hurt. As a manager, you always want options on your bench, especially on off days.

From Fantasy Basketball:

1. Make sure you get your starters first. When you draft your team in the spring, make sure that you have a good option at every position before you worry about your bench players. In basketball, it’s a little easier to do this considering there are only five positions. However, even in baseball, I found that having a good option in all my starting hitting slots lowered my stress level significantly. I didn’t have to worry about settling with a Hank Blalock or a Mark DeRosa at third base because I drafted someone like Aramis Ramirez, a pretty good option when healthy, in place already. If you worry about your starters first and concentrate on depth second, you’ll be home free when July and August come along.

2. Always concern yourself with depth. I found having at least two options at every position very useful. In fantasy basketball, I currently have up to three and no more than four options at each position, and when off days roll around, I can move people in and out and not have to waste bench spots. Players like Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff become paramount when off days or injuries roll around. Being able to shift people around is what Major League managers dream of and really is a luxury for those who can.

3. Watch playing time. The most valuable asset a player can give you in both basketball and baseball is being in the game. The team who has the most starters in their lineup usually is the team who can determine its own destiny. In basketball it’s more minutes, in baseball it’s more at bats. There is nothing wrong with drafting a sixth man or a fourth outfielder if he gets playing time. This is amplified in AL and NL only leagues. Last year in my 12-team AL Only league, I drafted Kendry Morales for $2 because I knew he would start. Enough said.