There's a difference between patience and stupidity.

You've heard the mantra "baseball is a marathon and not a sprint."  We repeat it all the time. And it's true. But, I want to point out something that I think may get overlooked. Patience is not an excuse for being a cream puff. 

Let me explain what I mean here. Let's start with a non-fantasy team; the New York Yankees. According to FanGraphs, the Yankees still have a 73% chance of making the playoffs and an 11.7% chance to win the World Series. By contrast, the Red Sox currently have a 55% chance to make the postseason and a 4.3% chance to win the World Series. It doesn't feel that way right now, does it? The Red Sox are on an absolute tear, winning seven of their last 10 and leading the division, while the Yankees sit dead last with a 33% win percentage. And not only are the Boston Red Sox leading the division, but they also have a twenty-eight run differential between runs scored and runs allowed. That's pretty dominant.  This is the point in the article where I can point out baseball is a marathon and not a sprint. I can tell you not to panic, and your Yankees will be fine. And, in fact, according to an article by Brian Hoch on MLB.com, that's what Brian Cashman's message to the players was today; "we believe in you. We know what you're capable of. This is a bad stretch, and we're going to get through this together."  

That's where patience just turned to stupidity. Do you know what the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. These are professional athletes. They aren't children to be encouraged with participation trophies and gold stars. If something isn't working, change it. How about if a guy is batting .160 on the season, you try moving him DOWN in the order? How about you call up a talented rookie and give him a shot when your starting rotation (minus Gerrit Cole ) has an ERA of 6.39? Light a fire! Mike Ford , Mike Tauchman , Tyler Wade - call these guys up and MAKE the starters compete. The Yankees should be doing anything and everything they can to win.  

And the same is true for fantasy baseball. Those above stats could be just as true for your fantasy team. I know you drafted Kyle Hendricks to be a starter, but maybe it's time for him to ride the pine. You thought Yoán Moncada was poised for a bounce back, and yes, you "believe in him," but until he starts showing you some production, you can't blindly leave him in your lineup, hoping today will be the day. If your starting pitchers are all blowing up your ERA and not getting you any W's, maybe you take a breath, reset, and put in a few steady long relievers to lower your ratios.

Now, I am not advocating making rash moves and a ton of add/drops. That would be foolish.  I am advocating not letting the "patience" mantra turn you into a cream puff.    If you really believe in a guy, by all means, do NOT drop him, but if he hasn't had a hit in 13 AB's, don't be afraid you could miss the home run if you bench him for the day. Try something else. Shake it up.  Don't let patience become the enemy.