Fantasy Baseball Strategy Question

[pup]

Can you win a 10 team, 5x5 league taking starting pitchers with your first two picks?

Thinking about experimenting with it. I believe you can find enough guys late in drafts to field a solid enough offense, but bad pitching can kill you. I have never tried this before and it is a free league, but it also a league formed by area baseball bloggers, so there is some respect and pride for The Cleveland Fan at stake.

BTW, the draft is tonight, so answer quick!

[swerb]

Don't do it Pup.

Get one ace. Lincecum if possible. SO MANY pitchers this year I love in the #20-#50 spots of the SP rankings.

Take a look at the 10 SP drafted the last 5 years. Half disappoint, at least, every year.

Go get Lincecum, Jimmy Rollins ... and start filling in position players. One dominant closer early, cause there's only like 6-7.

I like the strategy this year of going like this ...

Best offensive player (BOP)
Best SP
BOP
BOP
Closer
BOP
BOP
SP
BOP
SP
SP
SP
SP
BOP

Then fill in the bench, couple more starters, and the rest of your pen.

[gotribe31]

Can you win a 10 team, 5x5 league taking starting pitchers with your first two picks?

Thinking about experimenting with it. I believe you can find enough guys late in drafts to field a solid enough offense, but bad pitching can kill you. I have never tried this before and it is a free league, but it also a league formed by area baseball bloggers, so there is some respect and pride for The Cleveland Fan at stake.

BTW, the draft is tonight, so answer quick!

Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible. But I think you would be handicapping yourself if you did so. Get a stud SP, for the most part they are like OF...you can get 5 or 6 in the middle-late rounds that give you pretty good production. Thats not the case at 2B, SS and even 1B is more top-heavy than normal this year. I like to "tier" guys and make sure I get someone from the top or 2nd tier at every position if possible (I know, not exactly an original strategy). What pick do you have?

[pup]

Can you win a 10 team, 5x5 league taking starting pitchers with your first two picks?

Thinking about experimenting with it. I believe you can find enough guys late in drafts to field a solid enough offense, but bad pitching can kill you. I have never tried this before and it is a free league, but it also a league formed by area baseball bloggers, so there is some respect and pride for The Cleveland Fan at stake.

BTW, the draft is tonight, so answer quick!

Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible. But I think you would be handicapping yourself if you did so. Get a stud SP, for the most part they are like OF...you can get 5 or 6 in the middle-late rounds that give you pretty good production. Thats not the case at 2B, SS and even 1B is more top-heavy than normal this year. I like to "tier" guys and make sure I get someone from the top or 2nd tier at every position if possible (I know, not exactly an original strategy). What pick do you have?

That is the thing. We don't find out until 30 minutes before. I was only thinking of it if I caught like 9 and 12 or 10 and 11. Taking Lincecum and Hammels means I don't need to take another SP for about 12 rounds. Mix in a closer once the run starts. Still leaves a lot of guys on the board starting at 30, with near back to backs to fill voids. Not to mention, there are some guys I really like, that I doubt others are on.

We will see once I learn my position.

[gotribe31]

Can you win a 10 team, 5x5 league taking starting pitchers with your first two picks?

Thinking about experimenting with it. I believe you can find enough guys late in drafts to field a solid enough offense, but bad pitching can kill you. I have never tried this before and it is a free league, but it also a league formed by area baseball bloggers, so there is some respect and pride for The Cleveland Fan at stake.

BTW, the draft is tonight, so answer quick!

Is it possible? Yes, anything is possible. But I think you would be handicapping yourself if you did so. Get a stud SP, for the most part they are like OF...you can get 5 or 6 in the middle-late rounds that give you pretty good production. Thats not the case at 2B, SS and even 1B is more top-heavy than normal this year. I like to "tier" guys and make sure I get someone from the top or 2nd tier at every position if possible (I know, not exactly an original strategy). What pick do you have?

That is the thing. We don't find out until 30 minutes before. I was only thinking of it if I caught like 9 and 12 or 10 and 11. Taking Lincecum and Hammels means I don't need to take another SP for about 12 rounds. Mix in a closer once the run starts. Still leaves a lot of guys on the board starting at 30, with near back to backs to fill voids. Not to mention, there are some guys I really like, that I doubt others are on.

We will see once I learn my position.

Personally, I think Hamels is a reach in the 1st 2 rounds. Awesome, but injury prone. 1st 2 rounds you can find someone who is equally talented, but more likely to make it through the season. Do you not trust the Hefty Lefty in the Bronx? Why not wait till the 4th round and snag Halladay instead of Hamels?

[idoctribefan]

I agree with Swerb. Don't do it. Last year I rode SPs like Ricky Nolasco, Matt Garza, and Jesse Litsch to my league's championship. I had Hamels too, but other than him it was a hodgepodge of starters and relievers. There are many more free agent pitchers who emerge as quality guys than free agent hitters.

[pup]

Man, you guys are almost forcing me to give it a shot with all the don't do its.

Won't take CC in the 20th round.

And yes, I am a big fan of Hammels and I have him as my #2 SP this year.

[pup]

Got the 4th pick. Took Jose Reyes.

[skatingtripods]

In the default league format, yes I know it's late, but it's really hard to win batting categories without the big sticks. You can hope for guys like Sandoval, Spilborghs, Werth, and whatnot to overachieve or match the previous years' totals, but it's so unlikely. With ERA, WHIP, and W only, you can get guys like Danks, Baker, Sonnanstine, and the like in the later rounds and be able to squeak by with guys like that.

[gotribe31]

Got the 4th pick. Took Jose Reyes.

How did the rest of it go? You get Hamels on the way back?

[pup]

Got the 4th pick. Took Jose Reyes.

How did the rest of it go? You get Hamels on the way back?

Lincecum. Which was nice.

The team is in the "Rate my team thread", including what round they were taken.

Once I didn't have the late 1st rounder, I went pretty much the way I normally would. Paid less attention to closers than I normally due. Figured if I couldn't due the 2 SP with the first 2 picks, I would try the punt saves angle for the first time. But I still could not pass up Joe Nathan, and took Mike "60 Day DL" Gonzales for shits and giggles.

[skatingtripods]

But I still could not pass up Joe Nathan, and took Mike "60 Day DL" Gonzales for shits and giggles.

The problem is that the backup closer is probably Rafael Soriano, and that dude's hurt all the time too. Check that: http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sport ... uries.html He's already hurt again.

You could probably sneak a guy like Grant Balfour on to your team and use him for his 1-2 K's a night, and his extremely low WHIP until he becomes closer like I think he will if you don't want to get away from saves.

[pup]

But I still could not pass up Joe Nathan, and took Mike "60 Day DL" Gonzales for shits and giggles.

The problem is that the backup closer is probably Rafael Soriano, and that dude's hurt all the time too. Check that: http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sport ... uries.html He's already hurt again.

You could probably sneak a guy like Grant Balfour on to your team and use him for his 1-2 K's a night, and his extremely low WHIP until he becomes closer like I think he will if you don't want to get away from saves.

Already involved in some negotiations to move Gonzales. Hoping the Soriano news makes someone think his job is safe.

[skatingtripods]

Already involved in some negotiations to move Gonzales. Hoping the Soriano news makes someone think his job is safe.

If you want to hang on to saves, check out Joel Hanrahan from the Nats, Joey Devine from the A's, or Chad Qualls in Arizona. I assume they're taken, but you could check on them.

Also, BJ Ryan is banged up again and losing velocity quickly on his fastball. Jeremy Accardo's probably the guy to step in. Power pitcher, good K's and K/9.

[Cooneyrj4]

I actually have the exact opposite strategy and it has worked fairly well for me. I generally avoid taking any pitcher for the first seven or eight rounds and then focus on good WHIP guys and look for surprises during the year.