MR Strategy revisited after one month.

[Darkie Satchels]

I didnt draft a single MR pitcher. Someone dropped Rincon so I picked him up. I also picked up Gonzo. He went undrafted.

Didn't Gonzo implode already?

[NY Yankees Fan 2004]

I didnt draft a single MR pitcher. Someone dropped Rincon so I picked him up. I also picked up Gonzo. He went undrafted.

Didn't Gonzo implode already?

He had 2 bad outings, but I am not worried. I am confident in him.. I got a chance to see him pitch (MLB.TV) He has got great stuff and has the potential to be dominant, so I am keeping him.

[AznHisoka]

Well, the thing with MR's is that you need to give them some time before they can provide solid stats since they can be so volatile in the beginning of the season. Take a look at Luis Ayala before last night. He had a sub 3-era, and a pretty good WHIP. Then he gives up 3 runs to the Mets and now he has a 4 ERA. But two more good outings, and he'll have a sub-3 era again.

But I'm also feeling the same dread with MR's. I'm DEAD last in WHIP in my league with 1.53. I drafted:

Akinori Otsuka (DUD)
Tom Gordon (DUD)
Scott Linebrink (DUD)
Damarso Marte (Pretty good actually)
Salomon Torres (DUD)
Mike Remlinger (DUD)

I play in a very competitive 16-team league that counts HOLDS with 25-man rosters, so I felt inclined to draft these dudes. I lead the league in HOLDs, but the damage they're doing to my ERA and WHIP is pretty severe. It better turn around.

[Matthias]

can we re-visit the list on july 1 ? i have great faith in a coupla those so-called duds..mgonzo for one and a few of the top MRs were conveniently left of your list..rwagner creitsma rking

Wagner, Reitsma, and King were left off the list because no one (that I noticed) touted them preseason.

I picked up Reitsma, Embree, and Romero at the beginning of the season based off of their 2004 WHIP. added streets when he came up. working out pretty well for me so far.

[brandnew]

?????? ^^

Reitsma had a 1.37 WHIP last year! Why the hell would you pick him up for that?

[zergeR]

how about crain? hes been pitching great for me, with a 0 ERA and a 1.00 whip.

[bobby]

Last year was SOOOOO last year.

This year, go get:
Huston Street
C. Reitsma
A. Sisco
Kiko Calero

[ocmusicjunkie]

How deep are these leagues you guys are plaing in?

If you are DRAFTING MR in a non-hold league, that's pretty unusual. I'm in a 12 man league with 5 bench and 9 pitching spots... and not a single MR pitcher was drafted. Some ended up on teams from the FA list... but really that only happened when drafted starters sucked and needed to be cut.

I like having a few MR pitchers in to lower your ERA and WHIP, but it's NOT worth drafting them...

[Matthias]

in a league with 6 RP slots; eventually you run out of closers.

[GotowarMissAgnes]

After one start (which is how many innings most MR have pitched so far) how many of the top 10 SP were "duds"

Let's see the same analysis on closers this year? Does that mean you shouldn't draft closers?

Anybody that is evaluating a strategy or a player after one month is NUTS, NUTS, NUTS.

Sure you can pick up a MR who is pitching good now. The question is how he pitches for the rest of the year. Let's re-evaluate at the end of the year, based on drafted versus undrafted MR.