"Pulling the goalie"

[wrveres]

There are plenty of times that I leave position players or pitchers on the bench. Today, King Felix vs. Texas as an example. Last week I dumped my only SS so I could pick-up a FA spot SP for a day. Dumped the FA spot SP the next day and picked up FA Counsel. I think anyone who has a problem with you having a vacant roster slot, has more serious problems in their personal lives.

ok see jack this isn't necassary

[rainman23]

If you've got a weak position...any position, not just catcher...that you've been flopping guys in and out of all year...and the guys available on the waiver wire are pretty much as good...this could be a swell idea. I don't think there's any unwritten rule that you have to strive to have someone active at every position. It's just very rare that it's not to your advantage to do so. Examining your situation and foregoing a position for a day -- that's creative, not unethical.

[mamorris]

Well thanks for the responses. As it turns out, I have to play all of my closers tomorrow anyway, so I won't have any room to play a spot starter. Still, I'm sure this situation will come up in the future, so has definitely been of some value. Thanks!

[mweir145]

A guy in my league didn't use a catcher nearly the entire season, and he finished 2nd in the regular season standings (though he did lose in the playoffs). Personally, I see nothing wrong with it, and the commissioners don't either.

[MMoNeY24]

There are plenty of times that I leave position players or pitchers on the bench. Today, King Felix vs. Texas as an example. Last week I dumped my only SS so I could pick-up a FA spot SP for a day. Dumped the FA spot SP the next day and picked up FA Counsel. I think anyone who has a problem with you having a vacant roster slot, has more serious problems in their personal lives.

ok see jack this isn't necassary

I'm not saying that I wouldn't pull a catcher for a day if it helped, I was actually considering it yesterday, but what does personal problems have to do with not starting someone in fantasy? That doesn't even make sense.

[Dawgpound 1613]

If Yahoo allows it, then if it helps you, I'd say do it. I understand the concepts of not playing certain positions as being outside the "spirit" of fantasy baseball, but, in my opinion, that's why rules were invented.

Some leagues don't distiniguigh between SP and RP - yet no team in baseball has all SP or all RP. While I agree that you should have a C starting - if the rules are open enough to permit a SP to replace a C, then I wouldn't harm myself just because.

That said, I wouldn't like being in a league that this could be done. But since it can, don't penalize yourself should you need to in the future.

[bselig]

Of course do it if it is going to help your team...you don't have to start someone at every position and for anybody to even suggest that is pure inanity. Make the roster move.

I'd qualify this: I don't think running a whole season with the 'no catcher strategy' is acceptable, for instance, as you really should have someone for every position. Doing it for one day, in a really tight h2h race, is imho a different matter. I mean, you'd drop your ace on the last day if it were the only way of winning, wouldn't you?

Nope, it would be fine, and would never occur because even though catchers suck, they'll still give you some extra numbers, and extra numbers are better than nothing over the course of a season in any format. Even a catcher who hits .280 and only gives you 50 runs, rbi, and 10 homers is a LOT better than nothing in the long run. If a particular league is so poorly designed so as to offer benefits to players not starting catchers over players starting catchers, then players SHOULDN'T start catchers, and the league design should be changed.