Sell me the idea of taking SPs early.

[Zito is God]

I never understood why people spend 2.3, 3rd, or even 1st round picks on starting pitchers. It seems logical that hitters play eevryday, pitchers every 5 days so thus hitters are much more valuable.

Many have questioned it, but I know there are others who still take SPs early and often. I have never drafted a starter before the fifth round. My mock a couple of days back had the choice of Dunn or Halladay, while I gave Halladay a very long look my 5-day-to-1-day strategy still convinced me to take Dunn (Third Round).

Please enlighten/convince me as to why the strategy of taking pitchers early is backed by some FBB players. I would love to debate it, thanks.

[BigLebowski]

No can do my friend.

In a dynasty I can see doing it.

In a redraft league, I have never drafted a pitcher earlier than the 5th and usually the 6th round.

I have yet to hear an arguement that says otherwise.

[4Pack]

Same here....5th or 6th round is the earliest I will draft one. I will then proceed to take SP with 3-4 straight picks....and come out of the draft loaded with hitting and with a solid pitching staff.

[Yoda]

I never understood why people spend 2.3, 3rd, or even 1st round picks on starting pitchers. It seems logical that hitters play eevryday, pitchers every 5 days so thus hitters are much more valuable.

Many have questioned it, but I know there are others who still take SPs early and often. I have never drafted a starter before the fifth round. My mock a couple of days back had the choice of Dunn or Halladay, while I gave Halladay a very long look my 5-day-to-1-day strategy still convinced me to take Dunn (Third Round).

Please enlighten/convince me as to why the strategy of taking pitchers early is backed by some FBB players. I would love to debate it, thanks.

I think it depends on who is available. I don't have a policy of not taking a starting pitcher until X Round.

Closers are different however. And I would take Halladay over Dunn in a nano second.

[rainman23]

Maybe I'll come back to revisit this question later. All I have time to say now is -- your argument for not drafting pitching makes no sense at all. Almost all of our leagues are balanced -- half hitting categories, half pitching. That makes pitching exactly equal to hitting, no matter how often any individual pitcher makes an appearance. You can say -- hey, starters can't get Saves! So, ok, maybe starting pitching is only 80% as valuable as hitting. But when you consider that your best starters may pitch 20% of your innings, and each of your hitters only represents about 11% of your AB's -- well, you could easily make a case that your starters have a greater influence on winning or losing than your hitters do.

There are other arguments that make sense, and we'll probably hear some of these. But your "1 in 5" argument is bogus.

[Broncmet724]

I like to get a SP by the 4th round so I can have one of the "studs" then take a few hitters while everyone is grabbing pitching

[J_Cuz]

I haven't taken one in the top six since I went Prior in the fifth in 03.

funny thing is I don't ver go into a draft saying that I am not going to do something. I just grab value and MAKE MYSELF bump up starters a few slots because I know I am inheirantly biased against them. It just so happens that they always go higher than I am willing to take them so I stick with the mid-round Carpenters, Sabathias, Capuanos, and such.

I really can see the value of having a 250k pitcher and may end up with Randy if he falls this year, but when you draft for value, as I believe everyone should, it's difficult to go early on starters when others tend to go after them with aggression.

[BigLebowski]

I haven't taken one in the top six since I went Prior in the fifth in 03.

funny thing is I don't ver go into a draft saying that I am not going to do something. I just grab value and MAKE MYSELF bump up starters a few slots because I know I am inheirantly biased against them. It just so happens that they always go higher than I am willing to take them so I stick with the mid-round Carpenters, Sabathias, Capuanos, and such.

I really can see the value of having a 250k pitcher and may end up with Randy if he falls this year, but when you draft for value, as I believe everyone should, it's difficult to go early on starters when others tend to go after them with aggression.

Carpenter= mid-round....I don't think so.

[AcidRock23]

I can't really argue for taking an SP that early either. While Santana DOES make me drool a bit, the hitters around him make me drool more...

[MMoNeY24]

While I don't think I'd grab a pitcher like Santana, Peavy, or Pedro in the first couple of rounds, I always end up with a guy like Zambrano, Sheets, Harden, etc. Like Broncmet said, I like to have the assurance of knowing I've got a good #1 while everyone starts to grab pitching. In roto it's probably more important to have solid pitching compared to H2H, but I just feel uncomfortable going into the season with a mediocre rotation in any league type.

Even though I'm sure it happens every year, there seems like there's been a boost in good hitters this year with the emergence of Wright, Utley, Bay, Young etc. into the first few rounds, making it easier for me to take a pitcher earlier on.