When should you get concerned about "Max Innings Pitched?"

[os_gamejunkie]

In a 5X5 Roto league and it already shows that I'm 32+ projected over for max innings pitched. How high should I let this get before benching starters? Or should I just catch up on wins and Ks first...then start benching?

[BostonBK7]

If you're already 32 innings over and you still need to catch up on wins and K's then that's not good at all...

[George_Foreman]

+32 isn't really that bad right now. If you have especially bad starts (mediocre guys going up against Colorado in Colorado, etc.), it wouldn't be a bad idea to start benching them, but don't get too selective. Chances are someone will get hurt and you'll lose a few innings that way. I generally feel that it's better to have too many than too few at this point, provided your guys are performing well.

Additionally, its useful to take note of how you're doing in K/9 rather than just Ks. If you assume that everyone will max their IPs, then the category effectively becomes K/9. This is why I some times feel that guys like Sheets are slightly over-valued in roto leagues: they'll give you 200 Ks but it'll be in 250 IP. This means that you're at a disadvantage to someone else who can get, say, 230Ks over 250 IP by combining a guy who will throw fewer innings (Pedro?) with a reliever with a strong K/9 (Duchscherer ?).

So yeah, pay attention to your K/9 rate as well, and if you're a little bit over your IP limit, it's no big deal at this point.

[bdrotoronto]

I'd wait until about the All-Star break before becoming concerned about the max innings count. Then you will have a good sense of whether you 'truly' project to be over based on the way you've been playing all season, and you can also use it as a factor in planning your trade deadline strategies, since you will also know more re: what categories you need to compete in and which you can afford to focus less on.

[os_gamejunkie]

If you're already 32 innings over and you still need to catch up on wins and K's then that's not good at all...

That's what killing me. I'm almost afraid to start:

Pettite: No run support when he's up...plus some shaky outings.

Mulder: Low support and shaky bullpen.

Smoltz: Incosistency.

Blanton: Shutouts Texas and gets ripped by KC. Dumped him for Glavine.

Bedard: 1-1 and a ND after picking him up. Injured lineup

Kazmir: Satisfied.