Closer hoarding roto strategy

[crimson knuckles]

I use a similar strategy..unfortunately the closers I had this year...Ryan, Lidge, Julio, K-Rod and Zumaya. I since picked up Aardsma and Soria (KC).

Thinking about Owens also

[cookman]

I just don't see it being a good strategy, for several reasons.

1) You're putting a lot of stock into guys who only significantly contribute in one category.

2) Those spots you spend drafting those closers early you are losing production from a position player for 2-3 months until you trade those guys away.

3) It's not a given at all that you can make up all those innings. And if you don't you will get killed in K and W. You'll most likely end up starting crappy WW pitchers at the end just to fill up your innings.

4) There are 30 closers at any one time, and the turnover is so great at the position, it is impossible to corner the market on them. It's hard to get people to overpay when there is such an ample supply.

5) There is no guarantee that other owners will overpay for closers, anyway. It is totally dependent on how your league plays out. The last few owners in saves may be willing to punt the category all together and try to make up ground in other spots. The top half to third in saves probably won't overpay because their isn't many points to gain if they do. And if there are several closer jobs that are a little volatile (which there always are) owners may try to work the WW instead of giving up value.

Just my opinion. I've seen owners try to work this strategy in reverse (draft many SPs and rotate through them quickly to max out IPs early so they can trade them for position players at mid-season). It hasn't worked.

But good luck. I would be interested to see how your strategy turns out. Keep us posted.

[djack909]

I always load up on closers early. Had Street, Valverde, Dotel, Reyes, Weathers, Wheeler, and Owens, on one team last week. 24 saves. Traded Weathers and Street for Harden and Cano last week. On another team loaded with closers I traded Jenks for Dice-K. I try to draft 3 cheap closers and pick-up 2 replacements in the first weeks. I carry 5 closers until the AS break. I make deals with people who are desparate for closers. In order for there to be no WW closers available I have to grab them before I make deals. In the Harden deal I had 7 closers, 4 WW. If the WW closers had been available, I could never had any leverage to make the deal. I had 24 saves he had zero saves.

[sadlyajetsfan]

i have felix and sheets as my anchors and working in bonderman and ortiz while he hot right now into the rotation. randy is on dl and myers became a setupman. i am doing this strategy but i have an 1800 inning max with no min. should i still use it with such a high max? we have 5 SP spots,i keep myers in one for now he will help with era/whip. 3 RP spots,rotating are gagne,f.cordero,fuentes,borowski,al reyes and linebrink.

[Kingctb27]

The strategy sounds good to me, but I think you needed to draft some better closers. Instead of Street/Putz I think you should have Wagner/Papelbon for this strategy to work...

[djack909]

I only draft high ranked closers if they are available in a round later than they should be. Picked up Nathan, Papelbon, and Street on a few teams when they were around in the 6th or 7th round. My most often first closer was Valverde. I am leading every league in saves and have already made 2 nice trades with bottom tier and WW closers. The two closers I have on most of my teams, Valverde and Reyes have 13 saves. Closers I passed up, Rivera, Hoffman, Wagner, and Putz have 6 saves.

[Jack-In-A-Box]

I too kinda fell into this strat to start the year. This is my first year at Roto so I'm just testing it out to see how it goes. But seeing as how I can start any 9 pitchers I start 5 closers and 4 SP. Using my reserve spots for SP so I can max out matchups. So far so good as I'm rocking a nice 2.35ERA and 1.06Whip. I have a 13 save lead so far with Wickman, Jones, F.Cordero, Fuentes, Torres. Otsuka is on bench. I've got Harden, Buehrle, Hamels, Snell as my main starters. So I'm staying mid pack in W's and K's for now. I know I'll suffer in W's/K's until the ASB when I plan to trade 2 or 3 of my closers for top SP. But for now I've got a sizeable lead in Whip/ERA/Saves. I was wondering if anyone else had any luck with this strategy but it sounds like some like and some don't. I'd like to see this thread updated to see how it's going for all who are doing this throughout the season.

[cookman]

I always load up on closers early. Had Street, Valverde, Dotel, Reyes, Weathers, Wheeler, and Owens, on one team last week. 24 saves. Traded Weathers and Street for Harden and Cano last week. On another team loaded with closers I traded Jenks for Dice-K. I try to draft 3 cheap closers and pick-up 2 replacements in the first weeks. I carry 5 closers until the AS break. I make deals with people who are desparate for closers. In order for there to be no WW closers available I have to grab them before I make deals. In the Harden deal I had 7 closers, 4 WW. If the WW closers had been available, I could never had any leverage to make the deal. I had 24 saves he had zero saves.

Jenks for Dice-K

[ndirish84]

Yeah, I was kind of forced upon doing this, too. It's my little cousin's autodraft. I got Nathan, Street, Zumaya (I know, not a closer), Dotel (still waiting on him), then picked up Weathers. The only SP i start are Hamels, Verlander, and Glavine. Somehow I'm in first place in the league. I was considering starting Weathers and a SP every other week, but after reading this I might wait until the summer and then just deal him. Somehow I'm first in wins with 9.

[RAmst23]

This is possible to work, but to be honest seems only viable in a lesser competitive league. In a competitive league, it will be difficult to hoard all those low-tier closers as there will be others going after them too.