Scoring Question (Hypothetical)

[YardBirds]

Do any of the services (Yahoo, CBS, ESPN) offer a defensive stat for Offensive players? (Flding Pct., etc..) Just curious, I think this would be a fun stat to use in a league, akin to FFootB teams with one defensive player. What do you guys think? Does anyone play in a league that uses a defensive stat?

You could possibly use a catchers stats on defense to add more value to catchers who can't hit worth a flip... don't know just curious.

[teddy ballgame]

I'm pretty sure you can use errors on all of those sites.

[orange12]

I know first hand that Yahoo offers defensive stats in private leagues. Just make sure if you are using errors, to balance it out with assists. Otherwise middle infielders take a huge hit in value since they see the most balls hit to them and commit the most errors but also get the most assists.

[ggs]

agreed, gotta have both the good with the bad.

[ordinarygenius]

As much as defensive categories can help make a fantasy league more "complete", negative stats (like errors, or walks allowed) can be an incentive to not play a full slate of games if a race is tight and if a league doesn't have minimum games played/innings pitched. In a standard 5x5, you already have three relative categories, which in my mind is more than enough. I hate it when someone tries to protect his ERA/WHIP, for instance, by not pitching all his innings. Just like a real-life manager could'nt not send a pitcher to the mound because he only has poor options, a fantasy owner shouldn't be able to sit on his butt and "unplay". MHO.