How many pitching positions is common/best?

[TheProphessional]

12 Team, 5x5 roto. How many pitching positions?
Certain amount or SP and RPs? Or just all P? How many of each is usually best/most common?

While we're at it, what other positions are most common? 3 OF or 5? I've heard alot like 5.. also, CI (corner infield) and MI (middle in.)? Thanks for any suggestions.

[Tenacious D-Store]

2 SP, 2 RP, 3 P Seems to be the standard. I prefer deeper leagues and usually go with a 9 pitcher format without any stipulations on RP's or SP's. I prefer to let owners have the freedom to run their team based on whatever strategy they like. I am also a big fan of the MI, CI and 5 OF spots, but they aren't for everyone. If you are creating a public league, set it up the way you like. It will fill, and those who don't like the settings won't join.

[TheProphessional]

Thanks for the reply. Also, how many bench spots? Assuming its a deeper team with MI, CI, 5 OF, 9 P, etc..

[Tenacious D-Store]

Thanks for the reply. Also, how many bench spots? Assuming its a deeper team with MI, CI, 5 OF, 9 P, etc..

I like an even number. 4 or 6. Again the standard appears to be 5 (at least that is the Yahoo default)
It's all personal preference. There is no wrong answer to any of these questions. The sure fire way to screw up your league and also ensure that no one but a bunch of lugnuts join is to go crazy with scoring stats. 15x15 stats is a joke. Stats like double plays turned, outfield assists, hitting for the cycle etc... they are all nonsense.

Keep it simple. 5x5
Runs, RBI's, HR's, BA, SB's
W's, ERA, WHIP, K's, Saves

In a deeper league you may want to include Holds, and add OPS as a hitter stat to keep it even.

[Trojan Pony]

I too recommend 5 OF, CI, MI, 1 UTIL, 9 P for a 12 team roto league with some nice depth. 5 bench spots.

[Chaos151p]

I've got a 12 team H2H, this year I set the roster spots at:

Batting: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 3-OF, 2-UTIL
Pitching: 5-SP, 5-RP
Bench: 5 spots

Switched from 4 or 5 outfielders, even though there are plenty of players to select from - let's say your drafting & taking better players or acquire players in trades or waivers, and you wind up with 2 solid first basemen & 2 solid third basemen, while your 4th or 5th outfielders are garbage.

I've also switched off the standard 2 SP, 2 RP and opened up the staff - there might not be 2 starting utility players in real games, but there are 5 starting pitchers & at least 5 relievers. And with 12 teams, you'll have to use mid-relievers anyway - with 5 bench spots, there is plenty of room for carrying an extra starter or two

Just looking for a fresh look this year, getting tired of playing same old rules year in and year out - too many "P" positions leads to guys having too many starters or too many relievers (h2h or roto)

[Trojan Pony]

In the H2H leagues that I run I do restrict the pitching spots a little. In a 12 teamer it's 6 SP / 4 RP / 2 P. If I were to restrict myself to 9 spots I would probably go 4/3/2.

[Matthias]

I like just creating Pitcher spots. Otherwise if your categories aren't perfectly balanced, you have this gamesmanship where you have some mediocre SP or RP who is all of a sudden a great guy to draft because he can play in the other spot. It's better to just eliminate that nonsense and make everything a general Pitcher and then let people figure it out for themselves with all pitchers on an equal footing.

And just because this has come up before and if I don't say something, it will come up again.... no, this is not the same as having a hitter eligible at 3B and OF, for instance. The statistics accumulated by SPs and RPs are vastly different and it's much more difficult and time-consuming for them to transition from one to the other than it is a fielder to move from 3B to LF or whatever.

As far as number of spots, we use 10 for a 12-man league with 6 bench spots and that makes the pitching pretty thin, which is good. There are players on the waiver wire but you do have to scour.