I'm in a 10-team H2H fantasy league that uses losses and walks in addition to the normal five pitching categories. Last year the closer run started late second round, before I was willing to pick anybody, and I ended up just punting saves altogether--and won the league.
So going into this year's draft, I planned to do the same thing. The run started as early as I expected, but for some reason the back-end closers never went at all. I picked up Joe Nathan in the 25th round just because I couldn't pass him up at that point, and then I got Brendan Donnelly and Raphael Soriano just because I figured they would help the ratios (the same strategy I used last year). So I ended up with this pitching staff:
Curt Shilling
Johan Santana
Wade Miller
Carlos Zambrano
Brandon Webb
Brett Myers
Joe Nathan
Brendan Donnelly
Raphael Soriano
Looking at waivers, though, there's a slew of mediocre closers out there. Danny Kolb, Aquilino Lopez, Danys Baez, and Jorge Julio are all there for the taking. Should I drop Donnelly and Soriano and go for the saves? I could also drop a bench player (Berroa, Ensberg, Burrell, Kearns, Dunn, Konerko) and pick up another closer, so I could have up to four of them.
But will it do any good? Are four mediocre closers enough to win me the saves category some weeks? Or should I just stick with the guys that will help my ratios and look to trade Nathan?
Definitely pick up Kolb, he's a very good pitcher on a bad team.
Julio is an absolute killer in ERA and WHIP and is very unreliable, Lopez hasn't got the job for sure yet. Baez is a half decent option.
I'd make sure you keep Soriano, he could be very good if and when Seattle use him properly. I'd drop Dunn, he's good in walks but horrific in average. Maybe drop Konerko as well if you want Baez.
Never a good idea to plan to punt a category, just competing in it every week will improve you're score a lot in the end.
H2H, 12 catagories? That means you have to go 7-4 in the other cats to win the week. Not a good idea in my opinion.
I'd pick up Kolb, Julio, and Baez and dump any middle relievers you have since holds are not a scoring catagory.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
I'm the guest from the original post on this thread. Figured if I was gonna keep talking, I might as well register, so... nice ta meetcha all.
At any rate, my logic was that if by punting saves I could win at least one category I would have lost otherwise, I break even. And getting Magglio Ordonez while my opponent is using a pick on Foulke or grabbing Huff while my opponent picks up Guardado should put me ahead of him.
In other words, because I essentially got three more high draft picks than my opponent, I SHOULD go 8-5 against him (it's actually 14 categories).
At any rate, it might end up working all around, because I have Nathan and getting another couple middle-of-the-road closers should let me win saves sometimes, right?
Minnesota guy here. So I hear about Nathan quite a bit. For that philosophy to work you need Nathan to be the closer. I'd say right now it's about a 90 percent certaintly he'll open the season as the closer. Word is Urbina now will settle for a one-year contract, but his asking proce remains at an unwaivering $4.5 million, which is just to high for the Twins to enter the bidding. Thus, it is this fan's humble opinion Nathan is going to be the saves guy.
Yikes, I didn't realize Minnesota was in the running for Urbina. I just assumed he was out of there price range. Hopefully you're right and Nathan ends up the closer.
Funny thing this punting stats. In a roto league it's basically suicide. But in a H2H. I say why not? Of course if those guys are out there you should probably pick them up. But when drafting I have basically the same strategy as you. If I think people are taking closers too early I'll be happy to take the guys they are leaving behind. And while punting saves you can put a couple starters in your RP spots and be almost gauranteed to win Wins, and strikeouts. And on your team I know Santana is a SP with RP eligibility. So if you don't want to have the chances of high WHIP and HIGH ERA killing you I'd say there is no harm in having a team full of SP. Of course I wouldn't put middle relievers in there because that just takes away the advantage I was just talking about. Go out and get some RP eligibile starters. The way I see it you start the week off 2-1 in your favour.
PS. It's almost blasphamy (sp?) to type what I just typed in the FBB world. But I'll take the chance.
Apollo wrote:I'm the guest from the original post on this thread. Figured if I was gonna keep talking, I might as well register, so... nice ta meetcha all.
Nice to meet you and Welcome to the Cafe'.
Obviously if someone drops too far in the draft then grab them, but personally, I never just give away a catagory.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
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by Guest » Sun Mar 14, 2004 2:50 pm 
