Strategy thoughts for a 20-team league? (1 Viewer)

[Jason Wood]

So I signed up for a 20-team, 6x6, mixed league with some buddies. Definitely wondering if any of you have experiences in this large a league and/or any thoughts on how it might alter your draft strategy.

 

[ScottNorwood]

What are the extra categories?

 

[Jason Wood]

What are the extra categories?

OPS and HoldsAlso, I should mention the draft order will be randomized at the time. And the lineups are:C1B2BSS3BLFCFRFUTILSPSPSPSPRPRPRPRPBenchBenchBenchBenchBenchDLDL

 

[ScottNorwood]

I'd go heavy after power hitters. OPS gives power hitters a huge bonus.

The addition of Holds hurts both starting pitchers and closers in value (it's an extra category that they can't contribute to).

Draft power hitters early and often.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Also, comparing this to a regular 12 team 5X5'er, you have far fewer offensive spots (you'll actually be drafting 60 OFers and 80 IFers, the same # of OFers and just 8 more IFers), but only one less pitching spot (You'll be going 160 deep in pitching rather than 108 deep in a standard league)

Pitching is going to thin out QUICKLY to replacement level, so I would think about grabbing at least one "stud" earlier than i normally do

 

[ScottNorwood]

I would think about grabbing at least one "stud"

This guy's got a one track mind, I'll tell ya

 

[Eephus]

I'd go heavy after power hitters. OPS gives power hitters a huge bonus.The addition of Holds hurts both starting pitchers and closers in value (it's an extra category that they can't contribute to).Draft power hitters early and often.

On the category side, OPS tips the balance further in favor of HR/RBI guys. 1-2 category speed guys take a hit. Closers lose some value in this format. I've played in Holds leagues before and didn't like the crapshoot element there.The large league will scrape the bottom of barrel at some positions. It should make position scarcity a bigger consideration because the delta to replacement level will be huge.How is the league going to manage LF/CF/RF eligibility?

 

[Jason Wood]

I'd go heavy after power hitters. OPS gives power hitters a huge bonus.The addition of Holds hurts both starting pitchers and closers in value (it's an extra category that they can't contribute to).Draft power hitters early and often.

On the category side, OPS tips the balance further in favor of HR/RBI guys. 1-2 category speed guys take a hit. Closers lose some value in this format. I've played in Holds leagues before and didn't like the crapshoot element there.The large league will scrape the bottom of barrel at some positions. It should make position scarcity a bigger consideration because the delta to replacement level will be huge.How is the league going to manage LF/CF/RF eligibility?

It's a custom league on Yahoo! (not my choice, I'm jumping into an existing league) and apparently they delineate by position somehow.

 

[meeka]

Also, comparing this to a regular 12 team 5X5'er, you have far fewer offensive spots (you'll actually be drafting 60 OFers and 80 IFers, the same # of OFers and just 8 more IFers), but only one less pitching spot (You'll be going 160 deep in pitching rather than 108 deep in a standard league)Pitching is going to thin out QUICKLY to replacement level, so I would think about grabbing at least one "stud" earlier than i normally do

Yes pitching will thin out a little, but setup men can be as valuable as a closer so that adds 25 more pitchers that would be in a lineup.So I echo the comment to grab power early and often.

 

[Jason Wood]

I'm agreeing, and my other thought it to be really disciplined on saves; focusing on several high quality setup men who could either get me holds or, better case, snag a handful of saves if their roles evolved. Seems to me that in a 20-team league, with a few people who will DEFINITELY go for closers early, it won't take more than a few dozen saves to rank in the middle of the pack.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Wood>Hi

Listen to me here, and listen closely. If Eephus gives you advice on baseball which he was glad to do here, take that above anything and everything else. No offense to anyone who doesn't agree with the old man but he was at Ty Cobb's retirement party and you weren't.

 

[Spartans Rule]

Is there an IP limit for pitchers? Daily transactions?

 

[Eephus]

I'm agreeing, and my other thought it to be really disciplined on saves; focusing on several high quality setup men who could either get me holds or, better case, snag a handful of saves if their roles evolved. Seems to me that in a 20-team league, with a few people who will DEFINITELY go for closers early, it won't take more than a few dozen saves to rank in the middle of the pack.

Leagues with HLD as a scoring category makes a LIMA strategy more viable. Heath Bell in 2007 is a stud in a 6x6 league and guys like Scott Downs who aren't even considered in most combined 5x5 leagues have some value with contributions in 3-4 categories. The biggest problem with HLD is projecting them. HLDs are distributed more evenly among a much larger set of pitchers than SV. It's a lot easier to guess who will accumulate SV than HLD. Your approach of picking solid setup men with closer potential is as good as any, but chasing HLD during the season can be crazy.

 

[Jason Wood]

I'm agreeing, and my other thought it to be really disciplined on saves; focusing on several high quality setup men who could either get me holds or, better case, snag a handful of saves if their roles evolved. Seems to me that in a 20-team league, with a few people who will DEFINITELY go for closers early, it won't take more than a few dozen saves to rank in the middle of the pack.

Leagues with HLD as a scoring category makes a LIMA strategy more viable. Heath Bell in 2007 is a stud in a 6x6 league and guys like Scott Downs who aren't even considered in most combined 5x5 leagues have some value with contributions in 3-4 categories. The biggest problem with HLD is projecting them. HLDs are distributed more evenly among a much larger set of pitchers than SV. It's a lot easier to guess who will accumulate SV than HLD. Your approach of picking solid setup men with closer potential is as good as any, but chasing HLD during the season can be crazy.

Interesting...so should I just punt pitching save for one or two high strikeout guys early?

 

[Eephus]

I'm agreeing, and my other thought it to be really disciplined on saves; focusing on several high quality setup men who could either get me holds or, better case, snag a handful of saves if their roles evolved. Seems to me that in a 20-team league, with a few people who will DEFINITELY go for closers early, it won't take more than a few dozen saves to rank in the middle of the pack.

Leagues with HLD as a scoring category makes a LIMA strategy more viable. Heath Bell in 2007 is a stud in a 6x6 league and guys like Scott Downs who aren't even considered in most combined 5x5 leagues have some value with contributions in 3-4 categories. The biggest problem with HLD is projecting them. HLDs are distributed more evenly among a much larger set of pitchers than SV. It's a lot easier to guess who will accumulate SV than HLD. Your approach of picking solid setup men with closer potential is as good as any, but chasing HLD during the season can be crazy.

Interesting...so should I just punt pitching save for one or two high strikeout guys early?

I hate to punt categories because I think it makes it very hard to win overall, but it is a more viable option with 20% more categories. If you're going to punt one, SV would be it. You could get lucky if one of your setup men gets promoted to closer (e.g. Accardo) but if not, you're in the position of chasing saves, which will be really tough in a 20 team league.

 

[Captain Hook]

I hate to disagree with Eephus, but here are two observations:

1) While in general I agree with him about not punting a category, that applies more with fewer categories;

2) With 20 teams, the talent will thin quickly - a specific draft strategy CAN help you compete - with six pitching categories,

and Holds increasing the value of the better MR/setup guys, you could easily dominate hitting and four of six pitching categories by NOT drafting SP - get a couple of good (not necessarily top) closers and the guys like Bell, Scot Shields, Linebrink, any of the Cub potential closers and you could dominate ERA, WHIP, S and Holds - since you can draft those guys late you should be able to build an unbeatable offense and do well enough in the ten categories you are after to win the league.

 

[Eephus]

I hate to disagree with Eephus, but here are two observations:1) While in general I agree with him about not punting a category, that applies more with fewer categories;2) With 20 teams, the talent will thin quickly - a specific draft strategy CAN help you compete - with six pitching categories,and Holds increasing the value of the better MR/setup guys, you could easily dominate hitting and four of six pitching categories by NOT drafting SP - get a couple of good (not necessarily top) closers and the guys like Bell, Scot Shields, Linebrink, any of the Cub potential closers and you could dominate ERA, WHIP, S and Holds - since you can draft those guys late you should be able to build an unbeatable offense and do well enough in the ten categories you are after to win the league.

I don't think we're in disagreement Captain. Punting is more viable with more categories. SV and SB are the two top possibilities in this format. But keep in mind, 19 points is a big deficit to overcome in the other categories, even in a large league.I threw out the LIMA strategy earlier. With HLD scoring, it's not even necessary to go after closers. The downside here is you're probably going to drop some points in W.Ultimately, it's going to come down to reading the draft/auction correct. I'm guessing closers and corner OF will be overvalued in this format, but it could work out completely differently on draft day.

 

[Captain Hook]

Ultimately, it's going to come down to reading the draft/auction correct.

Strongly agree with that