Unusual League....Unusual Strategy?

EddieDean19  3/18/2014 8:23 AM

A friend of mine has started a league with an unusual scoring system.  It's H2H, maxed out at 8 teams.  Scoring categories are SB, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR for batters (starting 8 guys, 1 per position) and W, L, SV for pitchers (starting 4 SP and 2 RP).  Bench is 6 guys.

Aside from the very unexpected player rankings that result from this scoring system among hitters, I have given some thought to strategy here.  It seems to me that hitters already have 5/8 of the scoring categories, and really the pitcher categories are both heavily luck-based, and also easier to find post-draft.  Thus, it seems to me that using at least my first 8 picks, if not my first 11-12 depending on my desired bench, on hitters is the way to go.  Hitting is both a larger part of scoring here, and more predictable and reliable.  How to navigate the unusual draft board (Segura and Marte both wind up in the top 5 or so no matter whose projections are used) is a separate question.

Further, I had the notion that since W and L are unpredictable, maybe it would be a good strategy to punt W (sort of crazy to punt in an 8 category scoring format) by using my SP slots for guys who are injured / in the minors or basically not pitching.  The flip side of punting W is that it should ensure that I win L most weeks.  There is a 9 IP minimum each week, so I'd probably have to have one or two starters who are actually pitching, and I could try to cherry pick matchups to try to avoid L.  I still think I'd want to try to get SV.  But I wonder, is it really cheesy to just abandon starting pitching entirely (even though you could argue the rules favor it) and just put non-players in the pitcher spots?  But does that matter?

Interested in thoughts on the strategy here.  Thanks.

Hmmm...in rereading this before posting I had a thought.  Is there risk that other teams who are using their SP slots "normally" will try to get 1-2 W against me, and once they do, then sit out their starters and try to win W with 1-2, and tie on L with 0?  Is that a legitimate risk?  Of course, is it still sensible to try the punt W strategy anyway, because if they get a L or two first, then it doesn't work for them?

silentjim   3/18/2014 10:15 AM

I like your strategy. I'd load up on hitting. Realistically you could punt all three pitching cats and just win 5-3 every week and not even try to hit the minimum innings pitched.

With no regular P slots, hitting 9 IP without loading up on middle relievers who have dual eligibility might be hard. Good closers would average what 3IP per week? Meaning you'd need to either start a SP to hit 9 total innings or have 3 or 4 consistent middle relievers who could get 2-3 IP per week as well. But they might get you losses too.

Personally I wouldn't worry about teams trying to get a win and then benching their team. If it happens it happens. Don't try to guess what someone else will do. I think I'd load up on hitting for a long while (assuming daily lineups for sure) and then load up on two closers who are projected to get 60-70s saves between them and a third even crappier guy. Then look for middle relievers (with SP,RP) who you know can at least get you IP so you can get 9IP and saves. I think that's what's starting to make sense to me.

EddieDean19  3/18/2014 2:15 PM

Thanks for the reply silentjim.  Always good to have your thoughts confirmed by someone else.

My thinking on starters was to get 1 or maybe 2 guys who will actually start - I'm looking for guys on teams that score a lot of runs and/or have decent defense.  My list is LAD, WAS, STL, TB, BOS, DET, LAA and TEX right now.  Even if it's the 4-5 starter, he'll get innings and a handful of W and L, not many.  I had planned to actually fill the other SP slots with "blanks" - just put someone like Medlen in there.  I may not draft that way, but switch to it after the draft.  I'm feeling like that may be an unpopular move among other owners but who knows.

I planned to get 3 closers, and also to use one Bench spot for a SP, only so I can maybe have 2 "real" starters on my roster but I can move them in and out depending on my IP need and their matchups.  Of course, as I type that I realize I can also just use the waiver wire that way, so maybe I will use 5 bench spots for hitters, and just one for a RP.

So yes, my plan is to have a great offense - hope to win 4+ offensive categories each week.  I should also get L most weeks if other owners are using their SP "normally".  So that's 5+ wins right there, and saves I'm sure can swing back and forth....

Again, thanks for your thoughts - it really is nice to have at least a little support when you're going to go out on a limb.

mbuser   3/18/2014 3:20 PM

Agreed with Jim that you are sound in your strategy. And from a general standpoint, you always want to play to your settings, so you are on the right path here for sure. ADP vs projections sure will be funky, but that gives you a clear advantage here if everyone else is going off a generic list. These settings are about as far from standard as you can get.