This is more of a general fantasy baseball strategy post (and aimed for Roto more than H2H). This is sort of a continuation of this morning’s roundup. Well… Of every roundup, really. At least the thought process for why I’m writing it is in continuation. Do you start or sit pitchers? There isn’t an easy, broad answer to start every guy, so I understand the questions about starting certain guys. You don’t want Wandy sitting on your team’s face right after he ate Mexican food. But you also don’t want to start a guy for all his bad outings and sit him for the great ones. In a lot of cases, it comes down to overthinking. Listen, even your fearless leader sometimes overthinks his starts and misses a good one. And some guys really are for just matchups. You’re not starting Kevin Millwood every time out. (In some leagues, you’re never starting him.) So rather than try to come up with some all encompassing rule that doesn’t really apply in every case, I’m going to show you by example.
In one fourteen team league, I have a pitching staff of K-Rod, Fuentes, F-Her, Filthy Sanchez, Oswalt, Burnett, Penny, Liriano, Billingsley, a since-dropped Buehrle and a DL’d Duchscherer. Up until Tuesday, I’ve missed two starts on purpose this year. In my infinite wisdom, I sat Liriano vs. the Sawx and Yanks, missing out on 13 IP, 3 ER and 15 Ks. Strategy moves that were to my detriment. I did sit Burnett vs. the Rays last night, which worked out for me, but that was more of a case that I’m over my innings limit than my fear of Burnett. So out of 14 points in each Ks, WHIP and ERA, I have a 14, 8 and 11, respectively. (BTW, I also have terrible stats from Juan Gutierrez, Joel Hanarahanananan and Ryan Madson.) Not one spot start, only three benchings.
Sober people don’t bet on baseball for one simple reason. In the short term, from start to start, no one really has any idea what anyone’s going to do. In the big picture, it’s another thing. But the big picture only works if you start your guys so you get their cumulative stats. Now, of course, if you’re in a ten team league, certain matchups become less startable than 12 team leagues. Then certain matchups in 15 team leagues, you wouldn’t dream of in 12 team leagues. So when you ask me in the comments or our fantasy baseball forums about starting a guy, the most important thing is your league depth. Otherwise, I assume 12 team or I’ll say something vague like, “(That start) could work out for you.” Okay, so who’s starting F-Her next time out? No way!!!
