Head-to-head fantasy baseball encompasses some of my favorite parts of fantasy – rivalries, strategies, and ties. Okay, maybe not that last one, but overall, it’s my favorite format to play. Like in roto leagues, you’re focused on compiling stats in your scoring categories (homers, runs, steals, strikeouts, etc.), but your matchup resets each week and you’re on to the next opponent.
Punting is one of my favorite strategies in H2H Categories, mostly because it allows me to not pay a premium for saves or speed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating a) punting both or, b) fully punting either, but I do recommend a version of punting that I feel gives you an advantage over your opponents.
Here’s our disclaimer – This is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. You know your league and your in-season management ability. If you’re an owner who is excellent at scooping up new closers, then punting saves is a reasonable strategy to explore. These strategies are also not meant to be half-assed. If you’re leaving your draft knowing you need to find steals on the wire, take the time to find those steals. Now that you’ve been warned, enter the punting dungeon……if you dare.
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Searching For Cheap Thieves
Punting steals is usually a roster construction decision that is made within the first few rounds of your draft. If you start Mike Trout, Rafael Devers, and Pete Alonso, you’re projected for just 24 stolen bases. You should be well ahead of the curve in the other four standard hitting categories. Instead of trying to make up ground by drafting Scott Kingery or Amed Rosario in the mid-rounds, make it your mission to spend your later draft capital on upside speed guys.
The following players are available after pick 200 – Kolten Wong (13 HR/17 SB), Rougned Odor (28 HR/13 SB), and Niko Goodrum (18 HR/13 SB). Yes, all of these players have warts, which is why they’re being drafted after pick 200 but, all three can allow you to punt the steals category until late in your draft. And who knows, if Goodrum or Odor hit above .250, you have yourself a steal – pun intended – in the late rounds. In theory, you’re not wasting your mid-round draft capital on one-category players and you’re building a juggernaut at your other scoring categories.
Depending on your league size, if you’re looking for the ultimate SAGNOF steals option, go no further than Pittsburgh, where their starting center fielder is projected for 22 steals. Jarrod Dyson will be on the strong side of a platoon in center field and HC Derek Shelton plans to be aggressive on the base paths this year. With the Pirates projected to win just 71 games, there’s no reason to hold Dyson back and he’s free at an ADP of 419. Here are some other late-round steals options:
Sam Hilliard, OF – 286 ADP – Hilliard enters the year projected as being on the strong-side of the Rockies left-field platoon. According to Baseball Savant, he ranked 46th in Sprint Speed and has stolen at least 23 bases each of the last four seasons.
Trent Grisham, OF – 312 ADP – Like Hilliard, Grisham has a top-end Sprint Speed, ranking 42nd in 2019. He appears to be the lead-horse for the starting center field job and stole 37 bases in AA in 2017.
Harrison Bader, OF – 359 ADP – Bader reworked his swing in the off-season and he’ll combine guaranteed playing time due to his defense with a Sprint Speed that ranked 22nd out of 568 players. He also batted lead-off in his first Spring Training Game.
Discount Saviors
Saves is the category that I hate drafting the most. In 2019, 52 different relievers recorded at least 5 saves, while just 11 surpassed 30 saves. Of those relievers that topped 30 saves, Will Smith, Taylor Rogers, Alex Colome, and Ian Kennedy were all available beyond pick 200 and in some cases off the waiver wire.
If I’m being a company man and drafting a SAGNOF closer, I’m not paying up for garbage skills. Rasiel Iglesias (and his 1.5 HR/9) and Alex Colome (and his 4.00+ SIERA) do nothing for me when I have to spend a top 160 pick on them.
Just like with steals, if you’re punting saves, make it part of your plan to spend some of your late draft capital on the “Misfit Closers”. According to the NFBC, there are currently four closers that sport ADPs over 250 – Brandon Kintzler, Mychal Givens, Matt Magill, and Wade Davis. “But Richardo, they’re mediocre relievers on bad teams.” Bad teams earn saves too and beggars (punters) can’t be choosers.
If you’re drafting early, there are currently unsettled closer situations (i.e. San Francisco). The Giants are currently working out the roles of Tony Watson, Shaun Anderson, and Jandel Gustave (again, barf). You can take advantage of this and draft your favorite of the three with your last pick. If your boy gets the job, excellent! If not, you can cut bait immediately and scoop up some other SAGNOF candidates.
Good luck in your drafts!
I have #2 in this years H2h categories. my keeper is Acuna in the 4th. Trout will go #1. who should I take yelich (2nd) or Bellinger?
I don’t think there’s a wrong answer here.
What are your league settings? 5×5? 3 OF or 5 OF? Do you know what the rest of the leagues keepers look like? If so, is either 1B or OF thin?
How much more value do SPs have in this format vs the average ADP these guys have in ROTO? I tried rolling the dice streaming pitchers last year in H2H and really shot myself in the foot a lot. Thanks for the article on this topic.
I tend to slightly bump up the top end of SPs. I’m mostly making sure I lock in a decent top end of my rotation so that I can stream.
Last year was particularly rough to stream with the juiced ball. If there’s a change in the ball, streaming would be significantly easier.
Good luck in your draft!
I am thinking of completely punting saves (even throughout the season) because having more sps guarantee me a win in Ws and Ks and by only playing the better matchups I can also compete in ERA and WHIP. Thoughts?
I hate just giving away the category for free, but in theory if the cultivate the matchups, you should be giving yourself an advantage! The only worry is that if you sit too many of those pitchers to protect your ratios, your opponent could catch up in Ws and Ks. Good luck!
Interesting i defintiley punt on positions. last season i cornered the market on infielders and was able to make some trades and pickups. drafting best player at spot , to a degree seems to work provide in season moves work out
No doubt BPA and piling up assets is a great approach!
And I agree with your name as well. I’m in the Philly area and when Lenny was in the slammer they were selling “Free Nail” shirts to raise money for his bail lol I bought one just for the story.
I’m in a H2H league. We have stolen bases, saves and holds. All the other categories are pretty standard. Which in your opinion is the one to punt?
I’m more likely to punt saves/holds and being active on the wire grabbing set-up men. That way you’re not handing your opponent one category a week, but also setting up the rest of your roster to dominate!
Thanks for this! As a fellow H2H denizen, I feel like we’re in the minority sometimes, so it’s nice to read strategy-related content like this. I totally agree with punting rather than overpaying for speed and saves. It’s even more viable when playing in a daily league where plugging in a Dyson-type on a limited schedule day can net a steal that can end up winning an entire category for the week.
Insert the Spider-Man x2 GIF here.
The daily league detail is exactly what pushes me towards punting steals and essentially streaming them. Good luck this year!
Same to you! On a related note, I play in a keeper league with Saves+Holds and this year I’m thinking of entirely punting relievers in the draft and targeting a few players to DL stash. Is it worth it or a bit too extreme?
I love it. After the draft pop your IL stashes on the IL and pick up Saves/Holds guys to fill the open spots? I’m in
Also, I just read your name for the first time and spit a little of my coffee out giggling. Good stuff right there lol
Thanks! And I tip my hat right back at you, sir!