Strategy -- Selecting SPs

[Gripnrip13]

I'd like to hear what people's strategies are when it comes to selecting starting pitchers in one-year mixed leagues. Do you tend to target pitchers early? Do you grab an elite option and wait? Do you target hitters first and wait on pitching? Do you adjust your strategy based on the situation? What works best for you and why?

[tandrpaving]

I'd like to hear what people's strategies are when it comes to selecting starting pitchers in one-year mixed leagues. Do you tend to target pitchers early? Do you grab an elite option and wait? Do you target hitters first and wait on pitching? Do you adjust your strategy based on the situation? What works best for you and why?

Pitching is plentiful, that's how I've always viewed it. Always draft power/multi cat guys in the early rounds. Then when you get to round four or five, pick a pitcher or two. Then fill out the rest of your lineup. There are so many underrated pitchers in fantasy drafts its not funny. Heck, last year I hit the nail on the head by drafting Johnny Cueto, Madison Bumgarner, Ricky Romero and Jeremy Hellickson in almost every league. Unless I'm picking a pitcher that I trust to put up great stats, I never take one in the first three rounds.

This strategy works great, at least in my experience.

[Jersey Girl]

I'd like to hear what people's strategies are when it comes to selecting starting pitchers in one-year mixed leagues. Do you tend to target pitchers early? Do you grab an elite option and wait? Do you target hitters first and wait on pitching? Do you adjust your strategy based on the situation? What works best for you and why?

I'm in the same thought process as Mac is. I load up on the bats first 3-4 rounds then start to fill in with the SP. In saying that, I make decisions based on what I feel at the moment and how the run of the draft is progressing so I do alter my draft plan at times but typically I know what I want and where I want it. I have found for me, the best policy is a heavy dose of bats then pitching later on. I will also analyze opponents drafts and then adjust my draft just and maybe stock up on bats ( if players fall ) and then use positional trading as a strength to acquire SP. Lots of different ways to skin a cat, but as I mention basically for me, loading up bats early and drafting SP later is the method I have achieved success with.

[fastdogs]

I almost always take a SP in the 3rd or 4th rounds it seems and never in the first 2. Get 2 big hitters then take the best player left and often that ends up being a SP. If theres a hitter there I didn't expect the pitching can wait but when he's the best guy on the board I don't mind taking a pitcher in the 3rd. Get a K anchor pitcher in the 3rd or 4th round then the 2nd guy in the 6th or 7th. So many managers go with hitters early and often there is value to be found in SP in the first 10 rounds of drafts. I do like to win with pitching, if you don't have a top 3 ERA & WHIP team its tough to win a roto league. SP is getting really deep and you can find SP to fill out your squad late in drafts and once the season starts; but I don't mind taking value when its there on the pitching side twice in the first 7 rounds of drafts

[beaker]

In my limited experience, I've learned that you can wait until the fourth round or so to get your first top pitcher, due to the depth. It's rare that you will find a top AVG/HR/RBI stud in the middle rounds so it's important to fill those needs first. And potentially fill a position of limited depth (e.g. SS) early as well.

Of course, depending on the draft, that may change, however in my league last year, it seemed that offense was the way to go early (power and positional scarcity), then starting pitching. Having secured a couple top SP in the fourth and fifth, I was fortunate to get guys like Romero (13th), CJ Wilson (16th) and Cueto (18th) in the later rounds.

[tandrpaving]

Having said that, there are times when I do select a starting pitcher in the first or second round of the draft. I just tend to use my other strategy more often.

[spitball]

another vote for hitters, hitters, and more hitters. too many 'top' pitchers fail. and there are way more quality arms available late, and on waivers during the season, then there are quality bats.

[SwishesWishes]

i agree with waiting until at least the 4th round. you can get yourself and ace in the first 8 rounds and there is always depth here.

yahoo had a decent article that i liked that talked about creating a tier system when deciding when to draft a pitcher a position player - link: http://bit.ly/y4J4OU

it is interesting because although i dont want to be drafting pitchers in very early rounds, there are 1 or 2 exceptions.

[goldfish47]

I usually get pitching early in the draft... right after I've filled all of my hitting spots.