Unusual draft strategies

kgrady · Post by **kgrady** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:37 am

During a mock draft last night, one person put his picks on auto-pilot using his own rankings. The end result was that he selected starting pitchers in the first seven rounds of the draft.

This brought up a question. Has anyone ever tried an early pitcher-heavy strategy in the main event? I.E. - Pitchers in the first 3 rounds, or 4 out of the first 5. Something like that. Perhaps even more extreme.

Intuitively, I would think one couldn't win this way because the offense would be too weak. Thoughts?

Kevin

JAGUAR · Post by **JAGUAR** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:53 am

i dont know if it would wook in the main but i won a satellite league last year doing this. If not for injuries i might have won both i played in last year doing this . i had 68 pts in pitching and won the league by 10 pts . but to play this way in the main for $ 1300 entry fee it would take some big balls .

Sack · Post by **Sack** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:54 am

Kevin:

Plain and simple, they don't work. Especially if you have desires on an Overall prize. You COULD win a league check, but beyond that it is near impossible.

The thing to remember in all Cats is that whether you top the second place team by 1 strikeout of 150 strikeouts it leads to the same number of points. In league, this would be 15 points. Granted you'll get more value in an overall battle, but there is usually a price to pay.

I've tried a few strategies in the past that involved punting a CAT, but it places so much pressure on you to be perfect in other places. It is more important for you, as a player, to recognize other teams in your league employing these tactics during a draft than it would be for you to go this direction yourself.

Strive for balance across the board in all CATS. You don't need to be the best in any one area, just high enough above the curve to place your total points over the next 14 guys.

[ February 18, 2010, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Sack ]

Thunder · Post by **Thunder** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:15 am

K

i'm sure everyone is going to tell you the same thing....you can do different strategies and win a league, but you have to be balanced to win the big one.

Dan M · Post by **Dan M** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:39 am

I think I was in that draft as well, did he draft Felip Paulino first.

kgrady · Post by **kgrady** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:43 am

Originally posted by Dan M:

I think I was in that draft as well, did he draft Felip Paulino first. Yes, he somehow drafted Feilpe Paulino first. He posted that he fouled up somehow, but then bailed on the draft. He also had a lot of odd pre-picked pitcher rankings. Chad Billingsley, Clay Buchholz going much too early, just to name a couple. That draft was really screwed up because of this, but we were exchanging posts throughout. One of the topics was the thought of actually drafting top-flight pitchers in the first 5 rounds of the draft. Had anyone ever done anything like that in the main event? Could someone actually win that way? etc ...

Kevin

Sack · Post by **Sack** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:51 am

No, you'll lose

Schwks · Post by **Schwks** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:54 am

What if you lined up a pick that would assure you of Lince. Then added Halladay at 2 and either Greinke or Felix in 3rd. Choice of Verlander or other top guy at 4. Then went for three closers. Avoided power and went speed only? (Figgins, Pierre, Bourn etc)

COuld you guarantee 69-70 pitching points, 15 speed points 7-8 each in runs and average and pretty much guarantee a 2nd place at least in an individual league?

Schwks · Post by **Schwks** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:57 am

In other words sps at picks 1-4 releivers at say 5, 10 and 13. Speed guys at 6,7,8,9,11 and 12. Could that guarentee you 200 or so sbs?

DrDobs · Post by **DrDobs** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:21 am

Originally posted by Dan M:

I think I was in that draft as well, did he draft Felip Paulino first. This is precisely why I avoid all mock drafts completely. Want to get a good feel for a draft? Play in a $125 slow draft champion league. You'll play with legit players, you'll have a chance to win some $$, and it'll only take you 5 mins a week to manage the team. Those leagues are a true tell of a ADP, etc.

Jon

Frozen Tundra · Post by **Frozen Tundra** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 4:48 am

Guys,

If your goal is to win the grand prize, there are no unusual drafting strategies. Past winners have excelled in covering all the bases with methodical excellence. In all categories, they are at or near the top of the standings. Just think about this: the past six winners have finished around the middle of the standings (46th and 54th percentile) in only TWO categories. That's two out of sixty total cats!!! So if you're thinking about punting a cat, think again. For those who are curious, here is how the winners have done on average (2004 thru 2009)

Bavg 22th percentile

r 10th

hr 7th

rbi 7th

sb 19th

era 12th

w 21th

whip 11th

k 5th

sv 28%

Incredibly enough, no past winner had ever finished FIRST in any category, until last year's winner broke that streak finishing first the RBI category. So you don't want to be "the absolute best" in any category either...