H2H puinting strategy. Would this actually work?

[krunchyfrogg]

I bought the fox sports fantasy baseball magazine (ya need some good reading while on the throne), and they printed an interesting strategy for H2H leagues.

Since you only need to win 6 categories every week in a 5x5 league, this magazine suggests loading up on leadoff hitters and closers. You'd effectively be punting HR, RBI, W, and K. But it says you should win R, SB, AVG, WHIP, ERA, Saves: 6/10 cats in a 5x5.

Does anybody think this would actually work? I guess your drafting strategy could include holding off on SP completely, and 1B and C until just about the end, as there are very few who really help in SB, and a high AVG 1B can be found late.

[LZATbassist1567]

Last year I started the season with great starting pitching and decided to trade them all for good hitters instead since I had three solid closers. I then went through and picked up relievers who have SP eligibility and plugged them in at the SP slots so any given night I had 7 relievers who could enter the game and my only SP was Sabathia. The result was I destroyed in hitting and had an era under 2 and a WHIP under 1 for two months straight. If you do it right the strategy can be very effective.

[krunchyfrogg]

Did you ever take K's or W's while using this strategy?

I would almost consider it, but I just can't bring myself to effectively punt 4 freakin' categories! I'd have to at least be competetive win W's and K's.

I think this is possible, since most people favor sluggers over speedsters, and devalue pitchers, even ace pitchers, early in the draft.

Let's say you draft Reyes in the first, giving you a great lead in SB right off the bat. You should be able to nab two of the following: Santana/Peavy/Sabathia/Linecum and still load up on very good closers and speedsters with a high AVG all around.

[LZATbassist1567]

I never punted any offensive categories because my offense was stacked as a result of a keeper league, quality picks (Kinsler last year), and trading starters for bats. If anything I would try and get as balanced an offense as possible and just punt the pitching categories. With 7 pitching slots each day but only 1 starter (Sabathia) I would usually be able to pick up 1-2 wins with 30 k's in a week. You never know, some weeks those are enough to win or at least tie the category. I had 2 undefeated weeks because I managed to win K's and tie wins. Occasionally I would throw a second starter if I had a commanding lead in ERA and Whip. But the real keys are SP/RP who are relievers that you can plug in SP slots and get a low Whip and ERA out of.

I don't see what the point is of stacking up on speedsters. You only need a few to win each week, there's no need to have one at every position. I had Reyes, Kinsler, Sizemore and I won most weeks but I also had over 100 more than the next team so it was overkill. I'd have weeks where I'd beat the team by 10 steals and there's no real advantage to that. If you can land Reyes or Sizemore and then maybe one other power/speed guy you should be fine with those and maybe a super cheap speed source at the end of the draft or a guy like Alexei Ramirez. If anything focus on hits/runs/avg/decent power.