Brian Matusz and Wade Miley: Mining the Minors
The return of a preseason fantasy darling leads off this week’s pitcher-heavy column.
Archive for Strategy
RotoGraphs’ Waiver Wire League Update, Starring Jason Kipnis, Javy Guerra and Brandon McCarthy
Prior to the All-Star break, four RotoGraphs writers — Eno Sarris, Jeff Zimmerman, Howard Bender and me — engaged in the just-for-fun activity of drafting Pick Six-style teams, with the pool of players limited to those available in 10% or less in ESPN leagues (at the time of the draft). Given those parameters, the exercise proved to be challenging, but if you paid attention to our picks, you may have managed to snag a useful fantasy player or three off the waiver wire — no matter what kind of league you play in. Let’s update the scoring and hit on each owner’s best and worst selections. In other words, it’s time to see who’s in line for some bragging rights.
Roto Graphs Survey Results
On Friday, I asked for our reader’s input on a few topics and here are some of the results. Thanks to everyone that filled out a survey (over 330 filled out) and hopefully we can use the information to better serve our readership:
5 categories for each pitching and hitting: 58%
Even with the expansion of other types of fantasy leagues, the basic 5×5 league is still the most common.
Types of Leagues
Roto 46%
H2H 50%
Other 4%
There was almost a 50%-50% split between head to head and roto. We may have not been giving the H2H format enough credit, so there may be more content on them in the future.
Average Number of Teams in a Mixed League:12.4
10 Team League: 24%
12 Team League: 43%
14 or more teams: 20%
Leagues are generally small in number with 2/3 of the leagues having between 10 to 12 teams. This fact leads us to our next bit of data:
% of leagues with a player over 50% owned in all leagues, but still available on the waiver wire: 75%
I have seen many comments on waiver wire articles that the players covered were not available in their leagues. These owners must be the vocal few and players over 50% owned may be popping up more in WW articles.
Percentage of leagues with 1,2, or 3 DL spots: 73%
The number of DL spots for leagues seems low. Long term DL stashing doesn’t seem like a viable option for many owners useless it is a top tier player.
Days for position qualification
1: 2.%
5: 39%
10: 39%
20: 5%
These number are fairly common.
Designate a difference between SP/RP: 77%
With the high number of H2H leagues and those that have SP/RP designations, we should write more articles on starting pitchers with RP qualifications.
Weekly Lineup changes: 24%
Daily Lineup changes: 74%
Mixed League: 89%
AL Only 6%: 6%
NL Only 4%: 4%
Nothing ground breaking with the 2 previous results.
Keeper League: 62%
This was probably the most surprising number out of the whole survey. Almost 2/3 of the leagues are keeper leagues. This off season we will look into more strategies/rankings for these leagues.
FAAB Budget: 20%
Reserve Roster: 30%
I am actually surprised that the numbers are this high for these two results. More future content may be coming on these two topics.
Auction League: 27%
Draft League: 70%
This seems about right with the ease of running a snake draft
Well that is all for today. I may cut and sort the data a little more, but the preceding is a nice snapshot of the current Rotographs readership. In the future we hope to direct more content for the types of leagues and rules readers use. Finally, thanks again for everyone that participated in the survey.
Rotographs Reader Survey
RotoGraphs is looking for information on the types of leagues that our readers are in order to more specialize the content. Feel free to submit information on one or as many leagues you belong. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Goto the following link to answer the questions. Thanks for your time and we will publish the results soon.
James Darnell and Nate Eovaldi: Mining the Minors
At this point in the season, with just about seven weeks remaining, the chance that a newcomer to your roster will make a significant fantasy impact isn’t great, whether we’re talking about a recently-recalled minor leaguer getting another another shot in the bigs or one of the few elite prospects who has yet to get the call. But that doesn’t mean these players are entirely incapable of making useful fantasy contributions either.
Now that we’re down to the final push — when the fantasy playoffs are in sight, money is on the line and bragging rights are up for grabs — it’s the savvy owner who follows every turn of the the never-ceasing transaction wheel. Because continuing to play that slumping stud regularly (any day now, Carlos Beltran) or rostering that one-time starter who just lost his job (step aside, Travis Snider) or waiting for that injured star to return (hurry back, Rickie Weeks) or sitting on that pitcher who was traded to a tougher environment (hey, Jason Marquis is actually owned in some leagues) isn’t exactly doing much to help your cause now, is it? But maybe — just maybe — one of these guys can.
Leonys Martin, Brad Peacock and Garrett Richards: Mining the Minors
So you’ve probably heard Brett Lawrie has been called up. Of course, if this is the first you’re getting wind of this, I urge you to click on over to your league site, type in “Lawrie” in the Available Players search and add him, even in mixed leagues. Erik Hahmann will have more Lawrie analysis coming shortly, so don’t forget to check back here.
Also debuting later today? Trayvon Robinson, who was arguably the Dodgers top hitting prospect until he was basically given away to Seattle at the deadline for reasons I’m still trying to figure out. Here’s my take from last month on Robinson, who I think is only actionable in AL-only play. As I mentioned previously, his new power-over-speed approach this year won’t necessarily suit him well at his new team’s digs, which play a lot like his old team’s digs.
Until Lawrie and Robinson get their careers underway, though, you can read about three other guys who could be joining them in the bigs pretty soon.
Pedro Alvarez and Paul Goldschmidt: Mining the Minors
With lots of ground to cover in the wake of all the call-ups and promotions following the trade deadline, here’s a rapid-fire version of Mining the Minors.
Thank You, Albert Pujols
There is no MLB trade deadline information or secret fantasy baseball advice to be had here. No sleepers, no breakouts, no rookie names for you to be the first to know. Today is merely a day of appreciation; a chance to thank one of the greatest baseball players of the new millennium for something which he gets very little credit or notoriety. Thank you, Albert Pujols, for changing the game of fantasy baseball forever. Read the rest of this entry »
Johnny Giavotella and Ryan Lavarnway: Mining the Minors
This week, it’s finally time to get to a pair of guys who were becoming impossible to ignore with their recent play. Even if one of them is forever blocked by the unsurpassable Chris Getz.
Brennan Boesch and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Second Half
Exactly one year ago today, Tigers outfielder Brennan Boesch was hitting .312/.376/.530 — good for a .907 OPS. What happened next is not for the faint of heart.