Your point is an excellent one for a daily transaction league. If you’re in a weekly transaction league it’s decidedly less appealling – say a team is facing 4 RHP’s and 2 LHP’s in a given week, then you have to start Smith and take two days of zeroes if you want to use him that week. (Of course if Smith gives you in four games what you would get out of a lesser everyday player in six it can still be worth the gamble, but it can be hard to make the numbers work in your favor if you can only sub weekly.)
I’d been thinking about that real-life platoon idea. Garrett Jones and Matt Diaz was the first that came to mind, but sounds like Smith+Spilly is a good one too.
Any suggestions where to get split projections? I haven’t seen a place that does it, but it must exist.
Really interesting advice here. One of my main leagues is an NL-only and it’s the classic 5 OF format. I will def be looking for lefties, platoon players and category help, probably SBs as I’m building around Bruce, Upton, and Rasmus.
The wording in 1) is awkward w/r/t lefty batters and rightie pitchers and vice versa. Tried to send this to a fantasy friend who’s perpetually confused about platoon splits and his head exploded.
The combo stats of a platoon look enticing, but even if you’re in a daily lineup league, it’s not that simple to plug in players against certain pitchers, because players don’t just face starting pitchers. Often, for example, Spilborghs will start against the lefty, but Smith will pinch hit later and homer off a righty, or vice versa. Your platoon of 27 HRs and 90 RBIs may end up being more like 20 HRs and 75 RBIs, which may not be worth using up two roster spots.
Fantasy platoons are good in theory and can occasionally pay off, but it’s a lot more complicated than it seems in March.
Jason B says:
March 22, 2011 at 5:34 pm
Re: point #3 (platoons)
Your point is an excellent one for a daily transaction league. If you’re in a weekly transaction league it’s decidedly less appealling – say a team is facing 4 RHP’s and 2 LHP’s in a given week, then you have to start Smith and take two days of zeroes if you want to use him that week. (Of course if Smith gives you in four games what you would get out of a lesser everyday player in six it can still be worth the gamble, but it can be hard to make the numbers work in your favor if you can only sub weekly.)
Tom Thumb says:
March 22, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Garrett Jones. A real-life and fantasy platoon that is very valuable.
jrogers says:
March 23, 2011 at 4:30 am
I’d been thinking about that real-life platoon idea. Garrett Jones and Matt Diaz was the first that came to mind, but sounds like Smith+Spilly is a good one too.
Any suggestions where to get split projections? I haven’t seen a place that does it, but it must exist.
Derek (RotoLogo) says:
March 23, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Really interesting advice here. One of my main leagues is an NL-only and it’s the classic 5 OF format. I will def be looking for lefties, platoon players and category help, probably SBs as I’m building around Bruce, Upton, and Rasmus.
Thanks!
Drew says:
March 24, 2011 at 8:15 pm
The wording in 1) is awkward w/r/t lefty batters and rightie pitchers and vice versa. Tried to send this to a fantasy friend who’s perpetually confused about platoon splits and his head exploded.
Jay says:
March 25, 2011 at 5:05 pm
The combo stats of a platoon look enticing, but even if you’re in a daily lineup league, it’s not that simple to plug in players against certain pitchers, because players don’t just face starting pitchers. Often, for example, Spilborghs will start against the lefty, but Smith will pinch hit later and homer off a righty, or vice versa. Your platoon of 27 HRs and 90 RBIs may end up being more like 20 HRs and 75 RBIs, which may not be worth using up two roster spots.
Fantasy platoons are good in theory and can occasionally pay off, but it’s a lot more complicated than it seems in March.