What is your fantasy baseball draft strategy in a normal 5x5 league?

Question

Mine is hitters over pitchers, and NEVER blow off a category. Further specifics will be kept to myself because I want to hear what you have to say.

Answer 1

This is my strategy, I'll use the draft I did a couple days ago as an example:

I think hitting over pitching is the only successful way to go. Even if you have second pick, with Johan ranked on Yahoo! as the second best player overall, you still should take a hitter. I never take a pitcher until round 5 or 6. One thing I've done lately is that I take a good starter round 5, a good reliever round 6, and then another good reliever round 7 to assure that I can win saves multiple times. This strategy ended up getting me Billy Wagner and J.J. Putz along with the starter I took in the 5th round, Brandon Webb. I think I am to stick with that startegy.

As for the first 4 rounds, never take more than 1 outfielder in the first 4 rounds because that position has the most depth obviously and valuable OF's can still be found in rounds 8-15. For example, I got Andruw Jones round 3, Corey Patterson round 9, and Nick Swisher round 13. I love this outfield which furthermore makes me love this startegy.

Now, what about those other 3 first 4 round picks? One I used on Andruw Jones (duh) and the other I used on infielders, considering there are only 4 or 5 reliable ones for every infield position. My first pick (I had the 10th pick out of 12 teams) I took Chase Utley because I think 2B and C are the hardest positions to fill. My second pick I took Derek Jeter. Third obviously, Andruw Jones, and my fourth pick I took Victor Martinez.

So I stick to this gameplan:
-NEVER take a pitcher until round 5
-NEVER take more than one outfielder in the first 4 rounds
-Use an early draft pick on an upper echelon 2B or C because I feel they are the hardest spots to fill
-Rounds 5-7 take 1 SP and 2 RP
- From there, fill in the gaps with guys who can help in particular stats
-You hit it right one the head, never blow off any category. It only takes 1 guy sometimes like a Chris Duffy or a Chone Figgins to win SB's or a good week out of Robinson Cano to lift your team .avg slightly over your opponents

This is how my "strategy" played out:
C- Victor Martinez
1B- Gary Sheffield
2B- Chase Utley
3B- Bill Hall (Glad I got this guy)
SS- Derek Jeter
OF- Andruw Jones
OF- Corey Patterson
OF- Nick Swisher
Util- Ryan Freel
B- Ryan Shealy
B- Chris Burke

SP- Brandon Webb
SP- Freddy Garcia
SP- Mark Buerhle
RP- Billy Wagner
RP- J.J. Putz
P- Jose Valverde
P- Takashi Saito
B- Tim Hudson
B- Gil Meche (I know it was stupid, but I thought, the Royals must see SOMETHING in him)

If this team doesn't win me the league, I'l be stunned. I think I'm probably weak in SB's and my SP could use some improvement, but I love this team and plan on sticking to this strategy. Feel free to use!

Answer 2

OK, if you want to win your league. here's how-this strategy will let you finish in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd(because 2 other people might be using the same strategy). Nothing but Stud hitters for 6 or 7 rounds, follow with maybe 2 starters and 3 closers, after that fill in
the rest of the hitting, make sure you got every hitting category covered. for pitchers DONT even take WINS into consideration. make sure you got some saves, lots of K's and just dont draft any pitchers with real high ERA. load up on pitchers with 3.75 era, 1.25 whip they win leagues for you

Answer 3

This year its hitting first before pitching for sure. Santana is the only elite starting pitchcer out there. I also think its important to draft the better players early in the draft from positions that don't have many great players (like SS, 2b, 3b and C), there are plenty of good OFs and 1bs. I ususaly draft closers last becasue saves is a tricky stat and some pitchers may become closers later in the season and you can pick them up off waivers.

Answer 4

Definitely Hitters over Pitchers they get you more points, wait till about the fifth round to get a pitcher, get a balance of every category, and don't draft by position just get the best player available.

Answer 5

The best strategy is to not lock yourself into a strategy. You can start with a general idea of what you want to do... I generally try to go for pitching first, scarce positions next, then go for the big boppers. But, you have to roll with the punches, so to speak. If Johan Santana is available in the first round, I take him, unless Pujols is on the board (my one reason at that point to abandon my strategy). I choose pitching because in general it's easier to judge offensive talent than pitching talent; in other words, sure-fire pitchers are really valuable, while sure-fire offensive talent is essentially a dime a dozen. But it all depends on how you fill your roster as you go.

Answer 6

It depends on my draft position, whether it is roto-scoring or head-to-head, and what the pattern of the draft is.
If it is head-to-head and I have 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 draft position, I focus on pitchers and get as many top-notch guys as I can. Then, I try to steal one other category.

If it is roto-scoring or I have a draft position in the middle, I focus on the best available player, paying particular attention to players like Jose Reyes, who will get valuable points as a ss.

Answer 7

Pitchers over hitters. They last longer.