injury-prone team in $60M league

[Mean Dean]

I just finished up a season with a very injury-prone team in a $60M league. My logic was that, with people less able to afford above-average players in such a league, it would be more of a relative advantage to get above-average performance out of a rotating corps of gimps. The team wasn't a juggernaut or anything (87 wins, swept out of 1st round), but it was consistent all year and I was happy with it.

[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=9909&stats=sim[/url]

Do you think this strategy is plausible in larger salary cap leagues, or do you think it's best used only in $60M?

[visick]

I use to shy away from the injury prone players early in my online Strat days. Not anymore.

It's quite possible to put together good, competitive teams in any salary cap. Many managers tend to shy away from these guys. As long as you've got able body backups, you can win.

Some of my most competitive teams from last season had the Big Hurt, Sexson and Glaus on them.

The only problem with your team Dean, IMHO is your defense. Carroll and Guillen up the middle probably gave up too much.

[Stoney18]

I think it's actually easier in a larger cap league. I've just started a $100M league with Hafner, Drew, Polanco & Duffy. With the larger league you can afford a more competant backup so losing a key player for 15 games doesn't hurt as much.

[cummings2]

I think it's a very sound logic Dean.

Now, do [i:9a0ebef119]I [/i:9a0ebef119]think this strategy isbetter for 60 mil or larger caps?

hmmm... not sure, good Q.

I'll have to think about it and come up with an answer. At first, w/o thinking it too much my feeling is probably the 60 mil.

intrigued by the defense up the middle in that particular team you linked

[durantjerry]

I think it can definitely work. I think the key is to plan out what you want before drafting. It's nice to have guys who play multiple positions. For example, in past years when Wilkerson was good, he was useful as he played the OF well, including CF, in addition to 1B. You could use say Griffey in CF, and replace him with Wilkerson when hurt and play your good back up 1B, where it is much easier to get a good backup than in CF. I used Polanco and C Jones on the same team this year, sliding Polanco over when Chipper was hurt and playing Cora at 2B, where I could at least keep a good defense. A guy like Mabry can be useful, as he plays 3B, 1B & LF and hits rhp's OK. You just have to find some good combo's like that too cover yourself so you can maintain a decent lineup even in worst case scenarios.

[Jerlins]

$100 leagues maybe. $60 leagues a recipe for disaster. The extra $ needed for reliable backups can be used for one more good hitter, or one more stud pitcher. If, for example you used Duffy, Hafner, and $4 million total for respectable backups, you can get Damon and Ortiz for the same price allowing you plenty of coin for an upgrade or another player. What you gain in the extra stats will rarely be made up by the amount of games lost over the course of the season. Not to mention the $ saved could buy me Jake Peavy instead of Jeff Suppan, or Billy Wagner instead of Brad Lidge.

It's a little different in $100 leagues where you can get a very good backup, in $80 million, and even more so in $60 ones, every penny counts.