I like using 5 starters

[STEVEPONEDAL]

to play the matchups especuially in my division. In '07 I have used W-Rod against LHBs whch has been a little expensive and Micah Owings against RHBs.

In '06, I used Ledesma against LHBs.

[elpasopesos]

I say that srategy can work If W-Rod gets 20 effective starts that is better than 20 effective starts and 10 lousy ones

[Jerlins]

And if you face two LH'd teams in a row? Or 2 balanced teams in a row? You can't always get the ideal matchup with just 5 SP's, especially if they are all non *SP's. Even with a mix and match, getting the ideal matchup isn't always a given. They may not fall into the rotation given the needed rest. Good in theory, not necessarily so in reality. And while Micah Owings might be good matchup material vs one or two teams in your league, any advantage you gain from pitching him against those teams is lost when you have to pitch him against other teams that may not be so friendly to him. After all, he's still Micah Owings.

A better option is having a 4 man rotation, and one hard RP/SP for each side, for those times when a lineup is so one sided. They are useful to get that one needed out late in the game for the times you don't employ them as starters.

[durantjerry]

(1)I agree that using five starters isn't really a "match up" rotation. I have tried it many times and you really need six starters to match up most effectively. The math just doesn't work with five guys. The best you can hope for with five starters is to have three "*" starters which will enable you to get your starters in a favorable park most of the time.

[STEVEPONEDAL]

[quote:2529a56589="Jerlins"]And if you face two LH'd teams in a row? Or 2 balanced teams in a row? You can't always get the ideal matchup with just 5 SP's, especially if they are all non *SP's. Even with a mix and match, getting the ideal matchup isn't always a given. They may not fall into the rotation given the needed rest. Good in theory, not necessarily so in reality. And while Micah Owings might be good matchup material vs one or two teams in your league, any advantage you gain from pitching him against those teams is lost when you have to pitch him against other teams that may not be so friendly to him. After all, he's still Micah Owings.

A better option is having a 4 man rotation, and one hard RP/SP for each side, for those times when a lineup is so one sided. They are useful to get that one needed out late in the game for the times you don't employ them as starters.[/quote:2529a56589]

That's a good approach. Who is the hard LHP S/R that people are using in the '07 set??

Like I said Owings works on the RHP. I didn't have GL with Guzman

[Jerlins]

From the right side, I love using Russ Ortiz, and from the left side, Joe Kennedy. Neither have ball park or natural homeruns on their card. You'll be hard pressed to find a better RH'd slanted RP for 4 times the amount that it costs for Ortiz. I've probably had him on 90% of my teams regardless of whether or not I use him at all in a starting role..

[LA Bear]

Jerlins: Can you post a link or two on some successful implementations of this strategy? Thanks, LA Bear

[Jerlins]

Other than one of my present teams (still in week 1), in which there are two totally RH'd teams, and have Ortiz just for those matchups, I can't recall having to actually use the strategy on a consistant basis with any of my teams, as I normally employ 4 man rotations. As mentioned in a previous post, they are still Micah Owings (or in this case Russ Ortiz), and unless someone want to go with 8 RH's in their lineup, I'll take the chance with one of my 4 SP's. But that said, I still have Ortiz on 90% of my teams for my 5th starter, using him in a "don't use before 8th", "quick hook", "avoid LH's". You still need a 5th SP, so just spend .50 and have yourself a servicable pitcher as opposed to any under $1.00 SP only type that's just wasting away on your bench, never being used.

In the 07 set, there isn't really a ballpark that allows folks to load up on 8 plus LH's or RH's in their lineup.