Pitching

On every team I build (8-10 now) my pitching staffs are just horrible. It seems it doesn't matter who or where I'm playing they get hammered. If I spend on SP and lesser RP , they get hammered. If I go moderate on SP and spend on RP, they get hammered. If I try to be more balanced both ways, they get hammered. Is there a secret to this or is it just the way it is? I do play mostly 140M league also. I just drafted a team that I went after Pete, Cy, Walsh and Dutch and got none of them even though I listed them all in the top 10. This latest monstrosity is at Muehlebach 8-8-3-3.

Here's a link. I got Adams to be the everything RP.

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/812190

What do I do with the horrendous pitching I been getting?

I don't have any experience in 140 leagues ... but cheap pitching, load up on hitting can work pretty well in 80-100 leagues. I've won with Kaat, Higbe, Weaver, Kennedy types at SP and McMahon, McBean types in the pen. Leaves the bulk of your money for strong bats throughout the lineup.

On the other hand, I'm currently playing 100 mil in Griffith 24, trying to go the pitching route, and getting murdered in away games. I've tried Tiant, Santana, Hershiser, Blackwell, Beazley, and Blyleven, and they've all sucked. (I've wasted a lot of money dropping and trying different guys, but it's a keeper league with a limited player pool, and I'm trying to figure out the best guys for next time.) Anyway, I agree that it's incredibly frustrating.

It has been my 140m experience that, by and large, the pitchers are not going to put up stats that should be commensurate with their salary. I very seldom play a 140m league unless it is some kind of franchise theme league where talent is evenly distributed.

Here's an example. I'm 3rd in scoring runs and dead last in pitching. I've got Hubbell (2-8, 5.53/1.50) Dizzy (3-7, 7.06/1.67)
Haines ( 4-6, 5.52/1.54) I had Caldwell who was 2-9, 7.98/2.01 and switched him out for Mays, who in 3 games is 0-3, 16.45/2.24. I'm at Royals 80. My hitters are hitting like I said, but I'm 20 games under and have only played 48. Hitting I'm 297(2nd) /359 (2nd) /470 (5th). Pitching a whopping 6.67/ 1.71. 26 complete games and when my pen comes in its even worse. In my last 27 games, I'm 3-24. Its horrendous. I lose 9-8 and 11-9 types games all the time.

Pete, Cy, Walsh and Dutch and got none of them even though I listed them all in the top 10.

Hitting just rules in strat. Frustrating but true.

But that does not mean you cannot have good staffs who do well relative to the competition. One thing I might suggest is if you are going for a pitching team sell out to it. You cannot expect to get top tier starters in the lower top 10 slots. On your next draft card move each of those guys up 2 or 3 slots from where you had them.

Why do I suggest a total commitment like that? Whatever the theme of your team is you need to make sure you get the key components. With those 4 you committed over 40 mil of your draft cap. That is money you tied up from going after hitters. Betting you got middle of the road compensation for missing on them. And if you missed on them in the 5-10 slots you missed the opportunity to have gone after some good bats. If you want those top tier starters put them top 5. Otherwise I would slot them at the bottom of the card and hope they fell through.

Valen, I see your point totally. I had the 4 top tier guys 4-7 and still didn't get one of them. I figured I may pull 2 but zero was surprising.