Shallow League Strategy

[Black Sox]

Just looking for some advice on how people would attack a shallow league with this set up. All input is appreciated.

Single Season Draft 5x5 Mixed League
10 teams - 14/9 ( 1 CNR/MID 2 C 1 UT) Benches - 6 players

[50 Desert Eagles]

So much talent, everyone will have a great team....I would load LOAD LOAD up on power and big bats, wouldnt TOUCH a pitcher until u get ALL ur bat slots filled, sure u wont have CC or King Felix, but by season end you will have 8 game winners in the FA pool rotting and RP's out the wazzo.

[cwk1963]

I would certainly load up on hitting and the teams should be pretty loaded. I would not go to the extreme of not taking a SP until round 15 and casting that in concrete. Take what the draft gives you. Bully hitting but don't ignore pitching - especially with so many OF that will be available.

[Mickey4081]

I believe for the most part in 10-12 team leagues you pound the offense before you start taking pitchers. It's fairly easy to assemble a solid all around pitching staff should you miss out on the top starters early in the draft.

[AllstonRockCity]

I probably have more experience with these style of leagues than other league types. What I've learned is this:

1. yes, some teams will follow the advice above and draft big stick after big stick
2. there will always be 1 team that LOADS up on Pitching
3. due to 1 and 2 above YOU need to draft the most balanced team possible and get lucky on a few picks so that you end up with a surplus. It could be a pitching surplus, could be a category, could be a position, it doesn't matter which, just so long as there is one. Let's say you draft hitter heavy. So are other teams in your league, so not only are you competing with them to get the 10's in the offensive cat's, your pitching will be middle of the pack (maybe top 3rd of your league at best) because of item 2 above. That guy is sweeping the P cat's leaving everyone else to pick up his scraps. So, balance, balance, balance. Now you've got yourself your own well rounded team and you don't NEED to trade, BUT you have a surplus somewhere that come mid-season you can use to make that 1 big trade that puts you over the top.

Of course everyone in your league may take this same path. If that's the case BULLY HITTING. As CWK said, take what the draft gives you. But more likely than not balance will get it done for you.

[Black Sox]

Thanks for everyone's input so far, here's what I've been finding out so far.....

1. Ran the CVRC for my league type and found the biggest gaps in 2b & SS

2. It seems thru all the mock drafts I've been doing that it's better to reach slightly for an Inf position ( excluding 1B ) whenever possible. Last mock I did I picked R.Braun at 6 and when it came back to me sitting there was Miggy, who I have as 1st round talent, but the pick should have been Tulo. Next few picks always seemed I needed the exact opposite position that all the value was in.

3. Pitcher value really starts in round 7. Last year I waited until the 10th to select my first pitcher, not so this year.

QUESTION

Anyone been having problems getting CVRC for hitters vs pitchers to match up. I like to run each and then create a new excel with both and sort 1-230. MY hitters seem to fall realisticly but pitching value just seems completely out of whack. In my league type the highest closer value is $5, I understand in a shallow league that closers might be worth a little less, but it drops them soooo far it's not even close. Even elite to good starters seem overpriced causing hitter that you know are going to go in rounds 1-6 too drop too far throwing the balance off completly. I've tried playing with the settings and nothing seems to be working.

Thanks

[Todd Zola]

3. Pitcher value really starts in round 7. Last year I waited until the 10th to select my first pitcher, not so this year.

QUESTION

Anyone been having problems getting CVRC for hitters vs pitchers to match up. I like to run each and then create a new excel with both and sort 1-230. MY hitters seem to fall realisticly but pitching value just seems completely out of whack. In my league type the highest closer value is $5, I understand in a shallow league that closers might be worth a little less, but it drops them soooo far it's not even close. Even elite to good starters seem overpriced causing hitter that you know are going to go in rounds 1-6 too drop too far throwing the balance off completly. I've tried playing with the settings and nothing seems to be working.

Thanks

Black Sox -- please do me a favor and start a thread in the Excel Tools section and supply the settings you are using and I will get it to work for you. Thanks.