Pitchers Make Your Fantasy Team
It is no secret that pitchers are arguably the most important factors of any daily fantasy baseball team. They regularly accrue the most points on a given night and often mean the difference between your team’s success or failure.
A pitcher’s form and recent performances are one thing, but many people overlook a number of other factors when deciding on pitchers, most notably the ballpark in which they are pitching in. This factor, among others, will be discussed in the following few sections.
Here are some things to consider when selecting your pitcher.
Ballpark Selection
No matter how well a pitcher is performing, it doesn’t make much of a difference if they are facing off against a hitting club in a hitters-friendly ballpark.
The short fences, thin air, and many other things that make a ballpark hitter-friendly are all things a fantasy baseball player should consider. For example, Rogers Centre in Toronto, home of the Blue Jays, is an extremely hitter-friendly ballpark that has given pitchers the most difficult of times over the years. The fact that it is indoor coupled with the fact that its fences are not particularly deep make the long ball a constant at Rogers Centre. All too many players see a strong pitcher pitted against a weak hitting ball club and wrongly assume that the stronger pitcher always wins; this is simply not always the case.
Number of Days Rest
Starting pitchers, the kind you select for a daily fantasy baseball team, are part of a pitching rotation that usually consists of 4-6 pitchers. These guys will throw one night and then be given 5 or more days rest as the other pitchers complete their role in the rotation. The number of days a pitcher rests is of vital importance to knowing how well he will do the next time he’s on the mound. It isn’t the most important statistic to key in on, but a pitcher’s rest does make a difference in how they perform.
The Value of Relievers
Another common mistake made by those drafting daily fantasy baseball teams is that of drafting starting pitchers only. Because each fantasy baseball team allows you to draft at least two pitchers, most people think the optimal choice is to draft two starting pitchers. This can work, but there are also a plethora of talented relief pitchers who earn loads of fantasy points on a given night.
Know The Opposing Team
Knowing the opposing team is a given, regardless of what player position you are drafting. With pitchers, it is especially important because they are facing off against a minimum of 9 different batters every night, each different than the one before. If a strong pitcher is facing off against a weak-hitting team, they would be a much better pick than an equally strong pitcher throwing against a team who hits well.
This all makes sense in retrospect, but most people overlook a lot, if not all of these factors when selecting pitchers for their daily fantasy baseball team.