RADIO
Ah starting pitchers. The draft picks that can win you championships come September or be off your team a week after the draft. Despite injuries such as Tommy John surgery being widely unpredictable and break out seasons like the one from Jake Arrieta being few and far between, it's vitally important to prepare a plan as for when in a draft you want to establish your pitching staff.
Although I may not mention them among the names of starting pitchers you should draft in the middle rounds (10-15) of a mixed-league draft, I am presuming that James Shields, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Carrasco are already taken. If any of those guys are still available come round 10, fix that.
Rounds 10-15 are where a lot of teams should fill their 3rd, 4th, and maybe even 5th pitching slots in a 9-pitcher mixed league Rotisserie draft. I took a look at a mock draft conducted by analysts from CBS Sports, listened to a few podcasts from various sites, did a few of my own mock drafts, and came up with a loose outline on when I want to take my starting pitchers. Obviously, the key to a fantasy draft is to adapt to the owners' picks and the current player pool. However, having a tiered plan from the start is key to executing a successful draft.
Starting Pitchers To Target In Rounds 10-12
Come round 10 I'm hoping to have at least two starting pitchers. My two "aces" will have been drafted somewhere in round 2-6. If I have three starting pitchers, it means that I didn't like any of my options in round 9 and I drafted a Carrasco, Shields, or Cole as mentioned above. So, i'm looking to get my third pitcher for sure in round 10 or 11. If I already have three pitchers it's more like my fourth pitcher in round 11 or 12. But the SPs I'm targeting for rounds 10-12 specifically are as follows:
Garrett Richards, Tyson Ross, Alex Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Michael Wacha, and Gio Gonzalez.
At this point in the draft, I'm looking for those bargains at OF, CI, or MI, and if I can't find any I simply take one of the above players. It should also be noted that guys like Richards and Wacha are more high risk high reward players while a Ross or Gonzalez player is a safer bet with a lower ceiling. You should have a good enough feel for your pitching staff at this point to know whether you can take a risk with a guy like Wacha or if you should play it safe with Gonzalez. It goes without being said that a pitching staff full of risky players is doomed from the beginning.
Starting Pitchers To Target In Rounds 13-15
By round 15 or 16 I want to have five starting pitchers. The pool thins out quickly, and its almost a guarantee that one of your pitchers is going to get hurt. It's important to stock up with quality talent in these rounds while it's still available. That being said, don't ignore the other needs on your team either. Position players like Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Brandon Moss, Joc Pederson, and Marcus Semien can potentially be great value in theses middle-to-late rounds. However, the vast options with talent in the starting pitcher category will make you lose sleep if you let these rounds pass without grabbing yourself one or two. The SPs I'm targeting specifically for rounds 13-15 are as follows:
Matt Shoemaker, Marcus Stroman, Mike Fiers, Mike Minor, Anibal Sanchez, Andrew Cashner, and Dallas Keuchel.
Once again, there are some that are riskier and safer than others. If I have a risky ace or two, I might prefer Stroman or Sanchez. Meanwhile if I have a solid foundation of consistent pitchers, I can take a chance on Minor or Cashner. The key is to find the best value where your team needs it most, especially in these middle rounds. These pitchers have proven year after year to make or break teams come July and August. Sometimes, finding the right combination of arms for your staff is seemingly impossible, but it's important to prepare for anything up until draft day and stick with your guts and research.
Starting Pitchers To Target In Later Rounds
If you miss the boat on the guys I mentioned above or you just want some potential studs later in the draft, I have my eye on Justin Verlander, Francisco Liriano, and Jake Odorizzi. But just as the title states, rounds 10-15 are a starting pitcher gold mine. If you miss out on that wave of players you're likely going to be hitting the waiver wire hard come April and May.
