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Ottoneu leagues, available on Fangraphs, are a different beast, and for good reason. Most of the scoring formats are more advanced, there are intense roster requirements and it’s a year-round commitment.
It warrants constant monitoring and tinkering to fully optimize your lineup, and the innings restrictions per roster slot certainly force you to make some shrewd decisions on who to start and who to sit based on matchups. For this reason, depth is critical. It’s easy to get preoccupied with stocking up on prospects (you could fill out your entire 18-man bench with minor leaguers if you wanted) but having reserve starting pitchers and bench bats to slot in on off-days is absolutely necessary.
With that said, here are some recent free agent acquisitions from our RotoBaller experts league that were noteworthy along with the final bid amount and what these players are going for on average in Ottoneu leagues. One thing to keep in mind is the scoring format. This particular league uses Classic Ottoneu 4x4 scoring, which includes HR, R, OBP and SLG for hitters and K, HR/9, ERA and WHIP for pitchers.
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Recently Completed Waiver Auctions (RotoBaller League)
Junior Guerra (SP, MIL) - $1
Average Ottoneu salary $1.85; 18% owned
I touched on Guerra in this week’s Waiver Wire Watch List column, but in a nutshell he’s looked great; much more like 2016 Guerra who shocked the baseball world as a 30-year-old rookie than the 2017 version who struggled. But, he’s very much a pitch-to-contact hurler (8.59 K/9 this season which is higher than his career average) who will require some fortunate circumstances to prevent his ERA from moving north (his xFIP stands at 4.27). Guerra has managed to strand 87.5% of base runners and has limited opposing hitters to a .232 BABIP, both of which should regress to league average over time. He’s definitely more of a single-season play at age 33 but he’s someone worth riding while he’s hot.
Jesus Aguilar (1B, MIL) - $2
Average Ottoneu salary $2.13; 8% owned
Aguilar is exactly the type of low-risk, high-reward player worth adding. He displayed some strong power skills in limited action last season and has carried that over in a part-time role this season, but the injury to Eric Thames opens the door for more playing time. Aguilar is still just 27 years old, so there’s plenty of time for a breakout.
Tony Watson (RP, SF) - $1
Average Ottoneu salary $1.89; 68% owned
The reliever market is one you can get away with not paying for the elite arms and instead drafting cheap and playing the waiver wire, particularly in this format where neither saves nor holds matter. Watson has put up some elite ratios over his career and while he’s never been a strikeout per inning kind of guy, you’ll gladly take the ERA and WHIP security blanket for 65-75 innings. In 13.2 innings this season, Watson has managed 15 strikeouts but his swinging strike rate is actually down to 10.0% from 12.4% in 2017, so that 9.88 K/9 is unlikely to hold. Still, for a buck or two this is a guy you can feel comfortable with in your lineup.
Mallex Smith (OF, TB) - $1
Average Ottoneu salary $2.69; 57% owned
Smith loses significant value due to the absence of steals in our Ottoneu Classic 4x4 scoring format that includes HR, R, OBP and SLG. However, he’s getting on base at a .385 clip and has actually elevated his SLG to .402. He’ll need to hit at the top of the lineup to be a factor in the runs category. At just 24 years old and at this cost, Smith isn’t a bad pickup in this format as he could significantly out-earn his price tag.
Kurt Suzuki (C, ATL) - $3
Average Ottoneu salary $1.53; 83% owned
It’s a bit shocking Suzuki went unclaimed until now based on his hot start. He’s no spring chicken, but catchers often peak later in their careers at the dish due to their commitment to defense first. Suzuki appears to be no different. In just 309 plate appearances last season in Atlanta, Suzuki swatted 19 homers with a .536 SLG. Though he was expected to split time with Tyler Flowers again this season, an injury to Flowers early in the year forced Suzuki into full time duty and he’s responded with four home runs, 13 runs scored and a .372 OBP in 22 games. He’s even posted a 1.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio despite a career 0.53 mark. It’s certainly possible he’s turned a corner in his mid-thirties, and while he’s not dynasty league material, he’s an outstanding backup catcher at the very least and potentially much more if he continues to play nearly every day now that Flowers is healthy.
Ottoneu's most added players in the last seven days:
Daniel Robertson (now 59% owned)
Mac Williamson (now 63% owned)
Nick Kingham (now 34% owned)
Marco Gonzales (now 47% owned)
Tony Cingrani (now 45% owned)
