RADIO
An Alternative To Rotisserie
Points-based leagues are becoming more and more common among the fantasy baseball world. In fact, some major sites are using the format as their default setting for online leagues. Whether old time fantasy owners want to believe it or not, the game is evolving. I’m still among the crowd that tries to play points and rotisserie (roto) leagues every year, but points-based is beginning to grow on me as the more accurate method of measuring a “good” team.
Points leagues include some important concepts that differ from standard 5x5 leagues. Be mindful when reading this that there are hundreds of different point systems and rules among the various host sites. I will be focusing on the most common on CBS.
The biggest change to keep in mind when drafting hitters is the penalty for strikeouts. In roto leagues, strikeouts usually do not hurt a player’s value. They're treated identically to any other out. In a majority of points leagues, strikeouts subtract a half or whole point from the player’s score. Players such as Chris Carter, George Springer, and Mark Trumbo are losing big time points for your team when they strikeout multiple times in a game. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t draft them, but a guy with a little less power and a much better strikeout rate might give you better value.
Another less important but still helpful tip for a points league is to target hitters who can hit to the gaps. In a Roto league, a double or triple is very similar in value to a single. Of course, that double or triple can create more RBI or runs, but it’s a very minor advantage. In points leagues, hitters get more points for hitting doubles and triples. Therefore, players like Joey Votto, Michael Brantley, and Anthony Rendon receive an uptick in value due to their impressive ability to rack up extra base hits.
Pitchers tend to be a little more complex. In some leagues, players will earn points for a quality start. This may come as a huge relief for those owners who have drafted great pitchers only to watch their awful surrounding casts give away wins week after week. When he was a Chicago Cub, this happened to Jeff Samardzija all the time. Many leagues will still give added points for a win. Keep in mind pitchers will usually lose points for taking a loss.
WHIP also becomes a large factor when deciding which pitchers to draft in a points league. Most leagues will award points for outs recorded and strikeouts, while deducting points for walks, hits, and runs. Therefore, high walk-rate pitchers will hurt your overall performance. Those who can pitch to contact successfully also become very valuable in this format because fewer pitches lead to more innings and points per outing.
Some points leagues will designate pitching spots as SP or RP rather than giving the owner the option of either one. In this case, there will always be a handful of pitchers who have eligibility as RP but actually make starts in a rotation. CBS Sports calls these players SPRPs (pronounced “sparps”).
Depending on your league rules, if a player is eligible for the RP spot and can make valuable starts in a rotation, he can easily outpitch a closer. Yes, closers can get great point totals for racking up saves. However, for owners who are having trouble filling those RP spots or simply want to gamble, a SPRP can bring a huge boost to a team. In CBS Sports leagues, players who are SP and RP eligible include Alex Wood, Carlos Carrasco, and Drew Pomeranz.
Alternatively, leagues with an innings cap create the opposite effect. Relievers who are eligible as starting pitchers often provide more points per inning than non-elite starters. Wade Davis is a classic example. A points league is all about earning the most value per inning and plate appearance. If you can replace 60 innings of Henderson Alvarez with Davis, you're that much closer to winning.
We've covered the basics. There are still countless variables that can change the calculus including differing point values, daily vs. weekly, and H2H vs. total points. Points leagues create a very custom environment, so they're best for owners who want to get their hands dirty in a unique league.
