I’m new to Ottoneu this year, and was wondering - when should I be concerned about games played? I’m used to maximizing playing time in other formats, so currently (3 weeks into the season) most of my positions are projecting more than 162 for the season. My fewest games (2B, 16 games) projects for 152 and my largest (C,3B 19 Games) paces for 180. Obviously, that gap will continue to grow if I continue my current strategy.
I imagine that the All Star Break will knock some of those projections down a bit. Should I be worried about these paces now, or just keep an easy eye on it and wait to dial in after the ASB? One strategy change I’m going to make is pulling players sitting for their game from my lineup so I don’t get stuck with a PH appearance, so that should help a little too.
There’s no exact science to it, I don’t think (unless you wanted to take a REALLY deep dive into the schedules). You just kind of play your best available player if/when he’s available and, when he’s not, decide whether the bench player’s matchup is worth burning a GS on (if you have a bench player that you’re never interested in playing, then reconsider whether he’s worth rostering).
At this point in the season, I just want to be at or on pace for 162 or more games at all positions because hitting the games played caps is critical. Also, I’m trying to make sure that they’re all roughly equal (e.g., if 2B is at 180 and MI is at 130, then I’ll start moving my 2B to MI when there are off-days). If you’re running too far ahead, then you want to just play favorable matchups (e.g., only start McMahon against RHP at home) for a bit.
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Don’t over-think it…especially this early in the season, the projections can vary widely due to the small sample size. It’s much better to run out of games played at the end of the season (which is actually somewhat difficult to do) than end up not using them all, and you might as well start players who are healthy now than be in trouble if they get injured. You are still getting 162 either way. The only position I would watch out for is catcher, since you can start two players but only have one player’s worth of games.
I do agree with pulling players who aren’t starting, though. You have probably already seen it but there’s a toggle for it to do it automatically.
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One strategy for the catcher position is to start two full-time catchers for the first half or so of the season and then look to cut/trade one or both in the summer. That way you can open up a roster spot to add a recently signed prospect who was drafted in June or whatever.
It’s pretty rare that you’ll have two catchers on your roster at the end of the year that you’ll want to keep for the following year. Alternatively, sometimes there’s a midseason secondary market for catchers so you could look to trade one or both after you’ve hit 162 games or thereabouts.