How to Keep Managers From Streaming Pitchers in Fantasy Baseball

Streaming pitchers is one of the few ethical grey areas in fantasy baseball. While it is within the rules, many managers consider it somewhat bush league, because it involves manipulating your line-up to get positive results in several categories at the likely expense of others. Streaming is allowable in standard leagues, and there is no real penalty, but a crafty league commissioner can limit the effectiveness of the strategy by changing the format of the league.

Things You'll Need

• Fantasy baseball league

Instructions

1. Use negative counting statistics. In a standard league with five pitching categories, the strategy of streaming is to win three of the categories at the expense of the other two. The categories targeted by streamers are the counting statistics such as Wins, Saves and Strikeouts, which can be reached either with quality pitchers or by volume (streaming). By adding a sixth category that is a negative counting statistic, such as home runs allowed, the streamer is forced to consider the likely outcome of an equal number of poor and positive returns.

2. Reduce the maximum number of yearly transactions each team is allowed to include in the scoring. Streaming involves adding and dropping a high number of starting pitchers, so a manager employing this strategy will soon be hamstrung for roster moves.

3. Switch from maximum moves per season to maximum moves per week. If you believe that adds and drops are crucial to the health of your fantasy baseball league, consider allowing a certain number of roster moves per week instead of the standard format. While this allows managers flexibility in altering their teams, it makes streaming impossible.