Fantasy Sports

Adam, how do you feel about the following strategies compared and contrast with each other:

Spot starting a pitching spot (say you have 8 starts a week and six solid starters so the final two spots you are picking and choosing from the waiver wire). Or, spot starting an OF (picking and choosing from the waiver wire based on match-ups, hitting spurges, etc.).

I have done the former with average success but in a trade I'm trying to work out I may wind-up with an open OF spot and would then have to spot start a bit. Just at glance, it'd probably be my DH spot and there are available guys like Giambi, Stairs, Hall, Alou, etc.

I don't see a problem with either strategy as long as there are enough viable options available. In deeper leagues, this isn't a good idea. I'd rather fill the pitching slots. I like to have my offensive lineup set with dependable guys. Pitchers go through streaks and there's always a hot one available as a free agent. If you can make a trade that makes you better and you need to fill an OF slot with the guys you mentioned, go ahead and do that. Stairs is hot now, Alou will have a hot streak and Hall has some power. The only drawback of this scheme is injuries. In one league I have A-Rod, Furcal, Blalock, Jacobs and Wigginton who have all been banged up or on the DL, so if that happened, it could hurt you.