Sitting players v. the Overall #1 seed?

[mightyquinnj]

After having wrapped up my division in the regular season, is it wiser to sit some injury-prone players or to go for the #1 overall seed of the league? That is the question and here are the particulars: I am currently the #2 seed and only 1 game back of the #1 seed of the league with 6 games to play, but would like to rest Choo (inj 4) and my catcher Baker (inj 2) as well as some other low AB players. I would hate to lose them for the next level and like my chances against the all 3 playoff bound teams. While homefield advantage would be nice throughout, is it worth the risks?

What are the general guidelines when in this spot?

MightyQ

[MARCPELLETIER]

Tough decision. Having home field is definitively an advantage, not only because of the stadium, but also because the engine gets a slight edge to the hometeam.

But you should also consider how your team will fare against the wild-card. Do you prefer to play the wild-card team or the other divisional team? This last option should settle the issue in one way or the other way.

[MARCPELLETIER]

you should also check which team holds the face to face edge. Are you really half a game back, or one game and a half back.

[mightyquinnj]

Thanks for the input Marcus, I really appreciate it. There is certainly a lot to consider when taking into account our head to head matchups and while I would love homefield advantage throughout I am guarenteed the #2 spot and homefield in the first round. This is one of those situations that I am kind of glad to be in, rather than on the outside looking in. As of now I am going to sit my injury prone players and hopefully stay healthy for the playoffs. I have seen teams that have lost valuable pieces of their team due to injury down the stretch and fall in the playoffs. I will keep you up to date on the happenings.

MightyQ

[MARCPELLETIER]

Good. I do the same usually starting game 153, depending on how things developed.

[mightyquinnj]

Well after resting my players, I got the #2 seed overall, however, I am paired up against the wildcard team and not the other divisional winner. I have checked the other leauges that I have been in and this seems out of the ordinary. Granted the wildcard team had a better record than the divisonal winner, but are they, the wildcare team, not considered the #4 seed? Has HAL done this sort of thing before?

Mighty

[MARCPELLETIER]

yeah, i believe it's a new rule of recent implementation.

[Detroit-Tigers]

It is to prevent playoffs teams from facing division rivals in the first round.