Slow drafts for The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational are happening as we speak. For those unfamiliar with TGFBI, it's a contest involving hundreds of Fantasy Baseball analysts who have been sorted into a couple dozen 15-team Rotisserie leagues. That's 15 teams as opposed to the 12 that comprised our latest Rotisserie mock draft.

The differences between a 12-team league and a 15-team league are often more than they're made out to be, and one of the clearest distinctions is the valuation of closers. There's a finite number of pitchers who figure to contribute to the saves category, and when that number is stretched between more teams, the scarcity is greater and the cost goes up.

But the contrast between how closers were drafted in my 15-team TGFBI league and how they were drafted in this 12-team mock goes far beyond the difference in league size. In Round 7 of the 15-teamer, people were drafting Tanner Scott and Clay Holmes. In Round 7 of this 12-teamer, people were drafting Josh Hader and Edwin Diaz. You hear me? Where one league was starting in on closers, the other was running out. That's completely bonkers.

So which approach is more likely for your league, presuming you play in the more common 12-team (or even 10-team) format? Maybe split the difference. According to FantasyPros ADP, which combines data from various sites, Hader and Diaz are being drafted in Round 5 of a 12-team league while Scott and Holmes are being drafted in Round 11.

My broader point, though, is that where relievers are drafted is entirely up to your league. Scarcity only emerges when someone makes the first move ... and then the second ... and then the third. You're mainly drafting relievers for saves, after all, and you only need so many saves. What do you gain by jumping in before you have to?

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So I guess my takeaway for drafting saves in Rotisserie is ... play it by ear. Just because they're usually drafted within a prescribed range doesn't mean have to be, and you don't need to force the issue. Simply take what you need when the time comes and load up on everything else in the meantime.

Here's who all took part in this draft:

1) Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer, Scout the Statline (@DocHollidayDyna)
2) Jake Holland, The Toss Up podcast (@jakebaseball17)
3) Tim Kanak, Fantasy Aceball (@fantasyaceball)
4) Frank Stampfl, CBS Sports (@Roto_Frank)
5) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
6) Anthony Tucker, Pitcher List (@AnthonyTucker81)
7) George Kurtz, Sportsgrid (@GeorgeKurtz)
8) Raymond Atherton, Fantasy Aceball (@RaymondAtherton)
9) Kayla Walz, former Podcast League participant
10) Ryan McLaughlin, Ryan and Mike Love Pitching (@LDeePee)
11) Chris Towers, CBS Sports (@CTowersCBS)
12) R.J. White, CBS Sports (@rjwhite1)

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Before we get to the results, I'd like to draw your attention to three teams in particular:

  1. Our own Chris Towers wanted to test how his team would turn out if he used his first two picks on the top two pitchers, Spencer Strider and Gerrit Cole. We all agreed afterward that he wasn't quite able to make up for the statistical shortages incurred by passing up the MVP-caliber bats found early in drafts (all of which were gone by the time his third pick came up), but you can judge for yourself.
  2. Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer, who was blessed with the first overall pick, of course, used it on Ronald Acuna, but at the 2-3 turn, he chose to double up on hitters, grabbing Pete Alonso and Marcus Semien. As a general rule for this year, I also prefer to begin hitter-hitter-hitter, but Acuna specifically puts you so far ahead in all the hitting categories at the start of the draft that you might as well enjoy the luxury of an elite pitcher on the way back. You need to dominate in all the categories, after all, not just the hitting ones. And because passing in Rounds 2 and 3 as the owner of the top pick means waiting until Pick 48 to draft your ace, well, it may be a stretch to call that guy an ace.
  3. As for my team, I think it's a good representation of what I'm looking to do in Rotisserie drafts this year -- i.e., grabbing up high-end outfielders for the short while they last and building a pitching staff around strikeout artists. I wasn't thrilled with the way the middle rounds played out in this draft, meaning I kept missing out on some of the players I wanted most, so I wouldn't call this team the best I could build with this approach. But it is representative of the approach.
Round By Round
Round 1
Pos Team Player
1 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
2 Anthony Tucker
3 Kayla Walz
4 Ryan McLaughlin
5 Jake Holland
6 Tim Kanak
7 R.J. White
8 Scott White
9 Frank Stampfl
10 George Kurtz
11 Raymond Atherton
12 Chris Towers
Round 2
Pos Team Player
13 Chris Towers
14 Raymond Atherton
15 George Kurtz
16 Frank Stampfl
17 Scott White
18 R.J. White
19 Tim Kanak
20 Jake Holland
21 Ryan McLaughlin
22 Kayla Walz
23 Anthony Tucker
24 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 3
Pos Team Player
25 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
26 Anthony Tucker
27 Kayla Walz
28 Ryan McLaughlin
29 Jake Holland
30 Tim Kanak
31 R.J. White
32 Scott White
33 Frank Stampfl
34 George Kurtz
35 Raymond Atherton
36 Chris Towers
Round 4
Pos Team Player
37 Chris Towers
38 Raymond Atherton
39 George Kurtz
40 Frank Stampfl
41 Scott White
42 R.J. White
43 Tim Kanak
44 Jake Holland
45 Ryan McLaughlin
46 Kayla Walz
47 Anthony Tucker
48 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 5
Pos Team Player
49 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
50 Anthony Tucker
51 Kayla Walz
52 Ryan McLaughlin
53 Jake Holland
54 Tim Kanak
55 R.J. White
56 Scott White
57 Frank Stampfl
58 George Kurtz
59 Raymond Atherton
60 Chris Towers
Round 6
Pos Team Player
61 Chris Towers
62 Raymond Atherton
63 George Kurtz
64 Frank Stampfl
65 Scott White
66 R.J. White
67 Tim Kanak
68 Jake Holland
69 Ryan McLaughlin
70 Kayla Walz
71 Anthony Tucker
72 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 7
Pos Team Player
73 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
74 Anthony Tucker
75 Kayla Walz
76 Ryan McLaughlin
77 Jake Holland
78 Tim Kanak
79 R.J. White
80 Scott White
81 Frank Stampfl
82 George Kurtz
83 Raymond Atherton
84 Chris Towers
Round 8
Pos Team Player
85 Chris Towers
86 Raymond Atherton
87 George Kurtz
88 Frank Stampfl
89 Scott White
90 R.J. White
91 Tim Kanak
92 Jake Holland
93 Ryan McLaughlin
94 Kayla Walz
95 Anthony Tucker
96 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 9
Pos Team Player
97 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
98 Anthony Tucker
99 Kayla Walz
100 Ryan McLaughlin
101 Jake Holland
102 Tim Kanak
103 R.J. White
104 Scott White
105 Frank Stampfl
106 George Kurtz
107 Raymond Atherton
108 Chris Towers
Round 10
Pos Team Player
109 Chris Towers
110 Raymond Atherton
111 George Kurtz
112 Frank Stampfl
113 Scott White
114 R.J. White
115 Tim Kanak
116 Jake Holland
117 Ryan McLaughlin
118 Kayla Walz
119 Anthony Tucker
120 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 11
Pos Team Player
121 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
122 Anthony Tucker
123 Kayla Walz
124 Ryan McLaughlin
125 Jake Holland
126 Tim Kanak
127 R.J. White
128 Scott White
129 Frank Stampfl
130 George Kurtz
131 Raymond Atherton
132 Chris Towers
Round 12
Pos Team Player
133 Chris Towers
134 Raymond Atherton
135 George Kurtz
136 Frank Stampfl
137 Scott White
138 R.J. White
139 Tim Kanak
140 Jake Holland
141 Ryan McLaughlin
142 Kayla Walz
143 Anthony Tucker
144 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 13
Pos Team Player
145 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
146 Anthony Tucker
147 Kayla Walz
148 Ryan McLaughlin
149 Jake Holland
150 Tim Kanak
151 R.J. White
152 Scott White
153 Frank Stampfl
154 George Kurtz
155 Raymond Atherton
156 Chris Towers
Round 14
Pos Team Player
157 Chris Towers
158 Raymond Atherton
159 George Kurtz
160 Frank Stampfl
161 Scott White
162 R.J. White
163 Tim Kanak
164 Jake Holland
165 Ryan McLaughlin
166 Kayla Walz
167 Anthony Tucker
168 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 15
Pos Team Player
169 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
170 Anthony Tucker
171 Kayla Walz
172 Ryan McLaughlin
173 Jake Holland
174 Tim Kanak
175 R.J. White
176 Scott White
177 Frank Stampfl
178 George Kurtz
179 Raymond Atherton
180 Chris Towers
Round 16
Pos Team Player
181 Chris Towers
182 Raymond Atherton
183 George Kurtz
184 Frank Stampfl
185 Scott White
186 R.J. White
187 Tim Kanak
188 Jake Holland
189 Ryan McLaughlin
190 Kayla Walz
191 Anthony Tucker
192 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 17
Pos Team Player
193 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
194 Anthony Tucker
195 Kayla Walz
196 Ryan McLaughlin
197 Jake Holland
198 Tim Kanak
199 R.J. White
200 Scott White
201 Frank Stampfl
202 George Kurtz
203 Raymond Atherton
204 Chris Towers
Round 18
Pos Team Player
205 Chris Towers
206 Raymond Atherton
207 George Kurtz
208 Frank Stampfl
209 Scott White
210 R.J. White
211 Tim Kanak
212 Jake Holland
213 Ryan McLaughlin
214 Kayla Walz
215 Anthony Tucker
216 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 19
Pos Team Player
217 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
218 Anthony Tucker
219 Kayla Walz
220 Ryan McLaughlin
221 Jake Holland
222 Tim Kanak
223 R.J. White
224 Scott White
225 Frank Stampfl
226 George Kurtz
227 Raymond Atherton
228 Chris Towers
Round 20
Pos Team Player
229 Chris Towers
230 Raymond Atherton
231 George Kurtz
232 Frank Stampfl
233 Scott White
234 R.J. White
235 Tim Kanak
236 Jake Holland
237 Ryan McLaughlin
238 Kayla Walz
239 Anthony Tucker
240 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 21
Pos Team Player
241 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
242 Anthony Tucker
243 Kayla Walz
244 Ryan McLaughlin
245 Jake Holland
246 Tim Kanak
247 R.J. White
248 Scott White
249 Frank Stampfl
250 George Kurtz
251 Raymond Atherton
252 Chris Towers
Round 22
Pos Team Player
253 Chris Towers
254 Raymond Atherton
255 George Kurtz
256 Frank Stampfl
257 Scott White
258 R.J. White
259 Tim Kanak
260 Jake Holland
261 Ryan McLaughlin
262 Kayla Walz
263 Anthony Tucker
264 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Round 23
Pos Team Player
265 Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
266 Anthony Tucker
267 Kayla Walz
268 Ryan McLaughlin
269 Jake Holland
270 Tim Kanak
271 R.J. White
272 Scott White
273 Frank Stampfl
274 George Kurtz
275 Raymond Atherton
276 Chris Towers
Team by Team
Darren "Doc" Eisenhauer
Rd Pk Player
1 1
2 24
3 25
4 48
5 49
6 72
7 73
8 96
9 97
10 120
11 121
12 144
13 145
14 168
15 169
16 192
17 193
18 216
19 217
20 240
21 241
22 264
23 265
Anthony Tucker
Rd Pk Player
1 2
2 23
3 26
4 47
5 50
6 71
7 74
8 95
9 98
10 119
11 122
12 143
13 146
14 167
15 170
16 191
17 194
18 215
19 218
20 239
21 242
22 263
23 266
Kayla Walz
Rd Pk Player
1 3
2 22
3 27
4 46
5 51
6 70
7 75
8 94
9 99
10 118
11 123
12 142
13 147
14 166
15 171
16 190
17 195
18 214
19 219
20 238
21 243
22 262
23 267
Ryan McLaughlin
Rd Pk Player
1 4
2 21
3 28
4 45
5 52
6 69
7 76
8 93
9 100
10 117
11 124
12 141
13 148
14 165
15 172
16 189
17 196
18 213
19 220
20 237
21 244
22 261
23 268
Jake Holland
Rd Pk Player
1 5
2 20
3 29
4 44
5 53
6 68
7 77
8 92
9 101
10 116
11 125
12 140
13 149
14 164
15 173
16 188
17 197
18 212
19 221
20 236
21 245
22 260
23 269
Tim Kanak
Rd Pk Player
1 6
2 19
3 30
4 43
5 54
6 67
7 78
8 91
9 102
10 115
11 126
12 139
13 150
14 163
15 174
16 187
17 198
18 211
19 222
20 235
21 246
22 259
23 270
R.J. White
Rd Pk Player
1 7
2 18
3 31
4 42
5 55
6 66
7 79
8 90
9 103
10 114
11 127
12 138
13 151
14 162
15 175
16 186
17 199
18 210
19 223
20 234
21 247
22 258
23 271
Scott White
Rd Pk Player
1 8
2 17
3 32
4 41
5 56
6 65
7 80
8 89
9 104
10 113
11 128
12 137
13 152
14 161
15 176
16 185
17 200
18 209
19 224
20 233
21 248
22 257
23 272
Frank Stampfl
Rd Pk Player
1 9
2 16
3 33
4 40
5 57
6 64
7 81
8 88
9 105
10 112
11 129
12 136
13 153
14 160
15 177
16 184
17 201
18 208
19 225
20 232
21 249
22 256
23 273
George Kurtz
Rd Pk Player
1 10
2 15
3 34
4 39
5 58
6 63
7 82
8 87
9 106
10 111
11 130
12 135
13 154
14 159
15 178
16 183
17 202
18 207
19 226
20 231
21 250
22 255
23 274
Raymond Atherton
Rd Pk Player
1 11
2 14
3 35
4 38
5 59
6 62
7 83
8 86
9 107
10 110
11 131
12 134
13 155
14 158
15 179
16 182
17 203
18 206
19 227
20 230
21 251
22 254
23 275
Chris Towers
Rd Pk Player
1 12
2 13
3 36
4 37
5 60
6 61
7 84
8 85
9 108
10 109
11 132
12 133
13 156
14 157
15 180
16 181
17 204
18 205
19 228
20 229
21 252
22 253
23 276