Just twice since 2000 have we seen at least 16 starting pitchers strike out 200 batters or more; 2015 and 2017. Chicks dig the long ball, but baseball purists and fantasy players across the world are addicted to the strikeout. The strikeout has become such a large part of the game as a whole, offensively too. Guys are not only striking out batters 200-plus times a year with regularity, but hitters are striking out over 200 times themselves. The game of baseball is changing and as fantasy owners, we have to change the way we think and draft because of it.

In standard fantasy leagues, things are normally broken down 5x5 and strikeouts obviously factor into the pitching department. With each league personalizing their settings, the value of the strikeout varies, but in reality, the more the merrier. We’re drafting Max Scherzer for his season long dominance each year as well as his two-to-three games every single year in which he punches out 15-plus and single handedly puts our...