Solid for an 18-team league?

[DEF]

Just finished my draft in an 18-team yahoo league. Never done a league this big before but I'm pretty happy with my squad.

I would have liked to have grabbed a third closer but the lower-tier guys went too early for my liking. Hopefully Gonzalez will get a chance at some point or I can grab someone that emerges. Shortstop is probably my weakest spot, but Eckstein isn't horrible for a league this size and I took a flier on Barmes in the final round. Overall, I landed most of the sleepers I targeted late and feel I made some pretty good value picks. But hey, everybody is optimistic before the games start for real right? So let's hear some unbiased feedback on this group. Thanks.

Fistful of Shamrock
C - B. Inge, Det (also 3B, OF); Round 14
1B - D. Ortiz, Bos; Round 1
2B - B. Roberts, Balt; Round 12
3B - D. Wright, NYM; Round 6
SS - D. Eckstein, StL; Round 15
OF - M. Cabrera, Fla; Round 2
OF - V. Wells, Tor; Round 5
OF - R. Hidalgo, Tex; Round 11
Util - B. Wilkerson, Wash (1B, OF); Round 9

SP - J. Peavy, SD; Round 3
SP - K. Escobar, Ana; Round 8
RP - B. Lidge, Hou; Round 4
RP - B. Ryan, Balt; Round 7
P - M. Gonzalez, Pit (RP); Round 13
P - J. Thomson, Atl (SP); Round 10
P - P. Byrd, Ana (SP); Round 16

Bench - J. Moyer, Sea (SP); Round 17
Bench - D. Haren, Oak (SP, RP); Round 18
Bench - M. Cuddyer, Min (1B, 2B, 3B, OF); Round 19
Bench - J. DaVanon, Ana (OF); Round 20
Bench - C. Barmes, Col (2B, SS); Round 21

Scoring categories are R,H,HR,RBI,SB,BB,Ave,Slug for hitters; IP,W,CG,SH,S,K,ERA,WHIP for pitchers
Head-to-head, non-keeper

[JTWood]

I really like your pitching staff a lot. Lidge/Ryan will clean up the saves for you in an 18-teamer. Thomson will have a very solid year. Very nice down there.

I'm a little worried about your hitting, though. After Cabrera, the outfield is suspect. If Wells turns it back around this year, then that "if" goes away, but you're relying on that to happen.

With M. Gonzalez on your staff, I would try to trade Ryan for a better outfielder - particularly if he has a hot start.

One question, too: Ortiz with Round 1 is interesting. Cabrera as your #2 catches my eye, too. Were you drafting near the bottom of the order?

[DEF]

JTWOOD: Thanks for the feedback. I had the 16th pick, so it was indeed a late pick for Ortiz with Cabrera on the early swing back. I was happy to get Ortiz there, especially since this is a Boston-based league with lots of Sox fans (Manny went third overall ahead of Beltran and Guerrero ).

It's funny you like my pitching and not my OF. My initial reaction was the opposite. I thought my staff had more questions and risk/reward guys, while I felt the OF was pretty strong for a league this size. I'm used to playing in 10-12 team leagues where I always like to carry 3-4 closers (I usually try to grab one with SP eligibility but Affeldt and Batista went too early for me). I can't see trading Ryan and going with just one closer. Might as well punt saves and trade Lidge too if I was going that route.

As for the OF, here are the other starting trios:

V. Guerrero, Edmonds, M. Ordonez
Matsui, Holliday, Nix
Bradley, L. Gonzalez, Biggio
Ichiro, Griffey, Kearns
Beltran, Pierre, Podsednik (forget about winning saves that week )
Abreu, Cameron, B. Williams
D. Roberts, Burnitz, Mondesi (also has Berkman once healthy)
Alou, Rowand, Finley
M. Ramirez, Mench, J. Jones
Sheffield, Sosa, P. Wilson
L. Walker, Burrell, Floyd
Crawford, Patterson, Winn
Bonds, Giles, T. Hunter (Brynes only other OF to replace Bonds)
Damon, C. Lee, Baldelli (Nixon only other OF to replace Baldelli)
Guillen, Ford, Crisp
Drew, Bay, R. Sanders
G. Anderson, A. Jones, Jenkins

I like my trio (plus Wilkerson) against most of those groups. My middle infield is another story though ...