Taking Over Keeper Team

[prhood]

I'm taking over, for 2006, a team in a 12 team keeper league with a budget of $260. Rosters are comprised of 25 players + 15 minor league players. Competition is a standard 5v5 format.

Players can be retained for a max. of 2 years unless signed to a 3 year contract which permits them to be kept for 4 years in total. The contract provides for an escalated value of $3 per year+ initial auction price. So a player obtained for $2 can be retained for years 2-4 at an annual cost of $11.

The following is the roster for the team I have accepted. The $ figure are for the 2006 salary.

The question is which players should be retained and which should be offered 3 yr contracts? I have asterisked the players i believe should have an extended contract.

Probable keepers
1B Helton, Todd $38
2B Iguchi, Tadahito $4
3B Rodriquez, Alex $37
SS Tejada, Miguel $32
C Barrett, Michael $1
OF Crawford, Carl $39
OF Crisp, Coco $4
OF Holliday, Matt $3 **
P Lackey, John $1 **
P Lee, Cliff $3 **
P Loiaza, Estaban $5
P Millwood, Kevin $2 **
P Wickman, Bob $1
P Escobar, Lelvim $4
P Guardado, Eddie $4
P Harang, Aaron $3
BN Johnson, Nick $3
P Reyes, Anthony $1 (Moved up from minor League roster - contract not necessary untill 2007)

Probably Non-Keepers
P Benson, Kris $1
P Bruney, Brian $1
P Perez, Odalis $13
P Thomson, John $4
P Batista, Miguel $1
OF Jones, Jacque $2
OF Kearns, Austin $4
OF Anderson, Garret $16
SS Uribe, Juan $2
3B Beltre, Adrian $32

Your suggestions and comments are welcomed. By the way the team finsished 3rd in 2005 and the area where strengthen is necessary is on the pitching side.

[Pogotheostrich]

I'd offer Crisp a contract too.
I'd also think about keeping Benson and Batista.

[zergeR]

ya, benson so cheap wouldnt be a bad keeper.

[sportsjerk]

I'd offer Crisp a contract too.
I'd also think about keeping Benson and Batista.

I gotta agree, Crisp is gonna be solid in that Cleveland lineup. Batista is a good one to keep, and even though I'm not a big Benson fan, decent pitching that cheap should be looked at at least.