My first ever fantasy baseball draft... please help

[Sketchpadsrus]

i'm new to this, never played a fantasy sport before.

I like my team, I know the players are good. I just have no idea how my team might be ranked compared to other fantasy babseball teams. I also need help with suggestions on who to start.

Right now I'm not happy with my C or 1B positions. I might have a surplus of pitchers. Any advice on how to innitiate a trade (and who to offer) would be appreciated.


The Chaotics:

C: Michael Barret (CHC)
1B: Jim Thome (CWS)
2B: Chase Utley (PHI)
3B: Arod (NYY)
SS: Jimmy Rollins (PHI)
OF: Cliff Floyd (NYM)
OF: Johnny Damon (NYY)
OF: Juan Pierre (CHC)
U: Felipe Lopez (CIN)

SP: Barry Zitp (OAK)
SP: Carlos Zambrano (CHC)
SP: Jose Contreras (CWS)
SP: Esteban Loaiza (OAK)
SP: Adam Eaton (TEX)

RP: Trevor Hoffman (SD)
RP: Brad Lidge (HOU)

RS: Adrian Beltre (SEA) 3B
M. MacDougal (KC) RP
Nick Swisher (OAK) RF
Nick Johnson (WAS) 1B
Raul Ibanez (SEA) LF
Tom Gordon (PHI) RP

(any reserves truly deserve a starting spot?)

Thanks guys! I'm using sportsline.com's fantasy baseball BTW.

--- Sketch

[DaShiz23]

nice team, nice. u should try to move some of your depth on O for a no. 2 SP

[Sketchpadsrus]

Thanks for the imput. I need a #2 starting pitcher under whom? Zito? or Zambrano.

Keeping in mind I'm new at this, how would i go about picking up pitchers?

Free agent notables include: Leiber, Maddox, Westbrook, Suppan, Wells, Byrd.

Or should I attempt a trade? Not sure how to do it, lol.... could certainly try...

Do I have the best players starting? Even Thome?

[Sketchpadsrus]

I picked up Westbrook

what should my starting five (in order) be?

SP: Barry Zitp (OAK)
SP: Carlos Zambrano (CHC)
SP: Jose Contreras (CWS)
SP: Esteban Loaiza (OAK)
SP: Adam Eaton (TEX)

plus Jake Westbrook (CLE)

I'm curious as to how trades work, but admittedly, I need to explore the site more. This is a H2H team, using sportline.com.

[bigsky]

offense looks good, good balance. you have some versatility if thome bombs again (i think he's gonna put up good #'s) w/ utley and lopez. beltre could be good, could be horrible, but you can plug him in too if he returns to a shade of his 04 season or use him as some trade bait for an upgrade in pitching if he comes out swinging.

i like the pickup of westbrook for you. id be a little worried about eaton, especially now that he's in TEX:
zam
zito
contreras
loaiza and westbrook are pretty even

eaton

let yr offense sort itself out, then move a bat for a #2 starter.

[Sketchpadsrus]

"offense looks good, good balance. you have some versatility if thome bombs again (i think he's gonna put up good #'s) w/ utley and lopez. beltre could be good, could be horrible, but you can plug him in too if he returns to a shade of his 04 season or use him as some trade bait for an upgrade in pitching if he comes out swinging.

i like the pickup of westbrook for you. id be a little worried about eaton, especially now that he's in TEX:
zam
zito
contreras
loaiza and westbrook are pretty even

eaton

let yr offense sort itself out, then move a bat for a #2 starter."


Awesome advice.

I wish I was playing roto instead of H2H. Maybe I'll try another team on a different site. Any tips for roto drafting?

[schmidty]

Your team looks a lot like mine (comments welcome: http://www.fantasybaseballcafe.com/foru ... p?t=174123). I agree that Thome may be back -- but it's a chance. I never even heard of M. Barret when I drafted him, but he doesn't look half bad. He may be the best-hittting C in the NL (for what that's worth), and looks to give serviceable production in the C spot.

If I get your rules right, you have stats that count from 5 starters and only 2 relievers? If that's true, then T Gordon might be good trade bait for someone needing saves. His past stats don't show it, but he's supposed to be Phillies #1 reliever. Since Philly isn't a bad team, he should pick up some saves -- which someone may find themselves needing.