I got this guy in my league

[johnsamo]

I'm stacked in SPs and have been intenitonally over piching the first half of the season so I could trade an SP to fill a hole on offense. I'm first in wins and WAY AHEAD in Ks, so pitching I can spare. The offense has done WAY better than expected so steals is the only area I need to addresss. Like I said, I'm dealing from stength so am willing to overpay for my one potential weakness, but the guy won't do the deal.

[Fireball Express]

From experience I can say that people try not to trade with the 1st place team for the sole reason of not making an already good team better. Sometimes they shoot themselves in the foot. Let the guy shoot himself in the foot and look elsewhere for a 2B that steals.

[Mugrila]

I would think that if you're willing to give up Josh Beckett for OC, you can get somebody else for Beckett. Somebody has to be willing to trade with you.

[garf112]

If I'm that guy, I'm not doing that trade either. Why would I make a trade that could just about rap up the league for you? It looks like you'll have to make a deal with a bottom feeder who is playing for next year or find someone off the wire.

[teddy ballgame]

I would think that if you're willing to give up Josh Beckett for OC, you can get somebody else for Beckett. Somebody has to be willing to trade with you.

Agreed. Whether they're starting on another team or not, Beckett is worth a higher tier of SS then OC.

[BronXBombers51]

It's his choice. He doesn't have to trade you. He feels he's got a better chance of catching you if he doesn't trade you and better your team.

A common and sometimes very smart strategy. No reason to get ticked off at him.

[Dan Lambskin]

If I'm that guy, I'm not doing that trade either. Why would I make a trade that could just about rap up the league for you? It looks like you'll have to make a deal with a bottom feeder who is playing for next year or find someone off the wire.

i kind of agree.

whenever i look to make trades in a 5x5, i look for what i need, but also want to make sure i'm not helping a guy climb too much in a given category

[jake_harv88]

no need to make this trade man. Beckett will pull in much better talent than ocab. Why make a trade just because you can??? You shouldn't lower your standards just becasue you are way ahead. Anyway you might be able to get gathright/bartlett off waivers and they might help you out in the SB category. Bartlett is a SS too...

[johnsamo]

Believe me I've tried everybody. Everybody else who has a stud SS doesn't have a spare one like this guy. I guess it comes down to nobody wanting to let me locked up the league. If Pujols stays healthy though, I don't see how I can possibly lose. I had a HUGE lead with him and I slipped but still managed to stay in first while he was out, so I'm in real good shape to run away with it. My only fear now is losing Crawford and plummeting in steals. That might give 2 other guys a shot at me, doubtful, but if they played well and my guys went cold it could happen.

By our trade deadline, I may be able to make an offer a lower ranked team can't refuse. With the SP talent I've got stacked up, I can only choose 3 SPs as keeper and that means even Jered Weaver can be thrown into the mix. I can't imagine a last place team with weak SPs passing up a chance to wrap up either Weaver or Beckett as a keeper.

[rainman23]

In a keeper league, I'm not even sure why you want to do this. It sounds like you're shooting for perfection. That's an impulse I can understand, but in a keeper no way I want to give a guy like Beckett away. Maybe down the road, if someone starts making a serious run at you. It sounds like your team is pretty kick-ass right now as it is.

I've won my primary league the last few years, and there's only one guy in the league who's secure enough to trade with me. Nobody wants to help that guy who's already number one. Thank of it as a compliment, Johnsamo. It's good to be the king.