Retooling to compete this year...how much left to do?

[The Loveable Losers]

14 team 5x5 h2h league where we keep 6 and also have a farm team that I can keep all of as long as they stay under 130ab/50ip through August 12th. I'll mark my keepers in bold and then explain my situation.

Here is the retooled roster so far:

C R. Martin (LAD - C)
1B A. Pujols (StL - 1B)
2B C. Utley (Phi - 1B,2B)
3B J. Crede (CWS - 3B)
SS J. Rollins (Phi - SS)
OF C. Crawford (TB - OF)
OF B. Giles (SD - OF)
OF C. Granderson (Det - OF)
Util K. Youkilis (Bos - 1B,3B)
BN M. Cuddyer (Min - 1B,2B,3B,OF)
BN J. Gathright (KC - OF)

SP C. Carpenter (StL - SP)
SP J. Bonderman (Det - SP)
RP S. Shields (LAA - RP)
RP R. Soriano (Sea - RP)
P S. Linebrink (SD - RP)
P B. Meadows (TB - RP)
P T. Glavine (NYM - SP)
BN B. Radke (Min - SP)
BN M. Hendrickson (LAD - SP)
BN E. Ramirez (Cin - SP)
DL M. MacDougal (KC - RP) DL

Farm Team - Justin Upton (Ari - OF), Alex Gordon (KC - 3B), Lastings Milledge (NYM - OF), Andy LaRoche (LAD - 3B), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Atl - C), Troy Tulowitzki (Col - SS), Daisuke Matsuzaka (Seibu Lions - SP)

I was running with 5 MR's and Carpenter and punting W/SV/K every week as I'd planned on just rebuilding for next year and have done a ridiculous job of doing just that. I picked up Utley, Rollins and Crawford last off-season to replace mediocre keepers. I'd built up a draft for next year where I had 3 extra 2nd round picks, 2 extra 3rd round picks and only 2 picks after the 7th round.

However I was lacking a solid 6th keeper and I'd seen enough out of Bonderman to know I wanted to lock him up as a keeper now and got a decent price for him (a 2nd round pick next year). I then dealt for Glavine giving up a 7th rounder for a 12th. Finally I picked up Radke, Hendrickson and Elizardo Ramirez as the best SP's available on the wire. I'll of course look to upgrade those if anything better comes available but for now along with Carpenter that makes up my new rotation.

My offense has been extremely powerful all year actually posting the best w/l record in the league. It will take a tiny hit with me only having two bench guys (and maybe one if I'm convinced to drop Gathright) but it still is fairly stacked thanks to my 4 keepers being so good.

My questions are as follows:
1) How did I do on the rebuild job?
2) I like keeping the 3 MR's as they all pitch in high leverage situations that should toss me some extra wins and they'll also help my era/whip. Should I drop Meadows though for an extra SP (Silva would probably be what I would get off the wire at this point). I kind of like having one closer to beat teams with that are punting saves but is it worth the slot to have Meadows and then MacDougal when he comes back or should I dump Meadows for the extra SP and trade MacDougal for the best offer before I have to take him off the DL?
3) Should I dump Gathright for an extra SP and/or churning slot or should I keep him around in hopes that he moves up in the order and gives me a good off-day option and a SB threat I can toss in when I need some steals?
4) Is this team good enough where you'd trade a bit more for a solid older arm like a Schilling or Randy Johnson for this season only if you could get a decent price on them as far as picks for next year?

Obviously the pitching isn't ridiculously good and I'm still punting or semi-punting saves. Considering that I came into our 15 round draft though without a pick until the 8th round it's looking pretty good. I'm actually in 4th place right now and in good position to make the playoffs this year. Just need to tie up these few loose ends and I appreciate any help anyone can give here.

[raiders_umpire]

Definitely can't complain with anything you have to do that team. Pujols, Crawford, and Utley is an awesome top 3 players. As far as Meadows or McDougal, I would hold onto both. Neither are that great, but together they should get you a save to at least beat the guys that are punting saves. As far as Gathright, I would dump him for the best pitcher available. His speed has made him a name in the fantasy world, but he is not a very good player nor does he have the drive to want to get better. I picked him up in a few leagues this year hoping that Baldellis injury to begin the year would force Gathright to play some good ball, but he has not proved anything imo. As far as going after a veteran arm, as long as it does not cost you Gordon or Upton, I would have no problem going for it.

[The Loveable Losers]

As far as Meadows or McDougal, I would hold onto both. Neither are that great, but together they should get you a save to at least beat the guys that are punting saves.

My problem is to keep both and still add some more arms I'd have to cut either Scott Shields, Rafael Soriano or Scott Linebrink. This is a 5x5 but these guys are ratio and scavenged win gold...am I just being too attached to them though and need to just cut bait on them or are they better enough than the FA level SP's that I'd be better dropping a SP or two to keep both the closers and the MR's? I'm really debating right now between the value of those MR's or the half point that I win against the save punters...and you never know with those 3 MR's - they've been known to scavenge the odd save as well.

As far as Gathright, I would dump him for the best pitcher available. His speed has made him a name in the fantasy world, but he is not a very good player nor does he have the drive to want to get better. I picked him up in a few leagues this year hoping that Baldellis injury to begin the year would force Gathright to play some good ball, but he has not proved anything imo.

Yeah, I'm thinking I just need to cut bait here. Am I better off just running with my starting 9 + Cuddyer as a super-sub to give me 11 pitchers or would you drop Gathright to pick up Dave Roberts to serve the same purpose?

As far as going after a veteran arm, as long as it does not cost you Gordon or Upton, I would have no problem going for it.

Yeah, these would be picks or prospect pick deals to get an arm. Even after the deals that I made I still have the following draft picks: First: 1, Second: 3, Third: 3, Fourth: 1, Fifth: 1, Seventh: 2, Eleventh: 1, Twelfth: 1, Fourteenth: 1, Fifteenth: 1. I also have three first round prospect picks along with a second, a third and a fifth although most of the good prospects are owned.

I have an offer where I can give up a 7th for an 8th or just give up a 1st round prospect pick for Ricky Nolasco...I'm undecided here - is he enough of an upgrade to bother?

I'm still undecided about whether this team is legit enough to spend on a big name arm or not. The offense I don't really question. It has the best w/l/t record in our league and while it will hurt a tiny bit not being able to plug in guys on off-days it should still be formidable. Youkilis, Crede and Granderson have been very pleasant surprises and Giles is a heck of a lot better than anyone I'd drafted (it's a long story on how he made it to my roster...he was the throw-in in a deal where I dealt away ANOTHER throw-in to get picks a second time).

The top end of my rotation I have Carpenter, Bonderman and Glavine...I think Glavine will regress a bit but he's improved some things this year too so I don't expect a complete collapse. After those three though it's sketchy...I think I'm gonna gamble on Hendrickson (I like the move to LA here) along with the back end on the Twins rotation (Silva/Radke) both of which have shown a return to their solid if unspectacular numbers. I think I have to add at least one if not two arms to that list though to be a real force...but is that enough to be a title contender in a 14 team league? If another arm or two is all I need to at least give it the ol' college try then there's no reason I shouldn't do that. Flags fly forever and for the price of probably a 5th round pick tops I could probably land Javier Vazquez. Schilling is part of a firesale right now from the last place team...not sure what I'd have to give up to get him but he'd make the rotation fairly solid.

Last thought - Flash Gordon is up for grabs from Schilling's owner...is it worth tossing picks and a roster spot into a closer or should I just keep up the semi-punt on saves?