NL Only Keeper Help

[Fielder's Buffet]

standard NL 5x5 $280, 9 teams
14 Off, 10 P slots (no bench)

This team squeaked out a 1st place finish (thanks to trade for Webb)
I traded away $22 of 09 salary so I'm down to $258 total budget, so if I keep Reyes @ $53, there's no chance of me landing a top SP like Webb, Hamels who will go for $40 or so...

I listed the 12 guys who I think are definite keepers... do you agree and would you keep anyone else?
Can keep a max of 15

Appreciate the feedback and help

C Martin, Russell LA $17
C Doumit, Ryan PIT $5
1B Howard, Ryan PHI $20
2B Lopez, Felipe STL $1
3B
SS Reyes, Jose NYM $53 (I can probably redraft him at this price...)
SS Tejada, Miguel HOU $29
CM Fielder, Prince MIL $16
OF Bourn, Michael PHI $5
OF Braun, Ryan MIL $25
OF Pence, Hunter HOU $20
OF Spilborgh COL $5
OF Tatis NYM $5
U Rasmus, Colby Stl $3

P
P
P Gonzalez, Mike ATL $5
P Johnson, Josh FLA $5
P Lilly, Ted CHC $11
P Sanchez, Jo O. SF $5
P Scherzer, Max AZ $13
P Torres, Salomon MIL $5
P Gallardo, Yov MIL $16
P Wellemeyer STL $5

[Wheelhouse]

at those prices rasmus, lopez, and sanchez look like no-brainers

[Fielder's Buffet]

at those prices rasmus, lopez, and sanchez look like no-brainers

I'd agree keeping Rasmus if he can land the starting job out of spring training... but Larussa doesn't sound like a big fan after saying he didn't think Rasmus earned the right for a callup at the end of 08

Lopez (if he can land a starting role on a good team)

Sanchez (is he worth keeping at $5??) He had a few dominating 10lK starts for me, but he was mediocre or below in quite a few others. Do you project improvement for him in 09? I like his Ks but other than that his overall performance wasn't great. SF is the worst offensive team in the league and they don't appear to be improving much in 09. Unless you are lincecum and can hold opponents to 2 runs or less each and every night, you aint winning many games. And even if you can do that (aka Cain) you still may not win many games.

What about Wellemeyer at $5... he's semi young, throw's mid 90s was pretty consistent, has Duncan tutoring him, Stl will probably be a decent team in 09 with an offense that can score runs. HIs potential may not be as high as Sanchez but he seems to have more polish on his stuff.

[stevethumb]

i think lilly and wellemeyer will put up similar #s in 09 so the value is w/wellemeyer...i'd try to pkg tlilly and mscherzer and jsanchez for some value..sure, scherzer and sanchez could explode but tying up $18 for them doesnt seem like the way to go..move them for something solid and use the $ to keep reyes and buy a stud SP...doing this and keeping flopez and jreyes and getting a solid $18 player back in trade leaves you w/ $211, so $69 left for 10 players..also i think rspilsborgh will earn more in 09 than crasmus but you can probably get him back for that even after a big ST from him

[chargerss24]

I wouldn't want to keep lilly and scherzer for $18. See if you can package them in some sort of deal to free up some cap room so you can land yourself a low-end #1 or good #2 starter.

Thanks for your help on mine, check it out again if you want since I added prices to my players. Also, love your sig!

[Eusebius]

I would keep Welly and Rasmus at those prices, but you definitely need to clear a little more cap room. LaRussa doesn't usually give young players the benefit of the doubt unless he's forced to do so, so given that, I'm not sure what I would expecdt from Rasmus in the first half. This being a 5x5, he might be a won't help/won't hurt player with upside (given his salary). If Ludwick or Ankiel get traded then Rasmus is in. Welly will post similiar numbers with a possibly improved offensive team.

Gallardo and Scherzer should be similiar players, with Scherzer getting the nod because of a lack of injury history and the fact that 1st year pitchers with his kind of stuff usually suprise the heck out of hitters. Sell high on Gallardo to clear up cap room?

Help in return? viewtopic.php?t=364323

[Fielder's Buffet]

I agree i need to free up some cap space, but trades are not common in the offseason as most guys want to wait to see how their roster shapes up at draft...even when a decent deal is on the table. there arent many decent trade partners to get a good return for gallardo and scherzer. All the top pitchers on other rosters are expensive $38+ so im hoping gallardo and scherzer become my aces for years to come. I offered Fielder for Lincecum but owner wasnt remotely interested. Because top pitching isnt cheap should i take a chance on young talent and set myself up for the future? Last year i was able to win without overpaying for an ace at the draft and instead built big offense and traded for pitching in july (picked up webb and lilly). Is it foolish to think i can do that again this year?

[MadDog36]

Lilly for 1 dollar a solid 15 game winner for a winner is a steal at 1 dollar. Man how the heck did you get so lucky. Jose Reyes is a little bit inflated value. I'd rather have Hanley or Wright at that price.