Going for back-to-back

[northjersey78]

Won the league last year and have won 3 of the last 5. We keep 2 players - 1 pitcher, 1 hitter and 1 of either. Only 10 teams, H2H Yahoo league. Categories:

R, H, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, SB, AVG, OPS, IP, W, L, CG, SHO, SV, K, ERA, WHIP

I kept Arod, Braun and Lincecum.



C – Matt Wieters

1B – Adrian Gonzalez

2B – Brian Roberts

3B – Alex Rodriguez

SS – Alexi Ramirez

OF – Ryan Braun

OF – Jay Bruce

OF – Johnny Damon

UT – Milton Bradley

BN – Chipper Jones

BN – Nelson Cruz



SP – Tim Lincecum

SP – Dan Haren

RP – Mariano Rivera

RP – Joakim Soria

P – Brian Fuentes

P – Gil Meche

BN – Kevin Slowey

BN – Erik Bedard

BN – Joe Saunders

[jhovaman420]

I like the Slowey pick and the Bruce pick. Slowey should have a great season.

[northjersey78]

I like the Slowey pick and the Bruce pick. Slowey should have a great season.

Yeah I like Slowey as well. I should have solid ERA and WHIP with this team for sure. Relievers are always undervalued in this league so I usually like to load up on stud closers not only for saves but because they contribute innings with good ratios every week.

I think Bruce will have a big year in that ballpark especially. I just have to hope Chipper stays healthy enough to make up what I lose with Arod on the DL for awhile.

[Padres Fan]

That is a great team, with Jone filling in until Aroid is better at 3rd, would drop Saunders for a catcher since the O's want Weiters to start in AA first.

Comment on mine, please?
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=372721

[Texas Flats]

Hopefully Jones doesn't go down while he's filling in for A-Rod, I wouldn't count on more than 120 games or so from him. But as long as he's in the lineup, he's a more than capable back-up.

You've got a couple stud pitchers, a couple high reward guys like Slowey who should be good, and Bedard who will be good if he's healthy.

You will probably want a catcher to fill in for Weiters until he gets called up, and I agree with the above poster who said drop Saunders for one. It's only a temporary stop-gap, he should be up my May it seems. But other than that, you should be good. If you're dead set on making a trade for someone instead of plucking someone off waivers, I'd try to move one of your closers. Not that they're no good, but the way the league is set up, there are 9 pitching categories, and the only category that gets any real help from closers is saves. Sure, they'll throw in some K's, maybe lower the ERA and Whip slightly, but they don't win much, they won't give you any innings pitched, no complete games, and no shutouts. I dunno how you would feel about that, but it seems when there are more categories like this, the closer's value drops.

[northjersey78]

Hopefully Jones doesn't go down while he's filling in for A-Rod, I wouldn't count on more than 120 games or so from him. But as long as he's in the lineup, he's a more than capable back-up.

You've got a couple stud pitchers, a couple high reward guys like Slowey who should be good, and Bedard who will be good if he's healthy.

You will probably want a catcher to fill in for Weiters until he gets called up, and I agree with the above poster who said drop Saunders for one. It's only a temporary stop-gap, he should be up my May it seems. But other than that, you should be good. If you're dead set on making a trade for someone instead of plucking someone off waivers, I'd try to move one of your closers. Not that they're no good, but the way the league is set up, there are 9 pitching categories, and the only category that gets any real help from closers is saves. Sure, they'll throw in some K's, maybe lower the ERA and Whip slightly, but they don't win much, they won't give you any innings pitched, no complete games, and no shutouts. I dunno how you would feel about that, but it seems when there are more categories like this, the closer's value drops.

I am hoping Arod gets DL eligibility soon so I can move him there and pickup a catcher - there are still of decent options so I am going to hang on to Saunders for now.

I've actually won 3 of the last 5 years in this league by loading up on closers - everyone devalues closers tremendously. I actually like guys for the very reasons you mentioned - helps reduce overall ERA, WHIP and will contribute periodic wins. The other guy who is always good (he won the other 2 years I didn't win) has the opposite mentality - he loads up on starters and punts saves so that he always wins innings, wins, strikeouts...but you are correct on the complete games and shutouts. But those are very sparse anyway...

[Padres Fan]

Hopefully Jones doesn't go down while he's filling in for A-Rod, I wouldn't count on more than 120 games or so from him. But as long as he's in the lineup, he's a more than capable back-up.

You've got a couple stud pitchers, a couple high reward guys like Slowey who should be good, and Bedard who will be good if he's healthy.

You will probably want a catcher to fill in for Weiters until he gets called up, and I agree with the above poster who said drop Saunders for one. It's only a temporary stop-gap, he should be up my May it seems. But other than that, you should be good. If you're dead set on making a trade for someone instead of plucking someone off waivers, I'd try to move one of your closers. Not that they're no good, but the way the league is set up, there are 9 pitching categories, and the only category that gets any real help from closers is saves. Sure, they'll throw in some K's, maybe lower the ERA and Whip slightly, but they don't win much, they won't give you any innings pitched, no complete games, and no shutouts. I dunno how you would feel about that, but it seems when there are more categories like this, the closer's value drops.

I am hoping Arod gets DL eligibility soon so I can move him there and pickup a catcher - there are still of decent options so I am going to hang on to Saunders for now.

I've actually won 3 of the last 5 years in this league by loading up on closers - everyone devalues closers tremendously. I actually like guys for the very reasons you mentioned - helps reduce overall ERA, WHIP and will contribute periodic wins. The other guy who is always good (he won the other 2 years I didn't win) has the opposite mentality - he loads up on starters and punts saves so that he always wins innings, wins, strikeouts...but you are correct on the complete games and shutouts. But those are very sparse anyway...

I agree I try to have 3 Closers, especially if I miss out on the studs like Papelbon and Nathan, last year I won with Kuo of LA on my team, he help slightly with Wins, WHIP, ERA and K's

[Texas Flats]

I'm not saying closers aren't valuable, but in that format, it looks like starters have a bit more value. There's no reason to completely punt the position, but at least I think their value drops a bit. If IP, W, CG and SHO all count as scoring categories, I'd wait on guys like Mo and Soria (depending on where you drafted them, of course, but so far in the leagues I've done, closers are going wayyy earlier than usual for some reason) and get some high-innings guys in there instead.

Then again, if your strategy works for you, don't deviate from it too far. Obviously, you're doing something right if you keep winning that league.