1st draft of year; 10-team H2H; 6x6 (with OPS and holds)

[schmidty]

Hey all ... after taking last year off (due to work issues) I'm throwing my hat back into the fantasy ring Like the subject says - 10 teams, redraft, H2H. Scoring cats are 6x6 (the usual 5x5 + OPS for hitters and holds for pitchers).

Kind of a weird draft (but aren't they all in their own special way). ARod went 7th Closers went like crazy (starting in round 3 with Paps). And since I kept repeating to myself, "do not reach for closers ... do not reach for closers", I ended up with Soria and unwanted scraps (taking hitting and SP during the runs). Fortunately, holds makes you less dependent on saves (and there are plenty of good holds guys on the WW, and still a few potential closers). For the hitting, I used the same strategy that worked well for me in this league in the past - going for contributers in at least 4 categories, and not sweating about getting a "steals" guy (while trying to have a few double-digit base-stealers so I'm not completely punting the category). Anyway, here's how it turned out (the round I took the player is in parentheses after the name) ...

C: McCann (6)
1B: Teixeira (1)
2B: Utley (2)
3B: Aramis Ramirez (4)
SS: S Drew (8)
OF: Carlos Lee (3)
OF: Ordonez (7)
OF: Abreu (9)
Util: Damon (12)
Bn: Werth - OF (18)

SP: Halliday (5)
SP: Gallardo (11)
SP: Grienke (13)
RP: Soria (10)
RP: Sherrill (23)
RP: Motte (21)
P: Putz (19)
P: Kuo (20)
Bn (all SPs): Nolasco (14), Baker (15), Danks (16), Slowey (17), Carpenter (22)

What do you think? Some self-notes from the draft:

-I gave serious consideration to Rollins in the first round. But with 6x6 + OPS scoring, I think he gets downgraded a few spots. Plus, as a Phils fan I know he's streaky as hell, which can be maddening in H2H. However, with how the draft panned out it may have been a mistake, since quality 1B fell a lot further later on than I expected (AGon in 6th; Votto in 14th )
-I may have reached slightly with Aramis, but I didn't like what happened to the 3B tiers after him.
-Yes ... I was the dumbass in this draft who picked the 1st catcher I had every intention of sneaking in Ianetta or Sandoval as my catcher "value" picks. But I was weak and couldn't help myself when McCann was still on the board in the 6th.
-You can see how the closer situation played out. Soria (in the 10th) was the only time I felt picking a closer represented good value. So in the middle rounds, when everyone was picking either bench hitters or second-rate closers, I tried to build up depth in my starting pitching. I guess we'll see how that plays out.
-I couldn't help myself spending a late-round flyer on Carpenter I figure the potential pay-off is worth the low cost.
-Typically, I like to use most of my bench spots for SPs. I liked Werth since fits my preferred hitter profile by contributing in stats across the board. And I'd probably find a way to get him into lineup when facing a lefty. And it doesn't hurt that I'm a Phillies fan

Being a 10-team league, there is still value on the WW. Here are some of the best ones:

C: R Hernandez, Shoppach
1B: Gaimbi, LaRoche, Jacobs
2B: Polanco, F Lopez (also 3B/SS), Ellis, Stewart
3B: Kouz, Blake, Wiggington
SS: Y Escobar, Guzman
OF: Choo, Dukes, Maybin, Crisp, Lind

SP: Duchscherer, Parra, Carmona, Kuroda, W Rodriguez, Kawakami, Snell, Maholm, Smoltz, O Perez, Saunders, Pelfrey, J Sanchez
RP: Percival, Saito, Balfour, Chris Ray, Chris Perez, Arredondo, Lyon, Corpas, Rauch, Madson, Villanueva

To my eyes, only the OF and pitching looks worthwhile. If I had more bench spots, I'd certainly welcome some of them ... but are any of them worth a roster spot over who I already have? I'm certainly keeping an eye on the reliever situations. I kind of wanted to have 3 closers and 2 set-up men (locked into my 3 RP and 2 P spots). Though that's dependent on what other teams do in our weekly matchups.

Any other comments/suggestions? Leave a link and I'll look at your team. Sorry for typing so much, but I find it useful to do a self-breakdown like this (beyond just a "here's my team ... rate me" post).

[shmity72]

hi and thank you for posting on mine...

well, i think that aramis ramirez was a bit of a reach at 4th round. i think you could have had a good OF there.

so, i would watch how he does in the late spring early summer then trade up if need be by then.

I noticed we both reached for mccane well, here's to reaching for catchers! *cheers!

thnx again for your insiteful comments on mine. much appreaciated.

[Oatsdad]

I think you've got a lot of talent but I'd be concerned about a lack of backup depth at the offensive positions. I like to have some backups for every spot, but I guess you'd rather have depth at SP and hope your offensive players are in there every day.

If that works out for you, I think you're pretty set - that's a good squad!

BTW, I'm with you in terms of not wanting to pull the trigger early on closers, but some leagues force you to do so. Sounds like this was one of them. Last year my roto league had one guy who scarfed up scads of closers and left the rest of us with scraps. We draft tonight - I won't go crazy, but I'll likely grab a pair of closers earlier than I'd like to cover myself...

[schmidty]

I think you've got a lot of talent but I'd be concerned about a lack of backup depth at the offensive positions. I like to have some backups for every spot, but I guess you'd rather have depth at SP and hope your offensive players are in there every day.

If that works out for you, I think you're pretty set - that's a good squad!

Thanks for the "help in return". Yeah, a small hitting bench is something I just prefer to do. Certainly it can vary depending on team makeup and league. 10-team leagues have enough talent left-over that there are reasonable options if someone gets hurt. Plus, I have top waiver priority and someone always drops a stud hitter in the 1st month who got off to a slow start. And my league-mates aren't big traders ... in the past when I've had a quality hitter sitting on my bench, it frustrated me because he wasn't really making my team any better on a weekly basis. Regardless of how I draft, I always seem to only end up with one or two bench hitters once the H2H competition heats up. If I had an injury-prone guy in my lineup I'd have made a point to have a backup - but I don't think that applies to any of my starters. There's only 1 guy in the league who SP streams on occasion, so loading up my bench with SP really gives me an edge for W's and K's (I'm always top 3 in this league in those cats). And with 3 closers, 2 set-up men, and SPs who should have good ratios I'm usually competitive in the other pitching categories.

BTW, I'm with you in terms of not wanting to pull the trigger early on closers, but some leagues force you to do so. Sounds like this was one of them. Last year my roto league had one guy who scarfed up scads of closers and left the rest of us with scraps. We draft tonight - I won't go crazy, but I'll likely grab a pair of closers earlier than I'd like to cover myself...

Though the thing with this league is being a 10-teamer, there are still closer options left over. And I've always found closers pop up in the past, and I'm usually one of the fastest to be able to pick them up (it's a reasonably casual league, with some experts and some novices). I didn't plan on blowing off closers so much in this draft ... it just kind of unfolded that way Usually I try to grab a guy I think is a closer stud (rnds 5-10), someone who I think is underrated and could develop into a stud (rnds 11-15), and a really late (or WW) flyer. I have to say though ... it was oddly exhilirating to watch all those closers fly off the boards and think "they're not value at this point ... I'm not taking them". Holds as a category makes it even easier to do.

Good luck in your draft

[Padres Fan]

C: McCann (6)---McCann was a great pick especially at this round can't go wrong
1B: Teixeira (1)---Great pick as well, but I can tell you were a late round pick
2B: Utley (2)--- May have some injury concerns and Felipe Lopez would be a good Bench option
3B: Aramis Ramirez (4)---Could've wait a few rounds later to get him
SS: S Drew (8)---Great pick here
OF: Carlos Lee (3)
OF: Ordonez (7)----------Outfield in general is okay, a little old, so it may be risky that
OF: Abreu (9) includes Damon as well
Util: Damon (12)
Bn: Werth - OF (18)---Would be a great starter

SP: Halliday (5)
SP: Gallardo (11)------All starters look good, could sacrifice a couple for some closers
SP: Grienke (13)
RP: Soria (10)
RP: Sherrill (23)------Soria is great Motte will be too but Sherrill will lose his job to
RP: Motte (21) Chris ray within the 1st month of the season if not in Spring
P: Putz (19)
P: Kuo (20)---This guy helped my WHIP and ERA last year
Bn (all SPs): Nolasco (14), Baker (15), Danks (16), Slowey (17), Carpenter (22)----out of these 5 I would definately keep Slowey and Nolasco


check mine out?
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=372721

[AmazinMeTS86]

I like your team and really think you have pretty solid pitching. Plus there is pretty decent pitching on the wire...tends to be with a 10 man league. So weird how Carmona was a can't miss last year and is now sitting on the WW...

I do like Yunel Escobar a bunch but do not know who you would drop for him.

I have Chris Perez and all the buzz is about Motte this year. I see you have Motte on your roster, but you also have holds as a category. Do you foresee Motte getting the job over Perez. I know I did hear reports of some issues with Perez's health?

I learned my lesson drafting a catcher early last year. They are so tough to draft early bc of the demands of their position...squatting for hours, foul balls, back swings and collisions always put them at risk. McCann is a top notch catcher...I just wonder what else was left at that time..

[Padres Fan]

Well Kurt Suzuki is a great sleeper catcher and last year he hit .279 7hrs in 530 ab, and could hit 15hrs this season.

Perez has shoulder issues and Motte has been lights out, plus LaRussa likes Ryan Franklin as well and Perez may start season in the minors.

Help out with mine?
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=372721