Fantasy Baseball Cafe Forums

by **oscar15** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:27 am

Overall, I really like my team. Injuries to some of the other SPs will allow me to deal 1 or 2 of my elite guys during hte season for more offense, so I expect to be ok come the end of the seaaon. - Thomas

You know I will be in the market for one of your elite starters. Hell, I already am!

by **thomasps3** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:47 am

I'll keep that in mind Oscar!

by **RedBullVodka** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:33 pm

Really interesting answers guys! Although I can't believe none of you think I'm going to finish in the top 3...I mean, what planet are you on, I've got hands down the best team... ;-7

Anyway, here's my thoughts

RedBullVodka wrote:With apologies to Aussie Dodger for the blatant plagiarism...

1. What was your draft strategy?

I'm not sure I really had one. I tried to take the best player available...until Pujols was available with my first pick - so that idea went out of the window pretty early. I didn't want to reach for players too much...until I just had to have Votto.

I guess really I had some guys I really wanted- Wright, Kemp, Votto, Drew spring to mind. I didn't want to take pitchers too early, but then go hard at them in mid-rounds, as I thought there was good value to be had, and not over pay for saves.

Oh and I looked at what it took to be 4th in every category last year (ie 90 points) and aimed to get somewhere close to that.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?

Difficult question. Pujols at 4 might prove to be a relative steal, A-rod if he only misses a month, Mauer if his back proves a non-issue might beat all of those. Victorino in the 6th might also be very good value.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?

A bit easier to answer. Aviles would be my first choice, Gardner also - might steal lots of bases, but could have been had at least two rounds later, probably more. Maybin might be the same.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?

Even more difficult to answer...I'm really happy with my team, so I would like to think I've got a shot, I like Amazin' Oopah's team, and for my third I'll go for Rock.

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?

No idea...Thomas, Emb0lus, and Oscar because he always finishes in the cellar...

6. The best pick that you made

I hope it is David Wright over Pujols, or Kemp over Quentin / BJ Upton. It could turn out to be Gregg or Corpas is either of those guys get 35 saves this year.

7. The worst pick that you made

It might be Justin Upton, if he doesn't progress this year. But he might also turn into the steal of the draft.

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?

Not sure I have any on player as a key. But overall it is that I have a lot of young players- I need a high proportion of them to work out and improve this year. Guys like Longoria, Kemp, Votto, Drew, Upton, Gallardo, Ethier, Wainwright - just about my whole team!! I'm all about upside with this team - it just need to happen. I think it will.

9. Your team's weak/strong points

As above really. I need my young guys to work out. If they don't I'm screwed!

by **emb0lus** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:54 pm

1. What was your draft strategy? I didn't really have a strategy going in this year although it seems that drafting MI was my priority, it wasn't until it came to my pick and I felt with the SS left, JROll was a good choice and Utley is healthy so I couldn't pass him up there. ** edit - I did have one strategy in using the MDP sheet and if I saw a guy getting close to or past his 'low' pick I tried to pick him up.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft? Arod. I was salivating as it came close to my turn then Oscar took him. Even if he misses a month, Arod in the third round is a steal given what he will do the rest of the season and he is so consistent. Another steal is DempsterIF he duplicates his season from last year.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft? I thought Marmol went high although I think that his MDP is too high anyway since he has not nailed down the job yet but maybe I don't know the situation as well as others.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3? I think Cheese will finish in top 3, as far as the other 2, I can't really tell, the future is too cloudy so i consulted teh magic 8 ball and asked "Will oscar come in the top 3? and the answer was Absolutely!" I asked the same for myself and got the same answer though so I went for a third try for Rock and got "my sources say no." So there you have it Cheese, myself and oscar. I stopped after that but see next question.

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3? Well, i applied the same to the above and asked "will cheese/me/oscar finish in bottom 3 and I got the following answers: My sources say no, No way and my sources say no. Fortunately for the Rock, he got a "no way" there as well. Since I was interested to see how this kept going, the following people in random order got the following messages: Legia = "no way", beerdogs =" maybe", Oopah=" maybe" OldStyle" ask again later", thomas "no way", rbv "maybe", SC21 "Yes" Shockers "absolutely. So there you have it, shockers, SC21 and then one of the following: beerdogs, Oopah, Old Style or RBV.

6. The best pick that you made: None of them really are the 'best' although Oscar likes my DeJesus pick a lot :-D

I like my pick of Matsui at end of round 17 because he can easily go 90/20/90/295 as a DH which is great value at that spot

7. The worst pick that you made: I went too high on alex rios and zambrano. I personally hate encarnacion and did not want him on my team but by the time i drafted a 3b, did not see much else out there. I wanted cantu a few spots earlier in the draft but didn't get the chance.

8. What player is the biggest key to your success? I have a few older guys like Lee, Matsui, Damon, Percival that are probably the keys as long as they don't break down.

9. Your team's weak/strong points: My weakest point is saves and while i would have liked to say I woudl pick up guys on waivers who end up getting closer gigs, I really think most of those guys were drafted too!

by **Amazing Oopah** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:48 pm

1.What was your draft strategy?
My fail-proof, top secret draft was…….. to get some balance across all categories. I used to play more H2H before I started doing roto and H2H strategy is not always the best suited for roto as many of you well know. So, just basically trying to be competitive in HR’s and SB’s without annihilating my AVG as well as getting some nice pitching, some solid closers and a sprinkling of potential closers thrown into the mix.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?

For me, it would have to be Mauer in the 12th if Mauer is able to keep some semblance of health.

In the non-injury related category it would be Jay Bruce at 7th.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?

Aviles has already been said so I’m going to look for someone different…

It’s not that big of a reach but I thought Maybin in the 14th was a bit unusual. I know he’s big stolen bases threat this season but I’ve heard that he’s still a bit raw as an overall player and perhaps would not be a good across-the-board contributor for this season. But, then again, Rock won this league last season so maybe I shouldn’t double guess him

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?
(no particular order, except me on top at the end of the season)
Me!
Old_Style
Rock
RBV

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?
(no particular order)
SeanCasey
Thomas
Legia

6. The best pick that you made

I like Ianetta in the 11th… the kid had decent average and showed some pop with 18 ding dongs last season. There are probably some nice value guys at catcher later but they don’t have the upside to be an elite fantasy catcher that Ianetta has going into next season.

Billy Butler in the 19th would be the runner up. The guy has a high contact rate and an excellent K/BB ratio for such a big bopper. If he can put some muscle into those hits this year, a lot of balls are going to be leaving the park in KC in ‘09.

7. The worst pick that you made

I wouldn’t call it the worst pick imaginable but probably Nate in the 4th. It’s been getting some bad rap here and in Baseball Leftovers for some good reasons. There were probably some emotional considerations in the pick as well since Nate is my guy and I had to have him… but yeah McLouth as your 1st OFer is probably not the brightest idea out there. Still 20/20 potential is there so I’m not going to talk Nate down much.

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?
I would have to say Clayton Kershaw. Taking him as my 3rd on his upside could come back to bite me at the end of the season if he doesn’t pan out the way my heart pictured it.

9. Your team's weak/strong points
Strong points: Balance across the board will make me competitive in several categories. Also, some picks with upside going into next season that have a good chance of panning out. I have a nice cadre of middle relievers that will hopefully provide saves at good ratios.

Weak points: Would have to say pitching is suspect. Nolasco is coming off an arm injury a couple of years ago, Kershaw could still be too raw this season, and The Unit could be in an intensive care unit if his body gives out this season. If all these dark stars align, I may have to troll for starters in the waiver wire.