First Quarter Check-up - Opinions needed

[Lenny6]

I don't know if I should be feeling bad about my luck with my team having the lowest offensive points scored in the league and having my third player go down for at least two months (Delgado, Aramis Ramirez, and Alex Gordon whom I've already dropped) or good that my team is still 3-3 thanks to my pitching and right in the midst of the early season playoff hunt. Please offer your suggestions to help me to improve.

This is a 12-team fantasy points H2H on CBS. Scoring is standard for batters, but for pitchers does not reward heavily for wins or penalize at all for losses. This is a keeper league where I can keep players up to three times for a slight increase in dollar value.

Here is my roster (salary and keeper eligibility listed):

C McCann ($14 / N)
1B Berkman ($33 / Y)
2B Kendrick ($5 / Y)
3B/1B Blake ($7 / Y)
SS Drew ($5 / Y)
OF Braun ($5 / Y)
OF Markakis ($10 / N)
OF Cuddyer ($7 / Y)
DH Ortiz ($21 / Y)
B Matsui OF ($5 / Y)
B Scutaro 2B/3B/SS ($7 / Y)
B Suzuki C ($7 / Y)
B Hermida OF ($3 / Y)
DL Ramirez 3B ($18 / Y)

SP Halladay ($43 / Y)
SP Lackey ($18 / Y)
SP Harang ($13 / N)
SP Garza ($12 / Y)
P Jurrjens ($5 / Y)
P Baker ($9 / Y)
RP Wilson ($8 / Y)
B Myers SP ($17 / Y)
B Slowey SP ($5 / Y)
B Kawakami SP ($3 / Y)

I have made one trade so far, acquiring Markakis for Shields ($10 and still had a year of keeper eligibility) and Scutaro (my team's MVP so far), Suzuki and Blake have been free agent pickups to plug holes. Other than Halladay I rotate my starting pitchers based on who has 2-starts or more favorable matchups. I usually keep 10 or 11 (the max allowed) pitchers to take advantage of those matchups. I know my #3 OF spot is weak as both Matsui and Hermida have been disappointing so that is the number one area I would look to upgrade, followed by my pitching staff (you can never have enoughquality starters in this league!) and the infield positions

My burning questions are:
1. Of the hitters I am tired of - Berkman, Ortiz, Kendrick, Matsui and Hermida - who is worth hanging on to and who would you dump ASAP? Berkman is showing signs of life and maybe yesterday is the start of Papi turning it around? Or maybe I should use his one and only HR to hype Ortiz as trade bait? I'm tired of Wilson, too, as my RP. His numbers are okay, but it is extremely frustrating watching him dig himself into trouble by going to a 3-ball count on nearly every batter!
2. I dumped Delgado for Cuddyer. He can't be any worse than Matsui and Hermida have been. If I need 1B/DH help in a couple of months I'll look at picking Delgado back up.
3. Trade McCann? He has had the eye problem and hasn't been tearing the cover off of the ball. Should I move him since he isn't keeper eligible anyway? I'm not a big fan of carrying two catchers, but Suzuki has done alright and I until McCann proves to me he can can hit like an elite catcher Suzuki is good insurance.
4. Trade away more pitching? Who?

If I were to drop someone to pick up a free agent, the top ones are:
2B - F.Lopez, Sanchez
3B - Rolen
OF - Span, J.Guillen, Winn, DeJesus
DH - Thome
SP - Cook, Pavano, Harrison, Bonderman, Duchscherer
RP - Qualls, Street, Ziegler, Aardsma, Rodney, Gonzalez, Marmol, Bailey, Putz

Thanks for your feedback. Leave a link and I will help in return!

[Lenny6]

I went ahead and picked up Cuddyer after he hit a homer today and dropped Delgado so I guess question #2 is answered. But I'm still looking for other suggestions. WHIR!

[Yahtzeee]

I think Berkman is still a safe play; he will get things turned around. If you can trade Ortiz for anything I would do it. I'm not sure he will get going. It sounds like the Red Sox are losing patience with him as they are looking to trade for a hitter, so you may need to cut bait as well.

[Padres Fan]

I would trade Matsui and Ortiz asap before it gets too late in the season, also sell high on Scutaro, Hermida might nvere be who he should be but I expect .260 25hrs out of him, and Berkman will smoke it in the 2nd half, he has done that many times before

You need to pick up Qualls and or Rodney you should have 2 Closers, and Wilson is about ready to lose his job in SF.


Maybe drop Wilson/Hermida fro Qualls and Rodney


help with mine?
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