How do I improve my Bullpen? WHIR

[ineedmony]

Hey there everyone. I just drafted last night and feel ok about my team, but my bullpen is atrocious. It's beyond atrocious. It's terrible. I play in a deep 12-team H2H mixed league. What moves should I make to improve my pen? There is really no one left on the wire unless any of you know something I don't about a deep sleeper or something. Here's my team:


C-Jorge Posada
1B-Albert Pujols
2B-Brandon Phillips
SS-Elvis Andrus
MI-Gordon Beckham
3B-ARod
CI-Adam Dunn
OF-Grady Sizemore
OF-Torri Hunter
OF-Franklin Gutierrez
OF-Garrett Jones
U-Nick Johnson

SP-Tim Lincecum
SP-Roy Halladay
SP-Ubaldo Jiminez
SP-Brett Anderson
SP-David Price
SP-Johnny Cueto

RP- Jose Valverdo
RP-Jon Rauch
RP-Peter Moylan
RP-Ramon Troncoso
RP-Brad Zeigler
RP- Alfredo Aceves

BN-Alberto Collaspo
BN-Brian Matusz
BN-Shaun Marcum
DL-Erik Bedard

Thanks, and I will gladly help in return!

[tailgate13]

Is Ryan Madson on the wire? Lidge is on the DL and he is the closer now. How about Putz as Set Up man for CWS? David Robertson for the Yanks (lots of k's) or Feliz for Tex?

[ineedmony]

Thanks. Robertson is the only one of those guys available on the wire. The league is very deep. I think I may need to make a trade to make any significant improvement in the pen. Any thoughts of what I should offer?

[Fenris-77]

Yeah, we need to see a list of available RPs. There's not point in us just taking shots in the dark here.

[TexArcher]

Thanks for the input on mine.

I have never traded for a closer, personally. I'd look into guys who are next in line to get a shot if the named closer falters or is injury prone. In most years several closers lose their jobs in the first half of the year, make sure you've got the guys who will steal those jobs.

You have enough quality starters that you could trade one for a closer if you have to, though.

[ineedmony]

The guys available on the wire are:

LaTroy Hawkins, Joey Devine, Kevin Jepsen, Dan Wheeler, Sergio Romo, Bobby Seay, Grant Balfour, Rafael Betancourt, Nick Masset, Phil Coke, Pedro Feliciano, Darren Oliver, Jeff Samardjia, Jesse Crain ... all duds, imo... that's why I think a trade is in order. No?

[sigriffey]

I'd see if I team starved for SP will give you a mid-level closer for Price or Cueto.

[oxhammer]

I'd suggest bailing on saves category, but you're H2H, not roto. I'd look at your matchups the first few weeks. Get an idea of whether or not saves would end up putting you over the other teams. If you think it would make a difference, I'd say to try to pursue a trade. If not, then try picking someone up that has a chance of closing earlier or later in the year. For example, load up on Minnesota relievers. Or, another example, Jason Motte (STL). Franklin might keep the job all year, but if not, Motte is the man. Point is, there's always a turn over at closer. If you can afford to wait and you're patient, you'll get one or two without having to trade away someone to get them

[tailgate13]

I agree trading for a closer at the start of the season seems like a small reward for the risk and the talent your giving away. With a good team like Minn. yet to name an everday closer it seems focusing on them would be a way to go. Plus if you are a hawk on the waiver wire you surely will grab someone who becomes the closer by injury or demotion. Unless you are getting a top 3 guy then I would hold off on trading.