I normally don't like to draft pitching in the first round, or even the second round, but I am thinking I may need to adjust my strategy in this league this season.
For my seven keepers, I kept 6 hitters and 1 pitcher, a closer. My keepers are:
Jose Bautista Carlos Gonzalez Desmond Jennings Asdrubal Cabrera Erick Aybar Allen Craig
Drew Storen
In the first five rounds of our draft, I have the following overall picks: 13, 29, 36, and 57. It is not a live draft. We send in player lists to our commissioner, and he conducts the draft (along with another couple of guys from the league) from those lists. These drafts are done in sections, 5-7 rounds at a time, two weeks apart. In the past, I've always devalued the pitchers on my lists in the early rounds of the draft. This strategy has served me well in the past, but with what I have for keepers, I'm not sure I shouldn't alter my strategy.
There are plenty of top pitchers available in our draft this year:
Halladay Verlander Lee King Felix Hamels Weaver Lincecum Greinke Gallardo Lester Beckett Josh Johnson Hanson Daniel Hudson Wainwright
Any thoughts about taking a pitcher in the first round?
WHIR, please leave a link.
(In a bit of irony, I could have kept Cliff Lee, but he would have cost me the 13th overall pick and one of my other keepers.)
What are the hitters that will be available? A lot depends on that information and a lot depends on what happens with the 12 picks before you. If there is a top hitter at 13, then I would go with him. Pitching of course isn't as deep in this league but nothing will have that much depth so hitting is still your best option. Pretty much continue the strategy of best player available especially in the first few rounds.
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."- Douglas Adams
I won't get to see a draft board when my turn comes up at 13. The commissioner will just give me the top player on my draft list.
I think that I will take your advice and just construct my list as best player available, instead of using my former strategy of devaluing all pitchers in the early rounds. I'd love to have two of those top 15 pitchers available after my third pick at 36.
That's a weird drafting setup. DEFINITELY put Cano first, though. After that, I would probably put a few of those pitchers (Halladay, Verlander, Lee, Hernandez), followed by a couple of hitters.
I gotta ask, though:
In a league with so much talent going into the pool, how were you stuck with keepers like Aybar, Craig, and Storen?
Best player available for sure. There are quite a few studs available on both sides so just take the best you can get and worry about filling in holes later on.
GiantsFan14 wrote:Best player available for sure. There are quite a few studs available on both sides so just take the best you can get and worry about filling in holes later on.
You will get solid pick at #13 for sure. I would just send the list with the rankings that you like and then in the later rounds, possibly change up the picks a little bit to fill in the holes.
In a league with so much talent going into the pool, how were you stuck with keepers like Aybar, Craig, and Storen?
When a player is drafted, his draft round sticks with him. If you keep him the next season, you give up the according pick. Players can be kept up to three seasons.
Aybar is a 13th round pick. Craig is a 22nd round pick. Storen is a 23rd round pick.
It's all based on value.
I only have four picks in these first five rounds because I kept Bautista, my second round pick from last season.
ETA: There is lots of talent in the draft pool in this league every season. It is possible to go from worst to first in one season. I've done it before. It is also possible to go from first to worst in one season. I've done that, too. It's a fun league with a good core of owners that have been around for many years.
I see, and that makes sense to an extent. I'd still be iffy on keeping Craig, as we don't know his role. He will almost certainly miss the first month, and unless Beltran has some Kobe-like knee procedure, I don't trust him to play center. That leaves Craig on the bench in favor of Jay, or it forces him into a position he's uncomfortable with.
Regardless, worse decisions have been made by me. It might work out, and I hope it does. Good luck drafting.
One thing going for me is that three of the top shortstops (Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez, and Jose Reyes) are available in the draft. I am locked at SS, and early picks will be used on those guys, pushing other talent down my way.
I've started constructing my list. Right now, I've got 4 hitters, and then 7 pitchers:
1. Joey Votto 2. Robinson Cano 3. Mark Teixeira 4. Andrew McCutchen 5. Roy Halladay 6. Justin Verlander 7. Cliff Lee 8. Cole Hamels 9. Jered Weaver 10. Felix Hernandez 11. Tim Lincecum
I am sure Votto, Cano, and Teixeira will all be gone. McCutchen may be avaiable at 13.. If not, then I am confident I will get one of those 7 pitchers. I don't think I can go wrong with any of the 11 above.
Cafe Home
Fantasy Football
Fantasy Basketball
Fantasy Hockey
by etex211 » Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:23 pm 
You will get solid pick at #13 for sure. I would just send the list with the rankings that you like and then in the later rounds, possibly change up the picks a little bit to fill in the holes.
