2012 Cold Stove Survey by Aussie

[RocketsDWM]

1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?

3. The best pick you made

4. The worst pick you made

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?

7. Who was the steal of the draft?

8. Who was the reach of the draft?

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?

[Fade2White12]

I guess I'll break the ice. I hope Aussie doesn't mind your copyright infringement, although I suppose you did give authorship.

1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?

My keeper plans always just revolve around best available player. The problem is that I simply had too many players I wanted to keep. Luckily I was able to get a deal done with TD, but, as most of you know who I courted with trade offers, wasn't able to complete any additional. My one regret was letting Choo go, but I decided to keep shields at 2 additional years instead. We'll see if he's able to repeat.

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?

I answer this question the same every year - go big or go home. For position players I tried to pick young guys with upside who may become viable keepers (Bourjos, Smoak, Jackson, Chisenhall), and also players coming off of down years who may turn it around (ala Dunn).

Same thing with pitchers - young guys who I think may take a step forward (Morrow, Masterson) or high upside yet young veterans off down years (Liriano, Volquez). Again, I'm always looking for the home run.

3. The best pick you made

I like almost all my picks, but my favorite is C.J. Wilson. My first pick, I know, but I couldn't believe he made it to me at 1.10. I liked him considerably more than many of the players taken ahead of him.

4. The worst pick you made

Ivan Nova. I have no faith that he'll ever be more than an average MLB starter. Only reason I took him was because I have tons of Ks and could use the W potential.

I could also say Ramos, just because I'm sure I could have had him later.

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?

Other than me (who can seemingly make it no higher than third place), I like quite a few teams.

In no particular order:
GP - A man after my own heart. Picked the types of guys I'm always looking for. I was pretty sad when he took Rasmus the pick after me as I was banking on him coming back.
Kaveman - With already a great set of keepers and a history of winning this league, it's hard to pick against him.
Aussie - Year after year, I feel followed by after some of your picks, but then when I see your overall roster, I'm always left impressed. Same thing this year..

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?

clevername - Looking at your roster, I have a feeling you'll either finish in the bottom three or top three, with no inbetween.
Wicked - Not until you prove otherwise!
dAnzac - Because you never should have changed your name.

7. Who was the steal of the draft?

I honestly didn't feel that there was one. Other than the first couple rounds, I think that rankings become quickly interchangeable, especially this year. Other than GP who had Myers fall into his lap, that is. Looking at the draft results, here are some picks that I like:

Moustakas in Rd 13
Myers in Rd 17
McCarthy in Rd 20
Raburn in Rd 27
Hochevar in Rd 27

8. Who was the reach of the draft?

Luebke - I just like a lot of the arms that were taken later more than him.
Ryan Roberts - Positional flexibility and that's it. One-hit wonder, IMO.

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?

I want a new question next season. Just choose one my oft-injured high-ranked players, and that's my answer.

[RocketsDWM]

Aussie, I hope you didnt mind. The tradition must go on...

1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?
I was hesitant in letting Beckett go but I think in the long run it was the right decision, especially considering the depth of starting pitching talent this year. Markakis was another tough call but I think he will bounce back and it is tough to find RF with Markakis' potential.

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?
Always draft the best talent and worry about filling in positions in the later rounds. Didnt follow that model for the first pick.

3. The best pick you made
Very happy with Crisp. I just need him to steal bases.

4. The worst pick you made
Peralta. I misfired on that. Should have picked Storen.

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?
There is kavemen and then the rest the field. Until proved otherwise, that is the top team. Pujols + Petey + Ells is lethal in H2H.

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?
Me - I need a lot of breaks this season. Certainly didnt start out well with Carp.
Clint - season hinges on Strasburg
GP - Halladay losing velocity and I'm not sure if Josh Johnson's shoulder is appropriately attached. If they stay healthy, he vaults into top 3 because the offense is there.

7. Who was the steal of the draft?
Morales. 25+ hr potential coupled with 100+ rbis at that draft position?

8. Who was the reach of the draft?
Brandon Morrow

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?
Jennings. I need him to be Ellsbury minus the power (although I'll take the power too)

[Grounded Polo]

1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?

My only issue was Dan Hudson or Chris Young. Given how the decent bats seemed so thin in the draft, I should have tried to shop Young harder. I still like keeping Hudson, gives me significant SP depth. I'm also hoping this is the first time I can avoid having one or more of my keepers proving to be a complete non-factor (thanks Alvarez and Morneau last year).

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?

The same as any draft of mine after the first 120 guys are taken, worry less about floor and try to make picks that can win the league. I was happy to avoid paying for saves but managing to get 3 solid ones, it's helpful not to punt saves here since losses are a category too, they can provide sneaky value.

3. The best pick you made

Josh Johnson, saw 5 guys in the first tier of players available, happy he made it to me at 11 but I guess people passed because they don't have the SP depth. If I can get a healthy JJ, my rotation will blow teams away since I have the two best starters and Hudson's no slouch. Brett Myers was a steal too but that was purely luck.

4. The worst pick you made

EDIT - RYAN MADSON

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?

Besides me -

Kaveman: Can't doubt a Pujols, Ellsbury, Pedroia core, even if the starting pitching seems suspect
Fade: Picking up Stanton for a bunch of guys you'd just toss back and Greinke? Sick trade
Aussie: Kemp, Cargo, Miggy, Santana (thanks for sniping him a few yrs ago so I could get Alvarez, fail), that's enough to contend

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?

Wicked: Here until proven otherwise but odds look better this year with healthy Strasburg and a Harper arrival.
Third Day: Should've kept Stanton, needed the top tier talent, don't have any on here.
Smoove: Not high on Hanson/Pineda and apart from Goldy, don't see your bats getting much better than last year.

7. Who was the steal of the draft?

Storen in Rd 13 (Closers immediately dropped off like 2 tiers)
Dunn in Rd 18 (I think he'll bounce back, regret not grabbing him)
Minor in Rd 18 (Big fan of his too, just didn't need pitching)

8. Who was the reach of the draft?

Peralta in Rd 12 (Too early for him, shortstop or not)
Trumbo in Rd 13 (Not a fan of his, don't think he'll do it again)
Pestano in Rd 16 (Pick isn't looking as good as it did then)

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?

Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw, and Josh Johnson, 3 healthy years out of those guys makes winning pitching categories automatic. JJ looks as fantastic as ever in spring training, would be great to have him stay on the field. Bias aside here but the Halladay velocity reports in spring training are meaningless to me, still the best in the business. I need to pull out a victory this year, got blown out in the finals last year, think Kave did the year before and look what happened?

[RedBullVodka]

1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?

Keep the best players. JJ was the hardest to jettison, as as GP has noted, healthy, he is a top pitcher. But keeping him would have meant putting a hitter back, as JJ over Kennedy or Haren doesn't make much sense in terms of injury risk.

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?

Mostly to fill the holes. Hitters with power potential, if possible.I think I mostly hit the hitting side OK, but not really happy with my pitching. Injuries to Wainwright and JJ have really hurt, and my pitching doesn't look anywhere near as strong as two years ago.

3. The best pick you made

Hope it turns out to be Yoenis Cespedes. Think Delmon Young could be decent value.

4. The worst pick you made

Stubbs. Any of Kendrick / Wilson / JJ / Storen would have been better picks, I think.

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?

Fade, GP, Red (I love his pitching when you add in Moore & Darvish, and think his hitting is solid, particularly if Trout plays a lot). Kave will be there or thereabouts too.

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?

Me (really don't like my chances this year), Third & Aussie (but honestly I have no clue).

7. Who was the steal of the draft?

Difficult to say.

8. Who was the reach of the draft?

Jhonny Peralta.

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?

Hanley Ramirez. I need him to start playing like an overall number one pick again to have any chance, plus my pitching to be more solid that I think it is going to be.

[AussieDodger]

Aussie, I hope you didnt mind. The tradition must go on...

How dare you



1. What was your keeper plan, and do you regret jettisoning anyone yet?

Same as every year....BATS + Lincecum = success
Question B = No

2. What was your strategy in the MLB draft, and did you execute it to your satisfaction?

Welp, I was going to build a respectable pitching staff, but my lust for A.Avila and M.Moustakas took over.
So I basically tried to select anyone who is coloured green on my spreadsheet, and avoid anyone red.

3. The best pick you made

Not sure. Alejandro maybe. Perhaps all of them

4. The worst pick you made

Jon Niese

5. Who have you got finishing top 3?

I think I normally pick me, Polo and Fade....so me, Polo and Fade

6. Who have you got finishing bottom 3 (show your working)?

I think Third Day might be in trouble. Fezzik has made himself another DL Voltron. Not sure who else...

7. Who was the steal of the draft?

Anybody who has a full-time job that was taken in the minor league draft. E.g Cepedes, Darvish, etc

8. Who was the reach of the draft?

Martin Prado. What exactly does he do?

9. Who is the biggest key to your success?

I am. If I can avoid being too distracted by my first-ever season of Fantasy Aussie Rules (yes this is a real thing), I back myself to go all the way with LBJ.