Wanted: Keeper League Draft Help

by msneezie31 on Jan 8, 2006 3:08 PM EST

I'm a new user and would just like to say that this looks like a wonderful site and i hope to be posting quite a bit in the future. Now, on to the topic........I'm in a 12 team keeper league and the way the league is set up, there is a 10 round FA draft, and a 10 round Amateur Draft. Now, this league has been 4 years in the running, and most of the main minor leaguers are taken. Hermida, Young, Upton etc, are all chosen. Most of the top picks in the 2005 draft have already been selected as well. Now, i dont know what all you need to be of some assistance, but i have signed up for a subscription at Rotoamerica.com. For only $10 a year, i figured it would be of some assistance rather than $60 for Baseball America. My roster right now is Mauer, no 1B, Soriano, Lugo, Rolen, Mora, Crawford, no CF, Ichiro, Carpenter, Schmidt, F. Garcia, Silva, Nathan, Lidge and Baez. The league is set up with RF/CF/LF and there are 3 SP, 3 RP and 3 P positions. I basically depleted my minor league system to acquire pro players and i did go from last to 1st last year. I traded away Dopirak, Hinckley, Rogers, Moses, Wood, Markakis, Howard, Sleeth, Crain, Cain. My minor leaguers now are Lubanski, Everts, Parra, Gardner, Concepcion, Votto, Chick and Hawksworth. Here are the players that have been taken so far in the draft.

Upton
Zimmerman
Pelfrey
Clement
Devine
Chris Young
Gordon
Maybin (my pick)
Braun
Pawalek
Carillo
Lester (my pick)
Romero
Tulowitzki
LaRoche
Bruce (my pick)
Hirsh
Volquez
McCutchen
Volstad (my pick)
Hansen
Carlos Gonzales
Travis Wood
CJ Henry (my pick)
Townsend
Broadway
Soler
Rasmus
Tyler Greene
Mayberry Jr
Eric Hurley (my pick)
Matt Garza
Elbert
Patton
Andrus
Chaz Roe
Ellsbury
Nelson Cruz
Josh Johnson
Aaron Thompson

I have 2 picks every round, in the 8th and 12th slot. Here are the players i have on my list to look at. I was wondering if i could get maybe a top 5 from this list, or just state what i need to improve on in my minor league system.

Collin Balester, Eric Patterson, Stephen Head, Jeff Bianchi, Andre Ethier, Ricky Nolasco, Ray Liotta, Adam Lind, Matt Kemp, James Barthmaier, Shane Lindsay, Eddy Martinez-Esteve, Yovani Gallardo, Yuniel Escobar, Chuck James, Nolan Reimold, Marcus Sanders, Anthony Lerew, Garret Olson, Michael Bowden, Bradon Snyder, Kelly Shoppach, Eric Campbell, John Drennen. Crowe, Pennington, Bogusevic, Marceaux are the only 2005 1st rounders not selected yet. Also, are there any names im leaving off or any sleeper picks to be aware of? I know this is a large post, but i figured i'd be descriptive rather than leaving you guys with nothing. All the help would be appreciated.

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Well

The players that I favour are, in a roiugh order of preference:

Eddy Martinez-Esteve, OF SF - great hitter - poor field
Yuniel Escobar, SS ATL
Eric Campbell, 3B Atl
Matt Kemp, OF LAD - may get a viewing late in o6
Nolan Reimold, OF Bal
Marcus Sanders, 2B SF
Kelly Shoppach, C BOS
Ricky Nolasco, SP FLA
Chuck James, SP ATL - may be in rotation in 06
Anthony Lerew, SP ATL - ditto

You will note that I placed the pitchers at the bottom of the list. All 3 may arrive in MLB this year and almost certainly next year but they are, for the most part, probably #3- and #4 rotation SPs and carry all the usual caveates about pitching prospects.

by prhood on Jan 8, 2006 3:23 PM EST reply actions

Well

You need a CF and 1B: So:

CF: Matt Kemp is the preferred. THen Drennen and Crowe are decent for that. Also, i'm not sure that Nolan Reimold is a CF, but he plays the OF and he's great.

1B: Adam Lind is definiteley the way to go over here.

You also need to get better with your SP. Don't take Lindsey, he tore his labrum or something. Garret Olson, James Barthmaier are the top pitchers left (and Marceaux is nice too)

You also need to get younger with your lineup: You could use Marcus Sanders.

And lastly, drop some of those minor leaguers. Blake Hawksworth, Joey Votto maybe, Concepcion and Richie Gardner.

P.S. I don't know who you got in those trades, but damn. Cain, Ryan Howard and Markakis?

by ohad @ Minor League Ball on Jan 8, 2006 3:26 PM EST reply actions

yeah

i think nearly all of the guys you're looking at are better than all of the minor leaguers you presently have except for everts and parra, so don't hesitate to jettison some of those guys in favor of fresh blood.

by wily mo on Jan 8, 2006 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

well

There's no limit on minor leaguers in my league. You dont have to add them to your 25 man roster until they hit 130 ABs, 25 games pitched or 50 IP, so you can stockpile players there until the time comes where you have to decide to keep them or not.

by msneezie31 on Jan 8, 2006 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

haha

ok, even better. get busy.

that "carlos lee for every 8th pick" deal is fantastic.

by wily mo on Jan 8, 2006 3:47 PM EST up reply actions

no limit on minor leaguers?

I suggest you get busy trading one of your MLB players (Soriano, Rolen) and get better around there. Try to trade Rolen for packages of young players (like Kevin Youkilis and Dan Johnson at first), pick up some free agents. You don't have any minor leaguers to help immediately..

by ohad @ Minor League Ball on Jan 8, 2006 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

out of the guys you list

i think i'd be looking at them in something like this:

top tier:

sanders
chuck james
brandon snyder
matt kemp
lerew
lind
martinez-esteve

next tier:

reimold
campbell
barthmaier
ethier
head
bianchi
liotta

i'm making some attempt to put them in order within the tiers but by and large it's close enough that that's a question of taste.

pretty much everybody you list is worth looking at though. well, last i heard shane lindsay tore his labrum.

by wily mo on Jan 8, 2006 3:27 PM EST reply actions

Thanks

Thanks for all the information so far, its greatly appreciated. And to state who i acquired for those players. Chris Carpenter, Jason Schmidt, Carl Crawford is basically who i got for all those guys i named. I just traded Carlos Lee for the 8th pick in every round of the draft basically because the guy didnt want to research all the information needed. Granted, ive done my research and i trust Baseball America, but they just started on American League and dont really give you much besides who is the best at everything, you have to stat search yourself.

by msneezie31 on Jan 8, 2006 3:31 PM EST reply actions

Sleeper picks that might be overlooked

Mike Jacobs is still considered a minor leaguer in many fantasy leagues. I actually am protecting him on my minor league roster and basically getting an extra major league player. If he is available late - he may be worth a look as he will get a chance to prove himself in Florida.

Also - you did not specify which Broadway was taken however if it was not Larry Broadway of the Nationals - he is another sleeper. He has fallen on a lot of lists due to injuries but has had some promising moments in winter ball and could have a breakout next year.

I also do not see Kottaras (C) on that list and think he would be worth a pick as well.

I really like Nolasco, Lerew and James from a pitcher standpoint.

by slickwdb on Jan 8, 2006 4:12 PM EST reply actions

A big'en

How about Johjima for M's? He should qualify for the minors as he has less than 130 AB's. He'll give you an immediate impact at a thin position.

"Second guessers are guys that could have never gotten it right the first time." - Tommy Lasorda (for guys that have no other defense for their actions.)

by slurve on Jan 8, 2006 4:53 PM EST reply actions