In September  and again in November I asked your advice about who to cut to get from 40 to 25 players and then to 15 in late-March in a 12-owner A.L.-only roto league, with standard 23-man roster and a 17-man reserve, $260 and 4 x 4 categories (HR, RBI, BA, SB, ERA, Whip, S, W) .  Thanks for all the helpful input. Here's who I kept:

Adam Lind $8 - I can keep him at this price the next two years (obtained in trade this year)

Shin Soo-Choo $10 — I can keep him at this price the next two years (obtained in trade this year)

Julio Borbon $5 — I can keep him at this price the next two years (bought at auction)

Kendry Morales $6 — I can keep him at this price the next two years (obtained in trade before this year)

Matt Weiters  $11 —  I can keep him at this price the next two years ((obtained in trade last year)

Marco Scutaro $6 — I can keep him at this price the next two years (bought at auction)

Elvis Andrus $5 — last year of contract next year (bought at auction)

Mike Aviles $2 — last year of contract next year; health concerns but low price

Justin Smoak $3/$8 — depends on if I keep him for one year more or two

Desmond Jennings free — no cost to keep on reserve; $4 in year two

Jesus Montero free — no cost to keep on reserve; $2 in year two

Tyler Flowers - no cost to keep on reserve; $2 in year two

Austin Jackson - - no cost to keep on reserve; $1 in year two

Josh Reddick - - no cost to keep on reserve; $7 in year two; thought he could be part of trade for Gonzalez

Daric Barton - $2 — I don't love him but may have trade value in league if named starter

 

Zack Greinke $10 - will be in last year of two-year contract (obtained in trade last year)

David Aardsma $1 - I can keep him at this price the next two years (obtained in trade this year)

Max Scherzer $2 - Got him because  Ian Kennedy traded to the N.L.; can keep at price two years

Phil Hughes $3 — I can keep him at this price the next two years (auction)

Brian Matusz $1 - I can keep him at this price the next two years

Phil Hughes $3 - I can keep him at this price the next two years

Chris Tillman $1 - I can keep him at this price the next two years

Derek Holland $2

Hector Rondon - no cost to keep on reserve; $2 in year two

Brian Duensing - $4 — I don't love him but may have trade value in our league

Aroldis Chapman - $2 — Must be dropped because signed in N.L.

Key Cuts so far: Trevor Cahill, Kam Mickolio, Michael Saunders, Adam Moore, Hank Conger, Brett Gardner and Danny Valencia 

Now I'm looking to swing a trade or two as I plan to cut down to 15 and it appears I might be able to do the following two trades :

(1) Scutaro and Jackson for Brett Anderson, who I would be able to sign for two years at $6 - this trade would be to a rival and I might have to toss in a pitching prospect as well. The trading partner lacks offensive depth. I think if he trades Anderson his starting pitching would be very iffy but I'm not complaining ;)

(2) Smoak for Aaron Hill, who I could keep for this season only at $12. Again, I might have to include a pitching prospect; I've been asked for Matusz, which of course I wouldn't do, I asked about Smoak alone and would likely include Tillman to cement a deal. The trading partner has a weak keeper list and is building for the future.

From my perspective, the two trades are related. The two trading partners may seek the same pitching prospects. And I'd like to have two middle infielder on my final keeper list and plan to keep Andrus; There is enough talent there in the auction to get one middle infielder with the pricey prize being Ian Kinsler, who I love being moved down to 5h in the order (and 4th if Hamilton or Guerrero get hurt)

If I make the trades, I would have 14 definite keepers and a 15th with an inside tracks.

Keepers: Lind, Choo, Borbon, Morales, Hill, Andrus, Wieters, Jennings, Montero, Aardsma, Greinke, Anderson, Scherzer, Matusz.

Inside track: Hughes if he wins the 5th starting position with the Yankees, which I should know by late-March.

Here's why I like the trade:

(1) My goal is to win this year and next and with Greinke gone after this year, Anderson could be at the top of my rotation next year and provides a strong base along with Scherzer, Matusz and possibly Highes.

(2) While I love Smoak and got him in a free agent auction the month BEFORE he was drafted by the Rangers, he is entering his third year of his contract, which means I can keep him for free on reserve for only this season and then let him go or long-term him for $8 a year this year and next or $13 for this year and the next two. While I'm confident he will be a full-timer next year, his arrival this year is much more uncertain: He has to wait for Davis to resume his struggles or for Vlad to get hurt while DHing. While either of the two are quite possible, It's also possible he doesn't get called up until late this year, which does me little good for this year.

(3) If I keep Jennings and Montero and my other planned keepers, I have no room for Smoak. Jennings and Montero are entering their second years, which means I don't have to decide on long-terming them until the next off-season, by which time Jennings will have been a starter and Montero will likely have shown if he's ready to take over as a catcher/first baseman/DH (Yanks would let Nick Johnson go)

What do you think of the proposed trades? What do you think of my proposed keepers? What other suggestions do you have?