Fantasy Advice Needed - Part 2 of 2

by rmarx on Apr 25, 2011 10:33 AM EDT

Hey Everybody. I'm looking for a little advice on 2 topics, which I'll break up into a Part 1 and Part 2. I have what I believe is a pretty good team (though I'm currently in 11th place out of 12) this year, but we're using a format that we've never used before (Head-to-Head) so I'm still figuring things out. For some background: We've been in a dynasty league for 8 years, but this year we blew up our teams and started from scratch, switching to a H2H format. I haven't been told if it's going to be a dynasty or keeper or year-to-year league, which made it really hard to draft and is making it even harder to save roster spots for minor leaguers. It is a 12-team H2H mixed league where almost every stat counts, as follows:

Batting: R, H, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, SB, BB, K, AVG, OBP, SLG

Pitching: W, L, CG, SHO, SV, HR, K, HLD, ERA, WHIP, BSV

Here is my current team:

C Kurt Suzuki (Oak - C)
1B Miguel Cabrera(Det - 1B)
2B Chone Figgins(Sea - 2B,3B)
3B Alex Rodriguez(NYY - 3B)
SS Stephen Drew(Ari - SS)
CI Justin Morneau(Min - 1B)
MI Jed Lowrie(Bos - 2B,SS)
LF Brett Gardner(NYY - LF,CF)
CF Alex Rios(CWS - CF)
RF Jose Bautista(Tor - 3B,RF)
OF Adam Jones(Bal - CF)
Util Cameron Maybin(SD - CF)
Util Grady Sizemore(Cle - CF)
BN Eric Young(Col - 2B,LF)
BN Mike Trout(LAA - CF)
BN Eric Hosmer(KC - 1B)
DL Chase Utley(Phi - 2B)
DL Corey Hart(Mil - RF)

SP Josh Johnson(Fla - SP)
SP John Danks(CWS - SP)
SP Carl Pavano(Min - SP)
SP Carlos Zambrano(ChC - SP,RP)
SP Aaron Crow(KC - SP,RP)
RP Chris Perez(Cle - RP)
RP Bobby Jenks(Bos - RP)
RP Matt Thornton(CWS - RP)
P Jake McGee(TB - RP)
P Kerry Wood(ChC - RP)
BN Ervin Santana(LAA - SP)
BN Matt Harrison(Tex - SP,RP)
BN Bud Norris(Hou - SP)
BN Tim Collins(KC - RP)
DL Adam Wainwright(StL - SP)
DL Stephen Strasburg(Was - SP)

Anyway, I've been offered the following trade:
I give up: Josh Johnson (my one great SP not on the DL)
I get: Rickie Weeks, Desmond Jennings, Chris Sale

I am not going to accept the trade as-is (mostly because I like to get the best player involved in any trade, and I really don't like giving up the best player AND having to drop 2 others). The person who made the offer also has the following players, who I would be interested in: Miguel Montero, HanRam (I won't be able to get him), Mike Stanton, Colby Rasmus, Lincecum (unlikely), Kershaw (unlikely)

I'm not sure what counter-offer to make, or if I should just say "no" and move on. My SP isn't all that great (it's pretty bad) and JJ is really a game-changer. I doubt if I'd be able to swap JJ out with any of my other SPs.

So, please let me know what you think of my team and also what you would do with this offer in my situation. Thanks a lot everybody!

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Comments

I would keep JJ

Unless you get a number 1 back (Kershaw or Lincecum) in your counteroffer. Your SP is just not deep enough (this year) to part ways with JJ……….So maybe a JJ and ?? for Kershaw and Stanton/ Rasmus. Depend on what you are looking for.

by GO LIONS on Apr 25, 2011 11:12 AM EDT reply actions

You need to find out if it's a keeper or not

If it’s a keeper you might want to consider rebuilding in which case you might want to trade JJ. If you could get Weeks and Stanton for JJ and Adam Jones or Maybin or even Sizemore you’d have a good trade.

I think Stanton and Weeks are better to keep than JJ and any of those 3 OFs. You never know what will happen with JJ’s arm and I think Stanton’s power is a must have in keepers, although the Ks may really hurt his value in this league. I wouldn’t put my faith Figgins or Utley holding down 2B for you next year and into the future.

If it’s not a keeper league then hold onto JJ and hope for a miracle turnaround. If you can make the playoffs in h2h anything is possible.

Jeremy Miedzinski
www.faketeams.com

@jrmiedzinski

by Jeremy Miedzinski on Apr 26, 2011 2:51 AM EDT reply actions

yeah, I'm just hoping for the playoffs.

I actually think I have a good team for a 12-team league, but maybe I just don’t know anything about baseball (probably true). I’ve found out that it is a keeper league, and we can keep somewhere between 6 and 10 players. We’re negotiating to figure out exactly how many we can keep.

by rmarx on Apr 26, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Stanton

His Ks really scare me. I see him as a lesser Ryan Howard in a different spot on the field.

by rmarx on Apr 26, 2011 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

some H2H ideas

I wouldn’t do that trade either. As CG/SHO are a key part of stats and Johnson is likely to get several, You could win a week when he gets one even if every other stat is avg. You do have a good team and should be better than 11th soon. Personally, I quit H2H as it is too easy to dominate by streaming. In a 12 team league with 30 man roster, the free agent list is loaded with help for you. You could not only stream SPs but hitters as well. This is especially important when one of your players has an off day such as Monday and Thursday. Who to drop is always important. What works is to have 4-6 roster slots that are streamable as needed. Keeping rookies who won’t be up until June doesn’t seem like a winning formula unless you are in a dynasty/keeper league. In a 12 team league the dropped player is often available when off waivers unless there are several streamers in your league. To me the future is now unless you are content to finish in lower half of league. You didn’t say, so I assume there are no innings/games limits. Be prepared for criticism from lazy/jealous opponents when streaming works for you. However, streaming is allowed so do it to win. Other obvious tips are look for platoons, streak hitters, and lefty/righty matchups. Good luck

by Bama Len on Apr 26, 2011 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

thanks!

thanks for the advice, both above and below. I did learn that we will be keeping between 6 and 10 players, but we’re negotiating exactly how many. If it’s only 6 keepers, but holding onto any of my minor leaguers likely isn’t worthwhile.

by rmarx on Apr 26, 2011 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions

RPs

There is a pitching based strategy that emphasizes use of lots of RPs who typically are readily available as free agents. I look for RPs with good ratios, high K/9, have potential to vulture Ws/SAVs, are in line to be future CL, and whose job assignment is 7th, 8th or long relief. I try to fill every pitching slot every day with RPs. Then, I stream RPs on off days (M and TH) for hitters playing that day. Also, I look at probable SPs for next day or even a few days out for spot start opportunities. Poor teams such as the Nats, Pirates, Indians, and Mariners have several RPs who fit the bill. As a poor MLB team usually has weak SPs, then RPs for those teams often get a lot of work. I know, sounds cuco, but its the stats that count. RPs can help by giving you more quality IPs and by streaming them (with replacement for Tues and Fri) you get more ABs and IPs from spot starters.

by Bama Len on Apr 26, 2011 5:08 PM EDT reply actions