The poll on the side is overwhelmingly in favor of a report on the trades I make along with the rationale for making them. I'll do my best to accomodate.
In the comments section of this post, one of my leaguemates alludes to a trade I had recently made. ( He also criticizes my negotiating skills and valuation system. Imagine what my enemies could do!)
In an 12-team, AL-only 4x4 $260 keeper league with a two-round minor league draft which allows 14 protects and five minor league ones (10 years and going), I dealt a $24 P Curt Schilling for a $34 SS Michael Young and a $22 3B/OF Aubrey Huff. All the players finished the first of their three-year contracts. With Schilling stating he will retire after this season, his is effectively a final year contract. In 2008, the players I obtained will automatically be more valuable. That is one reason for doing the trade.
The next reason is the inflation in this league is sky-high. I've done back-of-the envelope calculations that place it in the 30% range. If I deflated both hitters by 30%, then I have values of $26 for Young and $17 for Huff. Schilling deflates to $18. Examining those prices, I determined that the hitters would still go for more than those prices as would Schilling.
Looking at the two hitters, I do not see any reason that Michael Young's performance will change significantly, and those 690 ABs of .300+ AVG are valuable to the AB-weighted AVG category. Only Ichiro offers that type of consistent production.
Huff just signed a $20MM contract with the Orioles to be the everyday 5th-hole hitter. As such, I'd expect an 90+ RBI season with 20+ HRs. In mixed leagues, 20/90 isn't worth much more than a late round pick, but, in a 12-team AL-only 4x4 keeper league, that is a $20+ draftee. Even if he is the last available everyday hitter, there are typically two or three teams sitting on too much money and not enough talent to spend it on. That is a recipe for a $25+ Aubrey Huff.
I have no concerns whatsoever that Schilling is a $24 pitcher in this league. As a matter of fact, he is likely a $30 one. I only got him at $24 because he was coming off an injury-plagued 2005 campaign. What did concern me was his 3.97 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. At his age, I do not expect too much of an improvement, and I'd rather spend on hitting than starting pitching not named Johann Santana.
That was my rationale for the trade. With about two-and-a-half months until my keeper list needs to be submitted, I feel comfortable with the deal and know there will be future trades to be amde as a result of these acquisitions.