Thursday, March 23, 2006
Fantasy Baseball
Zachary Schomburg posted a team self-analysis for the fantasy baseball league we're both in, and I feel like doing one too. If you don't care about fantasy baseball (or at least baseball in general), skip this.
C-Victor Martinez, Cleveland
Because this is a very deep 20-team league, I decided to go with a "positional scarcity" approach and draft good players at positions where there weren't many good players. This helps at catcher, where Martinez is easily the best at the position, but it didn't help my outfield or starting pitching.
1B-Albert Pujols, St. Louis
I had the second overall pick. With ARod gone, this was an easy choice. Good thing too, since my draft window crashed when I was trying to make it.
2B-Ryan Freel, Cincinnati
If he stays healthy, he covers my stolen bases. A good pick where I made it, especially considering I didn't have any other great speed guys.
3B-Eric Chavez, Oakland
Probably a bit of a reach where I took him, but if he ever gets over his slow starts, he'll be season-long excellent.
SS-Clint Barmes, Colorado
If you can grab a full-time Rockies batter in the mid-to-late rounds, especially a relatively proven one like Barmes, it's great.
Utility Infielder-Prince Fielder, Milwaukee
I generally don't like to take prospects, but Fielder is a cut above most prospects in terms of mashing taters.
OF-Matt Holliday, Colorado; Curtis Granderson, Detroit; Mike Cameron, San Diego; Rondell White, Minnesota
See, I waited waaaay too long to draft outfielders. Holliday is solid going on the Rockies rule mentioned above. Granderson is a top prospect having a good spring after flashing potential last year--he could be a 20/20 guy. Cameron is a 20/20 guy, as long as you can take the low average (his OBP isn't quite so awful, which is good since OBP and not average counts in this league) and the strikeouts (which also don't count in this league). You know what you get with White: a solid batting average and homers in the teens, with at least two trips to the disabled list. His fantasy nickname isn't "RonDL" for nothing.
Utility/Bench-Conor Jackson, Arizona; Casey Kotchman, Anaheim
I drafted way too many first baseman. I'll cut or trade one for an outfielder soon enough.
Starting Pitchers-Randy Johnson, New York; Dan Haren, Oakland; Matt Morris, San Francisco; Jae Seo, Los Angeles; Brad Penny, Los Angeles; Justin Verlander, Detroit
This is a very hit-or-miss staff. Is Johnson too old? Will this be Haren's breakout year? Will Morris get hurt? Was Seo just a half-season fluke? Will Penny ever have a breakout year? Verlander is theoretically a good prospect, but I'm not expecting much from him.
Relievers-Brad Lidge, Houston; Ambiorix Burgos, Kansas City; Scott Eyre, Chicago Cubs
In a 20-team league, you need at least one top closer to keep you afloat in saves. Since this league counts holds, a solid setup guy like Eyre is a good idea too. Burgos is a waiver wire pickup for previous KC closer Mike MacDougal, who's out at least six weeks with some shoulder injury. Burgos also helps me meet my quota for guys with cool names.
C-Victor Martinez, Cleveland
Because this is a very deep 20-team league, I decided to go with a "positional scarcity" approach and draft good players at positions where there weren't many good players. This helps at catcher, where Martinez is easily the best at the position, but it didn't help my outfield or starting pitching.
1B-Albert Pujols, St. Louis
I had the second overall pick. With ARod gone, this was an easy choice. Good thing too, since my draft window crashed when I was trying to make it.
2B-Ryan Freel, Cincinnati
If he stays healthy, he covers my stolen bases. A good pick where I made it, especially considering I didn't have any other great speed guys.
3B-Eric Chavez, Oakland
Probably a bit of a reach where I took him, but if he ever gets over his slow starts, he'll be season-long excellent.
SS-Clint Barmes, Colorado
If you can grab a full-time Rockies batter in the mid-to-late rounds, especially a relatively proven one like Barmes, it's great.
Utility Infielder-Prince Fielder, Milwaukee
I generally don't like to take prospects, but Fielder is a cut above most prospects in terms of mashing taters.
OF-Matt Holliday, Colorado; Curtis Granderson, Detroit; Mike Cameron, San Diego; Rondell White, Minnesota
See, I waited waaaay too long to draft outfielders. Holliday is solid going on the Rockies rule mentioned above. Granderson is a top prospect having a good spring after flashing potential last year--he could be a 20/20 guy. Cameron is a 20/20 guy, as long as you can take the low average (his OBP isn't quite so awful, which is good since OBP and not average counts in this league) and the strikeouts (which also don't count in this league). You know what you get with White: a solid batting average and homers in the teens, with at least two trips to the disabled list. His fantasy nickname isn't "RonDL" for nothing.
Utility/Bench-Conor Jackson, Arizona; Casey Kotchman, Anaheim
I drafted way too many first baseman. I'll cut or trade one for an outfielder soon enough.
Starting Pitchers-Randy Johnson, New York; Dan Haren, Oakland; Matt Morris, San Francisco; Jae Seo, Los Angeles; Brad Penny, Los Angeles; Justin Verlander, Detroit
This is a very hit-or-miss staff. Is Johnson too old? Will this be Haren's breakout year? Will Morris get hurt? Was Seo just a half-season fluke? Will Penny ever have a breakout year? Verlander is theoretically a good prospect, but I'm not expecting much from him.
Relievers-Brad Lidge, Houston; Ambiorix Burgos, Kansas City; Scott Eyre, Chicago Cubs
In a 20-team league, you need at least one top closer to keep you afloat in saves. Since this league counts holds, a solid setup guy like Eyre is a good idea too. Burgos is a waiver wire pickup for previous KC closer Mike MacDougal, who's out at least six weeks with some shoulder injury. Burgos also helps me meet my quota for guys with cool names.
Comments:
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1.) You did not wait too long to draft outfielders. Of all the offensive positions, OF is the most populous; thus, it's the easiest to fill with waiver-wire magic. And we all know you're the king of the waiver-wire.
2.) On the other hand, you've got the best-hitting one-bag in baseball (Pujols) and, arguably, the best one-bag prospect in baseball (The Freshest Prince). Well done. It's tough to get a good 1B.
3.) Your pitching is a little thin, though you've got Lidge; were you drafting in a particularly large league? More than 10-12 teams? Because I would've liked to have seen another good, good SP in there.
4.) I like your Freel pick. He could really be a heck of a fantasy player, if he ever sees minutes.
5.) Watch Holliday and Barmes when they're away from home; Rockies are, historically, awesome at home and ass on the road. Try to find a back-up OF and a back-up 2B or SS (if I'm not mistaken, Barmes should retain his dual-position eligibility in Yahoo!).
6.) I know way too much about fantasy beisboro.
7.) Victor had a pretty horrendous first half last year, didn't he? Between Vic and Chavez, you might have some problems early on. Be patient: when those two come back, they come back hard. Don't waive either one for any reason (other than season-ending surgery or something). I picked up Chavez off of waivers last year, and then packaged him at the 2/3 point with someone else to get Bobby Abreu. Chavez gets that hot. He's incredible trade-bait at times.
8.) Go scour around the prospect info-sites for OF talent, and watch for the ones you like. That's your team's biggest weakness, and it's the most easily corrected.
Tired...
[thud]
2.) On the other hand, you've got the best-hitting one-bag in baseball (Pujols) and, arguably, the best one-bag prospect in baseball (The Freshest Prince). Well done. It's tough to get a good 1B.
3.) Your pitching is a little thin, though you've got Lidge; were you drafting in a particularly large league? More than 10-12 teams? Because I would've liked to have seen another good, good SP in there.
4.) I like your Freel pick. He could really be a heck of a fantasy player, if he ever sees minutes.
5.) Watch Holliday and Barmes when they're away from home; Rockies are, historically, awesome at home and ass on the road. Try to find a back-up OF and a back-up 2B or SS (if I'm not mistaken, Barmes should retain his dual-position eligibility in Yahoo!).
6.) I know way too much about fantasy beisboro.
7.) Victor had a pretty horrendous first half last year, didn't he? Between Vic and Chavez, you might have some problems early on. Be patient: when those two come back, they come back hard. Don't waive either one for any reason (other than season-ending surgery or something). I picked up Chavez off of waivers last year, and then packaged him at the 2/3 point with someone else to get Bobby Abreu. Chavez gets that hot. He's incredible trade-bait at times.
8.) Go scour around the prospect info-sites for OF talent, and watch for the ones you like. That's your team's biggest weakness, and it's the most easily corrected.
Tired...
[thud]
What's your scoring system? That has a major impact on how good your outfield is. I'm in a 20-teamer this year also, but it's one where the scoring system is carefully constructed not to overreward SLG and Wins, the way most systems do.
Love the Pujols pick. I can't bring myself to root for Me-Rod, so I'd put Pujols first. Love the Martinez pick. I think Mike Cameron and Jae Seo will give you more than you expect; I hated to see them leave my Mets.
But, suspecting your scoring system rewards slightly more than pitching, I'd move Johnson for a top outfielder if you can. The Yankees are one steroid bust from an 86-win season. RJ can't carry them anymore, and he'll be asked to, and he'll fold. But that's a Met fan talking.
For comparison, my starters are is Zaun, Swisher (eligible for 1B), Lowell (eligible for 2B), Randa, Reyes, Podsendik, Wilson, Abreu. WE go 4SP, 4RP: Burnett, Rogers, Wells, Lidle (that's MY weaks spot) and Wagner, Gagne, Izzy, Benitez (a regular-season cornucopia of saves).
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Love the Pujols pick. I can't bring myself to root for Me-Rod, so I'd put Pujols first. Love the Martinez pick. I think Mike Cameron and Jae Seo will give you more than you expect; I hated to see them leave my Mets.
But, suspecting your scoring system rewards slightly more than pitching, I'd move Johnson for a top outfielder if you can. The Yankees are one steroid bust from an 86-win season. RJ can't carry them anymore, and he'll be asked to, and he'll fold. But that's a Met fan talking.
For comparison, my starters are is Zaun, Swisher (eligible for 1B), Lowell (eligible for 2B), Randa, Reyes, Podsendik, Wilson, Abreu. WE go 4SP, 4RP: Burnett, Rogers, Wells, Lidle (that's MY weaks spot) and Wagner, Gagne, Izzy, Benitez (a regular-season cornucopia of saves).
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