Keeper Trade question

[Danny82]

Now, my keeper league is a little complicated, but I'll try to make this as simple as possible. Basically, you can keep certain guys (top tier) in your top six draft slots if you want. If you keep one, you lose your first round pick. If you save five, you lose your first five picks, and so on.

 

I have two third basemen in Atkins and A. Ramirez that, if I kept, would be required to be kept in the top six.

 

Now, we have twenty man rosters and there are certain second tier guys that you can keep in draft slots 18, 19, and 20, depending on whether you keep 1-3 of them.

 

I have been offered Tom Gordon as one of those 18-20 type keepers in exchange for Atkins.

 

I think I should do it. I already have Ramirez (there's no way for me to keep both) who can also play third and it would be nice to have a closer (not top tier, but middle tier) going into the draft as my 18th round pick. My only concern is Gordon's age (near 40).

 

Any thoughts?

[nilodnayr]

Now, my keeper league is a little complicated, but I'll try to make this as simple as possible. Basically, you can keep certain guys (top tier) in your top six draft slots if you want. If you keep one, you lose your first round pick. If you save five, you lose your first five picks, and so on.

 

I have two third basemen in Atkins and A. Ramirez that, if I kept, would be required to be kept in the top six.

 

Now, we have twenty man rosters and there are certain second tier guys that you can keep in draft slots 18, 19, and 20, depending on whether you keep 1-3 of them.

 

I have been offered Tom Gordon as one of those 18-20 type keepers in exchange for Atkins.

 

I think I should do it. I already have Ramirez (there's no way for me to keep both) who can also play third and it would be nice to have a closer (not top tier, but middle tier) going into the draft as my 18th round pick. My only concern is Gordon's age (near 40).

 

Any thoughts?

 

While its a win-win trade, its a much bigger win-win trade for him than you. I would try to snag two quality 18-20 round keepers for one of your thirdbasemen. Gordon is a great deal at that spot though, so try to make it work.

[Danny82]

I agree, but I already have two great 19-20 guys in Huston Street and Ryan Howard...I guess I maybe should have said that part. Basically, I am just trying to fill my last slot from one of my extra 3rd basemen.

[ChiCubsFan]

I agree, but I already have two great 19-20 guys in Huston Street and Ryan Howard...I guess I maybe should have said that part. Basically, I am just trying to fill my last slot from one of my extra 3rd basemen.

 

How in the world is Ryan Howard not a "top tier" player?

[Danny82]

It's a little hard to explain.

 

We draft 35 players.

 

If you DRAFT somebody in the top 20 slots, then you have to keep them as a top 6 guy.

 

If you draft a player in the last 15 slots (what we call "the minors"), then you can keep him down there the next year if you want...you can keep up to six guys in your minors.

 

Then, if you've kept a player in the minors for a year, the following year you can keep him at the end of your top 20--those 18, 19, or 20 slots. Obviously, this is limited to three players.

 

Howard was drafted in the minors two years ago and last year I kept him in the minors. This year, I have to "bring him up", but can still keep him at the end of my top 20.

 

I hope that all makes sense.

 

I've won this league for three years in row and think the real key is acquiring good talent (albeit usually short term) in those 18, 19, and 20 slots because, while everyone else is drafting third tier players there, you have good quality. It's much more of a sacrifice to keep a top six player or a guy in your minors because, to do so, you are giving up on the opportunity of drafting somebody very worthwhile. That doesn't occur so much at those 18-20 slots.

 

That all said, my team is looking pretty stacked again for this year (even though I made an ill-advised trade of Soriano for Harden last year):

 

Top six keepers: Vlad Guerrero, Lance Berkman, Jose Reyes, Aramis Ramirez, Derek Lee and (probably) Ben Sheets. Could also keep Harden, Atkins, Bonderman, Bedard, or Smotlz. I had Verlander, but traded him for Aramis.

 

18, 19, 20: Just Howard and Street for now.

 

Minors: Rocco Baldelli, Jared Weaver, Howie Kendrick, Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin, and Mike Gonzalez.

 

That's kind of why I want Gordon. If I get him, I can pretty much ignore all positions except starting pitching for my first five draft picks or so. And I need a lot of help at SP--Sheets and Weaver won't be enough.

[nilodnayr]

I'm assuming you dont have CIF as a position, because if you did then although you would have the best backup 3B in the league, you could play him at CIF. If you don't then again its a win/win trade, but see if you can get someone a bit better than Gordon. I'm sure a lot of teams would be interested in ARAM or Atkins. Check out this expert mock draft to see if you can pilfer an earlier round player who would qualify for 18-20. Also, you need to consider if the win for the other guy will propel him into vying for the championship with you. If you still think your team has the advantage, then go ahead and do it.

[Danny82]

I'm assuming you dont have CIF as a position, because if you did then although you would have the best backup 3B in the league, you could play him at CIF. If you don't then again its a win/win trade, but see if you can get someone a bit better than Gordon. I'm sure a lot of teams would be interested in ARAM or Atkins. Check out this expert mock draft to see if you can pilfer an earlier round player who would qualify for 18-20. Also, you need to consider if the win for the other guy will propel him into vying for the championship with you. If you still think your team has the advantage, then go ahead and do it.

 

No, we don't have a corner infield slot, but we do have two DH/Utility slots that you can fill with anyone. I already have Howard in one of those slots and I'm not all that excited about filling both spots before the draft. I like to keep at least one of them and grab a hitter late who has slipped through the cracks (that's how I got Atkins last year...with my 17th round pick).

[nilodnayr]

I'm assuming you dont have CIF as a position, because if you did then although you would have the best backup 3B in the league, you could play him at CIF. If you don't then again its a win/win trade, but see if you can get someone a bit better than Gordon. I'm sure a lot of teams would be interested in ARAM or Atkins. Check out this expert mock draft to see if you can pilfer an earlier round player who would qualify for 18-20. Also, you need to consider if the win for the other guy will propel him into vying for the championship with you. If you still think your team has the advantage, then go ahead and do it.

 

No, we don't have a corner infield slot, but we do have two DH/Utility slots that you can fill with anyone. I already have Howard in one of those slots and I'm not all that excited about filling both spots before the draft. I like to keep at least one of them and grab a hitter late who has slipped through the cracks (that's how I got Atkins last year...with my 17th round pick).

 

Who do you have at 1st that Howard goes to DH/Util?

[Danny82]

Derek Lee.

 

Thanks for the link to that mock draft page; it's pretty useful. I had seen sportsline's already, but yours seems a little better.

 

As for trading Atkins to a team in contention, I'm not worried about this team. The guy runs the league, but hasn't finished all that well lately, although he did finish third last year. He lost Liriano, who was responsible for a lot of his team's success last year, and I don't see many other studs on his team. Maybe Brandon Webb, but not much else.

[nilodnayr]

Derek Lee.

 

Thanks for the link to that mock draft page; it's pretty useful. I had seen sportsline's already, but yours seems a little better.

 

As for trading Atkins to a team in contention, I'm not worried about this team. The guy runs the league, but hasn't finished all that well lately, although he did finish third last year. He lost Liriano, who was responsible for a lot of his team's success last year, and I don't see many other studs on his team. Maybe Brandon Webb, but not much else.

 

Thats some solid corner infielders! Frankly, I would send feelers out on ARam and DLee. Some (especially cubs fans) may perceive their value to be significantly higher than Atkins, which IMO is not the case. If you can get someone significantly better than Gordon for Lee or Aram, go for it. I'm not Rotoauthority high on Atkins, but I predict good things. Like I said, Atkins for Gordon isn't bad, but I think you can do a little better.