Who would you keep?

[jyoung55]

Ok I need some help on a tough call on my keepers. It is a 20 team league so talent is spread thin. I inherited the team last year and took it from 14th out of 20 to 4th. Unfortunately, that means I am at the bottom of the draft.

 

I've got some nice bats but not too many arms. I can keep 10, who would you keep?

 

C, 3B - Russell Martin

1B - Conor Jackson

2b - Chase Utley

SS - Yunel Escobar, Jeff Keppinger, Nick Punto

3B - Brandon Wood

OF - Manny, Torii Hunter, Raul Ibanez, Chris Young

 

SP - Ervin Santana, Max Scherzer, Jair Jurrgens, Hiroki Kuroda, Ubaldo Jimenez

RP - Frank Francisco, LaTroy Hawkins, Fernando Rodney, Arthur Rhodes, George Sherill

 

The absolute locks are Manny, Chase, Martin, and Santana.

 

After that I was thinking of keeping Conor Jackson (1b is so thin outside of people already kept), Escobar (ditto on SS), Hunter, Ibanez (Mr. Consistent going to a better hitters park) and Chris Young (hoping he hits his 30/30 upside).

 

But that only leaves me one pitcher and I'd go with Mad Max. But I like my 3 other starters and am not sure if they are keeper quality. And Frank Fancisco is also interesting, plus I'll need saves.

 

Would any of you do anything different with that roster?

[nilodnayr]

Wow, 20 teams, 10 keepers...that sure makes for an interesting (or uninteresting) draft....

I assume 5x5 with normal stats roto. How many positions per team?

 

Yes, Manny, Martin, Utley, and Santana are obvious.

 

For 1B, there actually might be some pretty decent players outside of the top 200. Butler, Konerko, LaRoche, Giambi, Garko are all guys I wouldn't mind on my team even in a 12 team league. Jackson would be one of the worst 1B kept for reference. Thats something to take into consideration.

 

Same thing with Escobar, hes around 200 with guys like Theriot, Cabrera, Guzman, Bartlett around him.

 

I'm not a big fan of Wood in real life, but if hes SS eligible and gets playing time, he might not be a terrible investment. Then again, you could probably pick him up in the draft at least a few rounds in.

 

I'd keep all of your OF, Tori, Ibanez, and Chris Young are all solidly low 100s level players.

 

So thats 7.

 

I love Scherzer, hes a for sure keeper, thats 8.

 

If you need saves, Sherrill ha the closers job locked down in Balt, correct? I'd say theres more risk with Francisco considering the Rangers have relied more on Wilson and Benoit as closers the last couple of years (despite not being great), so if he falters they've got two other guys that have experience. Of course, as soon as Chris Ray is healthy, the same can be said about Sherrill. Both are probably very bottom closers. Tough call.

 

Jurrgens has decent upside, Kuroda is serviceable, but both could be had in your draft if you don't keep them.

 

I think I'd probably take Jackson and Escobar over any of the other pitchers. Neither reliever is going to be a sure thing on saves so unless you have holds, they'll be fairly useless. Either that or I would try to make some 1 for 2 or 3 trades to bring back quality players. Escobar and Kuroda wouldn't be a bad last 2 either.

[jyoung55]

It does make for a lot of continuity on teams with our number of keepers. I'm glad to see I'm not crazy for keeping 4 OF. SS is very scarce in our league and I think last year all of the serviceable ones, even those you listed were kept. And with Yunel's upside, I think I have to keep him. (I actually picked him up on waivers in the playoffs because the guy who had him needed to drop him to pick up another position that he had an injury in so you can see the rags I was dealing with throughout the season).

 

I may wait to see who's kept and if some of the 1B you listed are kept, I could especially handle LaRoche, I'll keep Conor. If not, I may keep Jair, because like you said his upside is pretty good.

 

And your analysis on my two closer options was exactly my concerns with them. If there aren't any options after seeing all the keepers, I may have to keep one of them over Conor though. Thanks.

[CubbieBum]

Well you can either take more pitchers and be medicore at both hitting and pitching or keep your best players and have dominant hitting. I go the latter. You can win a lot with your hitting and while you will be weak at pitching just keep your eye out early for the breakout guys.

[jyoung55]

Does Max's shoulder or Ervin's elbow change any of this? My keepers are due today and I'm stumped. Partly because last year I had Hudson, Smoltz, and Kelvim Escobar (our keepers were due earlier last year) and we can see how that worked out. With the injury concerns I'm thinking about finding a way to keep Jair Jurrgens.

 

There are a lot of quality OFers being dropped and not many 1b and no SS. So I think I have to keep Conor and Yunel now, although I was leaning that way. But I'm unsure if I still keep all 4 of the OF, but don't know who I'd drop, Chris Young had the worst season but he's the only one not past his prime. Any input would be appreciated.