Quick Fantasy Baseball Advice

The Game Room
1

I’m in a standard 5x5 league and it was an autodraft. I had to do a huge makeover with my pitching staff and it’s been a massive success. Because of that, I’ve got a lot of pitching to sell off to bolster and upgrade my positional players, and then go back and reload on free agent pitching, because there’s plenty available. It appears the rest of the league has been asleep.

Anywhoot, I’ve got Posada, Votto, Utley, David Wright, Jeter, Maybin, Hamilton, Carlos Lee (I picked him up after someone jettisoned him), Reyes, Carlos Pena, and Abreu.

For pitching, I’ve got Santana, Brett Anderson, Fransisco Rodriguez, Ryan Franklin, Kevin Correia, Liriano, Garza, Gregg, Happ, Matt Cain, David Price, Mike Pelfrey, and Chris Young (currently occupying my DL).

I fired a trade at someone and he countered with Matt Kemp, Johnny Damon, Edgar Renteria, and Phil Hughes for Pena, Abreu, Anderson, Correia, and Price. I feel that I’m giving up a little too much in the pitching. Am I too high on Price and Anderson?

And yes, Renteria gets booted off the team. To make the trade, my opponent is getting rid of Aramis Ramirez, who I think I’ll be picking up if the waiver wire permits.

2

I don’t think you’re too high on Anderson, but you probably are on Price. This trade is basically Kemp/Hughes for Pena/Abreu/Anderson. Hughes and Anderson are about equal in value, so it boils down to Kemp for Pena/Abreu. That’s the kind of 2-for-1 that you want to seek out, and you’re giving up very little on your end, especially in standard 5x5 (Pena’s power value is displaced quite a bit by his AVG, and Abreu could break down at any time).

Even if Price goes 12/190/3.30/1.25, you’re coming out way ahead.

3

In leagues where Carlos Lee level players are the waiver wire, I’d focus on getting stars. I’d make that trade for Kemp. There is nothing you are losing that can’t be mostly replaced by free agents.

4

I would pull the trigger. But why bother with him giving up Renteria and then dropping Aramis Ramirez? Why not give you Aramis Ramirez and drop Renteria?

I love Brett Anderson, but Price not so much. Can you unload Pelfrey? He’s a great sell-high candidate. I think he’ll settle into an FIP of about 4 eventually.

5

Yeah - do some more 2-for-1 trades with pitching. You have a bunch of guys that are either a) pitching way above their talent level or b) did at the end of last year. Sell high on Pelfrey, make a sales pitch on Happ’s numbers last year and that he plays for the best team in the NL so he’s sure to get wins, and throw in Chris Young (I’m not a fan). I think the rest of your SPs are the real deal, and if you can pair them with just one more top 20 player you’re all set.

Santana, Hughes, Liriano, Garza, Cain - and whoever else gets dropped for one reason or another. Add one more excellent arm, and you can start spot-starting Garza and Cain on occasion.

6

Yeah, getting Hughes back in the trade is pivotal. I go pitching crazy in fantasy baseball and running back crazy in fantasy football. I have some fast starters for pitching and I’ve got no qualms about flipping them for some kind of fair value. Matt Garza and Pelfrey are next on my list to trade.

I have another trade I can swing for Miguel Cabrera or Tim Lincecum, so that’s going to get hammered out as soon as I click “Accept”.

7

If you’re wondering, the guy that I traded with above is brand new to fantasy baseball.

I suspect there are others in the league. Here are the top 5 free agent pickups, from last year’s rankings and this year’s:

Last Year’s
Raul Ibanez (I dropped him for Carlos Lee)
David Ortiz
Alex Rios (I dropped him for someone else, can’t remember who)
Mike Napoli
Nolan Reimold (Who?)
(Also notable is Carlos Beltran. Yes. I want a bigger DL. Now.)

This year’s
Jose Guillen
Josh Willingham
Scott Podsednik
Alex Gonzalez
Marlon Byrd

Last Year’s
Brian Fuentes
Randy Wolf
Aaron Harang
Erik Bedard (I just realized he was here. I wish I had more space on my DL.)
Ryan Rowland-Smith

This Year’s
Carlos Silva
Livan Hernandez
Brad Penny
Doug Fister
Joel Zumaya

So yeah, I’m trying to swing more 2-for-1 trades so I can jump on what’s available before others do.

8

I’m sure nobody cares, but here it is anyways. I’m also Trading Cain, Garza, and Happ for Lincecum and Ellsbury.

This gives me a rotation of Johan Santana, Lineceum, Phil Hughes, Liriano, and Pelfrey. I need more offense, and I need to pinch the right people from free agency.

…And yes, my trade partner dropped Barry Zito. What a country!

9

Well, that’s a completely lopsided trade. Is this a public league?

Zito’s off to an amazing start, but I wouldn’t touch him.

10

It’s not a public league. It’s a work league. I wouldn’t touch Zito, but if you have him , you should look to trade him/ride him as long as you can while he keeps up his Cy Young winner impersonation.

11

Martin Prado, Matt Holliday and Magglio Ordonez for my Joey Votto and Jose Reyes.
You know, there are leagues in which I never get any trades. I appreciate this bounty of useful trades for me.

12

I don’t like it. Prado will regress, and not offer you anything in terms of speed or power as his BA tails off, Ordonez is the very definition of “sell high candidate”. I love Holliday, but not at that price. Votto is one of my favorite fantasy players this year, and Reyes is severely underrated due to his DL stint.

13

I wouldn’t be keeping Prado. Actually, I think I’d be picking up Carlos Beltran and trying to stash him away. I dig Reyes too, but I have Jeter, so at least, positionally speaking, I’ve got that filled.

14

Ah right. I dunno - SBs seem to be easier to trade away later in the season to the guy that can make up some points with 10 SBs, which Reyes can provide in a few weeks. But mostly, I wouldn’t do it because I’d be losing Votto. Anyway to package Reyes with someone else?

15

That’s what I’m considering. Magglio holds more weight because we’re all Tigers fans in this league, or, at least, we’re all Michiganders. Perhaps I can flip him while his value is high and try and get a Ryan Braun back with a package deal.

16

12 team 5X5 roto keeper league.

I’ve got too much pitching. I have Joe Blanton on the Dl who is scheduled to be activated on Monday.

My SP:
Johan Santana
Rich Harden
Jared Weaver
Bronson Arroyo
Fausto Carmona
Randy Wolf
Roy Oswalt

RP:
Andrew Bailey
Jose Valverde
David Aardsma

I’m trying to work out a trade. But, if I can’t, I guess Carmona or Harden are likely candidates to get dropped. I picked up Carmona as a high risk/high reward guy. Harden just hasn’t gotten it going yet, but I’d really like to give him a couple more weeks.

17

I think I agree with your feeling. I’d say to drop Harden.

18

I’d keep Harden and drop either Carmona or Wolf. He has more upside than either of them and you have room to stash him for a while

19

Another possible trade: 12 team 5X5 roto keeper league.

I’d trade Ryan Braun straight up for Andre Ethier.

Ethier has been hot lately, but I think is a fair trade. Thoughts?

20

Terrible trade.