Auction League-- Asakusabashi Bazookas
On Thursday, I participate in a Fantasy baseball auction league with real, breathing people. This is a keeper league, so I am at a disadvantage, since many of the top players are already kept by other teams. This is my first auction/keeper league. Here's what happened. First, my strategy:
I want four elite first round/second round players, such as Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins at shortstop, Pujols, Cabrera, or Teixiera at 1B, Johan Santana at SP, and Ryan Braun or Carl Crawford at OF. I have budgeted $160 of $260 for these four players.
I have budgeted $25 for A-Rod or Aramis Ramirez at 3B, or maybe Roberts at 2B or V. Martinez at C, and $20 for Kemp or Abreu at OF. This totals $205.
For SP, I have $11 budgeted for Joba Chamberlain, Carpenter, Gallardo, Smoltz, Morrow, Bedard or rookies, if need be. (If I don't get Santana, then I have more money for pitchers such as Lester and Felix Hernandez.)
For CI, I have $10 for Davis, Blalock or Sandoval.
For C, I have $10 for both of Wieters and Shoppach.
For RP, I have $10 budgeted for Bell, Hanrahan, Devine, Ray and Motte. This totals $246.
For 2B, I hope for Cano, Kendrick or Johnson for $5.
For U, I hope for Stewart, Sandoval, Blalock or Thome for $5.
For MI, I am looking at Greene or Furcal for $1.
For OF, I am planning on getting Cruz, Maybin, Gomez, Choo, Jones, Snider, Swisher, Milledge, Hermida or Rasmus at the rate of 3 for $3. It all adds to $260.
I start by getting Albert Pujols at $42. My cheat sheet says $37, but I need to start a team with someone solid. My next target is Jose Reyes and I bid $43 for him, but someone else bids $44. Jimmy Rollins also goes for $44, so I will not have an elite shortstop. I get Johan Santana for $35. I bid on Miguel Cabrera, who I feel is the second best hitter overall. I get him for $35, and since I already have Pujols at 1B, he will play CI. I have spent $112.
Now, my target is Ryan Braun. He goes for $38. Crawford goes for $28, Soriano for $35, Beltran for $34, Manny Ramirez for $30, Holliday for $32, Lee for $31. Outfield is proving hard to fill.
My cheat sheet says David Ortiz is worth $26. I get him for $20. Most of the closers are protected, and I am not planning to get an expensive one, but end up bidding $26 for Francisco Rodriguez. I have spent $158.
More outfielders go. Kemp for $30, Guerrero for $25, Bay for $26, Suzuki for $23, Pence for $17, Victorino for $20. After getting outbid numerous times, I am surprised to get Corey Hart for $18. It is time to stop spending for a while.
I throw out the catcher, Matt Wieters, and he goes for $10, which is beyond my budget for a rookie who will start in the minors. A lot of players go for more than I expected-- Brian Roberts- $23, Jose Lopez- $12, Adam Jones- $11, Jason Werth- $13, Nelson Cruz- $7, Furcal- $17, A. Rod- $29, Gordon- $14, V. Martinez-$18. They might be worth it.
I am not planning to spend much more on starting pitching, but Jon Lester goes for the bargain price of $11, and Bill James 2009 Goldmine told me he was the same pitcher as Cole Hamels. Carlos Zambrano also goes for $11, another bargain. I really am not targeting Derek Lowe, but nonetheless get him for $5. I actually want Gallardo, who turns out to be a $1 pick, but I am out of roster spots when I bid $2 on Randy Johnson. My pitching will be strong and durable. (In my Yahoo league, I tend toward high K/IP types, but this team has 8 innings type pitchers, appropriate for a league with no innings limit.) I have spent $204.
I get Jorge Posada for $9. Robinson Cano goes for $10. (My book says $24, so I should be strong at 2B.) I splurge on another reliever and get Matt Capps for $11, a good value, though Mike Gonzalez goes later for $6.
"The book" says Pablo Sandoval is a catcher. He caught 11 games last year out of about 40 played. The commissioner decides that he qualifies, so I bid $10 on him. (Today, it was announced that he might actually qualify again next year, as he will be the only backup catcher on the Giants.) I have spent $244 and actually have more money remaining than most. I also have more positions to fill.
My outfield turns out to be Lastings Milledge at $5, Coco Crisp at $2, Willy Taveras at $1, and Ryan Spillborghs at $1. Khalil Greene and Jed Lowrie (another Bill James pick) fill SS and MI for $2 and $1. Hank Blalock (a Matthew Pouliot $1 recommendation) fills 3B. Injury replacement closers also go for $1 each: Carlos Villaneuva and Leo Nunez.
We snake draft a six man bench and I choose John Smoltz, Tommy Hanson, Jeff Francouer, Nick Swisher, Mark Teahen and Phil Hughes. (It was between Teahen and Skip Shumaker (another OF/2B dual eligible), but I listened to the Royals game Thursday, and Teahen has had a great Spring.)
I think about the draft a bit more, then drop Ryan Spillbourghs for Clay Buchholtz.
So, I end up with four legitimate stars with Pujols, Cabrera, Ortiz and Santana. Starting pitcher, catcher, 2B, and SP are all filled with strong players. The bench offers more solid starting pitching options, though none are immediately available. The outfield is fast, but weak. The infield offers power, but little speed. Swisher, who qualifies at OF and 1B, and Teahen, who is projected to play 2B and qualifies at CI and OF, can fill two offensive holes, most anywhere but catcher.
The CBS Sports projections say this team has excellent ERA and WHIP, but otherwise is an average team, with stronger pitching stats than hitting stats. It is a young team, so beating the projections is possible. But, the best team probably has some low dollar keepers from last year, such as B.J. Upton for $12, Evan Longoria for $7, or Nick Markakis for $7. Still, I had a good cheat sheet and did not make any huge blunders drafting. I hate paying for saves, but only ended up with two legitimate closers, so I think getting K-Rod and Capps was justified. I can try to compete for third place money with this team.
Asakusabashi Bazookas
Active Batters
Posada, Jorge C NYY
Sandoval, Pablo 1B SF (C)
Pujols, Albert 1B STL
Cano, Robinson 2B NYY
Blalock, Hank 1B TEX (3B)
Greene, Khalil SS STL
Lowrie, Jed SS BOS (MI)
Cabrera, Miguel 1B DET (CI)
Crisp, Coco CF KC
Francoeur, Jeff RF ATL
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL
Milledge, Lastings CF WAS
Taveras, Willy CF CIN
Ortiz, David DH BOS (U)
Active Pitchers
Johnson, Randy SP SF
Lester, Jon SP BOS
Lowe, Derek SP ATL
Santana, Johan SP NYM
Zambrano, Carlos SP CHC
Capps, Matt RP PIT
Nunez, Leo RP FLA
Rodriguez, Francisco J. RP NYM
Villanueva, Carlos SP MIL
Reserve Batters
Swisher, Nick CF NYY (also, 1B)
Teahen, Mark RF KC (also 2B, 3B)
Reserve Pitchers
Buchholz, Clay SP BOS
Hanson, Tommy SP ATL
Hughes, Phil SP NYY
Smoltz, John SP BOS
I ended up with Cabrera, Ortiz and Sandoval in both this league and my Yahoo league. Those must be my recommendations.
I want four elite first round/second round players, such as Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins at shortstop, Pujols, Cabrera, or Teixiera at 1B, Johan Santana at SP, and Ryan Braun or Carl Crawford at OF. I have budgeted $160 of $260 for these four players.
I have budgeted $25 for A-Rod or Aramis Ramirez at 3B, or maybe Roberts at 2B or V. Martinez at C, and $20 for Kemp or Abreu at OF. This totals $205.
For SP, I have $11 budgeted for Joba Chamberlain, Carpenter, Gallardo, Smoltz, Morrow, Bedard or rookies, if need be. (If I don't get Santana, then I have more money for pitchers such as Lester and Felix Hernandez.)
For CI, I have $10 for Davis, Blalock or Sandoval.
For C, I have $10 for both of Wieters and Shoppach.
For RP, I have $10 budgeted for Bell, Hanrahan, Devine, Ray and Motte. This totals $246.
For 2B, I hope for Cano, Kendrick or Johnson for $5.
For U, I hope for Stewart, Sandoval, Blalock or Thome for $5.
For MI, I am looking at Greene or Furcal for $1.
For OF, I am planning on getting Cruz, Maybin, Gomez, Choo, Jones, Snider, Swisher, Milledge, Hermida or Rasmus at the rate of 3 for $3. It all adds to $260.
I start by getting Albert Pujols at $42. My cheat sheet says $37, but I need to start a team with someone solid. My next target is Jose Reyes and I bid $43 for him, but someone else bids $44. Jimmy Rollins also goes for $44, so I will not have an elite shortstop. I get Johan Santana for $35. I bid on Miguel Cabrera, who I feel is the second best hitter overall. I get him for $35, and since I already have Pujols at 1B, he will play CI. I have spent $112.
Now, my target is Ryan Braun. He goes for $38. Crawford goes for $28, Soriano for $35, Beltran for $34, Manny Ramirez for $30, Holliday for $32, Lee for $31. Outfield is proving hard to fill.
My cheat sheet says David Ortiz is worth $26. I get him for $20. Most of the closers are protected, and I am not planning to get an expensive one, but end up bidding $26 for Francisco Rodriguez. I have spent $158.
More outfielders go. Kemp for $30, Guerrero for $25, Bay for $26, Suzuki for $23, Pence for $17, Victorino for $20. After getting outbid numerous times, I am surprised to get Corey Hart for $18. It is time to stop spending for a while.
I throw out the catcher, Matt Wieters, and he goes for $10, which is beyond my budget for a rookie who will start in the minors. A lot of players go for more than I expected-- Brian Roberts- $23, Jose Lopez- $12, Adam Jones- $11, Jason Werth- $13, Nelson Cruz- $7, Furcal- $17, A. Rod- $29, Gordon- $14, V. Martinez-$18. They might be worth it.
I am not planning to spend much more on starting pitching, but Jon Lester goes for the bargain price of $11, and Bill James 2009 Goldmine told me he was the same pitcher as Cole Hamels. Carlos Zambrano also goes for $11, another bargain. I really am not targeting Derek Lowe, but nonetheless get him for $5. I actually want Gallardo, who turns out to be a $1 pick, but I am out of roster spots when I bid $2 on Randy Johnson. My pitching will be strong and durable. (In my Yahoo league, I tend toward high K/IP types, but this team has 8 innings type pitchers, appropriate for a league with no innings limit.) I have spent $204.
I get Jorge Posada for $9. Robinson Cano goes for $10. (My book says $24, so I should be strong at 2B.) I splurge on another reliever and get Matt Capps for $11, a good value, though Mike Gonzalez goes later for $6.
"The book" says Pablo Sandoval is a catcher. He caught 11 games last year out of about 40 played. The commissioner decides that he qualifies, so I bid $10 on him. (Today, it was announced that he might actually qualify again next year, as he will be the only backup catcher on the Giants.) I have spent $244 and actually have more money remaining than most. I also have more positions to fill.
My outfield turns out to be Lastings Milledge at $5, Coco Crisp at $2, Willy Taveras at $1, and Ryan Spillborghs at $1. Khalil Greene and Jed Lowrie (another Bill James pick) fill SS and MI for $2 and $1. Hank Blalock (a Matthew Pouliot $1 recommendation) fills 3B. Injury replacement closers also go for $1 each: Carlos Villaneuva and Leo Nunez.
We snake draft a six man bench and I choose John Smoltz, Tommy Hanson, Jeff Francouer, Nick Swisher, Mark Teahen and Phil Hughes. (It was between Teahen and Skip Shumaker (another OF/2B dual eligible), but I listened to the Royals game Thursday, and Teahen has had a great Spring.)
I think about the draft a bit more, then drop Ryan Spillbourghs for Clay Buchholtz.
So, I end up with four legitimate stars with Pujols, Cabrera, Ortiz and Santana. Starting pitcher, catcher, 2B, and SP are all filled with strong players. The bench offers more solid starting pitching options, though none are immediately available. The outfield is fast, but weak. The infield offers power, but little speed. Swisher, who qualifies at OF and 1B, and Teahen, who is projected to play 2B and qualifies at CI and OF, can fill two offensive holes, most anywhere but catcher.
The CBS Sports projections say this team has excellent ERA and WHIP, but otherwise is an average team, with stronger pitching stats than hitting stats. It is a young team, so beating the projections is possible. But, the best team probably has some low dollar keepers from last year, such as B.J. Upton for $12, Evan Longoria for $7, or Nick Markakis for $7. Still, I had a good cheat sheet and did not make any huge blunders drafting. I hate paying for saves, but only ended up with two legitimate closers, so I think getting K-Rod and Capps was justified. I can try to compete for third place money with this team.
Asakusabashi Bazookas
Active Batters
Posada, Jorge C NYY
Sandoval, Pablo 1B SF (C)
Pujols, Albert 1B STL
Cano, Robinson 2B NYY
Blalock, Hank 1B TEX (3B)
Greene, Khalil SS STL
Lowrie, Jed SS BOS (MI)
Cabrera, Miguel 1B DET (CI)
Crisp, Coco CF KC
Francoeur, Jeff RF ATL
Hart, Corey C. RF MIL
Milledge, Lastings CF WAS
Taveras, Willy CF CIN
Ortiz, David DH BOS (U)
Active Pitchers
Johnson, Randy SP SF
Lester, Jon SP BOS
Lowe, Derek SP ATL
Santana, Johan SP NYM
Zambrano, Carlos SP CHC
Capps, Matt RP PIT
Nunez, Leo RP FLA
Rodriguez, Francisco J. RP NYM
Villanueva, Carlos SP MIL
Reserve Batters
Swisher, Nick CF NYY (also, 1B)
Teahen, Mark RF KC (also 2B, 3B)
Reserve Pitchers
Buchholz, Clay SP BOS
Hanson, Tommy SP ATL
Hughes, Phil SP NYY
Smoltz, John SP BOS
I ended up with Cabrera, Ortiz and Sandoval in both this league and my Yahoo league. Those must be my recommendations.
posted by David Rasmussen at 10:35 AM
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