to punt or play? (keeper discussion)

[daweasle]

OK so I read an article 5-8 years ago describing the idea that follows this is in a nutshell but basically it's:

if you are going for it - you do whatever it takes to win that year - including if it takes trading away great keepers to win - fine do it.

On the other hand if you are placing lower than fourth - then there is no difference between fourth and 9th so why not trade your studs for keepers and accept the reality that you are not winning this year and just make the trades that will make your team better next year.

I have been subscribing to that theory and my teams have always been really good or really bad because of it.

But here is my question - when do you make that decision? do you wait till the trade deadline when all the great keepers trade values are maxed out, or should you hit early when everyone else is thinking they have a chance?

I mean in reality - in the team I think is a fifth place team - I still have a chance to win so maybe I should hope for my guys to bust out. Or in my other league where i am sure I will place 1st or 2nd - there's still a chance one of my studs could get hurt and I could lose.

when is the minute I should say this is it - I am destined for (1st/last place)

[Todd Zola]

There is no right answer -- some will say never give up, others will say the second your commish allows trades, it is your right to do what you wish with your team.

Some leagues frown upon early dump trades and legislate against them.

My personal rule of thumb is to wait as long as I possible can without interfering with my ability to build for the future, so this also depends on the layout of my league that particular season - how many of the top teams have likely keepers and how willing will they be to deal them? So even I can't put a date on it, only a philosophy - wait as long as possible but not too long if others scoop up the best keepers.

[Captain Hook]

Long ago and far away in LALAland in an AL only keeper league we had our yearly draft (probably third or fourth year of the league) and two weeks after the draft one of the players was disallusioned with the team he had drafted and traded away the season.

I ran the numbers at the end of the year and the guy traded away a team that would have been in the money - 3rd or 4th place, I can't remember which.

A year later we instituted a rule that there would be NO trades in the month of April
Lets' the dust settle for all teams and the pirahna can't feast on an owner in a weak moment

[josh]

Unless you 100% know you just crapped the bed at the draft, I say at the minimum wait until mid May. But my gut instinct tells me by June 1-15, you know if you have a legit to win the league. If your goal is to place and win some money, even later. But if its championship or bust, earlier.

Ive always wanted to just scrap a year and get as many studs as I can at the draft and deal them for great keepers. But I just dont want to admit to myself that I am going to just not compete for a year.

[Captain Hook]

OK so I read an article 5-8 years ago describing the idea that follows this is in a nutshell but basically it's:

if you are going for it - you do whatever it takes to win that year - including if it takes trading away great keepers to win - fine do it.

On the other hand if you are placing lower than fourth - then there is no difference between fourth and 9th so why not trade your studs for keepers and accept the reality that you are not winning this year and just make the trades that will make your team better next year.

I have been subscribing to that theory and my teams have always been really good or really bad because of it.

But here is my question - when do you make that decision? do you wait till the trade deadline when all the great keepers trade values are maxed out, or should you hit early when everyone else is thinking they have a chance?

I mean in reality - in the team I think is a fifth place team - I still have a chance to win so maybe I should hope for my guys to bust out. Or in my other league where i am sure I will place 1st or 2nd - there's still a chance one of my studs could get hurt and I could lose.

when is the minute I should say this is it - I am destined for (1st/last place)

Weasle - see Captain's Log > three part series titled.....Where is the Rebuilding Manual?