AL minors

[Tampa Bob]

10 team, 4x4, AL-only league. Our league doe not allow free drops, only when a player hits the DL or is sent down can they be replaced.

We can keep 5 players from the minors until the year after they exhaust their rookie eligibility. Once we bring them up, they are up for good and cost $1 for 3 years. I tend to keep guys down for as long as possible so I am looking for people 2 years out.

I am bringing up Neftali Feliz this year and have the following on my squad:

Jacob Turner - SP/Det, Casey Crosby - SP/Det, Jesus Montero - C/NY, Desmond Jennings - OF/TB. I have the #8 pick. If I dropped someone I'd also have #18. Only Crosby is on the bubble.

Taken are: Ackley, Hellickson, Drabek, Arencibia, Taylor, Chisenhall, Crow, Ka'Aihue, Moustakas, M. Perez, Hicks, W.Myers. Lots of talent still available. Because of the drafting habits of my peers I expect to get 2 of my top 12 if I drop Crosby. I am loath to let him go though.

Some note - this is a NE Ohio league. We are 4x4 but in P we use strikeouts, not WHIP. In our league pitching is expensive. The top starters will be in the mid-$30's and top closers will be around $30. Last year Pettitte and Buehrle were around $23. Aardsma was $28.

My list (today):

Trout - OF/LA
Hosmer - 1B/KC
Pineda - SP/Sea
Montgomery - SP/KC
Moore - SP/TB
Archer - SP/TB
Machad0 - SS/Bal
Lawrie - 2B/Tor
Kipnis - 2B/Cle
Knapp - SP/Cle
Sano - 3B/Min
Lamb - SP/KC
Pomeranz - SP/Cle
White - SP/Cle
Sale - OF/TB
Britton - SP/Bal
Franklin - 2B/Sea
Prokfar - SS/Tex

Questions:

1. Does this ranking look okay given trade possibilities based upon our NE Ohio location?

2. Is anyone glaringly missing?

3. I am intrigued by Miguel Sano, the very young 3B from Min (and Sale, the OF from TB). I'd love to have a great hitter along the lines of Longoria out of my reserves. Would it be smart to drop Casey Crosby for him or anyone else in the top half of this list?


I know this is long and I apologize. I'd hoped by top 18 list would somewhat make up for that. Thanks.... TB

[deansdaddy]

First guy that came to my mind was Kyle Gibson from Minn. I think I might put him ahead of any SP (outside of Pineda) you have left on your list and would even be fine with you cutting Crosby for him.

Dellin Betances NYY and Manny Banuelos have looked pretty good in camp and the Yanks need SP's.

I see why you are intrigued by Sano and Sale. The downside if how young they are and the fact that they might not see the big leagues for three more years. That said Sano seems like he is much more highly regarded then Sale. Plus I'd rather have the 3B prospect of the two.

[Tampa Bob]

Thanks, Ryan. Funny, I had Gibson at #20 on my list, the very next name I would have added. I had bumped him down because ours is a strikeout league but I might have been overthinking things. Kind of like with Sano, the chances are just as good that he'll be an OF built like Travis Snider rather than the 3B I covet. Reaching for him this year might be a mistake.

Fortunately I have 3 more weeks to see how it plays out.

[deansdaddy]

Well I have to admit I didn't really factor K's in there. So you might be correct in your ranking.

[Captain Hook]

Tampa Bob - although I fear I might be crying after reading the response - Have YOU read my minor league prospect list? Have you looked at Lawr's?

I like your idea of trying to cycle your minor league players but that does not mean you should bypass a much better player to take one who is a few years away.

The other consideration is whether there is trading in your league because then you have to also look at the perceived value of the players and not just yours.

Finally a look at your projected freeze list would ask the question of whether you might need some help this year - as an example if you were not strong at 1B/CI but had a competitive team, it might mean Hosmer would be a more valuable player for THIS year than Trout.

[da_big_kid_94]

I too know the difficulties of a 4x4, Bob ...but Cervelli's foot just put Montero in play. I now see Montero going north with the Yankees .... and back to the minors when Cervelli's foot heals. Can you afford to carry Montero on your active roster under those circumstances? I think you have to go with Trout - and quite honestly, you may want to revisit Casey Crosby. And I know he's popping up as a real darling on a lot of lists ... but Manny Machado is a 19 year old who hasn't played above rookie ball ... Think some tempered expectations should be called for there.

[deansdaddy]

I think the problem here guys is that he has the 8th pick - which means if others rank players like he does - he's not going to have a shot to get Hosmer/Trout/Pineda. So he has to decide if anyone else further down the list makes sense to drop Crosby for. Is that correct BoB?

[da_big_kid_94]

I think the problem here guys is that he has the 8th pick - which means if others rank players like he does - he's not going to have a shot to get Hosmer/Trout/Pineda. So he has to decide if anyone else further down the list makes sense to drop Crosby for. Is that correct BoB?

That is a very valid point and one I completely overlooked. If that's the case, Bob, I can't see you getting Trout - I think the best you can hope for is Pineda and I'd expect it would be either Archer or Lawrie.

BTW - anybody have Jacob Mc Gee?

[Tampa Bob]

I confess I didn't expect the flurry of responses. Thank you.

One odd thing about our league is that only players that cost $10 or less can be kept. This flushes the major players back into the auction pool and also places a huge emphasis on finding these minor league players and managing them properly. That is how I got a $1 Longoria and Feliz. We can carry one player that has been returned to the minors. This burns one of the 3 $1 years though so I hate going that route.

Also, we can only keep 5. So, Gutierrez is my worst keeper and the Michael Brantley ($1 for 3 years) owner is considering dumping him to me for a 2012 draft pick.


Kid, I could carry Montero in the example you give but I wouldn't do that. It's not worth losing the year. I'd rather bring him up for his sophomore season.

No one has McGee but I expect him to stick with the Rays when they break camp. If he doesn't he'd be at the top of my list and certainly be gone when I draft. I agree with your assessment that Trout and Hosmer will be gone. Most likely Pineda will too and that one will be disappointing. Even the least studied among us will be able to pick up Sports Weekly and see that those guys are rated highly. I am hoping for strong push for Indians prospects from my cohorts.

I think Montgomery, Moore, or Archer will be there.

I actually think if Feliz is made into a starter that Scheppers will make the club as the closer. We'll see.

Perry, of COURSE I read your list and Lawr's list. About 100 times, I'd guess. You SEE these guys. I can only read about them. I also have the BA Prospect Handbook and the Minor League Analyst from Baseball HQ. Balancing all of that data has produced a list that I submitted.

And, yes, we allow trading in our league. Another reason why Brantley caught my eye. I have the 2nd best set of keepers after Brantley's owner. He has to drop Smoak, Brantley or Beckham.


What I'm hearing is that while Crosby may be good some day, I should drop him and gather up someone who will be better more quickly. I made a mistake, I traded away the 18th pick and so have the 8th and 28th. Almost assuredly, though, I could still get a top 20 player with that #28.

That and don't take Machado, Sano, or Sale because Gibson, Ben Revere, Tyler Chatwood, Zack Britton, or Nick Franklin will be there at #28.

[Captain Hook]

Bob - short of time this morning but before the end of the week I will give you a modified list.....it would be nice to know all the rostered minor leaguers.

When is your draft again?

[Tampa Bob]

Thanks, Perry. We draft on April 2nd so we have plenty of time. Just don't forget that while this is a 4x4, we eschew WHIP and count strikeouts.

Thanks... TB

[Tampa Bob]

By team the minor league players taken are:

Zack McAllister
Josh Bell
Hector Rondon
Adrian Cardenas
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Chris Carter
Mike Ynoa
Dustin Ackley
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Jacob Turner
Jesus Montero
Desmond Jennings
Casey Crosby
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Jess Todd
Tony Sipp
Dayan Viciedo
Wes Hodges
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Grant Green
Brad Kilby
Austin Wood
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Jeremy Hellickson
Kyle Drabek
J.P. Arencibia
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Michael Taylor
Jake Arietta
Lonnie Chisenhall
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Matthew Brown
Aaron Crow
Justin Ruggiano
Chad Jenkins
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Kila Ka'Aihue
Matt Tuiasosopo
Mike Moustakas
Martin Perez
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Aaron Hicks
Jose Iglesias
Michael Bowden
Willie Myers
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