Auction planning

[Macca11]

This year will be my first true auction. Have previously snake-drafted and then last year was a hybrid auction/snakedraft.
14-team regular 5x5 rules,
Usual batting line-up with two catchers and an extra middle infielder and Utility (2C, 1b, 2b, 3b, SS, CI, 2MI, 5OF, 2UT).
5 Starting Pitchers, 4 Relief Pitchers, 2 Pitchers (SP or RP). 3 bench players, 1 DL.
Budget is $500.
Have run the mastersball CVRC, but must be making a mistake somewhere as it is giving me the values and tiers, but the dollar values are still based on a $260 budget.
Anyway, I'd be grateful for any hints or tips on establishing a rough value for players, similar to the one Todd described for his AL and NL auction strategies.
Todd was talking about one $35 player, two at 25 etc in order to end up with a balanced team. I understand that these guides are very rough, and you have to adapt with the ebb and flow of your particular auction. Or does a mixed auction change all that?
I really enjoyed the auction part of last year, but I basically winged it. I'd like to attempt a bit more structure to what I am trying to do this year, especially as effective budgeting will be key, bearing in mind I am competing against others who also have no frame of reference for this kind of draft.
Like everyone else, I have players I like and dislike for this year, but I am not sure what dollar value they should have.
Thanks in advance for any Mastersball wisdom.

[Todd Zola]

Quick question because it may impact things a little...

Before you run the CVRC values, are you entering 500 in place of 260 where it says SALARY CAP?

This will help give us an idea of the value in a vacuum distribution, so we can better set the line amounts.

[Macca11]

Todd, I think it might help if I could find a way to enable macros in openoffice.org (whatever the hell that means) on my mac at work. Will get back to you. Still trying!

[Todd Zola]

Or you can post your league specs and I can run them and send you the results.

[Macca11]

Well, macros enabled, but still no joy. Whenever I enter CUSTOM and change the number of hitters, I get 998 players in the pool, and a pool size factor of -0.6 and am told to change the pool size factor so I end up with 16(!) players in the pool. SO frustrating. Probably doesn't help that I'm not a tech guy (this should probably now be in the tech section), but the instructions are pretty straightforward and I don't think I'm missing anything.

Sorry Todd, just seen your previous message. That would be great and is very kind of you.

14-team mixed redraft 5x5 league.
2Cs, 1b, 2b, 3b, SS, 2MIs, 1CI, 5OF, 2UTs. 3 bench, one DL slot.
5SP, 4RP, 2P (SP or RP).
That's 30 players, one DL.
Budget is $500.

[mjlewis]

When you set the position thing to "customize", you need to fill in the first column next to the list of positions, not the second column. I think I've experienced the same thing you did and that was the problem.

- Mike

[Todd Zola]

Well, macros enabled, but still no joy. Whenever I enter CUSTOM and change the number of hitters, I get 998 players in the pool, and a pool size factor of -0.6 and am told to change the pool size factor so I end up with 16(!) players in the pool. SO frustrating. Probably doesn't help that I'm not a tech guy (this should probably now be in the tech section), but the instructions are pretty straightforward and I don't think I'm missing anything.

Sorry Todd, just seen your previous message. That would be great and is very kind of you.

14-team mixed redraft 5x5 league.
2Cs, 1b, 2b, 3b, SS, 2MIs, 1CI, 5OF, 2UTs. 3 bench, one DL slot.
5SP, 4RP, 2P (SP or RP).
That's 30 players, one DL.
Budget is $500.

On it.