My Annual "Who do I keep this year keeper question"

[CubFan]

It's time for my annual ritual I go through requesting thoughts from the board on who would you protect for this year. So without further fanfare here are the particulars. After 15+ years of standard roto we are in our second year of a 12 team AL only 5x5 H2H keeper league; 13 hitters (only 1 catcher this year) and 9 pitchers.....$260 draft day cap. We can protect a max of 6. Draft day inflation has consistently run around 25% for the first half of the draft. What I have to choose from:

Konerko $29
Viciedo $2
Perelta $19
Jennings $27
Reddick $2
Scott $1
Ortiz $20
E. Santana $13
McCarthy $3
Robertson $1
Aceves $2
Adams $2

Not much to build from. Initial thoughts are to go cheap with guys who most likely are starters this year and I think would go for $8-$12......Viciedo, Reddick, Scott. They all have their warts but should out-produce their salaries. While only DH eligible add Ortiz who should produce mid-upper 20s. Add in a decent #3 but injury risk in McCarthy for $3. Then choose from Robertson, Adams and Aceves (if he is in the rotation add him). Hard for me to protect relief pitchers but they are elite. Like Jennings but left him off as he is more likely to have struggles this year as teams figure him out and his power appeared to me to be more of a function of small sample size and not indicative of someone who will jack it out 20+ times. Figure he wont produce what his contract is and he is NOT a star.....yet. Up in the air on Konerko. Looks fully valued and has stated this year or 2013 is his last. Said he is tired of the Pale Hose constant rebuilding. While many have written him off for the past 2 years I think he could fall quite a bit as the current offense isn't something that strikes fear in opposing pitchers. Think mentally he wont be in it. Santana....can probably get him for the same in the draft if I want him. A serviceable #3 or #4 but not worth protecting at $13. Perelta will be hard pressed to duplicate 2011 and $19 looks fully priced.

So, it's your turn. Who would you protect this year? TIA.

[AllstonRockCity]

I would keep:
Viciedo, Reddick and Scott for the reason you already mentioned, all 3 will post nice profits at their salaries.
Ortiz - you need at least 1 top end guy at a good salary
McCarthy - a bargain at $3 and for my money a better keep than anyone left
Robertson - this last spot could go either way, but for a buck, you can't go wrong and if Mo finally breaks down this year, Yahtzee!

With Pujols and Fielder now in the AL, not to mention the import of Gonzalez and the introduciton of Hosmer last year, Konerko is now firmly outside the top and maybe even middle of the pack for AL 1B's. No way I keep him at $29.

I can't imagine anyone would have more $$ available to them at the auction than you.

[da_big_kid_94]

I keep;

Viciedo $2
Reddick $2
Scott $1
Ortiz $20
E. Santana $13
Adams $2

I rule out Mc Carthy and Aceves for the same reason - both missed virtually all of 2010 and pitched a career high in innings last year. However, if you wanted to swap out Robertson for Adams, i would have a hard time finding fault with that.

[Kelly_Leak]

My 6 are
- Ortiz $20
- E.Santana $13
- McCarthy $3
- Reddick $2
- Viciedo $2
- Scott $1

I left off the relievers because in my experience there always seems to be servicable FA RPs around.

[Captain Hook]

I would keep the following:
Viciedo $2
Reddick $2
Scott $1
E. Santana $13
McCarthy $3
Aceves $2

Trying to maximize both retained profit and $$$ at the table - Everyone else in the league should have to go through you to roster a player. You need to treat this season as stars & scrubs - and you have five very good scrubs to start with.

[CubFan]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Giving me some things to think about. BTW....we don't have to protect 6. We can protect 5 if we want. Would that change any of your opinions, like not protecting Santana?

Agree to some degree with Kelly that good RP can be had in the end game but I consider Robertson and Adams to be a clear cut above the vast majority of them and Mastersball's projections for both appear to bear that out. Debating on Ortiz only because he would clog up my DH spot, but at $20 I don't think I can find his expected production for that kind of $$.

Keep the comments coming as I love to bounce things off all of the board members.

[daweasle]

Viciedo $2
Reddick $2
Scott $1
E. Santana $13
McCarthy $3
Aceves $2

I think this is who I would keep - with the caveat - if you don't love ervin santana - he could be dropped, but honestly - I think santana will out-produce 60% of pitchers who cost $13 or less.

[CubFan]

Thought I'd bump this up since there has been some changes in performance (Raburn, Ortiz, Viciedo) and injuries (Robertson and Adams) that may change anyone's opinions.

If I didn't sign Raburn for a year at $8 I thought I could get him for less than $5 but that is not likely to happen with the Spring he's had. Ortiz has had a poor Spring so wondering since he qualifies as DH only if he'd come cheaper than $20. Also wondering if Morales would be someone that will fly under the radar for $10 or less. Robertson says he'll be ready in a week. Dunno about that. Nathan has had a terrible Spring and thinking Adams may be a better fit now. Viciedo has had a bad Spring and wondering how long of a leash Ventura will give him.

So, who would you NOW protect? Keeper's due March 23rd, this Friday evening.

[AllstonRockCity]

Thought I'd bump this up since there has been some changes in performance (Raburn, Ortiz, Viciedo) and injuries (Robertson and Adams) that may change anyone's opinions.

If I didn't sign Raburn for a year at $8 I thought I could get him for less than $5 but that is not likely to happen with the Spring he's had. Ortiz has had a poor Spring so wondering since he qualifies as DH only if he'd come cheaper than $20. Also wondering if Morales would be someone that will fly under the radar for $10 or less. Robertson says he'll be ready in a week. Dunno about that. Nathan has had a terrible Spring and thinking Adams may be a better fit now. Viciedo has had a bad Spring and wondering how long of a leash Ventura will give him.

So, who would you NOW protect? Keeper's due March 23rd, this Friday evening.

The only thing I would change is swapping out Adams for Robertson if you were so inclined.

S.T. means nothing to someone like Ortiz. Valentine would be run out of town by May 1st if he sat Papi on the pine because of a bad spring.

Viciedo is the future at corner OF for CHI, he has a long leash. They aren't contending this year anyway