Preparation for an auction and a straight draft are different. In both formats, you are trying to construct a team that is competitive in all ten categories. The thing is that in straight drafts whenever it is your turn to “nominate” a player, that player is yours. No one else can steal him from you. Your draft is a pure “spread the risk” type of draft. Sure, there are tricky parts like knowing how tiering can effect the player pool when it is your turn. Most difficult is blending a hitting draft and a pitching draft at the same time.
An auction is different. I’m personally a “stars and scrub” type of auction person. We can run all the projected dollars we want but, at least in my leagues, the top players (20 or so) always go for large premiums.
Now the questions. Two of my leagues do not allow computers at the draft but then I’m a pencil & paper person for drafts anyway.
What sort of lists do all the big time auction players use?
What information do you have readily available for each player?
Do you make general decision on you roster makeup ahead of time or does the draft flow determine your actions? By this I mean do you target a top three 1B or corner. Do you target a top five pitcher?
These are ten team leagues paying the top four. There is no bench and only players actually on the 25 man roster can be drafted. I have a good track record with three wins in my four years – cashing in 10 out of 14 chances. The thing is that I have never put the time into these leagues relative to draft preparations. But this year I have dropped all but one of my straight draft leagues.
I’m open for other hints and suggestions.
Auction Draft Preparations
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viper
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Auction Draft Preparations
The avalanche has started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote. -- Ambassador Kosh
Mike Ladd
Buffy, the Umpire Slayer
Mike Ladd
Buffy, the Umpire Slayer
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Captain Hook
Re: Auction Draft Preparations
Comments above - Good Luck with your leagues this yearviper wrote: Now the questions. Two of my leagues do not allow computers at the draft but then I’m a pencil & paper person for drafts anyway.
What sort of lists do all the big time auction players use? I use one page of players listed by position, with projected dollar values in descending order (removing keepers in those leagues). I tier those according to league specs and my team's needs. I bring a second sheet divided into hitters and pitchers with frozen salaries, budget splits and _____ slots for the hitters/pitchers I need (with or without a budgeted amount). That becomes the roster/budget worksheet throughout the draft.
What information do you have readily available for each player? Nothing additional (on paper, brain is locked and loaded)
Do you make general decision on you roster makeup ahead of time or does the draft flow determine your actions? By this I mean do you target a top three 1B or corner. Do you target a top five pitcher? This totally depends on the quality of your freeze list and the talent available in the draft. I would also make a budget worksheet - it may only show tentative budget amount ie. $35___________ or if I have decided I need to fill a specific position it might say 1B/$35__________
Again on the pitching side it would be dependent on what I have frozen and what is available and my strategy and budget for that part of the roster
I’m open for other hints and suggestions.
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viper
- Hall of Famer
- Posts: 1475
- Joined: December 31st, 2008, 11:32 pm
- Preferred Style: Currently in an AL-only league with the Bill James Technical RCA as the single hitting category and ERA as the single pitching category.
- Contact:
Re: Auction Draft Preparations
probably should have mentioned I only do redraft leagues but still, Thanks for the info
The avalanche has started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote. -- Ambassador Kosh
Mike Ladd
Buffy, the Umpire Slayer
Mike Ladd
Buffy, the Umpire Slayer
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AllstonRockCity
Re: Auction Draft Preparations
In a keeper league, I would have a plan of wants and needs and players I have no interest in, but in a re-draft it's totally different.
In a re-draft, you have to be prepared to go with the flow of the draft (or against it as the case may be), but having a specific, structured plan hurts more than it helps. It makes you want to stick with the plan rather than capitalize on any unforeseen events.
And, assuming trading is allowed, sometimes the best thing to do is to create an overage of a Cat or Pos is the opportunity presents itself, which then allows you to trade from this strength to balance out any weaknesses.
I have 2 lists and 3 total pieces of paper. 1 list is the hitters: tiered, with players divided into C, Corner, Middle, OF/DH, ordered by dollar value. the other list is the pitchers straight listed by dollar value, some years I separate out the closer and MRs, some years I don't. The last piece of paper is my budget worksheet/roster 'tracker'.
In a re-draft, you have to be prepared to go with the flow of the draft (or against it as the case may be), but having a specific, structured plan hurts more than it helps. It makes you want to stick with the plan rather than capitalize on any unforeseen events.
And, assuming trading is allowed, sometimes the best thing to do is to create an overage of a Cat or Pos is the opportunity presents itself, which then allows you to trade from this strength to balance out any weaknesses.
I have 2 lists and 3 total pieces of paper. 1 list is the hitters: tiered, with players divided into C, Corner, Middle, OF/DH, ordered by dollar value. the other list is the pitchers straight listed by dollar value, some years I separate out the closer and MRs, some years I don't. The last piece of paper is my budget worksheet/roster 'tracker'.