AL-only Keeper Options

[Kelly_Leak]

10 team AL-only - 6 keepers max.
There are 2 options to keeping a player; first you extend the player 5 units and have the option to keep him next year, OR you "one and out" the player by keeping at the same price as last year but he cannot be kept the following year. I have listed both prices for every player.

I am currently projecting hitter inflation to be about 21% whereas pitching is at 8%.

Definites (duh)
M. Cabrera $10/$15
J. Hamilton $10/$15
C. Quentin $3/$8

Strong Candidates
J. Shields $12/$17
B. Roberts $14/$19
F. Francisco $1/$6
J. Devine $2/$7
J. Duchscherer $2/$7

Other Possibilities
J. Clement $1/$6
R. Cano $15/$20
A. Gordon $10/$15
K. Slowey $8/$13
S. Baker $5/$10
J. Danks $3/$8

I am leaning toward Miggy $15, Hamilton $15, Quentin $8, Shields $12, Roberts $14, and Francisco $6. Any additional thoughts would be greatly appreciated, but feel free to simply rank your top 6 without explanation. Thank you in advance.

[Hambowen]

I think you have it right for the most part. Francisco is probably not as good a value as Duchsherer but if you feel you cannot get saves in the draft then I would go with Francisco. If you think there will be some saves available then go with Duchsherer.

[cwk1963]

I like Duchscherer as well as Clement. But I don't see 2 guys you leave off your list. I agree with the Francisco comment but if you wind up keeping him make sure you handcuff him with Wilson or you could wind up wasting the keeper spot.

[da_big_kid_94]

I concur. I think you have it right with your top 6. Ducsh has had an injury history, he's coming off hip surgery no less ...as I said in another thread, I want to see Ducsh first - for a while ...and even then I would have some trepidations.

I must also add one comment ...you have a very interesting league there. All of those big names - and the highest price on any of them is Cano.

[Kelly_Leak]

Thank you to all. I am a bit worried about Duch and his injuries and since our deadline is not until March 30th I have an opportunity to atleast monitor him this spring. I'm definitely not sold on Francisco...I like Devine and Clement a good deal too, but both have their own question marks.

Kid- The league is actually pretty normal when it comes to auction salaries. First, recall that there were rumors of Roberts going to the Cubs at this time last year and since this is AL only there was some risk in drafting him. Second, there were plenty of questions about Quentin, Duch, etc. coming into last year. Third, Shields, Gordon, Cabrera, Hamilton, and Cano were all keepers last year. And fourth, we have an odd rule about players that are traded from the AL to NL (which I have been opposed to in years past but no one likes anything I have proposed - heh it has mostly only helped me). Basically, a year ago I had Andrew Miller and Edison Volquez both for 1 unit. Miller was traded for Miggy and Volquez for Hamilton, since I owned both I got them at an average salary of the traded AL player (both 1 unit) and an assumed NL player value of 10 units (always rounding down). (1+10)/2=5.5 and therefore I had the option to keep Hamilton and Cabrera at last year's keeper deadline for either $5 or $10. Sometimes this is great and sometimes it stinks. I also had Sabathia last year, which netted me an 18 unit Matt LaPorta, good prospect, but definitely unkeepable at that price.

[da_big_kid_94]

Now THAT was enlightening. I hadn't noticed they were all from the NL in 2007. Thanks for the edification, Kelly.

[CubFan]

With Duch now experiencing elbow pain and likely missing his opening day start he is best left off any further consideration. Someone to keep an eye on and even consider for your 6th spot is Baker. I'm currently debating over him for $6, Devine at $3 and Youkilis $17 for my 6th spot in my AL only keeper league.

[Kelly_Leak]

With Duch now experiencing elbow pain and likely missing his opening day start he is best left off any further consideration. Someone to keep an eye on and even consider for your 6th spot is Baker. I'm currently debating over him for $6, Devine at $3 and Youkilis $17 for my 6th spot in my AL only keeper league.

[Kelly_Leak]

10 team AL-only - 6 keepers max.
There are 2 options to keeping a player; first you extend the player 5 units and have the option to keep him next year, OR you "one and out" the player by keeping at the same price as last year but he cannot be kept the following year. I have listed both prices for every player.

I am currently projecting hitter inflation to be about 21% whereas pitching is at 8%.

Definites (duh)
M. Cabrera $10/$15
J. Hamilton $10/$15
C. Quentin $3/$8

Strong Candidates
J. Shields $12/$17
B. Roberts $14/$19
F. Francisco $1/$6
J. Devine $2/$7
J. Duchscherer $2/$7

Other Possibilities
J. Clement $1/$6
R. Cano $15/$20
A. Gordon $10/$15
K. Slowey $8/$13
S. Baker $5/$10
J. Danks $3/$8

I am leaning toward Miggy $15, Hamilton $15, Quentin $8, Shields $12, Roberts $14, and Francisco $6. Any additional thoughts would be greatly appreciated, but feel free to simply rank your top 6 without explanation. Thank you in advance.

Okay keepers are due tonight! I am set with Miggy, Hamilton, Quentin, J.Shields, and B.Roberts. I can't make up my mind on the 6th. I have narrowed my focus to (in no particular order):
1. F. Francisco ($1/$6) - cheap saves (saves generally go for right around projected value).
2. K. Slowey ($8/$13) - would be pairing him with Shields and then targeting Nathan or Rivera (Paps and Soria are being kept).
3. J. Danks ($3/$8) - would attempt a similar plan as with Slowey above.

If I where to rank them according to projected profit potential they would rank Francisco, Danks, Slowey.

Francisco concerns me because he doesn't have the track record of closing for a whole season plus he is in Texas. Danks and Slowey only have one full season under their belts, but they were fairly consistent throughout the coarse of last season. My concern with Danks is his ballpark and my concern with Slowey is the number of HRs he gave up.

I am currently leaning toward keeping Slowey, but would really appreciate any and all opinions.

[Todd Zola]

I think I would go Francisco to lock up 25-35 saves at a reasonable cost - unless you are sure you can get someone "better" for $20 or so, "better" being Papelbon, Rivera, Nathan, Soria, Fuentes and Wood. Jenks and Ryan are questions for me and Fuentes is close.

[Kelly_Leak]

Thanks! As you can see from my original post I was always leaning towards Frank. Now I'm talking myself out of it.

I guess I could also mention I project the following pitchers to be kept:
- Papelbon
- Soria
- Jenks
- Ziegler
- Beckett
- Lackey
- E.Santana
- Liriano
- Purcey
- Wang
- Verlander
- Escobar
- Cliff Lee
- D.Price
- Chamberlain
- Carmona
- Galarraga
- Lester
- Floyd
- Scott Lewis
- Cahill
- Saunders

[Guest]

I appreciate the challenge in this one.

I suppose the way I evaluate it is that both SP and RP are a fairly scarce resource in an AL league.

CL will cost as much or more than top SP in your league. You have an offense built to win. I roster the saves.

If you insist on a starter, go Slowey.