Mastersball Fantasy Forum

Farm Draft

OK so in our leagues, we are allowed to draft up to 19 rookie eligible players - at least 7 must be pitchers and 12 hitters or less.

So for all these years, I have surfed the web looking for mr right now (and I have hit on a few of those) IE Ben Zobrist, Brandon Beachy, meaning guys who weren't necessarily on everyones top 100 prospect list - but they had an oppurtunity, they were likely to crack the opening day roster and get a shot. Of course with these type of keeper lists - I never have the top 10 prospects like matt moore or bryce harper, but the guy who has them hasn't called up one of his prospects in the past two seasons so not sure whats his deal.

And I think oppurtunity should be included in creating these lists.

IE lets say Jurickson Profar was the best SS ever in the history of shortstops - but he's in the rangers system blocked by elvis andrus. Now either he's going to move to another position, or he's going to grow up in AAA and wait for years or he's going to get traded(which kills his value if he's traded to the other league).

So would it not be cool to figure out a way to incorporate the quality of the guy in the majors who would be eventually someday be replaced? (including things like skills/frequency of injury/contract/age/etc)

So - I am just kind of thinking out loud here and looking for your inputs or any kind of ideas as to how to make this work (seems like a weird little combination of the Lahr Michaels list/baseball america/baseball prospectus, some work on cots contracts(expiring contracts for years out), dollar values from projections and some sort of mathematical formula that would weigh them correctly) and probably alot of luck....

so read this random rambling and see if my idea makes any sense and if it does - give me some ideas as to how this could work in theory or more importantly if this whole idea is a total waste of time and you should just constantly try to have this years best guys....but that list changes nearly every year.

Just my opinion...

I think we actually have it right.

Lawr has a list that puts players on your radar.

Perry has 2 lists, 1 for keeper/dynasty leagues which takes Lawr's list and adds a scouting perspective and the other for redraft leagues where he takes the short term opportunity into perspective.

It's Perry's first list that is the one that would possibly hurt guys like Profar and for me anyway, prospecting is such a crapshoot that I just want the best player and let things flesh out. But I can understand otherwise.

I hearken back to Texas having Mike Lamb blocking Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock when I want some perspective.

my other off the wall approach to minors draft is I always draft the best prospects from the opposite league from a team who is likely competing and willing to make a trade.

Example - two years ago in my AL only in like the 8th or 9th round- I drafted brett lawrie from NL - he eventually got traded to the blue jays and I got a guy who would have been a first round pick for 8th round value.

now truth be told - I drafted like 5 guys like that and got lucky to hit on one - but I would give up a 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th round pick for a #1 pick everytime in that type format. especially if he blossoms the way lawrie looks like he will.

But is that reasonable thinking? Thinking with regards to the minors draft it's almost a crapshoot, hoping to find the diamond in the rough who gets an oppurtunity and excels?

(now if you look on my roster for lawrie - last year I traded lawrie for a SP and Closer which eventually resulted in winning #1 in the league so it all worked out in the end and I got the cash - but yes I do regret it now as he will be a staple of that guys roster for years to come and I might be done spending my $700 within a few weeks at the bar)

daweasle wrote:my other off the wall approach to minors draft is I always draft the best prospects from the opposite league from a team who is likely competing and willing to make a trade.

Example - two years ago in my AL only in like the 8th or 9th round- I drafted brett lawrie from NL - he eventually got traded to the blue jays and I got a guy who would have been a first round pick for 8th round value.

now truth be told - I drafted like 5 guys like that and got lucky to hit on one - but I would give up a 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th round pick for a #1 pick everytime in that type format. especially if he blossoms the way lawrie looks like he will.

But is that reasonable thinking? Thinking with regards to the minors draft it's almost a crapshoot, hoping to find the diamond in the rough who gets an oppurtunity and excels?

(now if you look on my roster for lawrie - last year I traded lawrie for a SP and Closer which eventually resulted in winning #1 in the league so it all worked out in the end and I got the cash - but yes I do regret it now as he will be a staple of that guys roster for years to come and I might be done spending my $700 within a few weeks at the bar)

Certainly a reasonable gambit but shouldn't even be legal - in an AL ONLY league you should only be able to draft players in AL orgainizations (and college high school prospects if that is allowed)

It is said in basketball, you can't teach height. In baseball, you can't teach speed. Talent will out, eventually. It may not be at the position or organization it is in right now ...but if it is legit talent, it will prevail. Years back I found a true sleeper in the Boston organization - but no one else mentioned him so I figured I misfired on the guy ...never drafted him. Went on to become a serviceable major leaguer ...rumor has it he even was an World Series MVP ..Eckstone or Eckstine ...something like that. Talent will out, eventually. Last year, EVERYBODY loved Machado. Why? Guy hadn't even played A ball yet. There's no rhyme or reason why a lot of guys become flavor of the month ...but if they have the goods, they'll eventually get there.

Captain Hook wrote:Certainly a reasonable gambit but shouldn't even be legal - in an AL ONLY league you should only be able to draft players in AL orgainizations (and college high school prospects if that is allowed)

Totally agree!

Our farm team rules says a kid has to have less than 130 ABs or 50 IP and there are no restrictions as to what organization or level of ball he is in. As long as he doesn't have 130 ABs or 50 IP - he is fair game.

daweasle wrote:Our farm team rules says a kid has to have less than 130 ABs or 50 IP and there are no restrictions as to what organization or level of ball he is in. As long as he doesn't have 130 ABs or 50 IP - he is fair game.

No problem with that ...to each his own - but I would then think that, if you are in an only league, that it is written somewhere that you can't draft MLB players in the other league for your roster. My problem with it is that, IMHO, a trade is defined as two or more interested parties exchanging something of value in return for some sort of tangible consideration. Trading minor leaguers owned by franchises in the other league doesn't qualify.

daweasle wrote:Our farm team rules says a kid has to have less than 130 ABs or 50 IP and there are no restrictions as to what organization or level of ball he is in. As long as he doesn't have 130 ABs or 50 IP - he is fair game.

No common sense in your league?

Ouch!

Ultimately this is just a competition that a bunch of folks play against each other by some agreed set of rules. Those rules vary from league to league. As long as a strategy conforms to the rules, it's valid. I give the guy credit for thinking of that option. Why is drafting a guy hoping he gets traded any less valid than drafting a guy hoping he makes the majors? You're speculating in both cases.

Personally, I've always favored "open" rules, such as rules that are not dependent on player status (DL?), league, in camp, on roster, etc. They're much easier to administer, and open up creative options (such as the one being discussed).