New to Minor League Drafting - Strategies???

[RotoSleuth]

[12 team, AL only 4x4, keeper/auction league]

We are instituting a post auction, 2 round snake draft of minor leaguers. Must be true rookies (i.e. <130 ab, < 50ip MLB experience). If activated during the season, salary will be $10. Each year, we keep 9 players, so in order to keep rookie player next year, I would need at least $10 in expected value to keep them.

Since I'm new to minor league drafting and I typically stay away from the hyped up rookie phenoms, I thought I would inquire about possible drafting strategies.

Do people draft for players whom can help them primarily in '09 only as '10 is a crapshoot? If so, If not inthe running for say a Price/Weiter etc, would one be better served for MR type pitchers or prospects witjh poor teams that will more likely move players up thus gain some value (maybe not $10, but a FA pick-up is going to be $10 anyhow)?

Do people draft for '10 in hopes that players will be worth the $10 to keep?

Do people use them primarily for trade bait to get solid keepers?

etc., etc.....

Thanks to any & all thoughts.

[da_big_kid_94]

It primarily depends on what your active roster is set up for. If it's a push to win this year, then you want the guys who are hovering for '09. If you're close and need another year for a few more pieces, you may want to pay more attention to the guys a little further down the line.

I think teams draft for needs - both immediate and future. I think there are very few people who do not believe Matt Wieters (barring injury) is going to be THE prime guy to draft for this year (and beyond). I believe there to be only two other players in an AL only who are pretty much guaranteed to be impact players this year - Matt La Porta and David Price.

Now, in future years? Both the Beckhams, Wade Davis, Carlos Santana, Chris Tillman.
Contracts and arbitration have made the "let's bring the kid up and see what he can do" GM mentality ride off into the sunset. If you want to go that route, look at teams who have guys who are question marks at the major league level and see what the team has in the minors - Austin Jackson of the Yankees is one who comes to mind. As for trade bait? Sometimes the best thing one has going for them is being the flavor of the month in the minors without having to prove anything at the majors yet. Beauty will always be in the eye of the beholder.

Good luck to you.