NL Only Keeper 4x4 thoughts?

[MagSeven]

League had been 12 teams prior to last year when we lost 2 owners and couldn't replace them. We increased the roster from 23 to 26 - adding a 6th OF, a 2nd Utility and a 10th pitcher - and the cap to $300. If we don't expand back to 12 this year, we'll be allowed to protect 18 instead of 15. Here is my current roster:
C - Iannetta 2B, Wilson Ramos 4B, Lucroy 2B
1B - LaRoche 4B, Freeman 4B, Helton 4B
3B - P Alvarez 2B
2B - N Walker 2B, F Sanchez 3B
SS - Castro 2B
OF - Stanton 4B, Ethier 17C, Upton 19F, Braun 17F, D Brown 4B
P - J Zimmerman 1B, J McDonald 4B, Hudson 2B, Cook 4B, Paulino 2B, Broxton 4B, Storen 2B, Meek 2B, Hanrahan 2B

A player with a 'B' will be in his second year in 2011; players with a 'C' will be in their final year; Upton and Braun are in their 5th years. I have the option of signing Ethier for 4 years by increasing his salary by $15. I don't have a handle on the inflation since this will be the first year with this many keepers. I know I have enough money to buy 2 or 3 of the better pitchers that have come over to the NL. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Gregg]

Well the first 5 cuts are easy for me. Lucroy, Helton, Sanchez, Cook, Paulino.

The last one would be decided by my league's quirks. I would have to choose between Ianetta (who else is back in auction), Zimmerman (how do I feel about his potential to stay healthy), and McDonald (pitching for the Pirates).

I probably keep Ianetta as catching is so thin. If the couple of good ones are back I wouldn't want to overpay.

I am thinking I keep Zimm over McDonald save the three bucks and get McDonald back (or one similar) at auction.

I would not give Either a raise and suck out all of the profit (if I am reading this right).

I would also try to package the guys that I am cutting to see if I could turn them into a good keeper.

[schlesinj]

League had been 12 teams prior to last year when we lost 2 owners and couldn't replace them. We increased the roster from 23 to 26 - adding a 6th OF, a 2nd Utility and a 10th pitcher - and the cap to $300. If we don't expand back to 12 this year, we'll be allowed to protect 18 instead of 15. Here is my current roster:
C - Iannetta 2B,
1B - LaRoche 4B, Freeman 4B, Helton 4B
3B - P Alvarez 2B
2B - N Walker 2B,
SS - Castro 2B
OF - Stanton 4B, Ethier 17C, Upton 19F, Braun 17F, D Brown 4B
P - J Zimmerman 1B, Hudson 2B, Broxton 4B, Storen 2B, Meek 2B, Hanrahan 2B

A player with a 'B' will be in his second year in 2011; players with a 'C' will be in their final year; Upton and Braun are in their 5th years. I have the option of signing Ethier for 4 years by increasing his salary by $15. I don't have a handle on the inflation since this will be the first year with this many keepers. I know I have enough money to buy 2 or 3 of the better pitchers that have come over to the NL. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Our 10 team league 4x4 league is similar $290 27 man rosters, so I should be a decent reference point. Couple of quick questions out of curiosity. How did Broxton only go for $4 in a 4x4 last year and do you start 2 catchers?

Cut: Cook 4B, Paulino 2B, Wilson Ramos 4B (IRod still there and Norris is on the way soon), J McDonald 4B (although he was fantastic after he moved to Pittsburgh), F Sanchez 3B, Lucroy 2B

[MagSeven]

Our 10 team league 4x4 league is similar $290 27 man rosters, so I should be a decent reference point. Couple of quick questions out of curiosity. How did Broxton only go for $4 in a 4x4 last year and do you start 2 catchers?

Cut: Cook 4B, Paulino 2B, Wilson Ramos 4B (IRod still there and Norris is on the way soon), J McDonald 4B (although he was fantastic after he moved to Pittsburgh), F Sanchez 3B, Lucroy 2B

We do start 2 catchers. As far as Broxton, one of the contenders had to cut him last year when he lost his closing job. Our league doesn't use FAAB; each owner has 2 waiver claims for the year. When he was cut, I used one.

[MagSeven]

I would not give Either a raise and suck out all of the profit (if I am reading this right).

I would also try to package the guys that I am cutting to see if I could turn them into a good keeper.

You're right about Ethier's salary and there are a few owners that could use some bodies.

[the heat]

Cut: Cook 4B, Paulino 2B, Wilson Ramos 4B (IRod still there and Norris is on the way soon), J McDonald 4B (although he was fantastic after he moved to Pittsburgh), F Sanchez 3B, Lucroy 2B

I agree with schlesinj.

I'm amazed when I hear leagues with upwards of 15 protections. 1 good draft can set you up for years on end as a dynasty. Have a bad draft & you're in the cellar for years unless you make outrageous dump trades. The league I run varies the protections based on finish the year before. 1st place can protect 6 (25+ man rosters, depending on league size, NL-only)

[MagSeven]

Just bumping this as keepers are due next week and instead of 18 we might have 16 (maybe 17) max keepers. I also have Bud Norris $1 and Fred Lewis $2. Some owners were upset that I accumulated so many possibles when they have nothing and have been pushing to only keep 15. One owner who has a lot of expensive players wants to keep 15 and has been asking me to trade a bunch of bodies for a $57 Halladay.