Is it crazy to keep four closers?

[Lucky]

I have very little experience with mixed leagues. This is the Boxscore 5x5, with some very sharp owners. 15 teams.

My keeper list fluctuates, but right now it is looking odd. Assuming Uehara gets the job in Baltimore, and considering League a closer since he will start the season there and presumably stay until Aardsma comes back, I have five closers on my roster:

Hanrahan $1
Uehara $1
League $1
Bailey $3
Street $9

I'm thinking about keeping the first four, along with Ian Kennedy at $2 and Brett Myers at $5. Is this a bad idea?

That would leave my hitters as:

Austin Jackson $3
Corey Hart $4
Nick Swisher $6
Matt Holliday $33

This would mean I would not be freezing these guys:

Street $9
Alexi Casilla $1
Cameron Maybin $1
Alcides Escobar $10

Is this the right plan? Four closers, two starters, four outfielders? I've never had a keeper list that looked anything like that before.

[Gregg]

Street is the real closer (a bit injury prone). I am not sure a 37 year old Uehara has got the job. So I like Street better at this point. If you use holds I might feel different.

How many teams are in the league?

Can you do some trading?

[Moonlight J]

You'd pigeon-hole yourself at the draft to target high K/9 pitchers to make up for the lack of K's that comes with carrying 4 relievers in a mixed league. Hanrahan helps somewhat, but 4 is overkill, IMO.

[The Dane]

Plan A: Try and trade away some of your saves for hitters. If you can pull this off, your problems are solved.

Plan B: Go in with four closers and do your best to create runs on closers when the money is plentiful, get a solid lead in saves and then trade from there. This is not an optimum place to be in, but you have VALUE going into the draft which gives you some leeway which counters somewhat the position MJ describes. He's right, you will need to chase Ks, but you will also have the budget to chase Ks.

[joncarlos]

Yeah, I don't think Uehara gets the job either. And I think Street is a lock at $9. League is sort of borderline at $1 but you don't really have anyone better so I guess he is OK to keep. That would look like this:

Hanrahan $1
League $1
Bailey $3
Street $9
Austin Jackson $3
Corey Hart $4
Nick Swisher $6
Matt Holliday $33
Ian Kennedy at $2
Brett Myers at $5
~~~~
Uehara $1
Alexi Casilla $1
Cameron Maybin $1
Alcides Escobar $10

Depending on how bad Aardsma's health is, I might consider keeping Maybin over League if it looks like he'll have a starting job in CF.

[Lucky]

Yeah, I don't think Uehara gets the job either. And I think Street is a lock at $9. League is sort of borderline at $1 but you don't really have anyone better so I guess he is OK to keep. That would look like this:

Hanrahan $1
League $1
Bailey $3
Street $9
Austin Jackson $3
Corey Hart $4
Nick Swisher $6
Matt Holliday $33
Ian Kennedy at $2
Brett Myers at $5
~~~~
Uehara $1
Alexi Casilla $1
Cameron Maybin $1
Alcides Escobar $10

Depending on how bad Aardsma's health is, I might consider keeping Maybin over League if it looks like he'll have a starting job in CF.

I've been trying to keep up with Aardsma's health situation. He's still using crutches part of the time, and can't put his weight on one leg, but he is able to walk 50 feet. (That won't get him quite all the way to the mound from the bullpen.)

But seriously, if he is just now walking, how long before he can face the rigors of a real game?

Good analysis, guys. I obviously need to study this some more. Fortunately there is still time to see how certain things shake out and still time to trade.

[joncarlos]

If it makes you feel any better, I'll probably have 6 pitchers (including 3 quasi-closers) among my 10 keepers in PONY (18-team mixed) ... you have to keep value wherever you find it. And I also have Uehara, currently on the outside looking in (he's $5)

1 SP Hellickson $5 o13
2 SP Carpenter $14 o11
3 OF Bruce $5 o11
4 OF Gardner $5 o11
5 1B K Morales $12 o11
6 SP J Chacin $1 o12
7 RP Storen $5 o13
8 RP Nathan $9 o12
9 OF Coghlan $5 o12
10 RP Venters $5 o12

[tenmidgets]

joncarlos & co. - would you look to keep Uehara in an AL-only for $9? Or is that too high a price? Thanks!

[Stephen]

Depending on how bad Aardsma's health is, I might consider keeping Maybin over League if it looks like he'll have a starting job in CF.

More importantly, Lucky - don't forget that you have the Doigster in that league. A young $1Padres player is like pure Uranium to a terroist.

[virgonomic]

joncarlos & co. - would you look to keep Uehara in an AL-only for $9? Or is that too high a price? Thanks!

Too high for anyone in that pen.

[tenmidgets]

Agreed, thanks. I threw him back and will possibly buy him cheaper...

[chancellor]

Lucky - what are the transaction rules in Boxscore? Weekly, daily, or as fast as GITH can throw bad players out of his SUV? In a daily transaction league, four closers would rock if you're willing to put in the time to align your SPs correctly every day. Weekly....probably not good. You'll get shorted pretty severely on wins and Ks unless you invest heavily in high-K pitchers. I'd certainly toss Uehara in the mix. Given Street's injury history, he'd be the next to go. IMO, I'd keep Casilla before Maybin and either way, way before Alcides.