keeper selection

the subject pretty much says it all. i am looking for the best "bang for the buck" regarding my keepers.

our format: 12 team mixed 5x5 roto (obp, HR, R, RBI, SB) x (W, S, ERA, WHIP, K)
teams consist of: 14 positional players and 9 (non specific) pitchers with a budget of $260
salaries indicated will be what they can be kept at for the 2015 season. i will not the keepers i intend upon going forward with by the use of an "*". i can keep a maximum of 8 players, so the obvious thought here is that if i can get them in the auction lower than i can keep them, why would i keep them.

Pos Players salary
C Tyler Flowers C | CHW $6
*C Devin Mesoraco C | CIN $8
1B Chris Carter 1B | HOU $6
2B Jason Kipnis 2B | CLE $21
3B Trevor Plouffe 3B | MIN $6
SS Andrelton Simmons SS | ATL $11
*MI Rougned Odor 2B | TEX $6
*CI Nolan Arenado 3B | COL $6
OF Carl Crawford OF | LAD $11
OF Rajai Davis OF | DET $12
OF Brandon Moss 1B,OF | CLE $15
OF Josh Reddick OF | OAK $6
*OF Jorge Soler OF | CHC $6
U Adam Dunn 1B | OAK retired
1B Paul Goldschmidt 1B | ARI $43
*1B Anthony Rizzo 1B | CHC $14
CI Eric Hosmer 1B | KC $19
OF Wil Myers OF | SD $16

Pitchers

Pos Players salary
P Trevor Bauer P | CLE $6
*P Dellin Betances P | NYY $6
P Aroldis Chapman P | CIN $19
P Jake Odorizzi P | TB $6
P Jake Peavy P | SF $6
P Jose Quintana P | CHW $13
P Marcus Stroman P | TOR $9
*P Justin Verlander P | DET $6
P Archie Bradley P | ARI $10
P Drew Pomeranz P | OAK $6
*P Garrett Richards P | LAA $6
*P Drew Storen P | WAS $7


i currently have 9 marked with an "*" and i can only keep 8. i posed a trade question in another thread concerning Verlander for Gausman, at which point, he would take Verlanders spot in the keeper portion. the one currently on the outside looking in is Odor, but because of the thin 2b pool and Texas losing Profar for the season, i am intrigued. i don't know if i'm $6 intrigued, but i'm intrigued.

your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

[The Dane]

I would consider strongly including Carter. For a measly $6, those are a lot of HRs you are passing up. Looks like pitchers are going much cheaper, so I'd cut them to add hitters. But that's just me and I hate all pitchers.

[mjl]

I would probably keep Stroman over Verlander and Storen and leave the rest as you have them. I doubt Storen has much profit at $7 compared to auction price, and you're already keeping Betances - unless your league really really likes closers I'd rather wait to see what happens in NY and just buy Chapman again, and pick up Giles or someone like that to be your Storen for this year.

edit: oh, what Dane said too. I'd probably remove a pitcher for Carter, either Stroman or Richards. I admit that I am kind of bought in to Fangraphs' love for Stroman. So I'd be on six hitters and Betances and either Stroman or Richards, probably Stroman.

[DMT]

Welcome to the Pen!

Mesoraco
Carter
Arenado
Soler
Rizzo
Stroman
Betances
Storen

[joncarlos]

Carter, Arenado, Soler, Rizzo, Mesoraco, Betances, Storen, JV.

I don't love keeping 2 closers in such a shallow league. But those are nice prices. Odor isn't a keeper in an OBP league. Carter definitely is. Honestly I don't love Mesoraco either but I don't see any better options. Richards isn't healthy right now and in a shallow league he's replaceable.

[redbroyer]

interesting thoughts guys. i appreciate the insight. most of the bigger name pitchers in this league go for a premium with guys like King Felix ($37, $42 if kept), Kershaw ($37, $42 if kept), Price ($27, $32 if kept), Cliff Lee ($30, $35 if kept), Holland ($18, $23 if kept), and Kimbrel ($19, $24 if kept). what's strange about this league is there seems to be a different trend from year to year regarding closers. some years $14 is too much, but other years, $12 will get you somebody from whatever committee is closing for the Blue Jays.

regarding the prices, a lot of these guys were in-season pickups or trades. i think Mesoraco and Arenado were my only gems from the draft last year. everything else i built for keeper potential this season. interesting you all have chosen to pass on Richards. are you that concerned about his knee injury last season or just not as high on him as an ace as others are?

[redbroyer]

another tidbit of information that may sway some Carter peeps. he only qualifies at U (or DH) currently. if he gets 5 games, he'll be good to go at 1b or CI, but since he only played 14 at first last season and our cut off is 15, he has to be drafted as a UT guy until he qualifies later.

[redbroyer]

after the trade of Verlander, i now have Danny Salazar @ $4. here's the updated list.

Pos Players salary
C Tyler Flowers C | CHW $6
*C Devin Mesoraco C | CIN $8
1B Chris Carter 1B | HOU $6
2B Jason Kipnis 2B | CLE $21
3B Trevor Plouffe 3B | MIN $6
SS Andrelton Simmons SS | ATL $11
*MI Rougned Odor 2B | TEX $6
*CI Nolan Arenado 3B | COL $6
OF Carl Crawford OF | LAD $11
OF Rajai Davis OF | DET $12
OF Brandon Moss 1B,OF | CLE $15
OF Josh Reddick OF | OAK $6
*OF Jorge Soler OF | CHC $6
U Adam Dunn 1B | OAK retired
1B Paul Goldschmidt 1B | ARI $43
*1B Anthony Rizzo 1B | CHC $14
CI Eric Hosmer 1B | KC $19
OF Wil Myers OF | SD $16

Pitchers

Pos Players salary
P Trevor Bauer P | CLE $6
*P Dellin Betances P | NYY $6
P Aroldis Chapman P | CIN $19
P Jake Odorizzi P | TB $6
P Jake Peavy P | SF $6
P Jose Quintana P | CHW $13
P Marcus Stroman P | TOR $9
*P Danny Salazar P | CLE $4
P Archie Bradley P | ARI $10
P Drew Pomeranz P | OAK $6
*P Garrett Richards P | LAA $6
*P Drew Storen P | WAS $7

[DMT]

I'd definitely keep Carter over Odor at same price..not even that close IMO.

[Vecmizer]

I love Odor but he would not be a keeper for me at that price and with the other options you have. I would keep Carter or even Moss before Odor.

[Gregg]

I'd definitely keep Carter over Odor at same price..not even that close IMO.

I agree with this.

[redbroyer]

i realized that i didn't update who i would keep. Odor is out, but i'm struggling with keeping Carter as i have to slot him at UT and i can't stand entering the draft with the UT spot filled. i find it too limiting.

a lot of you mentioned Stroman. do you think a $9 Stroman will perform better than a $6 Richards or a $7 Storen? On that note, i was offered Samardzija for Storen and i think i'm gonna jump on that one too. $12 Samardzija should work out well for a $7 Storen in my opinion.

Pos Players salary
C Tyler Flowers C | CHW $6
*C Devin Mesoraco C | CIN $8
1B Paul Goldschmidt 1B | ARI $43
2B Jason Kipnis 2B | CLE $21
3B Trevor Plouffe 3B | MIN $6
SS Andrelton Simmons SS | ATL $11
MI Rougned Odor 2B | TEX $6
*CI Nolan Arenado 3B | COL $6
OF Carl Crawford OF | LAD $11
OF Rajai Davis OF | DET $12
OF Brandon Moss 1B,OF | CLE $15
OF Josh Reddick OF | OAK $6
*OF Jorge Soler OF | CHC $6
U Chris Carter DH | HOU $6
*1B Anthony Rizzo 1B | CHC $14
CI Eric Hosmer 1B | KC $19
OF Wil Myers OF | SD $16

Pitchers

Pos Players salary
P Trevor Bauer P | CLE $6
*P Dellin Betances P | NYY $6
P Aroldis Chapman P | CIN $19
P Jake Odorizzi P | TB $6
P Jake Peavy P | SF $6
P Jose Quintana P | CHW $13
P Marcus Stroman P | TOR $9
*P Danny Salazar P | CLE $4
P Archie Bradley P | ARI $10
P Drew Pomeranz P | OAK $6
*P Garrett Richards P | LAA $6
*P Drew Storen P | WAS $7

[chancellor]

12 team mixed with OBP? Pitching, especially quality starters, are plenty. Power is short. I keep Carter AND Brandon Moss, and toss back Danny Salazar. In a BA league, there's no way I'd do that, but in an OBP league..oh, yeah.

I don't like having the UT position filled, but for Chris Carter at $6, I'd do that. He's not going to hurt you in OBP the way he would in BA, and he will pile up homers.