FAABulous Conundrum

[Sharky]

We've held our auction already. If a Cuban player (let's call him "Nector Molivera") signs with an MLB team now, he would be available via FAAB in the first transaction period.

Conceptually, how do you evaluate a faab bid on a player like that? In theory, you would get him for a full season vs. a partial season. And if you, like most, have a hole in your roster, he would be valuable. But you still need to retain FAAB dollars to help your roster opportunistically throughout the year. So how big do you go with your bid on Mr. Molivera?

[Sharky]

Be careful. As noted by someone somewhere else (maybe Ryno?) there's a nonzero chance that he starts in the minors, maybe even for a while.

In our league, he isn't eligible to be bid on until he's called up. So let's say for sake of argument he starts on Opening Day (which admittedly may not happen). If he does, what is the most aggressive FAAB bid you would envision in a 5x5 "only" league?

[james33]

In our league, he isn't eligible to be bid on until he's called up. So let's say for sake of argument he starts on Opening Day (which admittedly may not happen). If he does, what is the most aggressive FAAB bid you would envision in a 5x5 "only" league?

I'd probably go $90 out of a $100 budget, giving $10 for $1 players throughout the year, and I still might get outbid.

[james33]

I'd go pretty huge on him, too. I'd imagine that $90 would put a team in a serious salary cap bind right off the bat, though.

Yeah - my main league has no in-season salary cap. I guess there's really probably 3 answers depending on whether (a) your league has in-season salary cap - that might limit bidding to $60 and (b) whether your league allows $0 FAAB bids. If that's the case and no in-season cap, I'd go $100.

[Gregg]

In our league we have a salary cap as well as a penalty for dropping any player bid over $24. In addition those players that are over $24 cannot be traded in the season they are purchased, but can be in the off season.

Our salary cap does go up several times during the season. I could not go $100 this early in the season.

So for me it would be about $40 of my $100 FAAB budget if he was eligible the first month.

[Gregg]

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Cuban free agent infielder Hector Olivera will likely finalize an agreement with a team by Wednesday.
Confirming previous reports, Sherman hears that it's an NL West battle between the Padres and Dodgers for his services. He adds that Olivera is "likely" to land a deal in the range of five or six years. The 29-year-old is a ready-now player, so he could play a major role with either team right away.

[virgonomic]

In a draft league what is the highest you'd draft him?

[Hornsby]

There's no way that I'd handicap myself for the next 6 months by spending 80, 90, or 100% of my FAAB budget for one guy who nobody here has ever seen play. I'd agree with Gregg, 40 bucks tops and watch him walk away to another team...

[bryanbutler]

agree with horns on this one.