NL-Only Keeper Help (5x5)

[Zupe]

Hi,

Our keeper deadline is a little less than two weeks away, so I was hoping to get a few opinions on my protections (and particularly extensions). It's a standard 5x5, NL-Only Auction League. 10 Teams, $280 for 25 (2 C, 2 UT, 10 P), we can keep as many or as few players as we like.

All players are entering their second season unless noted. Players in their option year can be kept at the same price for one more year, or extended at $5 per additional season.

C Francisco Cervelli, Pit $3 (Option Year)
C Derek Norris, Was $6 (Option Year)
1B Joey Votto, Cin $17 (Option Year)
1B Mark Reynolds, Col $5
3B Anthony Rendon, Was $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep)
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cin $6 (Option Year)
2B/1B Daniel Murphy, Was $10 (Option Year)
2B Ryan Schimpf, SD $5
OF Bryce Harper, Was $18 (final year of long term deal, must keep)
OF Billy Hamilton, Cin $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep)
OF Odubel Herrera, Phi $1 (Option Year)
OF Domingo Santana, Mil $5 (Option Year)
OF Denard Span, SF $5 (Option Year)
OF Adam Duvall, Cin $2
OF Travis Jankowski SD $6
OF Jay Bruce, NY $18


P Stephen Strasburg, Was $30 (Option Year)
P Johnny Cueto, SF $21
P Joe Ross, Was $5
P Kenta Maeda, LA $10
P Ivan Nova, Pit $5
P David Phelps, Mia $5
P Michael Wacha, STL $20
P Zach Efllin, Phi $5
P Tom Koehler, Mia $5
P Brandon Maurer, SD $8
P Jake Barrett, Ari $7


Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):

- Brendan Rodgers, Col SS $3

Thank you.

[joncarlos]

C Francisco Cervelli, Pit $3 (Option Year) --- yes
C Derek Norris, Was $6 (Option Year) --- no
1B Joey Votto, Cin $17 (Option Year) --- yes, I'd sign for 1 year
1B Mark Reynolds, Col $5 ---no
3B Anthony Rendon, Was $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep) ---yes
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cin $6 (Option Year) ---- yes, no extension
2B/1B Daniel Murphy, Was $10 (Option Year) --- yes, man that's a tough extension. He's so old but so good. I'd rather put that money towards younger players.
2B Ryan Schimpf, SD $5 --- I mean, I think he's a yes
OF Bryce Harper, Was $18 (final year of long term deal, must keep) --- yes
OF Billy Hamilton, Cin $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep) ---yes
OF Odubel Herrera, Phi $1 (Option Year) --- yes, he signed an extension IRL so I'd be willing to go 2 years on him
OF Domingo Santana, Mil $5 (Option Year) -- yes, no extension, even though I'm really tempted
OF Denard Span, SF $5 (Option Year) - nowhere to put him even with 2 UT spots
OF Adam Duvall, Cin $2 --- yes, fills your OF
OF Travis Jankowski SD $6 ---- yes, I guess fill one of your UT spots
OF Jay Bruce, NY $18 -- no


P Stephen Strasburg, Was $30 (Option Year) --- I guess I'd keep, no extension
P Johnny Cueto, SF $21 ---yes
P Joe Ross, Was $5 -- yes
P Kenta Maeda, LA $10 -- yes
P Ivan Nova, Pit $5 -- yes
P David Phelps, Mia $5 --- no, but tempting. find a different MR for $2.
P Michael Wacha, STL $20 -- no
P Zach Efllin, Phi $5 -- no
P Tom Koehler, Mia $5 --- no
P Brandon Maurer, SD $8 --- well, I'm guessing there won't be many saves available. Is Carter Capps available at auction? COuld you get him for $10? Would you want to? Would that even guarantee you the Padres' 25 saves? I am leaning towards yes but ick.
P Jake Barrett, Ari $7 --- no

[harmon]

C Francisco Cervelli, Pit $3 (Option Year) --- yes
C Derek Norris, Was $6 (Option Year) --- no
1B Joey Votto, Cin $17 (Option Year) --- yes, I'd sign for 1 year
1B Mark Reynolds, Col $5 ---no
3B Anthony Rendon, Was $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep) ---yes
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cin $6 (Option Year) ---- yes, no extension
2B/1B Daniel Murphy, Was $10 (Option Year) --- yes, man that's a tough extension. He's so old but so good. I'd rather put that money towards younger players.
2B Ryan Schimpf, SD $5 --- I mean, I think he's a yes
OF Bryce Harper, Was $18 (final year of long term deal, must keep) --- yes
OF Billy Hamilton, Cin $15 (final year of long term deal, must keep) ---yes
OF Odubel Herrera, Phi $1 (Option Year) --- yes, he signed an extension IRL so I'd be willing to go 2 years on him
OF Domingo Santana, Mil $5 (Option Year) -- yes, no extension, even though I'm really tempted
OF Denard Span, SF $5 (Option Year) - nowhere to put him even with 2 UT spots
OF Adam Duvall, Cin $2 --- yes, fills your OF
OF Travis Jankowski SD $6 ---- yes, I guess fill one of your UT spots
OF Jay Bruce, NY $18 -- no


P Stephen Strasburg, Was $30 (Option Year) --- I guess I'd keep, no extension
P Johnny Cueto, SF $21 ---yes
P Joe Ross, Was $5 -- yes
P Kenta Maeda, LA $10 -- yes
P Ivan Nova, Pit $5 -- yes
P David Phelps, Mia $5 --- no, but tempting. find a different MR for $2.
P Michael Wacha, STL $20 -- no
P Zach Efllin, Phi $5 -- no
P Tom Koehler, Mia $5 --- no
P Brandon Maurer, SD $8 --- well, I'm guessing there won't be many saves available. Is Carter Capps available at auction? COuld you get him for $10? Would you want to? Would that even guarantee you the Padres' 25 saves? I am leaning towards yes but ick.
P Jake Barrett, Ari $7 --- no

Mostly agree with this, but:

Probably throw Schimpf back in, he really just offers HR, but hurts in avg, runs, no speed
Definitely extend Murphy for another year
Watch Stras carefully in spring, any signs of injury issues would scare me off

[Hammer]

Heres my list. I am stunned a 2 C NL only league would have such low prices for regulars and how exactly does Votto only go for $17?

C Francisco Cervelli, Pit $3
1B Joey Votto, Cin $17
3B Anthony Rendon, Was $15
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cin $6
2B/1B Daniel Murphy, Was $10
OF Bryce Harper, Was $18
OF Billy Hamilton, Cin $15
OF Odubel Herrera, Phi $1
OF Domingo Santana, Mil $5
OF Adam Duvall, Cin $2
P Johnny Cueto, SF $21
P Joe Ross, Was $5
P Kenta Maeda, LA $10
P Ivan Nova, Pit $5
P Brandon Maurer, SD $8

[mjl]

I agree with JC across the board except:

I would not keep Strasburg
I might not keep Nova, but that's just personal preference and the prices I'm using say that you should
I would extend Murphy

I'm considering keeping Schimpf at $9 in a $260 budget. Reliable starters in a 10-team NL are worth $5 if they do anything for you. That said, I'd hold off on deciding until the last minute because it sounds like he might lose the job to Spangenberg.

[Zupe]

Thanks all.

I agree with JC across the board except:

I would not keep Strasburg
I might not keep Nova, but that's just personal preference and the prices I'm using say that you should
I would extend Murphy

I'm considering keeping Schimpf at $9 in a $260 budget. Reliable starters in a 10-team NL are worth $5 if they do anything for you. That said, I'd hold off on deciding until the last minute because it sounds like he might lose the job to Spangenberg.

I plan on keeping Nova, but this is otherwise about what I was thinking as of now. I'm still on the fence with Strasburg - when he's healthy, he can be a legitimate ace, but he's been hurt for parts of both years I owned him, so justifying paying $30 again becomes more difficult.

[harmon]

Thanks all.



I plan on keeping Nova, but this is otherwise about what I was thinking as of now. I'm still on the fence with Strasburg - when he's healthy, he can be a legitimate ace, but he's been hurt for parts of both years I owned him, so justifying paying $30 again becomes more difficult.

What are you going to do with Schimpf?

[Judge Jude]

What are you going to do with Schimpf?

Schimpf strikes me as the type of guy who is fungible in 10-team NL-only, compared to 12-team.

[Zupe]

I've gotten some trade interest in Travis Jankowski, with one owner offering a choice of Adam Ottavino (2nd year, $6), Jedd Gyorko (2nd year, $5), or minor-leaguer Austin Meadows (would be $3 when activated). I'm kind of going in circles about which, if any, of those would be the best offer, and if I did trade Jankowski, whether Denard Span then becomes a keeper at $5. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[mjl]

Meadows if you're not in a hurry to get the payoff, probably Ottavino if you're only concerned with this year. But you should definitely do it, there's no guarantee that Jankowski gets much playing time.

[Gregg]

I would make that trade for Meadows. Good keeper and better trade chip in season if you have to.

I would also give Votto and Murphy a year each.

Are there any top 5 starting pitchers back in the auction?

[Zupe]

Are there any top 5 starting pitchers back in the auction?

As far as I can project, it doesn't look like it.

[Gregg]

As far as I can project, it doesn't look like it.

Then I keep Stras.

[chancellor]

I agree with Gregg. Heck, in a $280 league, I might even extend Votto two years.

[The Dane]

Here's my list:

C Francisco Cervelli, Pit $3 with no extension
1B Joey Votto, Cin $17 is an awesome buy, but not as awesome as in an OBP league.
3B Anthony Rendon, Was $15
3B Eugenio Suarez, Cin $6 with no extension. He scares me a little for 2017. If you can move him, do it.
2B/1B Daniel Murphy, Was $10 with no extension.
2B Ryan Schimpf, SD $5 I think the team moving the Schimpf/Spangenberg position battle to 3rd is awesome news for Schimpf who was great at 3B last year. He may be a defensive star there which will help them tolerate his low AVG.

Here's how I rate your OF logjam:
OF Bryce Harper, Was $18
OF Billy Hamilton, Cin $15
OF Odubel Herrera, Phi $1 I'd extend one year, because I detest extensions, but I wouldn't fault anyone who went two years.
OF Adam Duvall, Cin $2
OF Domingo Santana, Mil $5 with no extension.
OF Travis Jankowski SD $6
OF Denard Span, SF $5 might have to go if you don't have the room. You have plenty of counting stats in the guys above, and while Span is easily worth $5, you might be better served with an open spot to fill at draft.

P Johnny Cueto, SF $21 Yes. Definitely, yes.
P Joe Ross, Was $5
P Kenta Maeda, LA $10
P Ivan Nova, Pit $5
P Brandon Maurer, SD $8

What a great keeper list.

By my count, you go in with $124 for a catcher, a shortstop, and one UT on offense. And three starters and two relievers in your staff. In addition, you have no glaring needs. You'll need saves, obviously. And maybe a little more power and a bat to offset your AVG drains.

Have fun with this.