RJEL Returning Champ HDID

[frae]

So I went for it last year and traded away a number of really good pieces, but I did win so flags fly forever. That said I came in with an average group of keepers. As has been noted pitching prices were pretty crazy. I tossed Melancon back at 27 and bought him for 23 which I thought was fair. My other big buy would be a $43 Braun. I really intended to get a top tier pitcher, but I just wouldn't budge and pay the price. Anyway here is what I ended up with, keepers in bold...

C Gattis $14
1B M Cabrera $48
2B J Segura $20
3B J Turner $4
SS F Lindor $6
CI M Prado $6
MI J Panik $10
OF S Marte $12
OF B Drury $2
OF R Braun $43
OF M Ozuna $19
OF N Aoki $1
UT V Martinez $13
UT P Alvarez $2

RSV
Jose Iglesias $1
Tony Walters $1
Cheslor Cuthbert $1


Carlos Martinez $2
Roberto Osuna $2
Lance McCullers $5
Ian Kennedy $14
Mark Melancon $23
Gio Gonzalez $8
Charlie Morton $2
Luis Severino $2
Carl Edwards $1

Chad Kuhl $1
Adam Warren $1

My farm doesn't have anyone I would count on for help this year. All feedback is appreciated, thanks.

[Big Tymer]

My system has you at 7 right now with around 110 points but heavily weighted to hitting. Agree with your strategy of not paying those prices for SP but I might have then recommended you load your bench up a bit more to play matchups and take advantage of the mid-week changes. The Rotolab snapshop I keep referring to is static though and doesn't take into account weekly moves so basically you're going to need to manage the hell out of this staff to get the most of it.

I like the Kennedy buy at $14 as one of few SP buys I say where it was under the value I had for the player. He may not be sexy, but very steady and we need to accumulate to get the stats in roto so guys like him that you can rely on are critical. I've been off Gio for years so not my kind of guy but Morton could be interesting. Trouble is Musgrove is probably more so.

Pre-draft, Braun and Ozuna were some of the guys I thought myself likely to be in on around the prices you paid so nice work there. Think I was in on the Panik bids but was short stacked and you got away from me.

Overall, seems strong but you're lack of minor league chips might be a limiting factor.

[revo]

How come you didn't extend a $2 Carlos martinez?

[frae]

I'm off extending starting pitching. I'll extend closers one year but other than that I don't expect to extend anyone.

Thanks for the thoughts on my team. I agree ill probably dump a reserve hitter for a pitcher in Fa very soon.

[The Dane]

I'm off extending starting pitching. I'll extend closers one year but other than that I don't expect to extend anyone.

My thoughts exactly.

As for your team, Champ, I think you'll be in the 8-12 range with some moments when everything is firing and you think you're in it, but ultimately, you will have to rebuild. This has all the earmarks of a defending championship roster: big names at high prices, useful-but-unsexy cogs sprinkled throughout, and a good deal of last year's surprises.

In addition to avoiding the salary hit come draft time of not extending Martinez, when you dump, he's going to be SO valuable as a trade chip to a contender. Hell, at $2, he will likely be cheaper than the upside guys you get in return. Played well, this team has enough tradeable pieces that you may be able to cut your rebuild down to only one year. If you target minor leaguers who should show in 2018 or 2019, you could reconstitute your farm in one year, then draft well and you're back in the game. Or draft for the NEXT year, and build a dynasty.

This will be a fun team this year to play. You have the chance of being in the hunt again, but you're also well-situated to play for the future, the best of both worlds.

[Hornsby]

I don't think that you did yourself any favors by not paying the price for pitching...McCullers is fragile, kennedy can ruin your ratios, and so can Gonzales. Not a big fan of the Braun buy at that price either, he's 34 and fairly fragile, sooner or later he stops running, IMO. But that said, you have a great group of keepers, and intriguing kids in Edwards and Severino. Solid speed, probably not enough power, and 2 good closers put you probably smack in the middle of the pack unless everything falls together. But like you said, Flags fly Forever, and you've got the trophy to look at when you need a little inspiration.

[bryanbutler]

really liked your auction. i think you improved your lot more than anybody else in the league, and think you compete because of it. like most of your buys - panic, vmart, kennedy, gio, and severino the most though. not a huge prado fan but you only paid $6 for him. braun is a bit of a stretch, but fits in with the inflation. so, in the money or close to it.

[frae]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I don't know where I will be, but honestly I thought I did enough to at least think I can compete. I think it probably comes down to how my pitching plays. I should be ok in saves, but the rest will be up in the air. McCullers and Severino have high ceilings, but McCullers is an injury risk and Severino has a very very low floor. After I missed on a lot of the top tier SP's and then the guys that I thought went for more than I could pay I wanted someone who I thought I could count on to to do what they do and that was Kennedy. Gio/Morton/Kuhl? Who knows?

As has also been noted I don't have any elite pieces to trade this year so if I go for it I won't be able to just drop prospects like last year to fill holes. We will see, but I will give it my best.

[chancellor]

Missed this one earlier. I'm impressed with what you've done coming off a winning season.

LOVE - Ozuna at 19, VMart at 13.
LIKE - All of your pitching buys except Gio, Prado at 6, and Braun at 43.
DON'T LIKE - I'd have extended C-Mart a year to 7 (assuming that's allowed), he's still a great value. I get The Dane's earlier point about not wanting to marry the pitcher, but hey, if she's hot, living with her for a year might be OK. Gio at 8. Dude's a WHIP destroyer.

All that said, I think The Dane hit the nail on the head - you may well be competitive this year again, but if not, there's gonna be a long line of suitors coming to deal you prime pieces for the future.