Is Stroman a keeper at $21

[cleo]

Background on my league: 12 team AL only with standard $260 cap with 23 man rosters (14 hitter / 9 pitchers). Probably the biggest difference is that we use Quality Starts as a roto category instead of Wins. This causes some inflation on high end starters in our auction.

This year we will have a few good pitchers that will be available (Kluber, Tanaka, Carrosco, Keuchel, Cole, Duffy and Hamels). But it goes down quick after these guys.

For comparison, here are the pitchers that went for $10 and higher in last years auction. If you do not see a pitcher listed (like Kluber for example), they were protected for last years auction.


Chris Sale SP | BOS $37
Chris Archer SP | TB $35
Felix Hernandez SP | SEA $29
David Price SP | BOS $24
Marcus Stroman SP | TOR $21
Lance McCullers SP | HOU $21
Marco Estrada SP | TOR $21
Michael Pineda SP | MIN $16
Jose Berrios SP | MIN $15
Jharel Cotton SP | OAK $15
Garrett Richards SP | LAA $15
Sonny Gray SP | NYY $14
Jordan Zimmermann SP | DET $14
Tyler Skaggs SP | LAA $13
Kendall Graveman SP | OAK $12
Blake Snell SP | TB $10
Hisashi Iwakuma SP | SEA $10


I got Stroman last year for $21 which I thought he would go higher and was happy to get him. For this year I was not sure if I was going to protect him at that price but was leaning towards throwing him back after reading about his shoulder issues.

So what are the thoughts about him Stoman year? Would you consider him at $21? He does not get the strikeout totals like some of the others around his price level. Should I be worried about his shoulder for this year?

Thanks for any info or comments!

[Hornsby]

I wouldn't keep him at 21, just not enough K's, and the health is somewhat questionable. Just not enough upside...

[Gregg]

I wouldn't keep him at 21, just not enough K's, and the health is somewhat questionable. Just not enough upside...

Yep, I agree with Horns on this one.

[revo]

At first glance I was a no, but seeing Marco Estrada go for $21 gives me pause. I guess it depends on who you expect to be kept. Will Stroman be one of the best pitchers available? If so, I would probably keep him.

[Ken]

No, not really close

[virgonomic]

He's throwing in ST, so I think I'd keep him. $21 is not exorbitant in your league. The guy is a bulldog. If you throw him back, you are going to end up in a bidding war over one of the other guys with no orders to surrender.

[Ken]

He's throwing in ST, so I think I'd keep him. $21 is not exorbitant in your league. The guy is a bulldog. If you throw him back, you are going to end up in a bidding war over one of the other guys with no orders to surrender.

The prices quoted in the original post are not really inflated at all, at least at the top end, those are typical prices for AL Only top pitchers. But Stroman at 21 IS overpriced IMO. I'd throw him back and if he goes for more than 21, pivot to another pitcher in the same tier.

[cleo]

Thanks for the replies so far. I had some time tonight to look at what SP were going to be available in the draft as well as my guess as to what each player could go for. My protected SP that I am going to be taking into the draft are C Morton $4, Ohtani $2, and Odorizzi $7. I would like to come out of the auction with adding 3 more solid SP and can plan to spend around $75 for those 3 SP. So looking at this updated list, I would love to get at least 2 SP in the $25 - $35 range and one more with what I have left from my $75 budget. But this list does have me leaning more towards keeping Stroman, unless I am missing something? Would it be better to throw him back and pay around $15 to $20 range for either Hamels, Duffy, Pomerantz or Estrada?


Corey Kluber SP | CLE $41
Carlos Carrasco SP | CLE $35
Chris Archer SP | TB $33
Dallas Keuchel SP | HOU $29
Masahiro Tanaka SP | NYY $28
Gerrit Cole SP | HOU $26
Lance McCullers SP | HOU kept at 21?
Marcus Stroman SP | TOR ???
Danny Duffy SP | KC
Cole Hamels SP | TEX
Drew Pomeranz SP | BOS
Danny Salazar SP | CLE
Marco Estrada SP | TOR
Lance Lynn SP | MIN
Mike Minor RP | TEX

[Hornsby]

Out of that list and your parameters, I like Cole, Tanaka, Duffy, and Lynn. I might spend up for Kluber, but that's a personal decision...certainly like Carrasco as well.

Not a big fan of the Toronto guys...too much uncertainty there for me.

[Gregg]

Thanks for the replies so far. I had some time tonight to look at what SP were going to be available in the draft as well as my guess as to what each player could go for. My protected SP that I am going to be taking into the draft are C Morton $4, Ohtani $2, and Odorizzi $7. I would like to come out of the auction with adding 3 more solid SP and can plan to spend around $75 for those 3 SP. So looking at this updated list, I would love to get at least 2 SP in the $25 - $35 range and one more with what I have left from my $75 budget. But this list does have me leaning more towards keeping Stroman, unless I am missing something? Would it be better to throw him back and pay around $15 to $20 range for either Hamels, Duffy, Pomerantz or Estrada?


Corey Kluber SP | CLE $41
Carlos Carrasco SP | CLE $35
Chris Archer SP | TB $33
Dallas Keuchel SP | HOU $29
Masahiro Tanaka SP | NYY $28
Gerrit Cole SP | HOU $26
Lance McCullers SP | HOU kept at 21?
Marcus Stroman SP | TOR ???
Danny Duffy SP | KC
Cole Hamels SP | TEX
Drew Pomeranz SP | BOS
Danny Salazar SP | CLE
Marco Estrada SP | TOR
Lance Lynn SP | MIN
Mike Minor RP | TEX

If I had $75 to spend and you are right about the prices, I am owning 2 out of the first 3. Or maybe I should say Kluber and one of the other ones.

I am curious if you tried shopping Stroman?

[Mithrandir]

If I had $75 to spend and you are right about the prices, I am owning 2 out of the first 3. Or maybe I should say Kluber and one of the other ones.

I am curious if you tried shopping Stroman?

This!

[virgonomic]

I like Lynn a lot for this year and would try to make him #3. Kluber 41 is discounted in a league with inflated pitching prices.

If it was me I'd be targetting Kluber, Cole, Lynn. Kluber is going to provide your other guys some forgiveness.

[cleo]

I am guessing I could get Lynn for a decent price as most owners have been burned many times by NL pitchers coming over and will not bid. Probably less than $15 depending on if his name comes out early in the auction.

Kluber could go anywhere from high 30 to mid 50. We have a few owners that target players at any cost and I think Kluber will be one of those.

I am also looking at a possible trade to get Eduardo Rodriguez SP Bos who has a $10 salary, but it will be good for just the 2018 season and I can't extent it. I know he will be out to late April or Early May..... But would he be a better keeper option over Stroman @ @21 or even Lynn around $15???

[virgonomic]

I like Lynn ~15 best out of the bunch. He has a good defense behind him and will win 15 games.

[BigJonEmpire]

What is your pitching hitting split? Do you not draft closers? I tend to agree with Greg here and I'd rather pay 40 for Kluber and spread it around than 75 for three guys in the middle (and I actually like Stroman and the Toronto pitchers).