HDID: AL-Only

[virgonomic]

12-team AL 5x5
I'm the defending champ so only had 6 keepers (2018 only, no long term).

Inflation was about 20%. 17% on hitters and 30% pitchers mainly because of a few super cheap guys. So, I used 20% as my benchmark.

Bold = keepers, R = reserve draft

McCann 12 Maldonado 1 Miggy 22 Kipnis 18 Duffy 2 Didi 9 Torres 6 Mauer 7
Upton 27 Buxton 20 Piscotty 14 Soler 11 Jay 1 Cruz 27
Kluber 37 Lynn 15 Hamels 14 Clevinger 5 Giolito 1 Gibson 1 Karns 1 Triggs 1 Treinen 1
B YSanchez 10R Naquin 10R TJoseph 5R Adames 5R Pineda 2R JSmith 2R Whalen 1R Clippard 1R

I wanted to get a 1B early since it is thin. I liked the price on Miggy so pulled the trigger. Ditto for Mauer. He isn't sexy anymore but I had him worth 18 so I don't hate him for single digits.

I passed on lots of big money guys early (Stanton 44, Altuve 55, Trout 56, KDavis 30, JD Martinez 41) but was surprised and thrilled when bidding on Upton stopped at $27 as I had him at $32.

ETA: Cruz was another guy where the bidding stopped and I got a value. I had him valued at $35. I think plugging the DH spot gave teams pause. However, after buying Torres I couldn't nominate or bid on SS/DH, so it wasn't a great spot to be in.

I wanted to get a productive C if the price was right. I tossed LuCroy out and he went for $18. I then debated going with $1 Cs but liked the price on McCann who was the last C to go for more than $1. I decided to bring up Lynn midway and see if I could land him for a decent price, which I did.

It was a funny auction in that everyone stayed pretty close in money for the whole auction. I liked Piscotty and Soler but was low on cash after buying them and missed out on MR like Bedrosian, Hildenberger and NJones. I had wanted to land 2 speculative guys.

I probably should have held off of Hamels or Piscotty or spent more on CI earlier. I got some guys I like. MR/Saves will be a priority.

We did 2/8 reserve rounds and I grabbed YSanchez to fill in until Torres is up, and Naquin.

Thoughts?

[Hornsby]

Overall, it looks pretty good. I like your pitching, although I think that you may have overbid on Hamels, but you never know with these vets. I like the Lynn buy, and the Gibson buy could be sneaky if the ST stats are to be believed. Probably need to back up Treinen, but spec saves are pretty easy to come by during the season. 7 starters is really good in an only, so no issues there.

Hitting is also very good, love the OF, love the speed...several guys could easily steal double digit bags, and Buxton could steal 40+ Power is a little less than optimal, but good enough. I don't like Mauer, and don't understand why he'd be a double digit buy per your valuations, but he won't kill you either. Too high on McCann, too, but in a 2 catcher league, you either do that or go with 2 one buck guys, so again, not a real negative.

Overall, I think that this is certainly a money team, and should contend for the title.

[chancellor]

Miggy and Soler are high risk high return buys. Upton is an excellent buy and Cruz a good one.

I’ll disagree with Horns on the Lynn buy, and Hamels at 14 isn’t a like for me either. I like the Karns and Triggs dollar buys. My pitching staff has been blown up by Gibson twice, so I hate his guts. But your keepers are great, and if either Lynn or Hamels return to form of a few years ago, you’ll do well.

[Rush]

I am optimistic on Lynn. Decent ballpark for P, solid to great defense behind him. Saves you can find during the year.

Hitting is solid. I'm not a Jay fan but he'll do for 5th OF.


Interesting that in my AL auction last night players went for the same money, within a dollar or two. Lynn, Miggy, Hamels, Piscotty, Upton, Cruz

[joncarlos]

Really like Mauer. I'm so out on Miggy but for 22 I guess an empty .290 will do OK for you. Saves are an issue and I would really prefer a safe MR or two as opposed to the risk of Karns and Gibson - both have nice upside, but you need cover and I'd imagine it will be hard to find this deep in the reserves. Hamels was an overpay too. This looks like a team where you punted WHIP on purpose (even though I know it's not) - a lot of guys who might be OK in ERA despite their WHIPs. I like the catchers and the offense in general.

[virgonomic]

Reserve draft done by email. Got JSmith and Clippard for MR help, plus Pineda and Whalen as stashes.

[virgonomic]

I have been offered Greene for one of Lynn/Hamels/Clevinger.

Seems like a fair deal. I guess they would be ranked Clevinger/Lynn/Hamels. Offer Hamels?

[chancellor]

I'd offer Hamels or Lynn.

[Mithrandir]

I have been offered Greene for one of Lynn/Hamels/Clevinger.

Seems like a fair deal. I guess they would be ranked Clevinger/Lynn/Hamels. Offer Hamels?

Shane greene? I own him too and have little faith in his abilities. Not sure I would offer one of those SP's for him.

[virgonomic]

Shane greene? I own him too and have little faith in his abilities. Not sure I would offer one of those SP's for him.

That's fair. I traded Buxton 20 for Greene 3 and Carrasco 25, so the Greene owner is now trying to flip his $3 buy for a $15 buy. I think I need to see Greene save a couple games before I invest, but I do think he's a good bet for 15-20 saves.

[chancellor]

That's fair. I traded Buxton $20 for a $3 Greene.

I'm not even a big Buxton fan, and I think you killed him in that deal.

[virgonomic]

I'm not even a big Buxton fan, and I think you killed him in that deal.

Full disclosure, I threw in Carrasco 25 who I wasn't keeping. I think part of his strategy is to keep some cheap guys then offer them up post-draft to gain auction dollars.