12-team mixed keepers

[Todd Zola]

12-team mixed leagues do not follow conventional logic. Keeper 12 team mixed is even more crazy. It's a complete stars and scrubs approach and if you try to play the middle, someone always has just enough budget left to drive up the price. When you save $5 for a $5 guy in the end game, he goes for $1. Honestly, throw "value" out the window.

The best way to combat the goofy spending at the top is keeping a lot of salary (hence J-Ram and Harper), plus they both crush in an OBP/SLP league.

w/r/t McCullers and May -- they're streamers in this format. No need to pay any more than $1 on someone like that since you'll be churning that roster spot all season.

[DMT]

"1st round players don't go for $30 in 12-team mixed leagues regardless of inflation."

-- I was still on this conversation.

Ah ok. I'm still not sure it's the right play. I've seen too many times people hoarding their cash to avoid "overpaying", and then leaving it on the table.

[Todd Zola]

By means of example, in last year's Tout Wars 12-team auction (redraft), there were

74 @ $1
25 @ $2
16 @ $3

That's 115 players (42%) at $3 or less. This is where the inflation equilibrates, not in the middle like it does in deeper formats.

[Bene Futuis]

This is a weird thread - Harper and Ramirez went for $46 and $48 last year but we expect them to go for more this year because....? But now they're keepers because of, uh....inflation or something? Other than Trout and maybe Betts, prices are about what one would expect in a 12 team mixed where top talent is always at a premium. I think you can probably expect similar prices on Harper and Ramirez if you throw them back - so really it just depends on how much you love those guys as players and who all is going to be available at auction. I guess I can kinda sorta a little bit see the argument for Ramirez, who doesn't appear to be at a discount even remotely, but you could argue that he went cheaper than he would have otherwise since he was coming off of a down year. Suffice to say that I disagree pretty much across the board with everything everyone has said about anything. Also disagree that McCullers and May, especially May, are merely streamers. I know folks throw around that adage about talent on the WW in shallow leagues but my experience has not been that talent like Dustin May is readily available on the waiver wire even in a league this shallow. More like the Marco Gonzales types and if that's your bag, go nuts. There will be eleven others standing in your way each and every week and you'll be chasing FAAB every week just so that you can end up with someone as reliable as.....well, the guys you could have had to provide stability in the first place.

Edit: It really just comes down to the question of whether if you miss out on Harper and Ramirez you believe you will be able to acquire similar talent for a similar $94.
Edit 2: If you're throwing back "marginal talent", I don't think I'd keep Dansby Swanson and maybe not Meadows either.
Edit 3: Nice response for you from the crowd on this question! Don't ya feel loved?
Edit 4: Upon re-read, this was a confusing post. Bottom line for me is that if there is a paucity of elite talent expected to be available at auction, keeping the expensive guys may be justified.

[DMT]

Yep
I find it easier to find marginal pitching versus marginal hitting
Definitely, and it's been a good discussion, thanks everyone!
See, full circle!

[DMT]

I also have Cron-1A, who now might need to be kept.

[DMT]

I also think the Trout insanity will finally end so that's another $15 or so dollars that will get spread among the few top-tier hitters available, likely driving up either Ramirez or Harper if I toss them back. I think Meadows now misses the cut and after his horrible season I'll just try to get him back in the auction.

[DMT]

Two hours until the deadline update: Betts is being kept at 60, Freeman kept at 49, Turner kept at 47. The only top bats that will be in the auction are Trout, Yelich, and Tucker.

I hate tossing back Cron-1A but no one seems that high on him even in Colorado so hopefully he won't cost too much to get back.

I tried trading Kershaw and might still pull it off but time is running short.

[Gregg]

Two hours until the deadline update: Betts is being kept at 60, Freeman kept at 49, Turner kept at 47. The only top bats that will be in the auction are Trout, Yelich, and Tucker.

I hate tossing back Cron-1A but no one seems that high on him even in Colorado so hopefully he won't cost too much to get back.

I tried trading Kershaw and might still pull it off but time is running short.

Not sure where you are right now. If it was my team I am keeping the stud hitters. I like McCullers but how much does he go for at auction? If not too much at least I get the new contract.

[DMT]

Not sure where you are right now. If it was my team I am keeping the stud hitters. I like McCullers but how much does he go for at auction? If not too much at least I get the new contract.

Yeah I kept all of the studs, only $55 remaining for the auction, but very little talent available anyways. Trout, Yelich, and deGrom are going to go for a ton as everyone realizes the dearth of top talent.

Final list:
Torres-13 (O22)
Swanson-6B
Devers-20 (O22)
Ramirez-48B
Soto-28 (O22)
Harper-46B
Meadows-5X
Kershaw-25X
Flaherty-12 (O22)
Woodruff-6 (O22)

[Sharky]

Good list. Seems like you made the right calls.

[DMT]

Good list. Seems like you made the right calls.

We'll see, but thanks. I think I broke my league's record for fewest dollars heading into an auction by at least $50. But it's going to be fun watching the others scramble for the few studs left.

[DMT]

Well here's what I ended up with. I got shafted at 1B and CL so hopefully I can find some FAs.

C S Murphy 1
1B La Stella 1
2B Moore 5
3B Ramirez 48
SS Swanson 6
MI Torres 14
CI Devers 20
OF Soto 28
OF Harper 46
OF Meadows 5
OF Carlson 10
OF Tapia 3
UT Benintendi 1

P Kershaw 25
P Woodruff 6
P Flaherty 12
P Wheeler 21
P Dunning 1
P Odorizzi 1
P Bard 2
P Leclerc 2
P Scott 1

Res N Lowe 1
Res Wong 1
Res Taylor 2
Res Wittgren 1
Res F Peralta 1

[Pauly]

Well here's what I ended up with. I got shafted at 1B and CL so hopefully I can find some FAs.

C S Murphy 1
1B La Stella 1
2B Moore 5
3B Ramirez 48
SS Swanson 6
MI Torres 14
CI Devers 20
OF Soto 28
OF Harper 46
OF Meadows 5
OF Carlson 10
OF Tapia 3
UT Benintendi 1

P Kershaw 25
P Woodruff 6
P Flaherty 12
P Wheeler 21
P Dunning 1
P Odorizzi 1
P Bard 2
P Leclerc 2
P Scott 1

Res N Lowe 1
Res Wong 1
Res Taylor 2
Res Wittgren 1
Res F Peralta 1

Dunning, Odorizzi, Scott, Wittgren...hmmm

[Hornsby]

Well here's what I ended up with. I got shafted at 1B and CL so hopefully I can find some FAs.

C S Murphy 1
1B La Stella 1
2B Moore 5
3B Ramirez 48
SS Swanson 6
MI Torres 14
CI Devers 20
OF Soto 28
OF Harper 46
OF Meadows 5
OF Carlson 10
OF Tapia 3
UT Benintendi 1

P Kershaw 25
P Woodruff 6
P Flaherty 12
P Wheeler 21
P Dunning 1
P Odorizzi 1
P Bard 2
P Leclerc 2
P Scott 1

Res N Lowe 1
Res Wong 1
Res Taylor 2
Res Wittgren 1
Res F Peralta 1

Bard is the closer, Wittgren might be, LeClerc is in the conversation...I think that you're fine there.

Anyone get Moreland? He'll probably get 500 ab's in Oakland.