I'm in the money - yet I just dumped.....

[Judge Jude]

Well, let's clarify.

Nl 12-team 5x5, payouts to top 5 teams are 45-25-15-10-5 pct. So the 5th place team gets back maybe half of what he spent (modest $ here, maybe $50 back off $110 spent).

I was 5th in a race of 95-84-78-77-75-68-74 for top 7.

But the top 3 teams have made significant moves to improve, so it's an arms race and I just wasn't feeling it this year (losing Murphy and Hanson of late did not help, now K-Rod, Keppinger and others "sidelined"). I am lousy in HR, SB, and SV, and would struggle to keep up in Ks as well.

So I shipped out a lame duck Votto, Holliday 40, Billingsley 29, and Carroll 10 for SCastro 5 (or 10-L2 in 2012 and 15-L2 in 2013), three boxes of rocks, and a 2nd-round April pick.

With only 6 weeks left, I figure:
- tough to get a cornerstone player this late;
- Votto can't help me much more, Holliday has been ok but not a keeper, and Billingsley is not a keeper and not much 2011 help.

This is to the 2nd-place team. He needs offense, so this should guarantee 2nd and give him a puncher's chance at 1st.

My 2012 options include (we can keep 11):

C Montero 15, C Ruiz 6, 1-2-3 Murphy 1, 3B Sandoval 23, SS Castro 10, OF Victorino 29, OF Constanza 10
SPs Halladay 44, Hanson 15, Harang 1, Street 20, K-Rod 25, Parnell 10, DHernandez 1

with Taillon, Rosario, Singleton, Tate, TWheeler - and 3 farm picks next April

I hope to stagger to 5th anyway and get a discount on my tab, and be more armed for the 2012 battle...

[joncarlos]

It's not a bad move... given that there's only 1/4 of the season left, getting a cornerstone player is impressive even though you paid a lot. And finishing 5th is a lot less impressive than winning next year.

[gcstomp]

I recall you had a jaw dropping set of names in the trades you did this year. 1 guy I think you shipped out was a cheap S Strassburg, but you did not have a cheap claim over what I think his mythical years would be, 2014ish. Curious how you feel about your team now? You have enthusiasm, pumped for next year?

[Judge Jude]

Yes, I picked up Votto and Billingsley in early May for HBailey 2, Strasburg (10-O in 2012), and farmhands DGordon and RDelgado, both 5 when they come up.

I do like this 2012 mix - I noticed last year that a 3-year-old rule change to making farmhands only 5-S2 has led to more inflation, which isn't being factored in that well by rivals. So it's key to have some almost-inflated value players, to avoid the bloodbath.

[Sharky]

Yes, I picked up Votto and Billingsley in early May for HBailey 2, Strasburg (10-O in 2012), and farmhands DGordon and RDelgado, both 5 when they come up.

I do like this 2012 mix - I noticed last year that a 3-year-old rule change to making farmhands only 5-S2 has led to more inflation, which isn't being factored in that well by rivals. So it's key to have some almost-inflated value players, to avoid the bloodbath.

FWIW, our league has different prices for farmhands depending on whether they are hitters (more reliable in theory) or pitchers. Pitchers don't go for as much at auction, but the farmhand pitchers can offer as much value as the hitters.

[Judge Jude]

Was in a 3-way tie for 3rd yesterday. light years from 2nd obviously.

I think this is the strangest year our league has had, including one owner accidentally spending 286 units so we took Matt Garza 26 away from him. #longstorylol