The Bass Ackwards Slow Burn Rebuild

[gcstomp]

I will blather on with inane drivel, regarding particulars of my roto situation, in hopes it is at least mildly entertaining. At same time, I have 2 roster management issues, over by 1 in farm, unsure of 1 spot in majors 10 keepers.

12 TM NL, standard $260 5x5, 23 man active, we can keep 10 majors + 8 farm. I did a slow burn talent pickup. The roster strength is not all front loaded for next year, so success of rebuild wont be evident for years.

Intent was to not have to do a rebuild again till 2017. In 5 years finishes in league:
1st, a 2nd, a 3rd, and this year will definitely be dead last by a country mile.

We have unusually generous keeper rules regarding farm, clock does not start while player is in minors. When he comes up he would be in year 0 effectively. You then get player as yr 1 + yr 2 at $5, and then in yr 3 can play him out for $5 or extend at + 5 per year. So my guy A Chapman is right now in yr 0, he is $5 thru 2013, then I can do $5 2014, but more likely will do $10 thru 2015.

Keepers look like this atm:
Farm, 5 1st round picks out of 12 total for league, draft not till march next year so wont look too deep at possible names (please at least 1 of Cole or Rendon, lol):

On My farm: James Tailon, D Norris, M Dominguez, J Singleton. I am over by 1 when counting the 5 1st round picks I have, need to move 1, or lose 1, sigh.

Keepers atm, 3 SP, 3 RP that I may be overvaluing but I love them, 3 hitters, and 1 open spot.

SP:
1-Johan Santana $6 (just a few years ago in this uber inflation league he went for $60)
2-S Strassburg $5 2012, then $5 2013, or $10 thru 2014, or $15 thru 2015
3-J Lyles $5, yr 0, so $5 thru 2014, or $10 thru 2015, $15 thru 2016

RP: (as added room for mockery, none are closers atm, but all have potential, all have years of eligibility cheap)
4-A Chapman $5
5-D Hernandez $5
6-A Bastardo $7

Hitters:
7-M Stanton $5 2012, then will get aggresive $15 thru 2015, or maybe $20 thru 2016 as I love him. We almost never do that long a contract, so prob stick for $15 thru 2015.
8-D Brown $5 yr 0, so $5 thru 2014, or $10 thru 2015, $15 thru 2016
9-L Duda $5 thru 2013

Drek options for 10th keeper spot, wanted a young cheap multi position swingman type for roster flexibility. But none of these 3 hitters look very good atm.
Angel Sanchez $2 (2b, ss, 3b, nice pos options)
Jonathan Herrera $1 (2b,ss)
Daniel Descalso $1 (2b, ss, 3b)
G Dobbs $5 (3b)

[joncarlos]

Stanton, Brown and Strasburg is a great, great core. I'm not sold on the rest of them. You could have 3 closers next year or you could have none. I'm not a believer in Johan returning to elite status and it's going to be a long time before the Astros put a decent team around Lyles. Taillon is elite but he's a high school pitcher. Singleton is still a ways away. I like Norris and Dominguez a lot but they have major health concerns.

[gcstomp]

Slight adjustment, L Duda is only $1. Yeah me! I will revisit this thread after our march farm draft btw, to add names to the picks.

[gcstomp]

With final standings in, I now know I will have farm picks # 1, 8, 9, 11, and 12 of 1st round. I am torn between A Rendon and G Cole as my # 1. Definitely a let down as I was hoping to get both the overall # 1 and # 2 so I could snag both of those guys.

Will try to package my #11 and #12 for a better pick. Or will try to trade my #12 farm pick or a solid farm guy like D Norris for an at value solid hitter, ala a $23 B Mccann or a $24 C Hart. BTW, I have $11 J Buck, is he a keeper for my 10th active spot?

Or will offer all 5 farm # 1 picks for farm B Harper. But I dont think that will be a go, while if I did end up with both overall # 1 and # 2 I believe it would have been quickly accepted. Sigh. Wont do anything for a few months.

[Big Tymer]

Well since that "would" have been my #1 pick if I hadn't traded it to you I can easily say that Rendon would have been my pick fwiw.

Oh and if you want Hart back let me know as I will likely have too many keepers come time and could use a #1 pick.

[Sharky]

You have some talent there, but frankly there is still some work to be done. I'm not sold on Dom Brown, for starters. DHernandez is the best reliever you have IMO. Stanton + Strasburg is a helluva start, though! Duda could have nice value there. But I would be looking to improve significantly on some of the others if you want to contend. Specifically your current farm guys need a bit o' work (Dominguez, Norris, et al have significant holes in their games... Singleton could be good, though). BTW I am not sold on Lyles; he is the first guy I think you should move in trade for an upgrade. If Harper isn't happening, try moving Lyles plus something (ML pick) for a real upgrade. And BTW Lyles could be AL soon.

Good luck!

[Judge Jude]

Yeah, Stanton and Strasburg - two guys I've traded away in pennant bids the last two years - are a great foundation. Santana could work at that price, Duda too.

Bastardo flamed out in Sept and the Phillies say he's not in the closer mix. Sell high.

Agree on Lyles (another guy I've dealt away) fungibility, especially with AL issues.
Dominguez (another...) is not a great keep, and what happens to Singleton if AL?

Brown is at a great price, but I'm not 100 pct sold. I'd keep, of course, but we'll see.

And Rendon or Cole - you're in good shape. Not sure you'd have the best freeze list, but should be up there.
I do think that getting a $23 McCann type would help. If the auction is a bloodbath and you have spent few units going in, the ones with more at-value prices locked in beforehand will come out the door the winners....

[gcstomp]

Good to see some responses. Yeah at this point here on 10/14, I have regrets.

The J Lyles play irks me. I made the deal for him, on 6/17, trading away a $6 R Vogelsong it looked like a classic buy low and sell high. At that point in time you could not find anyone who thought R Vogelsong would be for real or that J Lyles would not be a great keep. Now it looks like I sent away a keepable wily vet for a bust kid.

I have optimism that my basket of # 1 farm picks will translate to real long term value and/or give me the currency to make some moves. Thanks for responses guys!