NL-Only 5x5 Keeper Opinions

[Zupe]

Hi,

With our keeper deadline about two weeks away, I'm hoping to get a few opinions on my protections. It's a standard 5x5, 12 Team, NL-Only Auction League. $260/23, we can keep as many or as few players as we like.

All players are entering their second season unless noted. Players in their option year can be kept at the same price for one more year, or extended at $5 per additional season:

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5
1B Jesus Guzman SD $6
2B Mark Ellis LA $5
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
3B Pedro Alvarez PIT $3 (Option Year)
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year)
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year)
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15
OF Alex Presley Pit $9
OF Eric Young Jr. Col $5
OF JD Martinez Hou $6
OF Jason Bourgeois Hou $5

P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year)
P Cory Luebke SD $1
P Aaron Harang LA $4
P Randall Delgado Atl $7
P Drew Pomeranz Col $5
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year)
P Steve Cishek Mia $7
P Eduardo Sanchez Stl $6

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5
- Norichika Aoki, Mil $3 (With Braun not suspended, is Aoki worth keeping at that price assuming he's on the opening day roster?)

Thanks in advance!

[joncarlos]

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5 - honestly in a 2-catcher league, he's a keeper
1B Jesus Guzman SD $6 - toss back
2B Mark Ellis LA $5 - toss back
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7 - keep
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep) - keep, happily
3B Pedro Alvarez PIT $3 (Option Year) - I would keep but not extend. Not a great CI but worth a flier.
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year) - hate to say it but I would not extend. Obviously a keep though.
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6 - pretty borderline for me, leaning towards yes
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year) - keep, depending on inflation, leaning towards 2 year extension
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24 - keep
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15 - borderline but I think I keep
OF Alex Presley Pit $9 - toss back. I think this is about the right value.
OF Eric Young Jr. Col $5 - toss back.
OF JD Martinez Hou $6 - I'd probably keep him.
OF Jason Bourgeois Hou $5 - him I'd toss back

That gives you 10 of your 14 hitters for $126 assuming Stanton is $20. I think you need a better bopper in Presley's spot - you have C, 2B, OF and UT open.

P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year) I'd keep but pass on the extension
P Cory Luebke SD $1 - love him
P Aaron Harang LA $4 - I don't think you do better for $4
P Randall Delgado Atl $7
P Drew Pomeranz Col $5
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year) - worried the Bucs trade him but I'd risk 1yr extension
P Steve Cishek Mia $7
P Eduardo Sanchez Stl $6

Without Delgado/Pomeranz you have 5 pitchers for $29. Whether you want to keep either of them is up to you, I'd probably pass. You'd have about $100 for 4 hitters and 4 pitchers, and I think you want bigger names in all of those spots.

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5
- Norichika Aoki, Mil $3 (With Braun not suspended, is Aoki worth keeping at that price assuming he's on the opening day roster?)

I probably wouldn't keep Aoki for $3... I don't think he's worth it and I don't think you can spare the spot.

This looks like a team that should be heavily favored to win, by the way.

[scottw]

Hi,

With our keeper deadline about two weeks away, I'm hoping to get a few opinions on my protections. It's a standard 5x5, 12 Team, NL-Only Auction League. $260/23, we can keep as many or as few players as we like.

All players are entering their second season unless noted. Players in their option year can be kept at the same price for one more year, or extended at $5 per additional season:

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5************at value--can you do better at auction?
1B Jesus Guzman SD $6********serious PT issues, but good value if he plays at$6
2B Mark Ellis LA $5********drop
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7******keep
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
3B Pedro Alvarez PIT $3 (Option Year)********at value, but 3B may be scarce?
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year)*****you could go 1 year, but that puts him at about full value. Keep
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6**********keep
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year)******2 years for Giancarlo
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24**********keep unless you can get him cheaper?
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15******at value and declining skills
OF Alex Presley Pit $9*********at value or a little under--SB needed?
OF Eric Young Jr. Col $5********do you believe? Lot of SB, not much BA
OF JD Martinez Hou $6**********keep
OF Jason Bourgeois Hou $5*********PT questions?

P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year)**********keep, don't extend
P Cory Luebke SD $1*******keep
P Aaron Harang LA $4********been burnt too many times!
P Randall Delgado Atl $7**********pass
P Drew Pomeranz Col $5********a chance to be a good one sometime--this year?
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year)*******you can afford an option if you have the stomach for it
P Steve Cishek Mia $7********throw him back
P Eduardo Sanchez Stl $6*******lot's of K's, good price

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3********may want to hang onto him! $3? You gotta be kidding!
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5******position change needed?
- Norichika Aoki, Mil $3 (With Braun not suspended, is Aoki worth keeping at that price assuming he's on the opening day roster?)********How late do you need to put in keepers? One of those kick-yourself if he gets a starting gig.

Thanks in advance!

My opinion after***********
Nice roster.

[Porcello]

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5 - have to keep in this format
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year)
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year)
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15
OF JD Martinez Hou $6
P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year)
P Cory Luebke SD $1
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year)

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5

The drops
Pedro Alvarez - let someone else deal with the headache
Alex Presley - Try to upgrade in auction or get him cheaper
Eric Young - watch the trade market, if his name starts popping up I'd gamble on keeping him just to see
Aaron Harang - you have enough $ to spend you can get a better pitcher for more $ at his spot
Aoki's a 4th OF, don't fret about dropping him

[Hammer]

2B Aaron Hill Ari $7
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16
3B Pedro Alvarez PIT $3 (Option Year) Don’t extend
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year) extend 2 years
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year) Don’t extend
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24
OF Alex Presley Pit $9
OF JD Martinez Hou $6


P Clayton Kershaw LA $17
P Tim Stauffer SD $1
P Cory Luebke SD $1
P Drew Pomeranz Col $5
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year) extend 1 year

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5

[Zupe]

Thanks to everyone that responded so far. Our keepers are due on Tuesday, so I thought I'd bump this on the chance anyone else has some input (or an update to their previous statement).

Right now, I'm leaning towards keeping the following:

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
3B Pedro Alvarez PIT $3 (Option Year)
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year) (on the fence about extending, I'll probably go one year to $29)
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year) (two year extension to $20)
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15
OF JD Martinez Hou $6

P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year)
P Cory Luebke SD $1
P Aaron Harang LA $4
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year) (probably one year extension to $6)

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5

That's a total of $160 (with extensions) for 15, leaving me $100 for 8 (C, 1B, OF, UT, 4 pitchers). I'm having some second thoughts about keeping Alvarez, but figure he's still probably worth a flyer at $3.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[TS Garp]

This team is stacked! I'd definitely keep Presley and Bourgeois (trade bait if nothing else) over Alvarez.

My opinion:

C Ramon Hernandez Col $5
2B Aaron Hill Ari $7
3B Pablo Sandoval SF $16 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
SS Jose Reyes Mia $24 (Option Year)
SS Zack Cozart Cin $6
OF Mike Stanton Mia $10 (Option Year) -- extend for one year (maybe two but don't love two year extensions)
OF Michael Bourn Atl $24
OF Carlos Beltran Stl $15
OF Alex Presley Pit $9
OF JD Martinez Hou $6
OF Jason Bourgeois Hou $5

P Clayton Kershaw LA $17 (Last year of long term contract, must keep)
P Tim Stauffer SD $1 (Option Year)
P Cory Luebke SD $1
P Aaron Harang LA $4
P Joel Hanrahan PIT $1 (Option Year) -- extend for one year.


Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Billy Hamilton, Cin $10
- Bryce Harper, Was $3
- Anthony Rendon, Was $5
- Norichika Aoki, Mil $3

[bweiser831]

can't believe how far alvarez has fallen. $3 for a guy who COULD hit 30 HRs? i think you've got to figure out how to keep him. are you forced to make a decision NOW on him for the rest of his career or can you extend him after this year? (in other words, can you extend him one year now and then more down the road?)