2k12: Free Agent League Thread

[Davros]

De Aza is hitting .320 in his last 25 at bats, 6 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI and 1 SB. Do you think he'll fade? I ask cause I just picked him up. I wasn't much of a believer but I had other guys not playing well.

I was rather high on De Aza going into the year, at least as a 3rd or 4th OFer. I think he should have a slump at some point during the year, but I do expect him to be a contributor with R, BA, and SB. Hence, I am hesitating offering him in trades right now.

There are a fair amount of starters available that I'm tempted to pick up but just not sure. Colon, Humber, Cahil, McCarthy, Arroyo , Floyd, Capuano, Milone. Any of these guys worth picking up in favor of probably Nova and/or Harrison? Maybe it's time to cut bait on Goldschmidt?

I might go with Humber or Floyd over Nova at the moment, but there really isn't a huge difference between any of those guys. There seem to be enough of these type of pitchers floating around on the waiver wire that you should be able to mix and match to your heart's content for a few weeks (before the injury totals start to climb).

On the hitting side Altuve is available, but I have Hill and Infante. Also available are probably the usual suspects in most leagues, the guys who are slumping: Borjous, Tabata, Gaby Sanchez, Alonzo, Belt. Any of these guys worth stashing away?

I'm using Altuve at the moment, but I do realize that he may end up being only a contributor at SB and maybe BA by season's end. Hill's power potential is probably a bigger need for those of us playing the FA game despite his BA challenges (though you seem to be OK at HR currently). My gut feeling is that Infante's 2011 stats were more realistic for him, so I'd say that Altuve has a better ceiling.

Finally, for catchers, Lucroy, Doumit, Ruiz, Salty and Hundley are available. You guys like any of them over Ianetta? They all seem to be in the same tier and it's always hard to decide between one or the other.

Frankly, I don't expect Iannetta's numbers to hold up, but even with the expected long slump, none of the other guys can be expected to be much better. Doumit is getting lots of ABs, though needs to start hitting better soon to keep them. If A. J. Ellis is out there, he might be another option (though he seems to be more of a guy that won't hurt you instead of one that will really help much).

Here is how I am running at the moment:

C: Doumit
1B: LaHair, LaRoche
2B: Altuve, J. Weeks
3B: Headley, C. Jones
SS: Cozart, Aviles
OF. Werth, De Aza, J.D. Martinez, Presley, Cain(DL)

SP: Billingsley, Bedard, Vogelsong, Floyd, Niemann, Minor
RP: Broxton, Marshall, Myers, H. Rodriguez

Yesterday's 4 HR outburst has my team climbing up the ladder a bit after starting in a huge hole. I think I need to look at shopping Aviles, Cozart, or Altuve soon along with my closers, but I have not found a solid trade partner yet. Headley might also be a good trade bait right now, but I am not sure if I will be able to find a better everyday 3Bman afterwards.

[BuckyBuckner]

Thanks Davros. All of my hitting categories are pretty weak. Though I'm in 5th place but that's cause I'm second in W and SV and third in ERA and WHIP but towards the bottom in K. I have 3 points (tied for second to last with two other teams) in SB but if I gained 5 steals I'd be third overall gaining 7 points. So I picked up Altuve for Infante. 11 extra RBI gains me 5 points. 5 more HRs gains me 4 points. So there are some potential gains to be made if I can get a hot streak. Kubel and De Aza are very new additions (replacing Chipper and Alexei Ramirez) so hopefully they can help get me over that hump.

I'm sure I'll pick up a pitcher to replace Nova, he wins but his other stats are never that overwhelming. Thanks for your help.

For your third base situation. Since you have Chipper, maybe you should look at Juan Francisco. He's been hot lately and between those two you'd have the third base job if you were to trade Headley and someone else. What about Chris Johnson, he seems to be doing well in Houston. He's available in my league so maybe he is in yours.

[joncarlos]

My team has been pretty terrible so far - not much luck on the trade front and really no stupid dumps by my leaguemates. But things got better today as I added Harper and Trout. If they can start hot I will flip them for someone more proven.

[virgonomic]

Trade

I told the league I needed a bat and would trade pitching. I have Broxton, Rodney, Aceves, Casilla, Downs, Soriano.

An owner with Rivera/Kimbrel just traded Kendrick for League, and offered me CPena for Downs, who I picked up last week.

I'm countering with Rodney for Konerko.

[virgonomic]

I told the league I needed a bat and would trade pitching. I have Broxton, Rodney, Aceves, Casilla, Downs, Soriano.

An owner with Rivera/Kimbrel just traded Kendrick for League, and offered me CPena for Downs, who I picked up last week.

I'm countering with Rodney for Konerko.

Accepted! I didn't think Rodney would be enough, but I talked up his strong start and the fact that Farnsy has yet to pick up a ball (thanks, Jason!)

IF RHernanez Konerko Aviles Davis Lowrie
OF Schafer Willingham Alvarez Pagan
P Smyly Buehrle Broxton Casilla Aceves Downs Dolis
B JDMartinez GJones Chapman Peavy Samardzija
DL VMartinez

8/12, 31 back.

[Sam]

Accepted! I didn't think Rodney would be enough, but I talked up his strong start and the fact that Farnsy has yet to pick up a ball (thanks, Jason!)

IF RHernanez Konerko Aviles Davis Lowrie
OF Schafer Willingham Alvarez Pagan
P Smyly Buehrle Broxton Casilla Aceves Downs Dolis
B JDMartinez GJones Chapman Peavy Samardzija
DL VMartinez

8/12, 31 back.

Nice trade!

I had a great 2-3 days and now sit in 2nd place, just a handful of points behind. Have a stellar pitching staff and trying to trade some to upgrade offense.

[virgonomic]

Nice trade!

I had a great 2-3 days and now sit in 2nd place, just a handful of points behind. Have a stellar pitching staff and trying to trade some to upgrade offense.

Thanks, I, too have great pitching. Not much name value though. Peavy, Smyly, Samardjiza, Zambrano, Broxton, Casilla are the guys who carry the most name value and have good K rates. Need to pull off one more deal.

[Sam]

Still in the top 3, but need to upgrade my offense. No one is biting on my pitching for hitting trades but got a nibble on a smaller trade.

Would you guys give up Mike Trout to get Asdrubal Cabrera? Would upgrade my SS while not killing my OF. I'm between 6th and 10th in all hitting categories so need to keep upgrading there.

My current roster:
C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Adam Dunn
2B - Altuve
SS - Cozart
3B - Chipper
OF (start 3) - Matt Joyce, Alejandro De Aza, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Geraldo Parra, Tony Campana
Util/Bench - Chris Davis, Todd Helton (have a waiver request in to drop Helton and pick up LaHair)

Made another trade and with the addition of some FA's have a different looking team. I trade my Mike Minor and Grant Balfour for Felix Hernandez. I still have plenty of RP depth and couldn't pass up a deal for King Felix. I think my next trade will be to try and flip pitching for hitting.

Current roster:
C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Helton
2B - Altuve
SS - Cozart
3B - Chipper
OF - Matt Joyce, Alejandro De Aza, Nolan Reimold
Util/Bench - Adam Dunn, Adam Lind, Luke Scott

SP - King Felix, Luebke, Hellickson, Buerhle, Gavin Floyd, Henderson Alvarez
RP - Sean Marshall, Henry Rodriguez, Pestano, Brett Myers, Chapman and Storen on the DL ( was dropped after his injury but figured might as well hold on to him and hope for help in the 2nd half)

Any thoughts or suggestions for my team? Brandon McCarthy and Rickie Weeks were both just dropped today. Will likely find a way to pick up both. I'm about 20 points out of first but have been improving.

[virgonomic]

Still in the top 3, but need to upgrade my offense. No one is biting on my pitching for hitting trades but got a nibble on a smaller trade.

Would you guys give up Mike Trout to get Asdrubal Cabrera? Would upgrade my SS while not killing my OF. I'm between 6th and 10th in all hitting categories so need to keep upgrading there.

My current roster:
C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Adam Dunn
2B - Altuve
SS - Cozart
3B - Chipper
OF (start 3) - Matt Joyce, Alejandro De Aza, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Geraldo Parra, Tony Campana
Util/Bench - Chris Davis, Todd Helton (have a waiver request in to drop Helton and pick up LaHair)

I just picked up Trout as he is up and producing. I'd do the trade, but would offer de Aza first. I like Trout's power/speed combo.

[chancellor]

If it were a group of guys I knew, I'd negotiate to try and keep Trout. In this league, I'd take the offer and run. You won't hurt your OF much, if at all, and that's a huge upgrade at SS.

[virgonomic]

I was offered DGordon for Casilla. I countered for Ortiz - rejected, so I proposed Morales. Is that enough? He'd replace Schafer.

[chancellor]

I was offered DGordon for Casilla. I countered for Ortiz - rejected, so I proposed Morales. Is that enough? He'd replace Schafer.

I think so. You'll find another closer soon enough, IMO.

[virgonomic]

I think so. You'll find another closer soon enough, IMO.

Thanks, Chance. I am leading in saves and also have Broxton, Aceves, Downs, Dolis. I just want to make sure I get a player who is an upgrade.

[Sam]

If it were a group of guys I knew, I'd negotiate to try and keep Trout. In this league, I'd take the offer and run. You won't hurt your OF much, if at all, and that's a huge upgrade at SS.

Thanks chance/virgo - I ended up trading Trout and Aroldis Chapman for Asdrubal Cabrera and Betancourt

I'm in 3rd place, 15 points out of first (King Felix and Floyd getting bombed didn't help!).

My lineup is now:
C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Adam Dunn
2B - Altuve
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera
3B - Chipper
OF- Matt Joyce, Alejandro De Aza, Bryce Harper
Util/Bench - Geraldo Parra, Tony Campana, Zack Cozart, Chris Davis, Todd Helton

SP: King Felix, Hellickson, Buerhle, H. Alvarez, Gavin Floyd
RP: Sean Marshall, H-Rod, Betancourt, Myers, Fuentes and Storen(DL)

Will look to trade another RP for some more hitting and see how that goes.

[Sam]

Thanks, Chance. I am leading in saves and also have Broxton, Aceves, Downs, Dolis. I just want to make sure I get a player who is an upgrade.

Good trade - I think Morales is a good sized upgrade on Schafer. Seems like you have plenty of RPs to keep trying to deal as well. I've noticed alot of hurt RPs are on my league's wire (Storen was, Farnsworth, Bailey) - all of whom you may be able to stash and get value for them in the 2nd half.