NL-Only 5x5 Keeper Help

[Zupe]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to get a few opinions on my protections with our keeper deadline about a week away. 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 Yadier Molina STL 5 (Option Year)
1b Lance Berkman HOU 19
2b David Eckstein SD 1
3b Pablo Sandoval SF 16 (2 years remaining on long term contract, must protect)
3b Pedro Alvarez PIT 3
3b Placido Polanco PHI 13
ss Jose Reyes NY 24
of Mike Stanton FLA 10
of Garrett Jones PIT 6 (Option Year)
of Matt Holliday STL 36 (Option Year)
of Nate McLouth ATL 15 (Last year of long term contract, must protect)
of Pat Burrell SF 6


p Adam Wainwright STL 17 (Option Year, obviously the injury changes things)
p Ricky Nolasco FLA 11 (Last year of long term contract, must protect)
p Clayton Kershaw LA 17 (2 years remaining on long term contract, must protect)
p Tim Stauffer SD 1
P Felipe Paulino COL 1
p Jenrry Mejia NY 1
P Cory Luebke SD 6
p Brad Lidge PHI 14
p Joel Hanrahan PIT 1
p Hong-Chih Kuo LA 1
p Ryan Madson PHI 3 (Option Year)
P Clay Hensley FLA 6
P Aaron Heilman AZ 8

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Yonder Alonso, Cin $3
- Bryce Harper, Was $3

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

[Hammer]

c Yadier Molina STL 5 (Option Year)
1b Lance Berkman HOU 19
3b Pablo Sandoval SF 16
3b Pedro Alvarez PIT 3
ss Jose Reyes NY 24
of Mike Stanton FLA 10
of Garrett Jones PIT 6
of Nate McLouth ATL 15
of Pat Burrell SF 6



p Ricky Nolasco FLA 11
p Clayton Kershaw LA 17
p Tim Stauffer SD 1
p Jenrry Mejia NY 1
P Cory Luebke SD 6
p Brad Lidge PHI 14
p Joel Hanrahan PIT 1
p Hong-Chih Kuo LA 1
p Ryan Madson PHI 3

- Yonder Alonso, Cin $3
- Bryce Harper, Was $3



why do you have so many pitchers on your list?

[joncarlos]

c Yadier Molina STL 5 (Option Year) - yes,no extension
1b Lance Berkman HOU 19 - honestly, I wouldn't, but he's at value
2b David Eckstein SD 1 no
3b Pablo Sandoval SF 16 (2 years remaining on long term contract, must protect)
3b Pedro Alvarez PIT 3 obvious keep
3b Placido Polanco PHI 13 tough call, not as valuable as CI, even worse at UT, so no
ss Jose Reyes NY 24 yes
of Mike Stanton FLA 10 obviously yes
of Garrett Jones PIT 6 (Option Year) tough call, but I think he earns a profit
of Matt Holliday STL 36 (Option Year) if inflation is high, yes
of Nate McLouth ATL 15 (Last year of long term contract, must protect) is there a buyout option?
of Pat Burrell SF 6 don't love it, but yes

p Adam Wainwright STL 17 (Option Year, obviously the injury changes things) no
p Ricky Nolasco FLA 11 (Last year of long term contract, must protect)
p Clayton Kershaw LA 17 (2 years remaining on long term contract, must protect)
p Tim Stauffer SD 1 yes, I would
P Felipe Paulino COL 1 no
p Jenrry Mejia NY 1 maybe
P Cory Luebke SD 6 no
p Brad Lidge PHI 14 obviously
p Joel Hanrahan PIT 1 obviously
p Hong-Chih Kuo LA 1 yes, I would
p Ryan Madson PHI 3 (Option Year) prefer Kuo and only want 1 MR
P Clay Hensley FLA 6 see Madson
P Aaron Heilman AZ 8 no

Minors (free to keep, price listed is salary when recalled):
- Yonder Alonso, Cin $3 yes, I would
- Bryce Harper, Was $3 yes, I would

So that makes:

Lidge 14
Hanrahan 1
Kuo 1
Stauffer 1
Nolasco 11
Kershaw 17

6 pitchers for 45, with some saves and Ks, a good base.

OF1 Burrell 6
OF2 Jones 6
OF3 Stanton 10
SS Reyes 24
3B Alvarez 3
CI Panda 16
C Molina 5
OF4 McLouth 15

8 hitters for 85, assuming you're stuck with McLouth. That leaves you exactly half your budget to buy 6 hitters and 3 pitchers. So given that, I would keep Holliday at 36, but not Mejia at 1 or Berkman at 19. Keeping Holliday gives you 5 outfielders but you can slide Jones between 1B and OF. I just think you need that last OF/1B slot for a bopper better than Berkman and you may not end up with any $1 pitchers.

[Gregg]

I agree with JC except I am not clogging up the spot with Burrell. I would try to trade him or cut him.

[willthethrill]

I agree with Gregg, but I also keep Madson.

[Zupe]

Thanks everyone.

As far as why so many pitchers - Luebke, Hensley and Heilman were just in-season flyers that spent most of the year on my reserve list. I lost several hitters to contracts ending or them going to the AL, while not so much on the pitching side.

For McLouth - the buyout in our league is to lose that player's salary from auction for one year, so if I were to buy him out, I'd start with $245 rather than $260. Since it's the last year anyway, that doesn't seem worth it.

[Gregg]

Thanks everyone.

As far as why so many pitchers - Luebke, Hensley and Heilman were just in-season flyers that spent most of the year on my reserve list. I lost several hitters to contracts ending or them going to the AL, while not so much on the pitching side.

For McLouth - the buyout in our league is to lose that player's salary from auction for one year, so if I were to buy him out, I'd start with $245 rather than $260. Since it's the last year anyway, that doesn't seem worth it.

Plus you might actually make money on McLouth this year. Now stop laughing everyone, please quite down. I am serious. I think McLouth could be a sleeper. I am not so sure I would bid him to 15, but at least he is not 24 or more.

[Blue&White]

Few quick thoughts:

Meija may not have a job with the Mets when they break camp but if you can reserve him then I'd hold onto him at $1.

I think Barkman is going to have a bad year. New team, new position, and he's not getting any younger. If you can trade him, I would, but I don't think I'd hold him at $19. My league has a die-hard Astros fan who always makes dumb deals for Astros. It's a shame he's not in your league.

Polanco is high at that price. I think you can cut him and buy him back for less than that on draft day. Same with McLouth. However, given your buy-out rules, I can see why you'd hold on to him.

I like Luebke myself but right how he's not assured even being the 5th starter. I have him at $4 and I'm dumping him because I think I can buy him for a buck on draft day if I want to.

[the heat]

Agree with Gregg.

[Zupe]

A bit of an addendum -

Due to an error with the rosters, I actually have two more possibilities:

Emilio Bonifacio at $2
Randy Wolf at $8

Would either make your lists?

Thanks.

[Hammer]

no sir

[willthethrill]

A bit of an addendum -

Due to an error with the rosters, I actually have two more possibilities:

Emilio Bonifacio at $2
Randy Wolf at $8

Would either make your lists?

Thanks.

no and no

[FBP]

A bit of an addendum -

Due to an error with the rosters, I actually have two more possibilities:

Emilio Bonifacio at $2
Randy Wolf at $8

Would either make your lists?

Thanks.

toss those two back