2K14 AL Only Keepers

[BuckyBuckner]

It's never too early to start looking towards next year. I had a brutal off season last year where I lost several good pieces to the NL in trades so I ended up trading away players that could only be kept this year and was able to get a $9 Chris Davis (best move ever). And I followed that up with drafting injured/upside players and then dumped at the deadline. Here's what I have to show for it.

It's a 12 team Al only 5x5 (normal cats but K/IP instead of K) with a $265 budget, normal hitting positions and 10 pitchers. I can keep 12 players.

Contracts are as follows: A = drafted in 2013 price stays the same. B = drafted in 2012, option year, can extend at $5 per year or keep for one year. C## = already signed to guaranteed contract. F = FAABed, can only be kept one year and price is bumped to $10 if under $10.

Brayan Pena $1A
Chris Davis $9B
Brett Lawrie $15C14
Adam Lind $14A
Mike Carp $3A
Nick Franklin $10A
Jonathan Villar $10F
Hiroyuki Nakajima $5A
Brett Gardner $24A
Leonys Martin $5B
Oswaldo Arcia $10A
Ryan Kalish $1B

Jarrod Parker $8B
Ivan Nova $1B
Chris Archer $5A
Neftali Feliz $4A
Michael Pineda $4A
John Danks $2A
Corey Kluber $10F
David Robertson $6C14
Danny Farquhar $2F
Josh Fields $4A
Vinnie Pestano $10A
Kelvim Herrera $10B

In the minors I have, you can keep 5, but if you have 5 that means you can't use any draft picks, I have three. So trades will need to be made

Joey Gallo $10M
Adelberto Mondesi $3M
Addison Russel $10M
Carlos Correa $10M
John Lamb $5M

Some guys are more obvious definite keepers than others but I believe most of these guys have value at their prices. Obviously, I have trades to make.

How would you rank these guys (not including the prospects). Spring training will bring about changes; does Farquhar or Fields keep their jobs as closer? Robertson seems the obvious choice in NY but they could always surprise and sign someone. I've always liked Carp but he won't play enough in Boston. Maybe he can find a job somewhere.

How much would you extend Chris Davis? I'm tempted to go two years to $19C16.

So what do you guys think?

[Don Quixote]

I can see extending Davis two years, although I'm not fond of contract extensions and would probably go one year myself. Consider the source on that one.

Keepers as of now--Davis, Lawrie, Villar, Martin, Arcia, Parker, Nova, Archer, Robertson, and Farquhar; perhaps Franklin and Kluber for the last two spots. Fields only if he's picked as the closer early. I don't see any B contracts that cry out for an extension other than Davis.

Minors--I'm even less of an expert here than with the major league guys. Keep Correa, the rest I can't say.

[wannabegriffey]

I can see extending Davis two years, although I'm not fond of contract extensions and would probably go one year myself. .

The more years you extend, the less value in the contract (not to mention the higher risk such as crappiness or injury). In my a.l. league, fishboy is $5 and must be extended next spring. If he was mine, I would go to $15 and enjoy the immense value. Seldom do I go beyond an extra year, I like to not extend to be honest. As for pitching, I virtually never extend.

[Don Quixote]

The more years you extend, the less value in the contract (not to mention the higher risk such as crappiness or injury). In my a.l. league, fishboy is $5 and must be extended next spring. If he was mine, I would go to $15 and enjoy the immense value. Seldom do I go beyond an extra year, I like to not extend to be honest. As for pitching, I virtually never extend.

Yeah, I don't extend often, and I've extended one pitcher's contract this century (Johan Santana at his peak). In all my leagues, I think I extended one contract this year, a $6-'13 Buster Posey that I turned into $11-'14.

I'm also leery of trading for extended contracts, especially after I got stuck with the "hot potato" in PONY in 2012, getting nothing out of the $30 Ryan Howard I traded for in 2011. It was a $5 contract that the original owner extended five (!) years, and Bog only knows how many times that contract got dealt. I wound up with it, dooming my 2012 from the start.

[BuckyBuckner]

I'm probably an over extender in both of your eyes. Our league has always been generous with extending players. I think it's good to give the player a boost in trade value. If you don't extend Trout then you can't trade him for a kings ransom during the season. I understand the risk involved, especially with pitchers. I think you also need to take the rest of your keeper list into account when making the decisions. If you have a really cheap list, like I potentially will have you can afford to go an extra year on a player and still have plenty of money to spend at the draft.

If Feliz and/or Pineda make their respective rotations I think they have to be no brainer keeps at those prices, right?

[virgonomic]

Keepers as of now--Davis, Lawrie, Villar, Martin, Arcia, Parker, Nova, Archer, Robertson, and Farquhar; perhaps Franklin and Kluber for the last two spots. Fields only if he's picked as the closer early. I don't see any B contracts that cry out for an extension other than Davis.

Minors--I'm even less of an expert here than with the major league guys. Keep Correa, the rest I can't say.

I'd go 2 years on Davis as he will still be a bargain at $19 and gives you a bigger window. I agree with the top 10.

I'd try to package Feliz or Pineda together or with another bubble keeper and trade them for an upgrade. They are at great prices but they both come with some risk.

[Don Quixote]

If Feliz and/or Pineda make their respective rotations I think they have to be no brainer keeps at those prices, right?

Feliz, yes, but Pineda is a concern. He hasn't pitched for two whole seasons, and who knows what condition his shoulder really is in. He could be another Tommy Hanson. I don't rule him out at that price, but if there's ANY doubt come March, throw him back and re-purchase him.

I like virgo's idea--bundle them and try to get an upgrade.

[joncarlos]

Minors - Russell and Correa are definites, Mondesi is a tier below but I still like him a lot, and then Lamb/Gallo are at least a tier below Mondesi. You've got a ton of pitching keepers, I'd try to deal a couple for bats if you can. Pineda... man it really depends on when keepers are due. I really want to see him throw at least 5 or 6 starts in ST before I even think about keeping him.

[BuckyBuckner]

I thought I'd bump this to see if there are any different opinions.

Feliz is looking like an obvious keeper now. Franklin, not so much.

I am going to really start working on making some 2/3 for 1 deals. Most people in this league are very inactive in the off season.

[Don Quixote]

Davis--extend one
Lind
Villar
Martin
Lawrie (because you have to)
Nova
Archer
Feliz (apparent favorite to close for Texas)
Robertson

That's nine. I'm thinking either Farquhar, Parker or Pineda for the last spot, depending on how Pineda looks in spring training. Given his history, if there is ANY medical question, toss him back.

[BuckyBuckner]

Thanks DQ. I can keep 12. So all three that you are debating over at the end can be kept.

[Don Quixote]

Thanks DQ. I can keep 12. So all three that you are debating over at the end can be kept.

The question then becomes whether you WANT to keep 12. Don't do it just because you can or because some of the players are cheap. An open spot to fill at the auction can be more valuable.

Also, if you can keep that many, consider Franklin. I'm not that high on him, but others are.

[BuckyBuckner]

Help me make a trade for Jason Kipnis $20C15. He's signed to a contract for the next two years. I talked briefly with the owner about making some sort of 3 for 1 deal since I have a lot of keepers. Do you think this list below is sufficient to send for him to pick three players for Kipnis? I'm thinking about putting a caveat in there that he can only choose one of Lind and Villar, whom I think are the best keepers here. Maybe add Kluber to that list? What do you guys think? (And yes, I know there are some players on this list that aren't really keepers but it can't hurt to include them).

Adam Lind $14A
Mike Carp $3A
Nick Franklin $10A
Scott Sizemore $1A
Jonathan Villar $10F
Hiroyuki Nakajima $5A
Brett Gardner $24A

Corey Kluber $10F
Danny Farquhar $2F
Josh Fields $4A
Vinnie Pestano $10A
Kelvim Herrera $10B

[joncarlos]

I'd be surprised if he goes for that, but in all honesty I'd move any 3 of those guys for Kipnis, evne if he wants both Lind and Villar.

[Gregg]

I'd be surprised if he goes for that, but in all honesty I'd move any 3 of those guys for Kipnis, evne if he wants both Lind and Villar.

I agree with this. It's a long shot but it does not hurt to try.