Baseball Keeper League: Who should I keep?

Question

I am in a standard 5X5 Yahoo Roto keeper league with 14 teams. Each team needs 14 Active Hitters, 10 Active Pitchers, 6 Bench players and has $260 to work with. I can only keep 8 players. Below are my best keepers. Which 8 guys do you think I should keep? Thanks!

Sexson $8
Thome $16
Freddy Sanchez $2
B.Phillips $2
Kinsler $3
A.Rodriguez $46
Ibanez $7
Soriano $27
Cuddyer $2
Mussina $6
Arroyo $1
Jered Weaver $2
Chad Cordero $4

Answer 1

Wow, eight keepers? That doesn't create a whole lot of turnover in your league? My league allows two keepers. One position player and one pitcher. I'm always interested to hear how other leagues do their stuff. Nearly a quarter of your roster never changes, huh? Do you feel like 30-man rosters are too big and/or unrealistic? Why am I asking you questions...sorry, I'll get to the point.


1) Alex Rodriguez
-This one is a no-brainer. You can't give up on a guy who even in a "down year" is one of the top five players in all of baseball. Sure he may have had a bad year defensively in 2006, but defense doesn't mean a thing in fantasy baseball. He is your star, no way you can let him walk.

2) Alfonso Soriano
-This one could draw some different reactions because people think he was playing over his head last year since it was a walk year, I disagree. I'd expect another huge year in a major hitters park and with Lee, Ramirez, Floyd and Jones hitting behind him Soriano should score 120+ runs in 2007.

3) Jered Weaver
-First of all, you're going to get him on the cheap, which is great because good pitching is hard to find and at this price you can't pass it up. The Angels appear to be somewhat improved this offseason and the AL West as a whole doesn't appear to have gotten any tougher so I'd expect roughly 15 wins and an ERA below 3.50 for Weaver in 2007.

4) Raul Ibanez
-He had a huge year last 33 HR, 123 RBI, 103 R and .289 and he slipped under the radar for just about everyone. At that price he is a huge bargain and a must keep.

5)Jim Thome
-The cost is a bit steep for a player his age, but with the exception of that last season and a half in Philly he has been a relatively healthy player throughout his entire career. I'd expect the Thome, Konerko and Dye combo to mash tons of long-balls yet again. Hopefully he can replicate the 42 HR performance from last season.

6) Michael Cuddyer
-I think Cuddyer is a sweet steal. He is in prime position to put up big RBI numbers yet again batting in the clean-up hole of the Twins lineup and he has AL MVP Justin Morneau just waiting to put him across the plate. He is just starting to hit his prime, a little late but better late than never, and his power is starting to emerge. I talked to him at Twinsfest and he said he is looking to try stealing more bases in 2007 as well, so he could be a surprise source of some stolen bases too.

7) Chad Cordero
-Saves are a very important stat to pile up on and Cordero has proven he knows how to save games. Sure he pitches for an awful team, but every closer on an awful team can still usually string together 25-30 saves a year. Plus there is still the chance he could be traded, I knokw the Red Sox are still making inquiries with the Nats and if he moves to Boston suddenly that $4 price tag is an absolute steal.

8) Brandon Phillips
-I really had a hard time picking another player to hang onto. This is another reason why I feel eight is too many, but anyway I digress. Phillips showed some flashes of raw talent last season and combines an explosive on base presence with a calm, sensible approach at the plate. I think he's in for a big year and it was tough picking him over Sanchez or Kinsler, but honestly I figure they're all pretty much on the same page as far as fantasy value...but I think Phillips is in for a big 2007.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Answer 2

1. ARod $46
2. Soriano $27
3. Cuddyer $2
4. Thome $16
5. Weaver $2
6. Mussina $6
7. Cordero $4
8. Ibanez $7
Obviously Arod and soriano are keepers due to their overall production.
Cuddyer was great last year and should keep up that production at a very miniscule price.
Thome also isn't that much and if he can jack 35+ hrs thats a great keep.
Weaver is young and in a pitchers ballpark. He should be good this year, not as good as last year but good. And you can have him for years to come.
Mussina is almost a gaurentee 15 wins.
Cordero will get you saves and Ibanez for so cheap with his production is great.

I liked Arroyo as well but I'm not sure if he can keep up his production from last year.
As for Sanchez who was a common pick on here, he is a no. While you get him cheap, he only helps in one category- BA while the others help in multiple categories.
Kinsler is just not reliable enough, but if you can get him back in the draft I would try for it.
Phillips was another hard one to cut playing in that hitters park and his second half production but the others are just going to do better for you.

Answer 3

Sexson, Thome, Arod and Soriano seem like no brainers, power hitters help in 3-4 catagories. Chad Cordero seems like a bargain and so does Weaver. Id prolly take fliers on Ibanez and Cuddyer as well. That would be my 8.

Answer 4

Freddy Sanchez
B.Phillips
A.Rodriguez
Soriano
Mussina
Arroyo
Jered Weaver
Chad Cordero

... I would build around your top two studs: A-Rod and Soriano. They are generally two of the top 5 players in drafts. After that I would look for value, based on the players cost. You have some good low-cost players in here to start with: Phillips, Sanchez, Arroyo and Weaver especially. It was hard to cut Thome, but I think you can find another good 1B option at $16 or less -- and you already have good power with A-Rod and Soriano.

Answer 5

wow, you have several 1st rounders on your team so you look good to repeat as Champ. how many teams are in this league? these guys are solid & will go 1st round in any draft (unless you play fallacy baseball - ahhhhhhh) 1B Ryan Howard SS Hanley Ramirez IF Prince Fielder LF Matt Holliday the next 4 2B Brandon Phillips - let's hope the Lizard doesn't ruin him OF Carlos Lee SP CC Sabathia RP Papelbon several of the rest of the guys are keeper worthy but if you look at this as a draft instead of a keeper, here you are in the 9th round & only have 1 SP & 1 RP. with out know how many teams are in this league & not having a general idea of who is keeping what. i'd say you need to keep a pitcher or 2. Haren for sure & maybe Oswalt but i think his better days are behind him. i'd definatly keep those 8, if you have any idea what the other teams are keeping.... or better yet who they are letting go, i'd make my final decision then. if you keep 10 & everyone else is keeping 7, then you won't be drafting for a couple rounds while other teams are "catching up" i.e. drafting their 8, 9 & 10 spots. Granderson & Markakis won't be around by the time you get to draft.

Answer 6

1. A-Rod (of course)
2. Freddy Sanchez - good value!!
3. Jered Weaver - value pick, low price
4. Alfonso Soriano - relatively cheap for what you get
5. Ian Kinsler - value pick
6. Jim Thome - probably last year you should keep him though
7. Chad Cordero - upside is a good closer, low price tag
8. Raul Ibanez - low price, starts slow, turns in on after AllStar break

Answer 7

NOT SORIANO. he is 32 and yes hes in a better lineup and park but he cant run anymore. within 2 years, he will be EXACTLY like Vladamir Guerrero with a .275BA. so why keep him?

Now arod is obvious. also i like phillips. He has 2B and SS eligibility so theres a double plus. and hes a 20/20 guy. I also like Cuddyer, Sanchez, Weaver, Arroyo, Sexson, Cordero. Those are teh ebst price

Answer 8

1-Soriano
2-A-Rod
3-Jered Weaver
4-Bronson Arroyo (need pitching)
5-Michael Cuddyer
6-Chad Cordero
7-Jim Thome
8-B. Phillips

Answer 9

A-Rod
Soriano
Weaver
Cordero
F. Sanchez
B Phillips
Arroyo
Kinsler

Answer 10

Weaver
Cordero
Soriano
A-Rod
Kinsler
Sexson
Philips
Sanchez

No reason to keep Ibanez