Best Players and Strategies in Safeco...

[visick]

Just to give you some idea, this is the Safeco team that won it all for me earlier this year.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1648

Speed is always good.
OB is better.
ALWAYS nice to have a slugger or 2 to drive the table setters in.

[durantjerry]

I think you should go with pitching, getting two of Pettite/Willis and Wagner on your team. That gives you a great base to build around pitchingwise. I don't know if I'd go for speed there. The #HR is a little too high IMO to have a successful speed team there, although a lefty park does help with the speed, as many of the top speedsters could do OK with a lefty park, guys like Abreu, Ichiro, Crawford, etc. I would go for pitching, try to get some OBP for leadoff with some lefty power. Pods is really not too good IMO, just because he is "W" power. You waste a top power spot(LF) with someone who won't be able too take advantage of the # HR.

[visick]

Guys you can use are:

RJ
Zito
Buerhle
Capuano
Mulder
Chacin

Closers:
Ryan
Rivera

[HUDAMAN]

I decided to jump into the deep end too, and decided to give Safeco a try for my first 2006 team. I did so without the benefit of a net (the ratings disk), so I can't say necessarily who fits the profile but in the opinion of a guy who at least remembers a thing or two about team construction....

1. Safeco doesn't reward speed, as the low BP singles will stifle many sustained rallies. OBP is more important, as you are waiting around for the three run homer.

2. I wouldn't even consider having a 'W' power guy in my lineup if he bats lefthanded, as you are giving away way too many BP HRs on your opposing pitchers cards. I don't think Pods is a good fit for that reason.

3. Lefties with good OBP and maximum BP HRs are ideal. If you can find a couple of lefty hitters that hit lefties well and has BP HRs against them, you can neutralize your opponents lefthanded pitchers somewhat. (I've got Brian McCann for example). Guys with no BP singles (like Adam Dunn vs. lefties) increase in value in Safeco vs. another park, since Safeco won't hurt them any.

That being said, I don't yet know who overperforms or underperforms their card, so this is more general advice than specific.

With pitching, the approach I always took was that I want either the pitcher or the park to be able to get a hitter out, so lefties with no BP HRs vs LH hitters are probably the best value, all things being equal.

For specific players, listen to those who know the set, I am not currently included in that group :cry:

[paul.czarnecki]

Ugh. My first six 2006 teams were all playoff qualifiers. I tried a team in Safeco and finished dead last. I hate that park.

[ROBERTVOZZA]

Any 2 of these with some RH OB in front of them with a couple of Tough LH SP's, with at least 1 decent LH Reverse to counterstacking vs 1 side and a tough RH Reverse coupled with a cheap tough RH SP(I have had GL with Small between 4-5M and Williams under 2M - depending on your budget.

But BJ Ryan is an absolute Save monster at any of the LH Power Parks(Safeco, RFK, Dolphins, PNC, Trop, etc.) at only 4.18M he has a good chance to lead the league in saves in a LH Park. Use him bOTH ways and don't even bother with a RH closer. But i would carry a tough even or 1L, 1R middle RP with at least a 2 rating and also with a few closer outs to boot as your setup man vs both sides.

[Minoso Express]

Rich Harden's been lights out on a current SAFECO team I have in first place, two thirds of the way through the season. He has a 3.13 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP there with a 15-7 record.

Roy Halladay's also been awesome at SAFECO: 2.17 ERA, .92 WHIP.

Jason Kendall has a .382 OBP at SAFECO.

The rest of my team is NL players, though, including the pitchers.

Good luck. It's a fun park to play in.