Studs vs. Balance

[dalekeener]

I was wondering if there was a plus or minus in spreading the $ around as opposed to using it on one or two players.

I have Pujols on one of my teams and after around 72 games he is really slumping...In drafting a team is it better to allocate the 12/m amoung a couple or three players or tie it up in one.....Just currious on what opinions are of others.

[schnoogens]

I recommend reading JPav's Secret Formula article. Basically, you need a star or two and some variety mixed in. You definitely don't want 4 studs and the rest all nickle and dimers.

[KEVINEHLE]

I think it depends upon your strategy and ballpark. For high Singles and low BP HR teams, I like a balance as many of the high paid hitters are Homerun hitters and their value can be neutralized by the spacious ballpark.
For HR parks, I like to pick up a couple expensive sluggers and find some less expensive OBP guys for the sluggers to drive in.

In hitting parks, I stay away from the top dollar pitchers. I would go with middle of the road starters, grab a couple of high dollar R2 or R3 relievers and spend the rest on hitting.

Maybe that's just me though! 8-)

Kev

[durantjerry]

If you get the big slugger, you need to find some cheap contributors for other parts of your team. I like Pujols, Lind and Borbon as a combo. They will hit in every park and for the cost of three middling players, you get three very good players, even if you add in the platoons. Of course you can't be scard to play Lind in LF. You can also save bucks in the pen, as there are a lot of cheap, usuable relievers.

[gbrookes]

durantjerry, I am really intrigued by the debate between offense/defense and the choice of a DH, and about Lind (2009) in particular. A while ago I resolved to try to avoid playing outfielders who had a range of 4 or 5, except as a DH. I also thought Lind was a great bargain at $5 million - but I used him almost exclusively as a DH. I have used him as DH on several teams, and I liked what I got from him most of the time. (He didn't seem to be as effective as I thought he would be at Kauffman - I was thinking of all the doubles he has - but he was very effective at PNC).

My analysis of the defense effect is like this (ignoring e ratings for now to keep things simpler):

Compared to a 3 range OF, a 4 range gives up 1 more triple and 4 more singles on the Xchart, out of 20 of course. I value the single at 2.0 and the triple at 4.4. The total additional run production points therefore (using my factors) is 12.4 out of 20, or .62 per X chart reading. For a 5 range OF, there are 2 more triples, 2 more doubles (run factor of 3.25 and 5 more singles than there are for a 3 range OF, for a total of 25.3 more than there are for a 3 range OF, or 1.26 per X chart reading. For a LF, there are 2 X chart readings per 216 die rolls. For a player who bats high in the order and gets 5 Plate Appearances (like Lind), I multiply the defense effect by 8 (40 defensive rolls to 5 batting rolls). So, for Lind, who is a 5 range, I essentially subtract from his offensive batting card 1.26 times 2 times 8 from his run production calculation - or in other words, a subtraction of about 20 for his poor range.

My calculation of his run production on offense vs. RHP at PNC (not a runs predictor - just a "relative to 100" scale I use) is 144 - a very nice total. I use 1.4 for walks and 5.74 for homeruns.

BUT, if I subtract 20 from that total for his poor defensive range (compared to a 3 range), his net offense/defense contribution is only 124 - about 14% lower than his raw offense contribution, and far from a killer amount in my books.

So, I resolved to not use him on defense, but only as DH, where I thought his value was maximized.

I am really not saying all this to try to win an argument. I am always interested in learning and trying to look at things from new perspectives, to try them out. So I am just really curious about your thoughts about going ahead and playing him LF!!

Cheers! :) geoff

[durantjerry]

I don't really calculate anything. The question was about drafting Pujols and the resulting effects of spending so much $$$ in one place. My general answer is that you have to compensate for the "overspending" by getting cheap contributors in other places, and I like Lind and Borbon, and I have used them in tandem. Regarding your calculation:
If you accept JPav's Secret Formula as the "Average" Championship team or you even just have a somewhat imaginary "Average Championship" Team, I think you are missing factors in your calculation. If the only place you veer from the imaginary average championship team is by playing Lind in LF, I think your calculation is correct. He is net offense is the only factor that should be considered as to whether he should be a DH or not. Here is a Championship team where I used Lind and Borbon in combo. I did this because I had both Linnecum & Greinke and was looking for cheap offense. So now, I think you have to consider all the players where you have veered from your imaginary championship team. I may be potentially losing runs by playing Lind in LF, but I am also gainging by being able to use Borbon as DH and I am gaining by being able to afford two ace pitchers because of using a relatively cheap offensive player with defensive shortcomings in the field. I just don't think the calculation is as simple as Lind's net offense alone, which you are probably right about. This team may have won in part because Lind had a good year and was able to overcome his net offense defensive handicap. By the way, I did finish first in offense. If Luckyman was around he could tell me why I am way off base.
[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=275982[/url]

[gbrookes]

Big smile!

And yes now I see your points re Lind, bourbon and the whole team. What great seasons from Lind and Bourbon!

Very nice!!

Geoff

[durantjerry]

Here's another with a Pujols/Lind/Borbon in a $60 League.
[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=301053[/url]

[ROBERTLATORRE]

My Mauer/Pujols/Fielder lineup is overkill????

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=301387

LOL

[durantjerry]

No such thing as overkill!