Setting up my first $100 million team - any suggestions?

[teepack]

I'm getting ready to compete in my first $100 million league. It's an autodrat. I was wondering what my strategy should be in setting up my roster and then ranking the players. I think everybody's going to go for RJ as their No. 1 pitcher. I'd hate to list him and then get stuck with Ted Lilly, but I'd also hate to miss out on him as well. Should I load up with 4-6 $8 mil or higher players and then hope to get 2-3 and fill out the rest of my roster with mid-range guys. Do you spend more on your bullpen in this format? Do you go with 12-man pitching staffs, 15 hitters? Or do you try to stick with the standard 10 pitchers, 13 hitters, cheap backups everywhere? Do you find teams playing more platoons and high-priced injury guys? I just don't know what to expect.

[Coffeeholic]

Teepack, I think you'll find that it's hard to spend $100 mil on a normal 23 man team. Not that you can't put together a draft list that would be optimal, just that post draft, you'll find that teams in your league will avg. $10-$15 mil in unused salary. Combine that with the fact that the FA pool will be pretty bare, you end up going with more platoons than normal and more expensive everything else (situational SP's, expensive relievers, expensive bench, etc).

Bonds, and then RJ, are undoubtedly the guys to draft #1 with $100 mil to spend, but you know you have to balance this with the fact that everyone else in the league knows the same thing. So, whether you want to risk you're #1 pick on these guys is a choice you'll have to make? Tough call!

[teepack]

Thanks, java-dude. That is interesting to now that teams will wind up with $10-15 million extra in cash. If most people go for RJ or Bonds, then the fallback positions have to be pretty drastic, so I would imagine those that don't get either of the big 2 wind up getting guys like Dustan Mohr and Ted Lilly as replacements, which leaves a lot of $ leftover.

[Coffeeholic]

Yup!

Last $100 mil league I was in had 3-4 owners with +$20 mil in salary after the draft, and no big $ FA's to spend it on.

A couple of other things come to mind:

1) Those players who may be deemed "over-priced" in $80 mil leagues are now desirable because you do have the extra cash to spend;

2) Tons of great platoon options at this level because there are loads of $2.5 - $4.5 mil lefty killers;

3) You're correct about injury prone players... you can afford decent back-ups, so they are not such a liability;

4) Because of the numerous platoons you'll find on teams, reverse pitchers are very desirable, which in turn makes everyday switch hitters less desirable.

[visick]

The last Autodraft I was in, I had Bonds #1 and Rolen #2, and got them both!


Rolen didn't get hurt and I ended up trading him to get RJ. :D

The I preceded to lose in the semi's to the wild card team... :twisted: