Enough Speed...

[MCCONNAUGHEYJIM]

to rename this team the tweekers? :wink:

Or, enough pitching to stand a chance?!

Haven't played this in two years so I thought I'd go to the well for opinion.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2007/team/team_other.html?user_id=6861

If I posted the link right......

[drew6013]

hmm.... starting pitching should be ok (beckett and hill are great in pichers parks). as far as relief goes look for bucholtz or capps for cheap help.

as far as hitting goes....
I'm not sure your going to hit 100 home runs. Not the most important thing in a pitchers park, but I'm guessing your going to have a team slugging % under 400 and as a result, struggle to score runs.

If you are going to play crawford in center and Freel in left.... Freel is just a 3 defensively in LF. As much as you may like his skill set their are some better options.

I'm not one of the experts but thats my 2 cents

[CHARLESBELL]

What other stadiums do you have in your division and what's the split in LH/RH starting pitchers?

A quick look: Concur with drew that you don't have enough extra base/HR power and even in jacobs that is going to hurt you. Other than speizio (sort of), you don't have anyone that will scare the RH starters you'll face, and up to 75% of starting pitchers are going to be RH. Even if you plan to platoon freel and amezaga, I don't think you have enough vs RH pitching. Vs LH pitching you have the OBP but not much else.

You have two great setup men in abreu and theroit, but you have plenty of OBP and might want to consider moving one of them for some LH power, although that would be a tough choice. I also don't really care for helton as I don't think he's worth the salary - this is another place where you could look for some power. For LH pitchers there are lots of cheap RH hitters that can punch lefties, like cody (although he is usually taken). You need to add some cheap pop there.

I also think that you have too much invested in your pitching. Depending on where you like to focus your best, you should consider freeing up some salary with cheaper starters or, if you intend to slow hook your starters and let em go deep into the game, then you don't need to spend that much on the pen. Your SPs are good, but you are paying extra for the low BPHRs and unless you div is full of hitters parks you can get away with lower priced starters with good WHIPS but higher BPHRs. I have a hard time myself going with pitchers who have a lot of BPHRs, but in a pitcher's park WHIP is a lot more important.

[MCCONNAUGHEYJIM]

Appreciate the feedback guys. It's been awhile and I'm still trying to get a feel for it.

Other parks are Petco, Kaufman and Coors. I had some heavier hitters but feared they were too BP HR oriented and tried to focus on doubles instead. I know I'm light on slugging but thought with OBP, speed and hits i could score just as much.

Kind of surprised to hear I'm heavy on pitching. I don't know the 07 cards that well but others in my division have spent more.

I guess I have the weekend to keep over thinking this! Fun to be playing again though. Cheers.

[Palmtana]

[quote:5c4065eefd="jkmcconn"]I know I'm light on slugging but thought with OBP, speed and hits i could score just as much.[/quote:5c4065eefd]

Stick to your guns. OBP before SLG everytime in a pitching park. Especially in this League. Other than the Coors and Petco in your division and the Cell out west, [b:5c4065eefd]every other team is in a pitching park[/b:5c4065eefd]. Very unusual. I would suggest you start dropping those BPHR's pronto.

In CF their isn't much to choose from in your FA's but the platoon of Edmonds (8 BPHR's vs RHP) and Bautista (7 vs. LHP, plus he is a 4 defender) could turn into Damon if you want to ramp up your speed theme or a platoon of Logan/Sullivan.
Another option would be to put Crawford in CF and drop Edmonds/Bautista for Ethier and put him in LF. He is great in pitchers parks. I'm surprised he is still there.

Get Helton back from Laroche (8 vs. LHP & RHP). Great D, lots of doubles and he can even hit LHP this year. Or Chris Gomez with a good backup.

At 2nd you're paying extra for Scutaro's multi-position eligibility, which you don't need. Grudzielanek, with the same D, has more 2B's and natural HR's. Iguchi is on pace for 25 HR's in a Kaufmann team I have going. Both are available.

Spezio has 8 BPHR's vs. RHP. 9 of the 12 pitchers in your division are RHP. However of your 3B FA's, few bring their glove to the park. Sanchez is available but convention says he needs to face more LHP than you will face to be worth his price. Your D is good elsewhere so you could afford a 4 over there.

I would try and increase your BPHR's amongst your pitchers. Only Pedro and Bucholtz have more than 4. Hill, Hamels, Young, Villanueva..........

Good luck and welcome back!

[MCCONNAUGHEYJIM]

Thanks Palm, great advice. I forgot how many variables there were in this game.

[geekor]

come on jkmcconn, check your private messages :P

[MCCONNAUGHEYJIM]

Hey Geekor how you been? Glad to see you're still around. The PM server seems to be down.....so I can't.