Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

Again I am turing to the Strato Community for pointers. I am not sure why this team is so bad. Dunn and Ludwick are underperforming and I expect them to turn it around. My pitchers have high ERA's considering I am playing in RFK. Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks in advance.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=145848

Some of it's likely unlucky rolls. Here are some thoughts:

Looking at your starters: You're working your starters hard. In turn they're giving up a lot of homers. 14 hrs / 75 inn for Haren and 12 / 55 for Meche. Vazquez has a good, but risky card (+ natural homers). He's performing for your park.

I've used Kazmir to mixed results. Tough thing for him is the natural homers versus lefties and ob + tb versus righties.

Meche gives up a bit too much ob for RFK, IMO, but still has performed well in some leagues.

Haren has a largely identical card to Vazquez in RFK, but has less Ks on each side and slightly more ob.

I'm guessing Haren turns it around soon. Meche and Kazmir should be better than they've shown so far.

I'm not crazy about your relief corps. Street is a big risk, and will lose some games with homers to lefties, but not a bad risk in your park.

Greinke is performing so far, Seay is not. I don't like either in RFK. I like Snyder for RFK, but he's usually hit or miss. Saul is better suited for hitters parks, but he can turn in a good season.

Overall, though you have $7M+ pitching just 12 innings so far.

Looking at your hitters: Ordonez is a stud. Sizemore is good for your park. Ludwick should up his obp, but his ba may never get much above .250, if that. He's really a platoon player. Dunn is an unconventional choice for RFK.

Your batting order has some pretty big holes in it, which worries me more. Cora, Furcal (vs. r), Derosa, and Molina all have unspectacular hitting cards.

Thanks for the tips Rant.

None of my starters set to slow hook. They are staying in as long as HAL wants to pitch them. I am hesitant to put them on quick hook.

Do you have any suggestions for who I could replace Derosa with?

The good teams I've seen in RFK offensively are built around doubles, batting avg, and speed. Your team offensively is built around a few too many BPHR for my liking. Tex and Dunn are such a big part of your team (cost enough money) they need to be effective and I don't think RFK provides them the enviroment to live up to their cards. 1st base options like Kotchman or v-mart are better fits at 1st. Dh's like Dimitri young etc. Probably to late for such big changes but those are my thoughts.

I'm in disagreement. I don't like many thing about this team. You have a closer who is extremely one sided, when a well known great closer value in Corpas is just sitting there. Just from what's in the FA market, I'd much have rather had a RP core of Corpas, Hampson, Rodney and Chulk. I'd still ratjer see Rodney and Chulk as your 2 under 1 mil pitchers at least.

Your offense is laden with guys who I label hitters park guys, not meant for RFK. Sizemore, Ludwick, Dunn I would personally never use in RFK, ever. If you could trade all 3 of them (Sizemore definitely has value) for better pitcher park values, I would do it ASAP.

I love Molina at C, he has been a great value. But the fact that Holliday and Polanco are out there, I don't know why they weren't on your team instead. Also you have 3 dead spots (Molina, Furcal, Cora) in your lineup. I try to have only one, but have gone with 2 dead spots to make way for studlier hitting or great pitching. I never go with 3.

I would attempt to get H Ramirez from lobos, as he is probably the best DH is a pitchers park. If not D Young has worked for me. G Anderson works as a cheap #6 or 7 hitter as he has 30 hits and 50+ tb's on each side, great for driving guys in.

Whose leading off and batting #2 on this team? F Lewis makes a cheap leadoff hitter vs R, could maybe platoon with Snelling vs L.

Either way it's deep into the season, you need to trade those underperforming sluggers as they won't turn it around.

I would find a way to get Holliday on your team, however you can.

Just my two cents; Street has been extremely successful for me, however I usually combine him with CJ Wilson. Street's card is so good it does not matter that he is one sided, because he is not bad against lefties either! But I do not understand why you have a 5 man rotation,... with four pitchers who can pitch on three days rest? You should have had a real cheapy for your 5th starter, and never used him. So much depends on luck. All you can do is put yourself in the best position to win, and then hope for lucky rolls. Your team does not look bad to me! Keep your head up, DO NOT MAKE DRASTIC CHANGES, and things will turn around. I have seen teams come back from huge deficits to win playoff spots! Play with your lineup when you are on the road. At home you want the OBP guys high in the order, at a homer park, you want your power hitters closer to the top. Next time I would have less power in RFK, and more pitching, defense,and speed. In RFK that is what you need to win! But do not change your team drastically. You can turn it around with that team. Good luck.

geekor summed it up pretty well for the most part. greinke is being used as a reliever so its fine to have him. he has 58 innings. cora cant hit to save his life. and furcal and molina may be swinging with their eyes closed most of the time. you have many players with good slugging but not for your park. obviously mags is good but dunn and ludwick are just a terrible fit for rfk. my guess is that your only chance to turn the team around is trade. good luck to you!

You also need some protection for Mags only 3 hrs?

I am going to try and make some trades. Thanks for the input.