Trade helper idea

[Valen]

Thought of this in my most recent league. Have 2 teams in Petco managed by people with whom I have made some deals in the past. But this time around not much I have that would be appropriate for their parks.

This got me thinking if only I had drafted a player or two who might be useful in a pitchers park I might at least be able to tempt them for something I would be interested in. That thought led me to think on future teams I needed to not only draft for whatever theme I was putting together but with those last few picks instead of taking flyers on people might be better to use those for cards useful as trade material.

[OakAth72]

This thought process is already in play by the managers who hoard positions to use as trade bait.

[Valen]

This is different from that of hoarding.

And let's be honest you fill out your draft card with 2 catchers and 1 good player at each position. that is 9 picks. That leaves 6 picks. Why wouldn't you pick good players for those 6 slots? Some may call it hoarding but if that is what it is then I plead guilty. I see no reason to pick 6 useless scrubs with those last 6 picks unless my goal is to build a lousy team.

I have attempted to draft Mantle several times and put him #1 on my draft card. Missed on him every time. So I make no apology for also including a Cedeno or Snider on my draft card as hoped for alternatives. And if I happen to get Mantle and Snider both I also make no apologies. I shop Snider and I do not feel the least bit guilty for asking people to give me 10.7 mil or so value in return and I feel no responsibility to give him away for some 8 mil bench player, especially if I took a flyer on Snider at #15 or lower. And I definitely am not going to feel bad if I picked Mantle #1, took a flyer on Mays at bottom of my card and would up with Snider as consolation. But why should I be expected to give Snider away because nobody was wise enough to even put him on their card?

What I am saying though is you are in a hitters park so want a 2B with some power. So you draft Hornsby. Now you could draft Gordon as a fallback in case you don't get Hornsby. but instead maybe you take a flyer on Stanky, Collins, or Jacky Robinson. Then if you have something the smallballers would be interested in.

[Paul_Long71]

yes, but what's the chances that the smallballers drafted someone for your hitting park that you would want in return. More likely to find someone in free agency (with this big set) than to find someone for your hitting team on another player's smallballers roster......right?

[OakAth72]

I don't think anyone really picks "useless scrubs" in the 200 mil format and of course we always try to pick premium backups to our top picks that we probably won't receive. I was in a league recently wherein one team after the autodraft was sitting on Hornsby, Collins, Morgan, Jeter, Wagner, and Yount. No 3B and no 1B were drafted.....Fidrych was the ace. I highly doubt that four of these guys were acquired through a "flyer at the bottom of the card".

I don't think this is wrong, if this is the strategy you want to implement so be it. I was just stating that it parallels your original thought to not only draft for your own team but to draft trade bait. Your response to my comment outlines a strategy that we ALL use and I get that, but it had nothing to do with what I was trying to convey.

[Valen]

Thanks very much for expanding and clarifying what you meant. What you describe is a lot more excessive than I usually see. Don't think I have ever seen anyone go that all out at 2 positions.

I can see loading up like that at one position as a strategy and hoping to make some trades. Going for it at 2 positions I would expect will almost always be a losing strategy. You are just counting on being able to work out too much and if you cannot that is too much money to carry on a bench even for a 200 mil league. But then again if someone wants to try that route not sure I see it as any different from super reliever or similar strategies.

I have had teams where I did not draft a first baseman. For me once I make the decision a Murray, Will Clark level first baseman is acceptable there are so many that fall at that level I do not care which I get and FA market will have something if I cannot swing a trade. For a long time I a couple ATG versions back I was perfectly happy with Cecil Cooper. He was almost always available in waivers so never drafted a first baseman.

Don't think I would ever not draft a third baseman as I do not think that position is near as deep with options. But along the lines of trying to have a tradeable commodity I could see myself drafting Schmidt and Boggs and then shopping both.

[Valen]

[quote:1d21404752]yes, but what's the chances that the smallballers drafted someone for your hitting park that you would want in return. [/quote:1d21404752]
True, no guarantee they would. But if they are serious that they enjoy making trades they might wish to do so in order to have tradeable commodities.

It all boils down to how much you like trading and negotiating. If you like it a lot then perhaps you put a little more effort and thought in advance.