Playoff Push - Please Help

[rutkap]

This is my first scoresheet team and we are 105 games in. I currently am in a tie for the WC with no chance of catching the division winner. I need to retool a bit for the big push to the finish. here are the stats:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=71501&stats=sim

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team_other.html?user_id=71501&stats=splits

I have good seasons for Evans, Hrbek, Brett(someone dumped him), Whitaker (him too), Vanslyke and Pena. I have a bad year for Fernandez but will keep him for the D. My Team is very left handed, should I be overly concerned about this?

My Pitching is cause for concern, My D is strong, We are in Royals and my team has given up a 4.50 ERA. I know i have one of Tudor's first 3 seasons. Heaton has the lefty killer card. I believe I have one of Cox's 2 good cards. Forsch has been taking a pounding but has good results. Guante is a turd, just do not know if it is worth paying 80% to get something else

The one problem is that there has been a very active dump-market this year, just about every pitcher has been on a team for at least a few appearances, the ones sitting out there right now have had bad results for the most part. Who should I target for removal to get me to the promised land? Will my Lefty lineup kill me (I just had to get brett and Whitaker when people dumped them) If so who should I look to get rid of to do this?

[Outta Leftfield]

Your offense has a lot of promise but probably could be scoring more runs for you. Work on platooning. You can do a lot with your existing resources.

Pena is killing lefties but not doing much vs RHP--probably one of his lefty killer years. Is there a cheap LHB option at catcher who might help? Maybe Salas? You'd lose defense but it would help your offense.

Hrbek and Evans are killing RHP but not LHP. Platoon Benzinger steadily with Hrbek and Morrison with Evans.

Is there a cheap RHB available who can platoon with Whitaker? Somebody like Buechele, Salazar or Fletcher who won't hurt your defense too much? Maybe you could drop Stillwell to get one of those? Great OF but again, how about a platoon against LHP for Van Slyke--shifting Raines to CF?

Cox is the only SP I personally would consider dumping--his performance doesn't look that great to [b:462e31a73f]me [/b:462e31a73f]. Everyone else is at least OK. Make sure Tudor is on slow hook. You might try a cheap SP to alternate with Heaton. Look for the lowest available WHIP. Your bullpen is actually pretty solid and deep. I would set the bullpen use on aggressive to funnel more innings to the BP. Set closer use on regular and make one of your effective RPs setup man and other one closer. Set on slow hook. This will get them more innings.

I think it's worth dropping Guante. You don't really need him and he's not helping. You can give a chance to a .75M RP with a fresh or low-use card, and will get 1.08 back for him which will give you a little cash to use elsewhere. If the new RP stinks, fence him off with settings of mopup, quick hook, avoid RH / LH and don't bring in before 7th inning. You only really need three good relievers and you've got that.

Just my two cents.... :wink: