Archive of SportingNews.com's old SOM Baseball forum

In a recent thread titled [b:899bec69c9]"Dump Puckett?"[/b:899bec69c9] one writer titled his reply [b:899bec69c9]"Never Dump Puckett!" [/b:899bec69c9] Not everyone agreed that Puckett is a player you should never dump, but to me that raised the question--who are the players [b:899bec69c9]you [/b:899bec69c9]would never dump?

Clemens is sometimes mentioned in this regard. Some argue that Eck and Henke fit this category. Others might mention Raines, Winfield or Ripken--whose worst years aren't so bad, but are they worth the cost? I've personally kept Winfield, Ripken and Fisk in their worst years and lived to tell the tale. Sometimes it might depend on how they performed in their off year. For example, I got a solid year out of Ripken and all-star performances from Winfield and Fisk, so the choice wasn't hard.

Maybe one could also argue that some 75 cent hitters are always keepers in a platoon role?

Anyway, name your candidates. :D Who are the elect players whom you would never dump? :?:

I'll preface my input by saying that I've broken these rules sometimes -- if I have a team that is 15-20 games out, and I need to do something drastic to even have a shot, I'll do it. I just did it today, dropping a couple players I would normally NEVER drop. But, drastic measures not withstanding, here's my thoughts

Gary Carter -- even his worst year ain't that bad
Keith Hernandez -- no bad years there
Murray -- I've never been lucky enough to have him, but if I did, I don't think I'd dump him even in his weak year
Whitaker -- if you pay the $5 mill to get him, KEEP HIM
Ozzie, Fernandez, Yount -- same deal, even in bad years you keep 'em
Raines, Rickey, Gwynn, E.Davis -- nuff said

Boggs, Rice, Doran, Mattingly, Cooper and Guerrero fall in the "only if I have an injury reveal that it's their bad year will I get rid of them -- these guys are 4 out of 5 years solid, and when it's the bad year, you know it pretty quickly. If you got the good years, keep 'em.

Jack Clark -- I usually keep him no matter what -- he has so much value; he fills a boxscore and a stat sheet like not many can

Will Clark -- I've never had him but I think I'd keep him if I did.

Pitchers:

I've had Clemens and kept him through 15-20 horrible starts, then let him go. I've also kept him through rocky beginnings and he's come through with 23 wins. Drabek and Reuss are two keepers for me.

I tend to cycle through pitchers much more than through hitters.


Again, all depends on how my teams are going. If they REALLY REALLY suck deeper into the season (60+ games in), I'll blow up the team and start over, like i did today in the "back to the 80's final glory" league.

I'll be the first guinea pig to post a list only to be second guessed. EDIT-I see seanreflex posted while I was typing this up. There are many players that we agreed on.

Clemens
Hershiser
Nolan Ryan - If he fits into your rotaton to start the season you won't cut him
Eckersley
Henke
Puckett
Yount
Winfield
Raines
K. Hernandez
Jack Clark
Ozzie Smith
Mike Hargrove - worst year is still .377 OBP
Richie Zisk - you only get him to be your LH DH. He consistently hits LHP on every card good enough to keep.

This list contains players that you would not always want on your team. However if any of the above fit into your plans enough to have them on your opening day roster then IMO they don't have a card bad enough to cut them. If you get Ozzie's worst year he still gives you speed and great D. You can try someone else but your D will deffinately suffer for it.

There are probably many more that could be added to the list. It doesn't have to be only superstars that make this list. Really any player, no matter how bad, that has 5 relatively consistent cards would make that player always worth his salary.

I have mixed feelings about Eck. I had him in '91, probably his next to "worst" year (which would be steller for almost anyone else). His save numbers were a little on the low side: 13. But amazingly he had 14 wins and was a big part of a team that took the finals to seven games.

Having said that, I'm not sure I'm ready to drop six bones on any relief pitcher. Especially when, with some digging and a little luck, you can often find a 75-center who will give you a lights-out year. With the same team I just mentioned, for example, Frank Pastore a 75-cent starter-reliever pitched so well in relief, I made him a starter. He ended up 12-3 with five saves.

So, my bottom line: If I had Eck, I wouldn't drop him. But I'm not so sure I'd spend what you need to to get him in the first place.

Among non-pitchers, I'm a big fan of Eddie Murray, Kal Daniels (as a platoon player), Will and Jack Clark, Dwight Evans, Pedro Guererro. I'm sure there are others, but I'm still a relative newcomer with a lot to learn about this game.

I am sure there will be many who will disagree. I dont have a player over the $2 million range (and really just $.75) that I wouldnt cut in certain situations. That's not to say I would always cut some of the 'stars' listed. I think each league and situation can be different. I won't tie myself to any particular player. If the situation dictates it, they are gone. I can see keeping a $.75 back up who is a defensive replacement. For all others, their job is on the line....

The only players I consider uncutable are the top SS's because you are not going to have any options that can provide def and any better hitting once the season starts. The Gagne's of the world's best season isn't any better than thier worst.

First off, all players are "touchable," because it really depends on need. If my pitching is really awful, I'll dump anybody. That said:

don't cut:

Rickey, Raines (they will ALWAYS get on, steal bases and score runs, no matter what the year).

Clemens (he's too good; head and shoulders above everyone else in the long run).

Yount (his bad year at SS is better than most good years from other SS's)

Key (really the most consistent lefty you can get; a personal favorite, though -- I'd never cut him)

Agree with what most say, although I've had some disappointing Raines years and I did cut Henke the one and only time I've had him.
What about Ted Simmons? Nice reliable card with good OBP, I've tried to use him as a DH but inevitably end up with him behind the plate.
Plus, he's a switch-hitter who isn't over-balanced one way of the other except his last year.
Also, unless you get his bad year, Craig Swan. He always seems to do well and, at that price, I'm tempted to make him my first pick as a pitcher.
However, I'm not so sure about spending that much on a SS, Yount, and I doubt I'll ever for Mike Schmidt again. He has to be the most over-paid player in the game, $8M+ for a guy who basically just hits lefties.

They are all cuttable

someone said you might not get a better ss...true
but you will get better value and you can use the money elsewhere.

i will say i have never cut a producing player

Ice

I had to cut Whitaker to upgrade my pitching (hope I did). I just have Wilfong there who is doing well. Also have Sheridan starting in RF who's doing well. Couple cheap starters there.

I was going to drop Clemens cuz he is now 2-7 and though his stats are great...he's losing almost all the time. All the losses are one or two run games...last night he gave up a one hitter and lost the game 1-0. Then I just figured it's the lack of run support whenever he pitches so I didn't drop him.

This is my first shot at the 80s so I don't know who I would never drop yet but I do have to ask how you can tell if you should drop Cooper because of injuries? Doesn't he have injuries on every card?