A little help with 2006

[258025]

This is my third team and it is better than my last two and I am still missing something. I played the board game back in the 70's and just found out about SOM online. Please take a look at this team and give me some input. I play in a division with 2 US Cells and a PNC. What should my settings be for my pitching? Who should close? Is Ohka a good set up man? A possible batting order? Is Beltran worth keeping? What am I missing or is it to early to tell?


[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=13891[/url]

[Mean Dean]

Colon's struggles on this particular team aren't too surprising. He gives up more HR than you'd expect of a Cy Young winner, and with teams in your division likely loading up on lefty hitters, they'll find them. If there's a team in your league in Petco or something, I'd try to trade him there.

Speaking of lefty hitters, I think if your team had more straight lefties rather than a bunch of switchies, that'd serve it well. (See how well Burnitz is doing?) But the players you've got aren't bad... other than a hole at 2B. (I hope you're not playing Mueller there!) So try to fix that, again with a trade if at all possible. Beltran had a bad year in '05 (as any Met fan can tell you), but he brings a glove and you could carry him if everything else was going well.

The fact that your one-way specialists are taking up all the innings and Hermanson and Gonzalez are barely pitching is a tragedy. Hermanson should close both ways with slow hook, Gonzalez set-up both ways with slow hook, and the other guys set to avoid whoever/quick hook/1-2 IP. I'd use Ohka to start over Glavine against a team with lots of lefty hitters, but you can leave him in the pen the rest of the time.

[258025]

Thanks for the response Dean. No Petcos or Sheas in the mix but I will look around concerning Colon. Burnitz has fallen off after a hot start but I will take the lefty thing into consideration. Mueller is playing third and shame on me I went cheap at second using a platoon of Vizcaino, Cintron, and Punto. Not thinking that Beltran wouldn't hit. I thought 2B was my weakness. On to pitching. Can't Gonzalez get hurt by righties in a set up roll both ways? Should I tag Gonzalez to avoid righties in the set up roll? Do I need a mop up guy and who would that be? Should Hermanson be set slow hook not more than 1-2 innings? Thanks and I look forward to your response.

[Mean Dean]

[quote:6e9b054139]Can't Gonzalez get hurt by righties in a set up roll both ways? Should I tag Gonzalez to avoid righties in the set up roll?[/quote:6e9b054139]
He's worse against righties, but your park helps muffle that, and anyway it's just not a good idea to tell HAL to shuffle through guys as quickly as possible, unless there's no other choice. You have to let your better pitchers pitch. If you let him stay in games, hopefully he'll face enough lefties that he'll get out of jams. I'd make him set up both ways, slow hook, and that's it.[quote:6e9b054139]Do I need a mop up guy and who would that be?[/quote:6e9b054139]I guess it could be Ohka, but then that'd preclude HAL from using him in close games when you don't want to use a one-way specialist. I don't think I'd set one.[quote:6e9b054139]Should Hermanson be set slow hook not more than 1-2 innings?[/quote:6e9b054139]Slow hook, yes. Max 1-2 isn't really necessary as it won't use the closer more than that anyway, and if it does, maybe that's not such a bad thing. I think you are overestimating how effective the one-way specialists are going to be. That is a desperation strategy to hide the weaknesses of pitchers who stink, not a strategy to actually push yourself forward. If those guys put up 5 ERAs, consider yourself lucky. I'd set closer regular, btw.

[258025]

See what you think now. Thanks for your help.

[Jerlins]

As an opponent, I would toss lefties at you as much as I can, even cheap ones. VMart, Teixiera, Cabrera, Blalock, Giles, and Rollins all suffer somewhat vs LH. I wouldn't continue to dump salary, but for next time if playing in this park, get a lefty killer or two, ideally, one who bats from the left side. Matsui, Kotsay, and to a lesser extent G. Anderson would do wonders here and fit in nicely with your hitters you have already, protecting them from LH's somewhat. As for SP's, at least for your park, you would get almost similar results from a Willis, Zito, or other lefty type as you will from Pedro, for a lot less coin. Lefty parks are fun in 06. Enjoy!

[258025]

Thanks for the input. Willis, Zito, and Matsui were on my draft list. I even chose Willis first but I didn't get any of them. The only lefthanders in my division aside from mine are Willis and Buehrle. There are also three cheap relievers spread amongst the other three teams so it should be fun. Thanks again.