Can someone help me overcome mediocrity in '06?

[Coffeeholic]

Well, I'm out of the running in the Tour Championship, I ain't gonna advance in the Lotto League, and with 8 months gone in the '06 season I've pretty much settled into a routine of mediocre teams (give or take a team here and there). :oops:

In years past, when I actually knew how to build a winning team, I was pretty free with help to those who asked for it, now I'm hoping to get some help in return? :?

I've got a team purchased and I'm ready to fill out the draft list. I'm looking for ideas on how to go. I'm open to any players and any stadium, and am looking for loads of great discussion on the who's, what's and why's of putting together a championship team. 8)

Anyone up to the task?

[visick]

I'm not expert Coffee...

That being said,

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1648

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=6902


Safeco seems to work for me. I won it all with the top team. Why not give it a whirl? You can grab some decent LH's that are cost effective.

[geekor]

Coffee,

by farthe easiest for me has been Kaufmann (Petco works too). There are enough cheap and easy high ba, W powered guys, that missing a few can usually be replaced. Just gotta make sure to use your top 2 picks on big time SP's, the rest is easy. I try to accenuate speed, but the draft doesn't always go too well.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1147

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=2001

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=3822

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=9242

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=9407

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=9442

[visick]

Gotta enjoy Petco as well. :D

I took different approaches with these 2 teams...

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1647

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=2128

[Jerlins]

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=5005

This is from a 103 win US Cell team

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=3721

And this from a 96 win Busch team. Hard to believe a Busch team can lead the league in hitting. Especially with a Petco and Jacobs in the same division.

[Coffeeholic]

Hey guys, thanks for posting some links.

Looks like the majority of your teams are pitcher's park teams, so if that's the way you wanna go, that's cool. 8)

I've played a number of Petco teams to date, but have yet to try Kauffman, so maybe that'd be an interestint twist to try.

Here's some of the Petco teams I've tried with varrying degrees of success:

79 wins... Smoltz, Peavy and Marcus Giles are very dis-appointing!

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=240

91 wins... one of my better efforts... but in an auto draft league!

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=1164

81 wins this time...Peavy and Marcus Giles again dis-appoint, along with brother Brian,Reed Johnson and DeJesus.

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=7004

87 wins in this auto league... not bad, but man Wilkerson stinks!

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=7851

[Coffeeholic]

I've thought since the introduction of '06 that a rotation of:

Clemens;
Willis;
Peavy;
Buehrle;

is ideal for a pitcher's park. All 4 should be high quality S7's, give me a good balance of Lefty/Righty, and which should allow me to scrimp on my bullpen.

By manipulating the bullpen settings, I figure I should be able to guarantee that these SP's pitch into the 7th inning almost everytime out. This should allow me to go with a bullpen of 1 real high-end closer (Nathan or Turnbull seem excellent for Kaufmann) paired with a cheap closer (like Guardado or maybe Wickman), one cheap inninings eater (like Calero/Burns/Vogelsong... set to "mop-up") and a couple of cheap match-up guys (I've got a thing for Jason Davis/Steve Kline as Davis keeps me from waisting my 5th starter roster spot)

Buehrle has been a major disappointment at 4.68, Peavy and Willis have been inconsistent and Clemens really hasn't performed like a $11 mil + guy should however.

Any thoughts?

[visick]

I'd say it's a bit overkill, especially Clemens.

I like a combination of Pedro/Peavy as your #1 and 2 starters then a LHSP like Zito/Capuano or Lowry. Your 4th. spot in the rotation should then be a R/L combo of cheap SP's. (I like Lawrence in Petco and H. Ramirez has done well as well, or Moyer)

Look for the cheaper lower end decent closers. Guys like Lidge, F. Rod., Baez or F. Cordero. If there is another pitching park in your division, try out Wickman.

Then grab a R2 RP as your setup, someone $4 million or less. Shields?

Your pen then should be mainly situational R/L guys.

I would look to spend in the neighborhood of $25 million for your pitchers.

[Coffeeholic]

Hmmm, I rarely, if ever, have a strictly "set-up" guy. 'Bout the closest I get is setting a strong R/C guy to "set-up" and "close" both ways, "do not enter before 8th inning".

Guess my thinkin is that I'd rather take that extra $3 mil or so that your talking about and invest it into higher quality Starting Pitching... hence the desire/need for strong S7's.

Now, on the other hand, if I opt for cheap Sttarting pitching, I will invest in decent quality middle inning RP's, but still I'm gonna designate a strong R/C in the same manner ("set-up" and "close" both ways, "do not enter before 8th inning").

[geekor]

Coffee, that philosophy maybe your problem.

Why spend soo much on a guy who pitches 60-90 innings, and scrimp on the guy who pitches before him who pitches 150+ innings? Really doesn't make much sense to me. I'd much rather have wickman as my closer, and a good setup guy like Shields, then Nathan + a cheapie. Hermanson is the best "value" closer, [b:fe20381a03]by a mile[/b:fe20381a03]. Pitches anywhere with steady results.

Clemens is overkill (I prefer Pedro), but I like you other 3 choices. Here's the problem, I very well doubt you'd get your top 3, even if set 1-3 in your draft list. I've tried for that many many times, and usually get only 1 of them. :?

The best thing is put your stud SP first no matter what, then mix between your other sp's and the guys that are harder to get. For instance Figgins needs to be a top 5 pick if you want him. Roberts sometimes I miss when I draft him 7th, other times he's in the Fa list, can't get a reading on that guy.