My first team... any advice or pointers?

[Mashunga]

Heres what I'm going with now:

Pitchers:

1.Floyd Bannister L
2.Jim Clancy R
3.Mike Moore R
4.Pete Vuckovich R
5.Oil Can Boyd R

Starters:

C:Lance Parrish
1B:Steve Garvey
2B:Frank White
SS:Larry Bowa
3B:Brook Jacoby
LF:Tom Brunansky
CF:Tony Aramas
RF:Cory Snyder
DH:Jody Davis

Some changes in my starters... this is what I'm going to be bringing to the table... 99% sure.

Better?

Worse?

Thanks for the answers once again Jimmy C.

Peace.

[hechojazz]

You can go into the season with both of those second basemen, hoping to determine fairly early on which has the better card. Go with that guy and then use the $$ from dropping the other guy to greater effect elsewhere. But don't keep 'em both unless you see you got the best cards from both...even then explore a trade unless you have no better DH option.

Starting pitching typically boils down to either having a 4 *SP rotation or a 5 non-*SP rotation...though in the mystery game many times a mix will be seen by season's end on some teams...go with the best you can get. But generally you try for one approach or the other in the beginning, hoping the cards will play out okay for you. A *SP costs you too much if you aren't pitching him every 4th day - his pricing reflects his increased usage. It is generally thought a non-*SP tends to deliver more per start for the dollar, because his pricing reflects that he can only pitch every 5th day. But you then have to pay for 5 guys to start instead of 4. If you go with a 4 *SP rotation, you still need a fifth guy who can start, but there's lots of pitchers who can both start and relieve, and you can use that last SP slot to bolster your pen if you get one of those "flex guys" (hopefully paying only .75 for him). And, if that guy turns out to be a dud (and for some reason you don't want to or can't drop him), you can put him in your rotation but then schedule all your starters on the per-game starters page and thereby bypass him (he won't be used in relief either).

[LMBombers]

You have a few too many low BA/power guys in your lineup for your stadium (Parrish, Snyder, Armas, Brunansky & White).

I would suggest using Garcia at 2B and bat him leadoff. Drop White for better pitching SP. You need more BA/OBP on your team too.

[Paul5757]

Good points were made about the SPs. You have 1 too many and lack potential stud starter(s). I'd spend more money on SP.

Also, Robinson is a bit expensive and is seldom used, at least initially. He's more of a desperation move. You'd be better off with trolling for a good card among the $0.75 relievers and pocketing the cash. (You'd basically be better off with 1-3 $0.75 relievers than with Robinson...remember that the roster limit is 28. If you have extra cash, you can troll for good cards among the cheapies.)

Also, you seem to still be spending too much on your bench. If Baylor isn't going to start, he should be cut. Same goes for some of your other players (e.g., Bonnell). Dw. Murphy is OK in CF. (Personally, I'd deep six Synder, put Armas in RF, and Murphy in CF, and upgrade LF/3B/SP.

I wouldn't DH J. Davis. He won't hit enough as a DH, imo. At the very least, you should get a LH hitter to platoon with him, like Easler, Gamble, Greenwell.

[rutkap]

Please dump Mike Moore - there is only one season that I would even want on my team, plus you still have one too many starting pitchers. Pick up a .75 releiver for him and further upgrade your SP ranks.

Mike Easler may be exactly what your team needs. that guy destroys RHP, and is a great guy to platoon with.

Nobody likes him but i would rather have dusty baker than Bonnell and Armas. I prefer D. Murphy to Armas, but you could take your pick there, Murphy give you a better D in CF. don't be mad if he hits .220 - he will still get you production.

Davis is a bad option as a DH. Baylor is a better candidate on your own roster. Easler may be necessary since you have no lefties playing full time on your team at this point. were any of my catching options available?

[YountFan]

For what is is worth and for the sake of discussion

Hitting

1. Drop Garcia for $$$$
2. Drop Brunaksky for $$$$
3. Get Dainels or Aikens or Easler to DH instead of Baylor
4. Get Durham to play 1b in place of Garvey
5. Drop J Davis for any <1m catcher
6. Get Von Hayes for Armas
7. Downing/Baker for LF
8. Horner, Gaetti, DeCinces at 3B
9. Don't laugh but Dickie Thon is a nice SS

Nice lineup
1. Hayes RF
2. Dw Murphy CF
3. Daniels/Aikens/Easler DH
4. Downing LF
5. Durham 1B
6. Horner/Gaetti/DeCinces 3B
7. Parrish C
8. White 2B
9. Bowa SS


Pitching

1. Drop More for Lollar, Mathews or Ballard
2. Drop Boyd for Burns
3. Drop Banister for Viola, Browning, Alexander, Whitt
4. Drop Davis for Viola, Browning, Alexander, Whitt
6. Drop Robinson for W Fraser
7. Pick up Assenmaker

Starters
Burns
Volia
Whitt/Browning
Alexander/etc
Mathews/ etc

RP
Corbellt/Smith
Gossage
Reghitti
Clear
Fraser
Assemaker

Team
Burns 6.10
Volia 5.25
Bowning 5.12
Alexander 4.20
Mathers .75
Gossage 2.80
Regheti 1.45
Clear 1.29
Assemacher 1.45
Fraser .75
Total Cost: 29.25

Players
C Parrish 3.72
C scrub .75
1b Durham 4.28
2b White 4.17
SS Bowa 2.17
3b Horner 4.10
lf Downing 4.84
cf Murphy 4.73
rf Hayes 5.51
dh Easler 3.06
dh Ron Jackson .75
of Braggs .75
if Foley .75
of Feilder .88
Total Cost: 40.46

Grand Total: 69.25

Upgrades: Daniels at DH, Baker in LF, Wockenfuss DH vLHP and backup C

The bench does not play unless in a platoon. Don't waste money there.

Daniels/Wockenfus is a DEADLY platoon given the cards and you save on a buckup C

[Mashunga]

^^^ Wow you've really taken the time to think this through and advise me as well as others here.... and I appreciate the time and effort but as my wife says I'm stubborn,hard headed,and slow to take advice so heres what I'm going with:

Pitching Rotation:

5 man

Bannister
Clancy
Vuckovich
Davis
Boyd

Starting Position Players

C Parrish
1B Garvey
2B White
SS Bowa
3B Jacoby
LF Brunansky
CF Aramas
RF Snyder
DH Kruk

Picked up some backup left handed bats and maybe a releiver but for the most part I'm done... seriousily.

For better or worse.

Captain/"Skipper" going down with the ship.

:P

[YountFan]

Unless you get all KILLER cards, and even then, you be lucky to compete for thw wild card. I wish you well, but some lessons are better learned on your own.

Note to stuborn guy: Brunansky, Armas and Snyder have no OBP to speak of. Also NOONE uses Synder and you were better off with Murphy in CF. But like I said good luck.

Kruk is a nice pickup but he is nt Daniels

[Mashunga]

Yeah I know... thanks for the well wishes as well but all this advice and pointers is driving me [b:f48d23e0de]cRaZy[/b:f48d23e0de]

The season has'nt even started yet and I'm all ready a nervous wreck and second guessing everything that I was "sure" I was doing "right" before I come to these boards.

Like you said some lessons are better learned through experience and I [b:f48d23e0de]Really[/b:f48d23e0de] do appreciate all your suggestions as well as those that were provided by everyone else that has responded but....

I'm done as of right now...

[i:f48d23e0de]Takes a swallow of his Pepto-Bismal and signs off[/i:f48d23e0de]

[YountFan]

IT is YOUR team and it is just advice.

Relax, have a beer or two and enjoy the season. It is just a game, you gotta play it your way to have fun....and Monday is a long ways off.

YF