Players you should never dump?

[abnerdoubleday]

[quote:a17e4cdef2="Panzer ace"]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....[/quote:a17e4cdef2]


That is my approach as well. 8)

[Outta Leftfield]

I agree with abner and Panzer Ace on these points--which I guess puts me in good company. Ultimately any decision about whether to keep or cut has to be determined by team need--the player's year and performance are factors to be weighed in the context of team need. There might be some players I'd be very, very reluctant to drop, but I'd do it if I thought it would in some way help the team.

Another, related issue is the year vs the actual performance. Sometimes (as happened to me with Winfield, Ripken and Fisk, mentioned above) a player is performing well despite being in his worst year (it helps that in each case the worst year is decent). Winfield was well over .900 OPS, for example and Fisk hit 34 HR. In such cases, it's pretty easy to keep them. Also, if the team is playing well and you don't desperately need the cash, why rock the boat? But, if the same player is underperforming their worst card, and you need the cash to plug a hole elsewhere, why not cash the player in for somebody cheaper and meet that other need? So, although we try to keep our eye on the year underlying the specific performance, as the season goes on we have to take performance into account as well, especially in the context of team need.

[yak1407]

Of course, if a player is performing at or beyond our expectations, who cares what season you have.
It's only the underperforming expensive stars that have us lying awake at night wondering should I cut him, or not.

[cult24]

Glad to see my question started a healthy discourse. I have to agree with those that say there are VERY FEW untouchables. Many factors including how the rest of your team is performing and stadiums you play in can really alter the overall value of a player.

I had originally drafted my team to play small ball and am now learning that either:

A) HAL doesn't appreciate the beauty of small ball

or

B) the fact that I ended up in a division of mashers, two of who play in Fenway and one in the Bronx is forcing me to alter my philosophy.

So I finally cut Puckett, b/c I am nearly certain that I have his '85 card and even if he improved (.159, 0 HR, 4 RBI thru 21 games) it wasn't worth the 7.24M and I needed lumber. Cutting Puckett, as well as Chili Davis, got me 9.95M and I spent 9.85M of it on Dave Parker in RF and Joe Carter at DH. I moved Dawson to CF and didn't lose much defensively.

The only guy I can't cut is Rickey, despite his low average so far, the guy is getting on base and generating runs. Anyone else is fair game.

[honestiago1]

Raines gets 100 runs, 50 SB's even in bad years. Of course, one can say you'll get similar numbers from a cheaper player, but why gamble. You can take Raines and Rickey and never have to worry about production. Now, if you're pitching sucks, and you're loaded on O, sure, you might dump some high pricers. But lead off men like those guys are priceless - consistent production, man. I've had Raines dropped in my lap three times after draft, and each time he's produced runs (not always average, but walks, SB's, runs scored). He's uncuttable to me.

[honestiago1]

Raines gets 100 runs, 50 SB's even in bad years. Of course, one can say you'll get similar numbers from a cheaper player, but why gamble. You can take Raines and Rickey and never have to worry about production. Now, if you're pitching sucks, and you're loaded on O, sure, you might dump some high pricers. But lead off men like those guys are priceless - consistent production, man. I've had Raines dropped in my lap three times after draft, and each time he's produced runs (not always average, but walks, SB's, runs scored). No one's "uncuttable," but this guy's close.

Take your cue from Bill James (paraphrased): If you want to look at something, look at runs -- runs scored, runs batted in...look at what wins the games. Raines gets you runs. Henke prevents them (well, usually) :)

[cplake]

My list:

[b:79ccccaa6e]Puckett[/b:79ccccaa6e] - I've even PICKED HIM UP knowing it was his worst year. IMO a 1 range with a -4 gun is very important, especially if you are in a large ballpark (I was in Dodger Stadium).
[b:79ccccaa6e]Roger Clemens[/b:79ccccaa6e]
[b:79ccccaa6e]Rock Raines[/b:79ccccaa6e] (see Clark)
[b:79ccccaa6e]Rickey Henderson[/b:79ccccaa6e] (see Clark)
[b:79ccccaa6e]Dave Winfiield[/b:79ccccaa6e]
[b:79ccccaa6e]Tony Gwynn[/b:79ccccaa6e]
[b:79ccccaa6e]Jack Clark [/b:79ccccaa6e](he gets on base no matter what yr)
[b:79ccccaa6e]Ozzie Smith[/b:79ccccaa6e]
[b:79ccccaa6e]Robin Yount[/b:79ccccaa6e]
I'm sure there are a few others....

I have actually cut Eck. I went against my philosophy and spent big $ on him. He blew about half his save opportunities before I couldn't take it anymore (W 0 L 6, 10 saves 10 BS). I used the extra money to pick up Corbett, Lefferts and one other and my bullpen was solid the rest of the yr.
Conversely, I stuck with Sweet Lou an entire season when he couldn't hit the ground with his hat. He provided stellar defense and was the perfect compliment to Fernandez at SS. I KNOW they saved me a few baserunners in Dodger Stadium. Lamar Hoyt won 20 and I'm not sure he would have with lesser DEF up the middle. Of course, none of this mattered in the playoffs since I lost 3 straight in the semis to TRich.

I have less tolerance for a pitcher that isn't delivering than I do for a position guy. Providing good DEF is at least helping matters. Guys like Mitchell in a bad year are just dead weight. They provide nothing else but hitting and in a bad year they provide nothing.

[honestiago1]

I have a first place team, and someone dumped Clemens. Had to do a bit of rearranging, but now I have him Rocket, Soto (1.32 WHIP), Higuera (1.17) and Hurst (1.35, and holding RH and LH's to .240 and below averages) in the Astrodome, in a pitcher's league with a lineup that features a slamming Aikens, a good W. Clark, and is third in the league in runs scored. To top it off, the league is curiously a pitcher's league, with more parks favorable to the hurlers (more than in any league I have personally played in).

I don't want to make any predictions just yet, but I really like my chances with a 4G lead and Rocket now in my rotation for the remaining 2/3's of the year.

(NEVER drop Rocket! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!) :twisted: