Need advice for a 2008 team at Coors

[pwhitsel]

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/stratomatic/team/team_other.html?user_id=217855

Hey guys. This is a team I currently have in Strat 2008 with Coors being the homefield. Obviously I tried to build the team around big right handed hitters with some decent defense in place but not much in the way of pitching. I've tried to help my starters by adding a couple more specialists but that doesn't appear to be working. Any advice at all would be appreciated, but I'm especially interested in hearing thoughts on pitching upgrades. Jim Johnson's card looks solid but he is getting blown up so I must be missing something.

Thanks in advance!! :idea:

[Rant]

Specialists aren't likely to cut it; particularly in your park and with the lack of quality starters. You need more relievers to help. I like Johnson and Breslow as relievers, but you have no real closer. You beefed up on righthanded hitters, but have six lefties pitching (which means six guys who turn around switch hitters). Two of those lefties are starters and two others are logging very significant innings in relief.

Qualls would be a potential closer for you, but anywhichway you'll need to add more pitching. To get there, I'd lose some offense and pair down at least one of your specialists. For the big money, I'd lose either Quinton or Guerrero and add someone like Hinske. In that scenario, use Hinske at first against right-handers, moving Cabrera to DH. And for lefties use Freel in left or right, DH Guerrero or Quinton and use Cabrera at first.

[pwhitsel]

I appreciate the advice. Does anyone have a Coors team that they had success with and would post a link to it so I can see what worked for you?

[kimkrichbaum2]

I don't have a team to show you, but here is my formula for Coors success;
Mid-priced starters with low Whip and low to moderate BPHR (hits and doubles are OK) Beckett and Maddux for examples, good closer with same qualities, (Kerry Wood best). Aim for RH starter, E-9L.
One monster reliever who is a 2 or 3 inning guy (Kuo is great) who can pitch lots of innings, and a quality second guy RH, E to 4L in the pen. Bullpen is more important at Coors than in any other park.
Look for hitters with high OB, and BPHR, average is not as important, feel free to have horrid Defense in the outfield and catcher, but good D at second and short (lots of DP's)

[AeroDave10]

[quote:4a13fb8ad2="litangel"]I don't have a team to show you, but here is my formula for Coors success;
Mid-priced starters with low Whip and low to moderate BPHR (hits and doubles are OK) Beckett and Maddux for examples, good closer with same qualities, (Kerry Wood best). Aim for RH starter, E-9L.
One monster reliever who is a 2 or 3 inning guy (Kuo is great) who can pitch lots of innings, and a quality second guy RH, E to 4L in the pen. Bullpen is more important at Coors than in any other park.
Look for hitters with high OB, and BPHR, average is not as important, feel free to have horrid Defense in the outfield and catcher, but good D at second and short (lots of DP's)[/quote:4a13fb8ad2]

I don't really understand this logic much because Coors favors right handed hitters, so why would you want a lot of BAL L guys and lefty pitchers (Wood, Kuo, Maddux, etc.)? If you don't have expensive starters, I think you're going to be a bit better than "horrible defense", especially in the OF. A monster reliever is a good idea, but I'd think Johnson, Geary, Marmol, or Ramirez would be better than Kuo.

As for hitters, I'd get 5 or 6 righties that can drop bombs, and a few lefties than can get on base. Go cheap on one important defense position (2B, SS, CF) and just get someone who can really throw the leather.

[pwhitsel]

AeroDave10, that's pretty close to what I went with. Although, from experience, I can tell you that Johnson struggles at Coors. I think it may have to do with the fact that I don't have a true closer. So I am going to try Qualls out as was suggested above and then either Ryan Madson or John Grabow to back him up (along with Craig Breslow, who I already have).

Any thoughts as to Madson vs. Grabow?