by honestiago1 » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:21 pm
Here's the team prior to waiver period:
http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/80s/team/team.html
Using an Astrodome philosophy -- pitching, defense and a healthy does of "little ball." My problem right now: no one to drive in runs.
PITCHING: I did not get Clemens, of course (which is why I have Soto -- AGAIN!. Pretty happy with Soto, Higuera and Key. Probably moving Mahler for another top starting pitcher. All of Henke's years are usable, esp. in the dome. Dayley is always usable. Dipino might be good for spot work against lefties. Most of Stanley's years are decent, as are Gregg Harris (though he is a tad expensive to carry along with Henke).
Players who will more than likely move during waiver period:
Oliver, Brookens, Felder, Franco, Ballard (Harris might move AFTER waiver period, when I see what bats are left).
I've bounced back and forth on Carew. Fact is, most pitching is RH, and he is going to hit righties. And he looks like my leadoff man right now, to be honest (which is sorta scary). I would love to drop him and get Jack Clark (set myself up like the 'Cards of the 80s), but I have 9th waiver pick, so I'm pretty sure Jackie's gonna be long gone by then. Eddie Murray is also available.
I've checked out Polonia and Bailor pretty thoroughly, and they actually look like they could be a decent platoon unit (though the LF defense would be average with Bailor and bad with Polonia).
I think it's worth taking a chance on McGee to get the big years, and even if I don't, he suffers less in Dome, due to playing his actual games in Busch. Fernandez is a decent run producer for a SS, and a great defensive player. I could pair him with Damaso or Flynn, but I suppose that would depend on who I got during waivers. If I get some better hitters at 3B, 1B, RF, I'd be willing to carry his glove. I'm thinking the hits/runs he saves might mitigate his awful bat.
Anyway, I can go a couple of ways: I can totally "defense out," try to get great gloves everywhere and manufactiure runs, OR keep the defense tough up the middle, get a couple of run producers at the IF and OF corners, to lessen pressure on the staff. I'm REALLY tempted to grab some more gloves everywhere and see what happens. If I had Clemens, Key, Higeura and somebody like Morris, I might do that. After all, '86 Astros won with very little power, good speed, and good defense (I'm actually a Cubs fan, but my better strat teams have always been pitching-defense types).
That's my 4.56874983627 cents.