My first team at Shea---- Beating the band wagon

[STEPHENANDERSON 2]

I have Followed the various posts and have picked up Thome, Tejada, Kotsay, Schilling, and a couple of other pitchers(Lily, Mulder.)

I somehow got Gagne and Rivera both in the pen to go along with some preferred cheapies. I would really like to down grade here to pick up a better 1st baseman (Texeria) and move Thome to DH.

I have Torralba/Valentine Platoon at catcher and right now a Valent/Meloni DH platoon.

Trying to get Burnitz, plus upgrade a 3b and 2b. I have Juan Rivera as possible trade bait. Other parks in my division are Skydome, Bankone, and Petco.

D. Davis is being dangled, plus I have John Halama as spot starter as needed.

Only have about 3.7 to upgrade.

You experts there help a player who usually does not ask for help, but its time to win one for the doctor.


Thoughts please. Be critical if you have to.

Link Below... Ithink.

Thanks

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2005/team/team.html

[stevep107]

Unfortunately, your link does not work. :cry:

[STEPHENANDERSON 2]

Try this link:

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2005/team/team_other.html?user_id=26682

:lol:

[LMBombers]

Without question you need a 2B. M. Giles & Belliard would be my top choices. Kennedy & Cora would give you good D.

IMO you should move Gagne and Juan Rivera. Look for Dunn, Burnitz or Mabry for the OF. You need help in the pen too. Mahay or something similar would be great. You really need some more LH power in your lineup. That is the whole reason to select Shea in the first place. If it is a DH league try to get Hafner or Ortiz. Otherwise look for a couple of the LH power guys like Chavez, Dunn, JD Drew, Edmonds, etc.

Doug Davis is only so-so in Shea. I really like Nate Robertson or D-Train Willis. They are killers when pitching at Shea. If you go with a hard LHP like Willis or Robertson I would also pick up a hard RHP like Ramon Ortiz to spot start for them when you play at a RH park like Fenway, Minute Maid, Wrigley, etc.

[J-Pav]

[b:4cae7d3411]doctor tax1:[/b:4cae7d3411]

Your very solid pitching will likely not overcome your anemic offense. Thome, Tejada and Kotsay is all you have at this time. You have to get rid of the errors and poor defense (3e27 at 2B??), if nothing else, to give a very nice pitching staff a chance to win.

1. Fix your defense.
2. Add OBP wherever you can (look for .350 minimum for at least seven batters).
3. You [i:4cae7d3411]desperately[/i:4cae7d3411] need more LH power.

You won't be able to completely optimize [i:4cae7d3411]all[/i:4cae7d3411] of these suggestions, so you'll have to make some concessions here and there to make the best compromises you can.

My .02. Lots of work ahead of you, but best o' luck! 8)

[visick]

And another thing...

If you are sticking with your current catching situation, I would prolly get another EVEN $.50 guy just in case one of your starters goes down.

[yomayoma]

looks good...offense is poor, need to rid easley and bell.

[JdEarly]

Hi, Doc. Nice to talk to ya. Here's my thoughts for your team right now:

1. Eric Gagne isn't going to be worth anything near his price tag for you in Shea. I would allow Rivera to close games for you on the road, but is B.J. Ryan available to swap Gagne for? I think the lefty-righty combo at the back of your pen would be more than solid.

2. If, by chance, you can't pick up a better defensive 1B than Thome, and plan on keeping the Valent/Merloni platoon at DH, I would recommend that you flip them. Thome at DH, the platoon at 1B. Merloni and Valent aren't going to win you any gold gloves, but their range is average and they don't drop many balls that they get to.

3. As was posted earlier in this thread, David Bell and Damion Easley should be cast aside. Those two, along with Miguel Tejada, could help you set the record for errors on an infield in one season. Scary stuff. Orlando Hudson is usually available, and even though he's got a 2 injury rating, he would really solidify your "up the middle" defense. At 3B, a guy like Eric Chavez would be ideal, but even Jose Hernandez would be a better bet than Bell. He strikes out a ton, but one out is better than the DP's Bell is sure to hit into at costly times.

4. I really like the Torrealba/Valentin platoon. I'm in the middle of a couple of seasons with it (Coors, Shea) and would recommend it to anyone, in any park, unless they're going with an elite catcher or Jason Kendall. Less than $3 million, and you're playing them to their strengths every night. Great choice.

5. Angel Berroa? Really?

6. I've had Schilling in Miller Park, which plays like a mini-Shea, and he posted... decent... numbers for me. Nothing to spectacular, a high number of losses but solid stats otherwise. I won that division with 84 wins, lucky enough. I'd say stick with Schilling, but temper your expectations. If you're able to get Doug Davis for him, I'd say give that a shot and pick up a solid righty to spot start in addition to him, someone who can work out of the pen effectively in the weeks and months between their starts.

7. Brad Radke in Shea... I have never tried it, never had the stomach to. He doesn't walk a lot of batters, but gives up a ton of hits. For a right hander in Shea, that's some scary stuff. If you've got the stones, by all means. I've never heard of anyone using him in Shea, so, again, I could be wrong.

8. Mark Mulder should be the surprise of your pitching staff. Some people don't like him in Shea, but he's your number 4 starter. Expect him to post numbers similar to that of a number 2. I would recommend him in Shea eight days a week.

9. Kerry Robinson... let him run, and run him often. The guy steals bases like a mad man when given the opportunity.

In closing, your roster is already pretty solid, but in all honesty it looks like you have a lot more money to play with in free agency than you figure to have right now. Even if no one wants Juan Rivera from you, he's got a high price tag, so before the season starts he is of great value to you. Costs almost a million more than Burntiz, who would give you HUGE numbers.

Good luck, and I hope I helped.

[tersignf]

Just to echo the somewhat obvious in unison: Easley, Rivera, Gagne all need to go to free up cap room for players who will perform in shea.

Did you have DDavis and get rid of him? He'd be a nice pickup, but as folks have said you really need to focus on your offense and fielding.

Torrealba is nice and cheap and will do OK, low average but good power...but I really like JMolina at Shea for only half a mil more--better D, 2x as many clean hits, and about 1/3 more OB and TB. Much more potent in shea, even with that W power.

Thome is a nice hitter, but as a DH. Casey would be about optimum for your team at 1B, considering salary and roster (he hits lefties and righties in any park, with ~ 50+ TBs).

If available Mabry would be super to replace one of the slugs in the OF.
Good Luck!

[STEPHENANDERSON 2]

Thanks for all the info.

I did not draft Berroa...... palease.

I drafted Hudson, Huff, Abreu, Burnitz and got
Easley, Bell. Rivera, and Lane.

Went after BJ and Lidge and got Rivera and Gagne.

I have offered Gagne and Juan Rivera to no avail.

I drafted Radke to fill the draft hole.

Right now in waivers..... in which I am low.

Chavez for Bell

Belliard for Easly

Think I will drop Lane to go with Mabry.

Drop Rivera to pick up Ortizor Hafner.

Drop Gagne to get......... who knows.Willis

All the other suggested players seam to be taken.


By the way,,, Robinson does run for me a lot