Final 2 questions.....(I hope)

[Wade77]

First time owner, thanks for your help. I'm glad they let you have 125 guys on your team because I've already blown this squad up like three times......but I just discovered the pitcher "Hold" ratings and I need some advice:

Question 1: What does the hold rating do? I have 2 starters (+4), 1 starter (+3); 1 starter (+2). While I know that's "bad" how much of an effect will it have? I play in Fenway and plan to use Victor Martinez (+1) at catcher.

Question 2: Given my plan to use good defense, adequate offense, andminimize the HR ball, should I axe Martinez for Varitek or Pudge, or stand pat and wing it? I would use the extra cash to get a little better scrub MI if cut Victor.

Seriously thought all my #$*@$ tinkering was finished.....but your thoughts/advice on the above would be appreciated. Other stadiums in division Busch, Dolphin, US Cell. Thank you,

http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=7113

[Mean Dean]

Simply put, each +1 will add 5% to the runner's success chance on a steal attempt. For instance, if a runner has a 50% success chance against a 0 hold/0 arm battery, he will have a 75% chance against the Peavy (+4)/Martinez (+1) battery. Varitek might be a good move for you, since you essentially lose Sizemore's bat vs. lefties and Varitek's lefty-killing makes up for that (as opposed to Martinez, who also gets much worse vs. L). Pudge pretty much stinks; you've already got a glove man in Everett, so you need a bat there, and he really had an awful year. If Barajas is available, I would consider him; he can pop some Fenway homers. You should make sure you can put any money saved towards something real, though, not on improving a bench player.

In fact, your team's big problem is that you're already spending way too much money on your bench. If you weren't aware, in this game, you're not allowed to play outfielders at OF positions that aren't listed on their cards. So Bradley is a total waste for you, since he's stuck behind Sizemore. You also don't need to be spending $4.5M on a backup C, 1B, and 3B. I know it'd be nice to have the defensive replacements, but it's just too much money.

[kimkrichbaum2]

Ditto Above. Trade Martinez out for Barajas - 1st choice, or Varitek. or some catcher with a negative arm rating, spend less on your bench, and put the money into pitching, with that staff, you could lead the league in ERA, high not low. Improve the starters or the pen your preference

[Wade77]

I made some changes incorporating what you said. I was planning on using Milton Bradley as a platoon for Sizemore but guess everyone thinks the bench should be as cheap as possible......and I guess since its a DH league there isn't alot of pinch hitting. I kind of thought defensive replacements on the corners would be a benefit, but sunk the money in for K producing relievers instead. Thanks for the advice, and if you notice anything else let me know.....otherwise I'm ready to play ball!!

[Mean Dean]

I think you made a bunch of good moves there, but the thing I think you need to address now is your bullpen. It's not efficient to have three closers, because you are paying extra for the closer rating that you're not using. In other words, for the ~$3M or so that you're spending on K-Rod and Jenks each, you could get a $3M pitcher whose card other than the closer rating is better, which, since you have a closer anyway, makes more sense for you.

You also need to add innings to your pen. Everyone in it besides Jenks is an R1, which means that they have trouble pitching more than one inning at a time. In this situation, if you have a couple of bad starts in a row (which could happen to any team, much less one with a rotation as shaky as yours), you will start seeing relievers being asked to pitch more than they're capable of, which makes them less effective. This then feeds upon itself, because the overworked relievers need to be relieved themselves, which overworks your [i:ebc6a56839]other[/i:ebc6a56839] guys. To avoid all this, you need some relievers who can go more than an inning.

So, choose a closer (I personally would choose K-Rod, but Nathan is defensible; not Jenks), drop the other two, and get some middle relievers in there who are effective pitchers and have R2 or R3 fatigue ratings.

[Wade77]

I also have Escobar in the pen......I see what you are saying though, can you reccommend any relievers in the $3M range because the pickins are slim.... thx. Since I will occasionally spot start Escobar I guess I'd need another R3or 2 R2's.... and I actually like my rotation but I guess you don't......any value picks to target there? (in Fenway). Thx again,

Kevin

[visick]

Williams
R. Hernandez
Wuertz
Seanz

[Wade77]

If a guy is an R1C6 what does that mean? Doesn't it mean he can go for 6 outs (ie 2 inning saves). I guess I don't understand that,is he goodf or 2 innings or 1?

[Mean Dean]

No, I think your rotation is good value for the money in Fenway; I'm just saying they're not superstars. My advice would apply even if you had an All-Star rotation, really. You always need a couple of R2s, unless you're carrying a very large pitching staff.

The C6 means that he is good for six outs in a closer situation, so if it [i:04eb243b53]is[/i:04eb243b53] a closer situation, then yeah, you can get two innings out of that guy. So that helps some, but who's to say that even in a win, your starter will go seven and give the ball directly to him? Your rotation does have good fatigue, but that's not to say they will go seven every time out. Then you add in the games where you lose, plus the games where you win by a bunch, plus the games where you used the closer a lot recently; the C6 doesn't help you out in any of those, either. So you need more.

[Wade77]

Okay I'm done I think......but noticed Williams has an R2C0 rating. What does the C0 mean? That he chokes so bad to don't have him pitch late in games? I don't get it, he gets tired after 0 outs in closing situation?

Also I have about $650,000 left over. Is it dumb to NOT spend it prior to the season starting, or good to keep as a buffer that will allow me to make a tweak move without losing 20% of the $650,000. Thoughts? Thanks to all who have helped me learn and get started here, $25 real dollars well spent....