Ozzie or Barry in the Astrodome-Post-waiver update...

[Hakmusic]

from your list, Wynager and LaValliere are the two I'd look at:

Porter - should be good but always seems to underperform. I have him on a team now and he is, surprisingly, underperforming.
Boone - great D but can't hit.
Gedman - good in a platoon, but fairly costly to platoon.
Wynegar - can give you value
LaValliere - can be really good
Simmons - can hit like you can't believe, bu the arm is scary. I have him on a team now and he is hitting like you can't believe, but my pitchers are giving up a lot of runs.

[Jablowmi]

Take Simmons and, if he doesn't hit like crazy, pick up Lavaillere, Kennedy, etc., who will be available. Take a look at the 2000+ league as an example, I have Simmons and he's hitting 306/594/366 with 34 2Bs, 35 HRs, 94 RBI and 91 Rs. On the D side, he's thrown out "only" .715 runners (league % is .671). I would suspect that .715 is pretty much the break even point when deciding, as an offense, whether to steal. So, on the D side, I'm at the break even point (or a little under) and I get a 960 OPS!

Now, I'm also at Riverfront, so the results will be lessened somewhat by the Dome. However, I think Simmons rocks unless you can get a Scioscia-level OB guy.

[Ducky]

[quote:8164b0f48d="Outta Leftfield"]Assuming I'm going to dump my bad SPs and get replacements who cost about the same, and assuming I get a quality closer off the FA table, the one remaining question on this team would seem to be catcher. With the extra $$ I spent on Ripken/Carew, I'm now priced out of the long-shot chance to draft Carter. But with the tenth pick, getting Carter was really a pipe-dream. Scioscia is my usual catcher in big parks, but he's taken. I'm not too keen on Kennedy, the guy I've got now. I do have B Martinez, who can usually hit lefties. So who would you take out of this lineup of semi-plausible FAs:
Porter, Boone, Gedman, Wynegar, LaValliere, Simmons

Porter would seem to be the logical choice, but he never seems to perform. Why not, I wonder? I would tend to say no to Simmons because of the arm. Wynegar doesn't give me much platoon value compared to Martinez. I can see an argument for LaValliere--maybe the best choice of an iffy lot-- but would it make any sense to give Boone a try? He has two very good and one playable season (assuming he platoons with Martinez in the two 4R years). He gives me a great arm in Astro. He doesn't cost much. And if he's bad I can throw him back, and by then maybe somebody else has prematurely tossed a catcher I can use. I know Boone's not very popular, but under the circumstances, how does that logic look to you? The two things in favor of keeping Kennedy would seem to be durability and the fact that if I get one of his two good years I'll be happy--but a lot of his value seems to be BPHR...

And Hak, Billy R is gone, but I'll keep an eye out. Cruz would also be tempting, but he's gone too.[/quote:8164b0f48d]

I have had very admirable performances from Porter time and again, but always in Fenway. I'd go with Porter and if he needs to be dropped later, look for Lavalliere or Wynegar or even Scioscia. One of them is usually available on the waiver wire.

Mike

[Hakmusic]

I don't disagree with what Mike and Jablowmi say, i.e. try Simmons or Porter and if they don't hit like crazy drop them for Lavalliere or Wynager who are ususally available. Just keep in mind that there is a fair chance you will drop them, and then if I am in your league, and if I don't have Carter, Your less likely to find the other guys there.

When I have the money, I ilke to pick up Wynager at the start of the season as a backup catcher with a Simmons or whatnot. Then, either I drop the more expensive guy and go with Wynager or I if the other guy works out I drop Wynager for a cheaper guy and use the cash fro something else. That way I tie him up ahead of time. Unless I have Carter, in which case it is not necessary.

[Outta Leftfield]

Well what do you know?.... I coulda had Gary Carter. I figured it was hopeless to try to draft him in the 10th slot, since I would need to make another move first to get the cash, and who would guess that Carter would still there for the 10th pick of the second round? But NOBODY drafted him! Then somebody quick got him before I could, post-waivers. I saw the name Carter on a quick scan of waiver pickups and assumed it was Gary but it was Joe, so I was a step too late on the trigger. Rats!

Anyway, I had decided to draft Simmons, but I then missed the ace reliever I drafted (Sutter), and the only $$$ guy I wanted who was still available was Henke. So I decided to cash in Simmons for Lavalliere and get Henke. But then I changed my mind and got Simmons back. Then went back and got Henke. Yikes! Might change my mind again before the night is out. Any opinions out there? Henke or Simmons?

[baracus68]

There seem to be a lot of small-ball parks in our league, which I think means the stolen base might be a little more important than usual, so I'd personally be a little hesitant to use Simmons behind the plate, especially since you already have Buck Martinez as a possible right-handed platoon to Lavalliere.

Your team looks great, Outta. Good thing I just barely beat you to Gary Carter. When I saw he was still available after waivers I almost fell out of my chair.

[Outta Leftfield]

[quote:2024ebc54d="baracus68"]

Your team looks great, Outta. Good thing I just barely beat you to Gary Carter. When I saw he was still available after waivers I almost fell out of my chair.[/quote:2024ebc54d]

I was all set to take a flyer on drafting Carter even from the 10th spot, and had him tops on my draft card, but then the Ripken trade left me with not enough cash to make it in a single turn. As I said above, I was sure he couldn't possibly make it to the second round. But who knew?... Probably the top five teams didn't have C as their top priority, and everyone else assumed he'd never last. I once saw Ripken go undrafted at waivers but on that occasion I managed to get him first....

I think I'm going to stick with Lavalliere/Henke. I usually go with Scioscia in big parks and he's usually available. It's amazing how much unsettlement can come out of not being able to get your usual guy. :D

I'm glad you like my team and yours looks great, too. I haven't done one of these "critique my team" things for a while but it's been fun--for me anyway--and also helpful.

[The Conndor]

Hey Outta, got your note on my "critique my team" post, thanks. I am also shocked that Carter didn't get drafted. I considered it but took Mattingly, and then was thrilled that Porter was there by the time I got off work (missed out on Carter as FA, also). I might go the Larkin route if he is still there, although I think he is also gone now. I think your team looks quite good and that the moves you made, and your rationale for them, was solid. Too bad you decided not to trade me Ozzie, though :)

Good luck to you as well,

The Conndor

[Outta Leftfield]

I see you got Larkin. Mattingly was a good pick, and I think you got Porter because he was dropped for Carter. Good luck with the team. It looks very good.