42-24 but decided to trade....thoughts on trade,team,lineup?

[ahsbball05]

I'm 42-24 with 5.7 RS and 4.1 RA per game in US Cellular, playin in a leauge with JKolak (39-27 5.2 RS 4.5 RA per game) and Johnny Cocoabutter(don't remember him from here as well as J), and decided to make this trade....

I give:
Tony Clark
Jason Vargas
Ron Villone

I get:
Jason Giambi
Terry Mulholland
Kameron Loe



I know Clark is a great value, and Vargas is great in US Cellular,

GIAMBI OVER CLARK
*But I needed a high OBP guy, and whom else is better then Giambi? I only had .346 OBP vs RHP, which isn't bad but I know Giambi will help alot, and before this trade my highest OBP guy was R-platoon Javier Valentin who is having an amazing year with .392, but otherwise everyone was .370 or less and I wanted a big OBP guy vs L and R. I only had 4 batters on the whole team that OBP better then .345 vs RHP(although those are .380-.395
*I've hit plenty of homeruns and if I inserted Giambi's HR this year in Miller in place of Clark's for my team, I would still have 115 HR in 66 games, and that stat alone is huge for this deal.
*Also, I sadly had ZERO LHB vs starting LHP, so Giambi helps, although opposing managers haven't even flinched, and I barely face and reverse lefties so it's not a huge deal.
*Clark has had nothing but power for me this year hitting .249 with a .331 although his .581 SLG and 22 HR in 229 AB and 57 games were nice. I didn't like his AVG or OBP in the middle of my lineup, but really didn't know anywhere else to put him to not waste his amazing power. Giambi I know I can stick at the top of the lineup, with my multiple great hitters for AVG and SLG vs both RHP and LHP behind him
*Clark's injury on 3 as opposed to 2 for Giambi worries me greatly, as I don't have many great backup options, and it could really hurt in the playoffs
*Ryan Howard was my DH vs RHP so he moves to 1B, so Giambi's worse D then Clark doesn't effect me too much


MULHOLLAND OVER VILLONE
*Villone was doing well for me, but Mulholland is a very good, even better vs LHB, and I used Villone as a LHB specialist
*Mulholland is R2 vs Villone's R1
*bit cheaper and has same BPHR allowed
*even allows less OBP vs RHB then Villone!


LOE OVER VARGAS
*Over the last 14 starts that this spot in the rotation holds, Vargas would have only 3 starts vs 4 LHB, and 3 vs 3 LHB, and EIGHT starts vs teams with 7 or 8 RHB starting against him! 11 of Loe's 14 starts will be agaisnt at least 4 RHB...That's reason enough
*S6 for Loe compared to S5 for Vargas is big for my staff whose main RP's need as much help as they can get!
*R3 rating, meaning I could even use him as setup vs RHP which would also be nice.


Obviously I had my reasons for this trade, but I just want assurance that they are legit reasons, and it wasn't a BAD trade(although I obviously don't think so no matter what is said) if you would take only 1 of the 3 of my former players over their counterpart, it's still a good deal).....it was also pretty hard trading Clark!


Now what do you think about my team? I'm 19, and started strat-o back in 03 when I was 15! I used to do pretty good, making playoffs most of the time with some Championships.....my Id was Bernie Borschke at TSN.....I've taken a 1.5-2 year break and this is my first team in AWHILE and first in '06, but I haven't lost much of a step

I could use some input if people think my success will continue, I haven't been swept all year and have no reason to think it won't

Here's my team

[url]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/baseball/stratomatic/2006/team/team_other.html?user_id=6514[/url]


I've scored 375 runs in 66 games and allowed an amazing 272(4.1 per) while spending only 27 mil(!) on pitching in US Cell!

Some noticeable rankings:

-2nd in ERA by .05 (3.77)
-3rd in Whip by .05 (1.36)
-1st in hits allowed (537, 8.1/g)
-LAST in K's and BB
-1st in Wins, Losses, AND Saves(kind of suprisingin Cell)

Looks like my pitchers get it done while allowing very few hits, with walks in their place, and not many K's. Zito and Helling are doing great, Leading the WHOLE league in Cy Young and All Star votes, 1-2.

Hitting - .283 .352 .498 with 125 HR in 66 games

-2nd in avg by .02
-2nd in OBP by .18
-1st in SLG
-1st in OPS
-1st in Runs by 29
-1st in AB
-1st in Hits
-2nd in 2B
-LAST in 3B
-1st in HR by 28
-3rd in walks
-LAST in K's
-Last in SB, although i'm 9-1


Here's my recently readjusted lineup vs RHP, the complete average park I play in is 7-7-13-13 (13=HR)

Giambi(L) (ridiculous OBP, great slg, low avg)
Valentin(S)(great avg, obp, slg)
Piedra(L) (great OBP, avg, slg)
Howard(L) (even better OBP, avg, slg then last 2)
Tejada(R) (decent OBP, SLG, great AVG)
Branyan(L)(very good OBP, SLG, mediocre avg)
Burrell(R) (very good OBP, mediocre SLG, AVG
Roward(R) (mediocre OBP, avg, low SLG)
Castillo(S) (great OBP, low SLG, mediocre AVG, great speed, *)

Only legit leadoff options are Giambi and Castillo, (tried earlier, underperforming with .246, .345, .283 vs RHP :X), with all other options having too much average or SLG to place leadoff with still less OBP then Giambi

-If there are any ideas for leadoff or any other spots it would be GREATLY appreciated, this is the area where I am in the most in question...remember not to put too many L, S, or R together although it's tough not to with this team

Vs LHP

Giambi (great OBP, mid SLG, low avg)
David Bell (amazing OBP, avg, good slg)
Castillo(amazing OBP, avg, great slg)
Burrell (amazing OBP, good slg avg)
Derosa (high OBP, SLG, lowish avg)
Tejada (high OBP, low SLG, mediocre avg)
Jose Molina (mid-high OBP, SLG, avg)
Rowand (mid-high OBP, mid SLG, avg)
Matt Diaz (high OBP, avg, low SLG)

Giambi through Burrell all have very very good OBP, and I think Giambi is the best choice because he has at least slightly worse avg AND slg then the other 3, so he's my leadoff option. Castillo is just too great vs LHP to not bat behind high leadoff guys


I'm just looking for trade insight, comments, reactions, or lineup/other ideas

sorry for the novel!!!!

[durantjerry]

The pitchers are almost irrelevent to me. All are mediocre, so it comes down to Clark vs Giambi. The most compelling thing I saw on my quick scan was you have no lh batters vs lh pitchers, which is not too good, but no one seems to be taking advantage of it. Not an awful move, but I think you are over analyzing when the bottom line is you are 42-24. It may help you, but again, it's tough to argue with 42-24 IMO and I don't think the advantage gained is great enough to break up the Karma. Playing .600 bal in any league nowadays is very good, even if it's early. If you started to fade, I would consider it. Your analysis might be more useful in a vet filled league where your unbalanced squad would be taken advantage of by the opposition.

[ahsbball05]

well obviously if the two pitcher I recieved are better then the other 2 I gave away combined, it's good for the deal. my 42-24 record is in no part because of good or even average production from clark with his .249 AVG and .331 OBP.....Giambi's .100 points better OBP will benefit me more then Clarks extra HR over Giambi every 10 games. Giambi has already scored 7 runs for me with 9 RBI. I know clark is great and i don't want to mess with my winning formula, but the point is, clark isn't the reason I was winning at all. And giambi WILL do better then he did. so it can only get better, especially if I think i got better pitcher also, and don't need to stick Giambi in the field.

But more importantly, What about my lineups, I could REALLY use some input on what I should do with them, playing in US cell, and RP setting advice would be nice, although I'm sure what I'm doing is fine.....should I use Loe as setup vs RHP? that could be a nice rest for helling/shields.

[visick]

FWIW...

With that W-L record, why would you make such a change to your team?

That however, is H2O under the bridge.

With regards to lineups, I'd go:

vs. RH's:

Castillo - Giambi would clog up the basepaths. Castillo still has 45.3 OB chances vs. RH's.
Giambi- 3 DP chances in the 2 hole is good
Howard- 64.2 TB chances makes him your best #3 hitter vs. RH's
Tejada- just to break up the L-L-L top of the order
Piedra- 50 TB chances in the 5 hole is nice
Valentin- + clutch, can be used in the 5 hole as well
Rowand- by default, to break up the lefties again
Branyan
Burrell- 40.2 OB chances in the 9 hole is nice

vs. LH's:
Castillo- 51.1 OB chances
Burrell- low DP chances (6), with good OB chances (49.3).
Bell- 59.6 TB chances in the 3 hole
Rowand- crazy,but he's got 46.5 TB chances vs. LH's. Your best TB chance guy is Molina, but Rowand does hit slightly better.
Molina- 49.3 TB chances in the 5 hole works for me, + clutch too...
Diaz- + clutch in the 5 hole
Giambi- Could bat higher with his 46.2 OB chances, but power and his 15.2 hit chances here is OK.
Tejada
Derosa