Sleepers/Busts

Post players who have you think have an underrated 5 card set or players you think have an overrated 5 card set. I'm in an 80's league now but post from any decade league.

My biggest sleeper so far: Ken Phelps (80's)

My 80's team so far: http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1124183

Maury Will in the 60s
Tom Browning in the 80s

Maury Will in the 60s
Tom Browning in the 80s

Maury Wills is a great card, but I'm not sure he's a sleeper; everybody loves him.

60's Joe Adcock is definitely a sleeper, since nobody (including me) ever drafts him or picks him up on waivers, yet he's done excellent me as a replacement for 3 teams, including 43 homers for my tourney team:

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/team/1119247

90's Luis Gonzalez is also a nice bargain at 4+ million who almost never gets drafted...excellent OBP and decent pop on numerous cards.

The 80s set has lots of overpriced players that are well known.

I fully agree with Tom Browning in the 80s, as he often gets overlooked. Ken Phelps nearly always is on a roster to start the season unless it's a no-DH league, so I don't know if he counts as a sleeper. Same for Maury Wills in both 60s and 70s. That being said...

My guy: Don Kessinger, 70s. True, he is usually on a team to start the season, but at $1.47 mill he has 4 solid cards in an era where you often got next to no offense from your SS. I have often batted Kessinger 1st or 2nd in lineups, with solid results. Kessinger, and Wills, will often play better than SS who cost 3 times as much, and on a routine basis... and Kessinger is better defensively than Wills.

My Super Sleeper: Dan Ford, either 70s or 80s. He is always available to start a season, and often never gets used. If you want a cheap option for RF or DH and already have some power bats at other positions, Ford has 4 very playable cards in each set. He is a better fielder and baserunner in the 70s and usually does not require a platoon; in the 80s, he is cheaper by about 70K, but is not quite as good with the glove or on the bases, and may work better as a lefty DH platoon option.

Sort of a bust: Mario Soto, 80s. Love the card, hate the results. I don't remember the last 80s season I was in where Soto was successful, or even lasts the season. He routinely gets picked up by 2 or 3 different managers, and then gets shelled. If you look at that fantastic card, you can't help but wonder why he isn't always a stud. Trust me, he isn't always even playable.

My all-time bust player is Dennis Eckersley in the 80s set. It shouldn't be the case because all his carded years are from the late 80s when he was the best closer in history. But his numbers for me in 1.5 seasons were terrible and I just got rid of him halfway through a season when his WHIP was 1.51. He's given me some good seasons as a starter in the 70s, but I'll never use him in the 80s again.

One thing that Strat doesn't do well is simulate great pitchers on great seasons. I know that Strat teams tend to have better hitters than real life, but even so, pitchers like Koufax and Gibson on their great years should be better. The problem is that 50% of the time, the roll is just on the hitter's card with no influence from the pitcher, which just isn't right. Since most home runs occur from hitters' cards anyway, there isn't much effect from the pitcher. For example, in Strat, a player like Jim Ray Hart will hit his share of home runs against Bob Gibson even on Gibson's incredible 1968 year; while in real life, when Hart dug in against Gibson, Gibson broke his collar bone. Maybe Strat could modify Gibson's card so that if the hitters opt to hit normally, they quadruple their chance of injury. Seriously, there should be some revision so that great pitchers affect the hitter's card.

My all-time bust player is Dennis Eckersley in the 80s set. It shouldn't be the case because all his carded years are from the late 80s when he was the best closer in history. But his numbers for me in 1.5 seasons were terrible and I just got rid of him halfway through a season when his WHIP was 1.51. He's given me some good seasons as a starter in the 70s, but I'll never use him in the 80s again.

One thing that Strat doesn't do well is simulate great pitchers on great seasons. I know that Strat teams tend to have better hitters than real life, but even so, pitchers like Koufax and Gibson on their great years should be better. The problem is that 50% of the time, the roll is just on the hitter's card with no influence from the pitcher, which just isn't right. Since most home runs occur from hitters' cards anyway, there isn't much effect from the pitcher. For example, in Strat, a player like Jim Ray Hart will hit his share of home runs against Bob Gibson even on Gibson's incredible 1968 year; while in real life, when Hart dug in against Gibson, Gibson broke his collar bone. Maybe Strat could modify Gibson's card so that if the hitters opt to hit normally, they quadruple their chance of injury. Seriously, there should be some revision so that great pitchers affect the hitter's card.

I think you're just getting unlucky rolls on Eckersley I've had him a few times and love the production. In an 80's league right now and through 51 he's got the best ERA among relievers. I've got Quissenberry right now and he's also a pretty good reliever wouldn't call him a sleeper though.

I do agree though with the whole pitching dilemma. Some pitchers with great cards get lit up due to some monstrous hitting cards. But I guess thats just how they have to do it without it getting complicated. If they fixed up the pitchers cards the hitting would probably drop a good amount too and I'm a man who likes his offense and home runs

No matter how much the great pitchers get lit up they still should have better stats than average pitchers vs the same hitters. Its all in perspective. You want Gibson to have a 1.50 ERA. It ain't gonna happen but he still should be among the best pitchers in the league.

Mickey Lolich in the 70s. Usually does very well for me, even in a bad year. The 9* gives the Pen a big rest. Downside is he'll eat the whole after dinner buffet.

Also agree with Kessinger, consistent mid .600 OPS, solid D.

Love Baines in the 90s, $2.8M for 4 super seasons and 1 OK season as DH against Righties.

Stud pitchers in every era are overvalued because we all tend to have 'quasi' all star lineups. Jerry Reuss and Tommy John in the 70s may be the worst...

I have had great success with Reuss in both the 70s and 80s... but I have also had to drop him quickly more than once. However, I still like giving him a shot. Tommy John, on the other hand, gets beaten like a pinata more often than not. I've always been scared of Lolich because of the HRs allowed, but it's good to see a good manager endorse him, perhaps I will give him a shot.