- Posts: 557
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 2:33 am
Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:52 pm
As I play more and more I find myself going back to a similar crop of "value guys" to fill out my roster around a rotating crop of stars. I'm interested in hearing who some of you have become attached to using over time. If we're not too afraid of revealing our secrets, it could lead to an interesting discussion.
Here are some of my comments on guys I find interesting within certain salary ranges. I focus mostly on guys below $3m but I start with a few relatively highly priced guys. Who I'm NOT including are lefty and right specialists - I'm looking at you, Garman, Clear, Burgomeier, Shirley, et al. - who I always end up regretting.
$7-$8m:
Eddie Mathews - his $8m card seems like one of the highest used across all leagues.
Albert Belle - his offense + his injury rating makes his $7m card feel like a steal (defense notwithstanding)
Doug Pfister - everyone seems to love this guy. I've been experimenting with 5-man rotations recently to try him out
Joe Kelley - no injuries, lots of extra base hits, crap defense
Don Mattingly - I like his $7.52m card a lot - no injury, great defense, pretty productive offensively.
Prince Fielder - no injury, good power, balanced vs. L or R, defense could be worse (4e7). I seem to like him more than others since he's often available.
$6-$7m:
Pudge Rodriguez - love him in Minute Maid, hate him in most other ballparks
Dolph Camillo - provides defense and a little power at 1b, and a lefty bat that can hit lefties
Matt Williams - injury is a killer, but if he's healthy he's worth millions more. I want him on my team. I need him on my team.
$5-$6m
Reggie Jackson and Ben Oglive - everybody loves these guys! Oglive has a better injury rating.
Eddie Plank and Big Bill Foster - my favorite SP*'s in this salary range
Jessie Burkett - no injury, good range, good batting average
Gates Brown - needs no introduction. I've finally started drafting him just out of peer pressure.
Manny Ramirez - his 5.56m is my favorite card in this range. Low injury rating and you can pencil him in for 40 2bs and 45 hrs.
$4m-$5m
Tommy Davis - another apparent favorite of many - I always need to rank this guy highly if I want him on my roster
Earl Combs - almost always taken - great range in CF and good offensive production
Wally Berger - a platoon guy, but good range and production in CF
Chet Lemon - almost never use him - he's a platoon guy vs. L and you need lots of lefties in your league to justify his salary, but I'm always hoping for a league with lots of lefties I can use him in!
$3m-$4m
Johnny Blanchard - platoon guy, doesn't totally kill you defensively at C, rakes.
Reggie Jackson - people seem to love his 3.84m card, though I'm not so sure
Bill Byrd - an SP* who can hit - decent back of the rotation option for non-Dh leagues in a righty ballpark (lefties kill him)
Mickey Stanley - great defense in CF, bad but not utterly pathetic offense. I use him when I'm feeling defense guilt, although his 3.3m feels a little pricey.
Kal Daniels - terrible D, but GREAT platoon guy vs. R
Now it gets more interesting. . .
$2m-$3m
Dan Johnson - the choice of millions of managers in righty ballparks for 2b. I don't love him but can't help myself from using him again and again. That 2.45m can get you 50 bombs, but his defense will kill you.
Kelly Johnson - the value 2b of choice in lefty ballparks. we need to ask ourselves if 4e10 at 2B is worth it for 20-25hrs.
Larry Bowa - everyone is apparently freaking obsessed with Bowa's 2.87m card. How high do I have to rank a guy who can't hit to get him on my damn team?!
Ad Liska - I've been addicted to him in the bullpen. At 2.02m a pretty good option, but he's been killing me on recent teams and I might be inflating his value after getting a few good seasons from him.
Luis Arroyo - how many of us try to make him our "poor man's Bruce Sutter"? 2/3 the performance for half the price!
Don McMahon - can also get you lots of good innings in relief without breaking the bank.
Hank Robinson - that R5 has seduced many a manager, including me, trying for that imaginary team that has a good but inexpensive bullpen. He hasn't totally paid off for me yet.
Joe Sambito - everyone seems to want Sambito's 2.21m card although I've never given it a whirl.
Dizzy Trout - I have a compulsion to include his 2.29m card in my 4-man rotation in non-Dh leagues (he can hit). I noticed him because he seemed to be getting a lot of use from other managers. Probably the best SP* in this range but you still can't really put lipstick on a pig with starting pitching.
Al McBean - been just getting into him and trying to decide if I like him more than Liska.
Ken Phelps - great production in HR ballparks. Crap defense at 1b, but possibly worth it.
Phil Bradley - very attractive at 2.98m as a platoon option at any OF position. Good defense, hits well enough.
Phil Weintraub - a popular platoon choice as a lead-off hitter, but his defense is frightening.
$1m-$2m
Mike Kreevich/Doc Cramer - a CF platoon with decent defense and not completely embarrassing offense at cut rate prices!
Matt Nokes - Matt, ooooh Matt. Everybody just looooves Matt. I used never to go near him, but he's hit enough bombs off of me that I started incorporating him into my lefty teams, and it makes me feel funny inside. He can give you 40hrs for 1.74m, but I have also had him surrender over a dozen SBs in a single game multiple times. Once you start paying so little for HRs it's hard to get off of it, but I need to scale back the whole Nokesy thing.
Steve Nicosia - everyone's favorite cheap platoon catcher vs. L. I've used the Blanchard/Nicosia platoon many a time my friends, many a time. Nicosia can be decent or horrible, but I prefer that platoon to the aforementioned, but cheaper, Matty Nokes.
Sparky Adams - I love Sparky! Great defense at 2b (2e4), low injury rating, can bunt and hit and run. For 1.63m you can just put him at 2b and go spend your money elsewhere.
Doc Crandall, Lee Smith, Gene Packard - these are the relievers I use when I try to find the imaginary land of a good bullpen without spending money on it.
Dave Giusti - his 1.78m card is hugely popular. Have only just started ranking him high enough to get him so I can see if he's more fun than the 3 guys above.
Ron Gant - have never used this 1.42m man (a 4 range in Cf is too much for me), but he's popular and seems to bring a bang for his buck. I'm intrigued.
Bill H Robinson - good platoon option vs L, pretty good defense, great price at 1.65m
Dummy Taylor - at 1.07m, an R5 mopup guy who won't usually blow an 8-run lead
Mark Brouhard - I use the Daniels/Brouhard platoon so often I'm surprised it doesn't autofill when I start a roster.
Bob Knepper - a popular back of the rotation SP* at 1.7m. Will occasionally mix in a start where he doesn't get slaughtered.
Tommy Byrne - see Knepper, Bob, but he's 1.65m and can hit
Orval Grove - see Knepper, Bob, but he's at 1.38m
Under $1m
Paul Erickson - an evenly balanced R5 at .77m who can eat innings and who might occasionally not blow a 5 run lead
Bill Fleming - see Erickson, Paul, but is much, much worse
Harold Baines - nice lefty hitter at .83m
Jim Fregosi - some righty power at .87m. Is my backup for an injured Matt Williams when I'm desperate.
Red Kress - great pinch hitting value at .78m. Good clutch rating.
Bob Thurman - cannot bear to not have him on my roster. For .73m, best HR potential vs righties at anything near the price. Good enough to platoon at DH as a starter. Having him win a game with a pinch hit home run is a fun and not infrequent occurrence.
Tony Phillips - good OBP vs L at .94m and can play many positions (poorly). See him used a lot but when I've tried him he hasn't been productive.
Alan Wiggins - Had quite a love affair with his .68m card for a while. Good value for a platoon vs. L at 2B, but his defense sucks.
Wally Backman - a couple of decent sub 1m cards for good ol' Wally. I like the Backman/Wiggins platoon at 2B if I want some cheap production there and don't care about defense.
$.50m - the true bargain basement guys
Ruthven, Lerch, Leal, etc. What is more beautiful than a .5m SP on your roster with no reliever rating? If you don't understand what I just wrote, then you have more about this game to discover!
Tom Lampkin - an e1 at C who can (sort of) hit righty pitching.
Frank Taveras - gotta rank Frank (relatively) highly if you want him! By far the best PR choice at a similar price.
Frank Isbell - can also PR (not as well), and has the plus that he plays virtually every position.
Billy Klaus - not a bad PH option vs L at .5m.
Charles Gipson - also need to rank this guy as few rungs up from the bottom to get him. Can't hit, but provides excellent defense at all 3 outfield position. Usable late-inning replacement and can keep your defense together through injuries.
Whew! That was fun. Any comments?
Here are some of my comments on guys I find interesting within certain salary ranges. I focus mostly on guys below $3m but I start with a few relatively highly priced guys. Who I'm NOT including are lefty and right specialists - I'm looking at you, Garman, Clear, Burgomeier, Shirley, et al. - who I always end up regretting.
$7-$8m:
Eddie Mathews - his $8m card seems like one of the highest used across all leagues.
Albert Belle - his offense + his injury rating makes his $7m card feel like a steal (defense notwithstanding)
Doug Pfister - everyone seems to love this guy. I've been experimenting with 5-man rotations recently to try him out
Joe Kelley - no injuries, lots of extra base hits, crap defense
Don Mattingly - I like his $7.52m card a lot - no injury, great defense, pretty productive offensively.
Prince Fielder - no injury, good power, balanced vs. L or R, defense could be worse (4e7). I seem to like him more than others since he's often available.
$6-$7m:
Pudge Rodriguez - love him in Minute Maid, hate him in most other ballparks
Dolph Camillo - provides defense and a little power at 1b, and a lefty bat that can hit lefties
Matt Williams - injury is a killer, but if he's healthy he's worth millions more. I want him on my team. I need him on my team.
$5-$6m
Reggie Jackson and Ben Oglive - everybody loves these guys! Oglive has a better injury rating.
Eddie Plank and Big Bill Foster - my favorite SP*'s in this salary range
Jessie Burkett - no injury, good range, good batting average
Gates Brown - needs no introduction. I've finally started drafting him just out of peer pressure.
Manny Ramirez - his 5.56m is my favorite card in this range. Low injury rating and you can pencil him in for 40 2bs and 45 hrs.
$4m-$5m
Tommy Davis - another apparent favorite of many - I always need to rank this guy highly if I want him on my roster
Earl Combs - almost always taken - great range in CF and good offensive production
Wally Berger - a platoon guy, but good range and production in CF
Chet Lemon - almost never use him - he's a platoon guy vs. L and you need lots of lefties in your league to justify his salary, but I'm always hoping for a league with lots of lefties I can use him in!
$3m-$4m
Johnny Blanchard - platoon guy, doesn't totally kill you defensively at C, rakes.
Reggie Jackson - people seem to love his 3.84m card, though I'm not so sure
Bill Byrd - an SP* who can hit - decent back of the rotation option for non-Dh leagues in a righty ballpark (lefties kill him)
Mickey Stanley - great defense in CF, bad but not utterly pathetic offense. I use him when I'm feeling defense guilt, although his 3.3m feels a little pricey.
Kal Daniels - terrible D, but GREAT platoon guy vs. R
Now it gets more interesting. . .
$2m-$3m
Dan Johnson - the choice of millions of managers in righty ballparks for 2b. I don't love him but can't help myself from using him again and again. That 2.45m can get you 50 bombs, but his defense will kill you.
Kelly Johnson - the value 2b of choice in lefty ballparks. we need to ask ourselves if 4e10 at 2B is worth it for 20-25hrs.
Larry Bowa - everyone is apparently freaking obsessed with Bowa's 2.87m card. How high do I have to rank a guy who can't hit to get him on my damn team?!
Ad Liska - I've been addicted to him in the bullpen. At 2.02m a pretty good option, but he's been killing me on recent teams and I might be inflating his value after getting a few good seasons from him.
Luis Arroyo - how many of us try to make him our "poor man's Bruce Sutter"? 2/3 the performance for half the price!
Don McMahon - can also get you lots of good innings in relief without breaking the bank.
Hank Robinson - that R5 has seduced many a manager, including me, trying for that imaginary team that has a good but inexpensive bullpen. He hasn't totally paid off for me yet.
Joe Sambito - everyone seems to want Sambito's 2.21m card although I've never given it a whirl.
Dizzy Trout - I have a compulsion to include his 2.29m card in my 4-man rotation in non-Dh leagues (he can hit). I noticed him because he seemed to be getting a lot of use from other managers. Probably the best SP* in this range but you still can't really put lipstick on a pig with starting pitching.
Al McBean - been just getting into him and trying to decide if I like him more than Liska.
Ken Phelps - great production in HR ballparks. Crap defense at 1b, but possibly worth it.
Phil Bradley - very attractive at 2.98m as a platoon option at any OF position. Good defense, hits well enough.
Phil Weintraub - a popular platoon choice as a lead-off hitter, but his defense is frightening.
$1m-$2m
Mike Kreevich/Doc Cramer - a CF platoon with decent defense and not completely embarrassing offense at cut rate prices!
Matt Nokes - Matt, ooooh Matt. Everybody just looooves Matt. I used never to go near him, but he's hit enough bombs off of me that I started incorporating him into my lefty teams, and it makes me feel funny inside. He can give you 40hrs for 1.74m, but I have also had him surrender over a dozen SBs in a single game multiple times. Once you start paying so little for HRs it's hard to get off of it, but I need to scale back the whole Nokesy thing.
Steve Nicosia - everyone's favorite cheap platoon catcher vs. L. I've used the Blanchard/Nicosia platoon many a time my friends, many a time. Nicosia can be decent or horrible, but I prefer that platoon to the aforementioned, but cheaper, Matty Nokes.
Sparky Adams - I love Sparky! Great defense at 2b (2e4), low injury rating, can bunt and hit and run. For 1.63m you can just put him at 2b and go spend your money elsewhere.
Doc Crandall, Lee Smith, Gene Packard - these are the relievers I use when I try to find the imaginary land of a good bullpen without spending money on it.
Dave Giusti - his 1.78m card is hugely popular. Have only just started ranking him high enough to get him so I can see if he's more fun than the 3 guys above.
Ron Gant - have never used this 1.42m man (a 4 range in Cf is too much for me), but he's popular and seems to bring a bang for his buck. I'm intrigued.
Bill H Robinson - good platoon option vs L, pretty good defense, great price at 1.65m
Dummy Taylor - at 1.07m, an R5 mopup guy who won't usually blow an 8-run lead
Mark Brouhard - I use the Daniels/Brouhard platoon so often I'm surprised it doesn't autofill when I start a roster.
Bob Knepper - a popular back of the rotation SP* at 1.7m. Will occasionally mix in a start where he doesn't get slaughtered.
Tommy Byrne - see Knepper, Bob, but he's 1.65m and can hit
Orval Grove - see Knepper, Bob, but he's at 1.38m
Under $1m
Paul Erickson - an evenly balanced R5 at .77m who can eat innings and who might occasionally not blow a 5 run lead
Bill Fleming - see Erickson, Paul, but is much, much worse
Harold Baines - nice lefty hitter at .83m
Jim Fregosi - some righty power at .87m. Is my backup for an injured Matt Williams when I'm desperate.
Red Kress - great pinch hitting value at .78m. Good clutch rating.
Bob Thurman - cannot bear to not have him on my roster. For .73m, best HR potential vs righties at anything near the price. Good enough to platoon at DH as a starter. Having him win a game with a pinch hit home run is a fun and not infrequent occurrence.
Tony Phillips - good OBP vs L at .94m and can play many positions (poorly). See him used a lot but when I've tried him he hasn't been productive.
Alan Wiggins - Had quite a love affair with his .68m card for a while. Good value for a platoon vs. L at 2B, but his defense sucks.
Wally Backman - a couple of decent sub 1m cards for good ol' Wally. I like the Backman/Wiggins platoon at 2B if I want some cheap production there and don't care about defense.
$.50m - the true bargain basement guys
Ruthven, Lerch, Leal, etc. What is more beautiful than a .5m SP on your roster with no reliever rating? If you don't understand what I just wrote, then you have more about this game to discover!
Tom Lampkin - an e1 at C who can (sort of) hit righty pitching.
Frank Taveras - gotta rank Frank (relatively) highly if you want him! By far the best PR choice at a similar price.
Frank Isbell - can also PR (not as well), and has the plus that he plays virtually every position.
Billy Klaus - not a bad PH option vs L at .5m.
Charles Gipson - also need to rank this guy as few rungs up from the bottom to get him. Can't hit, but provides excellent defense at all 3 outfield position. Usable late-inning replacement and can keep your defense together through injuries.
Whew! That was fun. Any comments?