Can you guys give me some advice?

[BritFan]

So I joined my first fantasy baseball league this year. Its a keeper league and me have 5 keepers to hold for next year. I have Alex Rodriguez and this guy who is 2nd in the league has offerred me Peavy and Vlad Guerrero. I did pretty well in my draft but I'm 6th out of 14 teams and I was 3rd for a long time but went on vacation for 3 weeks where my season went into the crapper. So is that a fair trade? I just really don't like Vlad, despite his strong last 2 months. He has the lowest Ops of his career since his rookie year and Peavy strike rate is down to its lowest since 03 and he will probably not get many wins from the Padres. I guess for me with keepers, I have to ask myself if my team is better with those 2 as keepers, or Arod and 4 others.

My keepers would be:

Arod,
Hamilton
Dunn
Hart
Hamels

I also have Billingsley and Jay Bruce. So would my team be better with Peavy, Vlad, Hamilton, Hart and Hamels or the above?

Cheers

[square634]

I'm not a fantasy expert, but my gut instinct tells me there's no way I'd do that trade. I might rather have Jay Bruce next year than Guerrero. Also, can you hold onto someone for multiple years? If so (and maybe even if not), keep Bruce.

[Lt Melmo]

I wouldn't pull the trigger on that trade, but it isn't crazy.

Definitely keep Bruce over Hart though.

[O'saintthatbad]

I don't think the Bruce over Hart decision is all that cut and dry. While I agree Bruce is a potential stud, Hart has proven himself to be a 5 category guy for 2 years now.

IMHO, I would have to think long and hard about this one, especially in a 14 team league where you keep 5/team.

[allstar1579]

I would blend the views of what these guys are saying, as they are all on the right track. Personally, I would shoot for a guy that is out of it this year, and shoot for a STUD SP. Maybe you alter the deal to be Dunn and Hart for Peavy, but it sounds like this guy is in the same boat and knows he can't keep them all.

Hamels is a great pick, I would try to find a way to keep Billingsley too if you can, he is having a great year and is poised for a Peavy-like breakout soon. Bruce is 50/50 right now because he is so young, but could put up Markakis numbers next season. ARod and Hamilton are no-brainers. So your tough decision is how to get 3 guys into 2 keeper spots (I would say Dunn is expendable, especially if he plays for a new team next year because you never know if they are going to do better or worse.)

[BritFan]

Thanks for all the help guys, really. Especially in the Bruce/Hart thing

Just so you know, you can keep players for multiple years

Also, he counteofferred me today. Peavy + Carlos Lee for Arod. I like Lee more than Vlad tbh but he also said I could choose any player on his roster (except berkman and Hanley Ramirez) instead of Lee.

These guys include

Beltran
Brob
Mclouth
BJ Upton
Soto

I'm leaning towards BJ Upton, but Beltran is interesting as well. What do you all think? I'm thinking I should make a trade because this guy is pretty anxious to get Arod it seems.

Also, I'll probably try to get Arod + Dunn for Peavy and Hanley Ramirez but I don't really see that happening

Cheers

[Camden_yardbird]

I'll complicate things more by saying that I don't know that Billingsly shouldn't be in your top 5 keepers. He may be better than Peavy or Hamels next year.

ARod (Top 3B, Top 5 player)
Hamilton (Top 5 OF)
Hart (Top 10 OF)
Billingsly (Top 10 SP)
Hamels (Top 10 SP)

Seems pretty good to me.

The thing I have noticed this year is that top OF are a dime a dozen. If you are dilgent on the waiver wire you could build an OF. In my 14 team league with 3 OF positions I build 2/3 of my starters off the waiver wire

McLouth, Quentin and got Dye in the 14th round.

I don't know that keeping OF is necessary unless you are sure they will be a top 10 guy at their position like Hamilton or Hart. Dunn is not that, Lee is not that, Upton is close.

[Lt Melmo]

I'll complicate things more by saying that I don't know that Billingsly shouldn't be in your top 5 keepers. He may be better than Peavy or Hamels next year.

ARod (Top 3B, Top 5 player)
Hamilton (Top 5 OF)
Hart (Top 10 OF)
Billingsly (Top 10 SP)
Hamels (Top 10 SP)

Seems pretty good to me.

The thing I have noticed this year is that top OF are a dime a dozen. If you are dilgent on the waiver wire you could build an OF. In my 14 team league with 3 OF positions I build 2/3 of my starters off the waiver wire

McLouth, Quentin and got Dye in the 14th round.

I don't know that keeping OF is necessary unless you are sure they will be a top 10 guy at their position like Hamilton or Hart. Dunn is not that, Lee is not that, Upton is close.
Hart is not even close to being a top 10 OF. Players with 15-20 SBs always get way overrated.

[Sanfran327]

Thanks for all the help guys, really. Especially in the Bruce/Hart thing

Just so you know, you can keep players for multiple years

Also, he counteofferred me today. Peavy + Carlos Lee for Arod. I like Lee more than Vlad tbh but he also said I could choose any player on his roster (except berkman and Hanley Ramirez) instead of Lee.

These guys include

Beltran
Brob
Mclouth
BJ Upton
Soto

I'm leaning towards BJ Upton, but Beltran is interesting as well. What do you all think? I'm thinking I should make a trade because this guy is pretty anxious to get Arod it seems.

Also, I'll probably try to get Arod + Dunn for Peavy and Hanley Ramirez but I don't really see that happening

Cheers

I think the only way you do that trade is for Peavey and Ramirez. Too bad for him. Ramirez is good, but A-Rod is the best fantasy baseball player around, and he's showing no signs of slowing down soon. Ramirez is good, but he won't be taken in front of Rodriguez in a fantasy draft for the next 3, 4, or 5 seasons... if ever. That guy is an idiot (or trying to rip you off) if he considers EITHER of those guys untouchable for A-Rod.

Even still... that's something to think long and hard about. You already have Cole Hamels, and he's pretty good in his own right... may be Peavy some day. Bottom line... don't ever trade A-Rod in a keeper league unless it's the year 2025.

[Sanfran327]

Hart is not even close to being a top 10 OF. Players with 15-20 SBs always get way overrated.

That's very true, but it's tough to get decent offensive production from a guy who's going to steal a lot of bases for you. I don't think Hart is all that special, but one thing that's really improving Berkman's value this year is the fact that he's stealing a pretty good ammount of bases.

Sometimes you end up having to sacrifice your UTL spot to get a speedster who's only job is to rack up SBs for you all year. It works, especially in deep leagues where you don't really have to sacrifice a big bat, but a guy who's going to be a middle-of-the-road player who steals 15-20 suddenly becomes a top 75 player.