OFFICIAL 2018 FANTASY BASEBALL THREAD

Had my draft earlier today. Keeper (3) league:

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Pretty happy with my team. I feel like I have too many guys who are injured though :\. I wanted to draft Lance McCullers and Eduardo Rodriguez too :lol:. Hopefully two of my injured players get DL'ed so I can scoop up temporary replacements. Also drafted Betances like 5 mins before the news broke that Andrew Miller is good to go :smh:.
 
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Predictions for Giolito? I scooped him and put him in my NA spot.
Never thrown a pitch above Double-A ball but he'll be up in the majors by June. Consensus top-5 overall prospect. Giolito's going to have a "Thor"-like impact last year.

Him and Julio Urias are the two best pitching prospects in the game.
Glasnow, Berrios, Snell not far behind. Those three round out my top-5 pitching prospects heading into the '16 season.

Pick 2 keepers... Nelson Cruz-Kyle Schwarber-Dee Gordon

Want to keep Gordon since that's a tough position to get production out off though
Gordon and Schwarber. Although Dee and Nellie are on my "don't draft" list, Gordon's projected to be a top-20 overall fantasy commodity. If it wasn't a keeper format, Dee and Nellie are the two better players. But long term, Schwarber's only 23 with C eligibility on Yahoo.

2B isn't super shallow. Rendon is the biggest boom-or-bust asset. Kinsler is steady. Like Kipnis and Wong in the middle rounds. Addi Russell will be huge in keeper formats, should break out this year with multi-position eligibility (2B/SS). LeMahieu, Murph, Pedroia, Walker, Zobrist, Harrison all serviceable. Castro, Schoop, and Lawrie with later-round upside.

would it be crazy to take donaldson 2nd pick over goldy/clay/harper? i just hate taking OF/SP/1B early because theres so many players that produce in these spots and 3B seems limited 
In any format, I can't advise taking Donaldson over Goldy or Harp. Even Donaldson over Kersh is pushing it. But trust your instinct if you feel comfortable gambling.

OF and SP are definitely deep and most managers can afford to wait, but 1B isn't overly deep to me. After Hosmer and Gonzo, it thins out significantly. At that point, I'm willing to risk on Trumbo and Byung Ho Park.

At 3B, you can nab Beltre, Rendon, or Franco in the middle rounds of non-keeper leagues. Murph, Harrison, Justin Turner, Lawrie, Tomas.

I get the gripes for rostering two C's but I'm torn on dropping one of Russell Martin or Realmuto. If I dropped one, I would pick up Brandon Moss or Matt Adams to backup Belt at 1B.

Thoughts?
I absolutely would not drop either C, although I tend to agree about not holding two catchers. Martin is a top-7 C, I have him slightly behind Salvy and Mesoraco. Close with Wieters, if he can stay healthy at Camden. Realmuto is a fringe top-10 catcher with tremendous value once you approach picks #190-#200. Would have just waited for J.T. and passed on Russy earlier. But now you're forced to keep both or trade one. Cannot drop either for nothing.
 
NT league we drafted last night
You sniped me more than once, like our redrafts. Kluber, Grichuk, Ozuna to name a few.

Yeaaa, I took Donaldson 4th last night in our draft
After you passed, I wanted Kersh to fall to me at #6 so badly.

Here's my team for my categories league:

Thoughts on my team?

Also, with McCullers on the DL, which pitcher should I add off free agents? Anibal Sanchez, RA Dickey, Andrew Heaney, Edinson Volquez, Kevin Gausman, and Clay Bucholz are the best SPs available. Or, should I go the RP route where there are good closers available?
Strong team. Could probably upgrade Belt at 1B, only visible weakness. Infield trio of Wong, Donaldson, and Correa is sick. Not sure how you got both of the latter players. Even in a 10-team league, Correa should not fall to R2. Walker is surplus, good offensive player, if you feel like shopping him in a package. I would try to deal Cain, seriously do not believe he will duplicate his 2015 numbers. Top-50 pick is kinda high for my taste on Cain, even though I like him as a ballplayer fantasy aside. Pillar can fill in seamlessly if you package Cain to upgrade 1B.

Short term probably Sanchez. Shoulder inflammation never makes me happy, but McCullers should be in Houston's rotation by late-April. Long term I like Gausman the most by far. Plus velocity, there's no reason he can't win 12 games as Baltimore's #5 starter, even though Camden is a hitter's park and the AL East is no fun for pitchers. Heaney would be my second favorite choice long term, in the event McCullers' absence extends into May.

Had both drafts last night, both 10-team leagues. Thoughts?
Team 1: Down on Freeman this year but he's technically your second-best 1B after Abreu anyway. Marte and Buxton have tremendous upside, Buxton should be the AL ROY. Mesoraco is a potential top-5 C for me, I'm drafting him as often as possible in all my leagues. Can't say enough about Peralta, one of the most underrated and under-drafted OF in fantasy. I have no idea why he's being drafted outside the top 100 to be honest.

Maeda is a NL ROY candidate. Iglesias and Rodon are both breakout guys with high-level K stuff. Iglesias is being asked to be Cincy's ace this year with no more Cueto and Bailey injured.

Team 2: Nice stash with Berrios. Again he's right up there with Glasnow and Snell behind Giolito and Urias. OF trio is nasty with Betts, Gomez, Marte. I'd offer caution regarding Marte, even though I protected him in our NT Keeper. Think he might disappoint in '16 and now we have to worry about the quad tightening up. Wouldn't be completely surprised if Polanco outperformed Marte in Pittsburgh's outfield.

Carrasco is my AL Cy Young pick this year, no Cleveland homer. Indians' rotation as a whole will be dirty top to bottom if Bauer can get his control/command together. Quintana has been unlucky with wins. Many project he could secure 15 Ws in 2016.

Love my lineup but my pitching is atrocious relative to the other teams LOL
See you got both Semien and Holt. Semien is a deep-value sleeper and Holt has insane position eligibility. Rusney Castillo's loss is Holt's ultimate gain.

I have no rotation in that league but the closers and prospects might make it work.
Knew you were going that direction once the aces flew off the board. Thought about blocking you for E-Rod (again) and Glasnow (my NL ROY).

Had my draft earlier today. Keeper (3) league:

Pretty happy with my team. I feel like I have too many guys who are injured though :\. I wanted to draft Lance McCullers and Eduardo Rodriguez too :lol:. Hopefully two of my injured players get DL'ed so I can scoop up temporary replacements. Also drafted Betances like 5 mins before the news broke that Andrew Miller is good to go :smh:.
Really like Odor, Pillar, and Kang. Kang is going to make the Pirates' hot corner his own once he returns in mid-to-late April. No reason he can't pop 20+ HR this season. Pillar will do work atop Toronto's powerful lineup, swiped 25 bags and has a little bit of pop cranking 12 homers in '15. Odor really has a chance to sneak into the top 5 at his position for fantasy. Texas is an extremely sneaky team in their division as well as the entire AL.

Domingo Santana is a major sleeper. Started Spring very hot at the dish. Key piece in the Carlos Gomez trade going from Houston to Milwaukee. Immense raw power but strikes out a lot. Feast or famine essentially.
 
who do you guys like at 11th/12th pick of the draft? have the 12th tonight 
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 thinking of bryant/stanton
 
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I wasn't letting Kershaw get past me at 5 champcruthik champcruthik
Haha
Let's work out a deal for Abreu or deGrom.

who do you guys like at 11th/12th pick of the draft? have the 12th tonight :smh:  thinking of bryant/stanton
I love having back-to-back picks, especially on the back-end. What format do you play?

I'd target Rizzo, Scherzer (in points leagues), Arenado (if he falls), Stanton.
 
Strong team. Could probably upgrade Belt at 1B, only visible weakness. Infield trio of Wong, Donaldson, and Correa is sick. Not sure how you got both of the latter players. Even in a 10-team league, Correa should not fall to R2. Walker is surplus, good offensive player, if you feel like shopping him in a package. I would try to deal Cain, seriously do not believe he will duplicate his 2015 numbers. Top-50 pick is kinda high for my taste on Cain, even though I like him as a ballplayer fantasy aside. Pillar can fill in seamlessly if you package Cain to upgrade 1B.

Short term probably Sanchez. Shoulder inflammation never makes me happy, but McCullers should be in Houston's rotation by late-April. Long term I like Gausman the most by far. Plus velocity, there's no reason he can't win 12 games as Baltimore's #5 starter, even though Camden is a hitter's park and the AL East is no fun for pitchers. Heaney would be my second favorite choice long term, in the event McCullers' absence extends into May.
Yeah I got him in the 11th round. Belt was serviceable for me last year when I won the championship, I like his high percentages and the fact that he can get a few steals helps. I am in a 10-team league. I got Donaldson 6th, Correa 15th, and Cain 66th. I took advantage of teams going for strong pitching staffs to get some batters who fell in the draft. I usually like a strong pitching staff, but with the number of pitchers drafted early I would've been forced to reach a lot. I think I ended up with a decent staff overall though.

Thanks for the pitching advice. I may stream a few of the better options or if a pitcher has a favorable matchup. I'll have to see how IP as a new category in my league causes the number of teams who stream to increase. Obviously you want to get good starts as not to hurt your ratios, but it'll be interesting.
 
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Longtime friends league where we auto draft

Ended up with Kang and Reyes as my SS's
Picked up Alcides for the time being due to having a dl eligible player

should I bother to hold on to Reyes ?
 
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Gregerson named the Astros closer. I know most drafted Giles. Should check to see in Gregerson is a FA.
 
Ended up with Kang and Reyes as my SS's
Picked up Alcides for the time being due to having a dl eligible player

should I bother to hold on to Reyes ?
Kang is going to pop 20+ HR once he returns end of the month, as I posted earlier.

I wouldn't hold onto Reyes, he's no longer a top-15 fantasy SS. Escobar is actually the better long-term option over the course of a season, even though you only scooped him to temporarily fill in for Kang.

Josh is up for trade... I'm a no patience GM
Know you're joking but let's talk Donaldson, Arrieta, or J.D. Martinez.
 
Better off with Escobar or Ketel Marte if he's available than Reyes.

Giles prob wins that job eventually, I'd imagine.
 
Drafted Giles wtf...Im in a league with a max of 70 roster moves. Didn't think I'd be fishing for a closer this early.
Houston didn't trade 4 young arms for Giles to not eventually close. I'd imagine he takes over the closer job by June. Appel probably ends up a bust but the Phils love Velasquez and he's probably immediately their second or third-best starter after Nola, depending on how you rate Eickhoff.

My strategy is to punt saves as a category every season. I target RP with SP eligibility or reliable setup men, like Wade Davis was before taking over in KC for Holland.

Things to watch for those in desperate need of RP/saves:
ATL - Vizcaino will take over for Grilli full time sooner than later. Fredi already said he's going to "play the matchups," which bodes well for Vizcaino's '16 outlook.
CIN - Hoover is not a world-beater. Keep an eye on Cingrani and Jose Diaz.
HOU - As mentioned, betting on Giles to supplant Gregerson by June.
MIL - Knebel is currently on the DL with an oblique injury, but he's going to push Jeffress with Will Smith out.
MIN - Perkins has a somewhat steady hold for the Twins, but I've stashed Jepsen in the NT Keeper, who accumulated 15 total saves last year between Minny and Tampa. With a 1.13 ERA.
NYY - Who knows what's going to happen with a trio of monsters. Chapman suspended, Miller pitching through a chip fracture. I guess Betances gains long term?
PHI - I'm certain Hinojosa will be Philly's closer over Hernandez by year's end.
SD - Rodney is always due for implosion. Next up is Quackenbush.
SEA - If Cishek falters, Benoit has closer experience.
SF - I'm gambling on Hunter Strickland to be the Giants' closer over Casilla and Romo before the ASB.
TB - Looking like 8 weeks out for Boxberger, I like Colome in the interim.
TEX - Kela and Dyson behind Tolleson.
TOR - I think Osuna holds off Storen even though the latter has a proven track record and the Jays did ship Revere for him.
 
Ironically Champ I'm taking the opposite of your saves approach in the NT league (after I decided to go offense heavy and miss out on the aces). If you can get three or four guys who can get three saves a week a piece, it could be a tremendous asset. We'll see how the idea works.
 
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