If you are signing the type A FA's you won't have a 1st round pick anyways, so I would totally punt the draft and use the money on the sure thing.  I would then spend an inordinate amount of time prepping for the Rule 5 draft and scoping the waiver wire for cheap role players.  

If you have enough in IFA scouting, you're almost always going to see at least one or two big time IFAs that are comparable to top 5 picks in the draft.  If you have $35MM in prospect payroll, you're probably going to land one.  Now, if half the league does this, those still invested in college/hs scouting will be getting top talent in the second round because no one sees the draft prospects you see.

I've been punting the draft for a while now since my team started winning a lot of games every year. The way I look at it is this: using just IFA's you can bag 1 or 2 guys every year that would have been top-10 draft picks. If you do that every year then you will never run out of talent. By punting the draft, you can supplement those players with key FA's and never have to worry about losing draft picks for Type A's.

That's my thoughts exactly. Saving the money on col and dom scouting and rolling it into IFA scouting and prospect budget. I figure I'll at least land one top 10 which is better then I'll get while winning 110+ games a year for the next several seasons. I only say this because I've built a young monster with a fairly small payroll at this point. 

Posted by FW_Kekionga on 12/27/2010 2:59:00 PM (view original):
If you are signing the type A FA's you won't have a 1st round pick anyways, so I would totally punt the draft and use the money on the sure thing.  I would then spend an inordinate amount of time prepping for the Rule 5 draft and scoping the waiver wire for cheap role players.  

This. And I might add that is nearly every FA period there is a guy classified as a Type A who slips because no one wants to give up a draft pick for him. These $2M bargains help balance out the big Type A FA you'll be signing each season. Don't forget that you can also eventually trade one of those good Type A players for a couple of prospects, who will help keep your salary costs down.

I have one team where I have punted all scouting (including IFA). The draft isn't as much fun, as you end up with guys like this #47 sandwich pick, who maxes out as a 56 overall (and not a good 56):
 Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Malik Allen

At least he is healthy.