Your rotation is the weakest part; you have a championship quality team except that you're trying to win with 3 SP3s and 2 SP5s. Remember, in STL in the NL a 3.80 ERA is just average; you need some guys in the 3.00 range to have a solid pitching staff. If you have frontline prospects and some budget room this is the season to grab a high-priced SP1 at the deadline.

Also, you fell in love with not-Rickey-Henderson-clone Stefen Palacios, who can run but whose career OBP of .323 is no fluke, and who has power at all in LF. But you'll score (park-adjusted) runs, and Cantu is a special player in CF.

Posted by hockey1984 on 12/6/2020 2:27:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 12/4/2020 8:29:00 PM (view original):

Posted by hockey1984 on 12/4/2020 7:18:00 AM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 12/3/2020 9:42:00 PM (view original):

Posted by hockey1984 on 12/3/2020 3:06:00 PM (view original):
Everyone is right on Sprague it’s just a ‘dang it’ moment. You know when you get a prospect for peanuts and you think you are smarter then everyone else because he is going to be 80-80-60-60 fielding and 70-50-70-70 at the plate while stealing 30 bases a year? .......... well Sprague ain’t that! (Being a 90’s blue jays fan the name also suckered me)

You are playing the right game if you are a fan of 1990s baseball. I was a huge Twins fan and I try to build my teams like the Twins built their 1991 team with above average defense and above average offense at every position and then excellent pitching. I rarely get the Kirby Puckett type of player so that is probably one of the many reasons that I can't win in the playoffs.

For me I'm always looking for 'Ricky Henderson'. On base around .350, can steal 100 bases a year. When I drafted Glen Hayes in my other world I was the happiest person on the planet. Closest I have ever come to a 'Henderson' type player.

Love Henderson. He might be one of my favorites of all time. Unfortunately, I don't get many speed guys that can also run the bases, and when I do, they are usually one of those premium fielders that can't get on base -- Sammy and Brady. And when you only have one of them on your team and you up your team stealing settings, it makes your team run into a lot of outs.

Oh man, both of those guys are a dream for me. Especially Sammy Rios. I could build a team around a guy like that.

rather then make a second post may as well ask my question here.

how much time, money and effort do the vets typically spend on their bullpen? For me it’s an afterthought and guys costing over 5 million to throw aprox 100 innings seems like a waste. I usually just use the whatever I have any maybe a FA approach. But this year I feel like it’s going to make, what I think is a pretty good team, underperform. Just curious what everyone else thinks.

if anyone is bored feel free to pick apart my St. Louis team. I’m probably not going to change anything but it’s always fun to see what people think.

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/FranchiseHistory.aspx?fid=220

(also yes Lincoln is just filling a roster spot but I really want to get him to 3000 hits)

I've been able to get that #4 guy in free agency for relatively cheap. Usually when you go for the top three RPs in free agency, you end up paying $8MM to $10MM a year. However, if you target guys like the below and supplement them with guys you can find in the late first round/early second round in the draft, you will be fine. Also, DITR RPs help a lot and sometimes you can get lucky and find decent guys in free agency after rule 5.

FAs (#4 or lower in the FA class):
Benitez
Campos

FAs signed late (after rule 5 draft):
Duckworth
Broome
Maranon
Armas
Bell

Guys you can find in the late first round or early second round:
Ferrer
Tatum
Gettys
Ball
Robertson
Presley
Webster

DITR RPs:
Brooks (Won Cy Young last season)
Perez
Almanza
Bradford
Barnes
Bonilla
Art Williams

Ill spend as much as I can for elite players no matter the position. Rp included.

Posted by dedelman on 12/6/2020 2:55:00 PM (view original):
Your rotation is the weakest part; you have a championship quality team except that you're trying to win with 3 SP3s and 2 SP5s. Remember, in STL in the NL a 3.80 ERA is just average; you need some guys in the 3.00 range to have a solid pitching staff. If you have frontline prospects and some budget room this is the season to grab a high-priced SP1 at the deadline.

Also, you fell in love with not-Rickey-Henderson-clone Stefen Palacios, who can run but whose career OBP of .323 is no fluke, and who has power at all in LF. But you'll score (park-adjusted) runs, and Cantu is a special player in CF.

2 seasons ago I traded at the deadline for Sebation Brunstron

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=8112332

(imagine a few more points in every category)

last year I traded at the deadline for Slick Bird.

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=8284085

sadly neither wanted to resign. I’m kicking myself because I thought Bird and Mark Bong
https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=7883059

would end up going for a fortune, so I put a minimum bid on both and didn’t think anything of it. WHOOPS! Looks like I’ll be shopping at the trade deadline again this year.

has anyone successfully arbitrated a player for 3 seasons and then signed long term the following season without using the cheat? I have a player with 98 patience and is asking for $3MM in his third year of arb but he is asking $4.4MM for 5 years in long term. Does his high patience rating help me sign arb and then next season long term?

Player Profile: Ordomar Lindor - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports

It is possible but I have never chanced it.

Id rather sign him to 2 5 year deals and a option for the final year.

Posted by brianp87 on 12/10/2020 10:27:00 AM (view original):
Id rather sign him to 2 5 year deals and a option for the final year.

I would as well but trying to fit everyone in under my budget is tough right now. Saving that $1.4MM will help a lot.

Is the 1.4 mill worth the chance of losing him? You have to weigh that option.

I've got a 27 year old in his 3rd year of arb. He wants $9M a year for 3 years.. I'd rather give him the $9M for the next 5 years. What happens if I tack on $9M for years 4 and 5, even though he's only asking for $9M for 3 years?

Posted by mannytanner on 12/10/2020 4:46:00 PM (view original):
I've got a 27 year old in his 3rd year of arb. He wants $9M a year for 3 years.. I'd rather give him the $9M for the next 5 years. What happens if I tack on $9M for years 4 and 5, even though he's only asking for $9M for 3 years?

He'll most likely accept the contract and you'll have your guy for five seasons. Congrats.

Exactly that is usually what I do just offer the same for a longer duration

Yeah I add on extra years quite often. I usually have an idea what I want to do with a player four or five seasons out.

Since when do 28 yr olds like this lose range?
Player Profile: Christy Thomas - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports

Posted by brianp87 on 12/11/2020 9:04:00 PM (view original):
Since when do 28 yr olds like this lose range?
Player Profile: Christy Thomas - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports

Has always happened to 1% or so of 28-yr-old players.