I put a premium on D for C, SS and CF in particular on my teams. I also run very high salaried, vet laden ML squads. That's my prefered flavor of HBD. One reason I can successfuly do so is that I don't have to pay a lot for the C, SS and CF. There are usually quite a few of each who fit my needs on D (and have huge warts on O). Once they start to get too expensive, they can be replaced for younger glove guys at those positions.

Every world has it's own ecosystem, and sometimes I find that high PC Cs or legit upper echelon fielding SS are rare, but by and large I get the guys I use often for cheap. Those guys also help your pitching staff.

You may not run your team with the same overall philosophy, but I'm sure with whatever philosophy you choose you will be able to find those scrap heap or waiver wire guys that you can use to fill in your roster for not much dough. In a world without a significant shortage of the ytype role player you're looking to acquire, minor trades can be made, too.

2/13/2013 11:48 AM
Correct.   I often look for respectable players that have options to stash in AAA in case of injury.    If there's no injury, they're good roster expansion call-ups.  I got this one for just over a 1.3m:

Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Doug Woods

He's a replacement level player that has given me over 200 PA with an OPS over .900.   He'll be added to my playoff roster, once I lock down the spot, to pinch hit.

2/13/2013 11:50 AM
Of course, any and all of this is moot if your intention is to build a BL team with 39m in payroll after your top 2 are paid.   You need 23 players who average about 1.7m per.   That just isn't happening in your current situation.
2/13/2013 12:11 PM
Where do you find these cheap players? Most veterans that can be useful seem like they're asking for $3+ for multiple seasons for the most the part.. 

Should I resign Artie Judd? He's asking for 2 years, $4.8per. 

Judd: http://whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=3678963

How much is a player like Milt Martin going to ask for in his 2y of arb? IS it worth it to keep him?

http://whatifsports.com/HBD/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=3454693
2/14/2013 9:33 AM
After spring training starts.   You can find several useful, cheap players on the FA market who went unsigned. 
2/14/2013 9:42 AM
On the final day before ST this season, I picked up an unsigned 1B who'd hit .290 and won a Gold Glove last season.  No one wanted him, obviously because he was 36 years old.  I wasn't even looking for a 1B but IMO he was too good to leave there for nothing, and he cost less than $2 million on a 2 year deal, while I get my prospects ready in the minors.  He hit .290 for me this season, and won a Gold Glove.

2/14/2013 10:03 AM
How much can I trust my College scout and high scout if their budgets are $10 and $9m respectively this year? If a High school player seems to be better than the college player, but is ranked behind him, is this because my hs scout is over ranking him since his budget is less or something? 

Also any thoughts on what to do with those 2 pitchers I listed above?

Thanks. 
2/14/2013 10:24 AM
I wouldn't trust scouting that low very much. I generally don't start to give my scouted too much credence until about $14M or so, even then I'd like it to be $16M+ for me to really lend it weight. Obviously you're going to have to draft with those scouting departments at their current budget level though. Just take what they say with a grain of salt.

For example, if there is a player who has a current POWER (or any other rating) rating of 35; but your scouting says its projected to be 60; you should know that he highly unlikely to improve his POWER rating by 25 points.

Knowing how much ratings can develop (or won't develop) will come with time and experience. But look at your world's draft from five or six seasons ago. Take a look at some of the 1st rounders and how much they develop in each rating. That'll give you a feel for how much player's can develop and hopefully help you understand which of your scouts' PROJ ratings are too generous.

2/14/2013 3:14 PM
Try to sign a draft pick with the message "probably won't sign, his goal is to finish college"  That'll give you a compensation pick in next season' draft, and you can have more money in your scouting next season.

Put more weight in current ratings for the draft prospects. 

2/14/2013 4:27 PM
Posted by bglick on 2/14/2013 10:24:00 AM (view original):
How much can I trust my College scout and high scout if their budgets are $10 and $9m respectively this year? If a High school player seems to be better than the college player, but is ranked behind him, is this because my hs scout is over ranking him since his budget is less or something? 

Also any thoughts on what to do with those 2 pitchers I listed above?

Thanks. 
There's no one right answer re the pitchers. Depends how an owner values players, the park, free agency, plans for the season, etc. But FWIW, I'd keep Judd ... a little pricy for a bullpen guy but I find those types -- who can pitch a good 120+ innings -- are extremely valuable. Otoh, I don't like guys like Martin so I'd let him go after his 2nd arb year, but I can see others keeping him.
2/14/2013 4:49 PM
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