Draft Strategy Question (1 Viewer)

[JohnDoe]

I have a quick question on draft strategy. I inherited an abandoned team in a 10 team head to head keeper league where lineups are set weekly. Scoring is points based. We have already declared our keepers for the upcoming season. My keepers are: Carlos Guillen, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jimmy Rollins, CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez, and Roy Oswalt. Added information: I have the first pick in the draft and no second round pick, even though I am trying to trade into the second round.

On to the draft question: Would it be a better strategy to go with the top hitter with my first pick (based on rankings it would be Joe Mauer, or Uggla who is the top 2B available) or go with the top closer available (K-Rod). My thinking is that I should go with the best hitter available in the first and then try and pick up closers later (the only closer selected as a keeper was Paplebon).

Also, the rules state that we can keep two minor league players on our roster, but if the player is called up then we have to drop a player from the major league roster and add the minor leaguer. The way I understand this rule is that I can draft new players at the draft to take the place of the two who currently reside on my roster (Adenhart and Jesse Todd). As of now I am planning on replacing Adenhart. Would it be best to grab a high profile prospect who will probably get called up around mid-season if he does not make the parent club out of spring training, or a lower level prospect who has major upside and I could stash for another year (Jason Hayward type). Current minor keepers include David Price and Matt Weiters (they were declared before the September call-ups last year).

 

[Buckfast 1]

I would definitely go with the top hitter available over a top closer. There should be plenty of closers available later on in a 10-team mixed league especially if only 1 was kept and you only have 2 RP starting slots. If you only start two RPs, then I think the value of RPs are pretty deflated in a head-to-head points league. Besides, the value of a closer is hard to predict and there is not that much difference in value in closers. I actually had a lot of success using SPs who were cross-listed as RPs in a point-based league last year (Justin Duchscherer, Jonathan Sanchez, Manny Parra). I think going hitting is definitely the way to go.

I don't know what the best strategy to take with the minor league spots would be. I think it just depends on who is available. If there is a minor leaguer that could make a big impact this year, then I imagine I'd take him over a long-term project, but I wouldn't take a mid-level short-term prospect over an elite long-term prospect if you don't think that the mid-level prospect will be worth replacing a current major leaguer on your roster. In a 10-team mixed league, it seems like few mid-level minor league prospects would be worth replacing the worst major league player on your roster, so I'd lean towards looking for elite prospects even if it meant they wouldn't be called up for another year.