Just Completed a Mega Trade (1 Viewer)

[JMJ]

12 team - 5x5 Roto league where we start 14 players each (2 catchers, 5 OFs, a MI, a CI, and a UTI) so it is not uncommon to see Mark DeRosa's and Aaron Hill's in starting lineups because there just isn't 168 studs to go around.

I traded:

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Fransisco Rodriguez, Eric Byrnes

I received:

Carlos Beltran, Olrando Hernandez

My current starting lineup post trade:

OF: Alfonso Soriano

OF: Carlos Beltran

OF: Andruw Jones

OF: Matt Holiday

OF: Mark Teahen

1B: Michael Cuddyer

2B: Brian Roberts

3B: Adrian Beltre

SS: Aaron Hill

MI: Mark DeRosa

CI: Akinori Iwamura

C: Victor Martinez

C: Josh Bard

UTI: Chad Tracy

BN: Jose Cruz - OF

BN: Johnny Estrada - C

BN: Stephen Drew - SS

SP: Chris Capuano

SP: Kelvim Escobar

SP: John Maine

SP: Chuck James

SP: El Duque

SP: Zack Greinke

RP: Takashi Saito

RP: Jason Frasor

RP: Octavio Dotel

RP: Joakim Soria

RP: Henry Owens

RP: Fernando Cabrera

RP: Rafael Betancourt

My thinking here was Dice-K's upcoming schedule is B-R-U-T-A-L! The Sox coming series are vs. the Yankees again, Minnesota, Tornoto twice, Cleveland, Detroit, etc. Even a great start vs. teams like that will equal a lot of baserunners and earned runs given up.

El Duque's schedule on the other hand is Washington, Florida twice, SF twice, Arizona twice, etc. With the Mets lineup in the NL vs. this competition ..... it really starts to level the playing field between El Duque and Dice-K.

Also, as you can see, I'm always first to the wire for closers. I figured that I may not have another chance later on to add a slugger like Carlso Beltran ..... but I would be able to make up the saves and wins through strength-of-schedule and savvy free agent moves. You can always find some good, young pitching as a season progresses; you don't find 40 HRs 120+ RBI, 90+ runs, and 20+ SB on the WW ever.

Should I have stood pat or did I make the right move adding Beltran?

I mean, seriously; did you ever see an OF like that in a NON-KEEPER league?

 

[Gaddis]

I actually think you made a pretty good trade. Nice work.

 

[NY/NJMFDIVER]

I hate it. El Duque will be on his summer vacation come June, and Beltran is a great player and a better fantasy one, but with your staff, to give up Dice K AND K-Rod? Those were you two best pitchers and you weakened yourself to ADD to a strength. You'll bludgeon people on offense, but your staff is shaky now, because those were probably your two best pitchers.

I do like what I've seen of Maine and Cabrera, but you're going to be leaning on them pretty heavily to deliver for you.

 

[numberSE7EN]

Sweet OF for sure,

Sorianio in the 1st?

Holliday in the 3rd?

Jones in the 4th/5th?

 

[JMJ]

I hate it. El Duque will be on his summer vacation come June, and Beltran is a great player and a better fantasy one, but with your staff, to give up Dice K AND K-Rod? Those were you two best pitchers and you weakened yourself to ADD to a strength. You'll bludgeon people on offense, but your staff is shaky now, because those were probably your two best pitchers. I do like what I've seen of Maine and Cabrera, but you're going to be leaning on them pretty heavily to deliver for you.

I see where you're coming from but like I said earlier; it is always easier to find some quality pitching on the WW then it is a Beltran-like bat.Also:Capuano and Maine have been great and are both 3-0.Escobar was solid before a 15 day DL stint and was solid in his first start back.Chuck James has been very good other then one start that has skewed his ERA up over 4.El Duque has the lowest ERA in all of MLB from now dating back to August 1st of last season.Etc, etc. I will make a move for a pitcher if need be because lord knows I have the offense to get one .... but my pitchers are not as bad as they look on paper.If worst comes to worst and my young (or undervalued) pitchers begin to falter .... I dangle Andruw Jones out there and get a stud. This is why I figured it was worth the gamble to see if the young guys can keep it up.

 

[JMJ]

Sweet OF for sure,Sorianio in the 1st?Holliday in the 3rd?Jones in the 4th/5th?

No. We start 5 OFs each so they go REAL FAST in the draft:1.2 Soriano2.11 A.Jones3.2 Holliday

 

[numberSE7EN]

Oh ok, cool. I really like Holiday, i just missed out on him in my keeper league, some how he was not kept. Goood luck-

 

[JMJ]

Oh ok, cool. I really like Holiday, i just missed out on him in my keeper league, some how he was not kept. Goood luck-

Thanks.Do you like the trade or do you think I should have stood pat?

 

[Bobcat10]

Your hitting looked good enough before the trade to warrant staying pat with the better pitching, imo. You probably now have one of the worst RP staffs in your league, so Beltran hopefully will earn you a few extra points in closely contested hitting categories that you're gonna need. I understand the waiver wire technique for getting saves, it's just your cupboard is pretty bare already. Your OF is sick though.

 

[JMJ]

Your hitting looked good enough before the trade to warrant staying pat with the better pitching, imo. You probably now have one of the worst RP staffs in your league, so Beltran hopefully will earn you a few extra points in closely contested hitting categories that you're gonna need. I understand the waiver wire technique for getting saves, it's just your cupboard is pretty bare already. Your OF is sick though.

Again though,I am very confident in my pitching staff despite the fact they are not household names. However, if worst comes to worst and my young (or undervalued) pitchers begin to falter .... I dangle Andruw Jones out there and get a stud. This is why I figured it was worth the gamble to see if the young guys can keep it up.Do you agree?

 

[Bobcat10]

Your hitting looked good enough before the trade to warrant staying pat with the better pitching, imo. You probably now have one of the worst RP staffs in your league, so Beltran hopefully will earn you a few extra points in closely contested hitting categories that you're gonna need. I understand the waiver wire technique for getting saves, it's just your cupboard is pretty bare already. Your OF is sick though.

Again though,I am very confident in my pitching staff despite the fact they are not household names. However, if worst comes to worst and my young (or undervalued) pitchers begin to falter .... I dangle Andruw Jones out there and get a stud. This is why I figured it was worth the gamble to see if the young guys can keep it up.Do you agree?

I dig it. I didn't mean the trade was garbage, just that I might have stood pat. But sometimes moves like this win championships if your hunch about your pitching is spot on. I actually like Capuano and James alot this year, and if Maine pitches well you might be right. If you sense something going bad, you need to move Jones as you said.

 

[Bobcat10]

Not that it matters much right now, but what place are you in?

 

[JMJ]

Your hitting looked good enough before the trade to warrant staying pat with the better pitching, imo. You probably now have one of the worst RP staffs in your league, so Beltran hopefully will earn you a few extra points in closely contested hitting categories that you're gonna need. I understand the waiver wire technique for getting saves, it's just your cupboard is pretty bare already. Your OF is sick though.

Again though,I am very confident in my pitching staff despite the fact they are not household names. However, if worst comes to worst and my young (or undervalued) pitchers begin to falter .... I dangle Andruw Jones out there and get a stud. This is why I figured it was worth the gamble to see if the young guys can keep it up.

Do you agree?

I dig it. I didn't mean the trade was garbage, just that I might have stood pat. But sometimes moves like this win championships if your hunch about your pitching is spot on. I actually like Capuano and James alot this year, and if Maine pitches well you might be right. If you sense something going bad, you need to move Jones as you said.

Agreed with all you said and will do on the bolded.

 

[JMJ]

Not that it matters much right now, but what place are you in?

1. Wooden Spoon 90.5 2. HeavyHitters 83

3. Girthy Tuna 82

4. Smoothcat 79.5

5. TheChinCheckers 75

6. Big Red Machine 62.5

7. Elijah Danks 62

8. SandGnats 61

9. 1st Base Bugs Bunny 55.5

10. Lisbon Lions 48

11. The Fortunes 44

12. teamglobal 37

 

[Limp Ditka]

Not that it matters much right now, but what place are you in?

1. Wooden Spoon 90.5 2. HeavyHitters 83

3. Girthy Tuna 82

4. Smoothcat 79.5

5. TheChinCheckers 75

6. Big Red Machine 62.5

7. Elijah Danks 62

8. SandGnats 61

9. 1st Base Bugs Bunny 55.5

10. Lisbon Lions 48

11. The Fortunes 44

12. teamglobal 37

What are you checking chins for, balls?

 

[JMJ]

Not that it matters much right now, but what place are you in?

1. Wooden Spoon 90.5 2. HeavyHitters 83

3. Girthy Tuna 82

4. Smoothcat 79.5

5. TheChinCheckers 75

6. Big Red Machine 62.5

7. Elijah Danks 62

8. SandGnats 61

9. 1st Base Bugs Bunny 55.5

10. Lisbon Lions 48

11. The Fortunes 44

12. teamglobal 37

What are you checking chins for, balls?

Easy there Limp Dik. I hope you're kidding and you really do understand the meaning of the name.

 

[dparker713]

I just dont get it. Byrnes was a 25/25 guy last year with decent stats in the rest of the cats. Now, that could be a career year, but he's played pretty well up to this point and he's always going to hit in the heart of the weak ARI lineup or leadoff, so he's going to get the chances. Now, Beltran is a guarenteed 35/20 with better RBI numbers. But he wont have a significantly better average and you just traded 20/15/30/0 for your 2 best pitchers. In a 12 team league, El Duque cant be too much better than anyone on the waiver wire. All in all, you got taken.

 

[JMJ]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

 

[shadyridr]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

Why would you ask people's opinions if you were just gonna disagree with them. I also think it was a bad trade for you.

 

[Wrigley]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

No need for name calling.I too think you should have stood pat.

Beltran is a great player, but I think you will end up missing the huge K's that Dice and K Rod would have given you.

You may be able to get Zito, Kazmir, Sabathia, Sheets, or Holliday for Jones. But the only one of that bunch, that I would touch, is Webb.........and I'm not sure you can get Webb for Jones.

It's not a bad trade, but I for one like the Dice K side.

 

[JMJ]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

No need for name calling.I too think you should have stood pat.

Beltran is a great player, but I think you will end up missing the huge K's that Dice and K Rod would have given you.

You may be able to get Zito, Kazmir, Sabathia, Sheets, or Holliday for Jones. But the only one of that bunch, that I would touch, is Webb.........and I'm not sure you can get Webb for Jones.

It's not a bad trade, but I for one like the Dice K side.

Well technically, I didn't call him a name. I said he made an idiotic statement; not that he was an idiot. If I didn't want opinions then I wouldn't have asked of course. However, you yourself say it is "not a bad trade," just that you would prefer the Dice-K side. That is fine ... but obviously you agree that I didn't, "get taken" as he said.

All in all I know that standing pat probably would have been the best move. However, championships are not won by sitting on your hands, correct? While Dice-K's strikeouts are great .... are you sold on him already being a STUD pitcher? I'm not. I moved him while his value is still extremely high. Again, he faces the Yanks again, Minnesota twice, Toronto twice, Detroit and Cleveland all in the next month. You can't expect him to dominate all those great lineups so chances are his trade value from here will go no where but down in the immediate. I sold him high and got Carlos Beltran for him ........

 

[shadyridr]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

No need for name calling.I too think you should have stood pat.

Beltran is a great player, but I think you will end up missing the huge K's that Dice and K Rod would have given you.

You may be able to get Zito, Kazmir, Sabathia, Sheets, or Holliday for Jones. But the only one of that bunch, that I would touch, is Webb.........and I'm not sure you can get Webb for Jones.

It's not a bad trade, but I for one like the Dice K side.

Well technically, I didn't call him a name. I said he made an idiotic statement; not that he was an idiot. If I didn't want opinions then I wouldn't have asked of course. However, you yourself say it is "not a bad trade," just that you would prefer the Dice-K side. That is fine ... but obviously you agree that I didn't, "get taken" as he said.

All in all I know that standing pat probably would have been the best move. However, championships are not won by sitting on your hands, correct? While Dice-K's strikeouts are great .... are you sold on him already being a STUD pitcher? I'm not. I moved him while his value is still extremely high. Again, he faces the Yanks again, Minnesota twice, Toronto twice, Detroit and Cleveland all in the next month. You can't expect him to dominate all those great lineups so chances are his trade value from here will go no where but down in the immediate. I sold him high and got Carlos Beltran for him ........

This is not fantasy football. Good pitching usually beats good hitting.

 

[JMJ]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

No need for name calling.I too think you should have stood pat.

Beltran is a great player, but I think you will end up missing the huge K's that Dice and K Rod would have given you.

You may be able to get Zito, Kazmir, Sabathia, Sheets, or Holliday for Jones. But the only one of that bunch, that I would touch, is Webb.........and I'm not sure you can get Webb for Jones.

It's not a bad trade, but I for one like the Dice K side.

Well technically, I didn't call him a name. I said he made an idiotic statement; not that he was an idiot. If I didn't want opinions then I wouldn't have asked of course. However, you yourself say it is "not a bad trade," just that you would prefer the Dice-K side. That is fine ... but obviously you agree that I didn't, "get taken" as he said.

All in all I know that standing pat probably would have been the best move. However, championships are not won by sitting on your hands, correct? While Dice-K's strikeouts are great .... are you sold on him already being a STUD pitcher? I'm not. I moved him while his value is still extremely high. Again, he faces the Yanks again, Minnesota twice, Toronto twice, Detroit and Cleveland all in the next month. You can't expect him to dominate all those great lineups so chances are his trade value from here will go no where but down in the immediate. I sold him high and got Carlos Beltran for him ........

This is not fantasy football. Good pitching usually beats good hitting.

Ok, and I guess I'm just not 100% totally sold on Dice-K. And, I don't see how any of you can be.He dominated KC but that is nothing to brag about. He has since given up 11 earned runs over his next 20 innings vs. NY, SEA, and TOR. The AL is not the NL and the AL East is even tougher.

I expect Dice-K to have an ABSURD number of strikeouts this season ..... but I don't expect his Wins, ERA, or WHIP to be anywhere near what his talent says they could be simply because pitching in the AL (and specifically the AL East) is double as hard a say pitching in the NL.

Again, all opinions are welcome but I don't see how selling high on what has to still be considered a relative unknown to get Carlos Beltran could be viewed as a bad thing. Maybe not what YOU would do. That is fine and I can accept that 100% ..... but I can't see how it can be termed "bad, dumb, stupid, etc."

 

[Please See Mine]

I hate it. El Duque will be on his summer vacation come June, and Beltran is a great player and a better fantasy one, but with your staff, to give up Dice K AND K-Rod? Those were you two best pitchers and you weakened yourself to ADD to a strength. You'll bludgeon people on offense, but your staff is shaky now, because those were probably your two best pitchers. I do like what I've seen of Maine and Cabrera, but you're going to be leaning on them pretty heavily to deliver for you.

I see where you're coming from but like I said earlier; it is always easier to find some quality pitching on the WW then it is a Beltran-like bat.Also:Escobar was solid before a 15 day DL stint and was solid in his first start back.

GL with that

 

[Wrigley]

Great you sold high, but you also bought high.......and you didn't just trade away Dice. K Rod struck out 98 last year, thats more than a lot of SP's last year.

 

[NY/NJMFDIVER]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

No need for name calling.I too think you should have stood pat.

Beltran is a great player, but I think you will end up missing the huge K's that Dice and K Rod would have given you.

You may be able to get Zito, Kazmir, Sabathia, Sheets, or Holliday for Jones. But the only one of that bunch, that I would touch, is Webb.........and I'm not sure you can get Webb for Jones.

It's not a bad trade, but I for one like the Dice K side.

Well technically, I didn't call him a name. I said he made an idiotic statement; not that he was an idiot. If I didn't want opinions then I wouldn't have asked of course. However, you yourself say it is "not a bad trade," just that you would prefer the Dice-K side. That is fine ... but obviously you agree that I didn't, "get taken" as he said.

All in all I know that standing pat probably would have been the best move. However, championships are not won by sitting on your hands, correct? While Dice-K's strikeouts are great .... are you sold on him already being a STUD pitcher? I'm not. I moved him while his value is still extremely high. Again, he faces the Yanks again, Minnesota twice, Toronto twice, Detroit and Cleveland all in the next month. You can't expect him to dominate all those great lineups so chances are his trade value from here will go no where but down in the immediate. I sold him high and got Carlos Beltran for him ........

This is not fantasy football. Good pitching usually beats good hitting.

Ok, and I guess I'm just not 100% totally sold on Dice-K. And, I don't see how any of you can be.He dominated KC but that is nothing to brag about. He has since given up 11 earned runs over his next 20 innings vs. NY, SEA, and TOR. The AL is not the NL and the AL East is even tougher.

I expect Dice-K to have an ABSURD number of strikeouts this season ..... but I don't expect his Wins, ERA, or WHIP to be anywhere near what his talent says they could be simply because pitching in the AL (and specifically the AL East) is double as hard a say pitching in the NL.

Again, all opinions are welcome but I don't see how selling high on what has to still be considered a relative unknown to get Carlos Beltran could be viewed as a bad thing. Maybe not what YOU would do. That is fine and I can accept that 100% ..... but I can't see how it can be termed "bad, dumb, stupid, etc."

Look, you know your league, but in mine, I know it would take more than Andruw Jones to get one of the pitchers you mentioned. And I don't think most people, myself included, would object if it were Dice K and Byrnes for Tran and El Duque. But to basically treat K-Rod as a throw in, I think that's what most of us don't get. You didn't toss in Borowski or Wickman or Putz here, you dumped a top 5 closer in that deal.

And to paraphrase a fantasy draft adage, you can't win your league in April, but you sure can lose it. I can't quite go as far to say you did that, but its just a move I wouldn't make.

 

[guru_007]

Bad trade imo.

a bunch of people already mentioned the pitching you gave up....but Eric Byrnes too? Last I checked guy went 25/25 last year and already has 3 hr's and 6 steals this year...12 runs and 13rbis, he's a very good candidate to go 25/25/100/100 and hit .280 or so. This is a guy you win championships with, as I'm sure he was a very late round pick. So basically you gave up a very solid SP and one of the premier closers in the game, to hopefully add 10 hr's, 10 steals, 10 rbi's and 10 runs?

Better hope Maine wins the Cy Young this year.

g'luck

 

[JMJ]

Look, you know your league, but in mine, I know it would take more than Andruw Jones to get one of the pitchers you mentioned. And I don't think most people, myself included, would object if it were Dice K and Byrnes for Tran and El Duque. But to basically treat K-Rod as a throw in, I think that's what most of us don't get. You didn't toss in Borowski or Wickman or Putz here, you dumped a top 5 closer in that deal. And to paraphrase a fantasy draft adage, you can't win your league in April, but you sure can lose it. I can't quite go as far to say you did that, but its just a move I wouldn't make.

I like this post a lot. I agree that this move was very risky, but it was a risk that I feel I calculated well.I don't view K-Rod as the throw in .... I view K-Rod as the centerpiece of this deal. The Mets schedule is a joke this year as the NL is very weak and the Mets have a top 5 lineup in all of baseball. And, dating back to August 1st of last season (3 months worth of baseball), El Duque has the lowest ERA in all of MLB. He is pitching great vs. the inferior competition that is the NL and with the Mets lineup (barring injury), he should be a lock for 15+ wins. While Dice-K talent-wise is superior (even far superior) to El Duque ..... I just don't see how his numbers in the AL East can compare as everything I said in favor of El Duque is the exact 180 opposite for Dice-K (other then Boston also having a stud lineup).So in my view .... Beltran WILL outperform Byrnes ..... and Duque COULD outperform Dice-K. That is where my gamble is. So in my eyes ..... K-Rod is what got this deal done because I view Dice-K and El Duque is a virtual wash as I expect Dice-K to have higher K's .... El Duque to have more WINS ..... and for them to be comparable on WHIP and ERA.And while I'll miss K-Rod's K's also .... there is no stat easier to get as the season rolls along other then saves as 10+ closers per year get/lose a job. I will still do A-OK in the saves category with Saito, Frasor (BJ Ryan was moved to 60 day DL and when it comes to elbows; that could be longer), Soria/Dotel (while neither is a stud, with the worst record in baseball last season KC closers still combined for 35 saves and they are an improved team this year), Henry Owens (current closer for Florida and pitching very well this year), and Betancourt/Cabrera as both are pitching LIGHTS OUT right now and poised to take the job from Borowski in Cleveland with his 9.9 ERA.Again, it is a risky move but I feel I calculated it well enough or I wouldn't have pulled the trigger. And lastly, I still have Andruw Jones to trade for a pitcher/closer if any of this goes not according to planned while still having a very good lineup even after (if) I need to trade him.

 

[Bobcat10]

Say what you will about the Mets schedule, but I think they are in the toughest division in the NL. That means they play the Braves, Phillies and Marlins more than anyone else. Those teams are not going to lay down for anyone and they can hit. I'd probably side on the Sox schedule in comparison if they were not in the Yanks division.

 

[JohnnyU]

You gave up too much, it's that simple. Good luck.

 

[dparker713]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

I stand by my analysis. If you had traded 2 of those guys, its a good trade. However, none of the three is a throw in, and in a deep mixed league they all have significant value. And El Duque might be 60 years old for all we know. He's started well and plays in a pitchers park, but he needs to be cy young worthy for this trade to turn out well for you, and that ain't gonna happen.The other guy got hte much better end of the deal. You got taken.

 

[Bobcat10]

Uh oh......

 

[shadyridr]

El Duque hurt? no way

 

[apalmer]

All in all, you got taken.

Now that is just an idiotic statement. I added Carlos Beltran to an already potent lineup and if any of my young pitchers/closers begin to falter, I can trade a guy like Andruw Jones without missing a beat for a stud pitcher.Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran.

Or Dice-K and Eric Byrnes?

I'd prefer one of the aforementioned pitchers and Beltran and a guy like Jones should I need to move him can definitely bring a guy like that back. But, if my young pitchers continue to pitch as well as they have ..... there is no need to make move like that and I've increased my team tremendously.

Actually, it's "Would you rather have a pitcher like Brandon Webb, Barry Zito, CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Roy Halladay, Scott Kazmir, etc, etc ...... and Carlos Beltran and Jose Cruz.Or Dice-K, Andruw Jones and Eric Byrnes (and K-Rod)."

If you trade Jones for a pitcher, you lose the difference between him and your next outfielder.