All-Purpose Fantasy Baseball 2018 thread

For discussion beyond specific leagues, such as NIAFL or OOP's new league, this should be a good spot to banter about the latest fantasy baseball topics.

I'm in three leagues this year, a keeper league with six slots, a keeper league with three spots and a new dynasty league I started to replace my old one that just folded.

Already decided to keep Machado (2nd round), Buxton (14th round), Albies (22), Happ (23), Acuna (24) and Severino (25) in one league.

Trying to decide on my three keepers for the other league. Rounds don't matter, just have to pick an IF, OF and a P.
Possible keepers include - Trea Turner, Machado, Gary Sanchez, Cody Bellinger, Hoskins, Schwarber, Cano, Happ, Darvish, McCullers, Tanaka, Lester, Knebel.

I'm leaning toward Turner, Bellinger and McCullers. Machado or Sanchez are tempting as my IF, too.

 

I have a league with 10 keepers, where I usually had the best or 2nd best team and wished I could keep more. We all got old together, and not I wish there no keepers at all. Here's my team:

*Gary Sánchez NYY - C
Matt Olson Oak - 1B,OF
*Robinson Canó Sea - 2B
Ryon Healy Sea - 1B,3B
*Alex Bregman Hou - 3B,SS
*Rhys Hoskins Phi - 1B,OF
Trey Mancini Bal - 1B,OF
*Starling Marte Pit - OF
Whit Merrifield KC - 2B,OF
Jean Segura Sea - SS
Miguel Cabrera Det - 1B
Andrew McCutchen SF - OF
Gregory Polanco Pit - OF
Avisaíl García CWS - OF
Michael A. Taylor Was - OF
José Martínez StL - 1B,OF
Trevor Story Col - SS
Eugenio Suárez Cin - 3B
Paul DeJong StL - 2B,SS
*Max Scherzer Was - SP
José Berríos Min - SP
Corey Knebel Mil - RP
Fernando Rodney Min - RP
Arodys Vizcaíno Atl - RP
Ken Giles Hou - RP
Dellin Betances NYY - RP
Lance Lynn StL - SP
Cole Hamels Tex - SP
*Luis Severino NYY - SP
David Price Bos - SP,RP
Miguel Sanó Min - 1B,3B

I starred the 7 I think are pretty easy, but am having trouble differentiating among a bunch of good but not great players to get to 10. All insights welcome.

 

Without knowing your scoring system, I bolded a couple guys I like.

DeJong would have been a top-40 player in my league as a rookie if he had played the whole season, and the Cardinals have already extended him. He's got some pop for a middle infielder and I think he's going to be very good for a long time.

Berrios just has great stuff and big upside.

Assuming the sexual assault allegations aren't going anywhere, Sano just rockets the ball. He's a little under the radar because he missed two months last season, but he'll produce as long as he's not in jail or injured.

Whit Merrifield would be a runner up for me.

 

That's who I would pick, too. Any chance you can trade Machado or Sanchez for a better pitcher?

 

Offseason trades aren't allowed.

 

I agree with your seven, though Cano is nearing the end as a keeper.

DeJong and Berrios are good suggestions, but I would go with Matt Olson over Sano. Sano has been hurt a lot and he has legal issues. Olson still has a lot to prove, but he has tremendous power and he has shown some patience.

 

Then I think your lean list is the way to go.

 

Sano has been injury prone and they both strike out a shit ton. I'm not all that sold on Olson, though. His HR/FB ratio was crazy high and a big spike over anything he'd done in the minors. It's not sustainable over a full season, so expect that power to come back to earth a bit. When it does, I'm not sure he'll produce enough otherwise - especially against lefties - to remain a full-time player. He may end up a platoon guy.

 

Trying to re-engage with baseball after years of falling into the casual fan category. Surprised at how hard it is to catch up.

Probably will only play in NIAFL this year. Was very active last year and took third. Pickups Taylor and Nunez helped tremendously as well as not giving up on McCutcheon.

Mock drafting the past couple weeks I find myself with a hole at P or OF every time. Trying to find the right balance.

 

Sano and Olson are both risky. Olson just seems to have a better idea about the strike zone. Of course he isn't going to match last year's home run rate, but I think Jake Lamb is a good comp, though he doesn't have Lamb's history of completely disappearing late in the season.

 

My advice about fantasy baseball is this: pay attention during the season. If you really pay attention, there are players to be got who will help you.

I was keyed in last season, which is why I was one walk away from winning the NIAFL.

 

That's very true. It's why I like to have a few slots of guys who I don't worry about dropping so I won't be afraid to pick up someone to ride a hot streak or grab a guy without a big name who outperforms some big money players. Riding hot streaks by otherwise pedestrian players can definitely hide holes in your lineup.

On a lot of the HOF threads here, we compare the numbers of two players without identifying them, thus proving how Journeyman B actually outperformed HOFer A. A healthy dose of that is helpful in fantasy baseball (although, obviously, you can't completely discount a player's well-earned reputation - good, bad or otherwise).