Fantasy Baseball 2016

I had my A.L. keeper auction the other night. I came in with more money ($206) than all but one other team in my league. And I spent every dollar, which is always nice.

Here's my team, with keepers in bold:

C - Matt Wieters $17
C - Blake Swihart $2
1B - Carlos Santana $11
2B - Dustin Pedroia $17
3B - Mike Moustakas $1
SS - Elvis Andrus $15
MI - Marcus Simien $7
CI - Pedro Alvarez $12
OF - Adam Eaton $19
OF - Justin Upton - $29
OF - Seth Smith - $1
OF - Rusney Castillo - $13
OF - Colby Rasmus - $5
U - Evan Gattis - $1
BN - Jimmy Rollins
P - Nate Karns $1
P - Andrew Heaney $10
P - Dallas Keuchel $10
P - Chris Sale $39
P - Drew Smyly $20
P - Francisco Rodriguez $18
P - Clay Buchholz $1
P - Yu Darvish $10
BN - Ubaldo Jimenez
BN - Matt Shoemaker
BN - Nick Tropeano (already dropped for Josh Tomlin)

 

Bidding war for Heaney? I like him, but I'm surprised he cost you $10. I ended up getting him for $2 in my auction league. Another guy nominated him, I bid it to $2 and the other guy didn't even counter back. Seeing him go for $10 in your league makes me feel better about the chances of him being good. I got him so cheap, I was thinking everyone else must know something I don't.

 

Looks like Heaney was a keeper, so maybe that $10 was a built-in increase from last season? Depends how Dick's league works.

Can't say I care for keeping Castillo at $13 and it already looks bad with him set to open the season on the bench. Brock Holt beat him out for a job in the Boston outfield.

 

He was a mid season pick-up, which is automatically $10. You're right - close call there. But considering his age, the effect of inflation, and that it's A.L.-only, I decided to hold on to him.

 

I scanned your post too quickly and missed that it's AL only and he was a keeper. I think it was a good call, even if it were mixed. I like his potential.

 

A.J. Pollock's broken elbow most likely sank my three-time defending champion keeper league team, so I'm trying to figure out which prospects to target in my draft Saturday. It seems the rebuild I've been putting off may have arrived a little early.

Giolito is not available. Neither is Corey Seager. Trevor Story will make an impact sooner, but I like J.P. Crawford better long term among the young shortstops.

Jose Berrios looks like he could make an impact in 2016 for the Twins. Nomar Mazara could end up in the Rangers' outfield this season. I'm guessing both of those guys end up having to wait until June or July.

So, how would you all rank these guys? Piscotty is available as well, but I can't see him making it to me with the 10th pick overall. I'm thinking Berrios, Mazara, Crawford and Story in that order.

 

Just finished my keeper league draft. Having three minor leaguers is very odd for me. I'm usually the one who goes with veterans, but my team is getting old. I got Berrios early, but waited a round too long on Mazara.

Here is my team with keepers in bold. As you can see, the Pollock injury is a killer. Obviously, he'll be on my team's IR and replaced as soon as the Diamondbacks get around to putting him on the DL.

C Yan Gomes
1B Miguel Cabrera
3B Nolan Arenado
CI Lucas Duda
2B Jason Kipnis
SS Troy Tulowitzki
MI Yangervis Solarte
OF Carlos Gomez
OF Starling Marte
OF Shin-Soo Choo
OF Gerardo Parra
UT Mark Teixeira
UT Kevin Pillar
SP Felix Hernandez
SP Zack Greinke
SP Tyson Ross
SP Adam Wainwright
SP Wei-Yin Chen
SP Aaron Nola
SP Jason Hammel
RP Jeurys Familia
RP Francisco Rodriguez
RP Jeremy Jeffress
RP Joaquin Benoit
RP Kevin Jepsen

Bench Joe Ross
Bench A.J. Pollock
Bench Jose Berrios
Bench J.P. Crawford
Bench Trea Turner

 

I don't follow baseball like I do football, so I hope K. Marte is serviceable as a starting SS.

 

I like Marte. He showed some real promise last season. He's not a star and he needs more of a track record to be considered a safe bet, but he should be useful.

 

That's good. Autodraft usually knows better than me anyway.

 

He shouldn't be available, but if you get a chance, pick up Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara. He wasn't expected to be in the majors this early, but they called him up because Shin-Soo Choo is on the DL for four-to-six weeks with a calf strain.

Mazara is only 20, but he is very polished and has excellent power. He has three hits already in his debut today, including a home run.

Of course, I am cursing this development because I waited a round too long and somebody else grabbed Mazara in my keeper league. To make matters worse, I do have Choo and four other players currently on the DL. I'm just waiting for the trash talk to filter in. I've got quite the target on my after winning that league the last three years.

 

He was available in one of my leagues, but quickly got snapped up. Would have probably had to drop Piscotty or David Peralta. I don't think either will be studs, but I'm not sure I'd drop either since they seem to be the safer play.

I also missed out on picking up Eugenio Suarez, 24-year-old 3B for the Reds who is tearing the cover off the ball right now. He's still only eligible at SS, but he's got six starts at 3B under his belt and will gain eligibility this week. Again, would have had to drop Piscotty or Peralta.

This time of the season is tough because you draft guys you think are going to be good and it's too early to count out most of the guys on your roster. But then you see a Mazara get the call and you're trying to weigh potential vs. established production.