Would you do this???

[Redsnake]

I'm keeping Russell Martin in my 10 team keeper league. I justed pulled the first pick in my draft. Without getting in to alot of detail I plan on taking ARod with my first pick, but when my 2nd/3rd round pick comes around I'm thinking of drafting Victor Martinez.
Why?? I project he would be the highest rated player that will come to me and he is 1st base eligble. I think it will come down to Markakis, Ordonez and Bedard in the 2/3 spot. I think I will get decent production out of him and keep Victor away from any other owner.

What do you guys think??

[GoReds33]

It depends on what you need. I know you said he's first base eligible, but who do you have, if anybody, who plays first base? If you have no glaring needs, it's always been my philosophy to get the best available player, because they do well in trades. If he's the best player, I say go for it.

[AtomicDumpling]

I say go for it.

If you are worried about having two catchers on your team I say you should be happy to have them both. Controlling the best two catchers in the league is a great thing. Another team will be forced to start some jackass at catcher while you rack up stats at that position at their expense.

You would also have the rest of the league knocking down your door trying to trade for a rare stud catcher.

Take the best available player. If you end up with extra players at a given position you make a trade.

[Stephenk29]

Here is my question, who is not keeping AROD!?!

[mlbfan30]

Playing VMart at catcher is a stupid idea. VMart is so valuable because he puts up those stats at C. If you plan to trade one of them before the season, thats fine. But if your target is to play VMart at 1B, that's going to really hurt your team. There is now way you take 3rd pick for a 1B that hits 80/25/100/.300, especially in a 10 team.

There were 9 1B with 100 RBI last year
9 with 25+ HR
12 with 80+ Runs
5 with .300 AVG

There is not much difference than a #6 1B and VMart, while VMart will be 3rd round, #6 1B will be 6-7th round.

[mlbfan30]

Also the idea you take him away from another owner is flawed. The ONLY way it works is if that 1 other owner ends up winner (which is uncontrollable). You might be keeping him away from the last place team. Who knows. You field the best possible team in fantasy. What other people do should not be worried about.

[Redsnake]

Let me give you a brief description of my league. It's only about 4 years old. A keeper eligble player has to be drafted after the 5 round. So 4 years ago players like Pujols, Arod, Guerrero, Suzuki, Manny, Rollins and Berkman were drafted in rounds 1 through 5 and can't be kept, because they don't fall into round 6. That's how Arod is still availble. Then you have the players that people do get lucky on after the 5th round that are keepers this coming season. They are Cabrera, Wright, Hanley, Peavy, Santana, Braun, Tex., Howard, Holliday, Morneau, Hafner and Fielder.

So just to recap:
Players that won't reach me in round 2 or they are already owned. Pujols, Berkman, Guerrero, Suzuki, Santana, Morneau, Rollins, Braun, Tex, Howard, Fielder, Peavy, Wright, Cabrera, Hanley, Hafner and Holliday.
Players that I own. Ortiz, BJ Upton, Russel Martin.

Now with that info should I take a chance on V.Martinez? Or do I go with some one else like D.Lee, C.Pena or ???

[Buckeye33]

Let me give you a brief description of my league. It's only about 4 years old. A keeper eligble player has to be drafted after the 5 round. So 4 years ago players like Pujols, Arod, Guerrero, Suzuki, Manny, Rollins and Berkman were drafted in rounds 1 through 5 and can't be kept, because they don't fall into round 6. That's how Arod is still availble. Then you have the players that people do get lucky on after the 5th round that are keepers this coming season. They are Cabrera, Wright, Hanley, Peavy, Santana, Braun, Tex., Howard, Holliday, Morneau, Hafner and Fielder.

So just to recap:
Players that won't reach me in round 2 or they are already owned. Pujols, Berkman, Guerrero, Suzuki, Santana, Morneau, Rollins, Braun, Tex, Howard, Fielder, Peavy, Wright, Cabrera, Hanley, Hafner and Holliday.
Players that I own. Ortiz, BJ Upton, Russel Martin.

Now with that info should I take a chance on V.Martinez? Or do I go with some one else like D.Lee, C.Pena or ???

I'd rather have Carlos Pena over Victor if I had Martin already. Like mlbfan said, Victor is not nearly as valuable as a 1B as he is a catcher. Pena is a risk, since last year was a career year but even if he regresses some he'll still have more HR, RBI, and walks then Martinez.

The only other concern would be that you already have Ortiz, does he have 1B eligibility or does he have to be UTIL? As well, is Upton your 2B or an OFer? If he is your 2B, then you have no OFers if you went Pena as your 1st non keeper pick.

[Stephenk29]

If Pena gets even close to his numbers of last year then I would go with Pena. I'm not a fan of D.Lee, always seems to disappoint with his numbers. Pena is the bigger risk but higher reward if he proves not to be a flash in the pants. You know what your getting with VMart. Pick your poison I guess. I wouldn't limit myself to a first baseman though. Pena, Utley, Reyes are all posibilities I would assume. The last two will be gone I would think though.

[camisadelgolf]

I think it may be worth it. Catchers that can hit are an excellent trading chip. I think you just have to go with the best player available (unless you have a limited number of trades or your league rarely executes trades).

[Redsnake]

Just found out that Pena is being kept. So my 1B options in the draft are D.Lee, Konerko, Adrian Gonzo., Helton and Victor. Then a bunch of projects in the likes of Votto, Loney, Delgado, etc. Also Ortiz isn't eliglble for 1B in my league.

Does that change anyone elses views?

If not I'll just scrap that Victor idea and draft based on need for positional need or best availble.

[TeamSelig]

I would probably go with Adrian Gonzalez. Going with Victor sounds like a good idea at first, but I disagree that you should do it for the reasons above. Victor puts up good numbers, but as a 1B he holds less value than as a catcher.

[mlbfan30]

Or draft some other position. 1B is deep as I said before. A late round will put up similar numbers as vmart

[Redsnake]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I will rely more on building my team then keeping certain players away from our teams. Just wanted everyone too know I'm not a newbie at fantasy baseball. I was just looking for a different approach to sabotaging my top competion without loosing productivity from my own team. It looks as if I might be taking to much of a chance on my own team.

The main reason why I had thought so long and hard of having both Victor and Martin was because the winner of another league I'm in last year had both players on his team. He drafted Martin only as a back up and got lucky. This same guy is in all three leagues I am in and continues to be in the top two every after year. He is nototrious for drafting catchers early and is by the far the best fantasy player I go up every year. He is drafting 10th this year I know he will be eyeing a catcher when one comes back at him in the 3rd/4th round. I was thinking if I drafted Victor at the beginning of the 3rd it might cause a run of catchers that could leave him with nothing more than the 6th or 7th best catcher. Something he surely would hate.

Thanks everyone

[TeamSelig]

Hey, I have been in fantasy leagues for about 4-5 years now, and I still like to get input and advice from others. Sometimes when you rely on your own instincts you can talk yourself into a bad move, I always love a third party approach.

I am usually up there in the leagues as well, and I will typically wait on a catcher. You can usually find a catcher that will give you a few HRs or something, deep into the draft. It's nice to have a good catcher, but I would just rather go for other positions.

Also, I think I'd avoid making decisions based on what some other guy does. He is probably successful because he keeps his lineups updated and gets lucky on certain players. Luck will take you a long way.