Keepers for 2009

I'm back and Angrier than ever. Well sort of.

So I took a year off from writing this blog and I seems that the world survived. I'm not sure how. It wasn't until late May that the one friend I have who actually reads this realized I wasn't doing it anymore. But movin on to bigger, better and more important things. And of course, by that I mean the upcoming 2009 fantasy baseball season. Let's talk about Keepers.

I'm in a 10 team league and we went into 2008 keeping 5. There are no keeper requirements or expirations. They can be any five players at any positions. I kept the following:
David Wright (1st round pick in '07)
Travis Hafner (2nd round pick in '07 and resident man-crush)
Mark Teixeira (3rd round pick in '07 and still not sure how he fell that far)
Jimmy Rollins (4th round pick in '07)
Jason Bay (late season trade in '07. I gave up Adam LaRoche)

- My '07 team was good but not keeper heavy. I lost in the semi's and finished in 3rd but my best options for the 5th keeper spot were: Bay, Smoltz, Furcal, Ibanez, Matsui and Chamberlain.
I went with Bay because I figured he had the best upside and I don't like keeping pitchers.


It was decided that our league would increase keepers by 1 every year starting in '09 until we got to 10 players. So I knew on draft day I would need another keeper. My first round pick and 7th overall was just who I wanted and needed - Cole Hamels. So I figured my 6th keeper spot was all set. Then the season happened and so did a few other things:

Travis Hafner basically died. His shoulder strength vanished faster than Scot Boras' credibility.
Jason Bay had a great season, but I traded him for Lackey because my pitching staff after Hamels was Smoltz, Gallardo and Rich Hill, who combined to make 14 starts.

But it wasn't all bad. In fact, most of it was good and I finished in 2nd place (despite having Brett Myers get absolutley butt-fucked in his last two starts). Besides Hamels, I was able to get other draft targets Josh Hamilton and Evan Longoria later than expected. So right now, I think I'm keeping the following:

1b - Teixeira
3b - Wright
SS - Rollins
OF - Hamilton
Util - Longoria
SP - Hamels

I find myself wondering about the value of keeping a Utility player. I am trying to trade Longoria and Lackey for a power hitting outfielder or top MI to a team that needs a sixth keeper. I think I can get Ryan Braun. And I think I want to do it. I could probably also get Holliday now, but not sure if I want to take the risk that he can keep up the production in Oakland, even though he'll only be there 1 year.

Any comments?