Grading my fantasy baseball draft

I'm in an eight-team mixed head-to-head keeper league at work. Here's the team I drafted. I thought I did pretty well. What do you think?

C - Jorge Posada
1B - Todd Helton
2B - Julio Lugo or Freddy Sanchez
SS - Miguel Tejada (keeper)
3B - Chad Tracy or Troy Glaus
DH - Paul Konerko
OF - Carlos Beltran (keeper)
OF - Carl Crawford (keeper)
OF - Hideki Matsui
OF - Gary Sheffield
SP - Carlos Zambrano
SP - Brandon Webb
SP - Andy Pettitte
SP - Kevin Millwood
RP - Francisco Rodriguez
RP - Mariano Rivera
RP - Bobby Jenks

Reserves
OF - Craig Monroe
C - Jason Varitek
SP - Boof Bonser, Mark Buerhle
RP - Joel Zumaya

 

Well, I think you've got a hell of an outfield.

I'd study up on prospects, as your team does seem to be a it on the old side, but otherwise, not bad...

 

It's looking like you spent two relatively high picks on closers. I never understood that approach. It only helps you in one category -- saves.

 

If you're in a league where it goes by total points, having a slew of closers is a good thing. I had four on my team last year, and I mounted a serious comeback and almost won the damn thing. If you're in a Yahoo league, where you play by statistics (saves, wins, era, etc...) then having a bunch of high-level closers is really taking a big risk.

 

Here's my team. I'm a 12-team, mixed, head-to-head league. Each week, the team with the most total points wins.
Starter (in the field)
K Johjima A C
J Giambi A 1B
J Kent A 2B
R Zimmerman A 3B
H Ramirez A SS
B Abreu A OF
J Bay A OF
M Cuddyer A OF
L Overbay A U
Starters (pitching, obviously)
B Arroyo A P
C Pavano A P
J Jennings A P
J Santana A P
K Millwood A P
M Cain A P
M Mussina A P
Reserves
S Sosa RS OF
B Looper RS P
F Garcia RS P
J Maine RS P
K Wells RS P
Injured reserve (three max, people in my league were asleep at the wheel when I crashed the waiver wire).
J Johnson I P
M Mulder I P
P Martinez I P

Because it's a 12-person, 21-man roster, pitching is the biggest key. That's why my team is loaded with sub-par pitching.

 

The league goes by total points scored from Monday through Sunday (except for this upcoming week, which would be a Sunday-Sunday scoring period). Also, it's not a true keeper league. You can protect up to three players each year, but you can't protect the same players two years in a row. So when I draft, I don't concentrate on landing young prospects.

 

I look at your team and you drafted names, not numbers. The fact that you're in an eight team league and you have Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Bonser, Buerhle Pettitte and Millwood says a lot. Your bench is thin as well. Without seeing your order or who was picked ahead of you, I can't say it went well.
Too many guys play in leagues and see a name, not the numbers they produce. Adam LaRoche would have been a much better option at first. Rios and Drew in the OF over Sheffield. Pitching wise, the three guys I mentioned are worthless. They'll get wins, but they'll kill you in ERA and WHIP and K. You need high strikeout guys - thats how you win pitching stats.
I do like the closers. You'll dominate ERA, WHIP, Svs and Ls every week. They might pick up enough Ks to help.

 

Eight team mixed league? Last place.

 

The league is not a Rotisserie league. It is based on total points against one opponent each week for 26 weeks. For pitchers, you get 10 points for a win, five for a save, minus five for a loss/blown save, one point for a strikeout, a half point for each inning pitched, minus one for each earned run and a negative half point for each walk. For hitters: one point for a single, two for a double, three for a triple, four for a homer, one for a walk, two for a stolen base, one for each RBI and negative one for each strikeout.
I think Todd Helton's numbers are going to rebound this year. Millwood is not a great pitcher, but he's probably going to win 15 games. Zambrano, Webb, Rodriguez and Rivera are studs. Pettitte is very good. Jenks could get 40 saves. Bonser and Buehrle will have between 12-15 wins. They will only be used during two-start weeks with favorable matchups. Zumaya could replace Jones at some point during the year.
I had the seventh and 10th picks in a reverse snake draft. My first four picks (after the keepers) were pitchers (Zambrano, Rodriguez, Webb, Rivera).

 

Here's my SIAII team, freshly drafted. 13-team roto. I like it.


The Bunk
View All
Round Pick Player Position
1. (4) José Reyes SS
2. (23) Jason Bay OF
3. (30) Joe Mauer C
4. (49) Hideki Matsui OF
5. (56) Gary Sheffield 1B,OF
6. (75) Jeremy Bonderman SP
7. (82) Bobby Jenks RP
8. (101) Josh Beckett SP
9. (108) Curt Schilling SP
10. (127) Ian Kinsler 2B
11. (134) Chipper Jones 3B
12. (153) Todd Jones RP
13. (160) Joel Zumaya RP
14. (179) Chris Duncan 1B,OF
15. (186) B.J. Upton 3B
16. (205) Mark Teahen 3B
17. (212) Ian Snell SP
18. (231) Jorge Cantú 2B
19. (238) Matt Garza SP
20. (257) Jason Kubel OF
21. (264) Chris Iannetta C
22. (283) Pat Neshek RP

 

I like your team, too. It's good. FOR ME TO POOP ON!

My team:

1. (11) David Ortiz 1B
2. (16) Travis Hafner Util
3. (37) Carlos Zambrano SP
4. (42) Aramis Ramírez 3B
5. (63) Félix Hernández SP
6. (68) Jered Weaver SP
7. (89) Chris Ray RP
8. (94) Chris Young SP
9. (115) Nick Swisher 1B,OF
10. (120) Josh Willingham OF
11. (141) Julio Lugo 2B,3B,SS
12. (146) Michael Barrett C
13. (167) Armando Benítez RP
14. (172) Ken Griffey Jr. OF
15. (193) Dave Bush SP
16. (198) Jhonny Peralta SS
17. (219) José Contreras SP
18. (224) Moisés Alou OF
19. (245) Bob Howry RP
20. (250) Anibal Sánchez SP
21. (271) Plácido Polanco 2B
22. (276) Zach Duke SP

 

Duke is a steal at 276.