Sorry, @
rangerssharks414, if I came off a little combative with that response. I appreciate the response and I was trying to explain a little more of my reasoning.
I
might be able to get more for Ray, but it wouldn't be until after our auction (March) as we're in the offseason section where everyone is trying to either get under the cap ($300) or to leverage existing cap room into low balling some owners that need to cut salary.
I had a 2nd place finish last year, which had me buying all kinds of players during the year which out me way over the cap. Fortunately I was able to get slightly under without cutting anything that really hurt. Unfortunately, that puts me in a position of having a fairly complete roster, but with still needing to add competent players at auction but possessing one of the lowest budgets. Cutting all my fat will afford me around a $50 budget with most other teams looking to have $100+.
Markakis is pretty much a no brainer to be let go after this year and Ray has been subject to trade rumors. Castillo is fairly similar to Ray, but Cincy is less likely to move him, is cheaper, and showed a lot of progress in the 2nd half last season. Whereas Ray hasn't show the ability to make it to 5 innings a lot of the time and becomes simultaneously hittable and unhittable in games. Robles gives me years of production (10 HR/20SB floor) plays well for years.
One other deal I've been offered but balked at initially, but am mulling over is-
I get- T Shaw Mil ($20) and M Muncy ($4)
I give- D Waters Atl ($2), L Patino SD ($2), E Montero StL ($1)
It puts my budget near non-existent for the auction, but it also almost fills my hitters (needing only a catcher and Utl spots- if I don't cut Longo). It could also allow me to release Desmond (who's about at market value) for some salary relief.
The lineup would look like this-
C- Suzuki ($7)
C-
1B- Aguliar ($5)
2B- C Hernandez ($9)
3B- Arendado ($29)
SS- Story ($9)
CI- Myers ($27)
MI-
Shaw ($20)
OF- Cain ($27)
OF- Kemp ($8)
OF- Markakis ($11)
OF- Desmond ($24)
Utl-
Muncy ($4)
Utl- Longoria ($19) --more than likely cut or traded
I could allocate my remaining budget towards supplementing my decidedly average pitching-
P- Chacin ($7)
P- Ray ($11)
P- Wood ($7)
P- Maeda ($24) --maybe cut
P- Seranthony ($4)
P- Yates $6)
P- Doolittle ($12)
P- Lugo ($5)
P- Gsellman ($8) --likely being cut
The trade would also pretty much wipe out my minor league stock, leaving my with basically lottery tickets like Troy Stokes, Miguel Vargas, Esty Ruiz, Zack Short, Tony Gosolin. But prospects can always be found while rebuilding, right?
Sorry for the long rambling post. I don't really get to pour out my fantasy thoughts because of the specialized nature of my league. Any input for anyone would be welcomed.
