my cash H2H keeper leagues are redrafting next year for the first time ever. In one I am locked in at 5th. the order for the second is still tbd, 1-4 currently, but if i win this round 1 or 2 (I'm up 65.334 after this week and it is a two week playoff round). We keep 6 each year. Personally i much prefer bats as i am in them for the long run and TJ makes it hard to waste a keeper on someone gone for a whole year. I usually keep 5 bats and a pitcher. In my mind the top 3 are a bit of a tier above the rest. If i get first, i will take Mookie cuz homer and he is two years younger than Trout. I slotted Lindor in 4th, but i do think there are a lot of good young SSs so i would prefer to draft an OF and see who is around at the back end of 2 or front of round 3. Is it insane to consider Ramirez above Trout? 2 years younger and possible 2b eligibility? Maybe i am just annoyed that Trout has only had 8 weeks 20 points or better (one since week 11) compared to 13 for Betts and 12 for Ramirez. I am really having a hard time with the 5th slot which is important because i will draft 5th in one league. How homer would it be to take Benintendi at 5th?

When it comes down to it, it is most important to nail the first round picks regardless of position as the pick should be on my team for 5-8 years.

Betts 25
Trout 27
Ramirez 25 (might gain 2b for next year if he gets 10 games due to the Donaldson pick up)
Lindor 24

candidates for 5th in no particular order

Machado 26 3b/ss
Bregman 24 3b/ss
Benintendi 24
Judge 26
Arenado 27 (home road splits are big, what if he leaves?)
Correa 23
Turner 25


For reference, this was the espn midseason top 10
http://www.espn.com/fantasy/baseball/story/_/page/mlbranks_dynasty300180717/fantasy-mlb-midseason-dynasty-keeper-league-top-300-rankings-2018-beyond

Trout
Betts
Lindor
Machado
Ramirez
Benintendi
Judge
Arendo
Correa
Turner

So whats your top 5 or 10? Feel free to add reasons or comments on my rambling

This post was edited by Ianarky on Sep 3 2018 10:33am

acuna #1 easy

I like him a lot, but track record counts and i haven't gotten that far in my rankings (and won't until next year). Maybe round 3. ESPN has him at 24.

This post was edited by Ianarky on Sep 3 2018 01:05pm

Fantasy purposes my top 5:

Ramirez (especially if he gains 2b eligibility) - It's really not close either imo especially if he plays 2nd.
Trout
Betts
Lindor
Bregman
Machado

Honestly it really depends where Machado signs; right now I would lean towards Bregman 5th because of the park he hits in. If Machado signs with the Phillies or White Sox and gets to hit in CBP or Progressive Field (or w/e the White Sox stadium is called now) or another hitters park; I'd lean Machado. If he stays in LA; I'm taking Bregman all day over Machado.

You can toss everyone in a hat (minus Turner) and you'll get the same production. Ramirez/Trout/Betts are pretty much the only players in baseball that will give you a .300/30/30 year and fill up every fantasy stat (Ramirez being the most valuable being an if'r). Anyone after that; it's a toss up because you're still going to have make up for the SB's that you lose by not getting one of those 3.

Edit: Also, not homering but I'd take Bryant and Baez (if strikeouts aren't hugely penalized) over a few you listed and definitely Turner.

Turner doesn't belong listed.

This post was edited by Schwarber on Sep 3 2018 09:19pm

Good stuff Schwarber. Yeah Turner and Correa were late additions and i agree that Bryant and Baez belong in the same group as them. Ks are -.5 and abs are -.5 with 2 pts for a single 3 points for a double etc. 1 point for a walk. High ave, low K bats score well.

YTD looks like this right now

Betts 488
Ramirez 480.5
JD 468.5
Trout 421
Bregman 409
Lindor 409
Yelich 384
Machado 379
Baez 367
Arenado 366
Benintendi 362.5

Good top 6 and i'm glad to see i'm not crazy for considering Ramirez over Trout. Betts will be #1 for me for obvious reasons. Bregman is 2 years younger so that is a decent tie breaker vs Machado. I also didn't realize he had caught up to Lindor with his strong second half.

If Ramirez is there or somehow you get the 1st pick; I wouldn't hesitate to take Ramirez. Those 3 will all give you the same thing; however, in fantasy always take the middle infielder if it's that close; it's a hell of a lot easier to replace an OF'r and get roughly the same output than it is for a middle infielder. 2B is weak right now; there few and far between and a huge gap.

Getting Ramirez you already have a huge advantage over everyone else.

This post was edited by Schwarber on Sep 4 2018 06:38pm

hopefully he can get those 10 games at 2nd. Donaldson went deep last night and he should be in Cleveland soon. But it's not a guarantee he is 2b elig every year.

You need 3 at OF tho... so i agree 2b is super weak, 3b isn't as bad. Castellanos and Eugene Suarez for example have been quite useful for me this year behind Arenado. But yeah, i'll put Ramirez over Trout, but not Betts.

This post was edited by Ianarky on Sep 4 2018 07:21pm

You're much better off with Ramirez (if he does get 2b eligibility) + using your 2nd rd pick on say Acuna (who can very easily 30/30 as well) than you would be with taking Betts and ending with Betts & like Gleyber Torres (who's the next best 2nd basemen as I'm assuming Baez & Altuve would be gone by your next pick) in your 1st/2nd.

You can homer though if you want

This post was edited by Schwarber on Sep 4 2018 08:42pm

Your probably right, but I gotta homer on that pick if I have the chance

currently have a 73 point lead in the 2nd round of the two week playoffs, this being the final weekend. He has Lester who threw 5 pitches last night and Montgomery left. I have Cahill and Lopez set to start Sunday. I have 4 save opportunities with Diaz and Treinen (godly free agent pickup) and he only has Parker since he used LeBlanc as a SPARP in his 2nd rp slot. Winner goes to the BO3 championship to fight for 1st pick and 400. Runner up gets 2nd pick and 175.