Random favorite players

[x McLovin x]

Hey guys, sorry if this thread already exists, but thought I'd start a thread meant to discuss certain players you like to acquire in your franchise modes (modern). This is not necessarily meant to mean "best" players, basically useful players that you like for a certain reason. I'll start it off with 3 pairs of players I tend to target for the same reasons:

Chris Taylor & Marwin Gonzalez - strong positional versatility, decent stats across the board (especially Taylor). Ideal role as bench player who can start a few games a week at different positions, particularly when aiming for a platoon advantage.

Shohei Ohtani & Brendan McKay - strong 2-way player skillset with a chance to be average - elite in both areas. I currently have both in a franchise I'm running, with Ohtani set as SP/RF and McKay as SP/1B.

Blake Treinen & Richard Lovelady - great combination of strikeouts and groundballs - and very good combination of Stuff/Movement/Control ratings - for Treinen (RHP) and Lovelady (LHP). Some of my more favored relief pitcher targets. Won't take an arm or a leg to acquire either, particularly Treinen due to his salary/team control.

Tucker Barnhart - great defender at C, not really as interesting as the examples above but is a personal favorite who can be an under the radar 2+ win annual starting catcher or an awesome backup if you find someone better.

Alex Claudio - doesn't have a great Stuff rating but makes for an excellent under the radar LOOGY acquisition, if you have a need for one, due to his great Movement and Control ratings vs. LHBs, his arsenal of pitches, and ability to generate groundballs. I've even seen teams convert him into a decent mid - back end starter good for about 140-155 innings in some sims.

I guess some of the earlier picks wound up leaning more towards the "best" side of the spectrum rather the "useful" side I initially intended. Alas. What are some of yours?

[x McLovin x]

Also, just wanted to throw in a 2021 draft prospect who is a personal favorite and whom I always pick if he's available when I make my selection:

Luke Leto - he is another with 2-way player potential, albeit at more premium offensive positions. He's capable of playing both 2B and SS on the offensive side. His potential ratings lean a little more to the offensive side but can definitely do both if there aren't too many speed bumps in his development.

[DaBears]

Interesting idea for a thread. I assume we are staying away from the, "Well, I have found it great to have Mike Trout, Max Scherzer and Aaron Judge" on my team comments.

Some off the main list players I have some fun with are (keep in mind, I have done several SFG runs):
--Brandon Crawford: love his defense in 3D
--Mark Melancon & Will Smith: 8th/9th inning killer combo in one of my runs, a disaster in another (OOTP does have randomness to it)
--Johnny Cueto: I know he is mercurial in real life, but he is an entertaining OOTP pitcher with a huge variance; one game he is awesome, then awful, and it's kind of fun to see which one may show up each game
--Jake Diekman: My GM claimed him on waivers and I think lefties batted maybe .050 that season against him. Righties all hit like hall of famers, but it made it really fun because it challenged you as a manager on when to burn him each night.

I of course LOVE Bumgarner and Posey, as they are usually gods in OOTP runs.

Non-SFG I have enjoyed toying around with other teams:
--Nomar Mazara: I was doing a BOS season a couple of years back and the GM traded for him; he simply tore it up
--Mookie Betts: I know I said we would stay away from the stars, but Mookie in my '16 BOS season had an OPS of like 1.100 and stole 40 bases (I was aggressive).

I really want to get Casey Mize in a game as he comes into MLB. He could be dominant.

[x McLovin x]

Melancon and Smith are some of my favorite RP targets too. I could usually pick up Melancon for very little acquisition cost if I take on all the salary. I like to pick up Smith via free agency as he’s a great lefty and somehow always signs for a small amount of money/years (I think he becomes a free agent in the first offseason IIRC)

[Findest2001]

I like Niko Goodrum, Cole Tucker, and Willians Astudillo

[LegalEagle80]

Reese McGuire (minor league catcher with the Blue Jays) is always easily available and is great because he is one of the best defensive catchers in the game, hits for average and has the "Captain" personality so he's basically everything you want in a backup catcher. He never blossomed into a star in any of my saves, but he's consistently a contributor.

I haven't gotten him this year, but in last year's game Adam Haseley was awesome for me. He ended up being a solid 4th outfielder and a lefty reliever. He consistently put up a 2 WAR on offense and .5-1 as a relief pitcher.

[The Yurpman]

In two separate saves with the Red Sox, Brock Holt has filled in for whoever is injured (Devers, Bogey, Benintendi, etc.) and always produces. In one save he hit .351 in 90-something games. Ended up getting a 4-year, $50 million-ish deal in FA. Really surprised at how well he hit.

[x McLovin x]

Originally Posted by LegalEagle80

Reese McGuire (minor league catcher with the Blue Jays) is always easily available and is great because he is one of the best defensive catchers in the game, hits for average and has the "Captain" personality so he's basically everything you want in a backup catcher. He never blossomed into a star in any of my saves, but he's consistently a contributor.

I haven't gotten him this year, but in last year's game Adam Haseley was awesome for me. He ended up being a solid 4th outfielder and a lefty reliever. He consistently put up a 2 WAR on offense and .5-1 as a relief pitcher.

I definitely second this. I always seem to end up acquiring him in my first year or 2 in my franchises and he either becomes my backup or my starter. Love him for the reasons you mentioned above, plus he's a lefty so I can use him as the heavy side of a platoon (if I have a decent R or S hitting backup) which helps keep him rested too. In my last save before I started a Marlins franchise, he actually did blossom into a perennial all-star (Rating around high 60s out of 80 and averages about 4-5 WAR).

[x McLovin x]

Originally Posted by The Yurpman

In two separate saves with the Red Sox, Brock Holt has filled in for whoever is injured (Devers, Bogey, Benintendi, etc.) and always produces. In one save he hit .351 in 90-something games. Ended up getting a 4-year, $50 million-ish deal in FA. Really surprised at how well he hit.

As a big Yankees fan who plays as them most of the time, I begrudgingly never acquire Holt although I always have interest (hence the preference for Chris Taylor and Marwin Gonzalez I mentioned above). He's an almost perfect utility player. Lefty bat and can play all over the field so he tends to always rack up plate appearances. Maybe I'll acquire him in my new Marlins save if I can get him for a modest price.

[Whoofe]

Originally Posted by LegalEagle80

Reese McGuire (minor league catcher with the Blue Jays) is always easily available and is great because he is one of the best defensive catchers in the game, hits for average and has the "Captain" personality so he's basically everything you want in a backup catcher. He never blossomed into a star in any of my saves, but he's consistently a contributor.

yeah, I've got him platooning with Salvador Perez in 2020. he's done pretty well for me

[x McLovin x]

Originally Posted by Findest2001

I like Niko Goodrum, Cole Tucker, and Willians Astudillo

I had a recent save where Astudillo put up bonkers numbers in his second season. His numbers were around .355/.395/.655 around early June and wound up with something like .335/.370/.575 at the end of the season. That was by far his best season in that save.

[Chidi29]

Francisco Cervelli. Got super hot down the stretch in one of my seasons, his last with the Pirates. Ended up hitting .258 for the year but close to .300 for August/September. Pushed the Buccos into the playoffs.