Inaugural draft strategies

[jameslacy3509]

So how do you guys strategize going through an inaugural draft. I am new to the game and created a fictional league with 16 teams and 2 subleagues (no minors) to learn the game. I made myself draft first in a serpentine draft. I did ok but missed the playoffs the first year and lost in the 1st round of playoffs in the second year, but I did a horrible job with player signings and was finished after that. I had one of the best pitching staffs all the way around in the league but was mediocre at batting. Is it best to focus on pitching or batting? Or alternating between the two each pick?

[Curtis]

Probably alternating. Don't forget that in a serpentine draft you'll get back-to-back picks using the setup you described (which is also the one I use).

You can probably wait on middle relievers until you've covered all of your other needs (eight position players, a closer and three or four starting pitchers), because the AI tends to leave a lot of good MRs until mid-to-late rounds.

With the first pick, I'd either take the best starting pitcher (propably) or the best catcher (only if he's a demi-deity) in the draft. A lot will be gone by the time your turn comes around again. Look at each position and see which ones have the biggest dropoff between the best and second-best players remaining. Positions that are relatively deep you can wait on until next time around; go with scarcity. I'd try to pick up a pitcher during each double pick until the remaining pitchers are noticably worse than the remaining position players.

The AI tends to emphasize prospects over ready-to-play guys, so you could end up with a monster team, no minor leaguers coming up, and no money to manuever with (ready-to-play guys are expensive).

The other thing to think about when drafting in the early rounds, is that a 28 year old rated at 72 might be a better deal than a 35 year old rated at 80. Old guys can run downhill in a hurry. On the other hand, you might not have the money to extend contracts, so picking up the great older guy might not hurt, and you might be able to trade him at the deadline for younger, cheaper, plural guys.

Good luck.

[Kuttner]

I find that since the best Starting Pitcher can still only play once every 4-5 games, I now take one of the best young (under 28) hitters I can find with the first pick. I also use serpentine and give myself one of the middle picks in a 12 team league. This way I can (using "act-as") fairly distribute the best players to the other 11 teams. I sort of got sick of having the AI take a 28/75 prospect with one of the first round choices, so I now make sure to prevent that from happening.

Like Curtis, I too wait on the MR's. They'll be there for awhile. I also try to get a good L/R split for my position players and get a good defensive Catcher. I shy away from picking players over 34 years of age (as does the AI).

I try to get 2 SPs in the first 5 rounds.

[Jose Cardenal's Afro]

Take the best player available no matter what position. Balance it with the persons age. I would recommend staying away from older players unless you feel you could trade them if necessary.

At the beginning of the draft take the best talent and then as the draft progresses draft on need.

[Curtis]

Originally Posted by Kuttner

I find that since the best Starting Pitcher can still only play once every 4-5 games, I now take one of the best young (under 28) hitters I can find with the first pick.

Understandable. Another way to look at it is that the best hitters will be involved in 12% of their teams' plate appearances, while the best starting pitchers will be involved in 16% (modern day — more in the long ago).

[sbrylski]

Originally Posted by Kuttner

I find that since the best Starting Pitcher can still only play once every 4-5 games, I now take one of the best young (under 28) hitters I can find with the first pick.

I wouldn't use that argument.

Every 5 games:
Pitcher - 1 start, ~6 IP, 24 batters faced (given a 1.00 WHIP) + 3 AB's
Batter - 4/5 starts, ~21 PA + defensive value

About equal to me.

Take the best player available no matter what position.

Its foolish to ignore position scarcity, IMO. I like to draft up the middle (C, SS, 2B, CF, SP), unless there is a corner guy head-and-shoulders above the rest available. The difference between the best 10th best LF is not nearly as large as the difference between the best and 10th best 2B or C, for example.

[jameslacy3509]

Thanks for all the good tips...You guys have given me good ideas.

[jameslacy3509]

I did what you guys said...I drafted up the middle picking the top player in the draft (a CF)(I had first pick in serpentine draft) Then a starter every round (till I had 5 or 6). I got a great catcher 3rd. then looked at 2b and ss next...Anyhow, I simmed through a season and started out 1st in all offensive categories but was like 4th through 6th or so in all pitching categories. I finished the season 100-62 and made playoffs (2nd best record in league). My pitchers got much better and ended up 2nd overall ERA (in subleauge) 3rd in starter, and 1st in bullpen era. I was 3rd in batting avg, 1st obp, and 1st in runs....Lost 4-2 in first playoff round to a team I beat all season....Anyhow, the worst part was my financials...throughout the whole season I was -$2 mil profit and had no money for coach or player signings......After playoff appearance I had $15 mil. My financials were terrible and the only way I saw to make it better was to sell of star players for money or something, but my team was winning so much I did not want to. So the only way from where I am at now is down. Guess it was a good for only my second or third start and time to begin again. What do you guys think...I don't know any way to save my team.

[Curtis]

Find one or two sacrificial lambs, preferably the guys with the highest salary loads going forward (which likely means your best), and trade them for prospects. Use the cash this frees up to sign your remaining stars to contract extensions, and start cultivating your minor system to provide replacements as (hopefully before) your stars age.

This may not work, but give it a try. See if you can get by with only letting one guy go, then bump to two if you have to. An alternative to cutting the guy with the biggest salary commitment is to get rid of the two (not likely to be one in this case) oldest of your budget busters in the hopes that you can keep the more youthful core together longer.

Third alternative would be to keep the ones who are signed to the longest contracts and trade off the ones closest to free agency,since you likely won't be able to afford to keep them, anyway. The obvious problem with that strategy is that you're not likely to get much (if anything) in return. This works better if you do it with a newly created league shortly before the trading deadline in midseason. That way you get 2/3 of a season of work from them, but can still exchange them for cheap young players to help you next season. Maybe you could trade them for multiple draft picks, but keep in mind that if the team you're trading with would have a pick in the first half of the first round, you'll probably lose out on it. (The game will tell you that you traded for it, but still leave it with its original team.)

please write back and tell us how this worked out.

[jameslacy3509]

For some reason, went back and found I had 47 mil for signings. My center fielder (first in draft and best in league) wanted $21 mil a year for 7 years....I could not stand to lose him so I signed him and made a few other signings and trades. Bad thing was that my best pitcher retired so I replaced him with a decent free agent. I did not mess with my offense too much since I was one of the best offensive teams, or my position players, and added an extra good batter from a trade. I wanted to focus more on pitching. Injuries killed me more the second year and my batters went to crap....I did not even finish at .500....Anyways, it was my second or third time through the game....I scrapped it and am starting over. I continued before I saw the last message.

[Comedian2004]

Depends on the year the draft is held in, but generally I do well with this:

My 1st 4-5 picks are starting pitchers... this gives me an awesome starting staff. Then I pick the player with the best power, while still having a decent average. No Dave Kingmans.

I usually pick the 8 position players. If it is a DH league, I do NOT pick a DH.

I usually go with the best contact hitters, while trying to get a little more power in there and try to get a speedy guy for leadoff spot.

Then I go back and grab 3-4 top RPs. Swapping between lefties and righties. I do not get a closer, I treat all MR and CLOSERS the same and decide later who is the 'closer'.

Once I get the 1st 25 players, I usually check out the HEAD SCOUT RECOMMENDATION and also check for 'name' players. (I do historical leagues).

Then I let the computer fill the rest up.

I usually create a killer team, but lots of times my offense is sometimes a little weak, but I like those type of teams, with great pitching and weak hitting.