Front Office Football Central - View Single Post

Alan T · 08-25-2009, 05:33 PM

I think your rating of a great all around fielding Shortstop that can also hit well is different then mine.

Obviously Pitching in FOOL is king, those with 1 or 2 stud pitchers have an easier time winning than those without. Pitching is usually not always available in free agency or trades however (at least not the pitching that is good enough to matter.) What is usually available is some form of hitting at most positions, as is good fielding/good hitting players. Those who can both hit and field (at important positions fielding wise) are like #2 on the most important thing list behind pitching.

As a comparison, while I was babysitting Chico for buckinbranco while he was away, I signed Dave Long to a contract pretty similar to Luke Crawford's contract. Long is a better fielder in my opinion than Crawford was but Crawford was by far a better hitter.

So why did I offer Long close to $11mil a year? Because you can't find players who have >100 fielding at all infield positions and all >100 fielding ratings who is not a liability at the bat that often. When you do, I feel they are nearly as important as good pitching. They can make mediocre pitching that much better.

In hindsight, with Crawford, Long Island never made the playoffs.. but that was not Crawford's fault. I think paying 1/6th of the salary cap for that position is perfectly fine if you get the player to fit in there.

I guess if you want to look at it through a cost/value perspective, I would probably break up my salary cap (of $65mil) somehow like this: $20-25mil for two stud pitchers (if you can even find one). $15-20 mil for an outstanding middle infield, $10mil for a stud centerfielder (5-tool player) and then try to find bargains everywhere else.

If you can bring up a young player at CF or SS or 2B that meets your needs, you have that much more to spend in other places. There just always seems to be 1B and Corner outfielders available as well as even relief pitching. Obviously though you don't spend $10mil on a mediocre shortstop just to spend $10 mil on one however.

Anyways, I'm babbling now, I just didn't think that was actually a bad move. If I was going to criticize Anthony's on the field moves, I would have said he overpaid for over the hill pitchers and paid too much for free agent outfielders that were decent but could have been gotten for much cheaper. That limited what complementary pieces that he could bring in.

08-25-2009, 05:33 PM	#45
Alan T Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mass.	I think your rating of a great all around fielding Shortstop that can also hit well is different then mine. Obviously Pitching in FOOL is king, those with 1 or 2 stud pitchers have an easier time winning than those without. Pitching is usually not always available in free agency or trades however (at least not the pitching that is good enough to matter.) What is usually available is some form of hitting at most positions, as is good fielding/good hitting players. Those who can both hit and field (at important positions fielding wise) are like #2 on the most important thing list behind pitching. As a comparison, while I was babysitting Chico for buckinbranco while he was away, I signed Dave Long to a contract pretty similar to Luke Crawford's contract. Long is a better fielder in my opinion than Crawford was but Crawford was by far a better hitter. So why did I offer Long close to $11mil a year? Because you can't find players who have >100 fielding at all infield positions and all >100 fielding ratings who is not a liability at the bat that often. When you do, I feel they are nearly as important as good pitching. They can make mediocre pitching that much better. In hindsight, with Crawford, Long Island never made the playoffs.. but that was not Crawford's fault. I think paying 1/6th of the salary cap for that position is perfectly fine if you get the player to fit in there. I guess if you want to look at it through a cost/value perspective, I would probably break up my salary cap (of $65mil) somehow like this: $20-25mil for two stud pitchers (if you can even find one). $15-20 mil for an outstanding middle infield, $10mil for a stud centerfielder (5-tool player) and then try to find bargains everywhere else. If you can bring up a young player at CF or SS or 2B that meets your needs, you have that much more to spend in other places. There just always seems to be 1B and Corner outfielders available as well as even relief pitching. Obviously though you don't spend $10mil on a mediocre shortstop just to spend $10 mil on one however. Anyways, I'm babbling now, I just didn't think that was actually a bad move. If I was going to criticize Anthony's on the field moves, I would have said he overpaid for over the hill pitchers and paid too much for free agent outfielders that were decent but could have been gotten for much cheaper. That limited what complementary pieces that he could bring in. __________________ Couch to ??k - From the couch to a Marathon in roughly 18 months.