Dreaded fantasy baseball question

[TheWizard]

I know a lot of you guys hate talking about fantasy baseball, so I apologize, but I want opinions.  I've been playing in a keeper league for several years now, and Berkman and Oswalt have been bookends of a pretty good run. We keep 5 guys a year, and this year I have Berkman, Pujols (I Know) and Ichiro penciled in as keepers. 

So the question: I have 3 pitchers I think are worth keeping: Oswalt, Hamels, and Haren.  Am I being blinded by Astros allegiance here?  I'm seriously considering keeping Hamels and Haren this year, and setting Oswalt loose. Which of those 3 pitchers would most of you fantasy baseball managers keep?

[BudGirl]

I know a lot of you guys hate talking about fantasy baseball, so I apologize, but I want opinions.  I've been playing in a keeper league for several years now, and Berkman and Oswalt have been bookends of a pretty good run. We keep 5 guys a year, and this year I have Berkman, Pujols (I Know) and Ichiro penciled in as keepers. 

So the question: I have 3 pitchers I think are worth keeping: Oswalt, Hamels, and Haren.  Am I being blinded by Astros allegiance here?  I'm seriously considering keeping Hamels and Haren this year, and setting Oswalt loose. Which of those 3 pitchers would most of you fantasy baseball managers keep?

I'd keep Oswalt.  Then probabaly Haren then Hamels, but that could be easy for me to switch.  I haven't looked at their numbers.

[Andyzipp]

Depends on scoring in your league.  Oswalt's K rates are trending down, but if he was valuable last year, at his worst, I'd keep him, as I expect a rebound type of year.

[TheWizard]

Depends on scoring in your league.  Oswalt's K rates are trending down, but if he was valuable last year, at his worst, I'd keep him, as I expect a rebound type of year.

Roto style. Pitchers' categories are Ws, ERA, Ks, QS, WHIP, and HRA (saves too, but those don't apply for these guys).  The Ks and HRA are what worry me, and more than likely his W total will be below those other two guys this year.  But you could say Hamels also has a high HRA total.  Its a tough call for me... I'm struggling with it.

[Bench]

Roto style. Pitchers' categories are Ws, ERA, Ks, QS, WHIP, and HRA (saves too, but those don't apply for these guys).  The Ks and HRA are what worry me, and more than likely his W total will be below those other two guys this year.  But you could say Hamels also has a high HRA total.  Its a tough call for me... I'm struggling with it.

What is HRA?

[BizidyDizidy]

Home runs against?

[TheWizard]

What is HRA?

Yeah, sorry for all the abbreviations.  HRA = home runs allowed, QS=quality starts.

[MusicMan]

Roto style. Pitchers' categories are Ws, ERA, Ks, QS, WHIP, and HRA (saves too, but those don't apply for these guys).  The Ks and HRA are what worry me, and more than likely his W total will be below those other two guys this year.  But you could say Hamels also has a high HRA total.  Its a tough call for me... I'm struggling with it.

With those categories, Haren's a clear #3.  I'd trust Roy as Hamels is a little more inconsistent and may not deliver the QS and HRA, but you're right that Roy will still slide on Ks.

[Trey]

drop Ichiro.  Of course, I have only finished in the top half of my fantasy league once.

[Outlawscotty]

I'm looking for 2~4 team owners in a private H2H league (ESPN, free).  Send me a PM if interested.  Draft will be auto-draft on Saturday early AM.

[moriartp]

drop Ichiro.  Of course, I have only finished in the top half of my fantasy league once.

I'm inclined to agree with this statement. I love Ichiro as a ballplayer, but I think he's overrated in fantasy. You can do a lot better for where he's usually drafted (I say this having had him on my team the past two years).

[TheWizard]

I'm inclined to agree with this statement. I love Ichiro as a ballplayer, but I think he's overrated in fantasy. You can do a lot better for where he's usually drafted (I say this having had him on my team the past two years).

Eh, I'm a fan of his fantasy production.  Hits, not the highest OPS but a consistent OPS because he gets a lot of extra base hits in that giant ballpark, good amount of steals, and runs assuming his team isn't complete garbage because he's on base so much.  He's so damned consistent, which I really appreciate in fantasy.. I've had him on my team for a few years now and I've been happy with him.  With a 5 keeper system, IMO, he warrants sticking around.

[DVauthrin]

berkman, pujols, hamels and ichiro are your locks.   personally haren put up better numbers than roy, but i can understand keeping your favorite player when he is solid.

[Hornstros]

I think you have to keep Hamels.  I would pick Haren over Oswalt to keep.   Haren is younger, has better strikeout numbers, and plays on a team where IMO he is more capable of getting W's. 

Another thing to think about is who you're playing with in this league and as a result what are your chances of landing Oswalt in the draft the following year.   If you're playing with a bunch of guys from Houston, then the idea of drafting Oswalt before someone else does probably isn't that good.   However, if you're in a league where there's guys scattered all over the place, then the majority of the managers may not have the man love for Oswalt that Stros fans do....and you just might be able to get him in the draft while keeping the other 5 players

[TheWizard]

I think you have to keep Hamels.  I would pick Haren over Oswalt to keep.   Haren is younger, has better strikeout numbers, and plays on a team where IMO he is more capable of getting W's. 

Another thing to think about is who you're playing with in this league and as a result what are your chances of landing Oswalt in the draft the following year.   If you're playing with a bunch of guys from Houston, then the idea of drafting Oswalt before someone else does probably isn't that good.   However, if you're in a league where there's guys scattered all over the place, then the majority of the managers may not have the man love for Oswalt that Stros fans do....and you just might be able to get him in the draft while keeping the other 5 players

That's one thing I forgot to mention, I'm playing with guys from mainly Cali and Florida... I'm hoping I can land Oswalt in that first round if I cut him loose.  Its actually what I did with Haren last year.. kept Oswalt and cut Haren loose, hoping I'd get him in the first round - and it worked. Now I think I may do the same thing with Oswalt.

[BudGirl]

I assume they know you are an Astros fan?  If so, they may wonder if something is "wrong" with Oswalt and leave him alone.

[TheWizard]

I assume they know you are an Astros fan?  If so, they may wonder if something is "wrong" with Oswalt and leave him alone.

Yeah, they all know, I'm the only Astros fan in the league.  Unfortunately, our commish wrote a two paragraph league note about how great my Haren strategy worked last year.. I hope they have short memories.

[MusicMan]

Hope is not a strategy.

[Taras Bulba]

Keep Oswalt.  Jerk off whenever possible.  These are rules to live by.