Continuing yesterday's thread

This topic really gets the juices flowing, probably because not many publications or web sites deal with auction inflation.

An anonymous poster wrote in response to yesterday's post:

I am in a similar situation in an 13 team NL only league. I have Pujols (48 acquired in trade last year), Soriano 36. Mike Jacobs, Murton, Ethier and Luke Scott all 10 and Barrett at 8. Pitchers - John Patterson 10, Howry 6 and Wheeler 5. Inflation looks to be about 25%. Any suggestions?

It's always easier to look at a freeze list when broken out by position:

C Barrett 8
1B Pujols 48
OF Soriano 36
OF Murton 10
OF Ethier 10
OF Scott 10
CO Jacobs 10
SP Patterson 10
MR Howry 6
MR Wheeler 5

Assuming a $260/23 man roster, you have $153 for 10 slots. You're also loaded up at corner and outfield.

Eyeballing your roster, I'd say you have about $161 of value on this team. Assuming 25% inflation, that leaves you with a $247 team if you stay at par with inflation.

My suggestions are as follows:

1) I'd consider dropping Murton, Howry and Wheeler. I like Matt Murton a lot, but Pinella sounds committed to playing the veterans. Keeping a guy at $10 who might get only 300 AB is probably going to be a waste.

2) Howry and Wheeler are solid, but middle relievers tend to ebb and flow. I don't know your league, but I think you could get both for around the same price if you threw them back.

3) You are correct that you should try to trade for a middle infielder (or maybe a pitcher) using your strength in the OF. I've made the mistake of keeping 5 OF and then regretting it later when bargains flew off the board in the middle to late rounds. You can only draft two OF maximum, so try to move Murton, if possible, or one of Ethier or Scott if you can't do that. Try to find a team already packing it in for this year...both Scott and Ethier will appeal to someone already looking to build for the future.

Hope this helps.