LABR FAAB Report: Week of April 2

Welcome to the League of Alternative Reality (LABR) FAAB report, on its new home at creativesports 2.0. I’ll be dropping by every Monday, sharing the results of Sunday night’s FAAB run, with commentary from American League competitor Lawr Michaels, National League site representative Brian Walton and yours truly, battling in the Mixed Draft League.

The American League only and National League only formats are 12-team contests using standard 5×5 scoring rules. There’s an old-school flavor as players purchased in the auction cannot be freely bounced from the active to reserve roster. A player purchased in the auction can be placed on the disabled list if he’s on the MLB DL. However, he can’t be reserved then replaced by a player won with FAAB; he must be released. A auction-purchased player may also moved to reserves if subsequently sent down to the minors.

The 15-team Mixed LABR league allows free movement between active and six-man reserve.

In all three leagues, a player acquired via FAAB must be immediately inserted into the team’s active lineup.

Each LABR squad starts with 100 FAAB units, with a minimum bid of $1. Owners can ask for a FAAB rebate upon releasing a player on the DL.

Each week’s report will display the winning bids along with listing all contingency and failed bids so you get a feel for the level of interest in each player.

After the tables showing the successful and unsuccessful bids, Lawr, Brian and I will offer some commentary for our respective leagues. I’ll share additional thoughts for each league.

The heading for each league doubles as a publicly accessible link so you can check the standings, roster and complete list of transactions.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Lawr Michaels’ Commentary

As the AL LABRites teams play standings leapfrog over the first weeks of the season, half the dozen league owners made FAAB lineup tweaks while six owners determined no free agent help was appropriate this cycle.

Topping the financial festivities was Yankees first sacker for now, Tyler Austin, who went to Jeff Erickson (RotoWire) for $13, besting four bids ranging from $1-5. Jeff also made a sneaky smart pick up with Carlos Tocci, of the Rangers, a speedy Rule 5 selection who logically will stick with the roster for all of 2018.

Oddly, my purchase of Drew Butera ($6) was the second highest expenditure, and though Butera is both older, and not the stick of the injured Salvador Perez, but, he should get some at-bats as I stream backstops (Butera replaced the injured Josh Phegley for now). I also grabbed a couple of fliers in Doug Fister ($2) and Jake Smolinski ($2) whom Oakland would really like to be their everyday centerfielder.

Ray Flowers tried to buoy his squad, adding Kevin Jepsen for a buck, while Eno Sarris bagged a cluster of cheap games, starting with Ichiro Suzuki ($2), Tyler Naquin ($2), Justin Grimm ($1), and Rob Refsnyder ($1), making the Fangraphs team the most active of the week.

Finishing off the bottom bid feeders, Glenn Colton and Rick Wolf took a chance on Brian Johnson, and Larry Schechter dropped a similar winning dollar to land Toronto hurler Ryan Tepera.

Todd’s Take

I’ll side with Team Dustin Fowler for the Athletics’ eventual center fielder, though Smolinski always finds his way into the lineup.

Starting pitchers were down on the wish list of the combatants this week, but if there’s still time, check out Brian Johnson, who draws a Miami Marlins squad in the Aquarium, aka Marlins Park. The Fish did some work against the Cubs over the weekend, but they’re still a below average lineup.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Brian Walton’s Commentary

In the second waiver period of 2018 in National League LABR, three free agents were acquired for greater than the $1 minimum.

Leading the way is first-series phenom Ryan Flaherty of the Braves. Unfortunately for his $6, new owner Lenny Melnick will not receive any of the second baseman’s 7-for-13 start to the season. There is nothing in the pedigree of the 31-year old long-time Orioles reserve – who has a career batting average of .219 – to suggest that .571 is anything other than a blip on the radar. Still, with little to choose from on the waiver wire, bidding was spirited, with Melnick needed every dollar to get his man.

Quietly, Garrett Cooper had a nice, though brief introduction with the Yankees last season and the first baseman-outfielder should receive decent reserve at-bats for the Marlins in 2018. The 27-year old went to Jeff Erickson of RotoWire on an uncontested $3 bid. In hindsight, I should have grabbed Cooper last week over his teammate Tomas Telis, who I had hoped would become catcher-eligible in J.T. Realmuto’s absence. Chad Wallach and Bryan Holaday screwed up that plan, or should I blame Don Mattingly? Or Derek Jeter? Or myself?

If it seems like Tommy LaStella has been around for a while now, the feeling is warranted. The infield reserve is entering his fourth partial year as a member of the Cubs. Despite a career .265 average, the 29-year old has never received more than 148 at-bats in a season with Chicago. The left-handed hitter went 2-for-4, including a double in the first series and joined the roster of Steve Gardner of USA TODAY Sports for an uncontested $2.

I needed a pitcher to replace last week’s waiver wire addition of Miami’s Elieser Hernandez, who has yet to make his first start after requiring emergency dental surgery just before Opening Day. That has to be a first! After drawing zeros this week, he became my sixth player on the DL in this young season. Rather than chase more marginal starters, I grabbed dependable reliever Brandon Kintzler of Washington for a buck.

In terms of early FAAB management strategy, Melnick at $84 remaining is among three owners with $90 or less remaining. At the other end of the spectrum, three owners have yet to make a move through two weeks, holding their full $100 stipend. Either it was very fortunate drafting a month early or it is a higher priority for the trio to conserve cash for a mid-season roster boost after a big trade into the NL.

Todd’s Take

i remain intrigued by Garrett Cooper. Hitting has never been his roadblock; finding an open defensive spot is. Though, since his glove is best suited for either of the corner infield or outfield spots, his thump isn’t enough to force a team’s hand. Still, the Marlins may as well see if there’s anything there, making Cooper a nice option in deep leagues. He’ll pick up OF eligibility soon enough and could even gain legality at the hot corner down the line.

MIXED LEAGUE

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

UNAWARDED BIDS

Todd Zola’s Commentary

Hunter Strickland was the giant catch this week, and for good reason. Despite being passed over in the past when San Fran needed a closer, they appear to be ready to hand them the ball in Mark Melancon’s absence. The skills are there, he just needs to display some consistency. The Giants hope Melancon returns soon, but I see some Huston Street here, expecting injuries to  be a frequent occurrence in between stretched of marginal success.

Kenyan Middleton was also picked up for saves, and he might be the Angles ninth inning answer. But, remember, the question is being asked to Mike Scioscia so the answer is usually multiple choice, with Cam Bedrosian, Jim Johnson and incumbent Blake Parker in the mix as well. I’m not giving up on Parker. He has the best skills and one poor outing early shouldn’t cost his job.

Todd’s Take

It was a quiet week for me. As opposed to last season, I’ve avoided early injuries, even with a February draft. I know this won’t last, but I still didn’t see anyone available good enough to upgrade my reserves. it helps three flyers I took landed jobs (Tyler Mahle, Neil Walker and Greg Holland).