The big story in the 2024 LABR-NL salary cap draft may have been about the surprising bargain price on Atlanta OF Ronald Acuna Jr., as there were concerns about a right knee injury and, at the time, little clarity about how much time he would miss, if any. Then again, not everyone intended to pay even the relatively low price on Acuna, either.
That includes me. I nominated Acuna in the first round to eagerly watch someone else pay the price. The $40 tag was depressed -- perhaps $10 below expectations -- but my plan all along was to covet the middle tier of players. I rarely spend more than $25 on any player in a $260 salary cap draft. Balance works best for me rather than a "stars and scrubs" philosophy, and in in a 12-team, NL-only league with veteran, industry analysts, I set out with that plan and was able to execute it properly.
There is nobody on this roster that someone would call a definitive top-50 option in a 5x5 mixed roto format, but myriad options from the 50-150 range, and everyone should contribute something statistically. That was the goal, and it has worked well enough in this challenging format (and with this challenging crew of analysts) to finish in the top two a full five times over the last 10 seasons.
The problem, of course, is that there is nary a "top one" finish in there. Perhaps this is the year!
Behind the plate
There was a run of nominated catchers early and, due to the lack of prominent depth at the position, it seemed like a wise idea to get one of the top options. I like Phillies star J.T. Realmuto because he is terrific, but also because he is the catcher who also steals bases, and his $21 price is fine. I like Giants utility option Blake Sabol because he is eligible at catcher, should play outfield and first base as well, and he does not hurt your team in the standings. Avoid the catchers that hurt you.
Across the infield
Underrated Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker keeps hitting for power, stole double-digit bases, and fit my price range ($19) for sure. Three third basemen should provide enough power (at least 75 home runs?) in the Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, the Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez and the Rockies' Ryan McMahon (also eligible at 2B). Sure, there is some concern that each of them is trending downward, but these are rather safe power profiles. There may be little opportunity for profit in the prices, but one must build a strong base in both home runs and RBI.
Cardinals SS Masyn Winn was surely a target and I have already ignored his disappointing debut. Winn's minor league numbers show a patient hitter who makes contact, has surprising pop, and will steal bases. I thought $11 was a relative bargain, as I did for new Phillies utility man Whit Merrifield. It seems unlikely that Merrifield will play only versus left-handed pitching. He can hit 10 home runs and steal 20 bases in 400 plate appearances, which I believe he gets.
Pirates 3B Jared Triolo hit .298 in his rookie season, but with little power. He always hit for average and stole bases in the minors. Plus, he is versatile, able to play any position except catcher. Triolo may find himself in a Ben Zobrist-type utility role, and if he hits, he plays. It is a dollar upside play. Mets SS Joey Wendle is not, but he came with my last reserve draft pick, mainly as "Winn insurance" that we hope/expect is not needed.
Around the outfield
Rockies OF/1B Nolan Jones cost the most on this team, and perhaps I went a few dollars more than I planned to acquire him, but it is OK to adjust plans during an auction. Jones hit .297 as a rookie with 20 homers and 20 steals. He plays half of his games in the thin air of Denver. Few expect Jones to hit for that high an average again, as he enjoyed excellent BABIP love (.401) and the strikeout rate (29.7%) is a concern. Then again, Jones was not a Coors Field creation. His road numbers were just as good. I think Jones settles in nicely at .270, 28 homers, 18 steals.
Brewers OF Christian Yelich and Nationals OF Lane Thomas were not necessarily targets, but they combined for 47 home runs, 48 stolen bases and each scored 100 runs last season, which is my type of hitting investment. They cost a combined $39, or one dollar less than Acuna. Reasonable minds may differ, and yes, I generally want the top player in any multi-player trade, but in this case, I like rostering Yelich/Thomas over Acuna/whomever for a dollar.
Brewers OF reserve (probably) Joey Wiemer cost one dollar, coming off a rookie season with 13 home runs and 11 stolen bases. He may be a platoon player, but as you can see, I prefer players who both hit for power and can run. Top prospect Jackson Chourio is worth watching, but even if he makes the roster, Wiemer and his .815 OPS versus left-handed pitching as a rookie should earn him chances to play.
Cardinals prospect Victor Scott II sure can run, as he stole 95 bases across two minor league levels last season. He may steal 30 bases in half a season in the majors, which is fine by me. He may not have cost $6 if I had nominated him for a buck, but he was my last roster spot and I had that much to spend, so why mess around. I coveted Scott and saved funds for him. I also targeted Dodgers 2B Miguel Vargas in the post-auction draft portion to fill in for Scott early on (with Merrifield moving to OF).
In the rotation
Some (many) of my industry colleagues may enter an auction intending to spend only a specific amount of their $260 cap on pitching, generally one-third of the overall total. Be open to possibility during an auction. I tend to go heavier than most on the more predictable hitting side, and then adapt during a season with unpredictable pitching. This roster went for $80 on pitching, which is a bit high for me because of my securing two top closers.
As for the rotation, it is likely the weak link of this fantasy team. RHPs Merrill Kelly and Mitch Keller are durable, strikeout, innings eaters, but I was loathe to pay for the top aces and then bowed out of the bidding on Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (who is now hurt) and Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (hurt last year). I needed a third option but chose not to spend on RHP Charlie Morton and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, which I immediately regretted. LHPs Ranger Suarez and Aaron Ashby (major strikeout potential) and RHP Taijuan Walker could be safe. RHP Adrian Houser may not be. This team does not figure to win ERA and WHIP, but it does not need to if the offense clicks, and we get pitching wins and strikeouts.
Out in the bullpen
The goal was to secure only one closer, but there was a run of nominated options early on and when the price on Giants RHP Camilo Doval stalled below market, I yelled out $16 to get him. Mere minutes earlier, I added Reds RHP Alexis Diaz at $15. Each seemed a few bucks below others in their presumptive tier. I will warn fantasy managers that when one leaves an auction with an abundance of any statistic presuming that one will be able to trade excess, it does not always work out. I should fare well in saves, especially if Phillies rookie Orion Kerkering provides some.
Rounding out the bench
In this league, those chosen in the reserve round are the only players on a "bench" with the option to be promoted and demoted. If Houser or Walker struggle, they cannot be benched. Only those on the IL or the minors can come off the active roster while remaining on the roster. Dodgers RHP Gavin Stone still possesses solid upside, despite his 2023 struggles. Securing him after the auction provides more possibilities in case he struggles again. Cubs RHP Javier Assad should pitch well, regardless of role. Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi may start. Dodgers rookie RHP Kyle Hurt may do just about anything.
Eric's 2024 LABR-NL roster
Catchers: J.T. Realmuto ($21), Blake Sabol ($2)
Infielders: Christian Walker ($19), Whit Merrifield ($11), Masyn Winn ($11), Nolan Arenado ($20), Eugenio Suarez ($13), Ryan McMahon ($13), Jared Triolo ($1)
Outfielders: Nolan Jones ($24), Christian Yelich ($22), Lane Thomas ($17), Victor Scott II ($6), Joey Wiemer ($1)
Starting pitchers: Merrill Kelly ($15), Mitch Keller ($10), Ranger Suarez ($6), Aaron Ashby ($6), Adrian Houser ($3), Taijuan Walker ($3)
Relief pitchers: Camilo Doval ($16), Alexis Diaz ($15), Orion Kerkering ($6)
Reserve: Gavin Stone, Javier Assad, Kyle Hurt, Joey Lucchesi, Miguel Vargas, Joey Wendle
Note: To see all LABR-NL rosters, head here.