Closer Dilemma/injuries

General Manager Joined: Feb 24, 2004 Posts: 203

Alright so I have Benitez and Gagne. Benitez was the first to go, and he's taking up the DL spot. I also have Julio Lugo taking up a roster spot. Now Gagne is gone for 2 months and I'm feeling like having two guys taking up bench spots will be a strain (not including the one DL spot). I'm completely backed up -- I grabbed Baez on the first day as backup and Worrell as soon as Benitez got injured -- but its an 11 team league so there's talent in the free agent pool. My instinct would be to swap Gagne to the DL spot and to possibly drop benitez, but I have no idea how long he'll be out and can't seem to find any info on it. I don't want to drop a good closer who will come back in a month. Any ideas? Should I just wait them all out? Here's my team right now:

C Johjima
1B Sexson
2B Roberts
SS Guillen
3B A. Ramirez
OF M. Ramirez
OF Figgins
OF Matsui
UT Lane
UT A. Boone
BN S. Green
BN J. Lugo (DL)

SP R Johnson
SP Smoltz
SP Duke
SP Contreras
SP R Dempster
RP Worrell
RP Baez
BN Lieber
BN Chacon
BN Gagne (DL)
DL Benitez

thanks a lot!!

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 3:14 pm

Dont Drop lugo! You could drop boone or Lugo.. Pick gagne up and take them back if u want.. i dont think anyone would wnat them

Manager Joined: Jan 08, 2005 Posts: 115

if this is a H2H league, no worries at all; you need to just make the playoffs and be the strongest at the end of the year.
either way, i would drop boone and/or chacon to pick up the good guys who are FAs before dropping benitez. he isn't that good, but being a closer makes him valuable. the other two aren't good or valuable.

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 8:59 pm

I have read the Armando Benitez will be back April 17th when he is eligible to come off the DL. I would also drop Chacon if there are some gems on the waiver wire with it being an 11 team league.

"IMO" I don't think that Eric Gagne will be back anytime soon and when he does come back I don't expect anything special. I guess I have just personally given up on him.

I'm Ya Pushaa...

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:54 pm

I could end up regretting all the support I've given Eric Gagne come the second half, but he's shown no signs of serious decline in his stuff and he has pitched infrequently over this injury period. If it's truly only pain and issues caused from scar tissue from the first surgery with no real structural damage, one has to believe he still has gas in his tank.

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:14 pm

There was a decline in his stuff , a slower fastball by 4 or 5 MPH. His operation is to remove the nerve that had been repositioned during a 2005 surgery. This is his second surgery in less than a year and some in baseball think he may miss the entire season. Others believe he will just be sidelined until June. Even if he does come back he will not have the stuff he once had , at least this year. I just think that this is going to be yet another unproductive year for him and whose to say he doesn't go under the knife again if he does make it back this season after some stress on his arm. To much of a risk for me personally.

I'm Ya Pushaa...

General Manager Joined: Feb 24, 2004 Posts: 203

Thanks for all the advice. I'm thinking right now of just waiting it out -- as I'm not feeling the strain yet and there's no one I really want to pick up immediately. It looks like Benitez will be back soon, so I can drop Worrell and DL Gagne and wait out Lugo. Mostly I was concerned about the lack of timetable for Benitez, but its looking good now.