Cold Hrd Look- "Team Construction"

[Schwks]

Everyone keeps mentioning how Quahogs are master at team construction. I had no bloody idea what that meant. Not even knowing what the term meant, how could I compete in constructing a team for 2011.



I already did a look at Q's "A" team when he was in secvond place or thereabouts in August. But reviewing and re-reviewing that draft, it did not teach me much, other than the fact that he had some real nice picks, managed his money and free agency well.



Fortunately this year, the NFBC's two date policy allows me to view two of Q's drafts, to really see where he was trying to go, and what his strategies are, when competing in the main event.



For simplicity, I will call his winning team his A team and the other team, that finished @50th his B team.



I believe that Q picked at, or near, the 12th spot in each draft:



A B

1. Howard Kemp

2. Holliday Tulo

3 Jeter Zobrist

4 Cruz Greinke

5 Ubaldo Butler

6 Butler J Johnson

7 Cain J Lopez

8 Rios Rios

9 Asd Cabrera M Montero

10 K ROd Beltre



First , I dont read too much into where he took his first pitcher. Looks like in his A draft, SPs were flying off the board early and often and Q decided to zag.



In both drafts Q had 2 sps taken in the top 10 rounds. In the A team, he had Ubaldo and Cain at 5 and 7. On his B team , he had Greinke and JJ at 4 and 6.



In both drafts he worked hard on his IF in the first ten rounds. On his A team he had Jeter, A Cabrera, Butler and Howard (nicely balanced between speed and power...two lead off guys and two thumpers)with a plus combined avg. On his B team he had Tulo, Zobrist, Butler, J Lopez, Beltre and Montero...basically an entire infield save a CI. Again there was a nice combo of avg speed and power.



On the A team, reasonable projections pre 2010 would have the A team with 150 hr and 100 sb with plus avg after 10 rds, perhaps a bit light in RBI, but solid in runs.



On the B team he could have projected 155 hrs and 105 sbs with a plus avg but maybe slightly weaker in runs.

On his A team, Q drafted 3 OFs Holliday, Cruz and Rios and on the B team he drafted 2: Rios and Kemp.



In total, if you looked at reasonable projections going into 2010 season, Q had maintained a plus avg with solid speed and solid power on both teams. Additionally, the infields, which has less overall inventory, were largely filled on both teams





11 DLR Lidge

12 Prado Street

13 Lidge Escobar

14 Rasmus Rasmus

15 Price Porcello

16 Glaus Happ

17 Milledge C Perez

18 Happ Gardner

19 Francoer J Drew

20 Posednik Headley



In the second third of Q's drafts, you see where he worked his closers. On his A team he went 10 KROd, 13 Lidge. On his B team He went 11 Lidge and 12 Street 17 C Perez. It appears that q feels most comfortable getting a solid middle of the road closer and a second guy by the first 14 rounds or so and avoid too much fishing later on. He also did not speculate late on closers in waiting.



What becomes eminently clear is Q's confidence in his abilities to nail SPs late or on FA wire. By end of 20 rounds he had 5 sps on A team Ubaldo Cain DLR Price and Happ and only 4 on his B team Porcello, Happ, JJ and Greinke



With an avg of 7 sps needed each week, Q must know he can work this out more easily then other spots, which he did. Of course on his A team it helped that he hit on SPS 1-4.



Position players onthe A team were Prado, Rasmus Glaus Milledge Francour and Pods. Again an even balance of power, speed and runs



On the B team, Q was feeling naked without his MI filled and he took Yunel at 13. With Gardner, Yunel, Rasmus, Headley and Drew there is almost a balance between power, speed without any avg killers.



On the A team, Q has avoided catchers in top 20 rds, maybe something he saw in first weekend of drafting.



21 H Bailey S Rodriguez

22 Col Lewis Crisp

23 Olivo Zito

24 SSmith Olivo

25 Padilla Feldman

26 Towles Medlen

27 Gwynn CJ Wilson

28 Medlen Maholm

29 Aviles Bautista

30 Harrison Harrison



It is clear that Q thought that he had an answer relatively late, for some good C abs in Olivo. As such he was able to add to the remainder of the cores while knowing he could get Olivo at little or no cost.



In both drafts, Q exhibited how his confidence in his SP savy was warranted. On his A team, he got Bailey, Padilla, Medlen and most significantly, Lewis. All four would have been contributors for at least stretches, if they were kept.



Similarly on his B team, Q nailed the other Texas surprise, CJ Wilson.



So what is team construction. Clearly Q has a pattern, or relative pattern about what positions he likes filled. He also has definitive ideas of guys available late that are going to contribute.



But those are not necessarily team construction issues. What I see, is an attempt to modestly build power ad speed, while maintaining avg. WHen I say modestly, it means that there is no attempt to go to guys like C Pena for power or Bourn for speed. It is getting guys to chip in in all categories, while huritng none, all while filling the hard to fill spots.



In my opinion, Q saw that taking Montero in 9th was a detraction from the balance and overall building process, after he drafted in weekend 1 and reviewed his draft.



Q liked a few guys: Butler, Rios, Olivo, Rasmus: all guys who relative to their positional and draft round piers, would provide at least modest protection to as many categories as possible.



SO when I read about "team construction" I will associate that with team balnce.