12 team standard 5x5 roto keeper league, $300 cap, add $3 per keeper

I'm tied for first, W, K, HR, RBI are neck and neck. I can make up ground with SBs, but they're hard to predict. It's a stretch but 10 more SB would be 3 more points for me.

I have Halladay, Lackey, Hamels, Cain, Sabathia, Perez and Maine as SPs. I will probably have to put one of Hamels or Cain in the deal.

Anyway, here are some possible offers involving ARod:

1) I give ARod $55, DLee $26 and Hamels $10 and I get Berkman $41, Beltran $35 and Lincecum $4

2)I give ARod $55, DLee $26 and Hamels $10 and I get Soriano $52, Rios $13 (or Ludwick $1) and Harden $16 --- this owner is very difficult to deal with, but I think he might take this because he likes ARod. Will Rios or Ludwick perform better down the stretch?

3)I give ARod $55, DLee $26 and Hamels $10 and I get Pujols $43, C Pena $4 and Dempster $4 ---- this owner is more difficult than the owner in deal #2

Deal number 2 is the only one that nets you plus in steals and it's pretty fair. Which is to say it's not necessarily in your favor. If steals mean that much, you go for Soriano, Rios and Harden and hope they steal. This move is way riskier for you than for the other guy and I wouldn't do it, but it could net you more steals than you're giving away. Though Lee and Arod could steal 75% of what Soriano and Rios might in September... Ugh, I think I just talked myself out of deal #2 as well. I'd hold tight.

BTW, Ludwick would be a bargain for $4, but he's not getting you steals.

here's what i'm up against. i'll give you my lineup and the 1st place team:

my team - c-b molina, 1b-howard, 2b-cano, 3b-ian stewart, ss-hardy, 4 of-braun, hamilton, taveras, winn/span, dh-arod....4 sp - sabathia, lackey, halladay, hamels/cain, 2 rp - nathan, wood

other team - c-martin, 1b-teix, 2b - alexei ramirez, 3b-wright, ss-reyes, 4 of-holliday, vlad, markakis, sizemore, dh-ortiz, 4 sp - cliff lee, nolasco, santana, sheets (verlander and burnett too), 2 rp - krod, mo rivera

he and i are competing in RBI, W, K and Saves. these are the cats i need to focus on, but at the same time if i can get some extra steals to sneak a few points that be great too.

what if i changed the #2 deal to me giving arod, dlee and cain for soriano, ludwick and harden?

Eh, I'd still hold tight.

dunno, i also think once the yanks fall out of the contention arod focuses on his divorce more than baseball. i hate dealing him but at his price i keep him maybe one more year and that's it. another problem is i think hamilton may be out of gas. i hate dealing him at such a cheap price. i guess i have a few questions

1-will arod be above average or godly the rest of the way?
2-can ludwick repeat in the years to come or is this a 1 year fluke?
3-is hamilton a fluke?
4-will maybin be called up and make an impact? if so my SB problem will be solved.

i figure if i can score some SBs in the deals i listed, i might be able to swing another deal for a base stealer. just trying to win it all being so close.

what about this- i give ARod $55, DLee $26, Cain $10 and Cano $10 for Soriano $52, Ludwick $4, Harden $16 and Kinsler $10

i know adding Kinsler doesn't help this year, but it definitely makes the deal better for next year.

1. Could be and I like his chances a lot more than Soriano.
2. Ludwick's an old prospect and I wouldn't count on him being the same player next year.
3. No, but he does run out of gas in the 2nd half of the year.
4. I wouldn't count on it.

Arod could be a monster in September. He might even play better when the Yanks are out of it. God knows there's history of that.

Soriano may take a days off when the Cubs clinch. They may insist he doesn't steal a base when they clinch. They will clinch fairly early. This is a real problem for you if you get Soriano.