Q: Edgar Renteria is on my DL, but when he returns, I'll have to drop one of the following:
Ibanez, Gallardo, R. Soriano, J. Vazquez
I have Tulowitzki and J. Reyes as my SS and i prefer keeping my SPs since my pitching staff hasn't been so solid. Should I drop Ibanez? I have A. Soriano, Sizemore, Dye, Byrnes, Granderson with 4 OF spots and 2 UTIL.

A: Renteria should return when he’s eligibly on Sept. 7, so you’ll still have to wait a few days before he comes off. If you really want to activate him, Gallardo would probably be the easiest to let go, but if you need help with pitching, don’t bother. If Renteria was able to exaggerate his ankle injury by swinging the bat, I’d still be hesitant on how good it’ll feel this time around and if it’s still a cause for concern. You obviously don’t need help at shortstop and your outfield is pretty solid as is. If you can, you can always try to trade Renteria to get something in return or just leave him on your DL so no one else can snatch him up.

Q: It's our first year doing keepers in an auction league and keepers (keep 3 at $5 salary inflation per year, choice of a 1,2 or 3 year contract).  I'm looking for a guide that might rank keepers and any analysis on how to predict values next year (assuming some key players will be held, i assume the price of elite players will go up).  Ultimately I'm trying to figure  out whether to keep the elite players at high rates, the best "values", how to anticipate scarcity, etc.

A: Depending on how deep your league is might affect your strategy. However, as with any draft - keeper or otherwise - you want to have the best players on your team. Don’t sacrifice your team’s potential because you feel you need to save a few bucks. Remember, the reason why top draft picks go at the top is because the players aren’t only good, but they are also dependable. You need to have that kind of steady production on your team so keep your best players and hope you can get some bargains if need be come draft day.

Q: In standard 5x5 keeper league, add $3 for each player kept.
I give Cano, Oliver Perez and Homer Bailey for Utley and Jonathon Papelbon.
I need the HRs and Saves. Is this a good trade?

A: If you need to have saves, you need saves. Between Cano and Utley, you’re basically getting a wash. Utley has hit over .400 since coming off the DL and could offer just as much or more power than Cano. Plus, you’re getting whatever saves Papelbon might offer.
One thing to consider is this: at this point of the season it’s hard to come back in some categories. Unless you know you can get a few more points by moving up a spot or two in saves, there’s no point in the trade.

Q: I’m in a 12 team 5x5 standard keeper league. I have a ton of SBs and need to deal one of my speedsters for a big bat.
I have Carl Crawford, Shane Victorino and Ichiro.
Who can I expect to get for one of these three?

A: It really depends on what kind of big bat you’re looking for. I’d say hold onto Ichiro because the Mariners are fighting for the playoffs right now and you know that they’ll be trying to create as many runs as possible in every game and Ichiro will be playing hard. If you want a guaranteed big hitter, Carl Crawford will be your best bet. He’s a quality name that people will want to have and you should be able to get a top-tier outfielder or first baseman in return.

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