If given the chance, how would you build a team?

[Fishercat]

Suppose, in some dream situation, you were hired as a GM of a new league parallel to the MLB in every single way: Salary structure, talent, etc. You took over a team where the owner is normal and is willing to give you 70m to spend on team salary. And support every single player is available at set prices.

How would you build the team in an archetype form? I don't mean which players would you take (although you are free to add). How would you spread it out? Would the rotation get a lot of the money? Or would a lot of your funds go toward the heart of the order? Players in the middle (C/MI/CF) or towards the pen? What positions do you think are most important to team success and should have a premimum amount of money spent upon?

[Steak]

Pitching is the integral part of building a team. You win with pitching.

[Fishercat]

Starting pitching? Relief Pitching? A little in each?

[redsrbetter]

I would go after strong pitching, contact hitting, and speed. Get guys that are underrated and build a strong balanced all around team. Team defense would be a huge plus as well.

Brett Myers - $445,000 would be a great choice for a great pitcher that could come cheap. Guys like this would be of great value to a team, even though once traded for or taken from FA, they will demand a higher contract. So decisions could really change.

My franchise player would probably be Albert Pujols.
My ace could be Johan Santana with Myers behind him. Could make a beautiful 1-2 punch.
I would want a strong closer like Francisco Rodriguez.
I like Alex Gonzales for SS.
My power hitter would be Dunn.
And I would want Ryan Freel to be my 2B and leadoff hitter. (lookout for this guy).

Thats my thoughts and a good looking nucleus I think.

[Steak]

You invest more in starting pitching and then use the money on relief.

[General]

I'd go for defense; defense does win championships. Furcal, Aramis Ramirez, Laroache, Victor Martinez and Todd Walker would be my infield. In the outfield, I'd have Andruw Jones, my big bat on the team would be Vlad in right, and Mondesi in left.
My ideal rotation would consist of Smoltz, Hampton, Brad Penny, Kyle Davies and Chien Min Wang at the back end. Ryan Dempster would be the set up man, K-Rod the closer, and Jorge Sosa (spot starter), Yhency Brazoban, Flash Gordon and Billy Koch would come outta the pen, I'd also want a super-utility man, like Chone Figgins.

[love_that_reefer]

I would have a good balance of veterans and young guys. An ace and a closer would be the more important pitching moves I would make. A nice veteran catcher would be good. Speed in my outfield would be key because I don't want to see a ball drop.

My Dream Team based on a realistic salary cap:
1b-Prince Fielder
2b-Mark Loretta
SS-Miguel Tejada
3b-Scott Rolen
LF-Eric Byrnes
CF-Rocco Baldelli
RF-Miguel Cabrera
C-Mike Matheny
Ace- Jake Peavy
#2-Matt Clement
#3-Brett Tomko
#4-Daniel Cabrera
#5- Kirk Rueter
Closer-Joe Nathan

[ATLien]

To win in the playoffs you need good top of the rotation aces and clutch hitters. I would spend the big bucks on two aces and a power hitter, and then go from there. Clutch hitters is very important though. Some big regular season batters just crumble in October. You need guys like Jeter & Justice who will come through for you.

[Porter]

Im a small ball guy, get me 3 speedsters to bulid around Albert Pujols.

Most likely my Lineup

RF- Scott Posednik
SS- Chone Figgins
2B- Brian Roberts
1B- Albert Pujols
DH- Mark Tiexeria
3B- Morgan Ensberg
LF- Jason Bay
CF- Jeremy Reed
CA- Joe Mauer

SP- Johan Santana
SP- Brandon Webb
SP- Jeremy Bonderman
SP- Felix Hernandez
SP- Matt Cain
CP- Brad Lidge

[griffeyfan3]

definatly would need to build the pitching up.

my dream team consists of:

c-victor martinez
1b-pujols
2b-alphonso soriano
ss-edgar renteria
3b-adrian beltre
lf-wily mo
cf-george kenneth griffey junior
rf-miguel cabrera

sp#1-santana
sp#2-clemens
sp#3-Dontrell Willis
sp#4-peavy
Sp#5-Ben sheets
Cl-f-rod
mr-gagne
su-rivera
mr-hermanson
mr-yhency brozoban

[griffeyfan3]

definatly would need to build the pitching up.

my dream team consists of:

c-victor martinez
1b-pujols
2b-alphonso soriano
ss-edgar renteria
3b-adrian beltre
lf-wily mo
cf-george kenneth griffey junior
rf-miguel cabrera

sp#1-santana
sp#2-clemens
sp#3-Dontrell Willis
sp#4-peavy
Sp#5-Ben sheets
Cl-f-rod
mr-gagne
su-rivera
mr-hermanson
mr-yhency brozoban

[RockSports17]

I'm not going to list a dream team, because the question really wasn't asked towards that. It's depending on the situation I'm put into. I think building up the farms system and pitching would be first priority. Then adding power, and good position players. It would be a slow process, but one that would build a good team.

[General]

definatly would need to build the pitching up.

my dream team consists of:

c-victor martinez
1b-pujols
2b-alphonso soriano
ss-edgar renteria
3b-adrian beltre
lf-wily mo
cf-george kenneth griffey junior
rf-miguel cabrera

sp#1-santana
sp#2-clemens
sp#3-Dontrell Willis
sp#4-peavy
Sp#5-Ben sheets
Cl-f-rod
mr-gagne
su-rivera
mr-hermanson
mr-yhency brozoban

I don't think the NY teams COMBINED could afford that...also, the man didn't ask for "Make an insane team that no one could afford". Come on man, be reasonable.

[love_that_reefer]

Everyone knows you have to build a farm system. The point for me to make my lineup was to show a mixture of veterans and young guys, speed, defense and guys with a little pop. According to 2005 salaries, my lineup only cost $49 million for one year. Not too bad eh?

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

I would spend most of the money on pitching, both starting and relieving, then go with defense, and speed in the outfield.
Rotation:
Brett Myers, Jake Peavy, Josh Beckett, Mark Prior (he's still cheap), and Cliff Lee.
Closer: Brad Lidge, or BJ Ryan.
1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Chone Figgins
3B: Morgan Ensberg
SS: Bobby Crosby
C: Joe Mauer
CF: Scott Podsednik
RF: Bobby Abreu
LF: Miguel Cabrera