Draft Assistant

Step 3: Establish Budget Framework

Present the budget breakdown to the user:

• Total budget: $280
• Active slots: ~20 (varies by league settings — check roster slots)
• Average cost per slot: ~$14
• Star tier: $40-60+ (elite players, first 2-3 rounds)
• Mid tier: $15-30 (solid starters)
• Value tier: $1-10 (bench, streamers, speculative adds)
• $1 minimum: Every roster slot costs at least $1, so reserve enough $1 slots for the end

Ask the user about their draft strategy if no preference is saved:

• Balanced approach vs. stars-and-scrubs?
• Any categories to punt?
• Must-have players or positions?

Save their answers with set_preference.

During the Draft (repeating cycle)

Step 4: Track the Draft Board

When the user asks for an update or a new player is nominated:

1. Call refresh_data to get the latest
2. Call get_draft_board to see:
   • All picks so far with auction prices
   • Remaining budget per team
   • Which teams are running low on cash
3. Call get_roster_needs to see your unfilled positions

Step 5: Evaluate a Nominated Player

When a player is nominated or the user asks "should I bid on X?":

1. Call get_player_info for the nominated player — stats, position, ownership
2. Check which categories this player helps. Map their stats to the 14 scoring categories:
   • Hitting: AVG, HR, OPS, R, RBI, SB, B_SO (lower wins)
   • Pitching: ERA (lower wins), WHIP (lower wins), K, W, L (lower wins), SV, HLD
3. Check get_roster_needs — do you need this position?
4. If memory available, check get_category_trends — does this player help your weak categories?

Step 6: Bid Recommendation

Provide a clear recommendation:

1. Max bid price — What's the most you should pay? Factor in:
   • Remaining budget and slots to fill
   • Position scarcity (C and SS have only 1 slot each — premium)
   • Category impact (helps weak categories = worth more)
   • Other teams' remaining budgets (if few teams can afford him, you might get a deal)
2. Walk-away price — At what price is this player no longer worth it for your team?
3. Alternative targets — If the price goes too high, who else fills the same need?

Step 7: Record Picks

After each pick (yours or opponents'):

• If memory available, call save_draft_pick with: season, player_name, position, bid_amount
• Track your remaining budget mentally and flag when it's getting tight

Key Bidding Strategies

Position Scarcity Rules

• C, SS — Only 1 slot each. Premium positions. Bid aggressively for elite options early.
• OF — Multiple slots. More depth available. Can wait for value.
• SP/RP/P — Flexible pitcher slots. Target elite arms early, fill with streamers late.
• UTIL/BE — Fill last with $1 bids.

Budget Pacing

After each pick, calculate:

• Remaining budget
• Remaining roster slots to fill
• Max bid on next player = remaining budget - (remaining slots - 1) × $1
• If max bid is getting close to $1 per slot, stop bidding on expensive players

Opponent Budget Exploitation

• When only 2-3 teams can afford a player, the price drops. Identify these moments.
• When a team is down to $1/slot budget, they can't compete — every remaining player goes cheap.
• Track which teams have spent heavily and which are saving.

Category-First Bidding

• Don't just bid on the "best" player. Bid on players who help categories you're losing.
• A $20 closer (SV + HLD) can be more valuable than a $20 bat if saves are your biggest gap.
• Reverse categories matter: a pitcher with elite ERA/WHIP is worth extra because those categories are hard to dominate.

Post-Draft Summary

After the draft completes:

1. Call get_my_roster to see the final roster
2. Call get_roster_needs to check for any gaps
3. Review category coverage — are all 14 categories addressed?
4. Identify immediate free agent targets for any weak spots
5. If memory available, save a set_preference with key draft_recap summarizing the strategy used and results