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0 Subject: RIBC 2006 - Draft Rationales (rounds 16-20)

Posted by: Guru
- [330592710] Tue, Mar 21, 2006, 11:52

Continuing for the next five rounds.

Rationales for rounds 1-5

Rationales for rounds 6-10

Rationales for rounds 11-15
Only the 50 most recent replies are currently shown. Click on this text to display hidden posts as well.
30Athletics Guy
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 13:53
17.12 Brandon Inge, 3B, DET

I wanted to keep Lowell in one of my middle infield spots, so I decided to draft a 3B rather than another MI. I thought Brandon Inge was the best available hitter, so it wasn't a difficult decision. One of the things that caught my attention was that his walk rate went up quite a bit from 2004 to 2005. Obviously, I'd like to see that trend continue. Another 3B I considered was Pedro Feliz, but his low OBP was enough to keep me from taking him. Plus, he lost his SS-eligibility.
32Blue Hen
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 13:54
17.13 Jeremy Reed, OF, SEA

Looking back, this could be the pick that changes my season. We all know there is a good chance Joey Devine could close games in 2006, and I wanted to grab him with this pick. Devine might be the most likely non-closer to get saves at this point. I thought Devine would make it back, and I wanted to get some speed, so Jeremy Reed seemed like a good choice. I'm happy with the Reed pick - several people said they would have taken him next - but it cost me Devine. [UNDRAFTED - REDS RELIEVER] 2004 is proof that the young gun doesn't always get the saves, so maybe Reitsma will hang onto his job.
33Trip
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 13:56
17.14 Travis Bowyer, RP, TB

The first of two closers in waiting targeted with this and my next pick, the decision was whom do I take first. I originally panicked thinking that Devine wasn't going to make it back to me, then realized it was Bowyer who was more likely to disappear first. Instead of trading up to grab one, I would be better off waiting and have a shot at both. I managed to snag Bowyer, but lost the guy I really wanted...damn you Hubble!
34Hubble
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 16:05
17.15 Kerry Wood, SP, CHI

I had few players in mind for this pick: Devine, Garret Anderson, Youkilis, Pedro Feliz and Kerry Wood... I actually wrote Wood's name already in OTC at least once... but i chickened out, thinking i had taken enought risk in this draft. But i think that keeping a 17th rounder for Mr. Wood is as safe a risky pick can get. I'm pretty sure Wood would not have make it back to me. Now, i'm already busting my 1350 IP, so i don't really need his IP, and i'm pretty safe with the K's too. I think i secured a pretty good SP staff (I HOPE SO! I picked 4SP with first 10 pick). Reports say Wood might come back anywhere from may to next year... Some say he'll come back Closing, or MR. Whatever is the case, i'll keep a bench spot for him and smile thinking i might have Dempster's handcuff. Whatever # of IP, Wood will bring me +1 K/IP.
35CEHP
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 16:06
CEHP
17.16 Josh Barfield, 2B, SD

I like what I see out of Barfield and it looks like a strong spring has won him a starting job. Barfield had a strong season in the PCL last year and shows a nice balance of power and speed. His OBP #s have been good at each level and at 23 he looks like a nice young rookie to watch. Kinsler had already come off the board and I see him in the same class and I wouldn't be shocked if he out shone the Texas 2B. I may have grabbed Barfield early but seeing Kinsler go was what triggered me.

18.01 Dmitri Young, 1B, DET
Young is a player I love to watch. He has fun playing the game and works hard when he is on the field. In the 18th round I thought it was a good spot to grab Dmitri. He has decent power numbers and is a professional hitter who should provide some consistancy in most offensive categories. I was considering Michaels with this pick but Dmitri will be eligible at 3B and 1B which makes him even more attractive with out CI slot. I love when I can take a player I really like without having to reach. Dmitri rounds out my team nicely and provides the depth I think is key to win a division like this one.
36Hubble
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 16:07
18.02 Joey Devine, RP, ATL

Well, RP,s were starting to fly off the board and i thought Devine's chance to get be Closing this year were good enought to take a chance here. Turned out that some managers really wanted him wich gives me immediate satisfaction even if he never closes. Oh... and he has 17 K's in 10 IP so far this spring... sounds pretty good to me.
37Trip
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 16:11
18.03 Fernando Cabrera, RP, CLE

As stated, I really wanted Devine with this pick. Is Reitsma really that much better than Weathers? That said, Cabrera was at the top of my relievers list and showed he could handle the closer job with his performance in the WBC. He's got a 37 year old blocking him from assuming the role on his Major League club. How long can Wickman keep it up anyways?
38I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 521191210
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 22:28
For BlueHen:

18.04 Frank Thomas, DH, OAK

I had just drafted 5 hitters in a row. My starting lineup was entirely complete. I already had three first basemen on my roster. All five of the pitchers on my roster have issues (although imagine the upside here). So I'm definitely taking a pitcher here, right?

Before Oliver Perez, there was Frank Thomas. Irrationally, I always found a way to have the Big Hurt on my team. Sometimes, like 2000 and 2003, it pays off big time. Sometimes, not so much. But in that powerful Oakland lineup, Thomas, who seems to always have a .900 OPS, even when he gets injured, will do some serious damage. I just need to find a place to start him (anyone need a first baseman?).

I had a bunch of pitchers on my list, most notably Maddux, Wheeler, Looper, Suppan, Farnsworth, Seo, and Hansen. I was able to get two of those guys, but hopefully having Frank Thomas on my team will make it moot.

39I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 521191210
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 22:30
For Toral (Via AG):

18.05 Dan Miceli, RP, TAM

Respected fantasy news sources indicate that the D-Rays are considering going with veteran journeyman Miceli as their closer instead of young stud Chad Orvella, based on a handful of ST innings pitched. Why they would do this is a mystery to everyone concerned. If Miceli wins the job he will be a cheap source of saves. The injury that put him out last year was to the foot, not the arm. He has had excellent K/IP ratios the last few years so he probably still has whatever he's got.

40I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 521191210
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 22:31
For Jumpball:

18.06 Dustin Hermanson, RP, CWS

Another set up guy with decent numbers. Not as many strikeouts as some of the others, but I'm expecting Jenks to blow a few saves and lose his job for a while. A dozen saves, a few Ks, an ERA of 2.30 and a WHIP of 1.15 would be just fine.

Of course, AFTER i pick him, i find out he has a bad back . . . I REALLY need a job where I can surf the internet during the day in March!

41I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 521191210
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 22:33
18.07 Greg Maddux, SP, CHC
And so completes my starting rotation… RJ and 4 Mediocre SPs. In previous years, I had gone with less SPs (More MR) but was then burned by not having a deep enough bench once injuries hit. From this point on… SP's outside the TOP50 (my list)... I find your looking at players that'll hurt your CATs more than anything else. I'm sure they'll still be a couple SPs that'll be drafted that'll turn out, but I'm not going to chance it. - Maddux is another "aged" starter who's lost a lot of zip off his pitches; but you can't discount that he's a winner. He just finds ways to get the job done. With the Cubs rotation beat up right now, they'll need to rely on him, and I think he'll step it up. He's looking good so far this spring... Hoping he can get to 15 wins, with a WHIP sub 1.25.

Already getting some criticism from the "peanut gallery" on the age of my starters... but I find that sometimes it's better to have a sure thing than a big IF.
42JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 23:09
For SANFORDORS

18.08 Jae Seo SP LAD

I really needed a starter and this pick is "I hope he has turned his career around" choice. Seo developed a split finger and cut fastballs to his arsenal and ended last season with an ERA of 2.59 and WHIP of 1.107.

On to Los Angeles, where he should be the 4th or 5th starter. While I don't expect %'s as low as last year, I think he will do better than Rotowire's projected 3.77 ERA and 1.293 WHIP, along with 10-12 wins.

They also forecast 158 K's in 171 innings which seems a little bold but anything close would be sweet.

43JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 23:09
For TB/MC

18.09 Garret Anderson OF LAA

Anderson is the last batter we need to complete our line-up. His age and health are a slight concern, but we think he will find a way to get our team 70 runs and 85 RBIs without hurting our slugging percentage.
44JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 23:11
18.10 Jacques Jones OF ChC
Would have taken Trot Nixon had the Red Sox outfield not have just added Wily Mo Pena, who will cut into Trots playing time, and the additional possibly of an even more crowded Red Sox outfield with news of a minor league deal for last year's Mr Hammy [undrafted]. Was also considering my MI here, but I cannot imagine the remaining choices I am considering being snagged before I select again, and if they are I can deal. Also have a few pitching options, but again, they'll come back too. So when the dust settled, I just decided to take another solid late rounder, another of those 'best available/best fit' selections. Jones is a player who will both score and drive in 70 runs, can be a boost to the SLG in his new venue home Wrigley, and another who can steal double digit bases. A bonus if they give him a night off now and then against lefties, who he just cannot hit. Then again, Dusty Baker does not have to sit him out those nights, but I still can.
45Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Wed, Mar 22, 2006, 23:13
18.11 Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B, Bos

I was prepared to take a reliever with this pick, and then take Youkilis in round 19. If Fernando Cabrera had survived to this pick, I’d have taken him here. But there are still 4 relievers on my short list, and frankly, I can’t decide between them. There is a good chance that some of them will go in the next 10 picks, but it seem pretty unlikely that all will disappear.

So instead, I’ll take Youkilis here. Dubbed by Billy Beane as “The Greek God of Walks”, Youkilis could have an OBP that is 100 points (or more) higher than his BA. He is slated to start at 1B this year, but could also see some time at third if Mike Lowell falters. It seems that the Red Sox want him to be an everyday player this year, after a couple of seasons with limited (but relatively successful) major league activity.

Youkilis might have survived to round 20, but I had been eyeing him for the last 5-6 rounds, and finally decided not to push it to the edge. If Zimmerman doesn’t cut it in Washington, Youkilis provides some backup at 3B. With an average projected OBP of .385, he provides some cushion to carry someone else with a substandard average, either as a late round draftee or an in-season F/A.

46KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 08:37
for Chris
18.12 Brad Hawpe, OF, Col

After falling way behind on outfielders, I was very happy that Hawpe slipped to me with this pick. With my 17.05 pick, I was considering Bush, Hawpe and Reed. I decided to take Bush and hope one of the 2 OF's slipped back to me. The hen took Reed, but Hawpe survived all the way back. Hawpe got his feet wet in the majors last year, and posted a modest 753 OPS. However, he posted a 976 OPS in the minors(granted, that's with about 25% of those AB's coming at Colorado Springs). He certainly has room for growth, and I'm hoping with a year of adjusting to major league pitching that he steps his game up a notch.

47KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 08:37
18.13 PLACEHOLDER
48KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 08:38
18.14 Kenny Lofton, OF, LAD
I had Pedro Feliz in my queue for about 4 rounds. I considered taking him with my 16th round pick, but thought it was too early compared to other drafts. I thought about taking him with my 17th round pick, but felt I needed to address my SP more than I needed Feliz and his CI/OF eligibility. I saw pick after pick go off the board while coming up to my 18.14 pick. I had last checked in when jeffg took Jones and counted the 3 picks that needed to go before I could pick Feliz.

Oh well.

I mostly wanted Feliz for his position ligibility. With him gone, I focused on the best hitter left on my sheet. That was Lofton. Mostly, it was Lofton because of his steals. Lucky for me, SB were the worst category for my team across both pitchers and hitters. Plugging in Lofton, instead of Feliz, actually helps my team's numbers more, so I'm comfortable with this pick. Feliz certainly has the upside, but a healthy Lofton should be good for at least 80-90 R and 20 SB. Now, if he'll just stay healthy...
49KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:01
for Toral
18.15 Dan Wheeler, RP, Hou

I was really coveting Jae Seo here but Dave R. scooped him up at 18.08.

Next option is the basic set-up man deal here -- been looking for one who can help in the average categories and has a good K/9, while standing first in line should the closer go down. Wheeler's '05 2.21/0.98 69 Ks in 73 innings fills the bill, and it was time to grab one as most of the other good candidates had been flying off the board. The concern here is that Wheeler's 05 was a whole lot better than he's ever done before; can he keep it up?

BTW the difference between Wheeler and Braden Looper is that Wheeler can pitch.

50KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:01
for holt
18.16 Jeff Weaver, SP, LAA

This pick (along with my 19.01 S.Baker) was due to an error on my part. I made a queue for my 16.16 and 17.01 picks with the aim of getting 2 SP's. then I failed to make my queue unavailable, so I ended up drafting 4 SP's in a row, giving me a total of 7. I guess it wasn't all that costly though cuz I don't see any players that were taken in the 19th or 20th rd that I considered must-haves, though I am partial to Soriano and Calero.

Oh yeah. Weaver had 14 W's, 157 K's, and a 1.17 ERA last year. pretty decent, though he moves to the AL this season.

19.01, Scott Baker, SP, MIN

Only 9 major league starts but he carries a 3.35 era and 1.16 whip. In 3 minor league seasons he had a 3.04 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. he's pitching well this spring and holding off Liriano for a spot in the rotation. I guess I'm pretty surprised he was still around in the 19th round. Baker's not a power pitcher but he has amazing control and consistency. kinda Madduxish but not older than the hills.

52KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:02
for Toral
19.02 Trot Nixon, OF, Bos

Definite concerns about my 4th outfield slot, and Trot Nixon looked like the best option Nixon's on the downhill part of his career but still seems to have his platoon position in RF despite the acquisition of Wily Mo Pena, and he's got the 5 slot in the batting order. The injuries are a concern. If healthy he's still able to put uo .365/.480 with good R and RBI totals when he plays. I will need a backup to play OF when the Sox face left-handers.

53KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:02
19.03 Jason Vargas, SP, FLA
Vargas was at the top of my queue when my turn came up, but I wanted to check, double-check, and triple-check him before taking him. I was seriously considering taking Heilman instead, but didn't like his lack of SP experience, nor did I like his numbers at other levels of baseball.

Vargas, on the other hand, has shown a great ERA, WHIP, and K/9 through the minors and should be able to improve on last year's ratios. I'm not expecting him to maintain his minor league numbers in the majors, but I do have him projected at what I consider to be a modest 10 W, 123 K, 3.92 ERA, and 1.346 WHIP over 150 IP. I actually think that if he gets more IP, his ratios will lower and his K/9 will rise. He'll be 23 years old this year, so major improvements are not out of the question.
54Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:56
for mMoses
19.04 Brian McCann, C, ATL
55Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:56
for Chris
19.05 Ben Broussard, 1B, CLE

I've learned that it's always a good idea to take a young Indians hitter late in the draft. There are always a couple of them that step up and have monster seasons. Of course, Broussard isn't so young(29), but he is just one year removed from an 858 OPS season. This is a guy who can slug, but has spotty strike zone judgement. Good some years, others not so good. Hopefully he can at least OPS 800 and give me 450 or so AB's out of the Util slot.

56Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:57
19.06 Kyle Farnsworth, RP, NYY

So far, middle relievers haven’t been in much demand. As of the time of my round #18 pick, I had Rafael Soriano, Kyle Farnsworth, and even Rafael Betancourt on my short list. None were taken since then.

I think this is a close call, and would take Soriano if this were a keeper league. But I read that he had a 6.58 ERA in winter ball, and I was worried that he might get off to a slow start this year. So, I’ll take Farnsworth. You never know how he’ll react to the pressure of playing in New York, but I’m hoping he builds on last year’s successes. Looking for an ERA in the low 3s, a WHIP of 1.20 or better, and 80-90 Ks, with a few Ws and saves thrown in for good measure.
57JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 10:58
19.07 Paul Byrd SP Cle
Respectable WHIP, semi-respectable ERA, should win at least a dozen on a talented team, low in the K department. Also considered teammate Jake Westbrook, and [undrafted] who would have been more of a heart over head pick.

Was also looking at joining the bandwagon and picking up a barely servicable MR here and thought about selecting Eric Plunk, Greg Cadaret, a used bag of balls, or my 85 year old aunt from Yonkers, but either they were already selected, or not on the OTC database. ;)
58Motley Crue
      Dude
      ID: 439372011
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 11:23
19.08 Latroy Hawkins, RP, BAL

Our collection of Orioles continues.

This was basically my call; TB was ambivalent about it. But he's since come around to my way of thinking which goes like this.

Everything we do is done in order to impress CanEHdian Pride and get his imaginary Randy and Simon to like us. So we took a guy that we think will impress those judges.

I love the Orioles and I study the team and all. I think Chris Ray will be a solid closer and it might start in April. If it doesn't, maybe Hawkins gets some saves at some point. That's really it, and I think that the logic was obvious when we made the pick. The Orioles don't really have any other guys that are viable long-term closing candidates, at the moment. They seem to be willing to wheel and deal right now, so who knows how that situation will shake out. We got a guy who could help us in the interim.
59Dave R
      Dude
      ID: 3010361110
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 12:58
19.09 Rafael Soriano RP Sea

I really hoped Farnsworth slipped to me here, being a Yankee fan and all, and I find it curious that in reading Guru's rational he was debating between him and Soriano... and my next choice was Hawkins. I felt he would be a perfect fit as a backup for Ray, in case that doesn't pan out for me.

But, I'm happy to have Soriano aboard. He seems fine after his Tommy John surgery as evidenced by his effective outings last September and he has also pitched well this spring, albeit small samplings.

Considered the Mariners " closer of the future " my hope is that by mid-season, Guadardo is moved, possibly to a contender, opening the door for Rafael.

If not, expect a K/inning or better, sub 3.00 ERA and a WHIP around 1.00
60I_AM_CANADIAN
      ID: 3579513
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 13:03
19.10 Corey Patterson, OF, BAL
With this guys speed and the O's offense… I'm hoping for a breakout year from Patterson. I had targetted this pick for taking an MR, but after Hawkins and Soriano went off, I was content to hold off till my next pick for the "next tier". So far this spring he's demonstrated good speed, but he really needs to gets the OPS up. In the end... it's a 19th round gamble.
61Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 14:19
for jumpball
19.11 Mike Timlin, RP, BOS
. . . . rationalization . . . .


The rules of this game require me to pick 25 players.

Timlin, as of right now, is supposed to be on the roster of the Red Sox as of Opening Day. He was also on the team last year. Since Sox teams have won the World Series the last 2 years (don't mess with me, I'm color blind!), he must be pretty good.

He has played well and steadily for small stretches in the past. He has played poorly for small stretches in the past. I expect that to continue again this year.

My projections show him with either zero or 40 saves, an ERA between 1.50 and 6.50, a WHIP between 0.90 and 1.90, and a K/9 ratio between 1 and 10. If he approaches the best of those numbers this will be a good pick. If not . . . well . . . I had to pick SOMEBODY!


-- thanks to Toral for providing the rationization template last year, which I modified some! :-)
62Trip
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 17:50
For Toral
pick acquired from Athletics Guy
19.12 Aaron Heilman, P, NY-N

The Mets apparently want Heilman to pitch out of the bullpen this year, believing that he suffers when batters get to see him twice a game, but I'm hoping that he's actually going to be a starter, all year long. He's ostensibly competing for the 5th starter's shot, and showing his stuff -- 1.29 ERA, 11Ks, 0Ws in 14 innings. This sucker can pitch. Pedro's maladies should give him a chance to start out of the box, and I hope he never surrenders the job. No reason he couldn't put up 15 wins with an ERA under 3.
63Trip
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 17:52
for Blue Hen

19.13 Braden Looper, RP, STL

Once all the closers were gone, I started looking at the middle men. Obviously, Baez would give me some insurance. But I really took a close look at two guys: Braden Looper and Dan Wheeler. In a lot of drafts, Wheeler has gone earlier. But consider this:

INCUMBENT: Jason Isringhausen is a much bigger injury risk than Brad Lidge. That means there's more likelihood that a second closer will get saves.

COMPETITION: Wheeler and Looper are pretty clear cut number twos. A few other guys might be considered, but not really.

TEAM: The Cardinals are likely to win more games than the Astros this season, and therefore have more save opportunities.

BALLPARK: The Cardinals play in a more pitching-friendly ballpark than the Astros, even though there is no data for New Busch yet.

PERSONAL CLOSING HISTORY: Looper has been a successful closer before. Wheeler has not filled that role with any regularity.

CONCLUSION: As you can see, Looper has just as much going for him as Wheeler. And given that Wheeler is usually a hot prop this late in the draft, I figured Looper was worth a shot.

64Trip
      Leader
      ID: 13961611
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 17:54
19.14 Jake Westbrook, SP, CLE

The top pitcher on my list by a long ways, I decided most of the non pitchers I have listed on my short list were going to be around for a while. Westbrook is not far removed from a 3.38 215 inning season and he is only 28 so there is a possibility to repeat. An improved Cleveland defense could also help him as he is an extreme groundball pitcher.
65JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:16
For Hubble

19.15 Jason Michaels OF CLE

I'll be honest and admit i know nothing about this guy... his stats and projections shows pretty good OBP (+0.380)... and perhaps up to 80 runs. Do that and i swear to draft you for the next 3 year!

66JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:17
Foe cEHp

19.16 Angel Berroa SS KAN

I expect a very solid season from Hardy this year and he is putting together a good pre-season however I always am concerned with depth and wanted to add a backup SS that could still provide value. Berroa has solid potential and a good mix of offensive production and speed. He can kill your OBP if he doesn't better manage the strike zone but at this point in the draft I feel he was a pretty good value in the event that I need a PLAN B to J.J. A good value which gives me a little more confidence in my team overall.

20.01 Jason Marquis SP STL

Marquis is an inning eater who should give me 200+ quality innings. He's been around for quite awhile but at 27 years old has shown that he has the potential to put together a very solid season. He isn't a power pitcher, but I expect 15+ wins from him this year and a continued drop in his WHIP. Marquis was touted as a pretty hot prospect a few years back and he has shown some good improvment in his ability to pitch. His K rate went down slightly last season but his also lowered both his hit and walk rate. Could this be the season he puts it all together -- there are some interesting backstories about how his stubborness to take advice has held him back, last season this changed and it showed in how he produced. An exciting pick for me which rounds out my rotation nicely.

67JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:18
For Hubble

20.02 Rafael Betancourt RP CLE

Good K ratio (+1K/IP), good averages, and remote possibility of saves... all i needed at this point.

68JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:19
For Trip

20.03 Xavier Nady OF NYM

Nady moves from an extreme pitcher's park to a neutral one this year and looks to have landed a full time job for the first time. He is having a solid spring and is only 27 so a power spike is not out of the question. Multiposition eligibility is always a plus as well.

69JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:19
for blue hen

20.04 Craig Hansen RP BOS

Huston Street. Chad Cordero. [UNDRAFTED]. [UNDRAFTED]. College closers are finally getting their due. Not really sure why - are they really Proven Closers if they can shut down Youngstown State? Anyway, Hansen is going to be good someday and he is going to close games someday. Will it happen in 2006? We shall see. If he does, that gives me some good relief. This late in the draft, this is just the kind of guy worth taking a chance on.

70JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:20
for Athletics Guy

20.05 Cory Sullivan OF COL

Still needing to fill my UTIL spot, I decided to go for speed rather than power. Playing for the Rockies, Cory Sullivan could be a great source of runs. That's assuming he stays in the leadoff spot for the entire season. He doesn't seem to have much power, but .350/.400 isn't expecting too much for a guy playing at Coors. He seems to have the ability to steal 20 bases, and that was the biggest reason I chose him here.
71JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:21
for jumpball

20.06 Ryan Klesko OF SDG

I needed another hitter to have a full complement and I chose Klesko thinking that he'll be closer to his 2004 numbers than his 2005 numbers. He should also be eligible at 1B shortly, allowing me the flexibility to use him as a CI.

The only other players I looked at here were relievers, but ultimately decided that Klesko had too much upside to pass over.

72for I_AM_CANADIAN
      Sherpa
      ID: 031811922
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:29
20.07 Bob Howry, RP, CHC

Target Pick: MR
Was hoping that Betancourt would still be available here. Howry was pretty solid last year, and although he seems a little slow outa the gate right now, I don't have a ton of confidence in Dempster. Even if he doesn't take over as the closer, his Ratios will help. I don't have "high" expectations for this pick... it just felt safe to add a hQ MR.
74for SANFORDORS
      Sherpa
      ID: 031811922
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:30
20.08 Salomon Torres, RP, PIT

I wanted to add another middle reliever here and was waivering between Torres and Fernando Rodney, taken a half round later. I liked Rodney's potential as taking over the closers slot from Jones should he falter.

But I opted for Torres. His K/inning ratio isn't great, but he is capable of pitching more than one inning and on consecutive days. Hopefully that could have a positive affect on the ratios. Due to possibly pitching more innings I project him around the same in K's as Rodney.

He also has had 3 saves this spring. Maybe Pittsburgh will turn to him more often than expected.

75TB
      Sherpa
      ID: 031811922
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:30
20.09 Akinori Otsuka, RP, TEX

In a not-so-fondly fashion, we referred to Otsuka as Otsucka, after his dismal May last season. He turned it back on for a few months before having a horrible September, which didn't matter because we had already kicked him off the team. I don't think either of us expected to see him back on our roster again this year, even though he can provide good percentages and an above average k/9 rate when he is pitching well. The continued news about Francisco Cordero's shoulder problems prompted us to grab him here in the 20th round.
76JeffG
      Leader
      ID: 01584348
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:33
20.10 Kiko Calero RP Oak

Unlike a lot of the set up guys that are getting selected with the possibility of perhaps 3-5 saves or to perhaps hit the saves lottery if the main guy goes down, fails, or gets traded, I just took a definite role player whole help the other pitching numbers. Even though I had never heard of him about a day before I made this pick, Calero has been consistent year to year and I can reliably expect more of the same. He should continue to produce about a 1.0 K/IP, low WHIP and decent ERA numbers, but nary a save to be found. Side Bar: Calero's only save last season came for Oakland (pre-Street) after [undrafted] blows a save in the 9th, but Oakland bats picked him up with 3 runs in the 10th and then Kiko comes in. I guess I can't expect one of these a week. I probably could have waited to round 25 to draft him, but he feels like a 20th rounder.
77Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Thu, Mar 23, 2006, 23:44
20.11 Brandon McCarthy, SRP, ChW

I wasn’t sure if I wanted a starter or reliever, so I took both. After a shaky start last year, McCarthy was lights out as a reliever during the second half, with sub-2 ERA and a sub-1 WHIP. It sounds like he will start the season in the pen, so I’m hoping for a continuation of last year’s late season prowess. I suspect he may move into the rotation later on, or at least get some spot starts. If so, his ERA will probably suffer a bit, but hopefully in trade-off for some wins.

Westbrook and Heilman would have been serious considerations for this pick, but they disappeared earlier in the round. Ditto for Betancourt.

78KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Fri, Mar 24, 2006, 09:17
for Chris
20.12 Jesse Crain, RP, Min

Seems to be a good idea to have Minnesota's main setup guy. The way Gardenhire uses his bullpen, these types of guys get a LOT of opportunities to earn some wins. Crain was 12-5 last year with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. When Juan Rincon was "the man" in '04, he put up an 11-6 record. The only scary thing is Crain's lack of k's(25k in 79.2ip!), but not only was he a strikeout guy in the minors, but I think he can be successful without the k's. We shall see however.

79KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Fri, Mar 24, 2006, 09:17
20.13 PLACEHOLDER
80KrazyKoalaBears
      ID: 15023167
      Fri, Mar 24, 2006, 09:18
20.14 Jeff Suppan, SP, STL
So I went to a baseball draft and a relief pitcher's convention broke out! (ba-dum-dum)

Based on my projections, my team's ERA and WHIP are currently sitting at levels that I don't need to reach for a middle reliever who will provide minimal improvement. In Rivera and Isringhausen, I should have more than enough saves. What I'm lacking are W's and K's. [Enter Jeff Suppan, stage left]

Suppan makes sense for my team. He's not going to be a Johan Santana (or anything close to that), but he's also not going to be horrible. I should be able to count on my projections of 15 W, 113 K, 3.67 ERA, and 1.362 WHIP. Rotowire projects him slightly worse at 14 W, 101 K, 4.01 ERA, and 1.455 WHIP. I'd be okay with that, but I'll stick with my own projections. The good thing is that Suppan is fairly consistent throughout the year. I should be able to Ronco him (set it, and forget it!) and never look back.
81Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Sat, Mar 25, 2006, 10:31
for Athletics Guy
20.15 Tim Wakefield, SP, BOS

I still needed a starter or two in order to complete my rotation, and I thought Tim Wakefield was the best one available. The Idol judges should not be surprised by this one. While 40-old pitchers may not be great fantasy picks, Wakefield is one of the exceptions because he's a knuckleball pitcher who doesn't need to depend on velocity to be effective. In fact, he had one of his best seasons last year. I'm hoping for a repeat of last season or something close to it. 15+ wins from a pitcher in the 20th round would be very nice.

82holt
      ID: 45229226
      Fri, Mar 31, 2006, 15:33
20.16 Michael Cuddyer, 2b/3b/of, MIN

Nothing special about this pick. I still needed a second-baseman (because I screwed up in not taking Kinsler at the right time) and Cuddyer offers a little upside and some position flexibility. He's expected to start in the OF this season, and as long as he's getting playing time then he won't hurt me anywhere. I'd expect .330/.430 70-r 70-rbi 8 steals, but I'm likely to not be real patient with him if he struggles.

other picks I considered here were:
Lance Niekro (mMoses 21.04, I thought he would make it back around)
Todd Walker (a's guy 24.05, playing time in question, too many question marks)
thought about drafting my catchers here (larue and valentin), and also considered 3 or 4 players that were never drafted and will remain nameless.
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