| 0 |
Subject: RIBC AAA: PCL Draft Rationales Rounds 6-10
Posted by: JeffG
- [146591911] Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 16:00
continuing for next five rounds
rounds 1-5 |
| 1 | JL
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 18:56
|
6.01 Prince Fielder, 1B, Mil
This is just a case of taking the best hitter available at any position. I would've taken a MI if any decent one had been available...but I just can't bring myself to pick Rickie Weeks over Prince Fielder, regardless of positional scarcity. Fielder, like Zimmerman, is a young player that's been on everybody's radar as he came up through the minor leagues. I would gladly take his production from last season, but I see no reason why he won't be more productive with a full season of experience under his belt.
These two picks required very little thought...which is unusual for me during a draft.
|
| 2 | darkside
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 18:59
|
6.02 Julio Lugo, 2B/SS/3B, Bos
This was a tough pick. I wanted another big bat here, but the picks before me in the fifth round ended any hopes of that happening. I didn't know which way to go. Looked at pitchers, especially closers, but couldn't bring myself to pass up Lugo. What cinched it for me was his position eligibility--he's got 2B/SS/3B eligibility, so in a league like this that is very valuable. Aside from that, from a MI spot he'll give good OPS while hopefully racking up 25-30 SB and scoring 100 runs near the top of the potent Sox lineup. He'll add 50-60 rbi's making him a very solid choice at this point in the draft.
|
| 3 | Species
Dude
ID: 07724916
Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 19:11
|
6.03 Brad Lidge, RP, HOU
This was the worst I had waffled in the entire draft. With the long pause between picks I must have changed my choice 5 times. I considered MI's (Lopez) but decided they just weren't worth it. I heavily considered Richie Sexson, as his Rotowire projections screamed PICK ME. I even emailed Tosh (Mariners fan) for local info. I also could not believe the SP value on the board and would rather start a run then end one, but in a sense the bunch of SP's that were so close together (Schilling, Bonderman, Lackey, Felix, Cain, Haren, others) kind of made it hard to choose one that stood out enough to warrant this pick.
So I decided I would take my first closer and narrowed my choices down to Lidge and Chris Ray. Ray was the "safe" choice - a young stud with some good setup guys (which he did NOT have last year) and terrific ratios. If he had a higher strikeout rate I probably would have picked him. In the end I went on some faith that Brad Lidge's 2006 was a fluke and that he will return to past glory.
In his peak 2004 and 2005 Lidge was a top 3 closer with phenomenal K/9 and superior ERA/WHIP. I don't need him to be the 2004 Lidge, but a 3.00 ERA or better with a 1.20 WHIP and 12 K/9 would have me doing jumping jacks and make him an absolute steal and right on par with the top closers.
|
| 4 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 19:31
|
6.04 Bobby Jenks, RP, CWS
Reading where Guru said that he sometimes writes his rationales BEFORE making his pick, I kind of did the same in my head on several starting pitchers I was thinking about. Turns out, this approach made me shy away from several SP here because I could not make one compelling argument for one over any other of a handful of starting pitchers. So now I figure I can wait 24 picks and one of them should come back. We'll see. So I wanted Lidge, and to add insult to injury I was Species DP and had to actually snake Lidge from myself just 1 pick shy of my turn. Jenks is a good alternative. A little shaky last year but a solid strikeout pitcher on a team that will generate it's share of save situations. Tough to anticipate where Jenk's ERA or WHIP will fall this year because Jenks was so up-and-down, but that is what makes this fun.
|
| 5 | Toral
ID: 52621719
Fri, Mar 09, 2007, 20:02
|
6.05 John Lackey, SP, LAA
The time of planning this pick was one of radical indecision. I first examined the 1st basemen and found a tier of 5 who were relatively close in attractiveness. They were Prince Fielder (taken at 6.01 while I was analyzing), Richie Sexson (6.09), Adam LaRoche (6.08), Lyle Overbay (eventually got him!) and Adrian Gonzalez (6.12). Looking at other team's selections, it seemed an open question whether any of the latter 4 would be around for me in round 7. I went so far as to click on Gonzalez, but balked when asked to confirm. I'll hope to snag one or have to look for a sleeper or some other solution. 1st base wasn't as deep as I had been thinking.
Francisco Cordero (7.07) was an intriguing option for me. He seemed clearly the most solid of the remaining closers, and it would be a new experience for me to have 2 closers stashed safe and securely away while some other managers ended up scrambling for one sure thing. But I couldn't pull the lever on this one either.
I gave some thought to Felipe Lopez (grabbed immediately after at 6.06) but was worried about his production at RFK.
So perhaps it was time to select a starting pitcher. Usually I select a stud in round 2 or 3 and delay selecting other pitchers until late. With no standout picks, I thought it appropriate to look for one solid reliable starter. Lackey takes the ball every 5 days, wins 13 or 14 games, should put up an ERA around 3.50 and fan 190 batters. He could easily enough put up 18 or so wins with decent luck. All I need is 5 other guys like this, maybe at a bit lower level, and my pitching will be fine.
And it's when I nothing else stands out as the way to go that I select an SP.
P.S. LaRoche and Sexson went quickly at 6.08 and 6.09, and Gonzalez at 6.12.
I was cursing myself for not selecting a 1B and worrying all day whether Overbay would be chosen. Overbay was still there at 7.12. Not a great player, but a doubles hitter, one who can be undervalued in a league that includes SDG instead of HR.
|
| 6 | ksoze
Leader
ID: 04619323
Sat, Mar 10, 2007, 07:06
|
6.06 Felipe Lopez, SS, Wash
I went back and forth on this one, which was, admittedly, narrowed down by darkside, Species and JeffG's preceeding picks. It was: closer... middle infielder... closer... middle infielder, back and forth. Lugo and Lopez were my two MI options with Lugo's versatility putting him in the lead, and Lidge, Ray and Jenks for the closer options. Then, down go Lugo, Lidge and Jenks. Unfortunately Toral didn't make my mind up for me and selected an SP, something I was more then stocked up with after 5 picks.
The main reason I went with Lopez over Ray was that I was afraid I'd be too light on offense this early by having 3 pitchers after just 6 picks. Small closer run be damned (three in five picks including Ray right after me), I didn't want to be forced into choosing a second or third tier closer just because I didn't have one and they were going now. I didn't have a SS who steals bases and will be 2B eligibile soon after the season starts yet either. I was also gambling that I could get Gordon or Fuentes in the next round, I doubted I'd get Lopez 21 picks later.
I think Lopez will steal upwards of 50 bases this season based on the assumption that Washington will have trouble scoring runs and will need to try to create them more; he was successful 79% of his attempts in 2006. On a better team Lopez might score 120+ runs, with Washington it'll be 90 - 100. And, like I said, he'll have dual eligibility soon into the season.
|
| 7 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Sat, Mar 10, 2007, 12:35
|
6.07 Chris Ray, RP, Bal
In retrospect, I'm not sure I made the right pick here. That's not to say that Ray was not good value, but I'm not sure it's what my team needed. In fact, my not having a cohesive strategy this draft has gotten me in the mode of trying to find the strongest player in shallow positions (see Nathan, Roberts, Ray, Felix, etc.) while neglecting putting together a well-rounded team.
Selecting 4 pitchers in the first 7 rounds may leave me hurting for offense. Anyways, I think I may have been better served picking a 1st baseman here because of what Toral just pointed out - the drop off in quality 1B happened pretty quickly.
Back to Ray, though - he looked to be the last of the 'money' closers. With him and Nathan, I shouldn't have to worry much about the saves category (for once).
|
| 8 | Andrew
Dude
ID: 07724916
Sat, Mar 10, 2007, 12:55
|
6.08 Adam LaRoche, 1b, PIT
I've been a big LaRoche fan for a few years now, and just keep waiting for him to reach his peak. He finally showed what he is capable in the 2nd half of last year. Personally I think this pick is a reach. I was hoping to get Swisher as my 1st basemen, and he was the last reliable one I saw. I'm not really a Sexson fan(6.09) and I don't want anything to do with a San Diego hitter this year(Adrian Gonzalez 6.12) I was hoping Zimmerman would fall to this pick, but I'm just glad I got a 1st basemen, because if I didn't get LaRoche I was going to be waiting a long time for one. I expect atleat to see 89 Runs, 90 RBIs, .354 OBP, and .561 SLG which is what he did last year in Atlanta. His Runs will probably slip and his RBIs and OPS should stay constant or go up if his 2nd half is any indication.
|
| 9 | allhair allstars
Dude
ID: 07724916
Sat, Mar 10, 2007, 12:55
|
6.09 Richie Sexson, 1b, SEA
His 2006 2nd half gives me hope that he’s settled in. If his first half this year is anything like last year’s I’m gonna cry. No, wait… that’s right – this is baseball…
If his first half is anything like last year’s I’m gonna be very unhappy.
Better. It’s for situations like this that I secured the services of Figgins, allowing me to take a value bat that won’t help in the SB cat without feeling guilty. If Richie’s out of the gate strong he could go 40 HR with big RBI. It’s too much to ask for more than a .350 OBP, but I’ll take what I can get., along with his .500 slugging. All the big (or, size-wise, not so big) first basemen are long gone and I’m still empty at first base. Sexson is a potentially risky pick, but as long as he brings along his Fred Flintstone club, I promise not to complain.
The pick immediately preceeding my Sexson pick was one where I was Smith32’s DP. I had toyed with the idea of picking up LaRoche or Hunter but as luck would have it, Smith’s next pick was LaRoche, which helped in my decision making process…
|
| 10 | Smith32
Dude
ID: 07724916
Sat, Mar 10, 2007, 12:56
|
6.10 Brett Myers, SP, PHI
Another pick from the queue, and I really like Myers at this spot. I had him on one of my teams last year and it seemed like he got some tough breaks on run support and bullpen help that cost him wins. So with better luck, I think 13 wins could become 17 pretty easily. Could see 200Ks, but his WHIP and ERA are somewhat mediocre around 1.30 and 4.00.
|
| 11 | Weycool
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 00:10
|
6.11 Juan Pierre, OF, LAD
This was one of those picks that your look at all you draft ptojections and wonder…Ok….what
am I missing here.
I double checked a few sites to make sure he wasn’t injured and didnt find any.
So I decided maybe it was just my lucky day.
I am hoping for 90-100 runs and a decent OBP.
But of course the main reason I picked up Pierre is for the difficult to find SB stat.
It seems that the art of the stolen base is quietly disappearing from the game of baseball today.
|
| 12 | loki
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 00:11
|
6.12 Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, SD
This choice was a position pick to fill 1B. The first tier first basemen were chosen, and Gonzalez seemed to have the most upside potential of those remaining. He should only improve on some very good numbers obtained in his first full season in the majors. He played winter ball, doing very well in the Mexican league, and hopefully this will prevent "the sophomore jinx." Hitting cleanup in the Padre's lineup should enable him to produce very well. Last year I chose another first baseman without a track record who did very well. Can Gonzalez be another Ryan Howard? No way, but I can hope.
|
| 13 | C1-NRB
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 00:12
|
6.13 Ryan Freel, 2B, CIN
I was very tempted to not post a rationale, or at least let a placeholder sit for a round or two, for this pick to add to the intrigue; but I’m not that sadistic.
As I posted in the discussion thread, I really enjoy the middle round rationales. I had this one pretty much put together but thought it needed to be expanded upon based on the discussion comments.
Short answer- I needed Stolen Bases. Freel and a cadre of *undrafted* will (hopefully) keep me out of the SB cellar. Why exactly Freel? Of the available base-stealers capable of 30+, I like his OPS potential and his spot in the Reds’ batting order for Runs.
Long answer- I have a weakness for guys with multiple-position eligibility. (Wow. Re-reading that, its not something I’d like taken out of context. ) 2B, OF, and 3B(!) makes him a poor man’s Chone Figgins. Last year I traded for *undrafted w/ multiple-position eligibility* and it worked out very well for me. This year I’ve had a few on the board from the start. It sounds like I could have let Freel slide into round 7. Flip-flopping him and Chris Young, P, SDG wouldn’t have made a difference in the long run.
Interestingly enough, the same Figgins analogy was made about Jose Reyes in last year’s RIBC Draft recap. I had made the pick and formulated my rationale before I saw it there. I can only dream of the same type of production from Freel. My dream; Species’ nightmare, especially if by “later” he meant 7.14 ; )
|
| 14 | Cobwebs
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 00:12
|
6.14 Josh Barfield, 2B, CLE
Wanted to fill the hole at 2B and needed steals without losing to much in SLG. Barfield’s avg. draft position is 105 and TSN ranks him at #90 overall, so it’s not that far a reach picking him at 94 even if his OBP could be better. Was also looking at Weeks, but his wrist issues scares me a bit. There’s a lot of hype concerning Barfield, and leaving Petco is obviously a plus. He’s young (24) and stole 21 bases last year , and Sandy Alomar Jr said that he’s capable of stealing 50, but that’s not likely going to happen, I’ll settle for 30. Being on the Indians’ potent line-up should also help improve his production. He also wears the #29 jersey, the same that I wore when I was a ballplayer.
|
| 15 | MBT
ID: 46917216
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 10:49
|
6.15 C.C. Sabathia, SP, CLE
Hmmm, I thought I had already done a rationale for Sabathia, but I guess not. I had no starters and figured I should grab at least one ace (?) to anchor my staff. He's got a history of being a workhorse with a decreasing ERA and WHIP while his K numbers have improved each of the past 3 years.
|
| 16 | DaBomb
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 12:44
|
6.16 Curt Schilling, SP, BOS
placeholder
7.01 Pat Burrell, OF, PHI
placeholder
|
| 17 | MBT
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 12:45
|
7.02 Rickie Weeks, 2B, MIL
2nd base was a hole for me and I really wanted to try to get my offense completed as early as possible this year. Weeks has a history of injury so I'm taking a bit a leap here, but if he can hold up for an entire season he'll be one of the top 2nd basemen in the game. He's got 20/20 potential and should top 100 runs easily.
|
| 18 | Cobwebs
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 12:45
|
7.03 Rich Harden, SP, OAK
During rounds 7 and 8 pitchers usually fly off the boards, so instead of watching in dismay while SP after SP disappear, I picked a SP that I really like. Harden is a true ace when healthy, he’ll rack up Ks together with a nice ERA and WHIP, practically unhittable when he’s on his game. I had Harden on my team last year, and it’s time for him to pay me back. Another risky pick, but who cares, it’s just a game;-)
|
| 19 | C1-NRB
ID: 17348117
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 14:09
|
7.04 Chris Young, SP, SDG
A solid number two starter in any rotation, with this pick I was looking for K’s more than I was W’s. The projections I saw expect his numbers overall to dip from last year but I can’t buy into it. I think he'll post 200+ K's this year and keep his WHIP in the 1.1x range.
|
| 20 | loki
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:39
|
7.05 Jeremy Bonderman, P, DET
I had not yet picked a pitcher, and I needed a decent one to anchor my staff before this tier of pitcher was gone. I liked Bonderman's pattern of improving every year, his age, and his 202K/214IP ratio in 2006.
|
| 21 | Weykool
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:40
|
7.06 Jason Schmidt, SP, LAD
With my 7th pick I knew I needed to get a decent SP to anchor my pitching rotation.
Im hoping his moving to a new team will allow him to rebound from an off year for him.
Even with the off year he was top 15 in K's and ERA with a decent 1.26 WHIP.
|
| 22 | Smith32
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:41
|
7.07 Francisco Cordero, RP, MIL
I tried something odd with my queue and it didn't work too well. I excluded the closers from my main queue and divided them into 3 tiers and asked allhair to pick one if there was only 1 or 2 left in a tier when it was my turn to pick. I thought that would help me avoid starting the run too soon or missing out altogether. But I don't think those conditions were met until F Cordero. But that's OK, I think he is a very good value here. In round 7, you'll take pretty much anybody with a job. 30-35 saves would be good. His other numbers are below average, but again, that's what you get in round 7.
|
| 23 | allhair allstars
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:42
|
7.08 Torii Hunter, OF, MIN
Playing the offense/speed thing here. As I said, I had eyed Hunter with my previous pick, and was glad to be able to grab him the next time through the draft order. Torri has to stay healthy, of course, but I’m hoping he’s healthier than he was last year, and can pick up a little speed on the basepaths while maintaining his offense. He wasn’t a steal with the 104th pick, but I didn’t overpay either, and his offense and speed should reap benefits.
|
| 24 | Andrew
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:43
|
7.09 Erik Bedard, SP, BAL
I drafted this guy as my sleeper 2 years ago and he was undefeated w/ like a 1.60 ERA before he got hurt and came back for a month and pitch lousy. He was my sleeper again last year and was inconsistent coming off his injury and then the WBC before finally finishing with 15 wins and a 3.76 ERA. Post All-Star break he had a 3.10 ERA with 83 k's in 87 innings. He has been projected as an ace for years, and I think he is finally healthy and prepared enough to do it. I originally targeted this guy for the 8th round, but after trading it away to get Utley I had to pull the trigger a little early to make sure I got him. I might have taken him here anyways because most of the other guys I was looking at already went or seemed too early. He should be a good anchor to my staff, as my 1st pitcher.
|
| 25 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:44
|
7.10 Felix Hernandez, SP, Sea
I didn't really need another pitcher this early, but King Felix started to stand out on my rankings. Of course he had an off year last year, and I wouldn't really be happy with the stats he had last year even at this juncture. The news on him as that he has lost 20 pounds and thinks his extra weight last year was part of the problem.
|
| 26 | ksoze
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 19:44
|
7.11 Tom Gordon, RP, Phil
After passing on a closer in the 6th round I was determined to take one here and Gordon and Fuentes were the two on my short list. In fact, the only thing causing me to think about Fuentes at all was Gordon's age and history of arm and shoulder problems. If healthy, Gordon and Fuentes will probably record about the same number of saves, but Gordon should have the better WHIP and ERA, due mostly to Coors Field. That and the fact that the Phillies look like they're going to baby Gordon this season convinced me to take him.
|
| 27 | Toral
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 23:16
|
7.12 Lyle Overbay, 1B, TOR
As discussed in my 6.05 rationale, I was targetting a first baseman here and Overbay was the last of a tier and still here.
Overbay is a .375/.480/80/90 kind of guy who might be undervalued in this league because while he's not a big homer hitter, he hits doubles -- 46 last year, 53 3 years ago, so his slugging average is higher than you might expect from a 20-homer hitter. His slugging average lasy year was higher than Richie Sexson's or Prince Fielder's or Adrian Gonzalez's.
After mulling over the selection, I came to admire the sagacity of whoever decided to wait and go for Conor Jackson, who could be comparable to Overbay this year. He eventually went 5 rounds later (jeffg, 12.04)
The day after I made this pick, the Jays announced that Overbay will bat second this year, which will hurt his RBI totals.
|
| 28 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 23:17
|
7.13 Matt Cain, SP, SF
In my 6.04 rationale, I mentioned I was contempating starting pitchers (24 picks ago). I was considering a handful, led by Bonderman, Lackey, Harden, Schilling, and Cain. They all have good points for being drafted if I did with 6.04, but in my own overly petty overanalysis, I saw little red flags. Since I was flip flopping on so many starters and one did not really jump out to me, I decided to let the next 12 managers with 2 picks each weed them out, and I'll get one on the rebound. We'll those 12 managers picked 10 starters, for a run I really did not anticipate, but the good news is two I was looking at a round ago came back to this slot - Cain and Haren. I choose Cain because of (that dreaded term you see too often in rationales) his "upside". Out of the two, Haren threw a ton of innings last season (see there is one of those silly red flags I come up with). Out of the two Cain showed a good second half ERA and WHIP (3.26 and 1.18) so I am going with this possible future ace.
|
| 29 | Species
Dude
ID: 07724916
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 23:24
|
7.14 Brian Fuentes, RP, COL
It was probably now or never in terms of a 2nd closer. To "make up" for some question marks with my 1st closer, I decided if one of the closers I deemed to be secure in their job fell to me that I would take him. Fuentes (along with Gordon and Cordero) was the last on the list.
I've had Fuentes several times in leagues the past 2 years and he has done very well for me. His ratios won't dazzle but they won't kill you either. He does have a more than respectable K/9 rate so that helps. But quite simply, he is secure in his job with an All-Star appearance under his belt and 2 years of quality work. I seriously considered Dan Haren here and will probably regret not taking him, but I hate to punt saves or be scrounging for the Ambriorix Burgos' of the world who kill your ratios.
|
| 30 | darkside
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Sun, Mar 11, 2007, 23:26
|
7.15 Jose Valverde, RP, AZ
I immediately had buyers remorse here. Going into this set of picks I decided I wanted a closer and Teahen. I know it’s early for Teahen, but I really like what he did in the second half of last season and think he’ll carry it into this year, even with having had surgery. Adding OF flexibility to him made him even more attractive. I thought there was a lesser chance of JL taking Teahen than the relievers left (after Cordero, Gordon and Fuentes were taken), so I went with the reliever who I thought had the most potential for a stud year—Valverde. There were others left on the board that had a more stable history, but Valverde’s is at that magical age of 27 and has got the goods, so if he stays healthy and harnesses his talent, he could be a great closer. But when I posted my rationale for Kazmir I’d left Haren’s name in and he wasn’t drafted yet. I didn’t think there was any chance he’d have made it back to me in the 7th round, so I didn’t have him in my sights. As soon as I realized he wasn’t drafted I starting thinking I should have taken him. He’s got great SO, ERA and WHIP numbers for this point in the draft. But, JL knew that too and snatched him. I think I could be happy with Valverde. Being an economist by training, I also noticed some seasonality in his performance and am hoping the trend continues; since 2003, his first season in the league, he’s sucked every other year:
Year: era/whip/saves
2003: 2.15/0.99/10
2004: 4.25/1.38/8
2005: 2.44/1.07/15
2006: 5.84/1.46/18
So, with the closers role his and it being an odd year, I may as well think he’ll get 30 saves and his typical odd year ratios, right (go ahead and laugh). I really, really hate chasing after closers, and it seems I always end up spending my RIBC season doing that, and I didn’t think any closers worth a damn would make it back to me.
That’s how I talked myself into it.
|
| 31 | JL
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 07:21
|
7.16 Dan Haren, SP, OAK
Haren is an absolute steal at the end of the 7th round. He's a durable young pitcher that consistently gives you an 4.00 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP to go with decent strikeout and wins numbers...and he's only 26. I didn't expect him to be here at this point.
8.01 Edgar Renteria, SS, ATL
I'm not particularly excited about Renteria, but you have to take a decent MI eventually and he was the best one of the board in my opinion. I strongly considered taking Jeff Kent with this pick, but ultimately decided that the SS depth was wearing thin quicker than 2B. I was waiting to nab Ian Kinsler as my 2B with my 9th round pick, but Species grabbed him two picks before me.
Renteria doesn't have a lot of upside, but he's consistent. I know that I'll get about 100 runs, 70 RBI, and 15 SBs from him. At this point in the draft, I'll be happy with that production from my SS.
|
| 32 | darkside
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 07:23
|
8.02 Mark Teahen, 3B, KC
After JL had corrected my oversight by nabbing Haren, I stuck to my original plan of taking Teahen. Teahen stunk up the joint at the beginning of last season and was sent down after a month in the show. It did him good because after being recalled from AAA Teahen put on an impressive display that saw.195/.241/.351 turn into .290/357/.517 with 8 SB to boot. He turns 26 in September so there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to improve this season. He currently has 3B eligibility and will soon have OF eligibility as well since there’s really no question he’s moving out there. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder given his position has been taken away (and he was actually pretty good at it), so I think he may have something to prove. Combining that with the improved KC lineup leads me to think Teahen is primed for an eye-opening year. |
| 33 | Species
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 07:24
|
8.03 Barry Bonds, OF, SF
Okay, you are drafting and you have your choice between accumulating the following stats in your outfield:
Player A:
AB H HR RBI RUN OBP SLG OPS
580 183 28 101 102 0.381 0.548 0.929
Player B:
500 140 33 98 93 0.420 0.530 0.950
Pretty close.
Player A is Matt Holliday, taken 2.14. Player B is Barry Bonds plus 150 AB's from a random outfielder (outfielder ranked in excess of #75 in Rotowire's cheat sheet). What I did was take a total of 5 projections for Bonds and came up with not an exact average, but more of a median projection for him, then I added 150 AB's of a replacement outfielder to come up with the following cumulative projection:
AB H HR RBI RUN OBP SLG OPS
Bonds, Barry 350 100 26 75 70 0.465 0.575 1.04
???? 150 40 7 23 23 0.343 0.465 0.808
Total 500 140 33 98 93 0.420 0.530 0.950
Follow me here. Being within earshot of the Giants' flagship radio station I will have access to at least a fair amount of accurate information as to Barry Bonds' chosen playing days, with day games after night games being the most obvious days off (albeit with exceptions). If I can substitute a replacement outfielder with reasonable accuracy, I can leverage Bonds' 125-130 games with another 25 games from someone else (off days too) I have a 2nd round outfielder at an 8th round price.
The above of course takes into account the price of a roster spot for said replacement outfielder (and that is a premium with only 4 bench slots!) and of course that Bonds plays 125-130 games. Even with all of his problems last year, Bonds played in 130 games and reports all say that he is fitter and moving noticeably better this spring than last. In the 8th round, it's a very worthwhile gambit.
|
| 34 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 07:25
|
8.04 Aaron Harang, SP, Cin
I really did not expect to pick another starter here, as I still have a lot of needs, especially in the getting weeker pools of middle infielders. Also, to quote Top Gun, "I have a need for speed" (SB). But no one from the SS, 2B, or SB queues jumped out at me here worthy of a 8th rounder. (Note: the next 2 picks after this slot were 2B). I kind of eyed Harang pre-draft as a possible player who maybe would be undervalued, perhaps because last season he kind of transformed from being a flyball pitcher to a strikeout pitcher who gives up the occasional long ball. Harang was second in the majors in K's in 06 (only Johan Santana was better), and I am expecting 12-15 wins. I'll figure out a way to compensate because of the WHIP damage Harang may leave me to deal with. This is likely my first reach pick, I probably could have waited a round.
|
| 35 | Toral
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 15:58
|
8.05 Jeff Kent, 2B, LAD
A 39-year old player coming off an injury-prone season is not an easy pick, and, having fallen well behind in list updating and strategy I, I pondered quite a while before making this one. Still, there is no 2Bman except Utley who I think has a better chance to slug .500 this year and I was reluctant to pass that up. Looking at the places other 2Bmen were chosen makes me feel somewhat better about the pick. It will be interesting to compare his production with that of his polar opposite, the rookie Howie Kendrick who was picked next at 8.06. I like having the keystone taken care of
I've had second and third thoughts about this, but looking at the next round of players there's no one I prefer in retrospect I prefer except perhaps Mike Piazza (8.14) who I expect to have a monster year. Kent went at 9.02 in RIBC, and at 8.12 in the other AAA league so his going at 8.05 is not a huge reach.
|
| 36 | ksoze
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 15:59
|
8.06 Howie Kendrick 2B LAA
My Howie pick is all about his potential and my hope that the Angels will hit him in the top third of the order for the majority of the season. Right now he's hitting 7 for them in spring training and even in that spot he should hit .300 leading to an OBP of about .340 or more with, at worst, 15 HR power and 20 steals. I hope. If so, in a weak 2B field, he's a decent option with upside beyond those numbers if he hits higher in the order.
|
| 37 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:00
|
8.07 Delmon Young, OF, TB
Well, what my team needed at this point was an emotional leader - a guy who's not afraid of arguing balls and strikes, a guy who'll attack umpires if that's what the team needs to get it going.
Actually, this is what happens when you set a queue at 1 am on a Friday night. I have a hard time justifying it now, but what Young provides is mid 20's in stolen bases while still driving in and scoring runs.
|
| 38 | Smith32
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:01
| via trade with Andrew
8.08 Barry Zito, SP, SFO
One of the marquee names in this year's drafts because of the uncertainty. The last of the Big 3 (Hudson, Mulder, Zito) to leave the AL for the NL, I am not sure what to expect from him. I would like to think that his numbers will improve like Arroyo's did when he switched leagues, but Hudson and Mulder's careers have significantly declined since they left OAK so I am a little nervous. He should enjoy some success until the hitters see him a few times. I think the 8th round is the proper place for him (he even went in Rd 7 in the RIBC). CBS has him at 18 wins, 163 K, 3.56 and 1.28. I think that is aggressive in wins ERA and WHIP, but even if he falls slightly short of those, I'll be ok with it.
|
| 39 | allhair allstars
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:02
|
8.09 Jason Isringhausen, RP, STL
How desperate is this pick? Looks like it’s going to be one of those years in the saves department – pending Izzy’s health, of course. If he can regain his old form I’ll be overjoyed with this pick, but that’s far from a sure thing at this point. Still, I felt it best to take a chance on him rather then mess around with most of whatever was left in the closer pool. I figure I’ll be able to hopefully shore up saves later on or pick someone off during the season… Recent news indicates that he's pitching fairly well and is on track to close from the get go. If he's pitching well, he's a lock for 35 +\- saves. Still, this is shaping up to be a scary area for me.
|
| 40 | Smith32
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:03
|
8.10 Josh Beckett, SP, BOS
My Boston friend who was along on my trip said that Beckett will be fine when he figures out you can't just throw fastballs all the time. Hopefully that will help his HR totals decline this year. The run support in Boston is certainly good, which make him a good candidate for wins. Blisters are always a concern with Beckett, but he avoided them last year. CBS has him at 17 wins, 190 K, 4.07 and 1.19. I think that WHIP number is too low, but again, in Round 8 I'll take similar or slightly less production.
|
| 41 | Weykool
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:04
|
8.11 Jonathan Papelbon, SP, BOS
I had this preminition that while the Redsox were officially talking about him being in the starting rotation,
secretly they were expecting to make him the closer all along.
They were just trying to get some competition going out of the other RP prosects.
What's that?
Nobody is buying my rationale?
OKAY….it was all dumb luck as Species pointed out
Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good I guess.
I was figuring I would get 5-6 quality innings per start with a very respectable K/9 ratio.
I also made the blunder of not following up on my K-Rod pick with a decent second closer.
If anyone is interested in trading a starter for a closer I will be in the market.
|
| 42 | loki
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:04
|
8.12 Adrian Beltre, 3B, SEA
I've followed Beltre's career since the Dodgers signed him as an under aged player from the D.R., and have always known of his potential. (Word of explanation, I am a long time Brooklyn->LA Dodger fan.) Because of this I chose him in RIBC AA 2004 with my 25th pick and benefited from his breakout season. He won't repeat those stats, but from the end of May through the end of the 2006 season Beltre had 23 HRs, 75 RBIs and .538 SLG indicating that his batting skills are still present.
|
| 43 | C1-NRB
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:05
|
8.13 Raul Ibanez, OF, SEA
Time to start fielding an Outfield. I had three listed as possibilities, but ended up going with Ibanez here. He put up decent numbers last year, posting triple digit run production to go along with a .500+ SLG. I would venture to say he may be the quietest (under the radar) 100 R, 100 RBI guy in game. I’ll be satisfied with similar numbers this year
|
| 44 | Cobwebs
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:05
|
8.14 Mike Piazza, C, OAK
It looks like I’m guilty of reaching again. But there’s a lot to like about this pick. Piazza will be a DH this year and bat cleanup, and that should both help his production and keep him healthy. He’s 38 but so is the guy he’s replacing. And looking at some stats, Piazza had a .936 OPS away from Petco last year which is exactly the same that Mauer had, the #1 ranked catcher in the draft.
|
| 45 | MBT
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:06
|
8.15 Magglio Ordonez OF DET
Maggs got his old swing back last season. After two injury riddled seasons he was back in full form. With Sheffield added to the lineup I expect Maggs to top 100 runs and 100 RBI's with little trouble.
|
| 46 | DaBomb
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:06
|
8.16 Bob Wickman, RP, ATL
placeholder
9.01 Rocco Baldelli, OF, TB
placeholder
|
| 47 | MBT
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:07
|
9.02 Joe Borowski, RP, CLE
Not exactly my closer of choice, but at least he's a closer with a job. I had my Q all set up for Wickman then, boom he was gone. I had been waffling back and forth between the two of them so I must say thanks to DaBomb for making my choice for me. Borowski doesn't have anybody really breathing down his neck in Cleveland so he should be able to hang onto the job and get me enough save to keep me out of the cellar.
|
| 48 | Cobwebs
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:07
|
9.03 Eric Chavez, 3B, OAK
Wow, I just realized that I’ve picked 3 Oakland dudes in a row;-) Not many elite 3B left without some risk involved. Had a hard time deciding between Encarnacion and Chavez. Encarnacion is a breakout candidate playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark coming off a good year plagued with some injury and fatigue, maybe that’s a sign of things to come, so I went with Chavez. The reports on Chavez is that he’s back to being 100% and ready to go, so I’m expecting Chavez to return to form this year, with an OPS close to .900 and 100+ RBIs, and he’s only 29.
|
| 49 | C1-NRB
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:08
|
9.04 Josh Willingham, OF, FLA
It’s getting to be that time in the draft. I had my sites on Eric Chavez at this pick; he goes at 9.03. I had other OF lined up as well- Baldelli (9.01) and Magglio (8.15). Fortunately, Josh Willingham was on the list, too. He won’t have triple digit run production, but his SLG should make up for those deficits. My highest queued P was Dontrelle Willis. I thought he might slip one more round to me. Guess not (9.07)
|
| 50 | loki
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 16:09
|
9.05 Mike Mussina, SP, NYY
At this time I had only 1 SP. Mussina is the Yankee's number 1 starter, and he had his best season in years in 2006 with 15 wins, 172 Ks, and a 1.11 WHIP. I was glad to see him still available this late in the draft.
|
| 51 | Weykool
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:29
|
9.06 Stephen Drew, SS, AZ
Drew is one of the better prospects this year.
He came up last year and had a decent half year.
He is expected to be moved to the leadoff spot in the line up and should see plenty of AB's.
I had to reach for him just a tad but I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss out on the big year I expect from him.
|
| 52 | Smith32
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:30
|
9.07 Dontrelle Willis, SP, Fla
This was the final pick from my monster queue, and I am not sure how much I like it, mainly because I already had 3 starters. But that is entirely my fault because I asked that no more than 4 SPs be drafted from my queue - I didn't expect everyone to wait on the SPs. My concerns with Willis are his durability (since he's thrown a high number of innings in the past few years and he has an odd delivery) and run support in FLA. His ERA should be good and WHIP decent. Maybe 15 wins, 170 K, 3.30 ERA, and 1.28 WHIP.
|
| 53 | allhair allstars
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:31
|
9.08 Alex Rios, OF, Tor
This is actually the first pick of this draft that I was psyched about. Having to go early to grab Izzy wasn’t exactly the plan, but picking up Rios here made up for it a bit. I mean, who gets a staph infection from a foul ball, fer pete’s sake?? Give this guy a full, healthy year and he’s looking at close to 25/20 in a nice lineup, with potential for 100 RBI.
|
| 56 | Andrew
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:36
|
9.09 Rich Hill, SP, ChC
I've already heard that species thinks this is a huge reach this early. I saw him go this early in another draft though, and I didn't want to miss out. In his first full taste of the majors it took him some time to get adjusted...but when he did, boy did he. In 80 innings after the all-star break he had a 2.93 ERA with 79 strikeouts. In september in 42 innings he struck out 50 batters and walked only 10 with a 1.93 ERA. Thats a small sample size though. What really gets me excited about Hill (other then when I saw how sick his curveball is) is his minor league numbers. His minor league strikeout rate is 12.49 batters per 9 innings. He had lots of trouble with control until 2 years ago though with a career 4.19 w/9...in the last 3 years in the minors he had w/9s of 3.28, 1.94 and then 1.89. His stuff is unquestionable the key is, I think he is finally able to find the plate with it. The National League better watch out for him. I don't know exactly what to expect from him, but I expect it to be good and I didn't want to miss out.
|
| 57 | Slackjawed Yokel
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:37
|
9.10 Dan Uggla, 2B, Fla
Well, I was all set to take Iguchi here. In fact, I had him second in my queue for the previous round. It seems I have owned Iguchi in every league I've been in the past couple years, but I decided to switch things up. Comparing them, they have similar numbers but Uggla showed more power and has youth on his side.
|
| 58 | ksoze
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:37
|
9.11 Nick Markakis, OF, Bal
When took a look at available players as the draft took the turn into round 9 and headed back my way, there was one player available who I thought screamed "pick me!!!" Mike Mussina. So of course he comes off the board 6 picks before me. Oh well, re-group.
I didn't see another SP who I was convinced I needed right now, though I thought about Hamels and, if he'd made it back to me in round 10, I'd have taken him there. As it happened, Toral took him with the next pick. My IF was close to set except for 3B and I didn't see one that I felt I needed to take here either.
So I set my sights on a second OF. Markakis, I thought, was the one left that should give me the most production. If he hits in the three spot all year there's no reason to think he won't come close to or surpass 100 runs and RBI each with mid-20 HR power. His OPS the final four months of last season was .870. I didn't feel it was any stretch at all to take this kid here.
|
| 62 | Toral
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:40
|
9.12 Cole Hamels, SP, Phi
Cole Hamels is going to be an outstanding pitcher and I need him to make a big step in that direction this year. He got better as the year went on, putting up a 3.39 ERA and 1.11 WHIP after the All-Star game, a 2.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 4:1 K:BB ratio in the last two months. He has given up too many homers in the past and pitchers can often improve that; his ballpark will continue to work against him.
He strikes batters out. Part of what I am doing this year is making a few changes from what I did last year, and last year in RIBC I went against all my beliefs and selected Mark Buehrle high, as a 'reliable' pitcher on a good team. In fact I know that a pitcher with a mediocre and declining K/9 rate is never a 'reliable' bet for the forthcoming year but I didn't always act on that belief last year. This year my starting pitchers will strike batters out even if that is the only thing they do.
Hamels went at 7.09 in RIBC and at 5.10 in the other AAA league, so this looks like an OK value.
|
| 63 | JeffG
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:41
|
9.13 Mike Cameron, OF, Sdg
I started out looking at MI and SB help. I cannot wait too long to start filling the MI slots, or I'll be mired with real average-killers. There are a few MI to consider at this level, and I'll wait for the return pick. While looking at SB help, I saw Cameron with projections in the 20's for steals. I'm not buying it, especially projected later in the Padre order then he may have been when these projections were computed. But I do see an OF who will get decent slugging for this part of the draft, and he will drive in and score runs. 15 steals would be a nice bonus.
|
| 64 | Species
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:41
|
9.14 Ian Kinsler, 2B, Tex
I was seriously torn with this pick. I nearly took Kinsler at 8.03 before I talked myself into Barry Bonds. When the gamble paid off and he came back to me at 9.14 - this after similarly-ranked (or in some cases lower-ranked) 2b like Freel and Barfield went off the board 3 rounds ago - I was shocked. I still only had 1 SP, but I had zero MI and the acceptable 2b were dwindling fast, and I knew the rest would come off the board if I didn't take them in this pair of picks.
I had targetted Kinsler for a while. Even after missing 6 weeks last year to a thumb injury, he still managed a rock solid 14HR, 55 RBI and 65 runs w/11 sb's in 423 ABs (120 games). Add 25% to that and it could be extrapolated into 150 games, 18 HR, 70 RBI and 80 runs with 15 steals. I think he hits those numbers this year and could conceivably grow as a hitter, making him a steal, IMO compared to some of the 2b's taken 3, 4 or 5 rounds earlier.
I seriously considered Randy Johnson with this pick but decided my MI need to precedence.
|
| 65 | darkside
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 21:42
|
9.15 Michael Cuddyer, 1B/OF, Min
I really wanted Rios with this pick, and thought for a while I might get him, but AA grabbed him 7 picks before my turn. Having only Vlad in the OF, I felt I needed to add one with one of my two picks as the options would be very depressing next time around. There were a few I was interested in, but Cuddyer stood out because of his age, breakout year and 1B eligibility. I don’t necessarily think he’ll match last year’s 100 rbi/run production, but I also don’t think he’ll be terribly far off. He’s always had decent power and a reasonable eye, so at 28 I don’t see any reason for a decline. A reasonable expectation is an OPS of .875ish with 90 rbi/run and a few SB.
|
| 67 | JL
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 22:01
|
9.16 Frank Thomas, Util, Tor
I felt like I was obligated to take Big Frank here on the slight chance that he will be able to reproduce last year's numbers. There weren't any players that were just screaming at me to be picked, so this seemed like a good time to take a risk on a guy like Thomas. He had a great year last season and he isn't injured, so why not take him?
I had been hoping that Kinsler or Hamels would fall to me, but both were taken a few picks before me.
|
| 68 | JL
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 22:01
|
10.01 Coco Crisp, OF, Bos
With only one OF at this point, I was forced to take Crisp with this pick. I considered Kearns (hitting 4th in Washington...but always injured), Giles (great OBP...but he's aging at three times the normal human rate), Podsednik (great SB...awful at everything else), and Hawpe. Crisp was injured last season and his numbers reflected that when compared to his career stats. He should bounce back this year and he gives me some much needed SBs.
I was torn between taking Crisp or Hawpe with this pick. I'm expecting big things out of Hawpe this season. He's 27 and he had an OPS around .900 last year. In the end, I decided that there was a greater chance of Hawpe falling to my next pick than Crisp, so I went with Crisp first. Unfortunately Hawpe was taken in the 11th round.
|
| 69 | darkside
Achiever
ID: 3590317
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 22:02
|
10.02 Dave Bush, SP, Mil
I’d thought about another pitcher with my last set of picks, but thought there were enough left that I could get a closer and Teahen and settle for a pitcher with this pick. I’d have preferred if Harang had lasted, but knew there was little chance of that. There are still a lot of quality guys left and I worry about my selection of Bush, but he was solid last year and I’m hoping he can repeat his success. All projections I read talk about his low WHIP, especially relative to his ERA and the fact that HR killed him. I’m not sure he’ll stop giving up the long ball, but I do think he’ll keep a relatively low WHIP and give me decent SO totals. With the Brewers fielding an impressive squad, he should have very respectable run support and will hopefully win 15 games. For a second starter taken in the 10th round, I think Bush gives reasonable value.
|
| 70 | Species
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 22:05
|
10.03 Jhonny Peralta, SS, CLE
I had wanted Stephen Drew to fall to me in the 9th round to be my starting SS, but that didn't materialize. Since darkside and JL both already had a SS, I decided to take Kinsler first with this pair of picks, fully intending on taking Peralta with this pick. Of course during that time between picks I waffled for a good 30 mins thinking about RJ again and weighing my options.
I decided I wanted Peralta's upside at SS over RJ. The other SS options had some promise, but none as much as Peralta. Of course, after a breakout 2005 that resulted in a .366/.520 OBP/SLG with 24 HR, 78 RBI and 82 runs he followed it up with a horrible .323/.385(!!) year with 13 HR, 68 RBI and 84 runs. Which is the real Peralta? Probably somewhere in the middle, which is exactly where Rotowire (as one example) projects him this year: .349 OBP and .450 SLG for a respectable .799 OPS for a 10th round SS is not bad. He'll get 80 or so runs and RBI making him a solid contributor in those counting stats. If he exceeds the average between those two years, he'll be a huge bargain.
|
| 71 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 12, 2007, 22:06
|
10.04 Tadahito Iguchi, 2B, CWS.
Finally took a MI. I am the last in the draft to do so, and many have 2. Batting second, when not moving over Podsednik, he'll be trying to set the table for Thome, Konerko, and Dye. Hopefully that tranlates into runs and run production. He has been pretty consistent the last two seasons and should be very servicable for my team at 2B. He is also in his contract year, and hopefully that will translate into more incentive, although it also means that his current team has seen him for 2 years and does not want to lock him up longer term.
|
| 72 | Toral
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:43
|
10.05 Alex Gordon, 3B, KAN
I have no problem with expecting immediate results from hitting prospects as solid as Gordon and so believe he can be expected to be a 5-category player, putting up something like .365/.500 with 15-20 steals. His run and RBI totals will probably be lower than one would expect from these totals. He's hitting .394/.524/.667 in spring training. Perhaps having him nearby will make Jeff Kent feel younger.
There was a little run of third basemen going on as 5 were selected in the next 14 picks: Encarnacion (10.06), Tracy (10.08), Blalock (10.13), Ensberg (11.01), and Youkilis (11.03). All reasonable picks, but I'll still take my guy.
Gordon went at 9.04 in RIBC and 8.14 in the other AAA.
|
| 73 | ksoze
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:44
|
10.06 Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, Reds
At this point I still wasn't convinced that I "needed" to take another SP yet, mainly because, if healthy, my first two SP's should be fantasy studs. That left me with only two real holes, one of them being 3B.
E.E., at 23 last year, had an OPS of .831 in an up and down season that saw him spend some time in the minors. He's not much in the field but those stats don't count in fantasy. If he plays every day I don't see any reason to think his OPS won't rise as he hits for a bit more power. If so, 90 - 100 RBI in that home ballpark isn't out of the range of possibility, and maybe a few SB's to boot. I didn't see another 3B candidate available with that potential.
|
| 74 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:45
|
10.07 Nick Johnson, 1B, WAS
Um, I was trying to fill the hole at 1B, and I made this pick based on the spreadsheet of rankings/projected stats I had at work. What my spreadsheet failed to tell me was that Nick Johnson is still recovering from a broken leg and his return date is unknown. So, this isn't looking like my best pick...
|
| 75 | Andrew
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:47
|
10.08 Chad Tracy, 3B, ARI
As a D-backs fan, I've been a fan of Tracy's since probably before any of you even heard of him. I originally hoped to get Zimmerman a few rounds back and actually take Stephen Drew here, but as you can see, both of those plans failed miserably. When I went out of town I set my queue Hill, Drew, Tracy, Weaver and then a bunch of others who I didn't want and prayed that I would get them in the right rounds. Somehow it all worked out. I didn't get Drew, but I got a 3b fairly late in the draft who after a sophomore "slump" in which he put up 91 Runs, 80 RBI's and a .794 OPS should look to rebound. Another young player, he also has fantastic minor league numbers and in what should be a much improved Arizona offense should put up good production for this point in the draft. I needed a 3rd basemen and time was running out on the good ones so I pounced.
|
| 76 | allhair allstars
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:48
|
10.09 Jorge Posada, C, NYY
Here’s another pick where I found myself surveying the landscape and deciding to grab a guy that stuck out a little from the rest of the crowd. Solid OBP and Slugging, power, and a couple SB’s to boot… His production may fall off a little from last year, but he’s still in the Yankee lineup, and who cares if that inflates his numbers… That’s the whole point, neh?
|
| 77 | Andrew
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:49
| via trade with Smith32
10.10 Jered Weaver, SP, LAA
Weaver wasn't even on my radar until I was leacing town and was amazed he was still available. He went in the 5th round in RIBC, so I consider 10.10 a huge steal. His shoulder injuries scare me a lot, but they are supposedly minor(as minor as a young pitcher's shoulder injury can be I guess...) I don't see him duplicating last years outrageous performance by any means, but a mid 3s ERA and good K's and decent WHIP shouldn't be that much to ask for.
Now that all the picks have been taken it'd be nice to look at my trade with Smith32 in its entirety...
Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Jared Weaver
for
David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada and Barry Zito.
I wanted Rollins over Tejada anyways, but I'm not sure. That one is a toss up I think. I think we would both agree that Utley is an upgrade over Ortiz. Weaver and Zito is a toughy. Zito is solid if not spectacular. The move to the NL might do him some good. I think this one hinges on Weaver's health. I could see this trade going either way. At this point I'm glad to have the 3 I have(I'd take each one of mine over each one of his I think) but I just don't know quite what to expect from Zito and Weaver so it is way too soon to tell.
|
| 78 | Weykool
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:50
|
10.11 Justin Verlander, SP, DET
Very excited to get the AL ROY here with this pick.
I know there is some risk with a 2nd year pitcher but it was a risk I was willing to take.
Has had a decent spring so far and I'm hoping he can continue when the season starts.
This was one of my "late" picks as compared to the other RIBC drafts.
|
| 79 | loki
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:51
|
10.12 Octavio Dotel, RP, KAN
By this round I felt that there were only 3 RPs remaining who were guaranteed closers and were not injury risks, Dotel, Torres, and Benitez(although he does have an arthritic knee). Dotel has the best stuff and despite playing for KC, should pick up a good number of saves.
|
| 80 | C1-NRB
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:52
|
10.13 Hank Blalock, 3B, TEX
I let someone talk me into Hank Blalock. That someone was Hank Blalock. He was on a DFW radio station (rare) after he left an in-progress spring training game. He talked about his tattoos and his kids. He was loose, comfortable, laughing, and having fun (rarer). The next day he told the Ranger’s PR department that he wanted to do a weekly show (absolutely unheard of by any player. Media approaches them, not the other way around.) He wants to call it “Hammer Time.” (Lame, I know.)
I’m not saying Blalock had a Barry Bonds-type relationship with the media, but he wasn’t the first guy to go to for a quote. Everything about his game has been business. He even specifically requests that no introduction music be played when he comes up to bat.
It sounds like his whole attitude and approach to the game have changed. It sounds like its fun for him now. I don’t think he feels the pressure on him to be the next Mike Schmidt that he felt after his first two full seasons (03-04). Will he return to 2004 form and hit 30+ HR? Probably not, but I don’t expect a repeat of 2006 (career lows in R, RBI, and HR). He’s 26 years old this year, so its time to gear up for a breakout season.
|
| 81 | Cobwebs
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:52
|
10.14 Chris Young, OF, ARI
I was all set on picking Freddy Sanchez here, but in the end I changed my mind. How could I turn down a batting champion that has 2B/3B/SS eligibility? I don’t know, I just don’t think there’s much upside to a guy who recently sprained his knee and only hits singles and doubles, and just 3 SB last year, at the age of 29. I expect his numbers to take a dive this year, and with LaRoche in the lineup he’ll have even less opportunities to get RBIs. This decision will probably come back to haunt me. I also had a hard time deciding on a pitcher, so I took the player highest on my list, Chris Young. 5-tool players are hard to find, and it looks like Young will bat leadoff, but it really doesn’t matter where they put him in the lineup, 20+ SB and over .500 SLG makes him a top candidate for R.O.Y. anyway. I’m probably reaching again, but I didn’t want to hold up the draft with extended research, so I just went with my gut and picked.
|
| 82 | MBT
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:53
|
10.15 Randy Johnson, SP, ARI
This is the first pick taken during my vacation so for the next 9 rounds I can blame allhair for any disasters. I left him with a Q of about 16 players and Unit was at the top of the list. Sure he's getting old, but getting out of NY was probably the best thing he could have done. He's back in the weak NL West and won't have to face lineups like Red Sox. Should be a good 2nd SP for a shaky lineup.
|
| 83 | DaBomb
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:54
|
10.16 Freddy Sanchez, 2B, PIT
placeholder
|
| 84 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 13, 2007, 21:58
|
rationales continue with rounds 11-15
|
| 85 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Sat, Mar 17, 2007, 13:18
|
rounds 16-20
|
| 86 | JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Wed, Mar 21, 2007, 13:56
|
rounds 21-25
|
|
|
Post a reply to this message: (But first, how about checking out this sponsor?)
|
|