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| Posted by: Guru
- [330592710] Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:42
Continuing with round 16 (241st pick)
Rounds 1-5 Rounds 6-10 Rounds 11-15 |
| | | 1 | KrazyKoalaBears
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:42
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16.01 Tim Redding - P - HOU
Personally, I feel like I stole Redding. I had him ranked above many pitchers that both I and the rest of the managers had taken before him. I was holding off on him because I figured most people would overlook him until I felt I absolutely HAD to take him. This pick was when I felt that way.
I don't see Redding as a #5 guy. I think on a lot of pitching staff's around the league he would be a solid #2 or #3. His problem is that he's got Oswalt, Miller, Pettitte, and Clemens in front of him. Having Clemens in front of him actually helps, IMO, because it means he likely won't get skipped all that often, especially if HOU rests Clemens like everyone is saying they will.
I think this will be a breakout type of year for Redding. He has a one-year contract and will likely be trying to show his stuff to make a little more cash next year. I see 15 W, 160 K, 3.25 ERA, and a sub-1.2 WHIP as being attainable for him. If so, this will be an awesome pick. However, even if he "only" gets 13 W, 148 K, 3.53 ERA, and 1.24 WHIP like RotoWire has him projected at, I'll be more than happy with this pick.
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| | | 2 | darkside
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:43
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16.02 Jose Mesa - P - Pit
I like to play with fire, so I thought Mesa would fit well. His issues are well documented and last year helped solidify him as one of the more unreliable closers in the game. After excellent and not-so-excellent years in Cle, he put up 2 very impressive seasons as Philly's closer, then went down the tubes last year. Right now he doesn't even have the closer job in Pit. locked up, but it looks like he's got the edge. I've read that he's come into camp in great shape and that he blames a lot of last year on a lack of confidence from the club (but, he really doesn't seem like the kind to own up to his mistakes, so that could be a smoke screen...), so maybe the new environment will rejuvinate him and keep his era in this stratosphere. Regardless, I thought it was a decent time to take a risk on a guy who could end up being a closer.
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| | | 3 | Trip
Donor
ID: 13961611
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:49
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16.03 Joe Mauer - C - Min
This pick is based purely on potential as Mauer is predicted to be the next great catcher. If he can live up to the hype of the articles I have read about him, Mauer will be the no doubt AL ROTY. However, the projections that I have for found for Mauer this year have not been too great. While he is expected to develop power, that is not his game right now. 10 HR is a generous projection but his projected OBP of 0.375 is second only to Posada among catchers and is a major plus for this traditionally weak position. He could also pick up a few steals - I read that he ran down Pierre on his way to first after an attempted bunt. There are other catchers who were available with better projections, but I don't think any of them have near the potential as Mauer.
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| | | 4 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:51
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16.04 Jody Gerut, OF, Cle
Finally, a representative of the Tribe!
I have only 4 hitting spots open, and only the DH slot offers any promise of providing any power. Scanning down the list of available hitters, there are very few everyday players with a chance to slug near .500, and Gerut is one. Last year he slugged .494, and as a 25 year old, you’d think he should still be on the way up. A rotator cuff injury in late September is a lingering concern, but we’ll just have to work through that one. I’ll take 70-80-5-.490-.330.
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| | | 5 | Ref
Donor
ID: 539581218
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 12:59
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16.05 Kip Wells, P, Pit
After my lengthy short list was all used up, I went to my list of players I was keeping my eye on. I really wanted a SP with this pick since none of the RPs rally jumped out at me (the one that was still available that I liked, I discounted as I got him confused with another league and thought he was no longer available). With no 2B/MI I liked at this spot, Wells seemed to help me the most of those that were left.
He's the Opening Day starter. He's pitched well the past two seasons. The main hangup is that he won't get the run support as he would with many other teams. Still, he shouldn't hurt me at all in WHIP/ERA or Ks. This looks to be a solid pick, esp. for how late we are in the draft.
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| | | 7 | Species
Leader
ID: 7724916
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 13:55
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16.06 Billy Koch - RP - CHW
Another risky pick, but at this point in the draft to be able to even attempt to get a 'closer' has risk, and with Koch there is high reward.
I guess the good news is that, at this moment, the closer's job is his to lose. I think that's about the end of the good news.
Even in his "good" years, Koch is a WHIP-killer. But at this point in the draft, being without even a possible closer, I felt it was worth the risk. If I'm lucky I'll get 30 saves and a 1.35 WHIP. If I'm not......at least I tried.
I guess one other bit of good news is that he's pitched 3 scoreless spring innings only giving up 1 hit, 0 walks and 3 strikeouts. New Manager Ozzie Guillen has promised a clean slate with Koch, and being under lame duck Jerry Manuel wasn't exactly tops for Koch's confidence last year.
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| | | 8 | jumpball
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 15:36
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16.07 Julio Lugo - SS - TB
I looked around for a reliever that could help my team. I only saw two decent options -- Aquilino Lopez and Justin Speier who are competing for the closing job in Toronto. I also needed a player to fill the MI slot in the everyday lineup. The list of 2B and SS available was short and not very well known. Lugo is slated to hit 2nd in Tampa between Crawford and Baldelli -- that gave him the edge over the other players available.
In hindsight, maybe one of the 2 relievers might have been a better choice because Lugo might have lasted a round longer. I went with Lugo mainly to finish my regular hitting lineup, hoping to nab one or both of the relievers in the next 2 rounds.
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| | | 9 | J
Donor
ID: 29452720
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 17:26
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16.08 David Riske
Honestly, I've never heard of the guy, but I hear he's good, he should have the closers job in Cleveland pretty soon, I needed some Robb Nen insurance, so what a perfect fit. I also love hearing when people tell me I stole their guy, that tells me I did good!!! :)
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| | | 10 | smartone @work
Donor
ID: 29452720
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 17:29
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16.09 Tike Redman
This was the second time I made a risky draft pick (UU is the other one). I was looking at a bunch of players and was willing to trade my draft pick but there were no takers. With Tike, I fill the final offensive spot (excluding a catcher) and I expect to get a nice mix of speed and reasonable OBP/SLG. This is going to be his first full season, and I will be content if he manages to get close to his projections of 78 38 18 0.361 0.427.
I must admit that following this pick, it was the first time of the draft that my short-list (the other 5-6 players I was considering) were taken within the next 10 draft picks, so I guess that my strategy has eventually converged with the "mainstream" (or perhaps I finally became wise and knowledgeable)
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| | | 11 | Peter N.
Sustainer
ID: 17103420
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 17:32
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16.10 Fernando Rodney I was originally targeting Rafael Soriano with this pick, but Guru eliminated that option. Rodney, similar to C. Cordero, was another sleeper of mine coming into the draft for saves. I’ve heard and read many good things about this guy so in the 16th round, I thought the time was right to take a flier on him. He’s currently the front-runner for the Tigers closer job. The closer position had just been absolutely picked clean so Rodney stood out from that perspective. I don’t think he’d have made it back to me. He’s my 3rd option for saves so I think I can be really competitive there. The only other player I considered was Jeff Conine.
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| | | 12 | Caper
Donor
ID: 1535108
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 19:29
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16.11 Victor Martinez-c-Cle
Time for a catcher. Martinez got a taste of MLB pitching last year and I am expecting some growth and improved production in a full year as the starter. He is young and, hopefully, healthy. The promise he had coming up remains and I decided to go with the more experienced between he and Mauer.
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| | | 13 | blue hen
Leader
ID: 49346417
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 19:34
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16.12 Ryan Wagner, RP, Cin Ryan Wagner or Royce Clayton? Wagner has had nothing but the utmost of success in his career, starting at the University of Houston and finishing last season with a dominating September in Cincinnati. Danny Graves has been a very good closer in the past, but if Wagner doesn't take his job, he'll be the Dotel-style best middle reliever in baseball. To get a guy like that in the 16th round of a draft like this, that's amazing. There's only one thing that could make me pass up a chance like that.
Actually, three things. Rivera. MacDougal. Chacon. Guys so good, they only need one name. With 3 closers in a league like this, I should get at least 14 in saves, and didn't really need a reliever. Plus I figured there'd be plenty of good middle relievers later. When I took those three closers, I passed on several middle infielders. At this point, Clayton was far and away the best middle infielder remaining, especially with the Coors factor in his favor. If I took Wagner, who I didn't need, I might miss out on Clayton. I project a 100 runs and 20 homers from Clayton this season and I remember Vinny Castilla in 1996 quite well.
When it came down to it, I took Wagner. Everyone above me already had a shortstop although I really felt BMD might take Clayton anyway. And would you believe my luck?
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| | | 14 | Mattinglyinthehall
ID: 217351118
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 20:00
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16.13 Jose Cruz Jr. - OF - TB
As far as I was concerned, Cruz and Finley were the last two likable power-hitter options. I liked Cruz more because I've managed to keep a pretty high standard thus far in the OBP department, and I think can afford a poor showing from a couple of players and still compete in the category. Thus I was eager to take on the player that I project to better SLG and RBI numbers. He has a decent situation in his lineup, hitting behind Baldelli and Huff, which should yield some nice RBI opportunities. Unfortunately, he lacks protection after his #5 spot, but that fact might actually help his OBP, assuming he will occasionally be intentionally walked when there are no runners on base. He hasn't been much of a steals threat for a few years now, but with the small-ball mentality in Tampa and the lack of solid RBI guys following him in the lineup, he just may turn out to be something of a sleeper in that category, too.
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| | | 15 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 20:07
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16.14 Brad Penny, P, Fla
What’s not to like about this guy? He pitches for the defending world champs (as well as the winner of two World Series starts). He’s coming off a career high in wins. He was able to pitch a complete 196 inning season following shoulder surgery, and certainly appears healthy this spring. And he’s the only baseball player in history to come from the thriving metropolis of Broken Arrow, OK. A good pick for a middle-of-the-staff pitcher with 14 wins, 3.8 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 140 Ks expected.
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| | | 16 | beastiemiked
ID: 262411016
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 21:48
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16.15 Adam Eaton, P, SDG
Eaton has the potential for a breakout year. The padres offense looks much improved so his win totals should be higher than last seasons. He's always had a nice k/ip ratio and he had a very respectable ERA last year. No pitcher this late in the draft is a sure thing but Eaton has enough potential to warrant a pick in the 16th round.
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| | | 17 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 52347519
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 23:10
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16.16 Odalis Perez, P, LA
Now that we're getting in the later rounds, I've noticed that some guys I had been debating in previous rounds are still around for my next set of picks. Part of this is because as the different rosters are filled we each are targeting different positions. (In this case, I wanted one more solid starter) Also, there's a lot of guesswork in predicting how these lower-rated players will perform this year.
But Odalis is more of a known quantity - I mean who hasn't had him on their roster for a string of starts the last couple of years in TSN? As long as he keeps pitching in LA (as in the offseason there was talk of him being traded), and I remember to sit him for his Coors Field starts, I expect around a 3.50 era and 1.25 WHIP. And hopefully the Dodgers can score enough runs for him to get more than the 12 wins he got last year.
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| | | 18 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 52347519
Mon, Mar 15, 2004, 23:15
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17.01 Aquilino Lopez, RP, Tor
Lopez is slated to share the closer position in Toronto with Justin Speier. Only having one closer on my team (and Tampa Bay's, at that) because of my previous reluctance to draft closers, I felt I had to pick up Lopez. I don't expect him to be the full-time closer in Toronto, but I do expect 15+ saves, and solid era and whip.
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| | | 19 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 00:05
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17.02 Jeremy Affeldt, P, KC He was one of the guys I slated before the draft that I wanted no matter what. I was unclear what round he would go in so perhaps I took him too soon. He's got amazing stuff and is now pitching in a even more pitcher friendly ballpark. I am concerned with his blister problems but it sounds like his offseason surgery should prevent any more problems. There's also a slight chance that if Macdougal faulters that Affledt will take over the closer role. He should easily get double digit wins pitching in the AL central and I expect a pretty solid k/ip ratio as well.
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| | | 20 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 00:07
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17.03 Steve Finley, OF, ARI
Finley is one of those guys that has been playing for what seems forever, and when I look at his player page, I realize it is true. But he’s back this year, leading off for the Diamondbacks. He is traditionally a slow starter, and I hope I have the patience to hold him until June when he normally heats up.
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| | | 21 | Mattinglyinthehall
ID: 217351118
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 06:24
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17.04 Luis Matos - OF - Bal
I would have taken Matos earlier in the draft, but the inconclusive results of his MRI scared me away. I suspect others avoided him for the same reason. I saw right after I took Cruz in round 17 that bone scan results from the previous day showed that the shin fracture "is not one that goes into the bone, just on the face of the bone." Whatever that might mean from an accurate medical standpoint, the feeling seems to be that the pain in his shin isn't anything serious, and that Mattinglyinthehall has selected for himself a potentially solid 5-tool player projected to hit 2nd or 3rd in the Baltimore lineup with the 260th pick in the draft.
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| | | 22 | blue hen
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 08:23
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17.05 Royce Clayton, SS, Col See 16.12 Ryan Wagner. What else is there to say? Clayton is great but Wagner is better. I'm glad I got them both.
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| | | 23 | Caper
Donor
ID: 1535108
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 09:05
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17.06 Matt Stairs-OF/1B-KC
What was I thinlking when I made this pick? Stairs adds solid power numbers when he gets AB's. I expect he will get 450+ AB's in that KC line-up, if he stays healthy. This could be my "stinker" of the draft, but his bat should be useful to bring off my bench for some pop. Also, I have a responsibility to pick up the only native of New Brunswick available.
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| | | 24 | Peter N.
Sustainer
ID: 17103420
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 10:26
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17.07 Jeff Conine Conine in the 17th around is a bargain IMO. He provides some more flexibility to my lineup with I believe is important and gives him more value. He will serve as my 4th OF, CI, 1B, or UTIL player. He was the top ranked 1st basemen that I had on my list of available. When I took Rodney in the last round, I didn’t think Conine would make it back to me. Definitely happy that he did. The only other player I gave some consideration to was Jerome Williams, but I thought there’d be a better chance of him making it back to me over Conine. Still some decent options at P.
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| | | 25 | smartone @work
Donor
ID: 29452720
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 10:58
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17.08 Tom Gordon, RP, NYY
First of all, I finally have a good (fantasy) reason to watch the Yankees games... The other reason I picked Tom Gordon (wasn't he called Flash Gordon last year?) is Mariano Rivera. It's (probably) not a matter of "if" but only (hopefully, from a fantasy perspective) a matter of "when" Mo will be on the injured list, and Gordon has the experience to be a suitable Closer (he better be better than Avocado last year). Together with the potential saves, his low ERA and WHIP were very attractive and I hope that he will couple them with a bunch of K's and a few W's. A nice spring training (so far) made my choice slightly easier as I continue to minimize my SV-category risks by loading more "possible saves" onto my team.
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| | | 26 | J
Donor
ID: 29452720
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 11:27
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17.09 Todd Walker
Todd Walker is a productive offensive player, he appears to be the Cubs' 2004 version of Mark Bellhorn. He's gonna be playing about 4 different positions. If I can get 400-500 ABs out of him, and be able to use him in 3-4 different slots, he could be a real assett to my team.
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| | | 27 | jumpball
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 12:45
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17.10 Justin Speier - RP - Tor
with Aquilino Lopez taken earlier this round, I was hoping for Speier to slide to me. I needed a 2nd reliever with an opportunity to get some saves. When he was available, I didn't hesitate, adding him to my team immediately.
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| | | 28 | Species
Leader
ID: 7724916
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 13:11
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17.11 Luis Ayala - RP - MON
I had Ayala last year and felt for the 2nd half of the season he was getting shafted on save opportunities. He is in the Montreal closing mix should (when?) Rocky Biddle stumble. Until then, he'll vulture some wins, pick up a few saves and have respectable ERA and WHIP numbers. Chad Cordero has a higher ceiling, but he's only 22 and who knows what the early returns will be on him. Ayala earned Frank Robinson's respect last year so you never know what can happen.
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| | | 29 | Ref
Donor
ID: 539581218
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 13:57
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17.12 Jerry Hairston, 2B, Bal
Injuries are the biggest question mark for this guy. I had him last year and he was relaly helping me with his bat and speed. Then he got injured with a broken foot and even when he returned late in the year he wasn't effective. His foot still isn't 100% and he has a dislocated knuckle to boot, but now there are reports that he may even be ready by opening day again after intially thinking he may miss the first week or two of the season. If he can return to the form he began last year, this was a great pickup this deep in the draft. If not, it's a wasted pick. Being this deep, I felt I could take the chance.
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| | | 30 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 14:20
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17.13 Tim Wakefield, P, Bos
I’ve already loaded up on some strong relievers, so I’m not too concerned about ratios – as long as they are “in the ballpark”. I did want someone who could rack up some Ks, and at this point of the draft, Wakefield is one of the more likely candidates to get around 150. He’s durable, pitching for a good team, and capable of posting solid stats. Last year he won only 11 games, in spite of starting 33 games. I suspect that is more testimony to Boston’s bullpen woes last year than to anything else. The Red Sox are considering inserting Wakefield in the rotation between Pedro and Schilling, which would be the ultimate in contrast. RotoWire projects 11-145-3.63-1.31, and I’d settle for that, although I’d like to think he could get 15 wins this year.
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| | | 31 | Mattinglyinthehall
Leader
ID: 1629107
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 14:32
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17.14 Sean Burroughs - 3B - SD My team has been skewing younger in the last few rounds, as this makes my sixth player taken under 25 in the last 7 rounds. Last year was Burrough's first full season in the majors and he put up a fair showing, maintaining an OBP of .352 and slugging .402. It wouldn't surprise me if he increased in both of these categories by 20 points. He should get more ABs this year with his increasing experience and a more potent lineup around him and 80 RBI and runs are some nice numbers to land at this point in the draft. Here is the bonus: Burroughs stole 7 bases in 9 attempts last years - I would be thrilled to get a repeat of those numbers at this position. |
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| | | 32 | darkside
Dude
ID: 3590317
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 15:09
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17.15 Jerome Williams - P - Sfo
Seems like pitching is going to be the key from here on in the draft. I was seeing a lot of names I recognized, but not too many I wanted when I noticed Williams. For the 8-10 picks leading up to mine I was hoping he'd still be available and was debating between him, Lohse and Hee Seop Choi (still needed CI and MI). Decided he was much better than Lohse so broke it down to him and Choi. Since KKB probably wouldn't take a CI, I went with Williams thinking I'd take Choi next and just lose out on Lohse. Williams is very young, but loooked excellent in his time up w/ Sfo last year. He's had a rough spring training, but I honestly haven't seen many pitchers that haven't and figured this wasn't too much of a risk with it being such a low pick.
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| | | 33 | KrazyKoalaBears
Leader
ID: 517553018
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 15:39
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17.16 Carlos Guillen - SS/3B - DET I wanted to go ahead and fill out my MI slot before the pickings got too slim. There is obvious injury/health concern with Guillen, but if he can stay healthy and produce for an entire season, I figure he could end up in the 80 R, 60 RBI, 5 SB, .400 SLG, .350 OBP area. Even if he is below that (going from SEA to DET shouldn't hurt him in terms of ballpark), I'm happy with the selection for this slot. I also like the ability to use him at SS, 3B, CI, or MI.
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| | | 34 | KrazyKoalaBears
Leader
ID: 517553018
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 15:46
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18.01 Curt Leskanic - P - KAN As I said after I picked him, this is my "I hope MacDougal implodes" pick. This pick was as much about MacDougal as it was about Leskanic. Most of us know the splits, but here's MacDougal from last year: Pre-AS: 3-3, 24 Sv, 2.59 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, .233 BAA
Post-AS: 0-2, 3 Sv, 6.85 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, .322 BAA I'm hoping the implosion occurs sooner with MacDougal this year, but I figure it will happen sooner or later. And when it does, Leskanic will be the prime candidate for the closer role. Last year, he put up a 1.73 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and .180 BAA in 26 IP for KAN. I see no reason that he can't stay near that form. Even if he never becomes the closer for KAN, he'll still help keep my staff ERA and WHIP down and give me close to a K/IP. I would be a tad disappointed with this pick if he never got a chance to be the closer, but I'll still take it.
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| | | 35 | darkside
Dude
ID: 3590317
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 15:56
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18.02 Hee Seop Choi - 1B - Fla
As I mentioned in my Williams rationale, Choi was still available w/ my last pick and I assumed I'd be able to get him here. Besides me, only MITH needed another CI (to fill the minimum slots, that is), but looking at the list of available CI's, I didn't think I wanted to wait to see if Choi got back to me. It's hard to say how he'll produce since his season was cut so short last year, but he was a highly touted prospect and from what I've found, he's still expected to produce pretty well. It hurts he's moved to Fla as it's a pitchers park, but his rotowire projections still look good w/ .466 slg, .351 obp, 17hr and 68/45 rbi/run. I'd be happy w/ those totals, but don't necessarily expect them. I would have preferred Burroughs in this spot, but Trip beat me and MITH to him, so I took what I felt was the next best option.
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| | | 36 | Trip
Donor
ID: 13961611
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 16:15
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18.03 Tim Salmon - OF - Ana
Tim Salmon and Frank Catalanotto were the last two players in my long "D" tier of outfielders. I had decided before the draft that I would be unafraid to load up on quality OF in this draft as the free agent list would look so ugly after the draft. It looks ugly now. Salmon may not be sexy, but 80 RBI, 70 Runs, 3SB, a .375 OBP and .470 SLG make him an excellent pick this late in the draft, especially when you consider the ugly options at this position later.
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| | | 37 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 16:37
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18.04 Guillermo Mota, RP, Los
Mota will probably be the top setup man in L.A. If Gagne were to be injured, he might become the closer, but that really isn’t part of the rationale for this pick. I simply wanted a reliever who could contribute good ratios, a lot of Ks (for a reliever), and hopefully a few wins for being in the right place at the right time. I’d be very satisfied with RotoWire’s projections of 5 W, 87 K, 2.37 ERA, 1.03 WHIP. Based on those stats, he’s my highest ranked available pitcher.
With this pick, I now have 9 pitchers, while every other team has either 6 or 7. Arguably, I’ve been picking good relievers too early. But I wanted a boatload of top flight relievers – whether closing or not. And I now have either 5 or 6, depending on how Rafael Soriano is used. I think I have a good shot to be at or near the top in three of the five pitching categories (saves and ratios), and can still be competitive in Ks and wins.
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| | | 38 | Ref
Donor
ID: 539581218
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 18:15
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18.05 Jose Acevedo, P, Cin
I watched this guy pitch several times and while he didn't always get the win or gave up a bad pitch now and then, he was really impressive. He got hurt last year, but is solid now. I think he may be a great sleeper candidate since he didn't pitch much last year. I had my eye on him for a long time and pitching in a hitter-friendly park won't help, but figured now was the time to get him--esp. since I needed pitching in a bad way.
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| | | 39 | Species
Leader
ID: 7724916
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 18:23
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18.06 Matt Herges - RP - SF
Another in the long line of "just in case" closer picks, Herges is 1st in line (IMO) if Robb Nen is unable to pitch at any point this year. Being in No. Cal I listen to the Giants radio station a lot, and SF pitching coach Dave Righetti was very complimentary about Herges while being not as complimentary of Felix Rodriguez (made mention of lack of effective 2nd pitch and his inability to keep pitch counts down). Felipe Alou has all but admitted that Herges would likely be his main guy if Nen is unavailable. If nothing else, double-digit saves ought to be possible here, as Nen isn't likely to pitch quite as often as he once did.
Herges has looked great so far this spring with 5 nearly perfect innings: 0 ER, 0 hits, 1 BB, 5 strikeouts.
jumpball cursed me after the pick, saying he was going to take him. It always helps when others consider your picks. I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed that one or two of these longshot picks hits paydirt.
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| | | 41 | jumpball
Leader
ID: 49346417
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 23:20
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18.07 Paul LoDuca - C/1B - LA
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| | | 42 | J
Leader
ID: 49346417
Tue, Mar 16, 2004, 23:25
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18.08 A.J. Burnett, SP, FLA
In the 18th round, I have no problem taking (another) risk here. This is a high risk/high reward pick. Burnett has been compared to John Smoltz, hell, he may be the Marlins closer before the year is out, fine by me! Originally I had heard he could return by May, but now its looking like possibly around the all star break.
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| | | 43 | smartone
ID: 292331411
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 07:15
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18.09 Shigetoshi Hasegawa As my hitting was pretty well settled I continued to strengthen the stronger parts of my pitching stats by picking another set-up reliever with solid ERA/WHIP and a chance to grab a bunch of saves. Hasegawa will add another upside factor to my Saves category as I will be looking for a closer change in SEA sometimes in the season (sorry, Guru...). |
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| | | 44 | Peter N.
Sustainer
ID: 17103420
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 09:40
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18.10 Kelvim Escobar
Escobar doesn’t have to worry about whether he will be a closer or a starting pitcher in Anaheim. He can now focus solely on being a starting pitcher. That wasn’t the situation for him in Toronto. In Anaheim, he has a powerful offensive lineup behind him. He also has strong relief. These circumstances put him in a favorable situation to succeed. His ERA and WHIP may go up some coming into the A.L. West, but he should contribute nicely to the Win and Strikeout categories.
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| | | 45 | Caper
Donor
ID: 1535108
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 10:44
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18.11 Cliff Lee-P-Cle
I selected the #3 starter on the Indians? This selection was about potential and K's. That is certainly something that can get you in trouble, but this kid is 25 years old and can strike people out. The Rotowire projections of 9W, 162K, 3.72ERA and 1.29WHIP are probably a little pie in the sky but I like Lee's upside and even if the stats slide a little from the projections, I think he is a good 18th round selection.
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| | | 46 | blue hen
ID: 331038201
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 10:58
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18.12 Oliver Perez, SP, Pit
Everybody already knows how I feel about Perez. I knew I was going to get him, but I didn't know exactly what round to get him in. By the time we got to the 18th round, I was getting scared. People were picking much lesser players, and I really wanted to avoid the embarassment of not getting Perez.
He went right after Cliff Lee and Kelvim Escobar, and right before Horacio Ramirez, Ben Sheets, and Jeff Weaver. Only Escobar has a shot at striking out more batters than Olly, and I would have taken him if he was still around. Perez has some lousy peripheral numbers, but he is also very young, and there are very few examples of players doing what Perez has done at his young age. In fact, at any age. A strikeout rate over 10 with 100 or more innings? A whole bunch of Randy, Pedro, Ryan, Koufax... and the best seasons of Gooden, Mike Scott, and other flameouts.
I already had Prior, who should lead the majors in strikeouts (if he leads his team), and team with Perez and Clemens, I should easily get a 16 in that category. |
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| | | 47 | Mattinglyinthehall
Leader
ID: 1629107
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 11:04
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18.13 Horatio Ramirez - P - Atl
I was set on filling my CI spot here but when Burroughs and Choi went, Horatio became a higher priority than the next tier of CI. As some may have noticed I also wrote in a rationale for this player in another draft, Horatio will be the 4th rookie starter returning for his sophomore season in the Leo Mazzone rotation. Each of the other three - Steve Avery, Kevin Millwood and Odalis Perez - put up sophmore seasons that were superior to their rookie years.
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| | | 48 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 11:45
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18.14 Ben Sheets, P, MIL
I couldn’t believe I found an opening day starter here at the end of round 18. I had pondered him back at 16.14, but the lack of run support by his Milwaukee team (and the subsequent lack of wins), shied me away. I couldn’t pass this time around. He should give be very satisfactory numbers in the percentages and Ks, and maybe this will finally be the year he puts it all together.
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| | | 49 | beastiemiked
ID: 2601988
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 12:42
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18.15 Jeff Weaver, P, LA
Nothing like drafting a guy that has played 5 full season but has yet to have a record over .500 for one of those seasons. The only reason I think he's a decent fantasy option is because he pitches in LA. He could turn out to be a decent pitcher but this is one draft choice I'm not too happy about right now. He got rocked last year and is getting rocked in spring training. If I was grading my draft picks he'd be 'D' right now.
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| | | 50 | Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 48927711
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 13:39
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18.16 Brian Jordan, OF, Tex
Well, Jordan fits perfectly into my aging, injury-prone outfield. I didn't really realize it until now, but I seem to have gotten into a mode of populating my roster with veterans on the decline. But, this isn't a keeper league, and I know what I can expect out of Jordan when he is in the lineup. I wanted to get someone to fit into my Util slot that had OF eligibility so I'd also have a backup for Griffey. I expect solid power numbers out of Jordan particularly with his move to the hitters' haven at Arlington.
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| | | 51 | Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 48927711
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 13:40
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19.01 Brad Lidge, P, Hou
At this point, I've already got all the starting pitching I need, and anyone I add here will most likely be a detriment to my era and whip. I had a handful of setup guys that I was planning to pick from. This list included Lidge, Farnsworth, Donnelly, and Williamson. I half expected Donnelly to still be around in the next round, so I didn't pick him. I think Lidge has the most upside so I went with him; I'm sure having seen many a Cubs game that featured a Farnsworth implosion also had something to do with my decision. What each of these guys would give me is high K-IP ratio along with miniscule era and whip, which is exactly what I was looking for. I also expect Lidge to pick up a handful of saves as he will be taking over Dotel's role from last year.
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| | | 52 | beastiemiked
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 14:42
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19.02 Ted Lilly, SP, Tor
I'm a little surprised Lilly was still around in the 19th round. I guess people are scared because he hasn't pitched yet in spring training and he plays in a tough division. He's had some pretty solid numbers the past 2 years and had an exception post AS break campaign including 5 straight starts of giving up 1 run or less. I'm not looking for him to breakout this year but a slight improvement over his numbers last year wouldn't be out of the question.
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| | | 53 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 14:43
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19.03 Khalil Greene, SS, SD
In all my supposed knowledge of baseball, and all this time that I spend reading about players, somehow I knew little about this guy until a few weeks ago, when I picked up MoneyBall. He might end up in the minors to start the season, or maybe he’ll beat out the old man competing with him for the starting SS job in San Diego, and be a solid contributor at my middle infield slot. A low-risk high-reward pick in my opinion.
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| | | 54 | Mattinglyinthehall
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:28
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19.04 Travis Hafner, 1B, Cle
My previous hitter choice and also the ones that follow this pick reflect my preference to go with hitters with greater potential upside (and downside) at this point rather than take the safer route of selecting veterans with known limitations and more predictable production. The Indians think that Travis can develop into a high-OBP guy with power. I'd be thrilled with some partial development from him in 2004.
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| | | 55 | blue hen
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:29
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19.05 Kyle Farnsworth, RP, CHI
I had several players I was pondering: Gil Meche, Sidney Ponson, Tony Armas, Orlando Hudson, and my deepest sleeper, Jesse Crain (more on him later, of course). Even though I already had four relievers, Farnsworth stood out despite the fact that he probably won't get many saves in a suddenly deep Cubs bullpen.
Ponson didn't get enough strikeouts, Armas is always an injury factor, and Hudson and Meche while both quite good, weren't necessarily the "hot props" that I felt Farnsworth could be (and it made me feel good to see Donnelly go soon after). As it turns out, both Meche and Crain made it back to me. Sweet.
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| | | 56 | Caper
Leader
ID: 49346417
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:31
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19.06 Al Leiter, SP, NYM Leiter was chosen as a proven commodity to go with some of my riskier pitching options taken earlier. He was solid the second half of last year and is, supposedly, healthy now. He is projected to give 11W, 3.74ERA, 1.415WHIP with more than 1K per inning pitched. I would like to see the WHIP a little lower and a few more wins but I do like the K's. Leiter has been a very good starter when healthy and I am pleased to get him in the 19th round.
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| | | 57 | Peter N.
Leader
ID: 49346417
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:32
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19.07 Tony Armas, SP, Mon
Armas’ health problems are well documented. I’m drafting him here in hopes that this can be the year he stays healthy. The guy has unbelievable stuff. The only thing that has held him back has been injuries. Without question, this is a risky pick. However, at this point in the draft, I think its well worth the risk.
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| | | 58 | smartone
Leader
ID: 49346417
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:32
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19.08 Charles Johnson, C, Col
I needed a catcher and found a catcher, in the 19th round, that last year posted great OBP (.391) and SLG (.589) percentages with an adequate number of Runs and RBIs. The only problem is that he posted these numbers ONLY at home (Coors), in less than 200 ABs, so I gladly take these top-hitter numbers and mix/platoon them with another catcher to get a Posada-like numbers, wasting a bench-spot. Will Johnson repeat his last-year's Coors numbers? if so - I'll be happy.. if not, well, I'll end up with a weak hitting slot.
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| | | 59 | J
Leader
ID: 49346417
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 16:37
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19.09 Mark DeRosa, 2B,3B,SS, Atl
Ever since I skipped round 10 (ie - drafting Cristian Guzman is equivalent to skipping a round) I've been kinda worried about my SS spot. Living in Atlanta, and being a devoted Brave hater, I know that DeRosa has enough talent to be a decent everyday starter for the Braves. Seeing that he's available for all the important infield spots is a huge bonus!
I had my eye on Khalil Green for a while, because I remember him from his Clemson days and seeing him rip FSU apart in person, so I was just wondering how long I could wait on him...I waited too long, so I took a shot with DeRosa, who, I'm hoping is this years Marcus Giles, and I really think he can be!
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| | | 60 | jumpball
Donor
ID: 539581218
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 17:57
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19.10 Kris Benson
[placeholder]
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| | | 61 | Species
Donor
ID: 539581218
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 17:58
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19.11 Frank Catalanotto
I had only a DH spot to fill in terms of position players and was not in a hurry......however, news of Trot Nixon's back problems prompted me to get a hitter earlier than I thought I would. Catalanotto is a pretty boring player, but he hits 2nd in front of some pretty menacing run producers in Vernon Wells and Carlos Delgado. He's consistently above .350 OBP and .470 SLG for OPS of .820 or better. I think Rotowire's runs scored projection is low, although they must've brought their projection down to (roughly) his 3-year average. Hitting 2nd for TOR should produce 85 runs if he's on base 35% of the time.
A boring pick who won't light up the SLG scoreboard, but a pick that doesn't really harm me.
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| | | 62 | Ref
Donor
ID: 539581218
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 18:02
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19.12 Mark Grudzielanek, 2B, ChC
My list was in this order: Seo, Ponson, Lohse. So much for a list. Perhaps I should save some time and not even research until it gets right up on me. Grudz probably would have made it back. Don't like my picks so much lately, but Grudz is said to have the edge over Walker and has Baker's confidence. Since my pitching that I wanted was gone, I felt I had to take a MI here as my two starters are both hurt and questionable for opening day. No idea what this pick will bring me.
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| | | 63 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 18:08
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19.13 Sidney Ponson, P, Bal
My overall strategy was to get 2 decent closers in the first 10 picks, and then to wait for awhile, filling up on quality relievers. My thinking was that, with 16 teams, quality relievers would have significant value. I wanted a lot of them, and if I waited until they started to be taken, I might have trouble accumulating as many as I wanted. I also thought that respectable starters would still be available late in the draft.
I’m not yet sure if I misjudged or not. We still haven’t really had a run on middle relievers, even though most of the top ones are gone by now. I was happy to get Wakefield, a decent starter, in the 17th round. But in the last round trip, a lot of the remaining starters that I had on my short list disappeared. In fact, I’ve probably had more short list casualties in the last 20 picks than I’ve had since the early rounds. And the caliber of remaining starters is clearly starting to wane. While I’m sure there are still some good starters out there, it may take a few months to discover who they are.
I thought I had plenty of decent starting options, with the following not-so-short list: Sheets, H. Ramirez, Cliff Lee, Weaver, Lilly, Leiter, Benson, Armas and Ponson – not necessarily in that order. Ponson wasn’t at the top of the list, however. Until now. He now is the list.
There are some worrisome signs for Ponson this spring. He reported to camp 15 pounds overweight. Two of his three starts so far have been bad. And he gets to pitch in the Orioles season opener against Pedro Martinez. Looks like he may start the season on my bench! Curiously, Fantasy Sports Magazine ranks him #38 among all starters – ahead of Clement, Harden, Odalis Perez, Wolf, Hampton, Livan Hernandez, …. I guess I’ll just assume that spring training stats are meant to be ignored.
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| | | 66 | Trip
Donor
ID: 13961611
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 19:09
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9.14 Sean Casey - 1B - Cin
Both of my primary corner infielders (Nevin & Lowell) have been in the news with injuries and with Casey and Burroughs I now have insurance should one of these players go down for a significant amount of time. That said, I would have taken Ponson with this pick had Guru not selected him right before me. I would be happy with his lifetime 162 game average of 84R, 91RBI, 2SB, .369 OBP, and .842SLG.
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| | | 67 | darkside
ID: 4218517
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 21:41
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19.15 Kyle Lohse - P - Min
Maybe my gut thinks too much of Lohse, but I seriously considered him with my last pick. Needless to say, I was surprised to see him still available. Still, it wasn't automatic that I took him...he's always had a high WHIP and ERA and Brenden Donnelly was still out there, so I gave him some thought too. But, Lohse has looked pretty good thus far in the spring and RotoWire talks about his adding a sinker which could drastically help his ERA (while it's only 9IP, it's only 2.00 in the spring). I'm glad I waited on him and don't think it's too much of a long shot to have taken him in the 19th round. However, if his WHIP and ERA don't show improvement I'll probably take that back.
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| | | 68 | KrazyKoalaBears
Leader
ID: 517553018
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 22:03
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19.16 Larry Bigbie - OF - BAL Really, what's not to like about him, especially in Round 19? He translated a 1.036 OBPS in AAA to a .821 OBPS in 83 games (287 AB) for BAL last year. Projected to a 550 AB season, last year's stats would have been: 82 R, 59 RBI, 13 SB. Going into the season as the starting LF, I think those numbers, and maybe even more, are possible. Although LOS is interested in him -- boy, wouldn't that just kill any value he has? -- it's a good sign that BAL would rather give up Jay Gibbons (sorry, darkside) who hit 80 R, 100 RBI, 0 SB, .456 SLG, .330 OBP last year. Hitting in a lineup that could include Javy, Palmeiro, Mora, and Tejada can't be all that bad and I'm hoping Bigbie will be spelled BIGbie by the time the season is over with. At least big enough for a 19th round pick.
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| | | 69 | KrazyKoalaBears
Leader
ID: 517553018
Wed, Mar 17, 2004, 22:12
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20.01 Jae Weong Seo - P - NYM A one-time Mets prospect, he'll pitch half his games in the pitcher-friendly confines of Shea Stadium. The interesting thing is that he apparently needs to realize this. Last year, he had a worse ERA (4.43 to 3.25) and worse WHIP (1.43 to 1.11) at home compared to on the road. If he matches last year's 9-12, 3.82 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, 110 K, I'll be happy. However, I'm expecting much bigger things out of him. For the first 3 months of last year, Seo had a 3.08 ERA and 1.233 WHIP. If he can keep his walks down, like he did every other month last year, he could easily have a WHIP right at 1.200. The only downside to cutting down walks is that it seems to have the same effect on his strikeouts. Weird. I'm hoping for 12-15 wins and 125+ K's with an ERA in the 3.25 range and a WHIP in the 1.25 range. We'll see how that goes.
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| | | 70 | darkside
ID: 4218517
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 00:31
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20.02 David Wells - P - Sdg
It wasn't necessary for me to get Wells here. He's my 6th starter and I gave serious thought (again) to getting Donnelly. Donnelly would have helped my WHIP and ERA, but for some reason I expect good things out of Boomer this year. I think he has a lot to prove after his meltdown in the postseason last year. He's still got the back issues, but his having come into camp 30 lbs lighter is a good start to alleviating the injury problems. I can see myself regretting getting him as opposed to a middle reliever with good ratios, but I stuck with my first instinct and picked up a starting pitcher I thought would have a good year...15 wins, 120 SO and an ERA under 4.00 is something I think I can hope for.
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| | | 71 | Trip
Donor
ID: 13961611
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 01:01
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20.03 Luis Rivas - 2B - Min
Time to lock up my last batting position. I am a believer in the old fantasy adage that hitters are easier to gauge than pitchers when drafting. I did have Orlando Hudson projected higher in my rankings (4.33 to 3.26 - Soriano scored a 16.65), I drafted Rivas for his projected SB totals (21 vs 8) and these projections are the highest of the remaining ugly bunch of availables. Rivas could very well swipe 30 this year (31 in 2001) after coming off two injury plagued seasons. At 24 Rivas is also another in my large group of under 25'ers, and like the rest of this group, has significant upside.
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| | | 72 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 08:51
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20.04 Orlando Hudson, 2B, Tor
The reason for picking up a middle infielder early in the draft is to avoid having to take someone like this. However, I just never found a compelling opportunity along the way, and then we got to the stage when there was no point in grabbing one before the last few rounds.
I was hoping to nab Luis Rivas with this pick, but Trip picked him right out from under my nose. Frankly, Rivas was no great shakes either, but he probably would have gotten a few steals. Consensus projections seem to be 59-58-6-.334-.414, but everything I read leads me to think those may be optimistic. Still, he’s only 25, so maybe he’s just on the verge of a breakout year. Yeah, breakout year – that’s the ticket!
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| | | 73 | Ref
Donor
ID: 539581218
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 10:08
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20.05 Jeff Suppan, SP, StL
My list was in this order: Seo, Ponson, Lohse. So much for a list. Perhaps I should save some time and not even research until it gets right up on me. Suppan showed some flashes of what could be as a member of the Pirates. Unfortunately, his time in Boston wasn't very good. Now that he's back in the NL, I'm hoping he can get back to his NL stats. I'm short on pitching and to me this appeared to be my best pick.
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| | | 74 | Species
Leader
ID: 7724916
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 11:47
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20.06 Jon Lieber - SP - NYY
News of his recent groin injury likely scared many people away. While it nearly scared ME away as well, when I looked at the big picture and realized April is only 1 of 6 months of the year, I jumped at the chance to grab a starter from the Yankees.
Lieber hasn't pitched in a ML game since 2002. One helpful point, however, was that at least Lieber got into some minor league games at the tail end of 2003 - a la Eric Milton. So it's not as if Lieber didn't pitch at all last year. So far in spring he hadn't reported troubles with his arm, so I felt why not take a shot at a former 20-game winner who fits my most preferred profile?
1 - He's on a contending team
2 - He has a great bullpen behind him
3 - Has a great offense behind him
Schilling, Maddux, Clement and Milton all fit this basic profile as well. Admittedly the Cub offense isn't 'great', but by comparison in the NL it's very solid......and while the Cub pen isn't 'great', the trio of Borowski, Hawkins and Farnsworth are all solid. Anyway the two Cubs were close enough to my criteria! lol Schilling most definitely has a great offense and nice pen, anchored by Foulke. Milton also has a very solid offense (IMO, and by NL standards) and the addition of Billy Wagner as the closer solidifies Philly's pen immensely.
In round 20, to get a pitcher if Lieber's quality on what can be the highest scoring team in the league was worth the risks involved in his health. My thought was that he was only going to get 2-3 starts in April anyway, so his groin problem really doesn't cost me that much early on. It's mid-May through September that I hope to reap the rewards of this pick.
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| | | 81 | jumpball
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:36
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20.07 Tim Worrell
[placeholder]
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| | | 82 | J
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:37
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20.08 Brendan Donnelly, RP, Ana
Donnelly was incredible last year, getting 79Ks in 74 innings with a 1.58ERA and a 1.07WHIP. If I can get anything close to resembling that, that makes him one of the top notch setup men available. Percival doesn't exactly like to stay healthy, so maybe he'll even get me a handful of saves if the job is up for grabs.
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| | | 83 | smartone
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:37
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20.09 Joe Randa, 3B, KC
Having Bonds and Jenkins on my regular team while building my team's strength mainly on offensive stats requires "offense insurance", so in the 20th round I picked the best available hitter out there (based on the projections) - Joe Randa. He has a decent Spring so far --but frankly speaking -- I hope to use him as little as possible...
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| | | 84 | Peter N.
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:38
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20.10 Wes Helms
I’ve got Helms penciled in as my CI. He is the definition of a streaky hitter. This, I hope, is the year he becomes a more consistent solid hitter. He does have job security in Milwaukee which should help him. He had some good stretches last year.
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| | | 85 | Caper
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:39
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20.11 J.C.Romero
[placeholder]
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| | | 86 | blue hen
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:39
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20.12 Gil Meche, SP, SEA
As noted, I wanted Meche earlier and am very happy that he stuck around to this spot. He's almost the anti-Oliver Perez, a guy who is sure to do SOMETHING, but won't be a world beater. Perez, on the other hand, might strike out 300 batters.
Meche had a lot of injury problems early in his career, but seemed quite durable last year. Seattle's ballpark will help him, and Seattle's medical staff will help him as well. Meche rounds out a solid rotation for me.
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| | | 87 | Mattinglyinthehall
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 15:40
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20.13 Terrmell Sledge - OF – Mon
I sure hope at least a few of these young guys works out. From Rotowire, “Sledge ripped through Triple-A in 2003, ripped through the Arizona Fall League with Team USA, and kept right on ripping in winter ball.” OK so I’m not sure I’d want to have to sit next to him on the bus to Tacoma, but at every level in the minors he’s been an OBP stud and the other 4 categories have represented strongly as well.
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| | | 88 | Tosh
Sustainer
ID: 57721710
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 17:09
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20.14 Mark Kotsay, OF, OAK
If having one leadoff hitter is good, having four must be great! (I betcha’ I won’t win the RBI category). He’s coming off a couple injuries that limited him to 128 games last season, but is healthy so far, and is hitting that key age where a player really explodes (28). If he can get a bit of his power from two years ago back, and work on his OBP, he’ll be a decent 4 category outfielder find at the end of round 20.
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| | | 89 | beastiemiked
ID: 2601988
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 17:19
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20.15 Ben Grieve, OF, MIL
Grieve is my insurance policy for my oft injured outfield. I highly doubt Drew and Walker will go an entire season without being on the DL so I figured I needed a decent backup outfielder to fill in while they are gone. Grieve has never lived up to his hype nor his salary. Hopefully with a change of scenery to Milwaukee where he won't be expected to be great will be just what he needs. He's got a decent career OBP(.368) and Slg%(.444) so he won't be that much of a detriment to my team if he's has to fill in. There's also a very small chance he'll return to his numbers when he was on Oakland but I'm certainly not counting on that.
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| | | 90 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 52347519
Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 18:22
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20.16 Fernando Vina, 2b, Det
well, I needed a middle infielder. There was getting to be quite a shortage, and Vina is at least slotted to play everyday and has never had difficulty scoring runs in his career. I expect him to contribute with a dozen or so stolen bases and 70 runs, but that's about it.
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