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Subject: RIBC 2008: Draft Rationales (Rounds 19-25)

Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 10:43

Bringing it home!

Rationales for rounds 1-6

Rationales for rounds 7-12

Rationales for rounds 13-18

Building 7
ID: 471052128
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 13:11

19.01, Franklin Gutierrez, OF, CLE

I need a 5th OF with this group, and probably a 6th. I'm hoping he plays fulltime and improves his OPS some. I'm going to go with a guess of 11 stolen bases for Franklin, which is nice. Also considered Diaz, Stairs, and Hatteberg. I made a short list of players I wanted a couple rounds ago, and it is holding up pretty well. Some categories I have been able to defer to another round, which is risky when 31 names go off the board in between picks.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 13:58

19.02 Jeff Baker, 1B, COL
I don't have a MI yet and I'm taking Baker with the hope that he wins the job, or if nothing else earns eligibility there while playing a super utility role. I've been targeting him for a long time now and was just trying to figure out what the right time to take him would be. If he actually wins the 2B job then this pick could be quite a steal in the 19th round. If he simply earns eligibility at 2B then I'll still be happy. My goal was to get a MI with decent power numbers. Last year I had Kent, but he went high compared to where I got him last year. If nothing else I might be able to put him in the OF for the occasions he is filling in for an injured player during the year or something.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 14:47

for Uptown Bombers
19.03 Scot Shields, RP, LAA
He’s coming off a rough second half last year, but I still think he is a quality middle reliever. He stands to pick off a few save chances and hopefully more wins than last year. What I like most is his K rate. I would have liked to see Jon Rauch make it to me but that was not to be.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 14:47

for coldwater coyotes
19.04 Matt Diaz, OF, ATL
My fifth OF and I am more than happy to have him on my team. Solid replacement for an injured Bradley and will be pushing him for a permanent spot. There are conflicting reports about whether he can hit RH pitching but we will soon see as he will now be a full time starter for the Braves.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 14:48

for Bash Brothers
19.05 Garret Anderson, OF, LAA
Picking Jones in round 16 made me feel a bit insecure on my OF position. So I had to pick a 5th OFers as a reserve/backup. Anderson is definitely not the fancy player he once was years ago, but he still starts and will probably hit in the middle of Angels' lineup. He exhibited some eye-opening pop in the 2nd half of 2007, right after I dumped him around the ALL-STAR break. He is old and injury prone. But you always feel that something you don't have is the best thing you could have, right? That's how I felt last year, so I decided to give him a chance to redeem himself on my team.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 14:48

19.06 Chad Qualls, RP, Ari
My third consecutive setup reliever. Brandon Lyons is the presumed opening day closer for the Dbacks, but he’s anything but a sure thing to keep that job – and he’s off to a rocky start in spring training. Tony Pena is probably the first alternate, but he’s certainly not a proven commodity. So Qualls could factor into the mix. And even if he doesn’t pitch the ninth, he should still add value in a 7th-8th inning role, with a (4-year) career ERA of 3.39, a WHIP of 1.24. He doesn’t strike out quite as many as I’d like – although last year he fanned 78 in 83 IP.

Call it a speculative hunch.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 15:11

19.07 Boof Bonser, SP, Min
Well, just before making this pick it was announced that Lackey would miss the first 3-4 weeks of the season. Bonser was someone I was already targeting, but probably in another 2 or 3 rounds. I flipped through all the available SP, and I just couldn’t find one I wanted as much as Boof.

I think Boof is a great breakout candidate for this season. He reported to camp 30 pounds lighter, and he also had a weird platoon split vs. lefties last year, even though he didn’t have one in 2006. Assuming that reverses, I think his 2006 numbers are good target, 4.22 ERA and 1.28 WHIP; those along with 7+ K/9 make Boof a guy I’ve been looking at for a while.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:35

for RoBoGuRu
19.08 Jay Bruce, OF, CIN
The consensus #1 rated prospect this season, period.
Now I just have to hope that he finds regular at bats to demonstrate his unique talent. Then again, this is Dusty we are talking about, so I'm probably screwed. But as my first bench spot, the risk is worth it.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:36

for JL
19.09 Micah Owings, SP, ARI
This is just taking a chance on a young guy that could break out. Last season, he posted a 1.18 WHIP in the second half of the season as a rookie. I really should've taken a steady guy like Randy Winn with this pick to fill my utility slot, but I felt that Owings was one of the few remaining starters with the potential to vastly outperform his draft position.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:37

for Dave R

19.10 Matt Lindstrom, RP, FLA
I had hoped to grab some middle relievers earlier in the draft but it never seemed to work out. Someone who can help your ratios, and luck into a save or win here and there. Oh, and maybe be named as closer later on.

Well, Gregg is the man in Florida. At least for now. Speculation is that he may be moved. Not that he's old, not that he doesn't get the job done, but that he's eligible for arbitration after this year, and could be in line for a big payday.

You would think the Marlins might be willing to pass the torch. Say to Matt Lindstrom. At least that's what I'm hoping.

Lindstrom averaged a K/inning last year with an ERA of 3.09 and WHIP of 1.3. Not bad. I'm expecting similar this year and maybe 20 saves after taking over the closers role.

Can't blame a guy for hoping ;)

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:38

for dror

19.11 Randy Winn, OF, SFO

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:39

for blue hen

19.12 Brian Giles, OF, SDG
Say what you will, but Giles draws a walk and will be leading off this season. I now have several brittle outfielders, but their track record of success can't be denied. I'm hoping Giles plays 140 games with a .390 OBP and 100 runs. That might be optimistic, but it's pretty realistic. Even if it's less than that, it should be pretty good return on investment this late in the draft.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 21:44

19.13 Chris Snyder, C, ARI

Picked Snyder here because too many managers (six including me) had not yet chosen a catcher. I always worry about adding a player with no tools and can hurt your OBP and SLG. For me, Snyder provided less downside than other available catchers such as Hernandez, Ruiz, Doumit, Towles and the Molina brothers. Snyder may be a problem at OBA, but the other choices all posed same problem, the exception being Hernandez who is coming back from injury on a less than stellar club. He is 27 this year and the power growth should continue. I am hoping that Snyder increases his AB’s to above 400, resulting in 65 RBI’s with 45 R’s, no SB, .325 OBA and .450 SLG.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 22:08

19.14 ~ Tom Gordon, RP, PHI

I was able to draft this guy in two leagues in less than 15 minutes time (Gurupie20 & here). I don’t remember ever doing that sort of thing before. But anyways … maybe Gordons’s a closer. Maybe not. It all depends on how Brad Lidge feels. As a general fantasy rule, I never draft guys that are almost as old as me … but with only one closer on my roster, I’ll take what I can get. I’m penciling in 7 wins, 46 saves, 2.72 ERA, and 1.00 WHIP (he was pretty good back in 1998) . If I can get a quarter of that production, I’ll call it a push.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 22:17

19.15 Rafael Perez, RP, Cle

Basically, I've found it's always useful to have some middle relievers with low era/whip and high strikeout/inning ratio. Some of the top middle relievers that might vulture a number saves have already been taken, but Perez had a sub 2.00 era and a sub 1.00 whip last year, so should fit the bill of what I was looking for.

JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 22:22

19.16 Tadahito Iguchi 2B SD
Filling in the MI position late with someone who is projects to score 70 and drive in 60 runs, reach base .330, slug .400 but perhaps steal 10 bases illustrates why everyone puts such a premium on not waiting so long and filling their 2B/SS slots earlier in the draft. But the MI options here at the end of round 19 are no worse as the MI options were from about round 15 on.

20.01 Cla Meredith RP SD
Yikes 4 Padres on my fantasy team. Meredith has been streaky and finished poorly in 2007 but was nasty in 2006. I'm expecting a bit of a rebound for something in the middle. Instead of pulling the trigger on another starter with higher ERA and WHIP, added another decent relief pitcher who can contribute much more favorably to the averages (mid to low 3s ERA, sub 1.20 WHIP) add a handful of wins, and add about 60 Ks in 90 innings. I tend to prefer filling the pitching roster in with MRs. If you add Meredith to my round 16 pick Neshek they could end up 2008 with a combined about 12 wins, 130Ks, 3.20ERA and 1.18 WHIP for 150IP. Add them up and they are just a few wins and innings shy of being as good as the 4th round SP picks Josh Beckett and Justin Verlander.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 22:30

20.02 Ramon Hernandez, C, Bal

The last starting position I still needed was a catcher. I hate getting a catcher early in the draft, as there are always better producers at other positions. The difficulty is you get stuck with a part time player who will drop your percentages without adding much to even the rbi category. Luckily with Hernandez, I'm not quite in that category assuming he can return to form a bit. But looking at the options, I felt pretty good about getting him considering it looked like there was quite a drop off still to go in the catcher position, and that there were still several teams still without a starting backstop.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Mon, Mar 17, 2008, 22:42

20.03 ~ Brendan Harris, 2B/SS, MIN

Nearing the end of the draft, it’s time to fill in a few holes. Until Iwamura gains eligibility at 2B, I don’t have a MI. So I might as well take Brendan Harris, who is eligible at both MI positions. He’s a serviceable player with moderate power (.440 SLG), a .355 OBP, maybe 60 runs and RBIs, and a handful of steals. Ideally, he won’t see much playing time on my roster. But he’s gonna’ be there just in case I need him.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 00:17

20.04 Kevin Slowey, SP, MIN

Slowey, is a “come bet” pick. In his call up last year, he posted excellent K/BB ratio of 3.5. It Unlikely that a 24 yr old rookie can establish elite type numbers but Slowey could break the bank when he “arrives” full time at the MLB level. As of 3-13-2008, He still fighting for the ugliest spot in the rotation, the # 5 SP during the Twins spring training. He is worth keeping, even if he is demoted to AAA to start the season. I predict that Slowey will reach and stay at “the Show” no later than May 1 and will bring in 9 wins, 85 K’s, with a 4.25 ERA and a 2.50 WHIP. A definite unknown, but this deep in the draft, the studs are gone and now the search for possible good numbers is well under way.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:23

for blue hen
20.05 Joaquin Benoit, RP, TEX
There is one purpose for this pick: handcuff C.J. Wilson. Barring a disaster, I will have the Texas closer this season. Whether it's Benoit or Wilson doesn't much matter, and more importantly, I might be dropping the other one as soon as dominance is establish. That gives me a slot to pick up a sleeper or two. Seriously, I'm not that fond of Benoit, but if he closes, I'll take it.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:24

placeholder for dror 20.06

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:25

for Dave R
20.07 Carlos Ruiz C Phi
I guess I waited long enough. After the first group of catchers were taken, I didn't see any rush to take one.

Carlos is #1 this year for the Phillies. He started 100 games last year and scored 42 runs and drove in 54, with an OBP of .340 and SLP of .396 . All pretty mediocre. About what you may expect from most catchers.

As the undisputed starter from the beginning, Carlos should be able to improve those stats somewhat. He plays for a good offensive team in a good hitters park. As an added bonus, he stole 6 bases last year.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:26

for JL
20.08 JR Towles, C, Hou
Well I have to take a catcher and non-category-killing catchers usually don't survive into 20th round unless they're unproven. Towles is young, he hit well in his short time at this level last year, and he has the starting job for the Astros. If last season wasn't a fluke, this is a great pick. If it was, I'll just go back to the scrap heap that I was already rummaging through, and find a different catcher.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:26

for Robogooroo
20.09 Maqrk Buehrle, SP, CWS
I'm expecting Buehrle to be my insurance policy for Prior. He's an established innings eater that should up good ratio numbers in a spot start capacity.

A couple of my RP prospects have gone over the last 2 rounds, so I paused to consider going that direction. Hopefully, waiting one more round won't hurt me too bad.

Flying Polack
Sustainer
ID: 378582811
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:26

20.10 Jon Lester, SP, Bos
This is a pick I would not have made without the Lackey injury. Lester wasn’t even really on my radar until I got on the clock. I was looking at either a SB specialist (Owens/Patterson) or relief pitcher ([undrafted]/Reyes). But the more I looked at my roster, the more I realized I could have trouble in the rotation is Lackey doesn’t come back and other gambles don’t pan out.

Lester seems like a value pick here, in the other 4 RIBC drafts, he was drafted between 14.08 and 18.16. No news has come out since then that would lower his value, if anything his spot in the rotation has been cemented this spring. There is talk that he’ll start the 2nd game next week in Japan. Not really sure what to expect out of him. I probably won’t even start him early, but it’ll be nice to have him as an option if things break right for him. Pitching for the Red Sox, he should have plenty of W opportunities.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:34

20.11 Casey Blake, CI/OF, Cle
My starting hitting lineup has been set for awhile, and I want to limit the number of extra hitters. Blake’s position flex gives him extra value in that regard.

I did consider Ryan Doumit here, but I was concerned that he might end up in a platoon situation for awhile (at best), and therefore wouldn’t be a particularly useful backup at catcher. If Doumit could stay healthy and get everyday playing time, he could be a nice option.

Blake is slotted to be Cleveland’s everyday third baseman to open the season, probably batting in the 8th hole. Consensus projections are 76-74-5-.335-.435, but it wouldn’t shock me if he doesn’t quite get there. At age 34, he’s probably on the statistical downslope – but not yet ready for the scrap heap (I hope).

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 11:42

for Bash Brothers
20.12 Jake Westbrook, SP, CLE
With limited time, I focused my search here for pitchers who could pile up wins and noticed Westbrook averaged approximately 15W from 2004~2006. Last year was an off year but he pitched great in the final 2 months. I made a quick conclusion and drafted him. Well, after re-visiting his stats when writing this rationale, I had second thought. He had poor ERA (above 4) and WHIP (1.4+) for most of his career. And he had a low SO ratio (0.5K per inning). Ouch! I should have done a better job here. The best case scenario is having him pitch like 2004 when he had 14W, 3.38 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 12:02

for coldwater coyotes
20.13 Joe Saunders, SP, LAA
A personal favorite. He had some bad outings at the end of last season but I am a believer. I project at least 10 wins with an ERA of 4.20.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 12:03

for Uptown Bombers
20.14 Manny Delcarmen, RP, BOS
Manny from the Red Sox drafted in round 20? What a steal! Oh wait, wrong Manny. This guy is a young hard throwing RP on the rise in the Boston bullpen. I am hoping for what everyone else is hoping for out of their MR: excellent rations and 1K/IP, sprinkled in with a handful of wins. Some reports about this guy speculated that he could be the guy should anything happen to Papelbon, or even just to give him a rest. So why not take a shot.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 12:25

20.15 Ryan Doumit, C, PIT
I don't have a catcher and had been watching Doumit since about the early rounds. Tried to follow the latest news to see if he might win the catcher job or not. I hate taking a catcher high since they don't typically hit well enough or get enough at bats to make a positive difference although a bad one can hurt your stats. Doumit should be the backup catcher but could be more of a split while also seeing duties in the outfield. If he plays enough and can hit like he is capable of then he will be a good pick in the 20th round.

Building 7
ID: 471052128
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 13:30

20.16, Matt Stairs, OF, TOR

Professional Hitter. Like all of them aren't. I've picked this guy up on waivers for at least the last 4 years in fantasy baseball. Maybe just for a week, or last year for a couple months. He always seems to be out there. He'll probably be there this year, too. I've probably been paying too much attention to only last year's stats. Hoping all my picks can just duplicate last year. That seldom works out. Under the terms of his new contract, Matt Stairs will make $2.25 million this year and $1 million in 2009. He's 40 years old. I know this is redundant, but he's old and he can still hit. Matt’s from Canada, so maybe he found a home in Toronto. I'm hoping that on any given night, four of my six outfielders will be playing.

21.01, Scott Hatteberg, 1B, CIN

Another platoon player like Stairs. They are both left-handed, so they start maybe 2/3 of the time. Last year, Stairs had an OPS of .917 in 357 AB. Just above Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez taken in the 3rd round. Hatteberg had an OPS of .868. Last year, Yahoo added a feature whereby you can set your lineup for future days and it will tell you who the projected starting pitcher is and whether he is left-handed or right-handed. Sweet. That eliminates a bunch of research. Still have to worry about Votto. That's the interesting thing about a two week draft. Things are happening in real life....Position battles, projected lineups, hot starts, cold starts, closer battles, injuries, trades, signings, players sent down. In addition, you have to pick against some of the greatest minds in fantasy baseball. Votto is hitting .150 right now, but he could hit two homers tomorrow and the next day and be named the starter. He could be named the starter anyways, and this pick could be worthless. Looking back to prior year drafts, most my picks after round 16 or so did not spend the entire year on my roster. But, many will write rationales like it's the greatest draft pick since Mike Piazza. It's interesting to go back and read these rationales. I'm hoping it's OK to ramble instead of estimating runs and RBI's, etc.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 14:24

21.02 Adam Kennedy, 2B, STL
Last year I was excited the Cardinals signed Kennedy. He promptly stunk so bad nobody even wanted him in the lineup. Still he is the starting 2B and has a lot to prove. I've always considered Kennedy to be a good hitter, but now that I go back and look at his numbers I can see that I was wrong about that. No power and not even a good obp the last 2 years. At best he might throw in 15 SBs. Making picks on perception will get you into trouble, which is exactly what this pick will turn out to be. Just glad it is in the later rounds.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 14:29

for Uptown Bombers
21.03 Xavier Nady, OF, PIT
Nady has pretty much maxed out in terms of upside and potential, which means I think I know what I’m getting. ~400 Abs with decent pop and some RBI help. This was exactly what I was trying to get with this pick, a little OF depth. Although Nady is my first bench player, I expect to him play for me right away until the Headley situation is cleared up.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 15:20

for coldwater coyotes
21.04 Kazuo Fukumori, RP, TEX
Somewhat of a flyer for a pick. He was a solid closer in Japan and the closing situation in Texas is far from settled. This year's Saito??

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 15:21

for Bash Brothers
21.05 Jeremy Guthrie, SP, BAL
In spite of having a break out rookie season, Guthrie is a little bid old (28) for a sophomore. But it's always worthy to gamble a pick in the late rounds, especially considering he is the OPENING DAY STARTER. He might regress in ERA and WHIP categories, but hopefully he could pile up Ks and Wins.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 15:21

21.06 Octavio Dotel, RP, ChW
Back to the bullpen! Dotel is likely the first option if Jenks falters, with some history as a successful closer, but also a tendency to get injured. He’s pitched reasonably well this spring, with only one bad outing in six 1-inning appearances. Once again, worth a flyer.

JL
ID: 202391814
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 16:39

21.07 Corey Patterson, OF, Cin
Corey Patterson might provide my team with cheap SB as lead-off hitter for the Cincinnati Reds. Corey Patterson might be off my roster on April 15th. It could go either way, but one of the reasons I’m currently in the RIBC is an inspired pick-up of Corey from the waiver wire two years ago when he went on to steal 42 bags. Maybe I’ll catch lightning in a bottle again, if not, well, someone needs to get cut for me to make a free agent move. Now I’ve drafted 2 backups before my starting SS…at this point it seems pointless, I’m going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel no matter what. I might as well try to find some valuable trade chips.

JL
ID: 202391814
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 16:39

for RoBoGuRu
21.08 Derrick Turnbow, RP, MIL
I think Turnbow has as much chance as any to move into the Closer role at some point. Gagne is a risk and could have a short leash. Turnbow has shown in the past that he can hold the job if he gets it. Either way I am expecting a good K-rate and hoping for an improved BB-rate.

JL
ID: 202391814
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 16:47

21.09 Randy Wolf, SP, SDG

I didn't intend for my queue to be used for more than one round and I didn't expect to be away from the computer for as long as I was, so I didn't leave instructions. I didn't want Wolf here. He was just on a long list of names that I was watching. With that said, Wolf will be making the pitcher-friendly PetCo Park his home this season and he could have some value if reverts back to his 2002 form.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 17:43

for Dave R
21.10 Jon Garland, SP, LAA
Two years ago Garland went 18-7. The year before, 18-10. Last year, apparently Garland wasn't totally healthy all season.

Now in LA, Jon will work in a more pitcher friendly park. His value takes a hit coming off last years 12 win season, so I think I'm getting a bargain. And I could use another SP.

I pretty much know what I'm getting with Garland. Average ERA and WHIP, not a lot of K's. But the Angels are one of the best teams in the AL and maybe I could have just picked up 15 wins or so

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 17:44

for dror

21.11 Carlos Gomez, OF, MIN
Gomez is my 13th hitter, so he is not schedueld to start the season in my starting lineup. I look at this pick as a handcuff to Cameron Maybin. There are both Rookies who are probably not entirely ready for the majors, but both of them are going to get a chance to start the season playing everyday and can both steal as much bases as anyone.

I'm hoping one of them will be able to keep his job for the entire year and get 600 PA, and it will be a great bonus if somehow they both end up doing that.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 17:45

for blue hen

21.12 Wandy Rodriguez , SP, HOU
Did you know that Wandy Rodriguez had a better strikeout rate than Ian Snell last season? Wandy is the one guy I felt was going to break out this season, and is a good catch as my 4th starting pitcher. I am looking for 15 wins and 180 strikeouts, and I think those numbers are very realistic. I've been eying Wandy since about the 15th round, and I am ecstatic that I could wait this long and still get him.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 17:47

21.13 Felix Pie, OF, CHC

Pie is a 23 year old speedster that may develop power and grow into the 20-20 club some day. Not likely to be this year. Pie lost last year on the bench in MLB instead of gaining experience with everyday play at AAA. If..if..if. is about the only way to project Pie for 2008. He should start in CF and bat in the 8th position making his fantasy numbers look more like a catcher (with SB) than an OF. If he gets 400 AB’s, then he should scores 65 R, plate 45 RBI while stealing 20 bases. His OBA will be in the low 340’s and his SLG will be in the low 400’s. This pick only has value if I haven’t over hoped his OBA and SLG.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 19:37

21.14 ~ Al Reyes, RP, TAM

Continuing my quest to find a second closer, I turn to a closer from last season, Al Reyes. Tampa signed Percival this season, and Al Reyes has been moved into a 7th/8th inning guy. Reyes comes with a fairly high ERA of 4.20, but a good WHIP of 1.10, a k/9 of over 10 and a few wins and saves. And if Percival were to falter, Reyes is ready to step in as closer.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 19:40

21.15 Manny Parra, SP, Mil

Running up to this pick, I summed up my expected innings pitched and saw I was still ~200 pitches short of the limit, so I started to look through the available pitchers. Parra stood out as a youngster who had a decent debut last year, a solid spring so far, and a potential to break out. That's the upside, and the downside is a wasted late 21st round pick.

JeffG
Leader
ID: 01584348
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 19:43

21.16 Melky Cabrera OF NYY
At this point of the draft, I am a little surprised to find a hitter I can slot in who will not hurt me in 4 of 5 categories. He's just a little light in SLG but can steal a dozen, drive in and score runs in a potent lineup with an average OBP (70/80/.350). In the other 4 RIBC drafts he went at least 50 slots earlier or more. He is the only real CF option on the Yankees so he should get alot of PT this year, especially if Giambi can play a chunk of games at first freeing up the DH for Damon/Matsui.

22.01 Luis Ayala RP Was
I just cannot find a starter to get enthusiastic about, so will go with yet another MR. Should be ok in the averages, not as great a K/IP, but so much less scary then blowing up my pitching averages with a low tier starter.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 425869
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 19:50

22.02 - Geoff Jenkins, OF, Phi

Time to start getting backups, Because we field 4 outfielders and a dh, there are more opportunities there for injuries/days off, so I wanted a back outfielder here. Jenkins is pretty good for our format drawing a decent number of walks to offset is .270 BA while hitting 20+ homers. He's moving to more of a hitter's park in Philly, and should see steady time in my lineup as a backup or as more of a regular when Chris Young or Rick Ankiel is in a funk.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 20:00

22.03 ~ Jose Bautista, 3B/OF, PIT

As the rounds get later, the rationales get shorter. There are only a handful of players that have a guaranteed fulltime job remaining on my draft list, and I realized that I should probably nab a 5th OF. I would have preferred Melky Cabrera, but just missed out on him. For this late in the draft, Bautista has some pop in his bat with a SLG of about .450, an OBP of .345, and should provide 70+ RBIs and runs. And a little bit of dual position flexibility can never be bad.

Taxman
SuperDude
ID: 029463114
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 20:36

22.04 Alan Embree, RP, OAK

Embree, another grey beard at 38, will be the first in line should Oakland closer Street have arm problems again, or is not available due to heavy workload. Embree adapted nicely to the set-up role in Oakland and produced K’s at @ 1/inning with a BB every 3 innings. The result: his 3rd consecutive WHIP under 3.0 and ERA south of 4.0. So what’s not to like? Start with age. At 38, the 3+ K/BB is going to drop, but not a great deal. Embree will benefit from pitching ½ his dames in Oakland, a pitchers park.
I look for Embree to again pitch 50 innings, get 50K, 3 vulture wins and 8 Saves with a 2.50 WHIP and a 3.50 ERA.

Dave R
SuperDude
ID: 3010361110
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 22:46

for Blue Hen
22.05 Jerry Owens OF CWS
As a ballplayer, he's not so great. But Jerry Owens is real fast and might steal some bases. This was simple. If Owens gets off to a fast start (pun intended) and one of my old outfielders gets hurt, I'll plug him right into my lineup. I am to build up a big lead in steals and then trade him away.

Dave R
SuperDude
ID: 3010361110
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 22:48

for dror

22.06 Jason Bergmann SP Was
I don't have much to say about this pick. I wanted another SP, and after watching Bergmann pitch a few times last year I think he is very talented and has a good chance to be at least better then average.

Dave R
SuperDude
ID: 3010361110
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 22:51

22.07 David Riske RP Mil

Here we go again, another set up guy. Riske had a great year last year, posting an ERA of 2.45 , a WHIP of 1.263 and struck out 52 in 61 innings of work for Kansas City. The Brewers signed him as a free agent to fill a role of late inning set up guy.

I'm looking for similar numbers from Riske. I wouldn't envision him as closer material, but..
Gagne is a risk. He's been injured more often than not the last three years, and last year plain stunk for Boston. Behind him is Turnbow, just as risky as Gagne.

SO with those two being a "risk ", I may as well take one myself. No pun intended, of course.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 23:31

for JL
22.08 Mike Cameron, OF, SDG

This is just filling my utility slot with a proven player. You know what you're getting with Cameron. 80/70/15/.340/.440. The downside is that he's suspended for the first 25 games this season, but he's appealed that suspension recently, so maybe it will be reduced. Despite that, he was still the most valuable proven hitter on the board at this point.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 23:31

for RoBoGuRu
22.09 Peter Moylan, RP, ATL
Prospecting here by taking an RP that should give me good ratios as a setup man and a possible saves vulture if Soriano would need a day(or a month) off.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 23:32

for Flying Polack
22.10 Ryan Freel, OF, CIN
I need someone to start the season at CI, since it’ll be at least 5 games before Bill Hall is 3B eligible. I figure in the 22nd round Freel is worth a gamble. If he gets the PT and stays healthy he should be good for 20-40 SB’s. Obviously the odds are against both of those occurring, otherwise he wouldn’t be available in the 22nd round.

There have been lots of trade rumors surrounding him recently. Hopefully one of them works out and he gets a fresh start as a lead-off hitter somewhere else.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 23:33

22.11 Johnny Cueto, SP, Cin
I have my hitting lineup set, with one hitting reserve. I have no backup SS, and no backup catcher, but I think I’m just as well served to cross my fingers and deal with those needs if and when they arise.

I have only two starting pitchers but six relievers. Since only one pitching slot is restricted to a SP, I could play as many as 8 relievers – and I might just do that! But I do want to get some additional starters. And while I’m prepared to forage the free agent wire for 2-3 starters over the first several months, I’ll try to sang a few possible candidates in the draft – speculative guys with upside, who might turn out to be game-worthy, or who might turn out to pitch in the minors to open the season.

One such possibility that has caught my eye is Johnny Cueto. At the start of spring training, he was not expected to make the major league roster to start the season. But he’s been turning heads this month, and just might crack the Reds April rotation. To quote Jim Leyland, whose Tiger faced Cueto yesterday, “That's one of the best-looking young pitchers I've seen all spring. That's some of the best crude stuff I've seen all spring. I don't know anything about him, but he's got talent. He's good. He's very impressive.”

Even though he’s not even listed yet at Yahoo, that’s good enough for a 22nd rounder.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 08:17

for Bash Brothers
22.12 Andre Ethier, OF, LAD
Picking Ethier here made me look like a fool who chose Kemp in round 6. I was thinking Kemp a sure thing in the starting OF of the Dodgers when I drafted him. But Ethier's strong spring made me pretty worry. Although Pierre is playing poorly this spring, he is not likely to be relegated to the bench. So it might be Kemp, Ethier, and Pierre rotating on the 2 corner outfield spots in the Dodger's lineup, barring trade or injuries. Ouch!

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 08:17

for coldwater coyotes
22.13 Fernando Rodney, RP, DET
The days are numbered for the old man presently closing for Detroit. Lets hope that when he needs to be replaced Rodney will be injury free.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 08:18

for Uptown Bombers
22.14 Josh Bard, C, SDG
Obviously, I waited on filling my C spot. I would have liked to wait some more, but I figured that a few teams at least would pick backup catchers. I figured to just go ahead and grab mine now. In my mind, unless you are talking the top 4-5, it makes very little difference. After them, you are looking at 60/60 type players with lower than average OPS. Bard will likely be closer to 50/50 as long as he continues to split time. And the difference in OPS between him and most of the other catchers is mitigated by the lower AB’s.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 08:27

22.15 Elijah Dukes, OF, WAS
Looking over my lineup I decided I could use another OF with some pop. I browsed through available players and was a bit surprised to see Dukes still available. Figured he must be in jail or something, but a quick look showed he should be starting. If there ever was a player you couldn't project, Dukes could be the guy. Certainly he has the talent, just whether he can stay focused on and off the field to put it to use. Worth a shot.

Building 7
ID: 471052128
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 09:23

22.16, Alex Gonzalez, SS, CIN

10 reasons not to draft Alex Gonzalez:

A. He has a broken knee. That's what it said.
B. He has a reputation as a good glove, no hit SS.
C. He gets confused with the other Alex Gonzalez, who's not any good either.
D. There has been a complete news blackout on him since 2/27/08 on free sites.
E. In 4007 career AB's, he has an OPS of .695.
F. He's missed 50 games each of the last two seasons.
G. His career OB% is .295.
H. In 10 years, he's stolen 24 bases, and been cut down 18 times.
I. He was not drafted in any of the other RIBC drafts.
J. He's on nobody's radar, and would probably last until the last round. or be available on waivers.

I drafted him anyways. We'll see what happens.

23.01, Orlando Hernandez, SP, NYM

He had good stats last year. About two hours after I picked him, this note was posted on the internet:

Orlando Hernandez topped out at 81 mph and threw mostly in the mid-70s during an 80-pitch simulated game on Tuesday.
Gulp. Hernandez will pitch in a game for the first time Sunday, but he seems likely to begin the season on the disabled list due to his foot injury. It's hard to imagine him succeeding against major league hitters with a fastball that pales in comparison to [UNDRAFTED]….. He looks to be my first cut.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 10:49

23.02 Dioner Navarro, C, TAM
Navarro is a nice young catcher who had a pretty good second half last year. I don't expect a lot of the catcher spot, but I do need some insurance for Doumit in case he doesn't end up playing, and I feel comfortable that Navarro won't hurt my stats too bad, although there could be some more growing pains like he had at the start of last season.

StLCards
Dude
ID: 31010716
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 11:00

for Uptown Bombers
23.03 Franklin Morales, SP, COL
I wasn’t really expecting to draft another SP, but while looking around at RP and offensive players, I wasn’t terribly thrilled. So I checked the available SP’s and found a pick with some good upside. If Morales gets his act together this year, this pick will allow me to be more selective with my SP matchups. Also, if he blossoms, he could give me a trading chip. Not too many of the other players I was looking at here offered the same potential.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 12:03

for coldwater coyotes
23.04 Dan Wheeler, RP, TAM
Baseball HQ's analysis of Wheeler's performance last season is that it was not nearly as bad as the numbers make it look. They still think he has the skills that he showed in the previous few years. If so he will be a great addition to my pitching staff, 70 innings with an ERA of 2.50 and a few vulture wins. And there is always the possibility that he will become the closer.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 12:04

for Bash Brothers
23.05 Clayton Kershaw, SP, LAD
Nothing much needed to be said about the best left-handed pitching prospect in the minors. Had he been given a SP job this spring, he would have already gone in much earlier round. The only problem is whether I can hold on to him long enough to enjoy his service in the Majors.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 12:11

23.06 Justin Speier, RP, Ana
Great ratios last year, but they were probably flukey to an extent. Still, his career ERA is 3.92, with a WHIP of 1.21, and they've been much better than those values over the last three years. Will share setup duties with Scot Shields, and in the catastrophic instance of a KRod injury (for my team, at least), he might get some of the closing opps.

JL
ID: 20281920
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 22:16

23.07 Bobby Crosby
Well I’ve held off on the SS position long enough. As I mentioned earlier, wish I would have paid better attention to the lack of depth here and taken either Guillen or Tulowitzki in the 3rd round. Having missed that opportunity, I thinking waiting was the right decision. Looking at every SS drafted after Khalil Greene (11.06) it’s pretty tough to argue they are obviously better than Crosby. Each has their warts and I decided there was better value elsewhere.

Everyone knows Crosby's story. ROY in 2004, no more than 358 AB’s in a season since then. I have no reason to think this season will be any different, I just decided to flip a coin. If he stays healthy a .320/.420 season is within reason. If not, he’s just waiver wire fodder and I’ll have to pay up for a more stable option on the trade market.

JL
ID: 20281920
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 22:16

23.08 Masahide Kobayashi

JL
ID: 20281920
Wed, Mar 19, 2008, 22:17

23.09 Melvin Mora, 3B, Bal

At this point, I was still looking for a player that could just put up some numbers until Mike Cameron gets back or until I find someone else that starts off hot. Mora has been awful the past two seasons, but he was excellent in 2004 and 2005. He’s had a solid spring, so maybe he’ll find a way to be productive.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:43

for Dave R
23.10 Eric Aybar SS/2B LAA

Trying to catch lightning in a bottle. I don't know if Aybar is going to start. From what I've heard, that's what the Angels would like.

Eric didn't hit much last year, but did well in the minors, and doesn't have much pop in his bat. But he can run and should be a good source of steals from a 23rd round pick. A bonus is he is eligible at both 2B and SS

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:44

for dror
23.11 Andy Sonnanstine, SP, TB
Much like my last pick (Bergmann), Sonnanstine is another off the radar of young pitcher whose nubmers last year are probably much worse then he really is.

With a terrific K/BB ratio and following a strong spring that locked him a rotation spot I'm feeling good about Sonnanstine having a positive contribution to my team this year.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:44

for blue hen
23.12 Eric Chavez, 3B, OAK

See Jack Hannahan, 24.05.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:44

for Taxman
23.13 Scott Downs, RP, TOR

In first year as a full time RP, Downs, 31 yrs old, earned a multi-year multi million $ contract. He couldn’t finish well enough to hold down the closer’s job, but excelled in 7th and 8th inning appearances. He was helped by becoming an extreme ground ball pitcher with a good defense behind him. The other bigee was his career high 2.6 K/BB ratio. I expect to Downs to produce 5 vulture wins, 4 saves, 60 K’s with 3.25 ERA and 2.60 WHIP.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:45

for Tosh
23.14 Brian Bannister, SP, KAN
I need a #5 pitcher to approach the IP limit, and Bannister has as much upside as anyone left (finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year award last year). Pitching for KC, you can never count on a Win when he pitches, and he’s not much of a strikeout guy, but has a nice curveball and pretty decent control. If he were to approach his 2007 numbers of 3.87 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, I would be totally pleased.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:45

for Yokel
23.15 Yuniesky Betancourt, SS, Sea

With this and the next pick, I'm just trying to round out my bench in case of injuries. Betancourt is actually not too bad in this format - his 38 doubles last year resulted in a respectable slugging percentage. However, he only took 21 walks so his on base percentage isn't much higher than his average.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:46

for JeffG
23.16 Shawn Hill SP Was
If healthy would possibly be staff ace. Ok it is the ace for the Nats. Hill had good averages last year in limited action. Drafting this guy on potential and hope he can join the team mid-April and stay healthy. Thought about another MR in Cruz or Springer.

24.01 Ross Gload 1B/OF KC
I know spring stats are meaningless, but Gload is having a decent spring. I'll ride out his hit "hot" bat to start the regular season and see where it goes. Also considered C/1B Saltalamacchia

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:46

for Yokel
24.02 Ben Broussard,1B,Tex

Grabbing a backup corner infielder here. Going to Texas from Seattle may boost his production.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:47

for Tosh
24.03 Coco Crisp OF BOS
Yeah, that Ellsbury guy is supposed to be pretty good, but Crisp ain’t bad either. And he’s that magical 28 years old. So will he start? Does his playing time become too unpredictable to keep on my roster? Does he get traded somewhere? My Magic 8 Ball says ‘check back later’, but I’m still penciling in 500 ABs, with a .342 OBP, .400 SLG, and 28 steals.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:47

for Taxman
24.04 Dave Roberts, OF, SFO

Old man, but hasn’t lost much in speed, which is good because that and runs are all he can contribute. The need for base stealing abilities is magnified by the absence of power in the Giants line up. With out Bonds behind him the line up, Roberts will have a constant green light, but injury history indicates he won’t exceed 350 Abs. More ifs, but optimum numbers for 2008 are 65 R, 40 RBI, .340 OBP and .385 SLG. His big number will be 40 steals.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:48

for blue hen
24.05 Jack Hannahan, 3B, OAK

Along with Eric Chavez, I have two options who might play third base for Oakland this season. Chavez is the starter and a steal this late in the draft. I figured I'd also pick up Hannahan and make sure I could handle it if Chavez had any injury issues.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:48

for dror
24.06 Juan Cruz, RP, ARI
With so many middle releivers allready taken I was very surprised (and happy) that someone as good as Cruz is still out there.

Cruz is only 29 years old and is gonna pitch for a lot of money this year (he is a FA after the season). He finished 2007 6-1 with 3.10/1.26 ratios and an amazing 87 Ks in 61 IP. Expecting a repeat might be a little greedy, but with so many terribly average MRs taken before him I really like this pick. Who knows, with the closer situation in Arizona not exactly stable, he might even end up geting saves at some point.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:49

for Dave R
24.07 Chris Denorfia OF Oak

At this point, Denorfia seems to be the front runner for the CF job for the A's. That's about all you can ask in round 24. A significant portion of the later round picks will wind up as waiver fodder anyway.

Chris missed all last year with an injured elbow, and was acquired from the Reds via a trade. In AAA, in 2006 he had an OPS of .893, scored 46 runs and drove in 45 in 83 games. And stole 15 bases.

So if he winds up as the A's centerfielder, who knows.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:49

for JL
24.08 Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Tex

Salty has been passed over in the draft by many because Gerald Laird appears to have won the starting job for the Rangers. Ron Washington has recently said, however, that Salty will start the year in the big leagues and will play C, 1B, and DH. He was a disappointment last season, but his numbers were still solid for a catcher. With improvement, he has the skills to be a top-10 catcher. I normally wouldn't want to take more than one catcher, but there wasn't much else left at this point, so he seemed like a good risk to take.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:50

for RoBoGuRu
24.09 Ubaldo Jimenez SP COL

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:51

for Flying Polack
24.10 Nate Robertson SP DET
Pitching for the Tigers he should get plenty of W’s. Question is, how much will he hurt my ratios…I don’t know. His 2006 numbers (3.84/1.30) wouldn’t hurt too much. His 2007 numbers would hurt a lot (4.76/1.47). I think he’s a decent bet to rebound, his batting average on balls in play was above average last year at .315. He’ll have to prove it before I give him any innings.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:52

24.11 Pedro Feliciano, RP, NYM
Pedro, from the Mets pitching staff, in round 24? What a steal! Oh wait, wrong Pedro.

Another bullpen filler. Good results the past two years, and no ER allowed so far in 7 IP in spring training. Good K ratio. Still, he may be the first pitcher dropped in favor of a free agent starter.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:52

for Bash Brothers
24.12 Damaso Marte RP PIT
You just pick whoever left and serviceable this late in the draft. Marte fits both criteria. Enough said.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:53

for coldwater coyotes
24.13 Jim Hoey RP BAL
A flyer. He has the talent to be a top reliever but may not show it this year. I am fully prepared to drop him in the first few weeks.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:53

for Uptown Bombers
24.14 Jacque Jones, OF, DET
I wanted another OF. Jones really struggled last year and burned me for picking him. I should stay away but decided to take this platoon player who came on strong in the last two months of the season. In the packed Detroit lineup, even from the 9th spot, Jones stands to have his chances. Unless he surprises me, he’ll hang around until some younger player emerges from the waiver wire.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:54

for StLCards
24.15 Daniel Cabrera, SP, BAL
Looking over my team I decided I needed a backup SS and 3B with my last two picks. I had Keppinger sitting at the top of my queue who would have satisfied both of those needs. Then I decided I better look at how many pitchers we start and I saw I was one short. Cabrera has always had potential but just can't ever put it together. Last year he was drafted in the 15th round, so I guess I could say I got a bargain here. If nothing else I have a warm body to plug into a pitcher slot. I could have gone with the popular MR who might someday become a closer strategy, but that one never sits well with me as a slew of MRs won't get you enough IP and Saves are simply one category even if they do become a closer.

After deciding on Cabrera the next issue was which order to take Keppinger and Cabrera. I saw Building7 had only 8 pitchers like me so I figured him to take a pitcher for sure. I wasn't sure who else he might take, but it seemed he had 2 MI backups already, although now that I look closer I should have realized that Alex Gonzalez was one of them and of course he is hurt, which is why Keppinger made perfect sense for him.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:55

for Building 7
24.16, Kurt Suzuki, C,OAK

Ichiro's younger brother. I had to look up his first name to write this. He'll play a couple games in Japan and then it will be soyanara for him. He's not really Ichiro's brother.

25.01, Jeff Keppinger, SS,CIN

He's insurance for Alex Gonzalez. If he plays he could do well. He just needs playing time.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:55

for StLCards
25.02 Jack Wilson, SS, PIT
Once Keppinger was gone I decided to take a backup SS. Wilson seems to have stretches where you think he is going to break out and be very productive, but it never lasts the whole season. He has hit 30 (years not HRs) so he isn't likely to suddenly become a fantasy stud at SS. Then again this is my last pick so hopefully if I do use him it will be during one his hot streaks.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:56

for Uptown Bombers
25.03 Kevin Frandsen, 2B, SF
Don’t know much about this guy other than he has eligibility at 2B, SS, OF already and could be headed to 3B as a starter. I liked that flexibility, particularly at 2B and 3B and the fact that he is a young player with room for improvement with consistent playing time.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:56

for coldwater coyotes
25.04 Chris Burke 2B ARI
One time hot prospect who is having a great spring. Who knows? And he qualifies at numerous positions.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:57

for Bash Brothers
25.05 Ronnie Belliard 2B WAS
Words are he's ahead of Lopez on coach's preference list as the starting 2B. Moreover, he's got some pop in his bat. So this is a STEAL in ROUND 25!

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:57

25.06 Jair Jurrjens, SP, Atl

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:58

for Flying Polack
25.07 David Eckstein SS TOR
It was Eckstein or Crosby for SS in the 23rd round. When I saw Eckstein available I decided to grab him as insurance. He’ll hurt you bad in SLG and RBI’s, but his OB%, Runs and SB’s should actually help my bottom line.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:58

for RoBoGuRu
25.08 Pedro Feliz 3B PHI

100

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:59

for JL
25.09 Marcus Thames, OF, Det

Thames is expected to platoon with Jacque Jones for Detroit this season, with Thames batting against lefties. Last season, Thames had an OPS above .900 against lefties in 41 games. I will start him against lefties to begin the year.

101

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 16:59

for Dave R
25.10 Mike Lamb 1B/3B Min

I love these last round picks. One of the main reasons I picked Lamb, is he gives me back up insurance at both CI positions.

Looks possible that He might be in a platoon situation. When given time , Lamb has performed rather well. In 3 of the last 4 years his OPS was over .800.

But I'm not looking for miracles here, getting lucky would be OK

102

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:00

for dror
25.11 Dennis Sarfate, RP, BAL
Sarfate moved to Baltimore from Houston as part of the Tejada trade and will open the season in the O's bullpen. He is a flamethrower that will get a lot of his outs via Ks, if he can find his command and limit the walks the 50-60 IP that he will throw over the season can have some positive value.

103

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:00

for blue hen
25.12 Michael Wuertz, RP, CHC

Some nice strikeouts is all I'm looking for here.

104

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:02

for Taxman
25.13 Bengie Molina, C, SFO

Molina taken as short term insurance policy for injury to my starting Catcher. Molina has been projected as the # 4 hitter for the Giants, but won’t have many people on base to drive in. I look for this Molina to generate 50 R and 65 RBI, 2 SB, a .330 OBA and .430 SLG. All in all, not bad numbers for the 325th player drafted.

[ed. note - actually the 396th player drafted!]

105

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:02

for Tosh
25.14 Ryan Franklin RP STL
Did I really just draft Ryan Franklin? A couple years ago, I went to 20-25 Seattle Mariner games a season. I always felt so gypped when Franklin was the announced SP, because I knew we would probably leave the stadium as losers as he went a combined 12-31 in ’05-’06. Man that guy annoyed me. But now he’s the setup guy for the only sure closer on my team (Isringhausen), and pitched pretty darn good last season as a reliever. So I’ll handcuff him to Issy and see what happens.

106

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:03

for Yokel
25.15 Russ Springer, Rp, Stl

Who knows? if you grab enough middle relievers, one might actually pick up a save here and there. He put up very good numbers last year, but he's like 39 years old so mainly he's just on my roster for the veteran leadership.

107

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Mar 20, 2008, 17:03

for JeffG
25.16 Jose Vidro 2B/OF Sea
With the LAST pick in the draft....Just another MI option. No real enthusiasm here. We'll see what he has left in the tank.

Forum: basePage 19494Subject: RIBC 2008: Draft Rationales (Rounds 19-25)

Forum: base
Page 19494
Subject: RIBC 2008: Draft Rationales (Rounds 19-25)