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Subject: RIBC 2019: Draft Rationales

Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Tue, Mar 12, 2019, 11:04

This thread will contain all of the individual pick rationales for the 2019 RIBC draft. RIBC managers should supply those rationales in the Rationale Collection thread.

I expect that this thread will be updated daily.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 12:19 pm

1.01 Trout, Mike - LAA - OF
Pick #1 - Debated on taking pick #2, but due to the SLG% component, Trout > Betts. If I did not win the Trout / Betts lottery, my ideal slot would have been 10-12. Would have landed me Scherzer (??), deGrom, or Sale. On the comeback, I was banking on getting Trevor Story as my 2nd round pick and likely best bat (Rendon / Correa) in draft prep.

Trout: It's Mike Trout. Mike. Trout.

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 2:09 pm

1.02 Betts, Mookie - BOS - OF
Pick #2: When I learned of my fortune landing this slot, I immediately did a happy dance. The first reason is that I like Trout and Betts over everyone else. The second reason is that I liked the idea of having my future picks close together.

Betts: I thought about saying something clever about how I'm happy Trout went first, but it backfired and ended in sadness. Mookie is actually my favorite player and I'm really excited to have him as a building block in this league.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 2:10 pm

1.03 Ramirez, Jose - CLE - 3B
Picked the 3rd position after the 4th draw. Really wanted a top 3 guy for the speed/power combo that my 3 top ranked players offer. I actually prefer to pick farther down, but I really like Ramirez.

Ramirez: True 5 cat elite player. Proven 30/30 guy. MVP candidate for most of the year. As long as he forgets last September, he’ll be fine. Would have picked JD, but it’s nice to get an early jump on SBs.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 11:03 pm

1.04 Harper, Bryce - WAS - OF
I used to outsmart myself by taking middle or lower-end first round draft order slots, but now I just take the highest available. 4th was highest available, and I took it.

Harper: I took Bryce third overall last year, and was happy with what I got. He doesn't give 20+ steals like the consensus top 3 picks, but none of those three has a 1.100 SLG season on their resume (not even Mike Trout). I don't expect anything close to that, but I don't think it's crazy that Harper--in his age 26 season--goes bonkers.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 11:46 pm

1.05 Martinez, J.d. - BOS - OF
I selected my draft position as high as I can since I planned to get Max Scherzer who should be #1 fantasy pitcher this year again. I have never drafted any pitcher in the first round since I always think I could wait and more X factors such as health kick in more often for pitchers. So I changed my strategy (if any) and had some debate between Martinez and Nolan Arenado. Choosing Martinez over Arenado is simply because I would rather root for players from one of my favorite teams.

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 10, 11:46 pm

1.06 Arenado, Nolan - COL - 3B
Drafting 6th. Took highest spot available, obviously 1 or 2 is best but I like the options i will have at 6th.

Arenado: Had 5 hitters that I wanted, never considered a SP here as that is not my style. Trout/Betts/JD Mart/ Arenado/ Ramirez. JD almost fell to me but Nolan is a good consolation prize. I want a big bat with high floor and consistency as my first pick. Nolan fulfills that perfectly. In the last 4 years he has never had less then 110RBI 104 Runs and an OPS under .930. He is in his prime and doesnt get hurt.

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 12:17 am

1.07 Yelich, Christian - MIL - OF
I have pick #7, I was the 14th person to choose and was surprised that a top 7 pick was there. While I typically prefer turn picks (15,16, 1, 2) None of those were available and I saw an opportunity to potentially get great value in the middle of runs.

Yelich: I had Yelich ranked as the 3rd best player so with him being available at #7 I felt it made sense to draft him here. I've had success in the last 2 years by picking "best available" in the early rounds and worrying about specific categories and positions later. This will be evident in my later picks. I also Considered Turner, Story, and Scherzer at this point but I had Yelich higher than all of them.

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 6:47 am

1.08 Turner, Trea - WAS - SS
Draft Pick: No Reason really, I could have picked as high as 5th, but decided to boogie on down to 8th and pilfer some picks from Guru. Of course that could be painful on the way back.

Turner: I never hesitated in drafting Trea here. I really didn't consider anyone else. Without sacrificing power, I have a huge leg up on steals.

I'm looking for 40+ steals and 100+ runs scored.

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 8:41 am

1.09 Bregman, Alex - HOU - SS
Pick #9: I had the third choice. I would have taken one of the top two, if available, as I thought Trout and Betts were a cut above the rest. But after they were taken, I decided to move to the middle o the round. I’ve had some success picking from the #9 spot in prior seasons, so I went there. Not much more to it than that.

Bregman: His numbers in 2019 ranked him #8 in the player rater (for this format), and he’s only age 24. Although his BA stayed pretty much the same from 2017 to 2018, his OBP jumped 40 points (to .394), and his slugging popped almost 60 points (.532), while reaching triple digits in Runs & RBI. Speed declined modestly (from 17 to 10). But at age 24, should still be on the upslope. Combine that with eligibility at both SS and 3B, and I’m sold.

Also considered Judge, Goldschmidt, and Freeman whose ratios would likely be better, but with similar counting stats. But I thought the positional benefit for Bregman warranted the choice.

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 8:55 am

1.10 Degrom, Jacob - NYM - SP
I could have picked as high as number 5 but there are so many possibilities after Trout and Betts that I decided to pick closer to the middle, thinking my first round pick would be simpler and I could better avoid being locked out of position runs later. I also kind of liked picking closer to 20 rather than 30 in the second round.

deGrom: I was a somewhat surprised when no pitchers had yet been taken when it got to me, so decided to zag. There are arguments for Scherzer or Sale over deGrom of course, but they all seem reasonably close to me. A little concerned over Sale’s health, I chose deGrom over Scherzer on gut instinct.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:30 am

1.11 Scherzer, Max - WAS - SP
0.13 pick selection: I did not want to pick too close to a turn. #7 was still there but I did not see an obvious pick there. Pick 11 was the next best choice which should give me plenty of options. at hitter and maybe even at pitcher.

Scherzer: Prior to the draft I thought that I may take a hitter here. was a little surprised seeing Scherzer still out there. the injuries of Altuve and Lindor made this pick almost automatic.
I now hope that Scherzer continues his dominance. just expecting similar stats like the last few years.

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 12:48 pm

1.12 Judge, Aaron - NYY - OF
Pick #12: Having the third to the last pick, I didn't expect many options and starting doing mock drafts from the 14th spot. One thing that showed me was that there was a LOT of top end talent available in the late 1st and early 2nd that, honestly, there was not much dropoff in talent and production. When it came my turn to pick, the #7 spot was available. But as noted above, while some guys available at #7 are certainly better than some of the guys available at 12-13-14, I did not feel they were so significantly so that I wanted to go that direction. Plus I didn't want to go back to back with Dave R and Guru!

Judge: Outside of Goldschmidt, I didn't really consider anyone else here. In the RIBC format, Judge's obscene ratios and 100/100 counting stats are too juicy to ignore. I believe him to be healthy going into this year, along with the fact that I believe he has something to prove. With solid table setters in front of him and multiple mashers behind him, I think he is in for a beast of a year.

I passed on Goldschmidt because I held out feint hope that Freddie Freeman could fall to 2.05. That was wishful thinking for sure, but it did happen in one of the qualifying leagues. C'est la vie.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 1:37 pm

1.13 Sale, Chris - BOS - SP
Pick 13- Had a choice between 13 and 14 and 13s my lucky 🍀 number so it made sense.

Sale: One of the most dominant pitchers of the 2010s. Appears to be fully healthy and motivated for a strong 2019. Sale is also in a contract year. I considered a few others like Altuve and Macahdo but ultimately was sold by checking Baseball Reference. He has the highest K/9 and K/W in baseball history. Even in an abridged season of 158 innings, Sale still had eye popping numbers, 237 Ks, 12 Ws, and aburd ratios. With another ~30-40 innings I should get a few more wins this year out of him.

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 2:10 pm

1.14 Goldschmidt, Paul - STL - 1B
Pick #14: I am in this league due to the most unfortunate of situations. RIP jdrenbarger.

In AAA I had 10-15 available and picked 15, so it was close to what I have here. I chose that slot because I saw a seemingly deeper pool of top players so I figured a higher 2nd round pick would work out more favorably.

Goldschmidt: I would have ideally wanted to start with Scherzer, deGrom, or Sale as I've found top flight SPs to be undervalued here, but it's time to zig back as more people start to zag. I'll turn to Goldschmidt who I find to be the best player available and he provides an elite OBP base with a handful of SBs to boot. Freddie Freeman had a similar season last year and was also considered, but I figure there is some upside possibility with Goldschmidt being surrounded with an improved lineup in St Louis, and he did not appreciate the new Chase Field humidor as his OPS was 270 points better on the road.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 2:24 pm

1.15 Verlander, Justin - HOU - SP
Draft Pick: I had decided before the draft that if I were not able to get picks 1 or 2, I would use the more unusual SP/SP strategy. In order to affect this pick 15 or 16 is the best place to be. If neither of these were available, I might have chosen 14, but more than likely I would have picked 7 and gone with a more traditional draft. This is a reasonable strategy because there are not many 200 IP/200 K four-category pitchers available, but it increases the importance of my hitting picks.

Verlander: Scherzer and Sale were off the board, and that left me to choose between Verlander, Kluber and Cole. Verlander has the risk of age, but he does not appear to have reached the point of slowing down. Kluber’s risk was his tail off at the end of 2018. Cole may be a notch below these two.Verlander won the coin toss."

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 3:44 pm

1.16 Freeman, Freddie - ATL - 1B
Pick selection #16: This was purely done for convenience. I’m on vacation this week so picking back to back is so nice. I’d probably have gone early in the 1st round if I wasn’t going for convenience.

Freeman: Considered Votto and Acuna here. Freeman was safer and should put up similar to last years numbers. Getting a safe pick in round 1 will allow me to take riskier picks later on.

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 3:45 pm

2.01 Soto, Juan - WAS - OF
Here’s a risky pick. He was a obp machine last year. I’m worried about the sophomore slump. Probably would’ve taken Acuna here is I hadn’t had taken Freeman in the 1st.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 5:48 pm

2.02 Kluber, Corey - CLE - SP
Explained in 1.15

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 6:37 pm

2.03 Altuve, Jose - HOU - 2B
Two more SPs gone over the turn and selecting one here would be an ADP reach. MI and SBs are two areas which dry up quickly in this deep league so I try to place more of an emphasis in that direction early. Altuve played last year with a knee injury that hurt his power and SBs the second half of last season. Assuming he is back to full health, there is room for value with this pick as he is a year removed from a .957 OPS and 32 SBs. And even in his down year Altuve's OBP remained elite and one to several cuts above MIs drafted after.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:23 pm

2.04 Stanton, Giancarlo - NYY - OF
I was thin on power hitting outfielders last year so I wanted to remedy that. Stanton is only one year removed from a 59 homer season and hitting in a great lineup. He also played 159 games in 2017 and 158 in 2017 so I look for that in my early picks. I want a guy who’s going to be out there everyday.

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:27 pm

2.05 Machado, Manny - LAD - SS
So, this was a bit of a wussy pick:
- Lindor was there but the injury scared me. 7 to 9 weeks is a pretty major injury, even if it mostly means he misses Spring Training. But for a guy whose value is partially driven from his excellent runs scored and stolen bases, recovery from a major calf injury was just too much.

- I had Ronald Acuna, Jr atop my overall draft board. He is a beast. But I already have Aaron Judge, and there is SOME risk of a sophomore slump. I actually had Acuna in my Pick Queue (on auto draft) when I left work. If RJ had picked over the hour or so I was predisposed, I would have had Acuna (Guru - you're welcome).

But in the end, safety swayed me to Manny, coupled with the impending dual eligibility at both SS (now) and 3b. No he doesn't have the SB (and that was a factor) but he rarely gets hurt, and Petco Park is not death to RH hitters like it used to be.

I gave modest consideration to Gerrit Cole here......but felt the big bat at a premium position was of greater value.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:27 pm

2.06 Lindor, Francisco - CLE - SS
After taking a pitcher in round 1 I had to take a hitter here. Stolen bases are a rare stat, so I better take some early that can deliver me plenty of it. Lindor fits the bill and only slipped because he may miss the first 2 weeks of the season. as long as he is his old self in mid-April I should do fine.

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:32 pm

2.07 Story, Trevor - COL - SS
Story should provide 5 category production from the SS position, with an emphasis on slugging. A building block for my offense.

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 9:51 pm

2.08 Acuna Jr., Ronald - ATL - OF
Did not expect to have this opportunity at pick #24. His ADP suggests a first round pick. Perhaps his slow start in spring training has dampened enthusiasm? Or maybe some are expecting a sophomore jinx? Regardless, this is too big of a discount to pass on. Last year’s counting stats of 78R, 64 RBI, and 16 SB came in just 111 games played. Extrapolate that to 150+ games, and you get 3-digit runs, upper 80’s in RBI, and 20+ steals. With ratios of .366/.552 and growth potential, round #1 value is certainly within reach.

Rizzo, Bryant, and Blackmon were possible fallbacks.

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 10:08 pm

2.09 Blackmon, Charlie - COL - OF
Burned by Guru right off the bat. I would have loved Acuna, but I never expected him to last to me here anyway.

I was torn between Blackmon and Benintendi. An elder statesman vs youth. In the end I felt Blaackmon was a notch ahead

Blackmon will turn 33 this year, but still pencil him in for well over 100 runs, maybe 100 RBI's and an OPS over .900

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 10:39 pm

2.10 Benintendi, Andrew - BOS - OF
Hated taking another OF but I'm sticking to the strategy of best Available on my list... 20/20 guy. 100 runs, obp in the .370+ range, Slug just a tad under .500. would have been ok with Acuna or Blackmon here and they were in my queue but gone...

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 10:41 pm

2.11 Bryant, Kris - CHC - 3B
Again looking for another big bat. I dont care about position scarcity at this point i just want best value. Bryant got hurt. Before that he was mashing like the MVP he was. he is fully recovered and mashing this spring. I will take the discount. While I take a high floor with my first round pick I want my 2nd round pick to have the potential to be a top 15 player. I considered Votto as well and breaking tradition and taking a SP as i felt there was value there. 5 SP i liked and 5 teams in front of me for the turn. I stuck to the plan of taking the higher upside hitter Bryant over Votto and putting off SP.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 11, 10:57 pm

2.12 Merrifield, Whit - KAN - 2B
Yes, Royals are going to be very bad this year but Merrifield more likely than not could maintain his performance level (or even better) by providing solid batting average and stealing healthy amount of bases. Maybe I should get players from teams not to tank this season (Hoskins or Baez) but I just could not resist the appeal of Merrifield's supposedly high floor as well as his multiple position eligibility here.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:27 am

2.13 Rizzo, Anthony - CHC - 1B
A first-round pick last year, and outside of April, a hitter who provided first-round RIBC value. That awful April allowed him to slide to the end of the second round this year, and I was happy to grab him. Considered Gerritt Cole, but there were 5 pitchers who I was willing to pick in round 3, and only 6 picks between this spot and my next, so I let others make my pitching choice for me.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:27 am

2.14 Baez, Javier - CHC - 2B
As the second round unfolded, I watched with eager anticipation to see if he was picked. It was almost too good to be true when he fell to me. Another 5 cat contributor who was also an MVP candidate last year. Multi position eligibility is a plus. Should Baez not made it to me, Hoskins and Rendon were next up on my list. I have a lengthy list of SPs, so I’ll wait until 3.03 to grab my ace.

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:57 am

2.15 Hoskins, Rhys - PHI - 1B
Once I began running some draft scenarios for my second round, more of than not, I ended up with Hoskins. It's no secret I'm one of the high men on this guy and view him as a younger Goldschmidt. If I'm being honest, I couldn't have scripted it better.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 1:06 am

2.16 Cole, Gerrit - HOU - SP
Definitely didn't plan getting him here...but I'll take it. I don't think a ton of explanation is needed for Cole. Solid bet for 200 IP with elite ratios.

My expectations at the 2/3 turn were to reach a little on Kris Bryant (consistent mid rd 3 pick at Tout Wars OB% / NFBC), hope Rhys Hoskins falls (who was going late 2 but is a Meatwads favoite), and take Trevor Bauer as my pitcher. The hitting run in 2 continued and left 4 primo pitchers exposed (Cole, Nola, Snell, Bauer). I toyed with the idea of taking two starting pitchers (Cole & Bauer) considering that I have Mike Trout, but by the time I pick again (31 more picks), my secondary hitting options would not have been as good.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 1:07 am

3.01 Rendon, Anthony - WAS - 3B
My favorite player in fantasy baseball. Definitely a reach based on ADP as he was going mid-late 3 (around when species picks at 10...hence the reason I was all about the 10 slot). Near .400 on base? Check. 25 HR floor? Check. Hitting in the middle of the Nationals lineup? Check. I think he has a career year heading into unrestricted free agency and will anchor down my 3B for the 2019 season.

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 1:26 am

3.02 Nola, Aaron - PHI - SP
The world has been witnessing the steady climb of Nola since he came into the league. The guy is still young, is coming off a really good season, and I actually project more growth this season, which is scary. I'm hoping I landed a top 10 SP with a top 5 upside.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:27 am

3.03 Snell, Blake - TAM - SP
3rd in my queue after Cole and Nola (both picked at the turn as expected), I’m very happy to pick the reigning AL Cy Young award winner. Really broke out unexpectedly last season, so expectations are high this year.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:56 am

3.04 Bauer, Trevor - CLE - SP
I believe that Bauer's performance last year was for real, and that even with a little regression, he's going to be a top-10 pitcher for the next couple of years. I almost went Votto here, for complete OBP domination, but chickened out.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 10:13 am

3.05 Carrasco, Carlos - CLE - SP
Deciding against drafting Max Scherzer in my first round made taking the starting pitcher here a must? But obviously many around the league had the same mindset. My queue including Nola, Snell, Cole, and even Bauer emptied so quick. Carrasco might be the safest chioce I could make here. Expect him to eat 200IP with at least mid-3 ERA and 12+ wins for the still-solid Cleveland team.

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 10:19 am

3.06 Votto, Joey - CIN - 1B
was debating Votto with my last pick so was pleased to see him still here. I feel like i own him every year. Last year wasnt good....for a first round pick. He still led the world in OBP even if his Slg barely out did his OBP he was still valuable. Father time may be lurking but i still think i can get a rebound this year. This will allow me to reach for lower OBP guys later. I put off SP with the plan if one of the 5 guys i was targeting made it back to me i would take them.....one did and I still took Votto.... so much for plans.

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 10:25 am

3.07 Bogaerts, Xander - BOS - SS
I love Xander, I won him a couple of years ago in an auction league and have kept him 2 years in a row. He was 27th last year on the player rater. Plays a premium position, I had him ranked 25th and he is only 26 years old. He is in a possible free agent walk year, most likely hitting cleanup behind Betts, Benintendi and JD... I have him penciled in for 20+ HRs, 100+ RBIs, 80 runs and if I'm lucky double-digit steals. He will help in SLG and won't hurt OBP. Considering the 25th rank in my book and 27th Player rated last year, drafting him at #39 was a no brainer.

Other choices with this pick were: Bellinger, Thor, Buehler.

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 11:34 am

3.08 Suarez, Eugenio - CIN - 3B
I wanted a big bat here and got him. Suarez stroked 34 HR's knocked in 104 RBI's last year with a SLG % of .526 and OBP of .366.

Only 27, I see no reason he can't improve on those numbers

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 11:49 am

3.09 Carpenter, Matt - STL - 3B
Carpenter finished the 2018 season with a 374 OBP and a 523 SLG. The latter was a career high, with the former was right in line with his prior two seasons. Yet as of mid-May, his slash line was .140/.286/.272. Hopefully whoever had him last year didn’t sell low! He even ended the year ranked #20 among all hitters in the ESPN player rater.

He may be hitting leadoff this year, so triple digit runs are possible – especially with Goldschmidt now in the lineup - while RBI may take a dip. No speed to speak of. Age 33, so you always have to worry about the emergence of father time – although he’s been pretty durable.

My first two picks have no particular strength in OBP, so I was hoping to get someone to support that stat. His career OBP exceeds his career BA by more than 100 points – which makes his much more valuable in this format than in a standard 5x5. Eligibility at both 1B and 3B could come in handy. Carpenter was pretty much my only target here, and as I waited for Dave R to pick, I had a sense of foreboding that he’d snatch him. But he survived.

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:10 pm

3.10 Bellinger, Cody - LAD - 1B
Bellinger is guy who also will contribute something in all 5 categories, so he is another nice piece in my offense. He is also eligible at OF, providing flexibility going forward.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:35 pm

3.11 Marte, Starling - PIT - OF
I again looked at stolen bases. He stood out. On the pitching side I identified Thor as the best player available. Thought hard about which route to go and decided that since getting SB's is tough later in the draft, and also during the season, I should tackle that as soon as possible. Scherzer gives me a slight boost at SP so I can wait a bit longer for my 2nd pitcher.

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 12:45 pm

3.12 Syndergaard, Noah - NYM - SP
I had to decide if I was "in" or "out" on getting a top tier starting pitcher. It was speak now or forever hold my peace. So I spoke and Thor's name came out of my mouth at the draft podium.

Health, not skill or stuff, is the issue with Syndergaard. 2017 was a lost season for him, but in 2018 he made 25 starts and tossed 154 innings. He had 2 stints on the DL, but neither were for an elbow or shoulder injury - instead a finger ligament strain and the infamous hand, foot and mouth disease episode. If anything, those fairly innocent DL stints may have benefited Syndergaard in limiting his innings after the 2017 injury.

I favored Syndergaard over Walker Buehler and other SP available here. Syndergaard's career 2.93 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 10+ K/9 would do just fine, thank you. Khris Davis was 2nd in my queue, and I also gave consideration to Carlos Correa.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 3:04 pm

3.13 Albies, Ozzie - ATL - 2B
I see 2B as our thinnest position this year. Ozzie is near the top of the list and I believe he will continue to grow. 24 hrs at the position along with 14 stolens in first full season. He should be more patient this year with a full season under his belt now.He only just turned 22, so there’s a lot to like."

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 3:30 pm

3.14 Buehler, Walker - LAD - SP
After starting with 2 hitters I do want to pick up an SP at this turn if the value is there and I find it with Buehler. He was dominant in his first taste of the big league starting rotation pitching to a 2.62 ERA with a WHIP under 1 and almost 10 K/9. He likely won't hit 200 IP due to workload management, but I prefer better production over the shorter period of time instead of vice versa.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 4:26 pm

3.15 Davis, Khris - OAK - UTL
Now is when I begin to play catch-up with the hitting categories. I picked Davis for RBIs, Rs, and SLG.

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 4:34 pm

3.16 Correa, Carlos - HOU - SS
Usually you don’t see 24 year olds lose draft value like Correa has. His injuries are a concern but the potential to be a 1st round talent is hard to pass at 3.16. I was hoping Buehler made it to me but he was scooped up a few picks earlier.

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 4:39 pm

4.01 Springer, George - HOU - OF
Back to back Astros. Springer packs a lot of potential. He had a down year last year but he’s only 29. Batting atop of Houston’s lineup should give him elite runs regardless of his other stats. There’s been talk of him running more this year. That would be a huge bonus. Thought about Diaz here but couldn’t justify a closer at 4.01.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 5:41 pm

4.02 Puig, Yasiel - CIN - OF
Puig has a chance for a great season with his new team and ballpark. He is a righty who hits RHPs very well but has struggled against lefties. He is back with his former hitting coach, and with good coaching I think he will hit lefties the way a righty should—or at least improve. The new team will get him away from the LA clubhouse, which had to be stressful and took concentration away from his game.Looking for big thing from Yasiel; famous last words."

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 6:04 pm

4.03 Mondesi, Adalberto - KAN - SS
More speed and MI. Last season Mondesi attempted a steal on 48% of his opportunities which led to 32 steals in 75 games, equating to nearly 70 over a full season. With a strong OBP start to my draft, I can better afford to take the hit there, but I may not be taking a SLG setback as Mondesi had a surprising .498 SLG last season.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 8:55 pm

4.04 Santana, Carlos - CLE - 1B
In retrospect feel like I reached and took him a bit too early. Love the walks he gets and he’s a high floor player that will be out there every day. He has historically had his best years in Cleveland. But given position scarcity I wish I’d taken an elite closer here. As they say though, “that’s why they play the games.”

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 8:55 pm

4.05 Seager, Corey - LAD - SS
Homer pick -- I own Seager in G20.

It's risky.....not so much for the Tommy John surgery, but that combined with the hip surgery and being rusty from a year off could have a material effect on Seager's performance.

I looked at some guys like Pham, Segura, Gleyber Torres and I really like Mike Clevinger this year. But none of them just made me think I HAD to draft them and the projection model I am using as a rough guide had him amongst the best hitters remaining. True I have Manny Machado, but already his SS/3b eligibility is coming handy so I have the flexibility of just securing my MI already or moving Manny to 3b in 10 games.

Seager was the last of a MI tier that might include Segura and Gleyber, so I grabbed him. He carries a lifetime .866 OPS and I will take that as a MI in round 4 - even if it is a round early.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:06 pm

4.06 Flaherty, Jack - STL - SP
I looked through the hitters that usually go around this pick (Pham, Cain, Torres, some catchers) but did not find one that I would have been comfortable with.
I did the same for pitchers and Flaherty popped up. With a few picks to got I put him first in my queue followed by some hitters and he survived.
Flaherty is young, but he showed impressive talent last year. If he can somehow repeat that I would be happy. And there is the chance that he may get better in his second full season.

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:08 pm

4.07 Murphy, Daniel - COL - 2B
Murphy will be hitting in the middle of the Rockie lineup and projects very well in the OBP/SLG format. In short, he should be a top shelf contributor in 4 offensive categories. I’ve had my eye on him since last pick thinking he probably wouldn’t make it back to me, but this time I get my wish. For a 2B, he won’t help much in stolen bases but I will worry about that later. He will however become eligible at 1B so that is a small bonus.

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:24 pm

4.08 Diaz, Edwin - NYM - RP
I’d rather start a closer run than chase one. Last year, the top four closers included three guys with notable late-season difficulties, and one guy who was suspended for half a season. And yet that group posted this average stat line: 56 IP, 75 K, 3 W, 33 saves, 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP. Can I interest you in that?

Diaz seems to be the consensus top choice this year. I don’t expect a repeat of 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 124K, and 57 saves. But he’s only age 25 and the skills are elite.

I had Treinen queued up as my backup choice.

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:29 pm

4.09 Treinen, Blake - OAK - RP
I literally had Edwin Diaz queued up, never dreaming Guru would take a RP at this point. I guess I was wrong.

So I grabbed arguably the second best. Blake and Edwin seem to me, to be a cut above the rest.

Treinen posted an eye popping ERA of .78 last year with a WHIP of .87, 38 saves and 9 W's, and 100 K's in only 80 innings. The %'s are probably not sustainable, but I like the value he gives me here.

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 9:30 pm

4.10 Kershaw, Clayton - LAD - SP
I missed the earlier SP Run, I usually like to grab my first SP in the 3rd round so this was a bit odd for me. I debated this pick for a while, right around Da Bombs pick at 6pm I started thinking what SP I should Target... Flaherty, Corbin, etc... Kershaw has been shut down for four months, he may be healthy for the first time in over 2 years. I'm hoping for 150ip and 150Ks with elite ERA and WHIP and under 1.5 DL stints... Anything better than that and I'm more than happy. I don't think this pick will break my team, as I believe I'll get what I referenced above, but it very well could be a make pick...

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 10:03 pm

4.11 Jansen, Kenley - LAD - RP
With about 4 picks to go I had Edwin Diaz and Treinen on my list and waiting to auto pick. I was sure i was taking a RP here and that a SP i wanted would fall to me after the turn. To my surprise both closers went ahead of me. Its like they looked at my queue and said this will hurt him.....nevermind, panicked for a few moments but after looking at Jansen i decided he was obviously the next best and on his own tier. a cut below the first but above the next. I will take him and move on.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 10:27 pm

4.12 Pham, Tommy - TAM - OF
His performance after being traded to Tampa is not sustainable for sure. But with him now fully given the opportunity he is expected to shine. If his health permits, he should have no problem hitting 25 HRs and bringing in 90 runs. His capability of stealing bases would be the cherry on the cake.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 11:16 pm

4.13 Cain, Lorenzo - MIL - OF
Once we get to the 4th round, the consensus order starts to fall away and folks begin to go their own ways. I had my fingers crossed that Daniel Murphy would somehow make it back to me here, but he didn't. With him off the table, I wanted to get 20 steals here, and with Pham disappearing right before my selection, Cain seemed to offer the best ratios to go along with 20 steals.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 12, 11:17 pm

4.14 Conforto, Michael - NYM - OF
A bit of a gut pick reach here. Needed to get an OF with power at this 4/5 turn. Browsed my sheets and no one really jumped out at me until I saw Conforto’s name. He had a slow start last year recovering from shoulder surgery. Shoulder injuries can linger and make it difficult for players to regain old form. However, Conforto surged in the second half. From August to the end of the season, Conforto launched 14 home runs with 43 RBI and he finished September with nine home runs along with 18 extra-base hits. He set career bests in doubles, home runs and RBI. Many feel Conforto could platoon in the year ahead, but he recorded 33 hits and a .287 average versus southpaws after June 16th. Conforto also launched 10 home runs against LHP. Perhaps these facts get overlooked when trying to value him for the upcoming campaign. I don’t like making numbers predictions, but I’m expecting a huge breakout. Almost jumped on the closer train here as I smell a run, but there’s enough quality SPs and adequit RPs to wait and see what the turn brings.

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 10:14 am

4.15 Hand, Brad - CLE - RP
As someone who's paid dearly in the past for neglecting saves, I made it imperative this season that I get involved early. I had hoped to be the one that started the closer run with Diaz, but I like Hand in Cleveland this season. With no competition for the job, I'm hoping for elite ratios, a high save total and over 100 strikeouts.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 11:01 am

4.16 Segura, Jean - PHI - SS
I was between Segura and Torres with this pick. Segura / Torres represented the last of the SS upper tier. As I type this, at 3/14 @ 9:45pm & 2 days after this pick, a SS still has not been selected. As for Segura, he has hit at least .300 the past 3 seasons and sprinkles in 10+ SB. At 28 years old, he should be good for at least 15 HR now that 82 games are in Philly versus Seattle and his usual 20 SB. This pick is the equivalent of a 3 wood off of the tee on a short par 4. Very safe and fills a valuable MI need.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 11:07 am

5.01 Paxton, James - NYY - SP
Man...passing on Severino was tough. That said, if Severino was healthy, zero chance he is even there for me to pick. Severino was one of those picks that if I whiff on like I did last year (Yu Darvish over Justin Verlander), it could very well cost me the championship (75% of Verlander's counting stats in place of Darvish would have netted my squad over 140 pts...not counting ERA & WHIP). In RIBC, I learned that you CANNOT miss on the early picks for that reason. Pitching is that close!!! Severino's risk was just too great to take, which brings me to Paxton.

Sure, Paxton comes with injury concerns as 160 IP in 2018 was his career best...his projected numbers, via Rotogrinders, are similar to a pitcher going 2-3 rounds earlier:

Aaron Nola, ADP 25, 189 IP, 13 W, 3.21 ERA, 207K, 1.12 WHIP
James Paxton, ADP 55, 170 IP, 14 W, 3.25 ERA, 207K, 1.14 WHIP

I don't worry about him in Yankee stadium as much as I would if he was a RHP. Short right field fence wont hurt him as much as he's pretty good versus lefties. Hopefully they're right!!!

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 11:42 am

5.02 Torres, Gleyber - NYY - SS
When I noticed the shortstop eligible players were thinning out quickly, I decided I'd take the end of a tier. Since I have no middle infield options yet, his dual-eligibility will come in handy as the draft unfolds. I believe the talent is there. There's always the risk of the sophomore slump, but I felt it was worth the risk, all things considered. I'm cautiously optimistic.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 12:43 pm

5.03 Clevinger, Mike - CLE - SP
My big sleeper pick last year on all my teams really panned out, so how about an encore. Might have picked Brad Hand here (picked at the turn), but I was pleasantly surprised to see so much SP talent still on the board. Hard to pass up another potential 200 Ks. I don’t think I’ve ever drafted 2 SPs in the first 5 rounds in this format. In fact, for several years, I wouldn’t draft my first SP until round 8 or 10.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:04 pm

5.04 Turner, Justin - LAD - 3B
This was too early for Turner, I concede, but me and my boys are Dodgers fans, Turner is our favorite player, and I was unsure if he'd make it back to me in the 6th. So, more for fatherhood and fandom than trying to win the league, I selected Big Red. He's old, and he often misses 30 games. But he can put up amazing numbers - after getting over a wrist injury, he batted 447/619 in the second half last year. Best case scenario - he goes 400/500 in 130 games. Worst case scenario - my favorite player is on my imaginary baseball team.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:09 pm

5.05 Corbin, Patrick - WAS - SP
Looking back, I was even not sure if I should have picked Corbin since I tend to believe the players usually regress after career years and signing huge contracts. That said, I remain hopeful that Corbin could somehow duplicate his numbers (ERA/W/SO/WHIP) when playing for a better team with better support this year. I could have taken Taillon or jumped on the RP wagon before it was too late. Wish there would be no backfire.

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:15 pm

5.06 Taillon, Jameson - PIT - SP
I knew I was getting a SP here. My plan actually worked out. Grab a top notch RP in the 4th and wait for one of 3 SP in the 5th (Taillon, Strausburg, Greinke) They were all available so i took the one with the highest upside and least risk. Strausburg obviously can be elite but will he throw for the whole year? he has done that once in 9 years, Greinke is good but limited upside at this point. Taillon is coming off a great year and should be able to repeat or beat those numbers even on a bad team.

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:17 pm

5.07 Bumgarner, Madison - SFO - SP

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:28 pm

5.08 Strasburg, Stephen - WAS - SP
The last few years I went with hitters picks 1-3, a RP, and a SP round 5 It seemed to work, so...

Hello Stephen Strasburg, after giving consideration to Greinke. I chose Strasburg simply because I don't ever remember owning him. Not a very scientific way to go about building a roster, I know

So Strasburg is an injury risk, but for great talent there always seemed to be risk. I'm willing to take that risk for better than a K/inning, 14-15 W's and solid %'s

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 1:50 pm

5.09 Realmuto, J.t. - PHI - C
Did not expect him to be available here at pick #73, with an ADP of 50. Admittedly, our scoring system sometimes generates big disparities between ADP and RIBC value – although I don’t really see that as a disparity factor here. Realmuto moves to Philly, with a more hitter-friendly ballpark than Miami, and a more scoring-friendly lineup. Rotochamp projects him to bat fifth in the Phillies lineup, behind Harper and Hoskins. If so, he should get plenty of pitches to hit, and plenty of opportunities to drive in runs – assuming that Harper and Hoskins get hits other than HRs.

Taking a catcher early in the draft relieves the pressure to chase one late in the draft. It also puts the roster at greater risk to a catching injury, because if I have to dip into the free agent pool for a backup catcher during the season, it’s going to require a big give-up. But Realmuto seems to have been durable so far (age 27), and there really is no discernable competition at catcher in Philadelphia that I can see, so a dreaded time-sharing situation seems unlikely. Nothing ventured…

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 2:12 pm

5.10 Osuna, Roberto - HOU - RP
After my last pick, Guru tried get a closer run going but it didn’t quite take. By the time my pick came up there were four closers off the board and still some nice second tier options available. I don’t really want to be picking a closer here as I have a lot of other needs, but definitely don’t want to risk falling too far down the ranks either, so I decided to bite the bullet and take Osuna. Not much is certain in Closerland but Osuna should be good here. He is still young, solid in the ratios, and will have plenty of save opportunities.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 3:25 pm

5.11 Haniger, Mitch - SEA - OF
after taking 2 starting pitchers in my first 4 picks I need to improve my hitting. Researched all the options (Aguilar, Dahl, Donaldson, Chapman, Shaw, Castellanos) that usually go around this pick and that I would be comfortable joining my team and decided that Haniger is currently the best fit for my team. He has the highest projected OBP of all the listed players and his R/RBI numbers are equal, which does not hurt right now and helps keeping my team balanced.

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 3:25 pm

5.12 Greinke, Zack - ARI - SP
This is, no doubt, the most interesting RIBC draft to date. I am going to play my overall strategy more close to the vest for now, but I will say that I am straying into unfamiliar territory with TWO starting pitchers in the first 5 rounds. I never dreamed I would go this direction, but here I am.....

So why Greinke here? I felt he was the last of a pretty strong tier of SP. His stats and peripherals measure up with all of the other studs who have gone since I took Syndergaard in Round 3. I honestly feel Greinke is the equal (at a minimum) to the likes of: Flaherty, Kershaw, Paxton, Corbin, Taillon, Bumgarner and Strasburg - all of whom have been taken since 4.06.

The two differences are age and maybe some K/9. But outside of Greinke's fluky 2016, his last 6 ERAs have been 2.63, 2.71, 1.66, 3.20 & 3.21. His last 6 WHIPs have been 1.11, 1.15, 0.84, 1.07 and 1.08. In 4 of the last 5 years he has made 32 or 33 starts.

Reliable and consistent. I will take it.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 3:26 pm

5.13 Chapman, Aroldis - NYY - RP
Has been a solid reliable option for most of his career with high K upside. Also comes at a slight discount from some of the other guys that are higher pre ranked.

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 4:17 pm

5.14 Severino, Luis - NYY - SP
If not for his inflammation, Severino would have gone with the group of SP that were drafted in the late 2nd/early 3rd round. The latest news is that he is pain free so I am hoping for a return shortly after opening day. His second half last year was troubling, but his advanced stats were better than the results with a good FIP and elite K rate.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 4:48 pm

5.15 Encarnacion, Edwin - SEA - 1B
I liked Encarnaćion for Rs, RBIs and SLG. In immediate buyer remorse mode I realized I should have taken someone who could help more with OBP.

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 5:12 pm

5.16 Berrios, Jose - MIN - SP
My first SP. 15 wins 200k a decent WHIP and ERA all seem reasonable expectations. He has some upside but he’s riskier than a lot of other SP’s out there. I plan on going boring with my next few SP’s to anchor the staff so figured I’d take a lower floor but higher ceiling guy here. If I had this pick over I’d probably take Vazquez in order to get a for sure closer. Vlad was also a consideration but I have him in my other league and obliques can be scary.

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 5:22 pm

6.01 Shaw, Travis - MIL - 2B
Dual eligibility sold me. It’s crucial to have flexibility with a limited bench. 3b is slim this year so he may end up being there full time for me. I don’t love Shaw but his power and counting stats are nice.

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 6:28 pm

6.02 Villar, Jonathan - BAL - 2B
Still focusing on hitting, I wanted to add speed to my lineup. Villar played well in the second half of the season for Baltimore, and the hope is that he will continue in 2019 with both SBs and some HRs.

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 7:41 pm

6.03 Guerrero Jr., Vladimir - TOR - 3B
In the other 3 RIBC leagues Vlad Jr went 40, 45, and 64, so getting him at 83 seems to be good value based on that sample. All things point to him being a dominant hitter in the big leagues and the recent teenage success of Acuna and Soto lead to more confidence that Vlad can also obtain immediate results. A reason for his draft fall here is due to his current oblique strain, but it is a relatively mild one being a Grade 1, and even being out of action for 3 weeks could still very well not affect his expected mid April call up.

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 9:15 pm

6.04 Muncy, Max - LAD - 3B
Had Vlad Jr. all queued up on auto pick instant but then I checked and he was snagged! Opted to go for Muncy as he looks to be a good value at 3B with most of the top guys gone now. He had 35 homers and showed good patience as well with 79 walks last year. The added 1B eligibility is a nice bonus.

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 9:16 pm

6.05 Vazquez, Felipe - PIT - RP
Imagine that feeling after your baby just had a bowel movement.....you plug your nose and hold the dirty diaper as far away from your nose as you can while taking it to the trash can. That was pretty much me making this pick......very unwillingly and under great protest, as this gave me 3 pitchers and 3 hitters at this point. Ack!!

There were so many solid bats available here....but I either suck it up and do it or suffer the consequences of a Ken Giles or Cody Allen (who were there for my next pick). Vazquez is a consensus top 8 or 9 closer with solid ratios, decent to strong K/9 and a fairly decent hold on the closer role.

Armed-with-a-new-contract Jose Leclerc was next on my list if I didn't go Vazquez here.

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 9:16 pm

6.06 Dahl, David - COL - OF
shortly thought about a closer, but there were still lots of options available. I know a lot of them will go until my next pick, but could not pull the trigger now, when they are all relatively equal. I just have to hope that one makes it back to me.

I already had Dahl on my radar for my last pick. He did great in limited action last year and is doing even better in spring training. There is massive upside with him, the question is: will he show it? if yes, this was a steal. If no, at least I have tried.

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 9:51 pm

6.07 Cruz, Nelson - MIN - UTL
Cruz has been a consistently great hitter for a number of years now and I’m hoping he’s got another one in him. Projections call for something like .355/.525 with lots of RBIs (and runs?), so he will fill my Utility spot. I would usually avoid DH only guys but Cruz’s numbers really stand out to me.

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 10:38 pm

6.08 Andujar, Miguel - NYY - 3B
I struggled with this one. I had queued up Vazquez as my second closer, but Species took him a few picks ago. I don’t like any of the other closers in this round – mostly because roles for the season still seem speculative for many in the next tier, and/or the ones with a solid hold on the job don’t offer the supporting stats that I want.

So I turned to hitters. Short list was Aguilar, Castellanos, and Andujar. After a lengthy debate with myself (and starting the draft several different rationales) I finally felt a need to “sh-t or get off the pot”, so I settled on Andujar as the one with the best upside. I thought his eligibility at 3B might be a plus as well. Good power, and hitting in the middle of a strong lineup should support his counting stats. No speed, unfortunately.

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 10:52 pm

6.09 Gallo, Joey - TEX - 1B
We know Joey doesn't hit for average, but that doesn't matter in this league, and he generates enough walks for his OBP % to be serviceable in this format.

There's no arguing about his power and run production, last year slugging 40 HR's, and 174 runs + RBI's. If I'm lucky he might even swipe 6 bases ;)

And I love the dual position eligibilty

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 10:55 pm

6.10 Sanchez, Gary - NYY - C
After a brief but needed variance from my best available strategy I'm back at it. Gary was a huge disappointment last year, the groin injury really just ruined his season, but I am not deterred from his potential. 2016 and 2017 are more than likely the norm than 2018. Now, fully healthy and still hitting in that monster of a lineup, the power is still there. I had him at 39 on my board and I got him at 90 in this draft. That is a ton of value IMO. I didn't consider anyone else here, if he was available I was taking him; if he wasn't then back to the drawing board, probably a corner IF.

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 10:55 pm

6.11 Cano, Robinson - NYM - 2B
He is a big name and not done yet. Maybe reached a bit but really wanted him here and didnt think he would last. after his suspension he hit well. if you extrapolate out to a full year (yes I know that means nothing esp for a senior citizen) he would of hit over .300-20-100-85 thats pretty elite for 2B in the 6th round. Cherry on top: had his highest OPS of his career last year.

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 13, 11:15 pm

6.12 Chapman, Matt - OAK - 3B
I might want to draft Shaw or even Andujar to fill one of my IF but both were gone when my pick came around. I also thought about drafting Scooter Gennett (peaked maybe) or Josh Donaldson (age and injury concern) but decided to go with Chapman, which might be a little reach in terms of ADP. But Chapman, armed with his superior defensive skill, should very likely to improve further from his breakout season last year. Expect him to score 100 runs with solid average along with other accumulative HR/RBI numbers.

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 1:42 am

6.13 Mccutchen, Andrew - PHI - OF
Best available on my board, ready to spend the first full season of his life in a hitter's park probably hitting atop a stacked lineup. Crossing my fingers for a slight uptick in power, together with his usual OBP and a dozen steals.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 1:42 am

6.14 Aguilar, Jesus - MIL - 1B
The big 1B bats don’t seem as deep this year and what’s left of the better ones are drying up fast. No closer run yet, so time for another bat. Despite Aguilar’s surge in the first half with some regression in the second, he still finished the season strong. Perhaps a Home Run Derby hangover? Miller Park is a great hitter’s haven, but even better for LHB. He’s also shown some growth against LHP. There are predictions that there will be some regression in BA, but his slugging and on-base skills should play well in this format. Olson and Abreu as fallbacks.

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 7:28 am

6.15 Myers, Wil - SDG - 3B
Noticing the depth available at 3B, I decided to wait a little while. While his OBP isn't going to win me any titles, the counting stats will be useful as a multi-position guy. The thing that makes me particularly pleased with this selection is the rare power and speed combination at his position.

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:23 am

6.16 Leclerc, Jose - TEX - RP
Whooooo boy! I believe this is the first draft ever where I started the closer run...10 closers taken within 16 picks! I was talking with Species about the RP available and my top 3 RP were as follows

1) Kimbrel (ADP 91)
2) Vazquez (ADP 95)
3) Leclerc (ADP 116)

Kimbrel can be argued as the top RP in all of baseball with all he brings to the table. He checks all the boxes but one...hes not employed.
The more I read on him, the more I see Greg Holland or Alex Cobb where he is unsigned until someone gets hurt or his price comes down. Every save matters and I want to make sure I get someone who has a secure job. Species rightfully took Vazquez at his pick, which left me with Kimbrel vs Leclerc. Why Leclerc over the other RP's that are projected higher?

This is why:

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:24 am

7.01 Hicks, Aaron - NYY - OF
Actually had Jose Abreu selected and only needed to select the position before hitting submit. Its not that I had buyers remorse on Abreu as he's a fine player...its just that I had Aaron Hicks on my must draft list. With about 50% of the league using the rotowire draft kit, I didn't want to chance him falling another round. For context, in 2018, here are the MLB hitters who had 20+ HR, 10+ SB, and 90+ BB:

Trout (RIBC Pick 1.01), Ramirez (1.03), Harper (1.04), Bregman (1.09)...& Hicks (6.16). Screw the cortisone shot, that was good enough for me and why he was on my "Must draft" list as this is an OB% league. Meatwads is a friend and we've been on the Hicks train since pre-2018...so I'm extremely fortunate that he didn't snipe him at 6.15...the irony of it is that my backup plan was Wil Myers who he took instead (Myers quietly has gone 30/20 & 28/28 in HR/SB the previous two full seasons). Myers will definitely add more counting stats...thats for sure!

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:55 am

7.02 Kimbrel, Craig - BOS - RP
There's a first time for everything. This is my first time having two elite closers 7 rounds into this draft. It's also the first time I've selected someone relatively early that is currently unsigned. There's obviously some risk involved in this selection, but I believe there's an equal chance it's a value pick. He simply isn't here if he's on a team. Bonus points for being involved in the turn that started an eye opening closer run.

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 10:14 am

7.03 Doolittle, Sean - WAS - RP
Better grab a closer here, as the run is underway. This pick comes in the middle of stretch of 5/6 closer picks. Doolittle happened to be at the top of my list, but honestly, any of the other 4 would do. Despite losing Bryce, the Nats still have a good team which should lead to plenty of save opportunities.

100

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 11:48 am

7.04 Yates, Kirby - SDG - RP
The RIBC closer dash actually happened a round later this year than it usually does. See this data on number of closers selected each year by end of round 6:
2015 = 12 closers selected by the end of round 6
2016 - 13 closers
2017 = 14 closers
2018 = 13 closers
2019 = only 8 closers by the end of round 6.

With 2 of the first 3 picks of round 7 being closers, it was obviously time to jump in. Happily, the folks picking before me took what I thought were slightly higher risks with Vasquez (maybe traded mid-season), Kimbrel (maybe not pitching until May) and Doolittle (maybe setting up Kimbrel come May). With Leclerc gone, I was happy to go with Yates. A full season on an improved Padres team could mean a top 10 closer finish. Just right for the 11th closer selected.

101

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 12:01 pm

7.05 Iglesias, Raisel - CIN - RP
I finally planned to get my first reliever before it became too late. I did really try to get Kirby Yates here since SDG with the addition of Machado should provide more SVO for its closer. But Yates just disappeared in front of me and that prompted me to turn to Iglesias as a replacement. That Iglesias might be deployed in another high-leverage situation could cost me some SV in a lea gue worrying nothing about HOLD. Still, Iglesias remains a nice pick for a better Reds team.

102

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 12:12 pm

7.06 Castellanos, Nicholas - DET - OF
best hitter on my board now. Didnt really consider anyone else here as couldnt find a pitcher here that I liked or jumped off the page. I considered Victor Robles here for some speed which my team needs but couldnt pass up the consistency of Castellanos. pencil him in and forget about him.

103

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 12:26 pm

7.07 Devers, Rafael - BOS - 3B
There are a number of reasons to hate this pick, Devers had a disappointing season last year, he's a defensive liability which may impact his playing time at some point, and I have 2 other RedSox that I drafted early. But the positive side of things are: He is just a year removed from a fantastic debut, he is only 22 and was once one of the best Offensive prospects in baseball, 3 hrs and 14RBIs in 15 postseason game shows he has the talent to make it on the big stage. I got him at pick 103 and I had him at around 60. I needed a corner IF at this point, someone I can count on for power numbers and RBI, he is 30 and 100 waiting to happen in that lineup, also at that point I felt 3B was getting a bit thin and I wanted to make sure I got max value with this pick. I considered Odor, Abreu and Donaldson at this spot. They all went shortly after.

104

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 12:30 pm

7.08 Odor, Rougned - TEX - 2B
My 2nd straight Ranger and as I usually do, I've picked someone whose name I find difficult to pronounce.

I kind of wish I had gone in a different direction here, but was super busy and needed to get my pick in. Nonetheless, Odor is only 25, possesses decent power, having slugged 30 HR's in 2016 & 2017, until last years drop to 18.

I'm hoping for 75 runs and RBI's and 15 or so SB's, and a return to the power level of 2 years ago

105

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 12:50 pm

7.09 Knebel, Corey - MIL - RP
I punted on a 2nd closer last round. Now it’s clear that I have to move on that need. There are guys available who probably have a better lock on the closer role, although they may not really help my ratios. And because I will probably wait later than anyone else to start building by pitching staff, I really want my closers to make positive contributions to my Ks and ratios. Knebel seems to fit that bill, although his hold on the job may be more tenuous. This is a pick that could backfire.

106

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 2:20 pm

7.10 Upton, Justin - LAA - OF
As luck would have it, this pick came up when I was busy at work and not adequately prepared. Feeling pressed for time, I looked at a few players with similar rankings and projections and chose Upton based on his consistency and ability to steal some bases. Along with Cruz these last two picks are older veterans so I will need them to keep on keepin’ on.

107

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 3:10 pm

7.11 Davis, Wade - COL - RP
As expected, a lot of closers went. Too many for my liking. I researched the remaining ones and identified only 2 closers worth drafting now: Wade Davis or Ken Giles. Davis was sensational the last 8 weeks of last season, so if he does this for a full season he would be the #1 closer. not very likely, but you never know.

108

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 3:10 pm

7.12 Abreu, Jose - CWS - 1B
Well, when craziness happens in any market, usually there is a corresponding correction somewhere down the line.....and boy did it ever in both here with Abreu and in the 8th as well.

The craziness of the SP and closer markets simply pushed back WAYYYYYYY too many good bats. At this point in the draft (as I have just made my 9th round pick) I am just ignoring how we got here and re-arranging my draft in a more normalized order in my own head.......and now it makes a lot more sense.

This wackiness compared to other RIBC drafts has made this the most fun draft in RIBC history. Screw ADP! Screw the other drafts! Get your own draft board! Love it.

Abreu is a solid corner infielder who you can lock in for 30 HR and 95+ rbi. Not exactly a ratio beast, but relative to the other options available, particularly at 1b, they are strong.

Matt Olson was second in my queue. Once I was guaranteed one of these 1b I considered nothing else.

109

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 3:50 pm

7.13 Giles, Ken - TOR - RP
Looked to be one of the more stable options given who was still out there. I just hope he keeps the job and stays healthy. Hoping to snag 25-30 saves with modest ratios. We’ll see. Plus I wanted to make sure to lock up 2 closers before they’re all gone.

110

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 5:16 pm

7.14 Donaldson, Josh - ATL - 3B
With both a couple SP and MI in stow I am focusing on the best hitter available. Donaldson is coming off a lost year, but he was one of the league's best for the 3 prior seasons with an OPS in the .950 range. There are a couple pros of him moving to the Braves including getting off the Rogers Centre turf and he will be batting ahead of Freeman and Acuna, but he now will also not have the luxury of the half day off with no DH. I'm expecting a day off every now and then but hopefully that keeps him healthy over the long run.

111

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 6:00 pm

7.15 Allen, Cody - LAA - RP
Allen was one of the few closers remaining who seemed to be pretty certain of closing. I picked him before there were none.

112

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 6:27 pm

7.16 Price, David - BOS - SP
Price lost velocity last year but was still effective. He pitches for one of the best teams so should rack up the wins. A lot of the projections are putting his WHIP higher than its been before. Even with that increased WHIP I think he’s a very solid but boring pick. With Berrios I felt like I needed a pitcher that could get wins. Really wanted Marquez but Coors scares me. Hader And Moancada were both queued up. If I had to repack this turn I would’ve went with Moancada due to my stolen base needs.

113

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 6:28 pm

8.01 Hicks, Jordan - STL - RP
Not even the for sure closer. I’m sure people think I reached here but Hicks has the ability to be a top 5 closer. I don’t see Andrew Miller being used to save too many games. I think regardless Hicks will see an increase k rate and his whip will fall. I missed out on all the other closers so felt I needed to reach to get a potentially really good one

114

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 8:26 pm

8.02 Wheeler, Zack - NYM - SP
Wheeler is now 3 seasons post-UCL repair and showed evidence of return to top prospect form in the second half of last season. I debated between drafting more hitting, which would have been the safer choice, and drafting a pitcher with the possibility being an ace. This now gives me 4 hitters and 4 pitchers, when I wanted to be 5H and 3P after starting SP/SP. Need to take some risks to do well in RIBC. Taking players who excelled in the second half of the season seems to be a recurring theme in my draft.

115

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:16 pm

8.03 Gennett, Scooter - CIN - 2B
I will never start a closer run and there's a better chance than not I will even participate in it. I have yet to draft one to this point but I just see too much value on the board to subject myself to that kind of punishment. I have a feeling with the main closer rush over that at least 1 I am OK with owning will last until the next turn. Enter Scooter Gennett. He came out of nowhere his first year in Cincinnati to post an 874 OPS and followed that up with an 847 OPS. The idea is that this is now more of a trend instead of an aberration.

116

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:29 pm

8.04 Nimmo, Brandon - NYM - OF
Nimmo is one of the few players in our pool with a .400 obp and still carries a lot of upside. He looks to be a strong candidate to lead off for the Mets.

117

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:36 pm

8.05 Olson, Matt - OAK - 1B
So, Matt Olson was second in my queue when I took Abreu at 7.12. Considering, at least in my eyes, that he was the last of this tier of better-than-average 1b (and probably all CI), him making it back to me 9 picks later was a surprise.

All of that said, I was still up in the air as to whether he was the right choice here. I had no doubts that Olson was very worthy of the selection, but investigated whether going to another position might fit better. Specifically, I don't have a 2nd baseman, and strong candidates Scooter Gennett and Dee Gordon were available leading up to my pick.

Scooter went a couple of picks ahead of me, so I had to decide whether to load up on a slugging corner infielder or finally begin to get some speed on my team. Ultimately I decided it best to load up on slugging and take the beastly Olson. Olson was super hot in his 2017 callup - mashing 24 HR in 59 (!) games. He retreated to a more reasonable level in 2018.......but I think there is some upside over and above 2018 results.

118

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:36 pm

8.06 Moustakas, Mike - MIL - 3B
thought about taking a second closer here but all the options are not really trustworthy at this stage of the draft.Since my infield looks a bit empty I better take care of these holes and fill them. had Donaldson, Olson and Gennett on my list. In t"he end I had to settle for Moustakas. He seems to be making the switch to 2B, so he should have eligibility at 4 roster slots soon, which improves my roster flexibility. other than that he is not far better or far worse than other players drafted around this pick.

119

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:43 pm

8.07 Robles, Victor - WAS - OF
This is the point in the draft where there are still a lot of holes to be filled, it’s hard to keep up with them all, and positions or stats can get away from you if you’re not paying close enough attention. Looking for SB, I settle on Robles who, if he pans out, will fill an OF spot and provide upwards of 30 SB without really sacrificing anything in OBP. If he can boost his power game just a little and get to the top of the lineup somehow, I’m thinking this could be a great pick.

120

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 9:56 pm

8.08 Hader, Josh - MIL - RP
I may be an idiot. But last year (when I won), I took 3 closers in the first 9 rounds, and only one SP. So far, I’ve got 3 relievers in 8 rounds, and no SP. I’ll get one in round 9 or 10.

The three closers I took last year were Osuna, Wade Davis, and Vizcaino. Osuna was suspended for half a season, Wade Davis got 43 saves but gagged up a 4.13 ERA, and Vizcaino missed a lot of time with injuries, saving only 16. So I got 80 saves from the trio, while managing a respectable (but not studly) ERA of 3.11 and WHIP of 1.07. The trio struck out 150 batters in 142 IP.

With my three relievers this year (Diaz, Knebel, and Hader), ESPN projections expect 68 saves, 318 Ks in 211 IP, and aggregate ratios of 2.43 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. I know that they won’t come in that well – but that’s a lot of margin over last year’s winning approach. And it gives me a lot of room to take starters later on who aren’t flame throwers.

But wait, you say! Two of this year’s guys are on the same team! Yes, both Knebel and Hader are on the Brewers. I like the stuff for each of them, but just don’t know how the closer role will be handled this year. Knebel seems to be the likely closer at the outset, but he’ll be on a short leash, and if he falters (as he did once last year), I want to be prepared.

Could I have waited until later for Hader? Probably not, according to the other drafts.

Would I have been better off to take two other closers in rounds 7-8 from different teams? Maybe, but I thought that the guys with the best job security would not offer the support to my Ks and ratios to carry my deeper starter picks.

Frankly, this general strategy has served me well for many years. Last year, my pitching ranking points totaled 66, just one less than the team with the best pitching ranks. And I got there by drafting starters in rounds 7, 11, 13, 15, and 17.

Trust the process!

121

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 10:22 pm

8.09 Marquez, German - COL - SP
I know he pitches in Coors, but it is only half the time. German finished 8th in all of baseball in K's ( 230 ) last year so has the ability to miss bats, that will help.

But get this, in the final 16 starts last year he post an ERA of only 2.14 ( and a stingy 1.90 in Coors starts ) and better yet a WHIP of .92. Only 24 I see room for growth, time will tell

122

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 10:53 pm

8.10 Strickland, Hunter - SEA - RP
I missed the initial closer run, I did the same thing last year and instead of grabbing a closer I waited even longer and tried to rotate RPs out as injuries happened, I got lucky with Vizcaino off Waivers later in the year, but inevitably finishing with 42 saves probably cost me 1st place. Strickland should be handed the closers job in Seattle and have a shot at 30 saves.

123

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 10:57 pm

8.11 Hendricks, Kyle - CHC - SP
Good #2 for me. not a lot of K's but will help with Ratios and maybe wins. gave thought to Archie Bradley but decided Kyle was at the top of my pitching ranks and I would go with him. I had 4 MI's I liked but couldnt decided so i passed on all and they all got taken before it comes back to me.... that hurt. I may look back and regret not being more decisive with this pick

124

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 11:08 pm

8.12 Ozuna, Marcell - STL - OF
He should bounce back from his bad performance (by his 2017 standard) of last season. But I did not expect him to duplicate his 2017 numbers but it would be highly welcomed if he could. I would rather hope the shoulder woe bothering him for some time (which could be the root cause of his down 2018) are really behind him. So long as his body could hold up the #124 ADP should pay off handsomely.

125

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 11:53 pm

8.13 Dozier, Brian - WAS - 2B
With no middle infielders at all, I needed to grab one. Was deciding between Dozier and Peraza. Dozier stunk up the joint last year, but he was a 3rd round RIBC selection last year after back-to-back 850 OPS seasons with double-digit steals. Because the drop-off was so steep, I smell an injury. At this stage in the draft, I'll be delighted with 333/450 and 10 steals.

126

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 14, 11:57 pm

8.14 Smith, Will - SFO - RP
Getting near the bottom tiers of closers. Smith really came on last year after missing 2017 with TJS and basically captured the closer’s job after only 2 months. His final month troubles cast some doubts about this season, but as of now, while not yet officially named the closer, he appears to be the favorite.

127

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 12:13 am

8.15 Moncada, Yoan - CWS - 2B
Entering his third season in the major leagues, I'm expecting some obvious growth to take place for this former elite prospect. The power/speed combo at middle infield appeals to me at this stage. He should eventually qualify at 2B/3B, which has extra value in this league. I also like his park and spot near the top of the order. The ingredients for a breakout season are here, although I may be a year or two early.

128

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 12:22 am

8.16 Pollock, A.j. - LAD - OF
One of my favorite picks in the draft. He gets knocked for being injury prone...but he really isn't!

*2010 - Factured elbow sustained on a dive.
*2014 - fractured his hand getting hit by a pitch (pre-breakout).
*2016 - Pollock missed almost the whole year after fracturing his elbow while sliding.
*2017 - Strained Groin (only soft tissue injury)
*2018 - Fractured his thumb while diving.

The word “fracture” comes up an awful lot in Pollock’s history, and it’s caused him to spend a lot of time on the sidelines. But Pollock hasn’t been going on the DL with constant strains and tears. It doesn’t seem like he’s got anything chronic. He might’ve just gotten unlucky.

As far as his performance...the Ks were up and the average was down, but the power was very good — an isolated slugging (slugging average minus batting average) of .227 (which is 30-homer power). His 150-game pace last year was 28. Who is expecting .280-100-28-75-20 out of Pollock? Me, for one. To get that "floor" type of value in the 9th round? Yes please!

129

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 12:23 am

9.01 Profar, Jurickson - OAK - SS
The only player I have in every league sans G20. Its not that I love Profar, it's just the way things worked out value wise. ADP of 121 and at pick 128, there was 0% chance he makes it back to 150. He offers up flexibility at any infield position, which allows me to focus on getting whatever the best player may be at 1B/2B for the remainder of the draft and I can "flex" him over anywhere. The one time consensus #1 prospect should continue to thrive in Oakland. Fingers crossed!

130

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 1:21 am

9.02 Cabrera, Miguel - DET - UTL
I waited a while to start addressing my power this season, with the idea I would build around players with speed in the early rounds. With Cabrera moving to full-time DH this season, it should help him remain healthy. The underlying advanced stats suggest he's still a top level hitter. In a perfect world, I've added the new version of David Ortiz (1B) or Nelson Cruz (OF), a DH who retains positional eligibility this year.

131

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 1:22 am

9.03 Rosario, Eddie - MIN - OF
I’ve somewhat neglected my OF to this point. Rosario had a strong finish in 2017 coupled with a strong start to 2018. In the latter part of 2018, injuries slowed his production before ending his season prematurely with a quad injury. Now healthy, I’m counting on him for power and run stats without dragging down my OBP.

132

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 2:55 am

9.04 Ray, Robbie - ARI - SP
It's time to sprinkle some upside into this squad. Was considering a trio of high strike-out but flawed pitchers: Yu Darvish, Chris Archer, and Robbie Ray. From my living room couch, with no medical training whatsoever, Yu just seems broken, mentally and physically. Archer always underperforms, but was probably a safer pick with a full year in the NL. But I'm swinging for the fence here. Ray offers BIG strike-out numbers, but big walk numbers, so he's a serious hit on the ratios. I'm rolling the dice that he takes a big step forward (a la 1993 Randy Johnson). At the least, I hope he splits the difference between 2017 and 2018.

133

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 3:40 am

9.05 Peraza, Jose - CIN - SS
He did have a career in 2018 and is not necessarily expected to hit 10+ HRs again in 2019. However, a ll I need from him for my team to compete in RIBC is him batting near 300 and stealing 20 bases without hurting the team too much in OBP and SLG. He might not score too much when hitting from the bottom of the order. Still, he is not a bad choice for me to fill out the SS position.

134

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:32 am

9.06 Brantley, Michael - HOU - OF
First pick I regretted immediately after I made it. I was counting on 5 MI to make it to me and the last one was scooped up right before this pick. I made a frustrated selection. Brantley is a fine player on a good team and will contribute. He was just a luxury for my team and not a need. I should have started drafting for need and not value and didnt. Mallex Smith would have been better or Archie Bradley. We will see how it plays out.

135

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:39 am

9.07 Bradley, Archie - ARI - RP
He may still be forced to audition for the closers role in Arizona, but I think he's going to end up getting the majority of chances for a team that should win some games.

136

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:51 am

9.08 Peralta, David - ARI - OF
Peralta was ranked as the 55th hitter in Rotowire, I was wondering why he hadn't been picked, maybe you all know something I don't

30 Hr's, 75 runs, 87 RBI's last year to go with an OPS of .868. Similar stats this year would be fine

137

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 9:30 am

9.09 Morton, Charlie - TAM - SP
I’m the last team to get my first SP. That’s normal for me. Morton clearly lacks the upside of a young stud waiting to catch fire. But, as long as he stays healthy (not a given at age 35), he should put up solid results. Curiously, the other pitcher I gave the most consideration to was the same age. I thought Morton had a slightly better profile, and he’s coming off of two pretty similar seasons, although he is moving to a new park this year. Leaving Minute Maid Park shouldn’t hurt though – other than that he won’t have the Astros scoring to benefit him.

138

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 9:31 am

9.10 Robertson, David - PHI - RP
Robertson was available here and looked too good to pass up. He should provide plenty of saves, outstanding ratios, and over 11 K/9. Hopefully, this pick will help alleviate the need to chase saves later on.

139

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 10:08 am

9.11 Voit, Luke - NYY - 1B
wanted Robertson here, but he went 1 pick too early. Had no backup plan ready. So I had to research again.I even thought about starting pitching but could not decide on one of the options. One of them may still be out there for my 10.06 in case I de"cide to pick a starting pitcher. looked through the hitting options. there are some catchers that might be worthy of being drafted. I don't trust catchers and their reduced playing time this early so I passed on them. since I don't have much infielders I primarily looked at them. excluded players that are primarily picked for their stolen bases because I took care of that early on. That left me with a short list of players to consider for this pick. Voit was #1 on that list with the assumption that he wins the 1B battle for the Yankees. He was outstanding at the end of last season (.333/.405/.689, 14HR in 39 games), so I doubt that he can perform like that for a full season, but even if he comes relatively close he should be a steal, as long as he is the regular starter at 1B in the middle of a promising Yankees lineup.

140

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 10:27 am

9.12 Gordon, Dee - SEA - 2B
When I made my choice of Matt Olson at 8.05, I did so knowing that I was taking some risks in how I would get my SB in this draft. I gave serious consideration to Victor Robles with that pick, and was disappointed (although not surprised) that he went 2 picks later. Then additional second basemen kept coming off the board in Dozier and Moncada, and another MI whom I had targeted for SB also came off the board in Peraza......

Considering there were 22 picks between my 8th and 9th, I gave zero consideration that Gordon would make it around to this pick. But when he did, it was the easiest pick I will make in this draft. He fills a position of need a second base and fills my biggest statistical need for steals. Yes it comes to the detriment of OBP and SLG, but we all have to start eating those detriments sooner or later......that's why I went back-to-back 1st baseman the previous two rounds in order to absorb some of the sacrifices later.

141

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 12:36 pm

9.13 Archer, Chris - PIT - SP
While he does admittedly give up a lot of homers, Archer was one of the few pitchers left with proven 200k upside. I am hoping a move out of the AL East to the National League will help his ratios slightly as well. Also I was overdue to take another starter here after focusing on other areas of need the last several rounds.

142

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 12:52 pm

9.14 Colome, Alex - CWS - RP
I now definitely want to take a closer on this turn. Colome did lead the majors in saves 2 years ago. Now he just needs to win the job please.

143

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 1:09 pm

9.15 Smith, Mallex - SEA - OF
I picked Smith at 21.15 last year, and he was a big part of why my team finished well. He was still available this late in the draft because of his injury, but I have been unable to find reports of structural damage. I am hoping that it truly is only a strain, and Smith will not end up on the DL for a significant amount of time. Another risky pick, but I think that this one will be ok.

144

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 2:12 pm

9.16 Mikolas, Miles - STL - SP
A great ratio but low strikeout pitcher. I considered him last round so when he was still around I felt I needed to pull the trigger. He feels like a safe pick that plays for a good team.

145

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 2:13 pm

10.01 Alvarado, Jose - TAM - RP
He seems to be the favorite for the closer spot in Tampa. He has great stuff so figured worst case is I get a great ratio guy. Yu Darvish was really intriguing but once I picked Mikolas I couldn’t go with another SP.

146

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 2:46 pm

10.02 Bell, Josh - PIT - 1B
Decent hitter who will help with OBP.

147

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 3:09 pm

10.03 Tanaka, Masahiro - NYY - SP
Tanaka may be my most owned player since he came into the league. If he didn't give up any HR he wouldn't give up any hits at all. There are only so many SPs I feel that you can slot in and not be too concerned about matchups and home/ road splits, plus over the last 2 seasons he has upped his K rate to over 1/IP. And with the recent news that Severino will miss April, a 3rd SP was a priority sooner than later.

148

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 5:09 pm

10.04 Porcello, Rick - BOS - SP
I know he’ll give me a decent floor in Ks (around 180) and wins (around 12) and will get plenty of run support. I think he’s he’ll be an innings eater and a reliable SP3.

149

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 5:09 pm

10.05 Vizcaino, Arodys - ATL - RP
Not happy with this pick. Vizcaino is currently expected to be in a timeshare with another pitcher.....but I am just hoping he receives the lion's share of the saves.

If I didn't take him here....I would have taken Cincy OF Jesse Winker....he of the .390+obp. I wish I took him instead.

150

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 5:22 pm

10.06 Darvish, Yu - CHC - SP
I know that there is some health risk involved when drafting Davish, but you don't win anything if you don't take risks. Darvish was just too much value as long as he stays relatively healthy. Would have loved to take a closer instead, but they are all gambles right now, so I let others take them and hope that one gets appointed just before my pick is due. or I settle for some cheap setup men that may get promoted during the season.

151

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 6:38 pm

10.07 Castillo, Luis - CIN - SP
I was all set to take Darvish with this pick and kind of crushed when youngroman snatched him up right before me. So I had to take a step back and reevaluate my options. Finally deciding to pick another starter, I go with Castillo who had drastically different first and second half splits last year. Experts are mixed on him but his ADP is 115, so I’m taking the plunge and hoping second half Castillo shows up for my team. If he does, I’ll be satisfied with this pick.

152

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 6:39 pm

10.08 Rosario, Amed - NYM - SS
I have a history with Rosario. Last year, I drafted him in round 19, but then got impatient as he slumped and then rode the pine off and on. So I dumped him. Then, of course, he heated up in the second half, and ended the year ranked as the #113 hitter on the ESPN player rater. Maybe round #10 is a bit aggressive for this year, but I have a need for speed, and if he can build on last year’s second half, I could get 30+ steals. Perhaps a big if, though, as he really needs to get on base more often to make the case for moving to the top of the Mets lineup. Based on the other RIBC drafts, though, this seems to be about where he is going, so I decided “fool me once, shame on you, …”

153

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 7:56 pm

10.09 Happ, J.a. - NYY - SP
Solid starter on a great team. I know he's 36, but last year he K'd 193 batters in 177 innings, pitching to an era of 3.65 and WHIP of 1.13. Thats decent.

With the Yankees I think he'll win 15 games, and if the other stats are similar to last year I'll be happy with him here.

154

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:12 pm

10.10 Marte, Ketel - ARI - 2B
I had my eyes on Marte the round before actually but was reluctant to pull the trigger due to my need of some Saves. When he was around still in round 10 I was somewhat surprised so I snatched him up. He was bad the first 2 months of last season, but the last 4 months he showed what he is capable of. He's not going to steal a ton of bases, if he gets to 10 that is a bonus. he should hit 15 homers if he doesn't slump for 2 months, and he won't hurt in OBP or slg. Plus, he's eligible at 2B, SS and will gain OF eligibility rather early on being the primary centerfielder. The position flexibility is the selling point.

155

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:14 pm

10.11 Adames, Willy - TAM - SS
Now I am drafting a need I need a SS here. Would of taken Rosario but was taken few picks before me. Adames should be a nice young player looking to take a step up and contribute. Looking for upside here but have to be prepared for disaster.

156

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 8:43 pm

10.12 May, Trevor - MIN - RP
At this point of time, we have no idea yet whom would serve as the primary closer for the Twins. They have options other than May such as Blake Parker with the closer experience. That said, May is supposed to be having the most upside among his competitors. With the closer pool virtually drying uo here, hopefully he could take over the role to get more saves for my team.

157

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 9:37 pm

10.13 Polanco, Jorge - MIN - SS
I drafted Polanco last year, and 5 hours later he was suspended for 80 games. It's been 14 hours since I picked him this yer with no announcement, so I'm hoping it isn't another wasted pick. Post-hype prospect who is capable of 15/15 with decent ratios. If he hits at the top of the Twins lineup, maybe I get a mini-boost in runs. This fills my starting infield, so now I can go hunting for value for a couple of rounds.

158

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 9:38 pm

10.14 Strop, Pedro - CHC - RP
This pick even surprised me. I’m not one to chase saves, but here I am. [Undrafted] is starting the season late with an injury and if Strop charges out of the gate, he could keep the job for various reasons. Regardless he’ll provide nice K/9 numbers and ratios.

159

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 10:51 pm

10.15 Winker, Jesse - CIN - OF
I'm happy to land this blossoming OBP stud. Looks like he'll be given the chance to lead off against RHP, at least. He plays in a good park for hitters and is just coming into his own, age-wise. I waited for a while to address my outfield depth, so I was pleased to land one of my targets here. I get the impression he's also a smart hitter with a deep understanding of the strike zone, so it wouldn't shock me if more power is coming.

160

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 10:51 pm

10.16 Glasnow, Tyler - TAM - SP
11 rounds in and 8 out of 11 picks have gone as scripted. Missed out on Conforto (Segura), Moncada (Profar...so its a wash), and Pollock was more of a freestyle pick where found the 150 game projection while researching Profar. Glasnow falls into the pre-draft targets list (will post at the end).

Projected to have a top-10 K/9 of 10.69, cut his whip from to 1.5's to 1.1 in Tampa Bay, increased his average velocity by 3mph to 98 (to his prospect days), and has a wicked slider. I'm hoping all this off-season improvement carries over and he becomes a very productive member of the slizz staff.

161

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 11:08 pm

11.01 Piscotty, Stephen - OAK - OF
Love them A's. Comfortably penciled in at the 3-hole between Matt Chapman and Khris Davis with Lowrie gone. Basically, Piscotty should see plenty of RBI opportunities! The rest of the league is probably thinking...4 OF already for team Slizz?!? I'll be honest, I didn't expect to get Trout or Betts, so my entire draft prep was done with the expectation of obtaining the following 4 OF (in order):

Michael Conforto (rd 5, pick #1...damn you, MJD!)
Aaron Hicks
Stephen Piscotty
Jackie Bradley Jr.

At least we can start up to 5 per day! As for Piscotty...If you believe that his performance over the final 4 months was legitimate (.286/.351/.556 with 24 HR), I landed a potential 30-35 HR bat with a realistic 80-90 run, 90+ RBI floor...the Detroit version of JD Martinez! At pick 120? Yes please!

162

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 15, 11:59 pm

11.02 Foltynewicz, Mike - ATL - SP
I tried addressing the majority of my offense before diving back into the pitching pool. I'm almost certain Folty was still available here because he's not starting opening day. He really took a big step forward last year, and I felt comfortable at this spot in the draft adding him as a solid pitcher entering his prime. If I can get anything approaching last season's numbers, I'll be satisfied with him.

163

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 12:02 am

11.03 Andrus, Elvis - TEX - SS
Power numbers have regressed to the norm, so unless he steels 20 bases this pick could be a bust. My team might have been served better had I gone SP/OF with these last 2 picks.

164

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 1:25 am

11.04 Grandal, Yasmani - MIL - C
A very uncharacteristic pick for me - I usually wait until round 20 to draft a catcher, and often run a catcher carousel. But I don't intend to sit by a keyboard as much as I used to, so I wanted someone I could slot in and ignore. Grandal is moving to a better hitting park, so I'm hoping this is a career year.

165

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:43 am

11.05 Bieber, Shane - CLE - SP
He did close last season with the high note and is having a terrific spring. I always think about whether to just play safe or reach for the potential breakout candidates. I chose to take the latter approach with this pick, especially with Cole Hamels still around. Despite entering this season as No. 5 starter of Indians at least behind Kluber, Carrasco, and Bauer, he could quickly emerge as one valuable piece of the rotation if everything goes as expected.

166

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:43 am

11.06 Inciarte, Ender - ATL - OF
Did not really look anywhere else for this pick. He provides some steals which I need while not hurting the other categories too badly. May score 90+ runs in ATL as a plus.

167

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 4:14 am

11.07 Desmond, Ian - COL - 1B
Counting stats only here, hoping for a .320 OBP and a .420 SLG. He's good for 20 HR and 15 SB. But he also drove in 88 and Scored 82 times last year. Also has OF Eligibility after playing 20 games there last year. I was looking at Kepler here but I try not to pick too many from my favorite team. Polanco was a victim of that as well.

168

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 4:21 am

11.08 Taylor, Chris - LAD - SS
The day after picking Taylor, I read he will be sharing 2nd base duties with ( undrafted ). Hopefully with his ability to play all over the field he can still be an " everyday " player.

I'm sure he will get enough bats to put up some decent stats. At least I'm hoping

169

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 8:18 am

11.09 Hamels, Cole - CHC - SP
I considered Hamels a couple rounds ago, but went with Morton instead. Both are 35. Either I’ve got two steady veterans who know how to pitch and give me what I expect, or I have two aging veterans on the verge of breaking down. Probably somewhere in between. But I did get Hamels cheaper in this league than in the other RIBC drafts, where he was twice picked in the 9th round, and once at 10.02. So there’s that.

Last year I drafted him in round 17, and he way overperformed that price, especially after the trade to the Cubs. Looking for respectable stats across the board – i.e., more of the same.

170

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 8:22 am

11.10 Wendle, Joey - TAM - 3B
To my eyes, the third base ranks are starting to look a little thin and I don’t have one yet. In reviewing available options I come upon Wendle, who came out of nowhere last year to slash .354/.435. Most projection systems are expecting big regression but he is slated to hit 3rd in the Ray lineup and if he can maintain or improve his walk rate I feel like he is at least in line with the other available options. He stole 16 bases out of 20 tries last year and has 2B eligibility, so he’s worth a gamble at this point.

171

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 8:22 am

11.11 Smoak, Justin - TOR - 1B
Hamels or Bieber might have been options, if available, but they were not. It is still not time on gambling on potential closers.

Right now I have holes at 2B, CI, MI and OF, so it might be best to fix that.

Smoak has an above average OBP and SLG and his R/RBIs are not bad either. he does not steal bases, but this is not a skill your search for at 1B. Also drafted him in case Voit does not start (regularly) for the Yankees.

172

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 10:58 am

11.12 Senzel, Nick - CIN - 2B
Does this league do take backs?? I erred here. I love Senzel and will really enjoy the 2b/of eligibility.....but I needed to wait much longer for him. My mistake.

173

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 10:58 am

11.13 Dejong, Paul - STL - SS
I was still without a shortstop this late and didn’t want to wait and risk someone else nabbing him. Dejong carries some injury risk but packs a lot of power. He’s still a young buck too so could take a step forward after finished second in ROY in 2017 campaign.

174

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:08 am

11.14 Givens, Mychal - BAL - RP
More than fine with Givens as my second closer. He's been a very good pitcher his whole career and was effective down the stretch last season when he became the closer by default.

175

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:24 am

11.15 Contreras, Willson - CHC - C
I did not want to be hurt by a catcher this season, and by now there were only 3 catchers left who would fulfill this criterion. One is returning from surgery on his hip, one is 36 years old, and that left Contreras.

176

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:41 am

11.16 Jimenez, Eloy - CWS - OF
A top 5 prospect. He’s a hitter but doesn’t run. Should get an early call up at some point. Should be a 4 category contributor with an outside shot of becoming a stud.

177

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:44 am

12.01 Schwarber, Kyle - CHC - OF
He’s slowly been falling in drafts the past few years. Will he ever develop into an elite hitter? Doubt it but he still is a great ratio guy vs righties. There are only a handful of lefties in the central so he’ll hopefully get 500+ at bats. I almost drafted Hampson here but the playing time is scary if he platoons with McMahon and he had just sat out with a minor injury when I was picking. A few too many question marks.

178

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 12:04 pm

12.02 Eovaldi, Nathan - BOS - SP
At the end of last season Eovaldi looked like the player who was once one of the Dodgers top pitching prospects. His K/9 was the highest of his career, and this spring his fastball was reported to have hit 99 mph. If it were not for the question of his durability, I think that he would have been ranked much higher. Looking at the remaining pitchers, he made sense at 12.02.

179

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 12:38 pm

12.03 Eaton, Adam - WAS - OF
Finally an OF. Eaton has elite on base skills (390+ OBP each of the last 2 seasons, 363 OBP career), will throw in double digit steals, and is locked into the top part of the lineup. His lefty/righty splits are on the extreme end and I will look to platoon him when possible as long as my bench isn't filled with IL or minor league players, which it is half way already in Severino and Vlad. Still 2 more bench spots to play with.

180

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 1:11 pm

12.04 Kepler, Max - MIN - OF
Numbers suggest he was unlucky last season and he’s still pretty young. He’s got 25/10 upside which is good enough for an OF3 and room to grow.

181

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 1:12 pm

12.05 Hill, Rich - LAD - SP
I know what I get from Hill.....140 IP or so of SP2 type ratios and strong K/9. Then it is a matter of absorbing the missed starts and managing the rest of my innings.

182

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 1:12 pm

12.06 Hampson, Garrett - COL - SS
I still need 2 MI's, so I did not need to think hard when Hampson appeared near the top of my list when my pick was due. His place on the Rockies is not yet decided. He is eligible at SS and may initially start mainly at 2B. He is also seeing time at other positions during the spring, so he may also fill in at other positions and reach eligibility there. I just don't think that he does not start regularly.Hampson could steal 20+ bases while not killing the OBP, which can't be said about most si"milar type of players still available.

183

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 1:54 pm

12.07 Posey, Buster - SFO - C
I’ve been considering Posey for a couple of picks now, and finally pull the trigger. He’s on the mend from last season’s injury so there’s some risk but I feel confident the Giants will have him in their lineup between C and 1B whenever he can be out there. I expect him to provide a boost to my OBP and provide middle of the lineup counting stats (albeit with the Giants). Getting him at pick 183 is a nice little discount on his ADP.

184

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 2:34 pm

12.08 Hernandez, Cesar - PHI - 2B
Probably the last guy I’ll draft for speed. He swiped 19 bags last year in spite of playing part of the year with a broken foot. Of the remaining base stealers available, he’s probably got the best prognosis for OBP, and my sense is that I’m weak there. Last year, he was primarily a leadoff hitter, but that won’t necessarily be the case this season – so that’s a yellow flag. But it’s round #12, he fills my last MI slot, and he should be an everyday player. I’ve had my eye on him for a few rounds, and I think he offers some decent potential value here.

Last year, I finished last in steals (79), but still won the league. At this point, I project to have 85 SB with 6 hitting slots left to fill. Doesn’t make it likely that I’ll lead that cat, but getting to the median (107 SB last year) now seems viable.

185

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:51 pm

12.09 Ramos, Wilson - NYM - C
I usually wait on catchers, but this year I think I waited long enough. I had hoped to land Grandal last round, but it wasn't meant to be.

Ramos posted an OPS of .845 so he shouldn't be a drag on my %'s. I'm figuring 50 runs, 70 RBI's as the M"ets starting catcher

186

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:55 pm

12.10 Rodriguez, Eduardo - BOS - SP
I needed another pitcher here, I was in on ER like 2 years ago and was let down, last year he started hot and then got hurt. His K numbers are good and his ERA won't hurt me.

187

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:55 pm

12.11 Miller, Andrew - STL - RP
My first autopick that I didnt mean to pick. He was in my queue with a lot of RP and my autopick was left on. OK move on.... maybe he will bounce back and get some saves and help with ratios. Really needed a SP here and would of liked Pivetta or Kikuchi here.

188

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 3:55 pm

12.12 Gurriel, Yuli - HOU - 1B
I did not necessarily expect too much from him though so long as he could maintain his solid average. And since he is with the loaded Astros team oppotrunities to score and bring in his teammates should come without too much difficulty. But he still has to do ok in order to fend off the challenge from Tyler White for the playing time.

189

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 4:32 pm

12.13 Maeda, Kenta - LAD - SP
It is so easy to keep pushing starting pitching at this point in the draft, because they all look so similar. Maeda is a solid starter who may not get 150 innings because of (I learned) contract incentives. But with delicate teammates like Kershaw and Hill, I'm hoping the Dodgers will need him as a starter all year.

190

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 4:33 pm

12.14 Musgrove, Joe - PIT - SP
On the surface, it seems like Joe Musgrove disappointed again in 2018 with six wins among his 15 decisions, but hope lies in his ability to not only refine his arsenal, but stay healthy for 150-plus innings. Musgrove did strikeout 100 batters overs his 115.1 innings last year against only 23 walks. From his last start in June until August 18th, Musgrove surged to a 2.52 ERA, a 38:11 strikeout to walk rate, a 1.04 WHIP and limited hitters to a .221 batting average against. Within this streak, Musgrove used more sliders and cutters but reduced using his change-up. Definitely room for growth, but the key is staying healthy.

191

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 5:39 pm

12.15 Mazara, Nomar - TEX - OF
I had been considering Mazara the last time I was picking and felt pretty fortunate he made it back around to me. This is a guy who came up to the big leagues young and has been learning on the job, at the highest level. He plays in a fantastic hitters park, and is projected to bat in the middle of the order. I believe a lot of the ingredients needed for a breakout are in place. If it happens this season, I think this is a fantastic value.

192

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 5:51 pm

12.16 Bradley Jr., Jackie - BOS - OF
Pre-draft must have. Didn't want to tip my hand in Happy Baseball by taking him and missed out in G20 to darkside as he read the same article:

JBJ is underrated ... and poised to break out!

They lay out a better case than I ever could...and if they're right, I'll be quite happy. Also, I'm pretty much done hoarding OF at this point!

193

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 5:51 pm

13.01 Pivetta, Nick - PHI - SP
Not the pitcher I wanted. Was really hoping for Joe Musgrove at this pick. MJD sent me a message that he knew I was going to take Musgrove and sniped me based on my "reach" in G20. While I own Pivetta in G20, I much prefer Musgrove to him and can lay out a much more convincing case for Musgrove...Pivetta is a fine pitcher who seems to be on everyone's breakout lists. In 2018, here are his SP Ranks based on hitting the qualified mark of 150 IP:

xFIP: 14th
K%: 13th
K-BB%: 13th
GB%: 15th
Z-Contact%: 15th
Hard %: 18th
LOB%: 5th Lowest
BABIP: Worst in MLB

The Phillies got rid of the black hole in LF (Hoskins) and replaced him with a former gold glove caliber CF in McCutchen. They stabilized their infield with Hoskins at 1B (Santana upgrade), Segura at SS and Franco / Kingery at 3B. I expect the BABIP to come back to league averages and, barring injury, there is no reason why Pivetta can't have a top 25 SP season. The underlying statistics support it...still prefer Musgrove!

194

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 6:48 pm

13.02 Kikuchi, Yusei - SEA - SP
'm playing catch up a bit on the pitching side, so I decided to make a little gamble here. I'm hoping I landed someone who can give me similar numbers to someone like Kenta Maeda. He seems to be coming over to the majors at his peak, as the last two seasons in Japan have been his best. As someone who's watched countless 2-1 games at Safeco Field, I believe the park will help keep his ratios respectable.

195

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 6:48 pm

13.03 Meadows, Austin - TAM - OF
Highly touted prospect drafted by Pittsburgh and traded to TB in the Chris Archer deal. He’s got the talent, now he’ll finally get his opportunity. I may need to be a tad patient with the youngster as he must beat out [undrafted] for the Rays full time RF gig.

196

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 6:50 pm

13.04 Hosmer, Eric - SDG - 1B
We get to this stage of the draft at about this time every year - the stage where you plug your nose and pick someone despite the funky smell and everything that funky smell is telling you. Hosmer's ratios took a nose dive last year. The explanation is probably in his launch angle - on 472 batter ball events in 2018, Hosmer's avearge launch angle was (I kid you not) -1.2 degrees! He was the only player out of 332 qualifying hitters who, on average, hit the ball down instead of up. Good grief. Sadly, this isn't an explanation of why I didn't draft Hosmer and instead went with Sexy Laureano or reliable Ryan Braun or multi-position eligible Eduardo Escobar or flashier bounce-back Domingo Santana.

As with my Dozier pick, I'm counting on a regression to career norms. I don't need it to be all the way back to 2017. A 340/440 season with 160 runs+rbi with a half dozen steals would be just fine with me. If I was thinking more clearly on a hitter, or if I'd known that my next 5 starting pitcher targets weren't going to make it back to me for round 14 (Lucchesi, Ryu, Quintana, Strahm, and McHugh) I would've (should've) gone with one of them instead of Hosmer. Really, anybody besides Hosmer was probably a better pick.

197

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 7:17 pm

13.05 Betances, Dellin - NYY - RP
Betances might not strike out that many (100 could be still within his reach though) this season as other arms with Ottavino and Britton are in the fold. I could have used this pick to further boost my SV but could not find anyone reliable then. In the event that Chapman needs some rest or even gets injured, Betances should the first in line to get the chance to close the door. Meanwhile, Betances might be capable of controlling his WHIP below 1.00 mark, which would be of some help for me.

198

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 7:19 pm

13.06 Hamilton, Billy - KAN - OF
I normally dont like the one category offensive player but I was desperate for SB. I picked a lot of high OBP guys to be able to make this selection and not be killed. I only need him to steal 30-35 SB not 50 and hope he doesnt just kill my ratios but he will probably be frustrating all year.

199

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 7:50 pm

13.07 Laureano, Ramon - OAK - OF
He's got Speed and can hit for power, potential 20/20 guy in round 13? Sure.

200

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 9:33 pm

13.08 Lucchesi, Joey - SDG - SP
Opinions seemed mixed on Lucchesi, but he did have a solid rookie season last year, including 145 K's in 130 innings.

Projected to be the Padres opening day starter in his sophomore season, and I'm expecting him to take a step forward and improve in all categories

201

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 10:43 pm

13.09 Cabrera, Asdrubal - TEX - 2B
I didn’t expect to go back-to-back with MI, but here I am. After picking Hernandez last round, I started looking at outfielders, and somehow, Cabrera kept jumping in front of me. In a more hitter-friendly environment his year, probably hitting in the middle of the lineup. “Only” age 33, so shouldn’t be out of gas. Should be an everyday player with decent counting stats, modest power, and (hopefully) an uptick over last year’s .316 OBP.

Having Cabrera gives me all sorts of flexibility in my infield, eligible at 2B/SS/3B. And I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for him since his early days in Cleveland.

202

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:11 pm

13.10 Dominguez, Seranthony - PHI - RP
Gabe Kapler’s bullpen management style is unpredictable, to put it mildly. I chose Dominguez with this pick to lock down the majority of Phillie saves as he and Robertson would seem to be the two best options. Dominguez should provide decent to good ratios, 11 K/9, and some wins and saves with use in high leverage situations.

203

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:11 pm

13.11 Ohtani [[ P/OF ]], Shohei - LAA - UTL
with a few picks to go I had Asdrubal Cabrera as my top option for this pick. Guru took him, so Ohtani was taken for me. I believe that having an injured player for the first few weeks should not cause too much troubles. especially when the player you wait for has a skill set like Ohtani, the hitter. depending on how he feels and smashes the ball he may see almost everyday at bats at DH, which would result in better counting stats than last year when he only hit in 2 or 3 games in between starts. if he would play all year and would be eligible at an infield position he would be a 2nd round pick. this is a lot of value to get in round 13.
I am not counting on him getting any pitching stats this year, although it can't be ruled out that he gets an outing or two at the end of the season so that he ends the season knowing where he stands.

204

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 16, 11:56 pm

13.12 Anderson, Tim - CWS - SS
So I probably just torpedoed my OBP and now REALLY wish I got a couple of the Nimmo / Winker types to absorb this. But I needed SB and after missing out on a few others (i.e. Rosario) who I wanted, I figured I needed to just go for it.

He has made progress over his time in the majors and could be in for some additional improvements this year. His SLG is over .400 so if he can get his OBP in the .320 range it would be huge.

205

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 3:02 am

13.13 Braun, Ryan - MIL - OF
While not the star he once was, I still believe Braun has enough in the tank to be a serviceable player this year in our format. Another guy with decent pop and speed. He’s also stayed relatively healthy too throughout his career.

206

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 9:13 am

13.14 Greene, Shane - DET - RP
If Greene repeats his woeful ERA and WHIP from last year he won't be worth the saves. But I don't think it's too unrealistic to see if he can repeat his 2017 2.66 ERA and 1.24 WHIP to go along with a plus K rate.

207

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 9:24 am

13.15 Barnes, Matt - BOS - RP
I think that I waited too long to draft a second closer. Barnes is at best mediocre, but he has the possibility of closing.

208

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 9:57 am

13.16 Escobar, Eduardo - ARI - 3B
Dual eligibility but will probably fill my MI or SS spot. He's a guy that won't help in percentages but won't hurt too bad. He should get plenty of playing time so should be an asset in counting categories. Not going to steal too many bases but that's ok. If he replicates last year's numbers I'd be thrilled. A 10% decrease across the board and he would still be worth more than a 13th round pick.

209

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 9:57 am

14.01 Quintana, Jose - CHC - SP
Redo? I really don't like this pick. He's probably going to hurt in every category except wins. Maybe he'll reclaim his previous ratios from the White Sox but it's unlikely. I should picked McMahon here but thought there was a chance he'd make it back. Also was eyeing Buxton but for some reason felt I needed to get an SP. Ugh.

210

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 10:28 am

14.02 Choo, Shin-soo - TEX - OF
Drafted to help with OBA.

211

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 10:35 am

14.03 Ryu, Hyun-jin - LAD - SP
I would have taken Choo here but alas, sniped. Albeit in limited action, Ryu was excellent last season. I won't be getting a full season of starts here, but I'd rather good production in limited playing time and mixing and matching the rest vs replacement level production the whole way.

212

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 12:19 pm

14.04 Semien, Marcus - OAK - SS
Took him to gain some middle infield depth and while his ratios aren’t thrilling he does enough in the other categories to be a second MI type guy. Plus he’s an everyday player and aside from one season has played 150+ games. Always good for rotisserie.

213

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 12:20 pm

14.05 Santana, Domingo - SEA - OF
Santana of course had a big breakout in Milwaukee in 2017.....but then they want and signed Cain and traded for Yelich....relishing him to a backup role. Now in Seattle with a job, I don't need a repeat of his 2017 (30 he,.876 ops) to have this pick be a success.....

.....but I regretted it later as I kept reading about the ridiculous spring Pete Alonso is having. I chickened out picking him with this pick, as I just have a feeling the Mets are going to hold him down too long to justify the pick. If I am wrong I will regret it big time. his 2017 (30 he,.876 ops) to have this pick be a success.....

214

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 12:20 pm

14.06 Morrow, Brandon - CHC - RP
we are in round 14 and I still have only 1 closer. With 30 MLB teams and 16 teams in this league you should have 2 closers to be in the mix for serious points in that category. otherwise even 1 closer is too much. since there are no closers left that are already given the job for opening day, I had to get creative. According to most reports Morrow should be back in the closers role when he comes back from injury in May. I count on that coming true and that he will still be able to provide 20+ saves until the end of the season. his job should be relatively secure, when healthy.

215

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 12:32 pm

14.07 Strahm, Matt - SDG - SP
Strahm has become a popular breakout candidate who looks like is being groomed for the Padre rotation. I felt like I needed to grab him here if I wanted him as his buzz continues to grow. He’ll probably be on an innings limit, so not sure how this will work out but projections are for something like 130 IP, 3.65/1.20, and 10-11 K/9, which I’ll take from a 14th rounder.

216

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 12:37 pm

14.08 Stripling, Ross - LAD - SP
Seemingly slotted for now as the SP5 for the Dodgers. He may work in long relief some, but with a Dodger rotation that’s anything but hardy, there should be plenty of chances to start. Baseballqh.com comment that he “throws a lot of strikes, misses bats, and keeps the ball on the ground. And he stymies both LH and RH bats.” At age 29, he’s my youngest SP so far – by a lot.

Ryu and Quintana were also on my short list, but they disappeared. And there were several others under consideration, but I thought they would be available later. For Stripling, I thought it was probably now or never.

217

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 1:13 pm

14.09 Reyes, Franmil - SDG - OF
My second Padre in a row. As this pick neared, I read that he would be a starting corner OF'er, so I decided to take a chance on him.

After hitting 14 HR's in 35 games at AAA last year, and after a rocky start after being called up, Franmil caught fire in the final third of the season, posting an OPS of .933, with 10 HR's in 49 games. The raw power is there, but so is his reputation as poor defender, so he will clearly have to be successful at the plate to continue as a starter. Time will tell.

218

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 1:44 pm

14.10 White, Tyler - HOU - 1B
Has 1B eligibility and will be the primary DH for Hou. 12 Hr in 66 games last year, I don't think Houston made any moves to push him out. 30 HR potential and a lot of RBIs in that lineup.

219

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 1:59 pm

14.11 Simmons, Andrelton - LAA - SS
will fill my MI slot. WIll play everyday give me some steals and hopefully just not hurt everything else. was happy to have him.

220

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 2:07 pm

14.12 Mchugh, Collin - HOU - SP
Even debated whether to choose Stripling over McHugh with this pick. McHugh is supposed to have a spot in the rotation to start the season after spending the entire 2018 season out of pen. Stamina should be of less concern here. Though it is fully expected he is not going to have the same WHIP as a starter this year, he still have the potential to strike out more with more wins. Just hope he might somehow mature like his ex-teammate Charlie Morton did in Houston.

221

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 2:51 pm

14.13 Mcmahon, Ryan - COL - UTL
Probably too early for someone who may not even be starting, but I figured it was time to sprinkle in an upside play after making the ultimate downside pick of Eric Hosmer last round. If McMahon starts the season as the Rockies starting second baseman, then this pick just might work out. He's got a solid hitting pedigree + home games at Coors + would be the strong side of a platoon. Was also considering Byron Buxton, but I already have 3 outfielders, and there is always solid production at OF available into round 20. The non-upside pick would have been Marwin Gonzalez, who is eligible all over the place.

222

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 3:13 pm

14.14 Chacin, Jhoulys - MIL - SP
Though he’s not a big strike out guy, Chacin pitched well for the second-straight year and set career-highs with 35 starts and 15 wins. Plus, the 1.16 WHIP he posted was easily the best of his career. The reason for his success was a slider that rated as one of the best pitches in all of baseball in 2018, according to FanGraphs. After ending last season as the Brewers' top pitcher, Chacin is assured a spot in the club's rotation for as long as he is healthy. He will be a free agent again after 2019, giving him extra motivation to continue pitching at a high level.

223

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 5:26 pm

14.15 Buxton, Byron - MIN - OF
Call me a dreamer, but I decided to take the gamble on the former top prospect. Last season was a disaster, so there aren't a lot of reasons for optimism. Of course, I've noticed his strong spring, but that only slightly impacted this selection. I just felt comfortable taking on the risk at this point in the draft. It won't kill me if it doesn't work. It could have a big impact if it all clicks, which more often than not, happens eventually with elite prospects.

224

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 8:02 pm

14.16 Alonso, Pete - NYM - 1B
We are now at the point in the draft where the script can be thrown out the window. Get your guys! I was torn between taking Marwin Gonzalez for his flexibility (which would be nice to pair with Profar), but I needed power. Somehow, I have a very fast team and I wasn't specifically targeting speed at any pick. Alonso is receiving universal praise as part of the MLB NY Media Hype Machine and if he can hit 30 HR, it'll justify the selection...time will tell on this one.

225

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 8:02 pm

15.01 Freeland, Kyle - COL - SP
5 pitchers in for my squad & only a couple more to go. Anytime you take a pitcher in Colorado, you prepare yourself for indigestion. I was staring at the app, checking for "value" picks, and really couldn't find any as they're pretty much gone (tip of my cap to the rest of you). Kyle Freeland. ADP of 162, Projected player finish of 202, and here he is at 225. There isn't a consensus online about him. Some bloggers/writers love him...some hate him. I only drafted based on value (ADP) and the fact that his fastball is averaging 94.4 mph in spring training (2018 average of 91.6). There is a direct correlation between increased velocity and strikeouts. Hopefully this is true of Freeland or he could find his way to the waiver wire.

226

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 8:43 pm

15.02 Gonzalez, Marwin - HOU - 2B
This selection was made simply for the rare four position eligibility. I'm not expecting a bounce back to his 2017 season, but he is serviceable as depth. I would expect the majority of his time to be spent at my MI position. At this stage in the draft, it was obvious the quality hitters were beyond dwindling. I felt it was the right thing to do, even with better pitchers on the board.

227

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 8:48 pm

15.03 Schoop, Jonathan - MIN - 2B
Schoop's inclusion in the Baltimore Orioles' mid-2018 fire sale did him no favors in terms of his seasonal statistics, as he wound up an awkward fit for the infield-rich Milwaukee Brewers and never seemed to hit a groove for them (either with the bat or a consistent role). Now with the Minnesota Twins, he's in good position to rebound, thanks to a regular gig and a return to the AL. Target Field represents a small downgrade in park factors, and his low walk rate (3.7 percent for his big league career) makes him a liability in terms of OBP, but he has some of the better power for a 2B/MI.

Considered Marwin here, but Meatwads made the decision for me by grabbing him one pick before mine.

228

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 11:19 pm

15.04 Gray, Jon - COL - SP
It appears I am punting both ERA and WHiP. I confess that I peeked at spring training stats for this one. And even though my brain knows that the Rockies play their spring training games at just 1,200 feet above sea level in Arizona, and not a mile high, and well aware of how much of a dumpster fire Gray was for my team last year, I took the plunge. Some say he was a victim of bad luck (a 2.86 xFIP ERA in the first half compared to actual result of 5.44), but others think he's a mental midget who deals with adversity by throwing meatballs down the plate. As with my previous pick of Rockies teammate Ryan McMahon, this one is upside. Maybe his luck goes neutral, he takes a step forward in both skill and maturity, and he gets 200 strikeouts with a mid-3.00 ERA.

229

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 11:24 pm

15.05 Dickerson, Corey - PIT - OF
A solid but not speculative choice for my 4th OF. His defense should keep him on the field more. In a perfect world, I would hope him to hit extra longballs and steal a couple of more times from last year.

230

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 11:24 pm

15.06 Steckenrider, Drew - MIA - RP
Time for another RP. Mia will win some games, not a lot but cant lose them all, and Steckenrider should be at the end of those games hopefully not pouring gas on a fire and getting me the occasional save.

231

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 17, 11:41 pm

15.07 Burnes, Corbin - MIL - SP
He has great stuff, was amazing out of the bullpen and BrewCrew are stretching him out to start. Hoping he makes the rotation, but if not he's some Ks out of the Pen. I think he'll be in the rotation by may at latest. kinda crossing my fingers on this pick.

232

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 6:53 am

15.08 Bauers, Jake - CLE - 1B
I hadn't really addressed CI yet, and now with my selection of Bauers, both my first basemen are also OF eligible. I guess that's a good thing.

Bauers does not have the raw power you might look for at the position but he does have decent pop. What intrigued me was his better than average OBP, and ability for double digit steals.

Bauers should see time at 1B, in the OF or DH, contribute 150 runs/RBI's, and 15 or so SB's , and an OPS of .750

233

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 8:54 am

15.09 Bruce, Jay - SEA - OF
Bruce is apparently one of my deep hitting targets this year, as I’ve now drafted him on two different teams. HE got derailed last year by various injuries, but he’s only 31 and in the two prior years he averaged 600 PA while slugging over .500 (69 HR). Now on Seattle where he can DH if needed, I’m hoping for a restoration of health. He’s eligible at 1B and OF, and has been mashing in spring training (.433/.485/.767 in 33 PA). Too bad I’ll miss the action in Japan. I’d like to have his bat in the lineup when he’s hot.

234

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 9:08 am

15.10 Belt, Brandon - SFO - 1B
Based on various projection systems for an OBP/SLG league, Belt is one of the best hitters left on the board at this point. I feel like I need another 1B for infield depth, so he became a pretty clear choice for me here. I would say obvious choice but he has a long history of injuries. I keep thinking one of these years he will stay healthy and put up a monster season. Hopefully, this is the year.

235

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 9:23 am

15.11 Paddack, Chris - SDG - SP
he never pitched at a higher level than AA before this spring. He was outstanding in the minors (230K in 177 IP, 1.82 ERA, .805 WHIP) and he shows similar stats this spring (20K in 12.2 IP, 2.13 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) against better competition. There are even talks that he might start their opener which suggests that he will indeed open the season in the big leagues, something that nobody expected a few weeks ago.
lets see how this all pans out. I only know that the numbers he compiled until now are not sustainable in the majors. but even if he is much worse than this he would still be pretty good.

236

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 10:17 am

15.12 Gonzales, Marco - SEA - SP
Needed some more wins and decent ratios and decided to pull the trigger on the Mariners' Opening Day starting pitcher. If only I would get his start in Tokyo.....

Gonzales is a fairly reliable innings eater who should get double digit wins (or in the teens if I am lucky) with decent ratios. Not a strikeout maven, but a reasonable SP at pick 236.

237

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 1:14 pm

15.13 Gausman, Kevin - ATL - SP
His numbers improved a great deal after he was traded to Atlanta and is still pretty young so there’s some upside.

238

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 1:47 pm

15.14 Renfroe, Hunter - SDG - OF
My focus on OBP on most of my previous hitter picks affords me to take on someone like Renfroe to boost my SLG. A repeat of last year's .300 OBP/ .500 SLG would be fine, and there is some upside as he enters his 3rd full season.

239

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 2:18 pm

15.15 Mcneil, Jeff - NYM - 2B
McNeil is a very good hitter who will help with OBP. He is versatile, will play multiple positions in the Mets infield as well as in LF and should play almost every day. Because of injuries, McNeil will be the starting third baseman and will be eligible there after the first 5 games.

240

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 2:22 pm

15.16 Bader, Harrison - STL - OF
I really need steals at this point. I don't think I have a guy that currently is projected to get 10 steals. That's ok since steals are much easier to get than OBP and Slg guys. Bader should hopefully get 20+ steals. He can't hit righties yet the NL Central is full of righties. Not the best case but he's a guy that has shown that he outperforms each year. He should get plenty of at bats to fix any hitting issues. I may end up benching him vs tough righties.

241

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 2:23 pm

16.01 Happ, Ian - CHC - 3B
Will platoon but the good news is there aren't many lefties in the NL Central. Hopefully he's more like 2017 and not 2018. Probably shouldn't have taken two lefties from the same team but I felt like both were undervalued. I can't really say I was looking at anyone else at this point.

242

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 2:51 pm

16.02 Markakis, Nick - ATL - OF

243

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 3:06 pm

16.03 Ho Kang, Jung - PIT - 3B
Kang has hit since coming over to MLB, posting an .837 OPS over his 2 full seasons. He was recently named the starting 3B for the Pirates after getting off to a good Spring-- to date an OPS just under 1.000. Let's see if he can return to form after missing virtually all of the past 2 years.

244

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 5:33 pm

16.04 Lester, Jon - CHC - SP
While now on the decline, I still think Lester is good enough to be my 5th starter. He’ll be solid for Wins if nothing else and hopefully a rebound in Ks but not excited about his WHIP. I may play matchups with him. No one is saying he’ll have 18 wins again like last year but hey I’ll take even 12-13.

245

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 5:33 pm

16.05 Herrera, Odubel - PHI - OF
Herrera is a solid OF at this point in the draft. Honestly, despite a career high in HR in 2018 with 22, it was a down year for him with a career low in BA and OBP. A return to his .279 career BA and .336 OBP would be a huge help. I would love to see a return to 20 SB here as well. With the Phillies' strong new lineup (and Herrera probably batting 6th) there should be plenty of opportunities.

246

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 6:28 pm

16.06 Romo, Sergio - MIA - RP
with only 1 appointed closer to date on my roster + 1 injured one, I believed it was time to gamble on a reliever that should see more than a few save chances. Sergio Romo fits that bill. It is said that the Marlins will play matchups in the 9th inning and that Romo is 1 of 3 guys linked to such a role. This means double digit saves are in reach and if he performs better than the other options this number may get higher. Romo should also get more than 1K per inning, which should help as well.

247

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 6:41 pm

16.07 Frazier, Adam - PIT - 2B
Frazier is slated to play 2B and lead off for the Pirates. Over 352 plate appearances last year, he slashed .342/.456 and I am hoping he can duplicate that and steal 10-15 bases. He also has OF eligibility so he adds lineup flexibility.

248

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 7:50 pm

16.08 Cron, C.j. - MIN - 1B
Lots of “ifs”. If Cron can improve against RHP, he should cement an everyday role. He actually showed some growth there in the second half last year, increasing his SLG output by 125 pts from the first half to the second. And if he could exhibit a higher propensity to get on base, he’d be even more valuable; he’d also have been drafted awhile ago. I drafted him a couple years ago (as I recall), and the results were disappointing enough that I chucked him mid-season. So I more-or-less dismissed him from analysis this year. But as the hitting ranks have thinned, I took a deeper look, and there is some potential there, especially for a 16th round pick. Worth a gambit.

249

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 9:01 pm

16.09 Minter, A.j. - ATL - RP
It's really stupid to use a 5th round pick on arguably one of the best closers, and do nothing beyond that to support him. That's just what I've done.

So do I continue that path or scramble to find a few saves. I opted to go looking

Minter is currently on the shelf, but should be back relatively soon after the season starts. As Species alluded to in his Vizcaino rationale, Minter and Vizcaino are expected to be in a timeshare. I'm not sure which one is the better selection, both are inflicted with control issues, and both have had injury issues.

Minter will K better than 1 per inning and if he can find me some saves, I'll be happy

250

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 9:32 pm

16.10 Toussaint, Touki - ATL - SP
Taking a flyer here on a guy that could K a ton. His curve ball may be one of the best in baseball, and he hits High 90s on the fastball, fantasy is when talent and opportunity meet. I picked him up in another league and got ooooohs and ahhhs, he put together all the talent last year and had almost 200Ks in 165 innings, he should have a chance at a rotation spot.

251

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 9:34 pm

16.11 Sanchez, Anibal - WAS - SP
Knew I was going pitcher here as i have put that position off for a while and time to start getting some quantity if not quality. in line to get some Wins and hopefully not kill me elsewhere. not an exciting pick but necessary. Would of taken Minter here if he would have fallen but he was taken few picks before

252

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 10:04 pm

16.12 Lamb, Jake - ARI - 3B
I should have realized that the depth of corner fielders is relatively shallow soon enough. Orginally, I targeted Jake Bauers, Kang (who will be going to the starting 3rd baseman), and even C.J. Cron (not sure why he just could not stay with one team with his 20+ HR capability). None of above was available when my pick came around. Playing in this league is quite challenging!!! (I avoid using "difficult" term here). I almost chose Maikel Franco as he played for a better team than AZ. But Lamb, who is believed to be fully recovering from the injury last season, might do just fine as the everyday 1st baseman for Diamondbacks. I do not necessarily expect him to return to his 2016/2017 (accumulative) numbers in the absence of Goldy and Pollock. But as long as he could stay healthy his ability to get on base (walk rate) could be of some help though he is not known for his batting average and could sit when lefty are on the mound.

253

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 10:37 pm

16.13 Grichuk, Randal - TOR - OF
Swinging for the fences with this pick. After early season scuffling and injuries, Grichuk basically turned into Khris Davis (picked in round 3) from June - Sept (something like 325/525). Didn't see too many more 500 SLUG hitters on the board, and thought that it was worth a gamble that I can get something close to 5th round production out of a 16th round pick. Drafting guys like Harper, Rizzo, Cain, Turner, and McCuthen allow me to roll with a 300 OBP guy like Grichuk.

254

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 10:39 pm

16.14 Bour, Justin - LAA - 1B
Coming off a breakthrough 2017, Bour's issues hitting left-handed pitching were exposed when he was granted an everyday opportunity at the onset of 2018. The Angels, recognizing his value as a role player, signed him to help fill at-bats against righties at first base and/or designated hitter. It's a good fit for Bour, who has hit at least 15 home runs with .221 isolated power against righties in each of four full big league seasons. And Angel Stadium's lowered right-field fence should provide an inviting target.

Too bad the draft was all the way at the other end when Kang was announced as the Pirates 3B. I’d have taken him. Also considered some roster flexibility by picking Enrique Hernandez here.

255

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 18, 11:37 pm

16.15 Martinez, Jose - STL - 1B
With offense becoming more difficult to find. I personally had him as the top hitter available, regardless of position or current playing time. If somehow he can get flipped to an American League team, he's the type of player that can win people leagues this season. Otherwise, I'd expect him to have quality ratios in his 400 ABs. The 1B/OF dual eligibility also has appeal to me.

256

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 9:15 am

16.16 Pressly, Ryan - HOU - RP
My Rd. 17 target (BH has the text receipt from 2 weeks back) Missed the run on the closer dregs, so I am now going for quality bullpen arms. Using fangraphs for his 2018 season:

Pressly struck out 33% of the batters he faced, 3.40 ERA, 1.36 WHIP for Minnesota (47 IP). In Houston, they discovered something - Pressly struck out 38% of the batters he faced, posting a 0.77 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 24 IP. Hopefully he can continue that ratio and vulture some saves fom Osuna.

257

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 9:16 am

17.01 Hernandez, Enrique - LAD - UTL
Thought long and hard about going with another player, but Kike has been killing it in spring training, has multi-position flexibility, and has steadily improved each year in the show:

As per fangraphs, his 25-game rolling K% going from 2016-present has gone from 35% at its peak (2016) down to 10%-ish at the end of 2018. In spring training (yes...small sample size), he is sporting a 6.4%. Furthermore, his contact rate / ISO is trending up:

2016: 70% / .134
2017: 73% / .205
2018: 81% / .214
Spring Training 19: 92% / .308

At pick 257, I'm just trying to get guys who will generate any profit to, at the very minimum, stay in RIBC.

258

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 9:38 am

17.02 Heaney, Andrew - LAA - SP
After spending some time trying to find depth on offense, I flipped back over to pitching here. It's my opinion that Heaney was still available because of some early "irritation" in his left elbow. Normally that's a huge red flag. But I noticed he had a similar situation occur last year. He came back in mid-April and pitched well, striking out a batter per inning and reaching 180 IP for the first time. At age 27, in a park that's relatively favorable, only injury concerns keep his upside in check.

259

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:09 am

17.03 Rosenthal, Trevor - WAS - RP
Targeting a middle reliever here, though not necessarily Rosenthal at this point. Better grab him as a handcuff to Doolittle, as he’s only pitched over 50 innings once in the past 4 seasons. So injury of some sort to him is almost certain.

Rosenthal enters 2019 as an unknown quantity after missing 2018 recovering from TJS. Reports have him hitting 98 with his fastball. He mixes in a low 80's slider and change. My hope is he performs close to the guy who saved 117 games for the Cardinals between 2014-2017.

Great plan: handcuff an injury risk guy with a question mark. I hate closers.

260

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 11:48 am

17.04 Soler, Jorge - KAN - OF
Fun fact - out of all my picks from Round 11-25 last year in RIBC, only 3 of them provided me positive value. So my expectations are low from here on out for the draft, well aware that most of these guys will not be long for my roster. I didn't need another low-speed outfielder here, but this is an April look-and-see draft choice. To my complete surprise, Soler is only 27 (if you had asked, I would've said 30+). He's batting clean-up for the Royals, so maybe there are 85 RBIs here with an OPS of 800. The opportunity cost of drafting Soler was Delino Deshields, who at this stage of the draft is a worthwhile gamble, and ...... no one else, because the rest of my queue outside of Niko Goodrum surprisingly stayed put until I was able to draft again.

261

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 11:49 am

17.05 Gurriel Jr., Lourdes - TOR - 2B
That Tavon Davis is to be sidelined to start the season secures the starting 2nd baseman job for Gurriel. With more regular at-bats, Gurriel should somehow string together certain stats but at the same time might hurt the ratios. If you could be more selective on basis of his batting average in 2018, he is not necessarily a bad pick here. Hopefully, my "overconfidence" would not kill me.

262

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 12:05 pm

17.06 Jansen, Danny - TOR - C
A bit of reach I think but at this point it is just get your guys and dont worry about value. I think he has potential to be a good everyday catcher for me, or could be a bust and i drop him a month in.

263

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 12:06 pm

17.07 Mullins, Cedric - BAL - OF
Lourdes Gurriel went 2 picks before this and that's who I was targeting, I almost took him at 16 but I thought he'd last and I needed some pitching and K potential at that spot, I was close. Mullins has a power speed combo and is a relative unknown. I probably could of waited another round but I needed a 4th OF and he was it. He should have the CF job to himself and with the Os not going anywhere anytime soon I'm not worried about a quick hook. His spring has been rough and other than 4/4 on SBs and 2 of his 3 hits being homers he hasn't shown much else other than some plate discipline.

264

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 2:39 pm

17.08 Arrieta, Jake - PHI - SP
I'm probably paying for name recognition here, but its worth a gamble. Arrieta has regressed each of the past two years, but I read that after a relatively good start last year he finished the season with a torn meniscus.

Maybe this was a wasted pick, maybe not. If so he goes on the scrap heap

265

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 2:43 pm

17.09 Anderson, Brian - MIA - OF
I still have only two guys who are eligible in the OF. The remaining candidates – especially those who are platoon-resistant - are getting pretty dicey. So while I still have some pitching needs, I decided to nab Anderson here.

He was a very early F/A pickup for my team last year when I needed to a fill-in to cover for an injured third baseman. He ended up as a fixture in my lineup all season. No power to speak of, and no speed. But with an everyday role, he should boost my R and RBI totals with a 350-ish OBP.

I’m already getting him at a discount to every other draft - so I figured it's now or never. And in 44 PA in spring training, he’s mashing it with a slash line of .368/.455/.658. Hopefully, some of that carries over into April.

266

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 3:12 pm

17.10 Candelario, Jeimer - DET - 3B
Candelario is a 3B/CI who serves as a backup for Wendle in case he struggles or I want to use him as a MI. Candelario will hit in the middle of the Tiger lineup so will have an opportunity to rack up counting stats. He played injured for much of last year and projections for him are mixed, but he has shown minor league potential and was mashing last year before his injury.

267

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 4:10 pm

17.11 Teheran, Julio - ATL - SP
with open slots at 2b and of I primarily looked at these positions and although I identified some players that might be interesting, I believe that taking them now is too early. looked at other hitters that are a fit for my lineup but ended up with a similar decision. So I looked at pitchers. there are lots of closer gambles that I could have invested in, but I usually take them at the end of the draft. looking through my roster I am approximately 500 innings short. I need at least 1 more starting pitcher to fill the rest with relievers and spot starters. The options at SP were not great either. Some of them are injured and bound to miss the first few weeks of the season. Some are just bad this spring, some young guys are excelling but it is believed that they will join the big league club in May or later. So I looked at pitchers that are expected to be part of the rotation all year and do have a good spring. Teheran topped my list and as an owner in G20 I know that he always has a good spring before being mediocre during the season. he changed his mechanics this offseason, which could result in better than mediocre stats this season. I am not asking for much more at this point.

268

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 4:10 pm

17.12 Franco, Maikel - PHI - 3B
1) Should play most days
2) Good Phillie lineup
3) Good Phillie park

But.....
1) He kind of sucks

269

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 6:43 pm

17.13 Reyes, Alex - STL - RP
He’s been throwing really well this spring and will be kicking off the season as a reliever. There are some hopes that he will eventually start as they ease him into the rotation this year. If anything he’s a guy I see helping my ratios and giving me a nice bump in Ks.

270

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 6:44 pm

17.14 Cervelli, Francisco - PIT - C
Cervelli has posted a .370 OBP in 5 of the past 6 seasons. Hoping he can match that with his .430 SLG from last year. That is rarefied production for catchers at this stage.

271

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 7:39 pm

17.15 Longoria, Evan - SFO - 3B
Position pick. Needed a third baseman, and I thought he was the best of those remaining.

272

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 7:42 pm

17.16 Deshields, Delino - TEX - OF
I need SB’s bad at this point. Deshields was highly drafted last year but after he got injured he had a pretty sad stat year. I hope he can recover and not destroy my percentages too much.

273

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 7:44 pm

18.01 O'hearn, Ryan - KAN - 1B
He came out of nowhere last year to have a great 2nd half. He should get plenty of playing time so if he comes back to earth I can drop him for the next greatest thing. He walks a good amount so he should have a decent floor.

274

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 8:01 pm

18.02 Crawford, Brandon - SFO - SS
Another position pick for the same reason as 17.15.

275

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 8:08 pm

18.03 Souza Jr., Steven - ARI - OF
Last year was a lost one for Souza due to injury, but the year before he broke out with an .810 OPS to go with 16 SBs. For better or worse he is one of the most established hitters on Arizona so at least he should be hitting in the middle of the order.

276

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 8:57 pm

18.04 Ward, Taylor - LAA - 3B
I may have taken him a bit too early but he’s got some solid hype behind him as a powe/speed guy. He’s still a little raw though so we’ll see.

277

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 8:57 pm

18.05 Richards, Trevor - MIA - SP
The Marlins have to win SOME games, right? Richards has been on a few deep sleeper lists, and is having a very strong spring. Spring stats do not mean much........but I will take a young guy finding his groove and doing well over some of the alternatives.

278

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 8:57 pm

18.06 Castro, Starlin - MIA - 2B
with Moustakas and Hampson bound to get 2B eligibility at some point during the season I though that I could wait a bit longer and try to fill this slot later in the draft. A few rounds ago I realized that all available options suck to some degree. I did not like any of them. the biggest concern is that almost all are bad at SLG and even OBP and provide maybe 5 SB's. if you then look into the expected playing time you get a list of regulars that is very very short. Castro is on that list and I "successfully" waited for him since round 16. with a few other teams also missing a 2B I believed that it was time to pick him. to be honest my 2B queue was 1 man deep. I did not trust anyone else.

about Castro: he has a bad spring but is expected to play everyday for the Marlins. perfect to get some games out of him until one of my other players gains eligibility. and if he surprises he may still be an option at MI because the undrafted shortstops don't look much better.

279

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 9:32 pm

18.07 Stewart, Christin - DET - OF
Stewart will also be a middle of the lineup bat for Detroit, and has demonstrated a lot of potential in the minors (.364/.480 at AAA last year). He’s kind of an under the radar sleeper, but he’s been having a nice spring and I need more outfielders, so I picked him here not wanting to take a chance he wouldn’t make it back to me.

280

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:01 pm

18.08 Familia, Jeurys - NYM - RP
Handcuffing the closer role for the Mets. Probably could have waited a bit later, but that strategy often backfires.

281

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:17 pm

18.09 Goodrum, Niko - DET - 2B
Eligible at both corner and middle infielder, Niko managed nearly 500 AB's last year. His versatility should enable im to do the same this year, I'm seeking 130 R's/RBI's, an OPS of 750, and 15 or so steals

282

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:18 pm

18.10 Urias, Luis - SDG - 2B
Needed a MI here since I missed out on Gurriel the round before. He has one of the best hit tools of this current group of prospects, has a little power and should hopefully come into his own in SD. He's going to have every opportunity to keep 2B Job.

283

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:45 pm

18.11 Gray, Sonny - CIN - SP
back again with quantity over quality. Hope he can eat some innings for me and out perform his draft slot. did a lot better after leaving NY but still in a hitters park here. we will see

284

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 10:55 pm

18.12 Oh, Seunghwan - COL - RP
Despite not expecting Betances to start the season on DL, I just have to add another arm here after selecting multiple batters in a row. RP pool dried up pretty quick in the currently ongoing draft. Oh is another safe pick here and should earn some saves here and there especially considering Davis might not hold onto the closer job very firmly if he continues his decline starting from last year.

285

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 11:49 pm

18.13 Parker, Blake - MIN - RP
No announced closer in Minnesota yet. He's got some experience, Maybe they go with Parker, maybe not. The leading candidate to be the first person dropped from my team, perhaps as soon as the day we finish the draft. But since I have only one other relief pitcher so far, it was time to roll the dice on some saves.

286

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 19, 11:51 pm

18.14 Nunez, Eduardo - BOS - UTL
Nunez will be platooning with [undrafted] to fill in for the injured [undrafted] to start the season. After that we’ll see how things go to determine what happens next.

287

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:17 am

18.15 Camargo, Johan - ATL - SS
I liked Camargo here with the rumors he will play a super-utility role to start the season. The possibility that he picks up middle infield made this selection feel like a secret value of sorts. It seems like he has the bat of an every day player, and any future injuries to the Braves could lead to even more playing. I've also heard he's being tried out in the outfield. I could see him playing 5 days a week, maybe 425 ABs with good ratios.

288

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 8:01 am

18.16 Matz, Steven - NYM - SP
Fosten would be proud of this selection. Looking back, I should have went Brad Peacock as a more conservative alternative. My staff has waaaaaaaaaay too much risk and I'd feel better about this pick if I had Musgrove instead of Pivetta. Cole / Paxton (some risk) / Glasnow (massive risk) / Pivetta (massive risk because of Citizens Bank) / Freeland (massive risk & Coors!) / and now Matz (insert scared emoji). If I don't stay up in RIBC, it will be because of crap pitching.

289

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 8:01 am

19.01 Mancini, Trey - BAL - 1B
Wanted Niko Goodrum here...got sniped by SANFORDORS (hat tip). I am left naked while waiting for Peter Alonso and need a stop-gap bat for the first 2-3 weeks of the season. Mancini is hitting 3rd in the "Potent" Baltimore lineup.

If you look under the hood at Mancini's statistics, his 2018 was eerily similar to his 2017 "breakout" campaign. (41.2% hard hit 2017 versus 42.2% 2018 with equal Barrel %). I think that is a byproduct of scouting as teams know how to shift to his hitting tendencies. That said, 3 hole & Camden Yards should equal 30 HR potential...or at least some nice SLG% to hold it down before Alonso time!

290

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 8:25 am

19.02 Peacock, Brad - HOU - SP
As spring training comes to a close, I made a calculated gamble that Peacock will win a rotation spot with the Astros. It appears the gamble may pay off, at least in the early stages of the season. I feel he could be a really nice value at this stage, especially if he's able to keep a rotation spot. I decided to hedge the play with Josh James, with the understanding I will have at least one Astro SP at all times this season, I hope!

291

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 8:25 am

19.03 Martin, Leonys - CLE - OF
A life-threatening bacterial infection cut Martin's 2018 season short in August, but before that, he was exhibiting critical shifts in his plate approach that might bode well for his future. He slashed his ground ball rate from 46.8 percent in his last full season in 2016 to 38.3 percent, posted a career-best 8.5 percent walk rate and boosted his hard-contact rate by a full seven percent. Martin looks like an underrated power/speed type who should be in the lead to start in center field against right-handed pitchers for the Indians.

292

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 10:32 am

19.04 Gibson, Kyle - MIN - SP
His last chance to pitch as well as the sabremetricians think he can pitch. His fangraphs blurb calls him a "legit sleeper with huge upside", which makes me doubt the credibility of fangraphs. He's got until the end of April before he's dropped.

293

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 10:45 am

19.05 Narvaez, Omar - SEA - C
I might have reached again no matter how much I think he could further improve this year after being traded to Seattle to be the primary catcher. If he could somehow duplicate the 2018 ratios (275/366/429) with better accumulative stats, I might not regret this selection. But at this point of time I just could not stop secondguessing my decision to draft a catcher here, especially after some players I originally targeted to address the loopholes of my roster were gone.

294

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 10:51 am

19.06 Rodriguez, Dereck - SFO - SP
another arm to put out there. Bit of an upside play here. has looked good this spring and hopeful for bigger things. funny how my queue is not being demolished as much as it was previously as everyone has their own targets and plan. Would of taken Joc Pederson here and he was queued up but i made a last second change based on need.

295

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 11:21 am

19.07 Swanson, Dansby - ATL - 2B
I had him on my team last year as a stop gap when I lost some players due to injury. More of a name than anything, he shouldn't hurt OBP and has every opportunity to hit 15 HR and steal 15 Bases.

296

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 12:16 pm

19.08 Gardner, Brett - NYY - OF
I needed another outfielder, and there isn't anything sexy with this pick. There's allot of offensive talent on the Yankees, but the past 6 seasons Brett has made over 600 plate appearances.

With that he averaged almost 90 runs, 55 RBI's and 20 steals. He has a career OPS of .750 over those 6 seasons.

Although Garder is now 35, he has been remarkably durable. I would expect similar numbers to those of the last 6 years

297

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 12:47 pm

19.09 Pederson, Joc - LAD - OF
I still have an OF slot to fill. Pederson will probably be in a platoon situation, but at least he’s a lefty. Should produce acceptable ratios. He’s worth more in this league than in BA leagues, as he knows how to talk a walk (career OBP is 80 points higher than BA). But I’ll probably need to find someone to take his place on days when southpaws are starting vs the Dodgers.

Kole Calhoun was probably “Plan B”. Brett Gardner was also on the short list, but Dave R just took him.

298

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 1:19 pm

19.10 Polanco, Gregory - PIT - OF
Polanco is recovering from an injury but looks like he may only miss a month or so. He slashed .340/.499 with 12 stolen bases over 130 games last year. I’m thinking that If he can maintain his numbers from last year when he comes back, he could definitely be worth a 19th round pick. I just need to cover his absence until then somehow.

299

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 2:27 pm

19.11 Calhoun, Kole - LAA - OF
Calhoun can be bad as his 2018 stats in April/May/September show (avg below .200, 3 HRs), but he can also be good as his stats in June/July/August show (OBP almost .350, SLG over .500, 16 HRs). In spring training he is even better than in June/July/August. lets see which version shows up when the games count in 10 days.

300

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 2:27 pm

19.12 Herrera, Kelvin - CWS - RP
Total flier at this point. Herrera was one perhaps the only potential closer who might still be categorized as "in a battle" for the closer role. Yes, it appears Colome is the favorite to close, particularly with Herrera a bit behind in ramping up this spring. But at this point in the draft, it is worth the gamble.

301

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 3:59 pm

19.13 Molina, Yadier - STL - C
Molina has been a reliable player for sometime and will play a lot of games which is what I really look for out of this posiiton. He did hit 20 homers last year.

302

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:04 pm

19.14 Zobrist, Ben - CHC - OF
I had my eye on an OF to fill out my starting lineup. Zobrist is projected to fill another near everyday role with the Cubs and can put up a strong OBP with a decent enough SLG. A repeat of last year's .378/.440 would be grand. And the eligibility t"o be my 4th MI I'm sure will come in handy. I would have taken Joc Pederson had he been available.

303

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:35 pm

19.15 Lynn, Lance - TEX - RP
I think that Lynn is a good speculative pick for a late round SP. He is 3 years removed from repair of his UC ligament, and started to show signs of return to pre- surgery form at the end of 2018.

304

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:36 pm

19.16 Peralta, Wily - KAN - RP
Felt like getting a closer in the 19th round was too good to be true. I really wanted to go with just Peralta since I think he'll ultimately get the first shot but it's still up in the air. He was good at the end of the season and is a converted reliever so presumably his stuff should improve as he adjusts. Hopefully he doesn't kill my percentages too much.

305

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:36 pm

20.01 Boxberger, Brad - KAN - RP
Handcuff or closer? Who knows? Hopefully one of these two will get the first shot. I'll most likely be dropping the other one. I really don't like Boxberger but felt like wasting a 20th round pick on him was good insurance.

306

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:37 pm

20.02 Urias, Julio - LAD - SP
Another post TJ surgery pitcher. Urias was at one time the top Dodger prospect. He will not pitch much, but I hope he gives me 15 or so quality starts.

307

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 4:56 pm

20.03 Allen, Greg - CLE - OF
Taking a flyer on speed (15 SB Post ASB last season, 5 SB this Spring), and who should have an everyday role at least to begin the season where his 1.143 OPS this Spring may help in that regard.

308

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 5:46 pm

20.04 Jimenez, Joe - DET - RP
Has a good chance to take the closer job over at some point this season as the Tigers are clearly in rebuild mode and could trade Greene by midseason. Greene could also easily falter with his poor peripheral numbers.

309

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 5:46 pm

20.05 Green, Chad - NYY - RP
Green provides strong ratios, elite strikeouts, and a lot of potential in vulture wins. Between the likes of Tanaka, Sabathia, a returning-from-injury Severino and the kit gloves the Yankees might choose to use on James Paxton, having one of the top middle relievers on the Yankees on my team should result in a lot of win opportunities. If the Yankees are behind or tied when the starter leaves, their potent offense could win a lot of games in the 5th or 6th innings before the elite relievers of the opposition come into play.

310

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 6:14 pm

20.06 Brasier, Ryan - BOS - RP
1 year ago nobody in the MLB knew that a pitcher named Ryan Brasier exists. The Red Sox took a chance on him and were rewarded with great stats. He is even in the running for closing duties, which is the main reason that I picked him.

311

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 6:36 pm

20.07 Skaggs, Tyler - LAA - SP
I feel like I’ve sort of neglected starting pitching in this draft and picked Skaggs here to try and catch up. He was pretty good last year over 125 innings and it seems like most of the experts think he can repeat or even take a step forward. I’m a little nervous about injuries with him but he made his last spring training start without any issues so hopefully he’s good.

312

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 6:44 pm

20.08 Woodruff, Brandon - MIL - SP
I had Skaggs all queued up for this pick - so I had to scramble a bit with limited time to react. I had tentatively penciled in Woodruff to be my SP5 in a later round, but decided to just go with him now.

He’ll probably be a hybrid starter-reliever. He has had a good spring, and seems to be listed as the fifth starter in Milwaukee, but that’s tenuous, no doubt. He has had a good spring, though. At only age 26, could still develop into something useful.

313

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:08 pm

20.09 Martinez, Carlos - STL - SP
I know he's probably going to miss the first month of the season, but I felt he was worth drafting with pick 313.

Martinez is a pretty good pitcher, he even worked out of the pen as a closer, notching 5 saves in September ( with an ERA of 1.47 ).

Sounds like the plan is for him to be a starter again when healthy, fine with me. He will strike out about a batter per inning, and post decent ratios, whether he starts or closes

314

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:38 pm

20.10 Newcomb, Sean - ATL - SP
Newcomb was pretty effective last year in a few leagues that I drafted him. Was surprised he was still around this late, as I knew he'd be overvalued but it's slim pickings. 12 wins and 160Ks is all I can hope for here.

315

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:39 pm

20.11 Alonso, Yonder - CWS - 1B
pick for depth and having a good spring. should hit in the middle of the lineup with a chance for some counting stats

316

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:40 pm

20.12 Minor, Mike - TEX - SP
Still not so sure why I drafted him here since initially I planned to have another bullpen help with this pick. Maybe I jumped my gun in selecting my catcher in the previouse round put me in a panic mode? Or maybe that I took in part in another baseball draft (quick one) at the same time totally distracted me? Minor is not supposed to hurt my WHIP but his ERA could be of some concern when he pitches in Arlington. So long as he could control the ERA by the end of the year below four and add 10 plus wins I should be in good shape I guess.

317

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 7:50 pm

20.13 Kela, Keone - PIT - RP
With only a bunch of dubious starting pitchers still on the board, I turned my attention to quality non-closing relievers. I would have preferred Chad Green or Joe Jimenez, but they weren't available. Kela looks solid, and is next in line if Vasquez gets hurt or is traded.

318

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 8:57 pm

20.14 Palka, Daniel - CWS - OF
After he was summoned from Triple-A Charlotte in late April as an injury replacement, he 27-year old rookie impressed early, earning the strong side of a right-field platoon. Later, Palka transitioned to the same role at designated hitter, taking playing time versus right-handers. By season's end, Palka clubbed 27 homers. An OBP drag, we’ll see if he can repeat his power numbers. Well into the dregs to fill out roster holes by now.

319

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 9:47 pm

20.15 Sano, Miguel - MIN - 3B
I'm taking quite a gamble here. He's coming off a terrible season, mentally and physically, and is already on the injured list. With no DL in this league, he has to really come on strong when he returns, or I can't really justify the pick. I considered the fact he was an all-star less than 2 years ago. Realistically he won't be able to survive on my roster, but I don't mind securing his rights for the time being, and see what happens. I hear he's planning to begin baseball activities in a week.

320

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 10:24 pm

20.16 Castillo, Diego - TAM - RP
100 mph fastball with a ton of movement and a nasty slider. Basically, he's Jordan Hicks light. Castillo sports a 0.95 whip and at 29% strikeout rate that should help my ratios more than a back end starter. Hopefully he sprinkles in some saves as well!

321

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 10:25 pm

21.01 Flores, Wilmer - ARI - 2B
At this point in the draft, want to see what will stick and if Flores plays 150+ games, he would likely have a slash line of .280 / 20 HR / 80+ runs/rbi. The signing of Adam Jones definitely muddies the water in terms of playing time though.

322

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 11:24 pm

21.02 Luzardo, Jesus - OAK - SP
I had a group of high upside pitchers that I was weighing for this pick. Every part of me saw this selection as a high risk. I decided to take a gamble on the pitcher I ultimately believe in the most. I made the pick, fell asleep for a few hours, woke up to find out he's being shut down for 4-6 weeks. At least it was a late stab and not some crucial piece I took earlier. I still think the guy will be a bad boy at some point.

323

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 11:32 pm

21.03 Adrianza, Ehire - MIN - UTL
Ehire is having a strong spring. He’s returned a bit early from shoulder surgery in October, so the switch hitter is only cleared to bat left handed for now. I hope perhaps he’ll get some playing time at 3B or he’ll become waver wire fodder soon enough.

324

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 20, 11:51 pm

21.04 Kiermaier, Kevin - TAM - OF
Looking for a few more steals to add to my roster. Kiermaier finds a way every year to hurt himself, usually by trying too hard. But maybe this is the year he somehow avoids injury, and puts up 25 steals with a 320/420 line.

325

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 5:05 am

21.05 Stammen, Craig - SDG - RP
My queue must have been compromised!!! Two players I targeted (Diego Castillo and Wilmer Flores) were chosen back to back. I even tried to get Flores earlier since he should get regular playing time after moving to AZ. After losing Diego Castillo, who might even compete for saves for TB (assume they are going to stupidly start relievers), I was forced to see if any other options available. Greg Holland might be but I still turned to Stammen for some BP help. Stammen could be in the mix for SV opportunities for SD if Yates is not available. Even he would turn 36 this season, he could still be useful in SO/WHIP/ERA categories.

326

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 5:11 am

21.06 Lemahieu, Dj - NYY - 2B
have been targeting him for a while now. in a utility role in NY but should still get plenty of at bats. should play multiple pos for backup as well.

327

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 5:42 am

21.07 Boyd, Matthew - DET - SP
This was a queue pick, I was away and was hoping to take a MI here but ended up with Boyd. Candidate for a drop as soon as I find someone I like on waivers...

328

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 8:10 am

21.08 Lowrie, Jed - NYM - 3B
Another injured player, although Jed will only miss a week or so. Once healthy he's expected to play third base for the Mets. That should give him dual eligibility as he currently is 2B only.

Last year for Oakland he scored 78 runs and plated 99 ( a career high by far ), with an OPS of .801. I'm not expecting that kind of production this year, but 150 runs/RBI's could be in reach

329

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 9:12 am

21.09 Cishek, Steve - CHC - RP
I could use at least one backup hitter and another SP, but can’t find any of those to pull the trigger on at the moment. So I’ll take a solid reliever who will probably get some save opps in the early going, with Morrow out and Strop DTD. I had Cishek on several teams last year, and had good results. Has averaged 2.26 ERA and 0.99 WHIP for the last three seasons, striking out 1.1 batters/IP. Barring injury or meltdown, I imagine Cishek will be on my roster all season. Can’t say the same for any hitter or SP5 I’d draft at this point.

330

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 9:32 am

21.10 Nelson, Jimmy - MIL - SP
Like my last pick, this one is an attempt to shore up my starting pitching. Nelson was lights out in 2017 until he got injured and spent last season on the shelf. It seemed like he was good this spring after pitching 3 solid innings a few days ago but now there are reports about elbow pain so I am left wondering what’s next. This pick could end up being a total bust or possibly he returns to the rotation sometime in late April.

331

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 10:40 am

21.11 Drury, Brandon - TOR - 3B
I did not see much value at 2B/3B that is left. Drury can be better than average, but the problem for him is that Guerrero will be called up sooner than later. I see Drury as a short term fit at CI in case Voit or Smoak are not starting. If he does not perform to my liking he will be gone for the hottest 3B of the new season.

note after drafting him: Seems like he hits leadoff now which would be a nice boost.

332

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 10:40 am

21.12 Pillar, Kevin - TOR - OF
Pillar is a backup and a filler until Nick Senzel gets OF eligibility. Unfortunately that is likely to be 25-off games in: 15 games for the Reds to mess with Senzel's service time, and 10 games in CF for Senzel to obtain OF eligibility.

Pillar is slated to be Toronto's full time CF. He might even steal some bases for me. Yay!

333

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 12:26 pm

21.13 Robertson, Daniel - TAM - 3B
Robertson's plays a couple of tough positions and could be a a nice fill in type player. He has good patience at the plate but is definitely an IHSH (if he stays healthy) type guy.

334

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 12:34 pm

21.14 Bird, Greg - NYY - 1B
Fun fact: the Yankees have yet to announce their starting 1B. Luke Voit should have a leg up for what he did last year (and what Bird didn't do), but here we are. Bird keeps showing flashes and has done so again this Spring with a 1.131 OPS. With Aaron Hicks out for the start of the season, both Bird and Voit should get regular ABs out of the gate where the competition may be drawn out until then.

335

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 1:26 pm

21.15 Brinson, Lewis - MIA - OF
I needed a fifth outfielder, and Brinson was one of the few remaining that I thought would play on a regular basis.

336

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 2:10 pm

21.16 Rodon, Carlos - CWS - SP
A few rounds ago I noticed I needed more starting pitchers. There were a lot of guys left that all look about the same. Rodon was one of the guys I was looking at but ultimately passed as I though maybe he'd slip through. He did. He'll be the opening day starter for the White Sox. He was lights out for a few starts last year. First sign of an injury and he's gone.

337

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 2:11 pm

22.01 Godley, Zack - ARI - SP
Was overdrafted last year and fell flat on his face. Rumors were the humidor gave him better grip on his curveball and he started spiking it in the dirt so it wasn't that effective. Not sure if that's true or not. He's a decent strikeout pitcher eventhough he doesn't throw heat. My pitching is pretty terrible right now so I need k's. Hopefully he rebounds from last year. Would've probably taken Choi here but I thought he'd slip another round.

338

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 2:38 pm

22.02 Zimmerman, Ryan - WAS - 1B
In 2017 Zimmerman had an OBP of .358, SLG of .573 and 108 RBIs. At the end of 2018 after returning from injuries his OBP was .374 and SLG was .538. He is still available this late in the draft because of his injury risk, but if healthy, he can make a difference.

339

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 2:42 pm

22.03 Choi, Ji-man - TAM - UTL
A few jobs on TB look murky but I would expect Choi to play full time against RHPs after putting up a .908 OPS against them for the team last season. And a note that at this end stage of the draft I usually take flyers on hitters over pitchers for the reason that they play more often and I can get a feel for them more quickly to see who to swap out for a pitcher after the season begins.

340

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 4:25 pm

22.04 Margot, Manuel - SDG - OF
Margot definitely took a step back in 2018 but he was a very touted sleeper going into that draft. At the discounted price this year, I'm willing to take a chance on him. I think he has an outside shot to steal 20 bases which would be a great boon.

341

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 4:41 pm

22.05 Ottavino, Adam - NYY - RP
See 20.05 Chad Green. Exact same rationale applies.

A broader rationale would be my overarching desire to lean on elite ratio relievers over mediocre starters for a decent portion of my overall innings. Honestly my Trevor Richards pick wasn't really planned - that should have gone to a reliever - but a lot of publicity on his potential breakout combined with his strong spring made me give him a shot. While there is a tier of elite non-closing relievers that really are worthy of being drafted, there are also new studs that emerge each year that are worthy (i.e. Ryan Pressly).

342

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 6:24 pm

22.06 Lowe, Brandon - TAM - 2B
he is great this spring, already showed potential last year. His only problem might be playing time. He may not have a starting gig to start the season but is expected to fill in at multiple positions. as long as he performs when he starts and gains eligibility at other positions (ss, of, maybe even 1b/3b) he should be a valuable asset for my team. he might need to fill in for Lindor at the start of the season.

343

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 6:25 pm

22.07 Pearce, Steve - BOS - 1B
Pearce figures to be the right side of a 1B platoon with the Red Sox. Last year he slashed .378/.512 on a part time basis and I am thinking he should be good for something similar at least. In the Bosox lineup he should be good for counting stats and maybe he can somehow win the 1B job outright. I figure he’s worth a late round flyer.

344

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 6:36 pm

22.08 Edwards Jr., Carl - CHC - RP
Another reliever with potential for some April saves and a monster K rate of 1.4/IP. In four ML seasons, his career ERA is 3.06 with a 1.07 WHIP. With this pick, I now have six relievers - although the recent news on Knebel is disturbing. Som maybe only five.

345

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 6:44 pm

22.09 Soria, Joakim - OAK - RP
Purely a handcuff for Treinen, although who knows if he's next in line.

K'd 75 in 60 innings last year, ERA of 3.12, WHIP of 1.14. Maybe he can stumble on some saves also

346

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 7:15 pm

22.10 Arcia, Orlando - MIL - SS
Wanted a bit of depth here, I like Arcia, honestly was going to draft him at 21, but my queue got the best of me. Could help a little with steals, would be nice if he hit 10+ HRs but really just depth for now.

347

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 7:20 pm

22.11 Holland, Greg - ARI - RP
At pick 347 to find someone with the phrase "primary closer" even uttered in their outlook for this year is enough to get me to pull the trigger. I choose to ignore the rest of it.

348

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 7:31 pm

22.12 Hernandez, Teoscar - TOR - OF
Toronto is in the rebuilding mode and both Hernandez and Gurriel should get plenty of time on field given if they could secure the starting jobs. Hernandez has the pop for sure but in order for him to improve more patience and seeing the ball more clearly should do it. If everything goes as planned, Hernandez should be a viable utility option for my team.

349

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 7:46 pm

22.13 Britton, Zach - NYY - RP
Given the quality of available players, it seems like the possible upside is highest for relievers. Aroldis Chapman will get hurt at some point, Dellin Betances already is hurt, so maybe Britton gets a dozen saves with decent ratios. A few wins would be welcome as well.

350

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 7:49 pm

22.14 Barnhart, Tucker - CIN - C
The kickers of fantasy baseball in my eyes. Grab a top tier catcher early or wait until the end of the draft. I look at Barnhart as a safe option. Most, if not all of the remaining catchers look to be involved in a time share situation. Here there is no in house competition to challenge him for playing time. Not the numbers generated by the top tier, but his increased playing time should generate some counting stats without killing my team OPS.

351

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 9:37 pm

22.15 James, Josh - HOU - RP
After selecting Peacock in Round 19, I felt there was some logic in adding James in case it doesn't take long for him to join the rotation. I'm hoping he's a multi-inning reliever to start the season. The manager has already announced he will start at some point this season. Seems to have some good strikeout upside and was a popular sleeper before his injury. I'm hoping between the two Astro pitchers, I'll have someone in their rotation all season.

352

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 11:52 pm

22.16 Conley, Adam - MIA - RP
Pre-draft target. Conley sports a 15% swinging strike rate during his first go round as a reliever. I think he improves on that in 2019 while sprinkling in some saves as one of the few LHP arms in the Miami pen.

353

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 21, 11:59 pm

23.01 Rogers, Taylor - MIN - RP
See above. Rogers enjoyed career bests in strikeout rate 29% while sporting a 2.63 ERA and .95 WHIP (like Castillo).

354

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:27 am

23.02 Garcia, Avisail - TAM - OF
At this stage I feel fortunate to find anyone with a starting job and some level of upside. He's coming off an injury-plagued season, after having a breakout season in 2017. He seems to have tapped into some noticeable power last year. If he's able to work his way into consistent ABs in Tampa, there's a chance he stays on my team and plays regularly.

355

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:27 am

23.03 Trivino, Lou - OAK - RP
Set up man for one of the top shelf relievers. Trivino's cutter is already one of the game's most effective, helping narrow his righty/lefty splits, and he has a strong history of high ground ball rates that should help him again be a good source of ERA, WHIP and a few saves.

356

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:38 am

23.04 Hirano, Yoshihisa - ARI - RP
No announced closer in Arizona yet. Last year, the manager chose Boxberger over Bradley, and I'm hoping he prefers Bradley in the multi-inning 7th/8th inning role. Greg Holland, I'm hoping, is old and can't throw 90 mph anymore. If both of those are true, then it could be Hirano getting 30 saves. In the 23rd round, that's well worth a roll of the dice.

357

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 7:43 am

23.05 Diaz, Yandy - TAM - 3B
It was really the time at this stage of the draft to buy lottery tickets. Diaz reportedly could start at 3B on the upcoming openning day. But given the talents TB has accumulated on its roster he might not have regular playing time overthere. He might need to wait for the opportunity at the firstbase to open up. Still, he should be either a nice pickup off the bench or the first one to be dropped when the season progresses.

358

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 8:20 am

23.06 Wacha, Michael - STL - SP
feel like i draft this guy every year. He may be nothing and be dropped but looked like a good selection at this point in the draft

359

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 8:52 am

23.07 Urena, Jose - MIA - SP
Opening day starter in Miami, has a bit of talent but his K rate just isn't good... He could turn a corner as his slider is great. But he's more here for enforcement.

360

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 9:06 am

23.08 Buttrey, Ty - LAA - RP
Ty saved 4 games last September, and was viewed as their closer of the future, but the Angles signed Cody Allen. So Ty moves into a set up role.

Looking for solid ratios and better than a K per inning. And maybe a couple saves

361

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 9:23 am

23.09 Stroman, Marcus - TOR - SP
A speculative pick. Named as the opening day starter for Toronto. Last year was a bust, with shoulder and blister woes and two DL stints. But he’s been healthy this spring, and pitching well. He's only 27, and if I can get something more like the 2017 version (3.09 ERA), it’s a bargain. Realistically, the best I should probably hope for is something in the middle. And if things go south in the early months, I won’t hesitate to move on.

362

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 10:24 am

23.10 Lugo, Seth - NYM - RP
Lugo figures to pitch 90-100 innings out of the Mets bullpen and give me good ratios, 8-9 K/9, and hopefully some wins. There has been some speculation he could be moved to the rotation if the need arises. With this pick I’m trying to add innings with good stats.

363

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 10:24 am

23.11 Moronta, Reyes - SFO - RP
just filling my roster with some relievers that have potential for saves while having a good K-ratio and don't harm your ERA/WHIP.

364

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 11:04 am

23.12 Schebler, Scott - CIN - OF
Mainly this is a filler until Nick Senzel is up in a couple of weeks (even though Scooter just went down....Cincy is going to milk the service clock). Schebler should see plenty of time in CF, al least vs. RHP. He has had a good spring. Let's hope he can continue that for a few wweeks.

365

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:27 pm

23.13 Beckham, Tim - SEA - SS
Post post hype sleeper type. I took him mainly for his mini breakout in late 2017 and the good games he has had so far in the 2 games in Japan. Maybe this is the year he puts it all together but at this spot in the draft no big deal if I have to move on.

366

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:52 pm

23.14 Tulowitzki, Troy - NYY - SS
There are worse fantasy situations than to be a fixture in this Yankees lineup. A Spring OPS of .829 may lead to something being left in the tank.

367

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 1:56 pm

23.15 Whitley, Forrest - HOU - SP
Someone was going to draft Whitely, so why not me? If he comes up at the end of the season, he could give me a needed boost. If he blows away minor league hitters, and if Houston is in a tight race, he could be promoted earlier. Combined with Julio Urias, they give me one quality SP.

368

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 2:08 pm

23.16 Fowler, Dexter - STL - OF
Quite the fall from the OBP guy that was being drafted a few years ago. He fell hard last year. Was it Matheny related? Doubt it. I'm hoping he bats in the 2 hole but he'll probably end up in the 6 or 7 hole. He'll have a short leash on the Cardinals and will have that same short leash on my team.

369

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 2:09 pm

24.01 Keller, Brad - KAN - SP
Starting opening day vs Chicago so a decent stream option. Some good articles out there for why he'll be good this year. I don't really buy them but for a 24th round pick I figured why not. His schedule appears pretty soft the first couple of starts.

370

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 3:37 pm

24.02 Nova, Ivan - CWS - SP
His last start in spring training was a quality one, and in fantasy as well as in reality, one can never have too much pitching.

371

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 3:38 pm

24.03 Mckinney, Billy - TOR - OF
McKinney seems to be on the strong side of a LF platoon for the Jays and may even bat leadoff. An .829 OPS vs RHPs last year and has had a strong Spring with an OPS of .904.

372

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 3:38 pm

24.04 Peralta, Freddy - MIL - SP
He's officially locked up a spot in the rotation and will be a big strikeout guy. This kid is still young at only 22 years old so the sky's the limit. I took him as a reasonable sixth starter and I'll give him a somewhat long leash to see what I have with him.

373

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 4:08 pm

24.05 Jeffress, Jeremy - MIL - RP
Presumed closer Corey Knebel is battling a partial UCL tear and his status at press time was unknown. While rumors of the Brewers signing Craig Kimbrel swirl around, Jeffress went back to throwing. This is likely to end up as a throwaway pick, but you never know. By the time the 28th rolls around, there is likely to be some clarity.

374

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 4:10 pm

24.06 Roe, Chaz - TAM - RP
to repeat myself: just filling my roster with some relievers that have potential for saves while having a good K-ratio and don't harm your ERA/WHIP.

375

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 4:16 pm

24.07 Pinder, Chad - OAK - SS
Pinder has become something of a popular breakout candidate in some circles and with Olson’s injury, he now has a path to increased playing time. He is also eligible as a MI so there’s that too.

376

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 4:26 pm

24.08 Reddick, Josh - HOU - OF
My first (and perhaps only) bench hitter to open the season. For positional flexibility, I wanted an OF, and I thought he had the best mix of expected playing time and counting stats without torching OBP.

377

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 7:13 pm

24.09 Neris, Hector - PHI - RP
Same logic as pick 23.08. Gabe Kapler hasn't yet named a closer for the Phillies that I've seen, but I doubt it's Hector. Or maybe it will be closer by committee.

Hector struggled early on last year, but did post an ERA of 2.04 the last 6 weeks of the season, and he did strikeout 76 batters in 47 innings last year

378

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 7:14 pm

24.10 Moran, Colin - PIT - 3B
Only plays against righties but he hits well against them. some depth here and a bit of power.

379

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 7:15 pm

24.11 Duggar, Steven - SFO - OF
WIll start in CF for SF and lead off hopefully. maybe he can fill in for me and be someone i can plug in for R and SBs

380

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 8:14 pm

24.12 Roark, Tanner - CIN - SP
Roark actually has a good spring to start off his Reds career as one regular starter. He is not going to strike many but his ability to induce grounders might offset the hitter-friendly confine at Cincy. He is my 6th starter and I am not so sure if I need that many to meet the inning cap. Again, I took flier on him here despite also considering Caleb Smith (with much better SO on a bad team).

381

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 8:27 pm

24.13 Harrison, Josh - PIT - 2B
Still needed a middle infielder on my roster, and a group of a half dozen I was fine with rostering was dwindling, so i jumped. Hitting leadoff for the Tigers, maybe a bounce back candidate, though the bounce back would merely be to mediocre levels.

382

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 8:28 pm

24.14 Smith, Caleb - MIA - SP
Taking a flier on strikeouts at the risk of walks and a high fly ball rate. Hopefully his strong spring carries over into the regular season. Probably best utilized in home matchups, at least initially.

After my 23.05 pick, going into these final rounds I had a queue 30 players long. By the time it came around to me, more than half had been picked.

383

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 10:17 pm

24.15 Keuchel, Dallas - HOU - SP
There wasn't anyone I absolutely loved at this pick, so I decided to make what amounts to a throw-away pick. There's the off-chance he signs into a good situation before the season gets going heavily, so I guess I'm glad I have his rights while waiting for the season to begin.

384

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 10:38 pm

24.16 Tatis Jr., Fernando - SDG - UTL
Why not?

385

Slizz
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 10:39 pm

25.01 Chirinos, Robinson - HOU - C
Best catcher available.

386

Mighty Meatwads
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 11:13 pm

25.02 Chirinos, Yonny - TAM - SP
There are certain moments in life you have to take what is given to you. I couldn't live with myself if I tried to select someone amazing instead. Chirinos seems to have a chance to get over 100 innings with good ratios. If there's any sort of growth, he could end up being a nice piece. Besides that, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to select him immediately after Robinson Chirinos. To make things extra dramatic, I've decided to put the weight of my season on his shoulders.

387

mjd
ID: 330592710
Mar 22, 11:15 pm

25.03 Kelly, Joe - LAD - RP
Looking over my roster, I’d have loved to take another position player, but I was instead allured by a strikeout rate. Signed to a 3 year deal, he’ll be one of Kenley Janson's setup guys. Maybe a few saves along the way with ratio help.

388

kdl212
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 12:05 am

25.04 Junis, Jakob - KAN - SP
Should be starting either game 2 or 3 of the season at home against the White Sox. After that, I'll probably drop him for a different starter.

389

ywk
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 12:20 am

25.05 Watson, Tony - SFO - RP
Watson is always a solid player in both ERA and WHIP. And he could be the next to close the door (not sure about the number for the SF team) if Will Smith falters. I just do not believe Melancon has enough in tank to be the 9th inning guy if anything happens to Smith. I said the above before I finally realized I got Smith on my another fantasy team...

390

Tilt23
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 12:26 am

25.06 Odorizzi, Jake - MIN - SP
Some say he will used with an opener which will help his ratios and put him in line for more W's. This may be the way baseball is going. Ill take a chance.

391

Matt G
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 12:47 am

25.07 Verdugo, Alex - LAD - OF
Could be hitting leadoff in that dodgers lineup, has some raw power but needs to add loft, hoping he puts it together this year.

392

Dave R
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 12:47 am

25.08 Healy, Ryon - SEA - 1B
I threw a bunch of names in the qqueue on my way to bed, with Ryon at the top. He's slated to fill in at 3rd, while ( undrafted ) is on the injured list.

Beyond that, he may or may not have a full time gig at first, or he could be turned into the next attractive free agent.

Worth a gamble in round 25

393

RotoGuru
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 8:12 am

25.09 Devenski, Chris - HOU - RP
Just some extra bullpen depth.

394

mailedfoot
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 8:12 am

25.10 Weaver, Luke - ARI - SP
Weaver was fairly highly regarded in drafts last year based on his 2017 season but ended up performing poorly. He was traded to Arizona and has had a good spring with his new team. This pick is a flyer to see if his spring performance can carry over into the season.

395

youngroman
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 8:12 am

25.11 Castillo, Welington - CWS - C
I decided early that my last pick will be a catcher. Playing time is just too inconsistent to burn an earlier pick for that purpose.Maybe it is finally the year where I rotate catchers on a daily basis and max out the games played at the catcher pos"ition. this means that Castillo might start my catcher rotation on opening day, unless I identify a better matchup until then.

396

Species
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 8:12 am

25.12 Alfaro, Jorge - MIA - C
I gave catcher pretty much zero consideration all draft.

397

RJ
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 11:36 am

25.13 Tucker, Kyle - HOU - OF
I bookended my draft with Tucker. He had a rough month in the majors last season but who hasn't. A lot of sites have him rated in the top 10 prospects for 2019. I know he'll need a bit more seasoning in the minors but I'll take a wait and see with him.

398

Da Bomb
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 11:40 am

25.14 O'brien, Peter - MIA - 1B
Appeared to be headed to an everyday role after an .868 OPS for the team in September, but alas, he was optioned later in the day.

399

Loki
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 2:23 pm

25.15 Baez, Pedro - LAD - RP
Possible handcuff for Kenley Jensen. Was between Baez and Kelly, but Kelly was taken at 25.03.

400

BMD
ID: 330592710
Mar 23, 3:54 pm

25.16 Martin, Russell - LAD - C
Guess I need a catcher. I almost didn't draft a catcher since I doubt Martin would've been picked up before opening day. This will probably be a revolving door for me. I love have the extra roster spot rather than roster a catcher full time that may barely help percentages and won't do much in the counting stats.

Forum: basePage 20505Subject: RIBC 2019: Draft Rationales

Forum: base
Page 20505
Subject: RIBC 2019: Draft Rationales