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Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: February 23rd, 2013, 12:05 am
by Todd Zola
1.11 Adrian Beltre - was my absolute last fallback option if my other ten players were drafted and guess what, they were. No one took Stanton, Posey or a pitcher. Slight injury risk but should hit higher in the order. He's my 12th ranked hitter with Posey, Granderson and Ellsbury ahead, but I'm passing on Posey and want to try to get Grandy or Ells in the 3rd.

2.05 Jose Reyes - if you are following the site, this is not because of scarcity but solely due to the stats. I'm hoping for health but if Reyes avoids the DL, he's in store for a MONSTER season - 13th on my list.

3.11 Cole Hamels - Grandy and Ells went earlier in the 3rd, I'm now taking the chance I get one of four hitters I have ranked with 2nd/3rd round value in the 4th. Hamels is the 7th pitcher taken and he's 4th on my list so I'm fine with this.

4.05 Ben Zobrist - Well, I totally misread the draft as pitching was slower to be drafted than I expected. I should have grabbed Allen Craig with my last pick and taken whatever pitcher I like best here. I also had Yoenis Cespedes, Billy Butler and Aramis Ramirez queued up. I'm sort of surprised Aramis was taken but stuff happens. I don't love the Zobrist pick but his eligibility comes in handy with this format.

5.11 Alex Rios - Was hoping I would be able to take Rios next time, but when there is no one else that I can sneak in before still left (just missed Teixeira and Yadi) you don't dick around, you take the next guy on your sheet. I'm a believer in Rios, I don't buy the yo-yo years, he's closer to the good years than the bad and that's what I expect.

6.05 Austin Jackson - Another trust your sheet pick, I was hoping for Shin-Soo Choo but actually like the upside of A-Jax better. The more I look, them I see even more growth (can improve K%, can improve power and can improve SB%). While there are definitely SB guys later, here are also HR guy later too so I'm hoping to be zagging while most everyone else is zigging.

7.11 Jordan Zimmermann - Wasn't my top choice but wasn't my last one either. Wanted Gallardo for the K's but I'll take the ratio protection and stream later.

8.05 Paul Konerko - Was actually hoping to go with the upside potential of Ike Davis but I'll settle for the reliability of Konerko. Of course, banking on reliability at his age is a risk, but he's shown no signs of falling off the cliff. Hosmer went right before this pick and while I am a fan of his upside, I need to HR from Konerko more than I need the extra swipes.

9.11 Kyle Seager - Gotta put my money where my mouth is. I like Seager a lot this season and am willing to lock up my CI early. I was deciding between Seager and another player and feel I have a better shot at both, at least a reasonable facsimile with Seager first. Two teams in from of me have 2 #B, two have none. I'm concerned one of the two would have taken Seager especially since they each have two picks before my next.

10.05 CJ Wilson - need K's with my SP2 being light in the department and CJW has nice K potential. His 2H last season was wretched, but he had an elbow spur which was removed. Walks will be the key since he's a GB guy and the few flies should be tracked by the Angels in the outfield.

11.11 Joel Hanrahan - Boston knows Hanrahan is a little broken and they think they can fix him

12.05 Howie Kendrick - the choices at middle infield are surprisingly strong which could mean waiting, but I have a specific DC idea I am going to try (teased in my ESPN Insider piece which will be posted for Platinum subscribers later this week) and picking Kendrick fits the strategy (which will be explained at the end).

13.11 Ryan Doumit - was hoping McCann would fall since I'll be drafting several backups to cover injury but alas, he was taken. I settled for Doumit instead, in large part hoping his lack of time behind the plate makes him less of an injury risk.

14.05 Corey Hart - add on a month's worth of replacement stats and the aggregate is better than a 14th round pick, I'll take that.

15.11 Marco Estrada - maybe early but all it takes is one other to like him and I have a plan

16.05 Brandon League - Platinum subscribers aren't surprised about this

17.11 Kyuji Fujikawa - sometimes its better to be lucky than good, hoping to get lucky

18.05 Alexi Ogando - and the plan is coming together....

19.11 Alex Cobb - I love t when a plan comes together

20.20 Wilson Ramos - bit of an upside play, I'll have warm bodies to use until he is worthy of being active

21.05 Andy Dirks - lefty hitter, at worth good side of platoon but could be full time. Some pop with a few steals.

22.20 Justin Maxwell - regular CF for Astros with 20/20 potential

23.05 Yasmani Grandal - after a consult with Captain Hook, I switched gears somewhat and took a shot a catcher I hope is fresh (and motivated) for the second half. I'm not expecting a prorate of last season's start, but Grandal should be able to give me decent production from what amounts to be my last roster spot.

24.05 Kurt Suzuki - Suzuki will play more early but should cede time to Ramos. Regardless, I have them both so I should be able to play the one with the greater percentage of at bats. Remember I have Ryan Doumit and these leagues are as much about attrition as the proverbial skillful drafting. I purposely elected to go a little stronger at catcher in the second half (hopefully Grandal and Ramos) so I had the option of using Doumit in the outfield or even UT if injuries forced my hand. I wouldn't do this in the classic since I don't want to burn a reserve spot for half the season, but in this format, I think it's well worth it and Doumit is the perfect complement.

25.11 Seth Smith - Don't love the park but he's a lefty so I'll find times when he's scheduled against 3 righties or 3 out of 4.

26.05 Chris Parmalee - Truth be told I missed him last time and would have taken him. I think he'll be given full time run in Minny and has some pop. He can play UT for now and eventually be in the streaming OF mix.

27.11 Kyle Kendrick - Don't laugh until you check out his second half stats last season. I don't like to cherry pick stats, but in the 27th round, you hang your hat on whatever sticks out.

28.05 Joe Blanton - Surprisingly efficient peripherals will take a little hit in the AL, but he's a fly ball pitcher in a big park with Bourjos and Trout shagging flies behind him so his ERA should stay within reason.

29.11 Travis Snider - Every year I seem to latch onto a player or two as my late flier and this time around it's Snider. He fits the profile of a post hype sleeper, I'm just hoping he's more Pedro Alvarez than Brandon Wood. I actually wanted Jeff Francoeur at this but the pick before me wanted him just a little bit more.

30.05 Nate Schierholtz - The pick may not seem great in a vacuum, but weeks where the Cubbies are facing 3 RHP at home, or 2 of 3, or 3 of 4, then Schierholtz is a viable option for a back end OF spot, which is what I am trying to do with this squad.

31.11 Tyler Clippard - OK, they catcher gambit didn't hurt me since I still have one of the better set up men, though not my own's closer's handcuff.

32.05 Nate Eovaldi - upside guy in a good park

33.11 Jamey Carroll - BLECH. Jose Reyes HAS to stay healthy!! There is some mumblings that Brian Dozier may win the 2nd base gig pushing Carroll to utility, so maybe I'll take Dozier next -- BLECH!

34.05 Eric Stults - When in doubt, take a Padre starting pitcher.

35.11 Travis Wood - You can never have enough starting pitching and, well, um, he's starting.

36.05 Jonny Venters - Injuries and dumb luck slowed down his first half but second half was stellar so I'll take Venters to use when I need to sit a starter with a bad week for matchups.

37.11 Tyler Moore - Showed big power in limited AB

38.05 Brian Dozier - Dozier may surprise and take the second base job in Minny, pushing Carroll to utility. I can't believe I am handcuffing effing Jamey Carroll.

39.11 Bartolo Colon - I can't believe I'm actually happy to get him!

40.05 Robbie Erlin - May not start the year in Padres' rotation, but he could finish there

41.11 Mike Carp - Right now, he's just the second best player in the game named after a fish. But what if Ortiz is hurt worse than thought? Or what if Napoli gets hurt? Well, Carp would still be the second best guy named after a fish, but he'd be worth a helluva lot more than a 41st rounder.

42.05 Hank Conger - Been knocking at the door for years and even though he's raking, he could be "throwing" his chance away -- apparently he has a case of the yips. Someone give that rube a playboy!

43.11 Kyle McPherson - Time to take some chances. McPherson has some injury woes but showed some skills last season.

44.05 Felipe Paulino - recovering from TJS, Paulino will be back in July so maybe I get some late season reinforcement as others are injured.

45.11 JJ Hoover - real darkhorse closer candidate

46.05 Rick Ankiel - tearing it up with the Astros, you never know....

47.11 Brad Lincoln - Looks like it was more than just an injury with Ricky Romero and Lincoln has a shot at a starting gig

48.05 Khris Davis - tearing it up in Milwaukee but send down. Could be interesting if Braun has to some time.

49.11 Jeff Locke - and now I have the #5 spot in the Pirate rotation handcuffed -- YEAH BABY!!

50.05 Mark DeRosa - my Mr. Irrelevant? Not if Brett Lawrie misses time.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: February 24th, 2013, 7:56 pm
by aburt19
With Granderson breaking his arm and being out for the next 10 weeks, his selection before your pick doesn't
hurt as much. Being out about the first five weeks of the season means only 80% production from a second round
pick.

ETA; With Reyes, Rios, Jackson and Zobrist, you've got a good leg up in SB. The nice part about it is that none of
them are a Juan Pierre type because they all chip in a decent number of HR.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: February 24th, 2013, 8:28 pm
by Todd Zola
aburt19 wrote: ETA; With Reyes, Rios, Jackson and Zobrist, you've got a good leg up in SB. The nice part about it is that none of
them are a Juan Pierre type because they all chip in a decent number of HR.
Yeah, that was my subtle zig-zag reference at the end of the A-Jax quip

I'm next, got a guy I really want and if he's gone, I'm not sure what I'll do.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: February 25th, 2013, 10:57 am
by Todd Zola
Hoping for one last hurrah from Paulie K

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: February 25th, 2013, 12:41 pm
by mbendar
I hear ya Todd about Konerko. I got him at the end of the 9th in my latest slow (pick 13) and was thinking the same thing. Ike, Howard and Konerko were there in the 8th and took the chance one of them would get back to me. Konerko was the one that did.

Mark

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 3rd, 2013, 9:10 pm
by Todd Zola
filling in the outfield

any guesses as to what "the plan" is?

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 4th, 2013, 8:31 am
by AllstonRockCity
Todd Zola wrote:filling in the outfield

any guesses as to what "the plan" is?
To load up on counting stats and not worry too much about average. and to get guys that you can platoon and deploy them when they are there most effective, this is true for both your hitters and your starting pitchers ????

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 4th, 2013, 10:30 am
by Todd Zola
AllstonRockCity wrote:
Todd Zola wrote:filling in the outfield

any guesses as to what "the plan" is?
To load up on counting stats and not worry too much about average. and to get guys that you can platoon and deploy them when they are there most effective, this is true for both your hitters and your starting pitchers ????
The bolded red is what I am trying to do with 2 OF and my UT spot, this was the theme of the last ESPN/Under the Microscope.

I actually tried to get a little more solid starters so while everyone is filling in pitching I am getting the platoon or lefty outfielders to game their splits.

I don't sense the batting average is particularly low.

But the "answer" is with the Friday transaction period, I am looking for as many LHB so I can squeeze more stats when they are facing 3 or 4 RHP in a scoring period or a guy with a great hitter's park for a 3 or 4 game series. I'll rotate these guys into my last 2 OF and UT spot.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 4th, 2013, 4:32 pm
by Todd Zola
Lost one of my binkies when Smyly was drafted but solidified the catcher position.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 11th, 2013, 6:34 pm
by Polka
this is a 5x5 correct?
you won't win a HR title, but have a solid leg up in the other four categories big time!
and strikeouts is yours unless someone drafted 10 Verlanders...
I love how late you got Clippard, maybe it's my mancrush in my Holds leagues but he's the best Mid Reliever in baseball possibly.
And I couldn't agree more with your assessment of A Jax!

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 11th, 2013, 8:18 pm
by Todd Zola
Keep in mind these leagues are as much about attrition as they are "winning the draft" - plus I am going to use the Friday transaction rule to take best advantage of the back end OF/UT. All the options are either lefthanded or play in a good hitters park so I'll play half-wee matchups. I have no idea if it will work, but we're going to try.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 17th, 2013, 10:48 am
by Captain Hook
Looks very good

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:30 pm
by Todd Zola
Hope so -- much prefer this squad to my Express team. That was a rough draft.

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 18th, 2013, 4:38 pm
by Todd Zola
C Doumit, Suzuki (Grandal, Ramos, Conger)
1B/3B Konerko, Beltre, Seager (Parmalee, Hart, DeRosa)
2B/SS Zobrist, Reyes, Kendrick (Carroll, Dozier)
OF Rios, A-Jax, Dirks, Maxwell, Smith (Ankiel, Schierholtz, Snider, Hart, T Moore and eventually Parmelee, Davis)
UT Parmelee (Carp)

SP Hamels, Zimmermann, Estrada, Wilson, Ogando, Cobb (Eovaldi, Kendrick, Blanton, T Wood, Stults, Colon, Erlin, McPherson, Paulino, Lincoln, Locke)
RP Hanrahan, Fujikawa, League (Hoover, Venters, Clippard)

adding Locke and DeRosa

Re: Todd's Draft NFBC Championship Team

Posted: March 19th, 2013, 8:14 pm
by Todd Zola
DONE!!

..finally...