NFBC Draft Champions Draft

[Todd Zola]

A potential starting shortstop in the 23rd when there are a few MLB team in need of one? I'll take that chance. Everth would look pretty nice on the Mets. Just sayin'....

Sam and I may be the only two guys left that still have a thing for Gallardo -- what can I (we) say?

Quackenbush went in this cycle -- sort of surprised that he, Davis and Giles all went in the first 23 (but I like it). We got Boxberger so we weren't shut out but we'll need to find a sleeper in this realm. We have a couple names in mind.

C Russell Martin
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler
2B/SS Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger)

[Todd Zola]

Sorry -- hot stove has me busy...

Jed Lowrie - MI depth, he'll get a gig somewhere
Joe Smith - wanted another solid MI guy and Street can't stay healthy 2 years in a row, can he?
Marcus Semien - this was a round before the deal so everyone had a crack, he was on our radar but we jumped him up after the deal
Justin Smoak - Adam Lind role? Nice park, we'll see.
Kevin Graveman - Starting in OAK, need streamers in this format
Brandon Finnegan - a lawr michaels favorite, could start but even in relief will help in this format

C Russell Martin
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith)

* also OF
** also 3B

[Todd Zola]

Hank Conger - our second catcher, we made the decision to just pick up a bunch reserve catchers that could get more playing time. Castro has underwhelmed so you never know

Randal Grichuk - I screwed up here, not realizing how the autopick would work. We wanted Mike Mckenry but he was picked before us. Since I only had 2 names in the queue I figured it would click the 8 hours before auto-picking the next name (actually stupid of me to think that) and we got Grichuk. It's not the worst pick but it cost us Jose Peraza who we were sitting on. I'm not crying over not sneaking Peraza in since we're OK with middle as well as speed, especially if Everth signs.

Ike Davis - starting 1B this late? Yes, please. Doesn't hurt that we have Bulter so chances are one will have a nice set of games in terms of handedness

Shane Greene - as of now he's in the Tiger rotation and even if they sign Scherzer and someone else, Greene will get his starts at some point

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith)

* also OF
** also 3B

[Todd Zola]

Time for a dart throw at a couple of back-up catchers. Phegley should be the understudy for Norris as Jaso isn't likely to catch and Vogt isn't very good. Wieter's backup used to not see a whole lot of playing time but since he's coming back from TJS this year could be different. Joseph showed some pop in Wieter's stead. There's also a chance Wieters slides into DH at times.

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith)

* also OF
** also 3B

[Todd Zola]

Mitch Moreland - can't complain a potential starter, at worst a LHB platoon in a great hitting park, assuming the ankle is OK and reports are positive

Jordan Walden - setup to the shaky (but I still like him) Trevor Rosenthal. My preference is to have a few more hitters than pitchers so in order to do that, I favor real solid set up men over my last couple of dart-throw starters that would do more harm than help if I needed them. Even if Walden doesn't happen upon 9th inning duty, he's a nice parachute for the pitching staff.

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis, ***Mitch Moreland)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith, Jordan Walden)

* also OF
** also 3B
*** hoping for OF eventually

[Todd Zola]

Nothing too exciting here -- grabbed more OF depth with Chris Heisey. I'm not convinced Joc Pederson can handle LHP so there will be times when Crawford and Pederson sit for Scott Van Slyke and Heisey. Maybe there will be a weekend series where the Dodgers face a couple of southpaws so we can use Heisey.

Duke is the Robertson handcuff. Since Bryan Shaw was taken after that pick, perhaps we should have taken Shaw to back-up our Cody Allen first since Shaw is more recognizable as the #2 than Duke -- lesson learned.

Sam and I decided so long as there's players we think we'll use over the course of the season that we'll take them and not go speculating on the farm --- we agreed we're at the point where some prospects might be in order.

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis, ***Mitch Moreland)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk, Chris Heisey)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith, Jordan Walden, Zach Duke)

* also OF
** also 3B
*** hoping for OF eventually

[Todd Zola]

One of my favorite ploys, especially when trying to conserve pitching spots is to take decent 6th and 7th SP from teams where you already have one of the first five especially in a good park...

Nate Karns -- hedge for Cobb and Odorizzi
Robbie Erlin -- Cashner

are perfect

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis, ***Mitch Moreland)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk, Chris Heisey)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene, Nate Karns, Robbie Erlin)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith, Jordan Walden, Zach Duke)

* also OF
** also 3B
*** hoping for OF eventually

[Todd Zola]

James McCann - Avila is back but is very tenuous. McCann is supposed to be the guy in 2016 but it could be earlier.

Brandon Cumpton - back to handcuffing guys we own, in this case AJ Burnett

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph, James McCann)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis, ***Mitch Moreland)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk, Chris Heisey)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene, Nate Karns, Robbie Erlin, Brandon Cumpton)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith, Jordan Walden, Zach Duke)

* also OF
** also 3B
*** hoping for OF eventually

[Todd Zola]

Sorry, been on the road -- all that's left is for us to take Mr. Irrelevant. I'm about to go to my nephew's Bat Mitzvah so Sam will be making the last pick.

Since we last cyber-spoke

D.J. Peterson - part Seager hedge, part possible 1B/DH call-up in season.
R.J. Alvarez - spec closer play, originally in SD then dealt to OAK and I like his chances even better with the A's
David Phelps - In NY? NFW. In Miami? WTF.
Kyle Lobstein - could see starts if someone gets hurt
Sean Nolin - dealt to OAK, could be Gravemen hedge
Travis Ishikawa - a bench player but could see stretches of work with injuries

We got lucky with some trades, etc. Norris going to SD clearing the way for Phegley to platoon in OAK. Wieters could be delayed to start the season so Joseph could get a lot of time early. My money's on Boxberger for saves in Tampa. Kemp is admittedly step down in SD though the arthritis doesn't concern me this season.

[Todd Zola]

Mr. Irrelevant is Taylor Jordan. Last spring he battled Tanner Roark for the last spot in the WAS rotation while Fister was out and obviously lost but he's a capable starters (coming off surgery to remove bone spurs).

C Russell Martin, Hank Conger (Josh Phegley, Caleb Joseph, James McCann)
1B/3B Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Billy Butler (Justin Smoak, Ike Davis, ***Mitch Moreland, D.J. Peterson, ***Travis Ishikawa)
2B/SS *Ben Zobrist, Erick Aybar, **Brett Lawrie (Everth Cabrera, **Marcus Semien, Jed Lowrie)
OF Mike Trout, Matt Kemp, Kole Calhoun, Leonys Martin, Dalton Pompey (Randal Grichuk, Chris Heisey)
UT Josh Reddick
SP Max Scherzer, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, AJ Burnett, Jake Odorizzi, Yovani Gallardo, Kevin Graveman (Brandon Finnegan, Shane Greene, Nate Karns, Robbie Erlin, Brandon Cumpton, David Phelps, Kyle Lobstein, Sean Nolin)
CL Cody Allen, David Robertson (Brad Boxberger, Joe Smith, Jordan Walden, Zach Duke, R.J. Alvarez)

* also OF
** also 3B
*** hoping for OF eventually