Ok, so I have the first pick in the draft, and I'm agonizing over who to take.  First some background info, I play in a mid-range hitters park, I have some good/decent pitching prospects a year or two away.  The top two players both look awesome, except for a couple of what looks like black marks to me.  So which player out of these two would you take and why?  I have 10 million in both draft scouting,  and this is my first draft, so any help is appreciated:

Player 1 - 2B - Age 18 - I like almost everything about this guy, but I'm afraid his splits are kind of low even on his projected ratings, and I don't expect him to fully reach all of these:

Overall Speed Control Power VS L   Vs R   Batter Eye Baserunning
92           100          83      100      69      66           88                99


Player 2 - P - Age 22 - I like this guy as well, but his GB/FB is projected to be zero, which scares me in a hitters park.  Also he's a lefty, so am I right in thinking most batters in HBD are better against lefties?  But he's older and looks like he might project better?:

Overall Control2      Vs L2      Vs R2      Velocity GB/FB  P1 P2 P3 P4 P5
85           100                100           83            97           0      90 76 74  71 45

Can we see current ratings?

Sure, sorry about that:

Player 1
Speed     Contact     Power     Vs L     Vs R     Batter Eye     Baserunning
99               52               71          44          41          58                    59

Player 2
Stamina          Control     Vs L          Vs R          Velocity     GB/FB     P1  P2  P3  P4  P5
 68                    66               68               56               76               7          70  63  49  50  27          

What are the first guy's fielding ratings? Can he play a skill position like SS or 2B well?

Also how about health/durability ratings? Makeup ratings?

Absent those, right now I'd probably say take the hitter because he looks likely to hit his projected ratings and the pitcher will just have too much trouble being a pure flyball pitcher in a hitters' park (though how could his current GB/FB possibly be 7 while his projected is 0???)

Defense ratings look good enough to play 2nd for sure.  I am worried about his makeup though:

                    Health     durability     makeup:
Player 1        74/77        50/77          52/56
Player 2         76/94       23/25          65/79

You don't think he's pretty enough to draft?

Draft the pitcher.  NOW.

If you're concerned about your ballpark, plan to change ballparks next season.  As long as you haven't been Al-Davis-ing your team around to different sites, most leagues will allow you to change ballparks at least once.  If you're right about your pitching prospects being a couple of years away, in three years, you should have a playoff contender in a negative-home-run park.

Take the pitcher...

I agree that the pitcher looks like a great prospect (certainly worthy of a #1 pick) but I think picking the hitter is still more than defensible. MVP-caliber bat, Rickey Henderson speed, and he can play 2B? That sounds like the total package to me. However, given the health advantage of the pitcher (94 to 77) and the current makeup difference (65 to 52), the pitcher does have an edge there. But regardless if this team really does have some stud pitchers on the way up, I'd draft for need and take the hitter. But the position may make the difference-- if "good enough to play 2nd" means "He'll play a below-average 2B," then he's basically an outfielder and the pitcher would look like a better pick.

Looks like he's projected to be ML average defensive ratings for second base, except for glove, which is projected to be slightly above average ML.  I love good pitching, but another part of the problem is I have a lot of left handed pitching already, and this guy is a lefty.  I don't want to move cities, how could I do that to the wonderful fans of Monterrey?, so that flyball rating worries me. 

Then my young pitchers are projected to be good to pretty good, but I don't think one is a "stud" exactly.  So I've been flipping back and forth for the last few days, and probably will continue until the draft.  Just trying to get some more feedback from more experienced users, so I appreciate any given.

In my experience that pitcher is going to hold a lot more value than the hitter so why not take the pitcher and trade him if you dont move?

You cannot have too many pitchers.  An above average second baseman is much more affordable than a number one starter in the FA market.   

Posted by gerald007 on 6/23/2010 9:47:00 PM (view original):
You cannot have too many pitchers.  An above average second baseman is much more affordable than a number one starter in the FA market.   

+1

It's much harder to find a cheap potential staff ace.