Long time listener, first time caller...first time in an eliminator, so I have no idea what I'm doing here, but I basically do whatever OG tells me to do, so here I am...
To begin with, being near the end of the draft, I definitely was in favor of reverse order for drafting stadiums. I took Turner Field because I'm a Braves fan, and since it plays, marginally, as a pitcher's park, I hoped it would negate some of, what I expect to be, the effects of a big-time hitters' league...
Round 1: Joe Mauer--First catcher off the board, I wasn't in love with any of the pitchers available at this point in the draft. I had hoped Josh Johnson would fall to me, but it was not to be, so I took the best player at a scarce position...
Round 2: Ubaldo Jiminez--Best pitcher left who was good in 2009 and had at least one other good season, in this case, 2010. At this point, it's clear I'm playing for 2009 and 2010, and I let that dictate the remainder of my draft. I'm hoping to pluck some contraction picks to make me competitive in the remaining seasons...
Round 3: Hanley Ramirez--Great in 2009, good in 2010, and young enough that he could rebound in 2013, and he plays at a relatively scarce position.
Round 4: JA Happ--Wasn't even sure what a JA Happ was before this draft, but he was the best guy left among SPs in 2009, but he's useless after that....
Round 5: Carl Crawford--Just looking for best player, period, in 2009...had looked at Justin Upton, but mw100 took him shortly after this pick...
Round 6: Jayson Werth--Since Upton was gone, I took another guy with a great 2009 and 2010 in Werth...I was holding off at 3B and 2B at this point and going for best impact guys because there seemed to be depth at 2B and 3B (or, maybe it was just that there wasn't much difference among the guys remaining)...
Round 7: Rich Harden--I've always loved his low OAV, and he gave me enough innings that I could use him in a 5 man rotation...I definitely needed innings at this point with the way that pitchers were flying off the board...
Round 8: Kendry Morales--Morales or Morneau, that was my dilemma...I sort of figured both wouldn't make it back, and I really liked the fact that Morales was a SH, so I went with him...this is also the point in the draft where I began to realize that yankeejoe5 would be stealing my players throughout the rest of the draft...he had already taken some guys I was eyeing (Ohlendorf), and he took Lind after my pick, who was another guy who I hoped would sneak back owing to his DH status...
Round 9: Scott Kazmir--not in love with this pick, but I knew I needed innings to compete in 2009...and he didn't suck...this is also the point at which I really realize that OG's lineup in 2009 is going to s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e...sure hope he makes it to 2010...
Round 10: Brendan Morrow--my first pick with only an eye to the future...he's useful in the 'pen this season, so it's not a total waste...
Round 11: Derek Holland--my second pick with an eye primarily to the future...he'll serve as a crappy 5th starter, but has some useful seasons after that. Also the point in the draft where I realize that bagearse will also be screwing me at the opposite end of the draft...after taking Morneau earlier, he's taken Kubel as well...this is also the second time in the draft where I realize that our commish may not be with us in Season 2 based on his 2009 lineup...
Round 12: Casey McGehee--qualifies at 2B and 3B, partial season, but good in 2010, I was trying to decide between him and one of the few .500 slugging full-time hitters left in Brad Hawpe...guess who took him after this picke? Yep...yankeejoe5...
Round 13: Matt Diaz--I needed a Braves player...well, just because, and since yankeejoe5 just took Mike Lowell, who I had been eyeing, I went with the best partial season I could find...
Round 14: Jose Lopez--Wasn't planning on taking him, but surprised he was still there, he rounds out my IF with some decent power...not very useful after this season...OG: Ian Snell...really?
Round 15: Sean White--not only is he a master snow boarder, but he has a pretty solid relief season. I had puposely been avoiding relievers up to this point, but decided I couldn't wait much longer. Very happy to get him here...
Round 16: Delmon Young--decent as a DH for me in 2009, he had one of the best 2010 seasons left of available players...I knew, if I had any hope of lasting 'til 2013, I needed to do well in both 2009 AND 2010, and this guy was a must...
Round 17: Andres Torres--good partial season in 2009, I took this guy for his 2010 season...
Round 18: Daric Barton--See: Torres, Andres...
Round 19: Brian Matusz--it dawned on me that I needed innings in 2010, and I was surprised to find him here...always projected to be the next great Orioles pitcher, he has a chance to produce a solid 2013...
Round 20: Joe Thatcher--just looking for solid relief help in 2009, this guy has a great K rate...
Round 21:
12/31/2012 7:51 PM (edited)