Who Goes No. 1 In 2006 NFBC Draft?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:27 am

As we head into the final weekend of the 2005 NFBC season, it seems like a good time to start looking ahead to 2006's draft. We're already working on our two Fantasy Sports Magazine issues and it's been fun to look at the potential rankings for our first issue. Who should we rank No. 1 and who are the Top 15 picks of 2006?

With that in mind, let me ask you?

1) Is there a consensus No. 1 pick this year?

2) Can you rank your top 15 right now?

I'll throw out what seems to be the obvious names for potential first round picks and let everyone else chime in. Should be fun.

Alex Rodriguez

Albert Pujols

Vladimir Guerrero

Derrek Lee

Bobby Abreu

Carl Crawford

Alfonso Soriano

Miguel Tejada

Johan Santana

David Ortiz

Mark Teixeira

Manny Ramirez

Miguel Cabrera

Gary Sheffield

David Wright

You could make a case for a lot of other players here. I'm just throwing some names out (sorry Michael Young, Andruw Jones, Chris Carpenter and Jason Bay for ommitting you guys) and looking for feedback. Chime in if you feel like preparing for Draft Day today.

kd.gray · Post by **kd.gray** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:27 am

I'd have to say with his double figure SB totals that Pujols is head and shoulders above the rest on my early list.

Also, with the not so stellar numbers of Randy Johnson, Oliver Perez, Ben Sheets, etc., we may see fewer pitchers go in the first two rounds.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:00 am

ARod, Pujols, then everybody else. I agree about pitching.

Hey Greg, I hope your publications all feature a better sleeper than Kotchman this coming year!

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:10 am

Greg I like your list- the one guy I would possibly add is Helton. Late in the 1st round 14 or 15 you will have to take some chances next year. I would prefer Helton and hope his 1st half this year was an abberation to a one year older last year of the contract Gary Sheffield.

Bottom line is next year you will either be chasing the next generations of studs (Wright) or taking a chance that someone recovers back to top ten status.

I also agree Pujols has moved ahead of Arod.

You never know I might just go Sheets...

[ September 29, 2005, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: Chest Rockwell ]

nydownunder · Post by **nydownunder** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:04 am

I think picks 1-3 are a no brainer in no particular order, although I favor Pujols. Picks 4-7 will become more obvious over time, but I would dread having picks 8-11 next year I think there will be a lot of hoping on those picks (ie very young, old, and/or injury risks, yet high potentkial). Picks 12-15 will be happy with what's left and grab something of equal value on the swing around in round 2.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:05 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

ARod, Pujols, then everybody else. I agree about pitching.

Hey Greg, I hope your publications all feature a better sleeper than Kotchman this coming year! Hey, don't stop there! I had Dallas McPherson as the No. 1 rookie (and on several of my fantasy teams) and Chris Burke No. 2!

Ouch on both of those. Of our Top 20 rookies in the May issue of Fantasy Sports Magazine, our best hits were Gustavo Chacin at No. 9, Clint Barmes at No. 13, Huston Street at No. 14, Ryan Howard at No. 21 and Garrett Atkins at No. 24.

My Top 10 Sleeper Picks in that issue were:

1. Jeremy Bonderman

2. Joel Piniero

3. Aaron Boone

4. Joe Mauer

5. Dave Roberts

6. Luis Terrero

7. Jason Lane

8. Brett Tomko

9. Chad Tracy

10. Angel Berroa

11. Jay Gibbons (had to add him).

Not all hits, but not all misses, either.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:16 am

Thats right it was McPherson that you were touting so highly. So what about next year? I don't think that Weeks, Howard, Fielder, and Duke can be considered sleepers anymore. Thoughts?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:52 am

Originally posted by DOUGHBOYS:

Thats right it was McPherson that you were touting so highly. So what about next year? I don't think that Weeks, Howard, Fielder, and Duke can be considered sleepers anymore. Thoughts? Ahhhh, putting me on the spot so soon, huh?

Certainly Delmon Young won't be a sleeper rookie pick, but he will definitely be my top rookie recommendation. He's definitely the leading candidate for our Fantasy Sports Magazine Minor League Player of the Year Award and the Devil Rays would be foolish not to start the season with this guy in the outfield.

B.J. Upton has requested a trade if the Devil Rays don't start him at shortstop and I highly doubt that he wants to spend another season at Triple-A. I have a feeling he will play somewhere in the majors in 2006 and will be a good fantasy player....and a defensive liability. But honestly he could be a solid offensive star as a rookie (hmmm, 45 games and 159 ABs in 2004 probably was too much for that designation).

Anyway, some names to remember this off-season:

Conor Jackson, 1B, Arizona

Carlos Quentin, OF, Arizona

Francisco Liriano, SP, Minnesota

Jeremy Hermida, OF, Florida

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, Washington

Scott Baker, SP, Minnesota

Anthony Reyes, SP, St. Louis

Jon Lester, SP, Boston

Craig Hansen, SP, Boston

Kendry Morales, Anaheim

[ September 29, 2005, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Greg Ambrosius ]

CC's Desperados · Post by **CC's Desperados** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:29 pm

Abreu 5th, come on!! He's been a stiff since late June..... .269 6 42 10

bjoak · Post by **bjoak** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:41 pm

I can't believe I waste my time arguing with a guy who puts together sentences like this:

I would prefer Helton and hope his 1st half this year was an abberation to a one year older last year of the contract Gary Sheffield.

Spyhunter · Post by **Spyhunter** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:00 pm

I am not so sure about Pujolis over Arod. I think it is close toss up but the risk of Plantar Facitis (spelling?) is what would sway me to Arod... Plus the yankee lineup...

As for the rest, well, I think I like Teixera a bit more than others for a monster year next year and I expect Vlad to have a nice comeback...

My top 4: Arod (by a slight margin), Pujolis, Vlad and Teixera. Then Soriano (postional shortage), Johan Santana, Manny, and David Ortiz, then I would have think some more...

Spy

Spy

SlackerDan · Post by **SlackerDan** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 11:47 pm

C. Crawford is a top 10 player next year .. heck, he should have been a top 10 this year in all leagues. 50 steals, 300 avg, will hit 20 bombs and next year, DRays will win the East. Fast, young, new owner, new manager, will grab a few 2nd tier pitching vets and you heard it hear first Mike Piazza will be in Tampa Bay next year to help make this team a winner!

SlackerDan, a Tampa Bay Devil Ray Fan!

crazytown · Post by **crazytown** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:29 am

Not one mention of Beltran. Has he dropped that far? D. Lee just a one year guy like Adrian Beltre last year. Sheffield, old. Pitching will not go as high as last year.

ARod and Tejada play everyday.

Arod, Pujols, Soriano, Vlad, Abreu, Crawford,.....

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:47 am

Originally posted by bjoak:

I can't believe I waste my time arguing with a guy who puts together sentences like this:

quote: I would prefer Helton and hope his 1st half this year was an abberation to a one year older last year of the contract Gary Sheffield.

[/QUOTE]Or got beat by him by somewhere around 75 spots? I sure did get lucky this year. Also everyone who says Crawford is a first round pick is a moron. The most smartest fantasy baseball player in all the land said he was not bjoak. Said if you get him you may struggle in homeruns and rbi's- we were extremely lucky to get 29 league points in homeruns and rbis with him.

Slacker Dan actually was the one who convinced me over a Friday night dinner that Crawford was the way to go at 8, we had debated Crawford, Soriano, and Manny.

Congrats Dan and Evan on doing so well.

[ September 30, 2005, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: Chest Rockwell ]

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:04 am

Carl Crawford a top 10 player? I guess it would depend how mant lefties are throwing in the AL East next year. The guy hits .244 with 2 homers against southpaws, I'll pass. Sheffield is old THIS year, so why can't he do it next year? The two wild cards are Beltran and Ortiz. Will we see the Beltran of last year or this year next time and with Ortiz, a lot of roster mobility will be lost with him at the U position all year, but the stats may be too good to pass up.

Chest Rockwell · Post by **Chest Rockwell** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:05 am

Originally posted by crazytown.gov:

Not one mention of Beltran. Has he dropped that far? D. Lee just a one year guy like Adrian Beltre last year. Sheffield, old. Pitching will not go as high as last year.

ARod and Tejada play everyday.

Arod, Pujols, Soriano, Vlad, Abreu, Crawford,..... I agree on avoiding Sheff, agree on D Lee being highly likely to let someone down- but I think D Lee is more likely to go back to being D Lee of the last 5 seasons than Beltre.

Obviously Beltran has the ability to be a 1st round type player again, my question would be more if he is ever going to be a 30 steal guy anymore. Lots of interesting debates to brew up though-

Arod vs Pujols

Crawford vs Abreu

Tejada vs Soriano

Tex vs Miggy

Papi vs Manny

Santana vs Aaron Small

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:31 am

Originally posted by CC Desperados:

Abreu 5th, come on!! He's been a stiff since late June..... .269 6 42 10 I didn't put him fifth. I just listed 15 players, not in any order.

bjoak · Post by **bjoak** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:16 pm

Also everyone who says Crawford is a first round pick is a moron. The most smartest fantasy baseball player in all the land said he was not bjoak. Said if you get him you may struggle in homeruns and rbi's- we were extremely lucky to get 29 league points in homeruns and rbis with him.

Are you drunk when you write these? I wish your points were clear enough to understand. And this is after editing. Let me nail down the same point for the 800th time: you are the one who thinks the first round pick is a good predictor of what a whole team will be good at. I do think that Crawford doesn't do enough to make up for the things he, as a first-rounder, does in a substandard way. Doesn't mean you can't build a good team with him in it. Just how almost all guys built good teams depite picks that didn't work out.

I hate to break it to you, but both of us did well because we picked Ensberg in the 18th (or whenever). Your offensive production has a lot more to do with picking him over say D'Angelo Jimenez than taking Crawford over say Manny Ramirez.