Value Snafu
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 5:01 am
I'm criticized for talking real baseball more than fantasy baseball in some pm's.
So, with that in mind, I'll let you in on a current draft and some of my thoughts...
I am currently in the midst of a CBS Draft with a lot of NFBC folks. Todd, Perry, Ryan, Greg Morgan, and others.We have just started the 20th round of an NFBC rules league.
Now, all veteran drafters have drafted a team that they can turn their nose up at, even while the draft is still ongoing. For me, this team is smellier than having old Aunt Ruth over for anchovie sandwiches.
My mistake was 'value'. A cursed word for me. When we are drafting 'value', we are actually drafting a player that WE think is of more use than other drafters.
In reality, the 14 other drafters may know the 'value' better than yourself.
When players say, 'I had so and so fall to me', well, sometimes there is a reason why so and so fell to them.
The term 'sleeper' is slowly fading into the sunset (thankfully), 'value' has, for the most part, replaced it. In this case, 'value' coupled with 'positionality', to make this draft particularly stinky.
Drafting at number 10, I drafted a bopper at number one. Number two is usually a bopper or power/speed guy for me, but Roy Halladay was available and I took him. All is good, I've taken pitchers early before and it works well.
In the third, I took a power/speed guy. I am cruising. I've got my bopper, the supposed best pitcher in baseball and a power/speed guy.
And this is where the wheels come off.
In the fourth round Victor Martinez is still available. Hey, I'm not much for taking catchers early, but the 'value' was too much to pass.
My team now stands at two guys I like and two players that were 'too good to pass on'.If I had stopped there, I feel I could have righted the ship. But, I decided to do it one more time.
Round five and Brian McCann is still on the Board. I have done three drafts prior to this and Halladay, Martinez, and McCann were all long gone before these rounds. Maybe the drafters in this draft did not like taking catchers early, understandable, it is usually a trait of mine too.
I took McCann. I knew as soon as I took him that it wasn't MY PICK, it was the draft Boards pick. A pick that was made for me by 14 other drafters.
A value pick. The dreaded value pick.
The short sighted will say, 'What is he bitchin about? He got Halladay, Martinez, and McCann at bargain rates!
Here is the problem. Although I have the best pitcher in baseball and two of the best catchers, I will be playing 'catch up' the rest of the draft.
True, my catching numbers should beat most other teams in the league, but catchers numbers do not compare with the big bopping of outfielders or first basemen, who went off the boards while taking Halladay, Martinez, and McCann. Not to mention speed, which most likely will have to be made up for by taking Judys who offer no power.
Also, by taking two catchers early, I've gypped myself out of infield positions. Not only will I be chasing numbers left on the Boards by taking two catchers early, but I will be chasing the very thing that drafting two catchers early should assist in, positionality. I have one first baseman and one outfielder. I now will be taking second and third tier infielders for the remainder of the draft.
If Shawn Childs were dead, he would be turning over in his grave. After FIVE rounds, I've barely achieved the power part of 75/75, the speed, severely lagging 75 stolen bases.
Now, every pick for me is scrutinized longer. Since, I've overdrafted pitching a bit to get an advantage on that side of the ledger. The hitters will be drafted with 'value be damned, give me a high ceiling' in mind. Some of these higher ceiling players will have to hit in order for me to have a chance at winning this league.
I will look forward to making every week lineups for this team, along with faab. The challenge is there.
Besides the Main, which always come first for me, this team will get a lot of attention.
I posted this as an honest look back at a current draft.
What are your thoughts?
Am I wrong?
Were the Halladay, Martinez, and McCann picks ok?
Some?
What would have been your strategy after the fifth round?
So, with that in mind, I'll let you in on a current draft and some of my thoughts...
I am currently in the midst of a CBS Draft with a lot of NFBC folks. Todd, Perry, Ryan, Greg Morgan, and others.We have just started the 20th round of an NFBC rules league.
Now, all veteran drafters have drafted a team that they can turn their nose up at, even while the draft is still ongoing. For me, this team is smellier than having old Aunt Ruth over for anchovie sandwiches.
My mistake was 'value'. A cursed word for me. When we are drafting 'value', we are actually drafting a player that WE think is of more use than other drafters.
In reality, the 14 other drafters may know the 'value' better than yourself.
When players say, 'I had so and so fall to me', well, sometimes there is a reason why so and so fell to them.
The term 'sleeper' is slowly fading into the sunset (thankfully), 'value' has, for the most part, replaced it. In this case, 'value' coupled with 'positionality', to make this draft particularly stinky.
Drafting at number 10, I drafted a bopper at number one. Number two is usually a bopper or power/speed guy for me, but Roy Halladay was available and I took him. All is good, I've taken pitchers early before and it works well.
In the third, I took a power/speed guy. I am cruising. I've got my bopper, the supposed best pitcher in baseball and a power/speed guy.
And this is where the wheels come off.
In the fourth round Victor Martinez is still available. Hey, I'm not much for taking catchers early, but the 'value' was too much to pass.
My team now stands at two guys I like and two players that were 'too good to pass on'.If I had stopped there, I feel I could have righted the ship. But, I decided to do it one more time.
Round five and Brian McCann is still on the Board. I have done three drafts prior to this and Halladay, Martinez, and McCann were all long gone before these rounds. Maybe the drafters in this draft did not like taking catchers early, understandable, it is usually a trait of mine too.
I took McCann. I knew as soon as I took him that it wasn't MY PICK, it was the draft Boards pick. A pick that was made for me by 14 other drafters.
A value pick. The dreaded value pick.
The short sighted will say, 'What is he bitchin about? He got Halladay, Martinez, and McCann at bargain rates!
Here is the problem. Although I have the best pitcher in baseball and two of the best catchers, I will be playing 'catch up' the rest of the draft.
True, my catching numbers should beat most other teams in the league, but catchers numbers do not compare with the big bopping of outfielders or first basemen, who went off the boards while taking Halladay, Martinez, and McCann. Not to mention speed, which most likely will have to be made up for by taking Judys who offer no power.
Also, by taking two catchers early, I've gypped myself out of infield positions. Not only will I be chasing numbers left on the Boards by taking two catchers early, but I will be chasing the very thing that drafting two catchers early should assist in, positionality. I have one first baseman and one outfielder. I now will be taking second and third tier infielders for the remainder of the draft.
If Shawn Childs were dead, he would be turning over in his grave. After FIVE rounds, I've barely achieved the power part of 75/75, the speed, severely lagging 75 stolen bases.
Now, every pick for me is scrutinized longer. Since, I've overdrafted pitching a bit to get an advantage on that side of the ledger. The hitters will be drafted with 'value be damned, give me a high ceiling' in mind. Some of these higher ceiling players will have to hit in order for me to have a chance at winning this league.
I will look forward to making every week lineups for this team, along with faab. The challenge is there.
Besides the Main, which always come first for me, this team will get a lot of attention.
I posted this as an honest look back at a current draft.
What are your thoughts?
Am I wrong?
Were the Halladay, Martinez, and McCann picks ok?
Some?
What would have been your strategy after the fifth round?