Chasing the NFBC 2023 - I'm Back!

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Glenneration X
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Chasing the NFBC 2023 - I'm Back!

Post by Glenneration X » Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:07 am

March 11, 2020. The day started not too different from most others, but by day's end the world would be forever altered. The WHO declared that the Coronavirus was now a pandemic. The president issued a travel ban from Europe. The NCAA announced no fans for March Madness. The NBA suspended their season. Cities began to shut down.

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And the NFBC canceled their live NYC and Las Vegas drafts.

At the time, I had my flights and hotels booked for both venues and a full contingent of drafts registered. Like every year, I could not wait. But I was forced to. I just didn't know at the time, how long the wait would be.

When MLB returned for a shortened 2020 season and the NFBC followed suit, I did not return with it. Although the following year I dabbled very lightly when compared to previous seasons with just a couple leagues, I again skipped the NFBC entirely last year. I felt disconnected from baseball, very unprepared, and far behind the curve.

I considered skipping the NFBC again this year. And then... my son Joseph asked me if he could try a baseball draft. Joseph's been joining me for my live NFFC football drafts in NYC since 2017 and will be joining me in Las Vegas this coming year. Sharing my passion for sports and fantasy sports with my Son is one of my great joys. The opportunity to expand it to fantasy baseball is not something I would pass on. So I bought him an NFBC 50 and we did the draft together. At the same time, I did my own Draft Championship draft. And that led to signing up for the Main Event in Las Vegas. It was inevitable, I am back.

I started writing this blog in 2010, my 2nd year in the NFBC, while chasing the great Juprinka for the lead in the NFBC towards the end of that season. I continued it for several years on these message boards and on Baseball HQ when they picked it up for a few years. But life gets in the way sometimes. My career got busier, the kids got older and busier, and life in general left less time for optional pursuits such as this blog. So in 2015 I wrote my last entry for these boards and in 2016 my last entry for Baseball HQ.

But while my return to the NFBC is not with the same volume I participated in past years, I do feel a great deal of the passion returning I felt then. And with it a desire to start this blog again. At least for now... LOL. A lot's changed in these parts since I last was a presence on the message boards. There doesn't seem to be the same participation and back-and-forth discussions now as there was during the glory days of these boards back then. Who knows if anyone will even see or read this, let alone join in the dialogue as in the past. But that's never been the point, just the icing. We're just a few days into the baseball season and I'm enjoying it more than ever. It really feels great to be back!

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Re: Chasing the NFBC 2023 - I'm Back!

Post by Glenneration X » Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:03 pm

I didn't sign up for any NFBC drafts in NYC this year. Haven't since 2019. I do miss the drafts there. Next season for sure.

For this year though, the one draft I signed up for live would be for the Main Event in one of my fave destinations cities in the world, Sin City. I love Las Vegas and I love attending the NFBC there. It's always been a special part of my year and this year no different. It's called Christmas in March for a reason.

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It was great seeing all the great players that attend the contests and all the great people that run them. There are too many to name, but it's catching up with each of these awesome people that truly make these events special.

Unfortunately, I do have to draft against these great players as well. And for the one live draft on my schedule, it was on Main Event Saturday in a league filled with legends the likes of Mike Mager, Andre Boucier, Jeff Cox, Jenny Butler, Vlad Sedler, Clark Olson, Chris Schinker/Shawn Childs, Dave Cushard, etc etc. Jeez, what a shark tank! You know what they say, if you look around the draft table and don't see the guppy... :?

To make matters worse, having only drafted a single NFBC 50 and one DC as my only drafts over the past two years and having only started my prep a few weeks prior, I felt far from ready to take on these stone cold killers. But at the time, this was my only registered live event and my only scheduled Main. So I just focused on creating a draft plan and settling on a handful of must have targets. And on Draft Day, I geared up with my trusty Seaver jersey and made my way down to the Mirage's main ballroom to do battle from the 3-hole.

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1.3 - Aaron Judge - OF - Leading into the draft, I debated between starting my roster with Aaron Judge or Julio Rodriguez. I settled on the expected extra homers from Judge rather than steals from Julio as I felt MLB's rule changes involving larger sized bases and fewer pickoffs would make HR's possibly a more scarce commodity than SB's for the 1st time in years.

2.13 - Pete Alonso - 1B - I didn't plan on Alonso here, as prior to this draft he never made it down this far in any of the previous Mains. I did hesitate on grabbing the gift though as Pete was not a perfect fit with Judge. Taking Alonso was doubling down on the same power foundation I had already set with my prior pick. I decided however that I could make it work and again that power may be more scarce and valued than previous years. Well with these 1st two picks, that certainly wouldn't be an issue for this team! And as an added benefit, Alonso plays for the future 2023 World Series champions. That has to account for something!

3.3 - Jazz Chisholm Jr - 2B - The 1st of my must have targets going into this draft. A potential 30-30 skillset who if he can stay healthy and put it all together this year could be an early 1st rounder next year. Jazz has that high a ceiling. An elite performer at possibly fantasy's most shallow position this year is just icing.

4.13 - Luis Castillo - SP - Short of a deGrom or Nola level starter unexpectedly falling to my late 2nd round pick, this was where my draft plan had me taking my 1st pitcher. Pitching seems deeper and more "level" than in recent seasons and therefore makes banging offense early and waiting on pitching like days of yore when I first started playing the NFBC more comfortable. The dream had Shane Bieber falling here and Julio Urias as the backup plan. And Bieber almost made it, taken by Jeff Cox with the pick right before this one! Hate when that happens! But when I got over my grief, I saw that Castillo was unexpectedly still available, like Alonso far later than he had fallen in any prior Main. A more than solid consolation prize.

5.3 - Julio Urias - SP - The draft plan had me grabbing Oneil Cruz here. And he should have been available according to ADP. But as often happens, when the big boys play, ADP goes out the window and Cruz was taken even before my 4th round pick. So I shifted to Julio Urias here who was originally my back up plan in the last round, obviously then a value to me here. And with a 2nd pitcher, my team's foundation is a bit more balanced.

6.13 - Teoscar Hernandez - OF

7.03 - Eloy Jimenez - OF
- The draft plan was always to draft a pair of OF's with these two picks. It just seems like a sweet spot for upside OF's. Though the original plan involved choosing between Starling Marte, Tyler O'Neill, Taylor Ward, Byron Buxton and other OF's typically available in these rounds. I had Teoscar & Eloy rated higher than those mentioned, but they were often gone by the time these picks came around. Though the team looks different than what I imagined, grabbing the 2 higher ranked players at the same positions I was targeting here was an easy shift.

8.13 - Luis Severino - SP - I wish I could say I didn't see the news that morning. But I did see it, I read it, I made a mental note of it. I just momentarily forgot it. A pure unadulterated screw up. I had this spot earmarked for an upside SP as there was typically a nice array of options available here. Severino was not part of that plan as he was typically gone a round or two earlier. And while several of the options I considered were grabbed as the draft headed back towards this pick, one of my fave upside SP's made it back to me in Nick Lodolo. I was all set to take him, but one last look just to see if I was missing anyone else unexpectedly available. And that's when I saw Severino. And that's when I blanked on the fact that I read his injury news just that morning. And that's when I shifted off of Lodolo and onto Severino. And that's when I announced his name. Before I even finished saying his name, it started coming back to me. Before I even finished saying his name, I knew I had blundered bad. How bad? In other Mains taking place at that time, Severino was dropping to the mid to late teens. Up to 10 rounds of value plus a dead roster spot while he heals. That bad. Ugh.

9.3 - Nick Lodolo - SP - I was planning on taking my 1st catcher here. But after the screw up last round, I still needed a SP3 and thought that the more critical position to fill. With personal fave Lodolo still out there, I took him here... unfortunately a round later than I should have.

10.13 - Andres Munoz - RP - Taking pitching early was a hard enough transition for an old school drafter like myself. Taking a closer early? I still haven't made that transition yet. So I always find myself here, choosing among the 2nd & 3rd tier options, between the ones with the role but uncertain to hold it or the ones without the full role who could excel if they ever get it. In Munoz, I grabbed one of the latter, and possibly the best of that group. If he ever overtakes Sewald for the full closer job, he has the skills to be the very best at the position.

11.3 - Anthony Volpe - SS - Must have target. The draft plan though had me taking him at the next turn where Main Event ADP to date said he should still be available. Over the break though, I decided to jump him a full round. He's been hot and all it would take is one other drafter to be as fully convinced as me that the job was already his but just not yet announced to miss out on my fave prospect of the year. I didn't want to take that chance to grab anyone else available in the 11th.

12.13 - David Robertson - RP - Go back to my Andres Munoz comments and Robertson is the flip side of that coin. But if he holds the job, there's upside on this team to lead the league in saves. After all, we are talking about the future World Series Champions. The only thing missing is the trumpets! Player I drafted for both Main Event teams.

13-3 - Whit Merrifield - 2B/OF/MI - A bounce back must have target. Specifically for SB's. With the early round construction of this team, we have a NEED, a NEED for SPEED. If Whit is able to produce as in the past, he should help there.

14.13 - Anthony Rendon - 3B - Another bounce back target. Once I missed out on the early round 3B options and Gunnar, waiting on the position until Rendon became the draft plan. Hoping he can stay healthy and return to his once elite status.

15.3 - Jon Gray - SP

16.13 - Jack Flaherty - SP
- Filling out the staff with options who've done it before and hopefully are healthy and can stay healthy and reach those levels once again. As they say, once you own a skill... There's also something about riding a bike, but I digress...

17.3 - Wil Myers - 1B/OF/CI - One of the rare corner infield options who can contribute with a handful or two of steals. Moving to Cincy's bandbox may help with the bat contributions as well.

18.13 - Adalberto Mondesi - SS - Major bounceback must have target, especially when the noise was he was possible for an earlier than expected return. Then the season starts and he gets placed on the 60 day IL. Is he worth the wait? Even if he is, can I wait that long?

19.3 - Kyle Bradish - SP - Young upside SP target.

20.13 - Christian Vazquez - C - This is what you end up with at C1 when you have a Severino level screw up. Sigh. Well at least he shouldn't hurt BA too much and could contribute a handful of much needed steals.

21.3 - Kendall Graveman - RP - Bet on the wrong horse to fill in for Liam Hendriks while he recovers. Well at least he had a blow up outing to hurt my ERA & WHIP before I was able to drop him. Sigh. Dropped today.

22.13 - Justin Steele - SP - Young upside must have SP target. Drafted for both Main Event teams.

23.3 - Adam Duvall - OF - Target for cheap power and Green Monster upside. Felt very undervalued in drafts. Drafted for all 4 NFBC teams.

24.13 - Daniel Hudson - RP - Once healthy I believe he gets opportunity at closer role. Can I wait for him though?

25.3 - Joey Wendle - 2B, SS, 3B - Backup at all IF positions and one who can contribute a few steals. Players like this can prove very useful during the long hard season. Drafted for both Main Events.

26.13 - Andrew McCutcheon - OF - Former elite performer during back stretch of career. Betting that he has a little something left in the tank.

27.3 - Bubba Thompson - OF - Young speed target.

28.13 - Kevin Kiermaier - OF - Dropped during last week's pre-Opening Day waiver wire for Will Benson for 52 in FAAB.

29.3 - James Paxton - SP - Should return to throwing off mound this week and to rotation this month. Can I wait for him and is he even worth it? Drafted for both Main Events.

30.13 - Francisco Mejia - C - Again the Severino effect. Dropped in last week's waiver wire for Nick Fortes for 1 in FAAB.

I left this draft pretty happy outside of the pick of you know who. Landed a few of my must have targets and most players at what I considered good value (sorry Doughy). I left with something else though. The need for another draft! The first thing I did when the draft ended was find Greg and ask what Main Even openings still remained. :lol:

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Re: Chasing the NFBC 2023 - I'm Back!

Post by Glenneration X » Mon Apr 03, 2023 6:25 pm

And so I wasn't 5 minutes outside the completion of my Main Event and was already hunting for another. I found Greg who hooked me up with Tom who helped me find an opening in an available upcoming Main and helped me register right there in the ballroom of the Mirage where several other current Mains were still finishing up.

This new Main would take place Online the day I returned home from the West Coast on Wednesday night before Opening Day. Which was perfect! It gave me a few days to digest the Main Event draft I just completed and use the information learned there to hopefully construct an even better draft plan.

Tom was at his old shenanigans so of course I ended up with my 15th KDS choice which was the 15th pick overall. Thanks again Tom! :x
The one positive being my 1st Main was from the front of the draft, we'd have a whole different perspective from the back.

So on the night of the draft, only hours after landing at JFK, I opened my laptop and readied myself for battle from the back end of the draft against defending Champ Bob Cramutola, Jeff Erickson, Eric Heberlig, and others. No doubt it was going to be another war.

1.15 - Bobby Witt Jr - SS/3B

2.1 - Fernando Tatis Jr - SS/OF - Tough to plan from the back of the draft unless going P/P which is a direction I decided I didn't want to go. If not going P/P though, you're pretty much dependent on what falls to you. I partially circumvented that by deciding prior to the draft that taking Tatis here a touch earlier than ADP is a play to win move that I'm willing to embrace. I'd then pair him up with whatever other hitter that typically goes earlier in the 1st fell to the end. I was surprised to see that it was Witt, but happily surprised. I would have to make a pair of shortstops work, but luckily they both qualify at other positions as well so wouldn't be that much of a stretch. Certainly worth starting off with a pair of 5 category studs.

3.15 - Kevin Gausman - SP

4.1 - Dylan Cease - SP
- Unless my man crush Jazz unexpectedly dropped here, I was taking a pair of aces at this turn to balance the 20/20 goodness I grabbed on offense the last turn. I chose Gausman & Cease over Wheeler & Fried (luckily!) for the added K's.

5.15 - Oneil Cruz - SS - I was thinking OF here and there was a bevy of attractive options available. I certainly wasn't thinking SS after grabbing 2 others in the 1st 2 rounds. But I didn't expect Oneil Cruz to make it to the back end of this round. And as I stated in the draft summary for my 1st Main, he was a must have target for me that I missed out on there. Well, I guess I could play Witt at 3B and Tatis at SS with Cruz at MI? Ummm... errrr... why the hell not! Oneil, welcome home!

6.1 - Salvador Perez - C - Having gone very cheap at catcher in my 1st Main (thank you Severino!), I planned on paying up in this one and I had my eye on Adley Rutschman for this spot. And he was available. But unexpectedly so was Perez. It took a minute to shift gears, but even though Perez isn't as sexy a pick he probably is the better one. So Perez it was.

7.15 - Wander Franco - SS - Having taken Oneil during the last turn made me push taking my planned 1st OF until this turn. And I decided I would take whoever of Taylor Ward, Starlin Marte, Jake McCarthy, Eloy Jimenez, Tyler O'Neill, or Byron Buxton made it back around to me. I mean one of them would make it back right? Well with one pick left before me, all were taken except for Buxton. And with the player in the 14 hole already having 3 OF's in his 1st 6 picks, there's no way he would snag Buxton from me. Wrong! Taken right from out of my greedy hands!!! Now what? There weren't any other OF's I felt comfortable grabbing here. But there was a SS. Surprisingly, Wander Franco was still on the board. He was much more valuable in my mind than these stinky OF's just taken from me. But one problem. I already had 3 shortstops. But... Witt could go to 3B, Tatis to the OF, leaving Oneil at SS, and Wander could man the middle. Done! I'll make this work. And what the hell. 4 shortstops in my 1st 7 picks! You know what they say, you can never have enough shortstops! I know they really don't, but they should.

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8.1 - Chris Sale - SP - If Sale can just stay healthy, the ceiling on this pick as a SP3 is sky high.

9.15 - Tyler Stephenson - C - From a Main with 2 very inexpensive catchers to a Main with 2 costly ones. Different drafts call for different strategies.

10.1 - Christian Walker - 1B - Upside power 1B target & breakout candidate.

11.15 - Tyler Glasnow - SP - Must have SP target. Passed up some decent healthy options to get Glasnow's upside when healthy out of the SP4 slot. Just get & stay healthy for once please.

12.1 - David Robertson - RP - This is pushing closer very very late, even for me. But getting the closer for the LFGM's could turn into a very inexpensive but very profitable get. Drafted for both Main Events.

13.15 - Senya Suzuki - OF - My 1st pure OF (though I'll be playing Tatis there) and not even a healthy one at that as he started the season on the 10 day DL. But he does have some upside and hopefully can put it all together after a year in the States.

14.1 - Daniel Bard - RP - To think I was thrilled to nab a player with the clear closer role on his team this late. That is before he bailed out right before Opening Day with anxiety issues. Not to make light of anyone's condition, but you'd think someone with anxiety issues may have chosen a less stress related career choice than closer in Colorado? Ahh well, hopefully he gets healthy, gets himself together, and comes back to have a season as awesome as last year's was for him.

15.15 - Alex Verdugo - OF

16.1 - Ramon Laureano - OF - Filling out the OF ranks with solid though maybe not the most exciting options. Post hype breakouts?

17.15 - Jose Altuve - 2B - I'll have to wait for him, but when healthy one of the best & most consistent fantasy producers in the game.

18.1 - Jose Berrios - SP - Bounce back SP candidate. Not long ago was one of the more exciting upside options available.

19.15 - Austin Meadows - OF - Bounce back OF candidate. Not long ago was one of the more exciting upside options available.

20.1 - Adam Duvall - OF - Must have cheap power target. As stated in my last draft summary, drafted for everyone of my teams across the board.

21.15 - Seranthony Dominguez - RP - Drafted as part of the committee, but also as the most talented player in that bullpen hopefully the eventual clear cut leader of the committee.

22.1 - Triston McKenzie - SP - On the shelf but should be an asset when healthy.

23.15 - Harrison Bader - OF - On the shelf but should be an asset when healthy.

24.1 - Justin Steele - SP - Must have young SP target. Drafted for both Main Events.

25.15 - Ryan Pepiot - SP - Was excited to have drafted him and to see what he had. Of course, that didn't last long as injured just before Opening Day and dropped in the 1st in-season waiver wire.

26.1 - Joey Wendle - 2B/SS/OF - Backup at all 3 IF positions and on this MASH unit of a team extremely needed. Drafted for both Main Events.

27.15 - LaMonte Wade - 1B/OF/CI - CI who can also provide OF depth who's also lead off hitter for SF. That's a lot of positives for a player available this late.

28.1 - Rodolfo Castro - 2B/3B - Drafted as MI version of Wade, but didn't get the early playing time. Dropped in 1st in-season waiver wire.

29.15 - Randal Grichuk - OF

30.1 - James Paxton - SP - Should have never drafted either of these 2 as there were already too many injured players on this roster. Dropped Paxton in 1st in-season waiver wire. Tried to do the same with Grichuk, but screwed up my bid group & it was invalidated! Not as bad a mistake as Severino for my other Main but Jeez! Get it together Glenn!

Not sure I like this team as much as my 1st, but it sure is interesting with the 4 shortstops. We'll see how it plays out, but who knows this might be the Year of the Shortstop in the NFBC!

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Re: Chasing the NFBC 2023 - I'm Back!

Post by Glenneration X » Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:17 pm

I know it's early, but this pretty much sums up how my fantasy baseball season has gone so far.

Kyle Bradish absolutely dealing tonight for my Las Vegas Main Event team... so what happens? Comebacker hits him in the leg at 104 mph.
Out for the game and knowing my luck out for the season forced to retire and join a monastery.

After the Severino brain freeze during my 1st Main, the Bard & Pepiot IL announcements in the 15 minutes between end of my 2nd Main & Opening Day's 1st pitch, and my FAAB bid group being invalidated by dropping Paxton a 2nd time instead of Grichuk, etc etc etc, and now this with Bradish, I'm starting to get an iffy feeling on how this baseball season may go.

Damn it Bradish... all I've got to say is next time a comebacker is about to hit you...

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