Re: Chasing the NFBC 2014 - Now a Veteran of Chasing & Blogg
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:52 am
Who Are You Most Invested In?
Over the past several years, I've started a thread on the main forum asking who we are most invested in. What players hold the keys to our overall success across the majority of our teams. I thought I'd just ask that question down here this year.
The following are the key players to my success, or failure, this year for each position. I didn't always choose the players I had across the majority of my teams, as a player who is in the Platinum and Diamond for me would hold more much more value than one in a handful of OC teams. Still, these are the players I need to come through for me:
C - Wilin Rosario (9 teams incl. Diamond, Ultimate Auction, & 2 Mains) - I seemed to build the majority of my teams this year with at least one elite catcher per team. Although I preferred Posey (who I also have on a handful of teams), once he was gone I would grab Rosario early and often. I liked the way my teams would look with his power bat and a BA that wouldn't hurt from a scarce position.
1B - Edwin Encarnacion (7 teams incl. Ultimate Auction, Super Auction, MLBC, a Main, & Primetime) - In my mind a beast and a pretty sure bet to contribute across 5 categories. I paid for him in both big auctions and the MLBC and grabbed him whenever he fell to me in the 2nd for drafts.
2B - Dustin Pedroia (6 teams incl. Super Auction, a Main, & 2 Primetimes) - Pedroia seemed to fall this year in drafts. I guess his unexciting, but steady production did not appeal to the majority of drafters. Whenever he fell and I was there to scoop him up, I tried to. He didn't always make it back to me, but I feel I got him relatively cheaply where I did.
SS - Jose Reyes (6 teams incl. Diamond, a Main, & 3 Primetimes) - My buddy Dobies gave me a hard time for grabbing Reyes as often as I did. I just couldn't help it. Whenever I missed out on Hanley or Desmond, my radar immediately went to Reyes. I know there's always a risk with him, especially with the hammy questions he had in the spring. Still, he was falling to the 4th and 5th rounds of drafts. I just can't pass on that type of "perceived value" on a player that has 2nd round ability "when healthy". The when healthy part of course is the kicker. He's already punished me for my trust after only one AB. They say it's only inflammation. Hopefully he's back shortly and rewards me for my faith.
3B - Aramis Ramirez (6 teams incl. Diamond, MLBC, & a Primetime) - I know he had an injury plagued, bad season last year. I just feel he's fallen too far. A power and average bat at a scarce position often still available in the double digit rounds. Seemed like a reasonable risk to me.
OF - Wil Venable (7 teams incl. Platinum, Ultimate Auction, Super Auction, MLBC, & 2 Primetimes) - Though I did grab OF's early in drafts, they seemed to vary on who was available when. I probably have Justin Upton the most of any early pick OF, but on some teams it's Bruce, on others Myers, some Choo, some Kemp, etc. etc. Where I had more say in which OF I could and should grab was in the double digit rounds and a player that I seemed to end up with quite a bit is Venable. Adam Eaton was my first choice of those double digit round potential across the board contributing OF's and I did end up with him on a handful of teams. However once he was gone, Venable moved to the top of my draft list. Drafters obviously have limited faith that he can or will repeat as 20/20 OF's should not be available where he was. Still, he was. Even if he regresses some, I think he's worth more than where he was going.
OF - Michael Bourn (9 teams incl. Super Auction, 3 Mains, & 2 Primetimes) - This year in drafts, I tried to build upon my speed late in drafts with speedy OF's. Because of Bourn's off year last season and this preseason's hammy concerns, he fell almost ridiculously low in drafts in my opinion. I get it, I do. Still, I thought he was available way beyond his floor. I got him as low as the 19th round in Mains. Just too low in my opinion. Word is he should be back within the week.
CI/UT - Mark Teixeira (8 teams incl. Diamond, & 2 Primetimes) - As the higher dollar leagues came around, I backed off Tex....a little. In the early drafts, I was grabbing him everywhere. I can still hear Dobies and Juprinka telling me more than once why I was crazy to be grabbing Teixeira, and Tex's own admission that his wrist is still not right is a major red flag. Still, he was going sooooo late, and that short porch in right is just sooooo inviting.
SP - Max Scherzer (5 teams incl. Super Auction, a Main, & Primetime) - I often got shut out or allowed myself to get shut out from the "elite" aces that were getting pushed up the boards more than ever this season. However, whenever an ace fell to the 3rd round of a draft and I was in position to grab him, I often would. More often than not, when given an opportunity at one of those 3rd round aces, I'd grab or be left with Scherzer. He seemed to go later in that tier than I'd expect considering the year he's coming off. I suppose some expect regression. I think he may just be getting started and those K's that are pretty much a sure thing are priceless.
SP - Shelby Miller/Tony Cingrani (4 teams each incl. both on Platinum, Diamond, & a Main and one or the other on Ultimate Auction and another Main) - Instead of the "elite" aces, I often found myself building my staff from the deep well of young upside starters that often could be found between rounds 5 and 15. Wacca, Cole, Tanaka, Bailey, Teheran, Cobb, Salazar, Gray, Minor, Wheeler, Estrada, Archer, Ventura, Pineda, Tillman, Straily, Porcello, etc. etc. are just some of the young future aces that found themselves as the anchors for one or more of my teams. However, Miller & Cingrani stand out as keys to my financial success this season. As the number 2 & 3 starters on my Platinum and Diamond teams as well as a Main, some of my biggest investments lie in their hands. I need them to come through.
SP - Taijuan Walker, Jenrry Mejia, Brandon Morrow - (7 teams each) - We're all forced to finish off the back end of our staffs during the back end of our drafts. We all have our favorites down there. These are some of those that I seemed to draft often during the end game. I tried to focus on talented young arms or arms that may be due for a bounce back so if they come through the upside is greatest. Some others I seemed to get often here are Wily Peralta, Phil Hughes, and Felipe Paulino.
RP - Jonathan Papelbon - (6 teams incl. Platinum, Diamond, Super Auction, & a Primetime) - Another player that I seemed to get some grief from my Buds when drafting as often as I did. Hey, when you push closers as far as I often do, I feel grateful to be able to land someone like Papelbon (no matter how much he sucks ). At least he hasn't gone the route of Parnell, Janssen, Henderson, or Jones......yet.
So those are some of the players that I'm counting on this year to help me achieve the success I'm hoping for.
Who are yours?
Over the past several years, I've started a thread on the main forum asking who we are most invested in. What players hold the keys to our overall success across the majority of our teams. I thought I'd just ask that question down here this year.
The following are the key players to my success, or failure, this year for each position. I didn't always choose the players I had across the majority of my teams, as a player who is in the Platinum and Diamond for me would hold more much more value than one in a handful of OC teams. Still, these are the players I need to come through for me:
C - Wilin Rosario (9 teams incl. Diamond, Ultimate Auction, & 2 Mains) - I seemed to build the majority of my teams this year with at least one elite catcher per team. Although I preferred Posey (who I also have on a handful of teams), once he was gone I would grab Rosario early and often. I liked the way my teams would look with his power bat and a BA that wouldn't hurt from a scarce position.
1B - Edwin Encarnacion (7 teams incl. Ultimate Auction, Super Auction, MLBC, a Main, & Primetime) - In my mind a beast and a pretty sure bet to contribute across 5 categories. I paid for him in both big auctions and the MLBC and grabbed him whenever he fell to me in the 2nd for drafts.
2B - Dustin Pedroia (6 teams incl. Super Auction, a Main, & 2 Primetimes) - Pedroia seemed to fall this year in drafts. I guess his unexciting, but steady production did not appeal to the majority of drafters. Whenever he fell and I was there to scoop him up, I tried to. He didn't always make it back to me, but I feel I got him relatively cheaply where I did.
SS - Jose Reyes (6 teams incl. Diamond, a Main, & 3 Primetimes) - My buddy Dobies gave me a hard time for grabbing Reyes as often as I did. I just couldn't help it. Whenever I missed out on Hanley or Desmond, my radar immediately went to Reyes. I know there's always a risk with him, especially with the hammy questions he had in the spring. Still, he was falling to the 4th and 5th rounds of drafts. I just can't pass on that type of "perceived value" on a player that has 2nd round ability "when healthy". The when healthy part of course is the kicker. He's already punished me for my trust after only one AB. They say it's only inflammation. Hopefully he's back shortly and rewards me for my faith.
3B - Aramis Ramirez (6 teams incl. Diamond, MLBC, & a Primetime) - I know he had an injury plagued, bad season last year. I just feel he's fallen too far. A power and average bat at a scarce position often still available in the double digit rounds. Seemed like a reasonable risk to me.
OF - Wil Venable (7 teams incl. Platinum, Ultimate Auction, Super Auction, MLBC, & 2 Primetimes) - Though I did grab OF's early in drafts, they seemed to vary on who was available when. I probably have Justin Upton the most of any early pick OF, but on some teams it's Bruce, on others Myers, some Choo, some Kemp, etc. etc. Where I had more say in which OF I could and should grab was in the double digit rounds and a player that I seemed to end up with quite a bit is Venable. Adam Eaton was my first choice of those double digit round potential across the board contributing OF's and I did end up with him on a handful of teams. However once he was gone, Venable moved to the top of my draft list. Drafters obviously have limited faith that he can or will repeat as 20/20 OF's should not be available where he was. Still, he was. Even if he regresses some, I think he's worth more than where he was going.
OF - Michael Bourn (9 teams incl. Super Auction, 3 Mains, & 2 Primetimes) - This year in drafts, I tried to build upon my speed late in drafts with speedy OF's. Because of Bourn's off year last season and this preseason's hammy concerns, he fell almost ridiculously low in drafts in my opinion. I get it, I do. Still, I thought he was available way beyond his floor. I got him as low as the 19th round in Mains. Just too low in my opinion. Word is he should be back within the week.
CI/UT - Mark Teixeira (8 teams incl. Diamond, & 2 Primetimes) - As the higher dollar leagues came around, I backed off Tex....a little. In the early drafts, I was grabbing him everywhere. I can still hear Dobies and Juprinka telling me more than once why I was crazy to be grabbing Teixeira, and Tex's own admission that his wrist is still not right is a major red flag. Still, he was going sooooo late, and that short porch in right is just sooooo inviting.
SP - Max Scherzer (5 teams incl. Super Auction, a Main, & Primetime) - I often got shut out or allowed myself to get shut out from the "elite" aces that were getting pushed up the boards more than ever this season. However, whenever an ace fell to the 3rd round of a draft and I was in position to grab him, I often would. More often than not, when given an opportunity at one of those 3rd round aces, I'd grab or be left with Scherzer. He seemed to go later in that tier than I'd expect considering the year he's coming off. I suppose some expect regression. I think he may just be getting started and those K's that are pretty much a sure thing are priceless.
SP - Shelby Miller/Tony Cingrani (4 teams each incl. both on Platinum, Diamond, & a Main and one or the other on Ultimate Auction and another Main) - Instead of the "elite" aces, I often found myself building my staff from the deep well of young upside starters that often could be found between rounds 5 and 15. Wacca, Cole, Tanaka, Bailey, Teheran, Cobb, Salazar, Gray, Minor, Wheeler, Estrada, Archer, Ventura, Pineda, Tillman, Straily, Porcello, etc. etc. are just some of the young future aces that found themselves as the anchors for one or more of my teams. However, Miller & Cingrani stand out as keys to my financial success this season. As the number 2 & 3 starters on my Platinum and Diamond teams as well as a Main, some of my biggest investments lie in their hands. I need them to come through.
SP - Taijuan Walker, Jenrry Mejia, Brandon Morrow - (7 teams each) - We're all forced to finish off the back end of our staffs during the back end of our drafts. We all have our favorites down there. These are some of those that I seemed to draft often during the end game. I tried to focus on talented young arms or arms that may be due for a bounce back so if they come through the upside is greatest. Some others I seemed to get often here are Wily Peralta, Phil Hughes, and Felipe Paulino.
RP - Jonathan Papelbon - (6 teams incl. Platinum, Diamond, Super Auction, & a Primetime) - Another player that I seemed to get some grief from my Buds when drafting as often as I did. Hey, when you push closers as far as I often do, I feel grateful to be able to land someone like Papelbon (no matter how much he sucks ). At least he hasn't gone the route of Parnell, Janssen, Henderson, or Jones......yet.
So those are some of the players that I'm counting on this year to help me achieve the success I'm hoping for.
Who are yours?