The overriding word of choice is 'value'.
They don't know any better
However, no matter my distaste in them not being just a little bit smarter, there is one word that SHOULD be there most used word.
That word is 'trust'.
We have to have at least a little bit of trust in a player before we will draft him.
I don't trust Carlos Gomez.
Since I don't trust him, I won't be rostering him this year.It's not that I COMPLETELY distrust Gomez. I just know that I won't use a first round price point to draft him and he'll never be around in the second round.
Price point is key with trust. And puhleese, don't think I am using price point as a substitute for value. The two are in no way linked.
To illustrate this, lets take Starling Marte. I don't like Marte as much as other drafters. Marte has been flying up the draft boards. He is going in the second round of a lot of drafts and with a good spring, he could be a first rounder in some.
I don't have as much trust in Marte.
My price point for Marte would be the fourth or fifth round. Like Gomez, I never expect to roster Marte.
There is also 'passing trust'. I love Tulo. Hate his injuries. Just like every other fantasy drafter.
When I am drafting last in the first round, Tulo is an option. I do not completely trust him, but those that I may have trusted more, have already been drafted.
I have never been in a draft where I've had complete trust in all players I have drafted.
Those posts describing every draft pick as if each pick is gold really do make me laugh. Not one drafter has won without using FAAB. Odds are, that no matter how much drafted players are trusted, at least half will be replaced.
Todd Zola has a lot of trust in Kole Calhoun. Is he or ADP correct? The answer is neither.
Calhoun hasn't played yet.
ADP dictates that Calhoun should be drafted at a later price point than where Todd is taking him.
He says screw ADP.
Like all of us, he thinks he's smarter than ADP.
Trust in a player will do that. It's the reason David Wright can go in the fifth round or the ninth round.
I was in the draft where Wright was taken in the ninth round. No 'value' was called by his drafter. Wright had simply reached a price point with a drafter that had little trust in Wright.
It was just a case where 15 drafters had little trust in Wright and Wright went later than other drafts.
I like Ryan Howard late in drafts. Others don't share my trust in Howard. I may get Howard two rounds after where I think he should go and two rounds before where others think he should go.
Tell me, do I have 'value' or am I overdrafting Howard?
A case could be made either way.
If going strictly by ADP, which somehow has determined 'value' (why, I'll never know), then I overdrafted Howard.
But, if going by my list, and believe me, we ALL think we're smarter than ADP, it is the opposite.
Simpler terms, I trust Ryan Howard more than the average drafter.
(Just between you and me, it should be called BADP. ADP is BELOW AVERAGE.
We all trust in Trout. (TIT)
So much so that a drafter with a number two pick never even considers rostering Trout. He entertains the idea, but plans for a start with seven other players.
TIT is large. Everybody wants TIT.
Ok, I'll end the word play.
Kershaw is trusted too. Always the first pitcher taken. But, the real surprise is Felix Hernandez.
Hernandez, above most other players is taken because of trust. He has hardly ever been taken in the first round before this year. He didn't just suddenly break out. What has happened is that a lot of drafters trust in him not to blow out an elbow.
He has Verlander reliablity with King Felix stuff.
Ultimately, we will take a player in which we only have small trust. The thought of few stolen bases may convince us to take a judy that we think little of.
I took Adam Eaton in an earlier draft. I have little trust in Eaton. I LOVE the way he plays. And for the same reason, I have little trust that he will stay healthy. He's a balls through the outfield walls player.
Like to watch, hate to own.
But, at that time, the need for speed was more of a thought than trust. There were others considered, but felt even less trust in them.
As a whole, I have a hard time trusting judy's. Most are one or two category players that look puny on a roster.
So the fault is mine. My roster construction crossed trust issues.
When the season begins, trust reigns supreme.
We'll throw pitchers at home in San Diego. We'll use hitters like Scott Van Slyke, hoping for at bats at Coors.
We're trusting the player AND the venue. A bonus if Kyle Kendrick is pitching.
We'll also trust a hot hitter or pitcher. Until they're not hot.
We like riding the wave of a hot streak.
There is something enticing about starting Jonny Gomes and watching him go 10 for 20 with four homers in a week.
We didn't expect that when rostering him. We probably got him on FAAB for a buck.
Little trust turned to must start...and a lot of trust.
Trust is a vital staple when drafting.
Probably above every other item or emotion when drafting a player.
Some of us will even adjust our KDS for a player we trust.
All, while eyeing TIT.