Smoak, Saunders, Pelfrey and Our Inner Self

[DOUGHBOYS]

We all draft differently.
That's what makes each draft so darn interesting.
We all get a chance to take a peak at the first six rounds of DC Drafts, thanks to Greg's posts.
For some reason, some drafters are apalled that a drafter could start a draft with four, five, or even six pitchers.
Their feeling is that a drafter can never get 'caught up' in hitting.
On the other hand, if a drafter selects six straight hitters, not a word is uttered.
Why is that?

It may be because we have to fill 14 positional options on offense. Only nine with pitchers.
Offense is also separated into nine different positional categories, pitchers one.
For some reason, it is more taboo to have mediocre hitting, rather than mediocre pitching.
We think that pitchers can over perform more than hitters.
Every year, a Jake Arrieta spawned.
While hitters like Machado, Arenado, Bryant, Correa,and Harper seemingly slip into the first round as if there for years.
Forever, we've fooled ourselves into thinking that any first rounder will perform better than players in later rounds.
Even though every year, that is proven wrong.
The same perception that brings 'value' to the lips of drafters.

Yesterday, I was in a draft when a fellow chirped 'value' for getting Justin Smoak in the 35th round.
Yes, the same Justin Smoak who is third on his own teams depth chart at first base.
The same Justin Smoak with a .224 lifetime average and who has never had over 20 homers, 60 rbi, or 60 runs.
I don't know if that's value.
It might be.
Smoak may break out after Encarnacion and Colabello both break their legs.
Still, Smoak is a tough take for me.
As is, Smoak is a Managers whim. He could play. He could not.
Realistically, we would only play Smoak if KNOWING that he'll at least play two games of a three game set.
We don't know that with Smoak.
So even if he hits 20 homers during a course of a season, there's a good bet that at least 10 of those will be hit while his ass is firmly planted on our fantasy bench.

We draft a guy like Smoak as a backup to our backup first baseman. In other words, if we have to start him, it's not good.
That brings up another point in how we are different.
When we get to the mid-30's rounds in drafts, drafts seem to dart all over the place.
While one drafter is selecting Smoak for a backup to his backup, another drafter is taking a pitcher who hasn't made it above AA ball.
Another will take Melvin Upton Jr. (still hard to type) (and still the answer to the trivia question, 'When is a BJ, not a bj).
He doesn't take Upton as a backup to backup his outfielders, he drafts him hoping for the past.
Just like Carl Crawford.
Or Chase Utley.
By the way, Ron Shandler, age, wear, and tear says "F*** you" to 'Once a player displays a skill, he owns it' theory.
Other drafters take players who 'never were'.
I've taken Mike Pelfrey in some drafts.
Pelfrey was ballyhooed as a prospect.
And it seems like executives have never given up on him.
He'll be entering his 11th season this year.
An innings eater. One of the worst names given to a fantasy pitcher.
Pelfrey has NEVER had a WHIP under 1.38. Never.
That should be enough to scare away any drafter.
Still, here I am in the late 40's, looking at him and thinking, 'maybe he can throw a few good games'.
I know that the kid in AA has a better chance, but Pelfrey has something the kid in AA does not have.
Instant opportunity.
It's why we take Santiago Casilla over Delin Betances.
We know who has the better stuff and who is the better pitcher.
But, we're playing a game in filling categories.
And right now, good or bad, Pelfrey has that shot over the AA kid and Casilla gets a chance at the Saves category, Betances does not.

We go in many different directions during a 50 round draft.
And in these 'slow/slow' drafts, it becomes a grind.
Heck, even a name could draw us.
'Socrates' or 'Adonis'? Who can resist that?
Sure as Hell beats 'Asdrubal'.
One thing amusing is current news and the effects on drafters.
I took Seung-Hwan Oh yesterday. In the thirty sixth round.
I knew little of him. Did a quick check on his Asian numbers and already had Siegrist on my team.
Never a thought though, till the news broke of his signing.
When Ben Revere was traded for Drew Storen, a fellow in our draft was quick to take Michael Saunders in the early 30's of our draft.
While true that Saunders has one less body ahead of him on the depth chart, Saunders problems are with his own body.
Saunders is allergic to a lot of playing time.
Saunders is Saunders worst enemy, not Revere or other players.
Just the same, we don't know.
Maybe this is the year Saunders stays healthy.
And maybe this is the year that Smoak goes 30/100.
And maybe this is the year that Pelfrey has a WHIP of 1.20
Until the season begins, that 'value' within us, tells us there's a chance that it might happen.
Even when our brain thinks otherwise.