A Most Unusual Draft
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:38 am
In this space, I usually have shared my Main Event drafts.
I haven't done so this year because I buckled. Wussified.
I heard from so many folks close to my draft that my draft was horrible.
They felt it was so bad that I believed it myself.
Well, at least for a couple of days.
I drafted online, while most other drafters were in Las Vegas.
The draft filled with respected drafters.
Usually, I don't go into a Main Event draft with a specific strategy. My motus operandi is simply to draft the 10 best players (in my mind) for the first 10 rounds. Then go on from there, usually looking for bargains.
I did this in my first Main Event, the previous weekend.
In the days leading to the this Main Event, I started (over) thinking.
I mused that pitchers were being taken with reckless abandon.
15 pitchers with the top 45 picks? Too many!
It just got me thinking that maybe I should take the anti-Starter approach.
I resolved, that unless getting a huge bargain, that I would leave Starters alone for the first few rounds.
I did.
And after eight rounds, no Starters.
My 'strategy' came easy. Pitchers were selected with the passion of a gob ringing the bell in the red light district after six months at sea.
In this draft, 14 of the first 15 Starters taken before their ADP!
As if these drafters wanted to make sure I follow through on this plan.
Drafting out of the 15-spot, I selected Goldschmidt and Story.
On the next turn, Hoskins and Treinen.
In backburnering Starters in this strategy, it was imperative that I have two great Closers, hopefully three.
I was hoping, actually, to have a lot of weeks in throwing five Starters and four relievers.
My figuring being that I was not going to be near the top of the standings in strike outs.
Not punting strike outs, just knowing that a 11th or 12th place finish in the category would probably be in the cards.
In round five and six, I selected Aguilar and Roberto Osuna.
This started a Closer run that would see eight Closers taken in the sixth round.
Six rounds, no Starter.
Holding true to the strategy, I selected Mitch Haniger and Matt Chapman in rounds seven and eight.
I have to admit, it was kind of fun in looking at the offense and Closers without a thought of Starters.
A little freeing
But, I also knew that eventually, I would have to take a Starter or, ugh, more .
By now, I had received a text or two about my lack of pitching from fellow drafters.
Nice to know that others care
I took a long time with my picks on the nine-ten turn.
For me, the toughest turn I have ever had in a draft.
It sucks being on the turn and loving, absolutely loving, three players available.
Maeda, Tanaka, and Moncada.
This was the first time I had even considered Starters. And I was considering two.
I felt that Maeda and Tanaka could put up numbers that resembled the Starters at the top of the draft.
I had trumpeted Moncada to friends, telling them that THIS would be his year.
I decided to put my mouth where my money was and select him.
The other pick being Maeda.
In looking at my offense, I felt speed was needed.
It became a top priority for me.
I knew that I only had one Starter, but to make this strategy work, my offense and Closers have to have no holes.
I took Ender Inciarte with pick 11. Jon Gray with pick 12.
I saw Gray pitch in College, then score kept his games in his first rung up the professional ladder.
He had always been a 'thrower'. But after getting a wake up call and being sent down to the minors last year, he is becoming more of a pitcher.
At least, that is my take and hope.
In round 13 and 14, I felt like my offense was well-rounded. I would have liked to have added some catching depth, but drafting catching after the 10th round too soon was a fools errand.
After Grandal, Posey, Molina, Ramos, and Contreras of the 9-10 rounds, it was a long drop to the Yan Gomes-Danny Jansen group later.
So, it was in round 13 and 14 that I took my third Starter and third Closer. Jose Quintana and Pedro Strop.
I do not believe that Brandon Morrow will ever pitch meaningful innings again.
Quintana fits in with Maeda and Gray in maybe being better than most thought they will be this year.
I over drafted two players in rounds 15 and 16.
The love for both being over the top and their positional eligibilty was critical for this team.
Jeff McNeil and Kike Hernandez.
I know, I know. I only have three Starters and that may seem more critical.
But, I am trying to stay true to my strategy of having everything else built for this team, while Starters are treated like wall flowers.
A little more than half way through the draft, my team looks like this...
C- ?
C- ?
1B- Goldschmidt
2B- Moncada
3B- Chapman
SS- Story
MI- McNeil
CI- Aguilar
OF- Hoskins
OF- Haniger
OF- Inciarte
OF- K Hernandez
OF- ?
U- ?
SP- Maeda
SP- Gray
SP- Quintana
SP-
SP-
REL-
CL- Treinen
CL- Osuna
CL- Strop
In other drafters minds, I had only selected three of my seven Starters. I knew that I would be having A LOT of lineups with only six Starters and many more with only five. There was one player left in the next 14 picks that I felt was integral to my team. But I couldn't select him just yet because he was going cheap in Main Events and I did not want to over pay for him.
More on this player later.
In rounds 17 and 18, I took Yan Gomes and Michael Wacha.
Gomes is a catcher. Nuff said.
Wacha fell in with other Starters as being a possible 'better than he has looked' pitcher.
You'll also notice that all my Starters have National League flavor.
I do give pitchers from that league a bit of a nod over the other league.
It's not the DH or that A.L. hitters are better.
I feel that American League Managers leave failing Starters in longer than Managers in the National League.
I like avoiding the 'four innings, 10 earned runs' stat line, a National League pitcher is less prone to that in my way of reckoning.
In rounds 19 and 20, I took Bryce Wilson and Brett Gardner.
I fell victim to Spring Training bias with the Wilson pick.
Gardner could not be a better fit.
Rounds 21 and 22 were pivotal.
That player I wanted? He was there at the right time and right place.
I feel that Ryan Pressley is the best reliever that nobody talks about in baseball.
For me, he acts as both a handcuff for Osuna and as a pitcher that I will have in my lineup on a most-weekly basis.
He should help to stabilize percentage numbers in a staff without an Ace.
Also selected was Jeff Samarduhjuh.
Samarduhjuh fits in with my other Starters.
Rounds 23 and 24, I select Greg Bird and Kole Calhoun.
Bird is a lark...get it? I digress.
Calhoun, in my mind, a bargain. And besides one Catcher, my offense is complete.
In rounds 25 and 26, Jesus Luzardo and Frankie Montas are selected. A pair of Oakland pitchers with different thoughts in mind for each.
Montas is a Spring Training bias pitcher that has panned out so far.
Luzardo was drafted with the thought that if having a lot of injuries or under performers, I would drop him.
Knocking on wood, he is still on my roster.
In rounds 27 and 28, I got lucky. Or at least I think I got lucky.
I think Mitch Garver can really hit.
Unfortunately, he plays on a team carrying three catchers.
Reduced time for a catcher that can hit is not a bad thing.
So far, his two starts a week have been just right.
My other pick was Justin Bour who has already been dropped. I selected Bour with the thought that if he came out of the chute hitting that he would be playable until Ohtani took his position. He didn't and he's gone.
I finished the draft with Brett Anderson and Anthony Alford.
So far, I have thrown five Starters, three Closers, and Ryan Pressley every period.
As predicted, I am last or near last in strike outs most days. But the other pitching categories have been surprisingly strong.
I have taken tons of grief over the draft and heard recently that while Brady was facilitating the draft, he wondered if somebody had kidnapped me and somebody else was drafting for me online
I have to admit, this team has been an absolute joy to manage.
Not having to throw seven Starters a week is a load off!
Cherry picking starts for my Starters is a much easier task.
If believing that a good staff is only as good as your worst starter, this strategy is a good one.
The other 14 drafters in my league marvel at how badly I approached this draft. Understood.
But I sure am having a ball in managing this team.
I haven't done so this year because I buckled. Wussified.
I heard from so many folks close to my draft that my draft was horrible.
They felt it was so bad that I believed it myself.
Well, at least for a couple of days.
I drafted online, while most other drafters were in Las Vegas.
The draft filled with respected drafters.
Usually, I don't go into a Main Event draft with a specific strategy. My motus operandi is simply to draft the 10 best players (in my mind) for the first 10 rounds. Then go on from there, usually looking for bargains.
I did this in my first Main Event, the previous weekend.
In the days leading to the this Main Event, I started (over) thinking.
I mused that pitchers were being taken with reckless abandon.
15 pitchers with the top 45 picks? Too many!
It just got me thinking that maybe I should take the anti-Starter approach.
I resolved, that unless getting a huge bargain, that I would leave Starters alone for the first few rounds.
I did.
And after eight rounds, no Starters.
My 'strategy' came easy. Pitchers were selected with the passion of a gob ringing the bell in the red light district after six months at sea.
In this draft, 14 of the first 15 Starters taken before their ADP!
As if these drafters wanted to make sure I follow through on this plan.
Drafting out of the 15-spot, I selected Goldschmidt and Story.
On the next turn, Hoskins and Treinen.
In backburnering Starters in this strategy, it was imperative that I have two great Closers, hopefully three.
I was hoping, actually, to have a lot of weeks in throwing five Starters and four relievers.
My figuring being that I was not going to be near the top of the standings in strike outs.
Not punting strike outs, just knowing that a 11th or 12th place finish in the category would probably be in the cards.
In round five and six, I selected Aguilar and Roberto Osuna.
This started a Closer run that would see eight Closers taken in the sixth round.
Six rounds, no Starter.
Holding true to the strategy, I selected Mitch Haniger and Matt Chapman in rounds seven and eight.
I have to admit, it was kind of fun in looking at the offense and Closers without a thought of Starters.
A little freeing
But, I also knew that eventually, I would have to take a Starter or, ugh, more
.By now, I had received a text or two about my lack of pitching from fellow drafters.
Nice to know that others care
I took a long time with my picks on the nine-ten turn.
For me, the toughest turn I have ever had in a draft.
It sucks being on the turn and loving, absolutely loving, three players available.
Maeda, Tanaka, and Moncada.
This was the first time I had even considered Starters. And I was considering two.
I felt that Maeda and Tanaka could put up numbers that resembled the Starters at the top of the draft.
I had trumpeted Moncada to friends, telling them that THIS would be his year.
I decided to put my mouth where my money was and select him.
The other pick being Maeda.
In looking at my offense, I felt speed was needed.
It became a top priority for me.
I knew that I only had one Starter, but to make this strategy work, my offense and Closers have to have no holes.
I took Ender Inciarte with pick 11. Jon Gray with pick 12.
I saw Gray pitch in College, then score kept his games in his first rung up the professional ladder.
He had always been a 'thrower'. But after getting a wake up call and being sent down to the minors last year, he is becoming more of a pitcher.
At least, that is my take and hope.
In round 13 and 14, I felt like my offense was well-rounded. I would have liked to have added some catching depth, but drafting catching after the 10th round too soon was a fools errand.
After Grandal, Posey, Molina, Ramos, and Contreras of the 9-10 rounds, it was a long drop to the Yan Gomes-Danny Jansen group later.
So, it was in round 13 and 14 that I took my third Starter and third Closer. Jose Quintana and Pedro Strop.
I do not believe that Brandon Morrow will ever pitch meaningful innings again.
Quintana fits in with Maeda and Gray in maybe being better than most thought they will be this year.
I over drafted two players in rounds 15 and 16.
The love for both being over the top and their positional eligibilty was critical for this team.
Jeff McNeil and Kike Hernandez.
I know, I know. I only have three Starters and that may seem more critical.
But, I am trying to stay true to my strategy of having everything else built for this team, while Starters are treated like wall flowers.
A little more than half way through the draft, my team looks like this...
C- ?
C- ?
1B- Goldschmidt
2B- Moncada
3B- Chapman
SS- Story
MI- McNeil
CI- Aguilar
OF- Hoskins
OF- Haniger
OF- Inciarte
OF- K Hernandez
OF- ?
U- ?
SP- Maeda
SP- Gray
SP- Quintana
SP-
SP-
REL-
CL- Treinen
CL- Osuna
CL- Strop
In other drafters minds, I had only selected three of my seven Starters. I knew that I would be having A LOT of lineups with only six Starters and many more with only five. There was one player left in the next 14 picks that I felt was integral to my team. But I couldn't select him just yet because he was going cheap in Main Events and I did not want to over pay for him.
More on this player later.
In rounds 17 and 18, I took Yan Gomes and Michael Wacha.
Gomes is a catcher. Nuff said.
Wacha fell in with other Starters as being a possible 'better than he has looked' pitcher.
You'll also notice that all my Starters have National League flavor.
I do give pitchers from that league a bit of a nod over the other league.
It's not the DH or that A.L. hitters are better.
I feel that American League Managers leave failing Starters in longer than Managers in the National League.
I like avoiding the 'four innings, 10 earned runs' stat line, a National League pitcher is less prone to that in my way of reckoning.
In rounds 19 and 20, I took Bryce Wilson and Brett Gardner.
I fell victim to Spring Training bias with the Wilson pick.
Gardner could not be a better fit.
Rounds 21 and 22 were pivotal.
That player I wanted? He was there at the right time and right place.
I feel that Ryan Pressley is the best reliever that nobody talks about in baseball.
For me, he acts as both a handcuff for Osuna and as a pitcher that I will have in my lineup on a most-weekly basis.
He should help to stabilize percentage numbers in a staff without an Ace.
Also selected was Jeff Samarduhjuh.
Samarduhjuh fits in with my other Starters.
Rounds 23 and 24, I select Greg Bird and Kole Calhoun.
Bird is a lark...get it? I digress.
Calhoun, in my mind, a bargain. And besides one Catcher, my offense is complete.
In rounds 25 and 26, Jesus Luzardo and Frankie Montas are selected. A pair of Oakland pitchers with different thoughts in mind for each.
Montas is a Spring Training bias pitcher that has panned out so far.
Luzardo was drafted with the thought that if having a lot of injuries or under performers, I would drop him.
Knocking on wood, he is still on my roster.
In rounds 27 and 28, I got lucky. Or at least I think I got lucky.
I think Mitch Garver can really hit.
Unfortunately, he plays on a team carrying three catchers.
Reduced time for a catcher that can hit is not a bad thing.
So far, his two starts a week have been just right.
My other pick was Justin Bour who has already been dropped. I selected Bour with the thought that if he came out of the chute hitting that he would be playable until Ohtani took his position. He didn't and he's gone.
I finished the draft with Brett Anderson and Anthony Alford.
So far, I have thrown five Starters, three Closers, and Ryan Pressley every period.
As predicted, I am last or near last in strike outs most days. But the other pitching categories have been surprisingly strong.
I have taken tons of grief over the draft and heard recently that while Brady was facilitating the draft, he wondered if somebody had kidnapped me and somebody else was drafting for me online
I have to admit, this team has been an absolute joy to manage.
Not having to throw seven Starters a week is a load off!
Cherry picking starts for my Starters is a much easier task.
If believing that a good staff is only as good as your worst starter, this strategy is a good one.
The other 14 drafters in my league marvel at how badly I approached this draft. Understood.
But I sure am having a ball in managing this team.