But friends started a private Draft Champions league. Saying no to a draft for me is like turning down sex. So hard to do.
It was a good draft.
Let's face it, there are very few bad drafts. and again, we are at the sex comparison.
I went into this draft with the idea that if not really liking a player on the board, take pitching.
I took a lot of pitching.
With no baseball news, it is harder yet to like players.
The news has turned from Mike Trout hitting two homers to Mike Trout having two eggs for breakfast.
So, I decided to take players on whims and a lot of pitching.
Here is how it went......
I had the 14th pick.
Earlier in the draft season, this would have guaranteed me Walker Buehler if looking at a pitching angle.
There is a plethora of pitching injuries, including Chris Sale finally admitting he needed Tommy John and Justin Verlander having groin problems (C'mon, with a wife like that, who didn't see that coming?)
Buehler went 10th.
I drafted Jack Flaherty and was questioned about the wisdom of putting him in the first round.
I don't get that.
Flaherty has been drafted around the 16-23 mark, but put him in the first round and some think that it's a large jump.
Coming back, I selected Bryce Harper.
I did that to prove that I can.
I usually don't draft Harper. I believe he has been a pinhead in his youth. But he has shown signs of maturity and wanted a share.
In the third round, Bo Bichette.
Knowing that I was going to crush pitching from now on, I wanted an athletic shortstop who could effect all five categories.
In the fourth, I overdrafted Brandon Woodruff.
Charley Morton, Aaron Nola, and Zack Greinke usually go before Woodruff. Simply, I believe Woodruff will have a better year.
Especially a shortened year where presumably he has less chance of getting hurt.
Then, I really pushed pitching. Kirby Yates in the fifth. Sonny Gray in the sixth. Mike Soroka in the eighth. With Yasmani Grandal in the seventh.
After Rhys Hoskins in the ninth, I selected Kyle Hendricks in the 10th.
Six pitchers, four hitters.
Most wouldn't like the ratio.
Believe me, it's a tough thing to do WHILE drafting. There is a constant fear that it will be impossible to catch up with hitting.
However, it is socially acceptable to go all-in on hitting.
Anyway, here is my team....
C- Grandal
C- Narvaez
1B- Hoskins
2B- Arraez
3B- Franco
SS- Bichette
MI- Gordon
CI- D Santana
OF- Harper
OF- Renfroe
OF- Santander
OF- Bradley Jr.
OF- Dom Santana
U- Solak
P- Flaherty
P- Woodruff
P- S Gray
P- Soroka
P- Hendricks
P- Minor
P- Tanaka
P- Yates
P- Melancon
This draft was filled with NFBC Main Event Champions and Champions from other leagues.
I won't mention names because this was a private league.
In the past, I have been hard on podcasters. I made no exception in this league.
In an early round, this podcaster stated that a drafter had taken a player he coveted.
In chat, I asked him who that player was.
He responded that, "This isn't my last draft, I can't tell!"
Can you imagine?
A podcaster that supposedly goes public with his thoughts can't even tell us who he missed out on.
Hey podcaster, above is my team. I have the confidence to show a whole team after drafting to hundreds of drafters. This guy, a supposed public figure, can't say one player he missed out on? In front of 14 private drafters? Seriously?
No respect. Worse, NO BALLS.
As said, this draft was filled with NFBC vets.
Before closing, I'll go over some of the picks that stood out.
Jake deGrom was selected second overall.
Tatis Jr. had been falling, but now, with half a season on the horizon, drafters are buoyed that he can stay healthy. He went 13.
Starling Marte has been released from baseball prison in Pittsburgh and that has resulted in him moving up a lot.
He was drafted at 2/5.
Houston players are still discounted.
Alex Bregman went at 2/9.
After Thad, do you think America will just forgive Astros.
America might. Baseball fans? No way
Another player who is going up, up, up is Jesus Luzardo.
Going in the sixth round in this one.
Hey, without innings limitations, why not?
I didn't want to draft again. I wanted to mope about our fantasy bad luck. You know, with Thad and all.
Now, I'm glad I did.
It was therapeutic.
Somehow, it made baseball a reality again.
Even in a time where sports, in general, has disappeared.
Greg should keep these drafts going if only for therapy
