First Round Names Without Numbers

[DOUGHBOYS]

It's almost gotten too easy to justify numbers with numerish. Stats can be used to fit any argument one would have in drafting a player. So with that, let's do something different and go over the pro's and con's of first round players while using minimal numbers.....

Matt Kemp-
In 2010, what came out of his little bat was more satisfying to him, than what came out of his big bat for drafters and Dodger fans. Rhianna liked it, nobody else did.
Before the 2011season, Kemp found out that there were lower maintenance girls with the same benefits. Problem solved.
Kemp looks to have his priorities in order, swinging the big bat on the field while keeping his little bat out of the news.
He plays in a pitchers park, but it doesn't matter, he hit more homers to center field than anybody last year.
And, if anybody knows that chicks dig the long ball, it's Kemp.

Albert Pujols-
He's been the number one pick since most started playing fantasy baseball.
But now, there are question marks.
Can he hit in a real league?
Will his wife shut up?
Does he go Hollywood?
Can he hit without the mentoring of Mark McGwire and fathership of Tony LaRussa?
Did you think that last question was serious?
Can anybody say Pujols Halo's five times fast?

Miguel Cabrera-
Some players can get out of bed and hit the ball during January. Cabrera is one of those guys. He's had tipsy seasons and sober seasons, it doesn't matter his stats stay the same. Victor Martinez goes down and folks fear the worst for Miggy.
It won't matter. Cabrera can have Charlie Brown hitting behind him and still get 30/100/.310.
Even Lucy knows that.

Adrian Gonzalez-
A cerebral hitter.
He knew his limitations at PetCo and he knows how to maximize Fenway.
Gonzalez watches a lot of video and knows what to expect from each pitcher and how to use it against them.
He just has to make sure he doesn't join a clique in Boston, such as the 'Finger Lickin Good' club in the clubhouse, Youk's DL club, or all the other drama clubs that encompass the Red Sox these days.

Joey Votto-
See the ball, hit the ball.
Votto takes the ball to all fields. As fantasy'ers, we wish he'd pull the ball more often and let his average suffer a little for it. But, Cincinnati already has one of those named Bruce.
If wanting a sure thing on draft day, it doesn't get much surer than Votto.

Troy Tulowitzki-
Two years in a row of not playing in as many games as his owners would like. His torso is thick. A third baseman's trunk. But, he's needed at the most important position in the infield.
Will he get hurt again?
Probably.
But owners can hope for the best and even if it's one disabled list stint, his numbers will still beat most shortstops.

Ryan Braun-
Did he or didn't he?
If he did, do we change his name a bit to read, Ryan Brawn?
I don't think he did, but that doesn't matter. Whether he did or didn't doesn't even matter. The test itself is what matters. Can Braun's legal team beat technology?
If so, Braun is a top five pick who will go on beating the crap out of NL pitchers.
If not, you thought waiting for baseball season was tough, just wait till counting the days till June.

Justin Upton-
Little brothers don't usually play as well as big brothers in the Majors.
Felipe was the best of the Alou's.
Hank, just a wee bit better than Tommy Aaron, Big poison, better than little poison, Dizzy, better than Daffy.
But already, Justin has passed BJ on draft boards. The difference being that justin can hit for average and has a little more power.
Two camps here, one says that Upton reached his peak last year, the other thinking that last year was a springboard for this year.

Curtis Granderson-
The riskiest of the first rounders. Every drafter knows in their heart that Granderson is not a first rounder. His numbers from last year are the driving force. The one thing we do know about him is that our average will suffer if taking him in the first round. Of any first round selection, he will have the lowest batting average, almost a guarantee.

Jacoby Ellsbury-
To tell the truth I don't know what to think of Ellsbury. He was one of my favorite players to draft till this year. It's no fun drafting him in the first round though. He is Jose Reyes without the SS designation. I know he hit homers last year. And so did Reyes for a time. He is nearing leaving Boston, I've heard he can't wait to leave. If anything, he has a purpose in his hard play, for his drafters at least Beltre won't be in the way of that hard play.

Carlos Gonzalez-
He has never played 150 games and only played more than 130 games once.
He can put up Kemp numbers.
Hell, he can leave Kemp's numbers in the dust of Coors.
But can he play the same amount of games as Kemp?
Well can he, Punk?

Robinson Cano-
We're paying for consistency here. The four categories we get are good, but there's no hope of that fifth which we crave.
It's funny, but if we put him up against his teammate Granderson, we're getting four categories out of both of them.
Cano backers will say that they'll take the positioning and consistency. Grandy drafters will be counting on the four categories and hoping against hope that Granderson can improve the average enough for it to make him a four and a half category player, something Cano has no hope for.

Hanley Ramirez-
If we could Put Craig Counsell's noggin on Hanley's shoulders, he would be the first pick of this draft. Shortstop/3b eligibility from a guy that can probably do 30/40 in his sleep.
But, he has Hanley's head. We don't know his attitude. We don't know how he'll react to a new position. Heck, we don't even know what team he'll play on for sure.
The talent is there, the head needs counselling.

Evan Longoria-
He plays in a crappy park, on a crappy hitting team, in the best division in baseball.
Longoria looks better than the numbers he puts up. He reminds me of a young Scott Rolen. He was a lot of fun to watch but the numbers in the stat column didn't match what we saw on the field. Still, he plays at the weakest fantasy position on the field and has that potential to be so much more than what he has shown.

So, there you have it. Hardly any numbers. Maybe one of you folks who speaks numerish can put your own spin on these players.
If not, I'll give it a whirl in a future post....

[Ambrose Slade]

I'd say it could go either way with Kemp and Pujols. Hanley is Hanley, not sure where he belongs anymore, but Cargo could be a decent choice if he can stay healthy. The gaps at Coors are what make it for guys like Cargo. No doubt an aging one like Cuddyer should benefit from the wide open spaces too.

Tulo can be an accident waiting to happen as you mention, but in the end the numbers won't lie.

Like what I see here....sometimes it's best to forget the numbers temporarily and just spit it out, well done!

[KJ Duke]

Numbers are worthless without good input behind the numbers.
Those inputs look good.

[Ambrose Slade]

Man I should learn how to spell....

[Schwks]

Shoulders. A good buddy of mine, who just got engaged, once told me about women, I love a good set of shoulders. When it comes to fantasy baseball, I am the same way, though our intents are undoubtedly 180 degree polar opposites. When a pitcher hurts an elbow, a finger, a knee, even a back, they are still in play in my mind. A shoulder, like I said, I like a good set of shoulders. Josh Johnson....dead to me. Tommy Hanson...dead(recite like in animal house)Santana...dead, Brandon Webb...long dead.

Doctors have pretty much figured out how to get elbows back in shape. But shoulders are a different story...for every one Chris Carpenters, who made it all the way back, there are 3 Brandon Webbs, who fall off the road.entirely(...onto the shoulder?)

But shoulder issues are not limited to pitchers. Hitters are less predictable after shoulder surgeries and issues then seemingly any other issue. Hanley is a guy who has never been the same since he started reporting shoulder pain in 2009ish. Keith Hernandez, the Mets excellent TV announcer(and a pretty good hitter in his day) noted that Hanley of the last two years, is a completely different hitter. Hernandez notes a long swing that used to be compact. A swing full of holes.

I will avoid Hanley this year. Heck he may return to the 2008 Hanley and I may lose because of it. What can I say, I am a shoulder guy.

[TOXIC ASSETS]

The only sure things in life: death, taxes, and this year...Miguel Cabrera putting up monster numbers. It's the surest bet.

[gpchurchill]

jose bautista. STILL no respect. eligible at the shallowest position. his home park, taylor-made for rh power. all he needed was some good coaching and pt.

[DOUGHBOYS]

jose bautista. STILL no respect. eligible at the shallowest position. his home park, taylor-made for rh power. all he needed was some good coaching and pt.

Jose Bautista-
If Brett Lawrie has a first two years like Bautista's last two years, he would be the number one overall pick after that second year.
But, Bautista is 31, not 22, like Lawrie. His best years are not in front of him.
Bautista got it, late. He came out of nowhere and there's that underlying fear that he could disappear just as quickly. Even though Toronto is a great place to hit for him, he hit more home runs on the road.
If the trust in Bautista is there, then you have a great first round pick.
If not, pass.