Fantasy Baseball 2011 Starts

Our fantasy baseball league started again - in the wee hours of the morning the computer did an automated draft, and I woke up with much anticipation - what did Santa Claus being me this year?  Before the draft, you can adjust the ranking of players.  I targeted SS and 3B due to positional scarcity.  For example, I had moved Troy Tulowitski up the ranks.  Other teams seem to have targeted catchers, starting pitching, or relievers.  Here are "my" picks, round by round.  (I'm "Boomer's Wallbangers", picking sixth)  Note that we are a head-to-head league with fairly "sabremetric" scoring, so some of the player's values vary from the more common 5x5 format.  For example, steals aren't nearly as valuable in our league as in many, and walks are valuable.  Though most of the GMs are very baseball knowledgeable, it's a "fun" league, not too serious. And, the computer sometimes does strange things...

1.  Evan Longoria   I love it!  Had him last year, he's great and fills a relatively shallow position.
Many of the league members are Boston fans, so that somewhat explains the Pedroia and Lester picks.

2. Troy Tulowitzski  again, I'm very happy.  There aren't many good SSs.  I've now have elite players at two hard-to-fill positions.  The Daisuke pick is strange.  I'm surprised that Matt Cain went so high but he's done great in this league for two years.   Joey Votto at #19 looks like a steal for the Nerds.

3. Josh Hamilton.  In a "live" draft, I may have picked Mauer instead, but this seems a good pick.  Zimmerman is a good pick by the Marauders.

4. Nelson Cruz.  I'm disappointed that Tex went just one pick before.  (especially since I end up with no solid 1B at all!)  Then, though I'm not a big Kershaw fan, McCann, Carpenter, Fielder and Posey might be better picks.   But Cruz should put up huge numbers in Texas.  Some of our league members value relievers highly, which explains why they are starting to fall earlier than would be usual.  (I don't value them as much, but you do need a couple of good closers on your team)

5.  Jose Reyes.  I really don't need a second elite SS.  But, the players picked shortly after don't excite me.  So I can't blame the computer too much.  I'm a bit disappointed that I barely missed out on Jered Weaver and Tommy Hanson.  I've had Hanson on my team the past two years, and watching him grow and improve has been fun.  Good picks by the Pirates and Penguins.

6. Jayson Werth.  O.K.  But computer is picking too many outfielders.  I might have picked Kinsler or reached for Carlos Santana.  But a solid pick.  I had Jason Heyward last year, fun to watch him too, but I'm glad my friend Steven, who live and breathes Georgia sports, got him.

7. Michael Young.  Darned, missed on Carlos Santana by one!  Young is an interesting pick, especially if he stays in Texas and becomes eligible at multiple positions.   None of the next 10 picks excite me too much, so, o.k.  My team is getting a little "Texas heavy".

8. Zack Greinke.  About time to get a pitcher.  Two of the other teams (Comets and Pirates) obviously targeted top line pitching.  I targeted "undervalued good pitching".  At the end of the year we will see how well I rated them.  Also, have to admit (as you'll see soon) I wanted to get a bunch of As and Giants to root for.  :-)  Assuming Greinke's health is not an issue, he should be a solid pick.  I like the Prado and Stanton picks by the Penguins and Nerds.

9.  Chris Young (OF).  Picked him up last year and he was a pleasant surprise.  Another outfielder, but the next 10 picks aren't all that exciting - maybe Konerko or Billy Butler to get a 1B?.  Too bad I missed on Josh Johnson by 2 picks - a good pick by Displaced Braves Fan.  Victorino to the Nerds scotches my plan to lock up all the Hawaiian born players.  :-)

10.  Max Scherzer.  Love this pick, he was great for me the 2nd half of last year.  Even though I'll desperately need a 1B, I prefer him to Billy Butler.

11. Kelly Johnson.  O.K., gives me a good 2B.  Sorry I missed out on Zobrist, Drew Stubbs and Panda - good picks by my opponents.  If I didn't hate the Dodgers I might prefer Billingsly or Lilly.  Actually, live, I might have picked Shaun Marcum or my next round pick...

12. Joe Nathan.  If he's healthy, this is an awesome pick.  But Shaun Marcum (who goes next) is a safer, good pick.  Hard to say.  I'm a bit surprised that Papelbon and Bucholz go so late.

13. Tim Hudson.  Like him.  And I need some quality pitchers.  I'm a bit disappointed that Chris Perez, who did a good job for me last year, is off the board.  But I wouldn't pick him till later anyway.  Garza and Anderson are good picks by Monsters and Ewoks.

14. Jonathan Sanchez.  You need some patience with him, but we'll see.  I would have preferred Brett Anderson, but you can't have it all.  Angel Pagan is a good pick by Monsters.

15. Brian Roberts.  Another 2B?  And injury prone.  I don't like this pick.  But the other picks later in the round aren't exciting either - that's what you start to get around pick 150...  So, o.k., and some depth is good.  I think Hudson and Putz are good picks by Nerds and Braves Fan.

16. Andrew Bailey.  I like it - a good local reliever.  Hope his arm works.  Between Nathan and Bailey I may have to check the waiver wire for relievers the first couple of weeks.  Myers and Hellickson look like good value picks for Falcons and Nerds.

17.  Trevor Cahill.  Like it.  As you see, I bunched up many of the promising Bay Area pitchers in this area, and many have been drafted or will arrive soon...   Brandon Morrow is a good pick by Monsters, and Neil Walker might be a great pickup for the Comets.

18.  Madison Bumgartner.  Like it - another promising local pitcher.  Too bad Gaby Sanchez went two picks before, as I still don't have anybody for 1B!

19. Tsuyoshi Nishioka   Like it - I had bumped him "up" on the draft list.  But not sure why I need three second basemen!  More depth.  Live I may have picked Romero or Matusz, good value picks by the Falcons.

20. Denard Span.  O.K.  Solid outfielder who will probably improve over last year.  Beckett and Wieters look like good alternative picks by Penguins and Monsters.

21. Gio Gonzales.  I think this is an awesome pick.  Also like Asdrubal Cabrera and Ike Davis picks by Pirates and Comets.

22. Kurt Suzuki.  He was my catcher last year, and does a solid job.  If you don't get an elite catcher, he is a solid pick.  Escobar and Shields are good picks by Penguins and Monsters.

23. Austin Jackson.  Not sure why he fell so low, but he's pretty good for round 23, right?  I'm a bit disappointed that Freddie Freeman and Ryan Rayburn went just before.  Other than Dexter Fowler, not sure who I would have picked instead, so lets hope Austin learns to make better contact.

24.  Wade Davis.  I like this pick too.  A reasonable pitcher with upside.  Jair Jurgens might be a good value pick by Pirates.

25. Logan Morrison.  He's a good player, especially under our league rules where walks count.  I like the pick, though I'm getting too many OF.  Jake Peavy is the other interesting pick this round, by the Comets.

26. Michael Pineda - glad I got him.  He was one of my "sleeper" picks.  I'm really surprised that Posada, McLouth, Garland and Lackey fell so low.  They could be great value picks.

27.  Kila Ka'aihue.  Another one of my "sleeper picks".  And, a real 1B, finally, in round 27!  Not sure what the computer was thinking.  De La Rosa is a great value pick by Monsters.


Other than 1B, I'm happy with my team.  So far...