Comments on: A Mocking We Go

By: Grey

Grey — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:07:18 +0000

@Shmorgie S. Board: That was one of the more entertaining comments this year. Happy New Year to you too!

By: Shmorgie S. Board

Shmorgie S. Board — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:22:34 +0000

@Grey: I’d have to dig through an overall rankings list or at least the 1Bmen to see if I agree with you on Votto in Round 3. However, it’s way more fun to critique without the benefits of the facts, so I stand by my rip!

I remember last year Votto was the guy I’d think about taking in the 8th round or so because 1B is so damn deep. I know his value has climbed up since then, but you get my point.

Obviously, you want a bopper of some measure at 1B but you always have to look at who you could take instead of a 1B and at what position. I wondered aloud last year (not very loud, I respect my neighbors) if it really made sense to take any 1B not named Pujols in the 1st or 2nd rounds, considering you could nab an Utley or Kinsler and then grab a Votto or similar mid-tier 1B later on down the line. Chutley + Votto = Yahoo in October is what I’m sayin’.

I believe highly in position scarcity. I also believe in upside in the later rounds. I make a list of high upside guys to look out for in the last 5 rounds. Last year, Johnny O’ Sanchez, Youbaldoyoubetcha, and Aaaaaron Hill were in that list. I narrowly missed out on the first two and I just totally brain-whiffed on Hill, I’d forgotten he was still out there.

Still won my league, though.

Happy New Year, Greyyyyyyy, you the best!

By: Grey

Grey — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:41:50 +0000

@jamesllegade: I'll release the rankings in January. Kemp, Fielder, Sandoval and Cano. I was leaning towards a few different guys with the fourth keeper. Your keepers are really solid and I don't think you can go wrong a few different ways. Carp if you want a pitcher, Johnson is great, Victorino is always solid, McCutchen should be great, etc... I went with infielders so you didn't have to worry about them in the draft.

By: jamesllegade

jamesllegade — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:13:06 +0000

If you are mocking you must have rankings! COME ON MAN, lets have them. I am drafting directly off your rankins in my big money league this year. That way I will have someone else to blame other than meself… or will emerge victorious and will hog all the credit.

Win/Win

Anywho… which 4 would you keep (LF/RF/CF, 1 utl, 1 C, no MI/CI)?:

Prince Fielder (obvious)
Matt Kemp (ditto)
Robinson Canó
Andrew McCutchen
Pablo Sandoval
Shane Victorino
Chris Carpenter
Josh Johnson
Javier Vázquez

By: Grey

Grey — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:54:48 +0000

@Shmorgie S. Board: Love the Fonzie style. Ha! Happy holidays to you! I've written tons of times that you should go upside in the late rounds. That's why my last three picks are Desmond, Bailey and Maybin. I don't think Votto was too early since A-Gonz was a 2nd rounder and I took Hanley and Holliday with the first two. If I had a big 1st baseman bat in one of the two first rounds, then I'd agree with you. If you don't know Dane Cook, you're better off. Billy Martin drove a car through the fish tank of the restaurant where they were serving the scungilli.

By: Shmorgie S. Board

Shmorgie S. Board — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:26:51 +0000

Too early on Votto. Just because you’re high on a guy doesn’t mean you take him too early, or that much too earlier, so early; you took him before you had to, is what I’m driving towards.

It ain’t who you get, it’s when you get ‘em. Yogi said that. And then Billy Martin puked up grappa and scungili in his lap. Glory days!

CarGo seems like a bargain at that round.

Don’t get defensive about taking Homer Bailey in the 22nd round, bubby. As my main mensch Ron Shandler at BBHQ says about the later rounds, “Pursue upside… relentlessly.” He says that. I should know, I paid to read it. Sure, you could take a guy you know for certain is a 22nd rounder, but that means he’ll be dropped by May for somebody who’s emerged at that point as a Dude of Interest. Better to take Bailey and cut bait on same said May day, if need be. (“If need be” is a dreadfully awful clause, I think.)

I’ve done no rankings; I haven’t read yours yet. I’m still purging Christmas dinner from my intestinal walls — slow the hell down, Grey! Gray. Greigh. Grayyyy (Fonzie style)!

Now who the Fonz is Dane Cook and why does he have a website?

By: Eddy

Eddy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:54:37 +0000

All right, I see where you’re coming from. I’m gonna have to pick up at least two OF before the 8th round then. I do disagree, however, on the “not much speed” statement. I’m thinking worst case scenario Abreu-20, Utley-25 Votto-12 Jeter-20 Coghlan-20. IMO I’d be winning SB week after week! But anyways, I appareciate your comments Grey, it’s the only way one learns!

By: Grey

Grey — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:05:44 +0000

@Eddy: Hmm... Not much pop or speed. Doesn't look you have much of a staff either. Overall, not a fan of your team. Outside of Votto, Utley and Stewart you might not have one guy get to 20 homers. No homers = no RBIs. A lot of this comes from no outfield. Carp is the only starter I'd go to war with.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:43:27 +0000

Hey Grey, i just finished my first pre-season mock draft and i wanted your honest, brutal opinion on it. It was a 14 team, 5×5 regular cats., mixed league draft. If anyone else wants to comment on it, feel free to do so!

C- Jorge Posada (R4)
1B- Joey Votto (R2)
2B- Chase Utley (R1)
SS-Derek Jeter (R3)
3B- Michael Young (R5)
OF-Bobby Abreu (R6)
Chris Coghlan (R13)
Magglio Ordonez (R15)
Melky Cabrera (R18)
J.D. Drew (R19)
CI- Chipper Jones (R8)
MI-Clint Barmes (R22)
Util./DH-Jim Thome (R14)

SP- Chris Carpenter (R7)
A.J Burnett (R10)
Carlos Zambrano (R11)
J.A Happ (R16)
Derek Lowe (R17)
Brad Penny (R21)
Bronson Arroyo (R20)
Aaron Harang (R23)

RP-Trevor Hoffman (R12)

Bench- Ian Stewart (R9)
Yorvit Torrealba (R24)
Gary Matthews (R25)

Notes: – i regret Drafting Thome…period. I wasn’t aware he was a pinch hitter basically. As you can see i picked your brain and went with Votto and Stewart lol. I am in LOVE with my IF but kind of regret ignoring my OF till the later rounds because I dont really have pop. By the time i decided to pick up a second closer there wern’t any…….wait….forgot about my own Leo Nunez -_-

anyways, let me know what my strengths and weaknesses are!

By: Grey

Grey — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:14:43 +0000

@Pat Frost: I don't play in a league with hitter Ks but Stewart would obviously be an issue there.