AL-Only Fantasy Baseball Draft
March 23, 2009
Category: 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft
This was, as they say in Italy, an Experto Callaspo AL-Only draft. What AL-Only means to me? Thanks for asking, random italicized voice. It means I probably won’t have one pitcher that I would usually have in a mixed league. I contemplated about how I wanted to go about this draft. It’s good to have a game plan, ya know? So I decided, since I don’t really like AL pitchers, I would get solid pitchers anyway. Zoinks! I figured that solid pitchers would be at a premium and if I got my share, I’d be in good shape. Also, from my knowledge of other ‘pert drafts, no one drafts starters early, so while they’re zigging, I decided to zag. “Knowing your opponents’ weaknesses is half the duel,” Aaron Burr. When you see my pitchers, you’ll see I didn’t really get that many great ones, but for AL-Only I have a top three pitching staff going into the season. Then there’s the strategy I employed for hitters. I decided to punt catchers, of course, and up the middle. Punting the MIs was because I knew who I wanted late and I knew guys like Alexei Ramirez would go way early (He went in the 2nd round.) Okay, before I get to my thoughts I jotted down during the AL-Only draft, here’s my co-conspirators:
Fantasy Baseball Dugout
The Fantasy Man
Fantasy Sports Commissioner Training Institute
Rotohelp
Sporting News
ProFantasy Baseball
Roto Central
Advanced Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Sports R Us
Fantasy Baseball Sherpa
Fanball
Here’s my team:
C: Taylor Teagarden (19)
1B: Carlos Pena (3)
2B: Asdrubal Cabrera (15)
SS: Jed Lowrie (11)
3B: Brandon Wood (12)
MI: Wilson Betemit (23)
CI: Jason Giambi (10)
OF: Carlos Quentin (1)
OF: Carl Crawford (2)
OF: Vernon Wells (5)
OF: Franklin Gutierrez (14)
OF: Brett Gardner (16)
UT: DeWayne Wise (25)
P: James Shields (4)
P: Joba Chamberlain (6)
P: John Danks (7)
P: Brad Ziegler (8)
P: Brandon Lyon (9)
P: Anthony Reyes (13)
P: Dan Wheeler (17)
P: Kevin Millwood (18)
P: Rafael Betancourt (22)
Bench: Melky Cabrera (20), Wladimir Balentien (21), Matt Thornton (24), Jeremy Sowers (26), Damaso Marte (27)
Notes I jotted down during the draft:
ROUND 1 & 2 – I get Carlos N Carl with my first two picks. Yuck. Seriously, I hate AL-Only. I have no idea where all the good players have gone, but I think it’s into the NL. (To make matters worst, I drafted the first five rounds, then we needed to do it over because something was wrong with the draft room. (I once loved you, CBS! Nevermore.) Then, to make matters even worse, our do over was supposed to be a shot by shot remake of the original, but someone decided to make it an adaptation. At one point, one of the ‘perts asked another ‘pert if they could see they were giving them the middle finger. Fun times!)
ROUND 3 – I wanted lots of power from my corners. That became a pipe dream when Aubrey Huff was drafted ahead of me in the 3rd (!) round. Drafting Carlos Pena in the third round is a tragic-comedy.
ROUND 4 – James Shields. It was between him and Liriano. And I got to draft both at one point, but that was the first AL-Only ‘pert draft that we will never speak of again. Actually, I’m pleased with Shields.
ROUND 5 – Vernon Wells. This is barely an endorsement of Wells, but he was the last outfielder that’s halfway reliable and he’s supposed to be healthy by April. Of course, that will turn into June any day now.
ROUND 6 – Joba Chamberlain. This is really all I needed for my AL-Only staff and the next guy is gluttony at its worst.
ROUND 7 – John Danks. Hey, Gluttony, good to see you. Okay, before you call me out for this. Here’s the guys that were taken after him that I could’ve had:
Kevin Slowey – I want Danks over him. You do too.
Nick Swisher – Okay, but doesn’t have a secure job and will bat .240.
Mike Jacobs – I already drafted the Latin Jacobs.
Orlando Cabrera – Eh.
Denard Span – Blah.
Frank Francisco – Solid pick.
Scott Baker – On the risky pitcher list.
Troy Percival – Too early for him.
Fausto Carmona – Danks is twice the pitcher of Carmona.
Carlos Gomez – Great pick, but because of Crawford I couldn’t have made it.
Gavin Floyd then Joe Saunders then Crapolanco… You get my point.
ROUND 10 – Jason Giambi. Carlos Pena’s baby daddy.
ROUND 11 & 12 – Jed Lowrie and Brandon Wood. A) They have the superfecta of eligibility, which is crucial for a single league. B) They have upside. C) Would you really have wanted Crapolanco and Orlando Cabrera over these two? D) As T.J. Lavin would say, “They are both killing it in spring training.” (Speaking of T.J. Lavin, The Challenge is back in two weeks. I can’t wait.)
ROUND 13 – Anthony Reyes. This could be the steal of the draft. Or a guy I drop by May. Stay tuned!
ROUND 14 – The Big FraGu. At this point in the draft, there wasn’t even a lot of guys who had starting jobs let alone one that could go 15/15. Granted, my average is in the dumpster at this point.
ROUND 15 – As…DRUBAL! I almost took him in the 10th round, but I quickly saw where everyone else’s team stood with middle infielders and I realized I could wait. This is Grey. This is Grey on his toes. (BTW, it’s really sad when you get this excited about Asdrubal Cabrera. It’s AL-Only. Small victories.)
ROUND 19 – Taylor Teagarden. Honestly, I don’t know what his playing time will be like, but if he hits 10 HRs, I win with this pick. Not to mention, he’s a better defender, so he could see 250+ ABs. Think Napoli last year.
ROUND 21 – We like to Wladdy… We like to Wladdy…
ROUND 23 – Wilson Betemit. I think he hits 15 HRs in a super-utility role. Or flat-out takes over for Josh Fields. Or I drop him and fill-in my MI spot with someone else. At this point, Punto, Bobby Crosby and Zobrist were being drafted so this pick is really no harm, no foul.
ROUND 26 – Jeremy Sowers. For this late in the draft to get a starter on a good team– Oh, who am I kidding? I’ll probably drop him by April 7th.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 am
I have no idea why people want to play NL or AL only leagues? Hey lets take half the talent and play fantasy baseball with that?
Reinventing the wheel. Stick to roto and H2H. It’s a variation which there are a ton, but its a dumb variation.
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@Tony: When I saw Soria go in the 2nd round, I was sorta thinking the same thing, but it does add a certain level of difficulty that can be fun.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 11:14 am
@Grey: Yeah i see the difficulty in it, i just don’t see the point. But to each his own!
Can baseball just start already!
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March 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
I’m only doing an AL-only draft if it’s just me and three other owners.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Who’s the dude who went off book? I’d like to visit their blog and tell them that’s not very nice.
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@Freak: Down, Freak.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I dont know why you’re so down on Pena. Wont’t he be the clean up hitter in Tampa? There will always be runners in scorers position there.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Ditto Tony. Baseball seems like forever away. I need a life.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
FYI, your ninth round draft choice gave up back-to-back-to-back(breath)-to-back homers this afternoon. It’s gonna be another looooooong summer here in SE Michigan.
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@Anthony G: I’m not down on him, but as a third round pick it just doesn’t feel right.
@Yak: Blech.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I have an AL-only auction coming up this weekend. The joys of a drawn out auction draft and a lack of players. Should be good times.
/makes mental note to have plenty of beer on hand/
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I like the term “Latin Jacobs.” I’m going to use that.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
@Grey: I have a draft related question for you. What are your thoughts on traditional snake drafts vs. non-snaking drafts?
Here’s the situation:
- 16 team league (5×5 head to head)
- 6 keepers each year (with salary cap)
- Player values escalate each year based on prior year performance (and some convoluted formula the commissioner calculates)
- draft order is reverse of prior year standings
We had a big debate in our league about doing a snake draft or a non-snake draft. I pushed hard for the traditional snake draft and lost.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Uh-oh:
Updating an ongoing story, Ken Gurnick, of MLB.com, reports Los Angeles Dodgers SP Chad Billingsley (groin) left the game Monday, March 23, for precautionary reasons and he said the injury is not considered serious. He had given up two runs in each inning in Monday’s game. Billingsley is slated to start the team’s third game of the regular season against the San Diego Padres.
(KFFL)
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@AZ Bobblehead: Your league should’ve just went with a snake draft, but it’s too late now, no?
@Steve: Are you yelling fire in a crowded theater?
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
@Grey: Well, given that I own Lyon, Guthrie, Wang, Wandy AND Billingsley in my H2H 12-teamer, don’t you think, on this particular day, it’s about time I did?
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@Steve: Get on your life preserver!
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
@Grey: Yep. It’s too late. We drafted last night. It was horrible. I was the 12th pick every stinkin’ round (last year I was the 16th). Oh well.
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@AZ Bobblehead: Bummer, I like your avatar, btw.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
@Grey: That Lyon fella is a disgrace to the name.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
As I read this, I’m thinking “I’ve seen Grey talk mad trash about almost all of his picks.” I am now convinced that I’ll never do an NL or AL only League. But… I love Reyes late, and Danks was a fine pick. But Crawford?
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@Steve: Ha!
@Tom: Hehe… Remember, context is everything. This is an AL-Only team. If I assembled this team in a mixed league, you should put out a hit on my head.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
@Steve: @Grey:
WTF?????
Hamels has a F’d up elbow, Bills pulls a groin, Webb has a brain analism (< ======== That’s a brain fart, recognize) all spring, and Hippos gonna commit Hari Kari……………
HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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@BigFatHippo: Is that a direct quote from the AP?
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March 23rd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
@Grey: @BigFatHippo: The Agricultural Press.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
@Grey: Nah, Buster Olney called me.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 5:54 pm
@AZ Bobblehead: Hate to point this out, but if the rationale is to order the draft based on last year’s standings — i.e. give the losers the advantage, a la the NFL — then a snake draft makes no sense. Like in the NFL.
The point of a snake draft is to level the playing field, so it makes more sense in a non-keeper league. Though I understand it doesn’t look that way from pick 12, 24, etc.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Hurting for a SS in my cash league….I drafted Orlando Cabrera, but his sore back coupled with playing in Oakland propelled me to drop him. Picked up Barmes since he has been tearing it up so far this spring and is eligible at SS. Keep Barnes or roll with another option? Its a roto league.
My other options are:
Yunel Escobar
Renteria
Lowrie
Felipe Lopez
Brandon Wood
Felipe Lopez
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March 23rd, 2009 at 6:15 pm
@Emporers Monkey: I’d go with Felipe Lopez. But Felipe Lopez is pretty good too.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 6:17 pm
@Emporers Monkey: Lopez! Lopez! Lopez!
He’s my Favorite Sleeper of the Year(tm).
@Steve: Ha!
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March 23rd, 2009 at 6:53 pm
@Baron Von Vulturewins: Adam Jones is my favorite sleeper of the year,……….. boom tish!
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:02 pm
TEMPE, Ariz. — Kelvim Escobar’s fastball hit 96 mph in a triple-A game against the Chicago Cubs today, another indication that the veteran right-hander is well ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery. – LA Times
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I like when Lopez and Jones get mentioned as favorite sleepers, and I just took both of them respectively in the 16th and 17th round of my draft.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
@agarthered: Recognize this guy?
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7812
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@James: Give him two months, he’ll find a way to injure himself again.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
@Grey: I hate the WBC, Bud’s on there right now telling how they can make it better for the USA.
You know how they can make it better? Scrap it!
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@BigFatHippo: Agreed. Spring training is so key to get players up to speed for the season and then they go and fly them all around the world to play exhibition games.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
@Grey: Look at the empty seats behind home plate, looks like a Marlins game.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Just drafted in a 12-team, 7×7, 6 keeper / team league. How does everyone think I did?
C Ryan Doumit, Pit
1B Pablo Sandoval, SF
2B Jose Lopez, Sea 2B
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY 3B
SS Michael Young, Tex SS
OF B.J. Upton, TB OF DTD
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS OF
OF Nate McLouth, Pit OF
UTIL Nelson Cruz, Tex OF
Bench Lastings Milledge, Was OF
Bench Chone Figgins, LAA 3B
Bench Elijah Dukes, Was OF
Bench Randy Winn, SF OF
Bench Kazuo Matsui, Hou 2B
SP Tim Lincecum, SF SP
SP James Shields, TB SP
SP Joba Chamberlain, NYY SP, RP
SP Wandy Rodriguez, Hou SP DTD
RP Jose Valverde, Hou RP
RP Heath Bell, SD RP
P Frank Francisco, Tex RP
P Jeremy Guthrie, Bal SP
P Dave Bush, Mil SP
Bench Jonathan Sanchez, SF SP, RP
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March 23rd, 2009 at 8:10 pm
@arussell1983: Dangerously weak in the power cats, but speed is nice.
Post it in the forums and Grey can help you out. Dave Bush shouldn’t be on anyone’s fantasy team btw. Ditch him for a Mr B.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
@Grey: A guy named Bum Ho Lee plays for Korea.
That’s gotta be a Razzball Glossary term in waiting.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 9:29 pm
wbc venues : mexico city . toronto , miami , san diego , los angeles .
spring training games AND regular season game venues : japan and china
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@big o: (http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/schedule/)
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March 23rd, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Is it just me or does Sin Choo Choo hit like 10 hrs a night in the WBC?
AAAAnyways, what are you expecting from Adam Dunn this year? I’m thinking he drops to somewhere around 35 hrs and a big drop in R/RBI without the lineup around him. Thoughts?
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@cubbies299: He’s hit 40 HRs for the last 6 years and he’s only 29, there’s no reason to think he falls this year. The Nats hitting could actually be somewhat respectable this year if Zimmerman, Dukes and Milledge come into their own.
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March 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Sowers and LaPorta were optioned today. Well, they probably weren’t given an option, but hey.
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@Doc: Thanks for the heads up! I mean, crap!
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March 24th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Is Lowrie going to split with Lugo? and even if he goes fulltime,is he worth it?
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@Doug Ault: Lowrie overtook Lugo last year and I think he can hold the job again after Lugo returns from injury. He’s not as safe as some other guys, but in a league this deep I like him. Lowrie is better than Lugo and hopefully he Wally Pipp’s Lugo.
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March 24th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
AL-only leagues are garbage, but only because the AL is garbage. The top tier hitting talent just isn’t there.
Oh, and mixed leagues are for wimps and chumps. They’re no challenge. I’m in two NL-only leagues, one a 10-team, and one an 11-team, and my only regret is that they aren’t both 12-team leagues.
And auction-style is the only way to go. Straight draft? *Yawn*
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@PaulyOH: You’re a real aficionado, huh?
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March 24th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Yeah, I’m pretty into it.
Started my first league back in 1987 with four guys drafting from just the old NL west. I did mixed league, straight draft before, back in my younger, non-married days when I had time to do 4-5 leagues of various types.
The mixed leagues were OK, but auctions are so much better because no one can stop you from getting the player you want. As I got older, and had less time, it was an easy decision to ditch the mixed leagues for the NL-only leagues. Where else can I experience the joy of deciding last season between Chris Coste and Javier Valentin for my second $1 catcher?
Oh, and both my leagues have keepers. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
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