So the title is a bit of a superlative. What was I gonna say, “The Mostly Kinda Good Fantasy Baseball Team?” You’ll get over your scoffing, I have faith in you. This is the best 2015 fantasy baseball team that I can put together when drafting from my top 100 for 2015 fantasy baseball and top 400 for 2015 fantasy baseball. Honestly, I could draft another 25 teams from those lists, and they’d all be different, but equally terrific… Well, one of the twenty-five would only be almost terrific, but it would be really hard to tell which one that is. If I took Adam Jones in the 1st round, everything after would change. If I took Anthony Rendon in the 1st round, everything after would change. For this exercise, I’m taking Mike Trout first, because, well, I have him first overall. Until pick 100, I’m taking one guy somewhere in every fifteen picks. It would be nice if I was in a league where someone drafted F-Her and Kershaw in the first round and I was able to take Anthony Rizzo in the 2nd round (which is likely), but since Trout and him are in my first 10 picks, according to the rules I’ve set up for myself, I can’t take them both. Then, as we all know, once you get into the 100’s, there’s wide gaps between ADP and where players are actually taken. People tend to look at team need over value. So for this exercise, once I get to pick #101, I’m going to pick two players every twenty picks. Finally, because there is so much latitude in the last 200, I gave myself free reign to fill up my team. Throughout the draft, I also gave myself the ability to reach to a lower draft pick, but not reach forward. Or reach around, if you’re feeling frisky. It should still be my ideal team… Or not. Let’s see, shall we? Bee tee dubya, this team is 5×5, one catcher, 5 OFs, MI, CI, 1 UT, 9 P, 3 bench, just like the Razzball Commenter Leagues (Go sign up or start a league). Anyway, here’s the best 2015 fantasy baseball team:
C: Robinson Chirinos (306)
1B: Chris Davis (38)
2B: Scooter Gennett (175)
SS: Danny Santana (101)
3B: Nolan Arenado (20)
MI: Brett Lawrie (181)
CI: Eric Hosmer (75)
OF: Mike Trout (1)
OF: Starling Marte (63)
OF: Jorge Soler (99)
OF: Gregory Polanco (141)
OF: Steven Souza (166)
UTIL: Juan Lagares (309)
P: Jeff Samardzija (52)
P: Mike Fiers (108)
P: Hyun-Jin Ryu (120)
P: Dellin Betances (130)
P: Gio Gonzalez (159)
P: Wily Peralta (195)
P: Tony Cingrani (217)
P: Steve Cishek (201)
P: Brad Boxberger (292)
Bench: Darren O’Day (326)
Bench: Bobby Parnell (327)
Bench: Joakim Soria (328)
SO, THIS TEAM IS THE BOMB DOT ORG, BUT IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF ACTUALLY GETTING IT?
No. Sorry, I don’t mean to be short with you. Let me say that again: Noooooooooooo. As I said in the opening, this is an exercise to give you an idea of a team I wouldn’t kick out of bed. With this exercise, I don’t look at ADP, so it’s nice that I want Polanco at 141 or Marte at 63, but it may not happen. Still, for every guy I’m getting for this team later than their ADP, I’m also reaching, according to their ADP (see Arenado). What this team should show in broad strokes — Did you get aroused when you read broad strokes? Gross! — this team shows how I build a team. Names change, but early on I’m looking at the corner spots, then I focus on outfield, while sprinkling in a pitcher here and there. I completely wait on relievers, taking one around 115-130 overall, then whenever I can after the top 200. If I see a middle infielder I like, I jump on them. Speaking of which…
HOW DID YOU NOT JUMP ON WONG? UM, YEAH, THAT’S WHAT I MEANT!
I love Wong long time. Tis is true, prematurely balding man. I arrived to the 60th pick and I didn’t have a 2nd outfielder, and I felt I needed one more than a 2nd baseman, even one I schlonged for. This goes back to the point that you need to build your own team at the draft and not “have to get players.” This team just happened to be a scenario where I got Trout. Getting Trout is a nice problem to have. For what it’s Wuertz, Wong is going deeper (oh yeah baby) than I have him ranked, so I’d prolly still be able to draft him.
“GREY, YOUR MUSTACHE IS YOGA PANTS ON THAT HOT MOM PICKING UP MY FRIEND FROM DETENTION, BUT WHAT GIVES WITH THE BENCH? NO BENCH BATS?”
First off, welcome to the site. Get comfortable. That doesn’t mean put your feet on the furniture. What’s wrong with you? Why I’m saying welcome is I’ve been saying for years I don’t draft bench bats. If you didn’t know that, you’re new. It’s okay. We were all new once. Shoot, I love that new person smell. Don’t draft bench bats in 12 team and shallower leagues. They’re useless. You’re not going to hold them for longer than a few days after your draft. Now, if you draft a few middle relievers with your last few picks, maybe — just maybe — you’ll luck into a closer getting injured before the season. And, if that doesn’t work out, then you can drop the middle relievers without any hesitance. It’s more of a hindrance to have someone like, say, Dexter Fowler on your bench because then this happens, “Oh, it looks like like Drew Storen might be hurt, who should I grab? Hmm…Actually, who should I drop? Should I drop Fowler? He’s hitting leadoff and the Cubs are supposed to win 162 games and– Oh, it’s too late anyway, someone else grabbed Casey Janssen already.” And then Janssen goes on to save 42 games and win the Rollie Rolaids award. Oh, and in deeper leagues, bench bats are okay (within reason).
DAMN, YOUR OUTFIELD IS SO YOUNG THAT YELICH BABYSITS IT.
That’s my one big pet peeve with this team. I could get to May and have no outfield outside of Trout. I don’t think Marte is that risky, but he looks like a perennial All-Starrer (totally a word!) compared to the rest of my outfield. At one point, I fake-drafted Pederson instead of Souza, but I changed it up because I wanted a guy that at least was guaranteed a starting job.
GREY, TELL ME TRUE, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS TEAM?
The pitching, which is hilarious, since I drafted only one starter in the top 100. My pitching is ridunk. I suggest doing some mocks where you don’t draft a starter until the 100th pick overall just to see what kind of team you can assemble. I’m guessing a pitching staff that is a lot better than you thought you could assemble.
CAN I TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR TEAM AND SEND IT TO MYSELF OVER ELECTRONIC MAIL AND PUT A RED FLAG ON THE EMAIL INDICATING IMPORTANT?
Yes, be my guest. The only thing is you don’t want to get too caught up in trying to replicate my draft because if someone else takes a guy you want, you’re gonna start scrambling and then sweating and then shart your Underoos. Just build the best team you can and use my example as a guide. For s’s and g’s, go to my top 400 and put your best fantasy baseball team into the comments below.
