Before we get this post-Festivus celebration of the back-end of this mock-u-mentiful draft going, I’d like to pass along a special thanks to our very own Grey Albright and Bryan Curley of Baseball Professor for setting up this multi-site super exposition of this crazy idea, because I apparently have nothing else to with my time during the off-season. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then you can find the Round 1-5 Recap by clicking on this linkadink. For the Round 6-10 Recap, go ahead and marvel at this linkadink. For the complete results, you can check them out here. (Dat nineties website design, bro.) So let’s go to the jump and get this present unwrapped. HOLIDAY THEMES!
Here’s the lowdown, because nobody calls it the updown…
Style: 5×5 Roto, Size: 12-team, 25-man rosters, Positions: 2 C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, CI, MI, 5 OF, U / 5 SP, 2 RP, 2 P / 2 BN
Draft Roster and Order:
1 — George Fitopoulos, Baseball Professor, @BaseballProf
2 — Chris McBrien, Dear Mr. Fantasy, @cmcbrien
3 — Nate Springfield, Baseball Press, @NateSpringfield
4 — Clave Jones, Fantasy Baseball Crackerjacks, @clavejones
5 — Eric Broutman, Baseball Professor, @BaseballProf
6 — Paul Beck, Baseball Professor, @mroaklanda
7 — Jake Devereaux, Baseball Professor, @devjake
8 — Tanner Bell, Smart Fantasy Baseball, @smartfantasybb
9 — Bryan Curley, Baseball Professor, @BaseballProf
10 — Zach Pincince, Baseball Professor, @BaseballProf
11 — Adam Nodiff, Baseball Professor, @ANodBaseball
12 — Jason Longfellow, Razzball, @jaywrong
Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Recap, Rounds 11-25
11.132 — Jedd Gyorko 2B, SD
I tried my hardest to hold off the fantasy baseball disease known as homerism, but there’s a breaking point. And I guess this was mine. I’m a huge Gyorko fan, could ya tell? Obvious statement is obvious. Even so, I still want to establish something here. He hit the most home runs (23) at the keystone, sans any player named Robinson Cano. And guest what? There’s only one player with that name. Oh, by the way, he achieved that total in only 125 games. On top of that, there’s enough of a minor league track record to show there should be an uptick batting average and on-base percentage.
Eleventh Round Notes: My original plan had been to draft Will Venable (11.128), but I missed him by four spots. I wanted to see him fall a bit more in this draft, but that might just be because I’ve been spoiled by picking up as an afterthought all these years. Jurickson Profar (11.123) was an interesting selection, and it feels a bit high, only because he’s going to have to start living up to his scouting reports pretty soon to justify it.
12.133 — Leonys Martin OF, TEX
I have to admit, I was a little uncomfortable with this pick and I still am, even moreso with the Choo signing. But at this point in the draft, my team really lacked speed and he was the only player remaining who had stolen more than 23 bases. In fact, he stole 36. With that large of gap, I used it as my main justification. I like the speed, and I think the home environment and a very good Texas lineup only helps here. Then again, the platoon splits, the likely back-end of the lineup slot, and poor zone control are worrisome. The fact remains that I always want to try and draft the best player off the board first, then draft for positional or categorical need. This, unfortunately, was the latter.
Twelfth Round Notes: Clay Buchholz (12.139) was an interesting choice. I think there will be some regression, but I liked his sequencing and velocity last season. Am I personally buying though? I never have, and that trend will most likely continue. Julio Teheran (12.137) could be a steal at this spot if he continues to control his off-speed stuff. Also, I would be remiss not to mention that Jose Abreu (12.138) gives us some perspective of where a few scouting reports place his value. Spring Training will illuminate a bit more for us, but for early drafts, it might be a nugget. I think he has 30-home run power, for what it’s worth, and love the ballpark he’s in.
13.156 — Anthony Rendon 2B, WAS
Let it be said that I’m a big fan of Rendon. We already know he can hit, and only would seem to get better from here on out. I think if he stays healthy, he’ll be a star. The key word there being if.
Thirteenth Round Notes: Everyone knows how I feel about Jeff Samardzija (13.153), so this appears to be a great buy-low. And I expect good things from both Brandon Belt (13.146) and Christian Yelich (13.148), and I’m buying in all drafts if this is the range they go.
14.157 — Chase Headley 3B, SD
Something something, homerism. Pretty much. Look, I’ve finally resigned myself to the notion that 2012 might have been a fluke, but I’m still stubborn to the fact that this past-season was not the real Chase Headley. There were several injuries, including a fractured thumb to start the season, and he just never seemed to get comfortable. At this price, if he lands anywhere in the middle of the last two seasons, I think it’s a great return. And, you know, he plays for the Padres. So there’s always that.
Fourteenth Round Notes: I love the Danny Salazar (14.160) selection and think he’s a strong #2 guy flirting with ace-dom. I had weighed the pros and cons of drafting him with my pick, but, you know, he doesn’t play for the Padres. Not the best excuse, I know. I’m not really a Travis d’Arnaud fan, as nothing in his batting profile really pops out at me, but the position is a wasteland, so…
15.180 — Coco Crisp OF, OAK
16.181 — Dexter Fowler OF, HOU
I’m lumping these two players together because I wanted a little bit of power and a little bit of speed to round out my outfield. Coco Crisp had a career worst BABIP, so while the power might regress in the wrong direction, all the other numbers going the other way should soften the blow. And the Fowler selection occurred while he was still manning the outfield in Coors. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have selected him here after going to the Astros. I’m less than enthused with the ballpark change and his home/road splits, but I think he can still be an okay #4 or #5 outfielder.
Fifteenth And Sixteenth Round Notes: I really wanted R.A. Dickey (15.176), because I’m a masochist I guess, but there will be plenty of other drafts I’ll be a part of when I can profess my love of the Dickey. Doug Fister (16.189) was drafted as a Detroit Tiger, but I think he’ll get a huge boost from the current narrative of moving to the NL and pitching for the Nationals. Try not to overrate him, as he might be a top-25 starter next year, but the lack of strikeouts is certainly something to keep in mind.
17.204 — Corey Kluber SP, CLE
18.205 — Alex Wood RP, ATL
Again, some double-lump action. Because lumps rhyme with humps. And camels I guess. No idea where I’m going with that. But you should know I went with two young guys that have some strike-out potential. KNOWLEDGE! Out of the two, Alex Wood is the riskier choice, as I’m not quite sure if he’s a starter. And if he is, then the question becomes health.
Seventeenth and Eighteenth Round Notes: Oscar Taveras (17.193), Chris Archer (17.194), Corey Hart (17.201), Josh Reddick (18.209), and Nick Franklin (18.216) all represent a mix of young and old, but risky buys because of a question of health, playing time, or effectiveness.
19.228 — Oswaldo Arcia OF, MIN
I’m really happy with the Arcia pick here and think he’s a bit more polished than the earlier drafted Avisail Garcia. I like the raw power, and there’s some room to grow in his hitting profile.
Nineteenth Round Notes: I’m not a Khris Davis (19.225) believer and think he played a bit above his head this past season. That being said, I understand the flyer. The Taijuan Walker (19.220) selection feels right, but his secondary stuff seemed to have taken a step-back towards the end of the season.
20.229 — Rick Porcello SP, DET
Bacon, bacon, bacon. I think the new strikeout rate is real. Bacon. BACON. I rest my case.
Twentieth Round Notes: Nick Swisher (20.233) is a solid rebound candidate. I’m not sure what to think of Brian Dozier (20.230), which I guess is my passive aggressive way of saying I’m not a fan. Sort of. Maybe. And I’m still not convinced Darin Ruf (20.238) is an everyday starter. I know for sure he’s not an outfielder, so it should be interesting to see how that situation works out.
21.252 — A.J. Pierzynski C, BOS
15 home runs and an average I can live with… eh, you could do worse. You could probably do better too. I’m just thankful this isn’t an OBP league.
Twenty-First Round Notes: Nothing really much happened besides Brad Miller (21.247) being selected. If I had known that he was going to last this long, my J.J. Hardy strategy might have changed a bit. I’ve always liked him more than Nick Fanklin, and think he could be an average to an above-average bat, which has real value at the shortstop position.
22.253 — Yovani Gallardo SP, MIL
23.276 — Martin Perez SP, TEX
These two guys are pretty similar in that I’m not sure what I’m getting. I might be getting something good. I could also be getting something bad. Or average. So I could pretty much be getting anything… but at the very least I should net some strike-outs out of this, so I’ll just hope for the rest to follow through.
Twenty-Second and Twenty-Third Round Notes: I’m not sure what to make of Michael Pineda (22.257) or Neftali Feliz (22.259) this upcoming season, but you could make the argument for upside. For what it’s worth, I think Pineda has the stronger argument here. I don’t think Yan Gomes (23.265) repeats the season he just had, but at this price, I don’t see a negative. Yasmani Grandal (23.275) is an interesting lottery pick, but the time-table concerns me a bit, and I think he could have been had during the bench rounds.
24.277 — Ike Davis 1B, NYM
25.300 — Kole Calhoun OF, LAA
Grouped together basically because they’re the fat kids in the short pool. That’s my way of saying they’re on my bench. Sorry fat kids. Sorry short pool. Sorry Ike and Kole. I don’t necessarily like Ike Davis, but as far as really buy-low picks go, I’m fine with it. And while I think Kole Calhoun will have plenty of value, especially in deep leagues or AL-only formats, he seems to be more of an afterthought in your basic vanilla leagues. Which makes me hungry for ice cream. So thanks to me, jerk. You know I don’t have any ice cream.
Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Round Notes: I like Colby Rasmus (24.282) as a power-only late pick. I’m not a Jhonny Peralta (24.286) fan, but I think he went a lot later than he should have. And both Scott Kazmir (25.295) and Ian Kennedy (25.294) represent some good fliers, especially with both of them pitching in the best environments to do so.
Should old acquaintance be forgot… Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year to the Razzball community!
Jason Longfellow, aka Jay Long, aka JayWrong, aka Jay, aka JW-1, is a 31-year old Korean/Irish writer who finds solace using Makers Mark as a vehicle to impress women, and also has an affinity for making Jennifer Lawrence GIFs. You can follow him @jaywrong, read his blog Desultory Thoughts of a Longfellow, or, you can find his GIFs at his tumblr, named Siuijeonseo.
