JB’s Draft Recap – CBS Memorial Magazine Auction League

Razzball Nation!  After typically complaining about how many moves Grey will make in the Perty Perts RCL league, I decided to branch out into the other expert league-space this year and hop in a couple of leagues with our fantasy compadres.  Thanks to the CBS guys for letting one of us Razzball schmohawks crash their league.  Then dominate with sheer fiscal responsibility!  I’m like Alexander Hamilton out there, makin’ banks!  Overall I liked how I did, but I shall let you – esteemed Razzball Commenters – let me know how you think I did in this auction-extravaganza (league is 12-team roto, daily FAAB, weekly line-ups):

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• Starting at the top, the $1 catchers was not an initial draft strategy, just sort of where things went.   I almost considered drafting two decent catchers despite normal Razzball-expectations, but Jonathan Lucroy went for $18 then Willson Contreras – a guy I really wanted – went for $11 at a time where I was hoping he might stay single-digits.  The only other catcher I think I bid on was Matt Wieters at $3, and he went for $5.  So dollar catchers, here I come!  And I like the pair I got.
• Obviously this team starts with Mike Trout, who I snagged to start the draft at a deservedly high premium.  Our auction values have him for $50.7, but I think the disparity between he and the field is worth the price.  I did click $53 as my final bid, but happy it worked.  I then waited 40-45 picks until my next guy, but the early Trout win at a high-ish price helped push the other 1st-2nd round guys to the $40+ price range, which helped me get values down the road.
• The $31 for Freddie Freeman might have been a bit of an overspend, but I wanted one of the elite 1B.  Obviously after Trout, I watched them quickly fly off the shelves.  Our combined auction values have him for only $20, but Grey has him at $40, so maybe I got him right in the sweet spot.  I know CBS doesn’t really like him, so was kinda hoping he’d go cheaper, but schwatev.
• Love, love, LOVE!!!! my middle infield.  I’m not quite as googoo gaga for Rougned Odor like Grey is, but $19 felt like an amazing value.  But I am equally googoo gaga for Trevor Story, and was getting him anywhere under $30.  $22 was a phenomenal price.
• My main regret was getting a little gun shy with Jonathan Villar, to completely slaughter steals and give me a crazy MI.  He went for $24, and I wish I pushed a few more bids, I just got a little timid.  After everyone caught up with their studs post-Trout, I sat high and pretty with one of the higher budgets virtually the rest of the draft, and didn’t sacrifice it like I maybe should’ve for Villar.
• I’m not a big Adrian Beltre guy – I was waiting for Anthony Rendon to be nommed to fill my 3B – but $12 was just stupid cheap.  Then still was able to get Rendon for $9.  Loved these values.
• Obviously after Trout – and then filling up my infield with higher-end guys – I had to fill out the remainder of my OF pretty cheaply.  I was kinda “meh” through the process, but seeing them all on paper now, I think I did a decent job.  As I mentioned above, I had one of the higher budgets through the last 50 or so picks (and well, most of the draft, but more so noticed at the end), so I snagged Yasmany Tomas cheaply when most guys had only $1 or $2 max bids left, and stole Scott White’s boy Mitch Haniger before he could last to the reserve rounds.
• I did have a succinct draft strategy for pitching – get Yu Darvish, get some closers, and let the rest of the chips fall where they lie.  Getting Darvish and his upside to flirt with 275 Ks at a sub-ace price was paramount for this format, where you have to set your line-up weekly and not stream daily pitchers.  Since you’re locked into your 9 starting “P”s, if you don’t have high-K pitchers, you either are really bad in that cat or play 7-8 starters and only 1-2 closers.  I wanted to be able to play 3-4 closers most weeks without sacrificing Ks, so Darvish is my guy in the format.  And well, my guy overall, given I have him 5th when he’s outside the main aces ranks for most ‘perty perts.
• Loved getting Kenta Maeda, but it was kinda weird on Dylan Bundy and Joe Ross.  Both were nominated very early and are sleepers for me, but maybe I should’ve held off and just gotten $1 SPs.  I mean, Ivan Nova – who I have ranked higher than both – I got in the reserve rounds.  Although admittedly, I am a little Nova-crazy this year :)  CassaNova!
• With Maeda and Darvish, I did feel like I could go with a safer/7-8ish K guy to round out my starting-most-weeks staff, and John Lackey just fell into my lap.  Weird that I like an old vet without K upside that much, but damn it feels good having my main SP guys on good teams.  Even if I’m starting only 5-6 most weeks, I think I should maintain some wins.
• To the closers, and yeah, everyone says “don’t pay for saves!”  “SAGNOF!”  Well, in RCLs, I typically agree.  But in weekly lock, I want high-K closers to keep the strikeouts rolling while I play 3-4 of em.  So I went a little bold on Aroldis Chapman, then immediately afterwards everyone seemed gun shy with Craig Kimbrel nommed up, and I just saw too much value.  Then Tony Watson for $4…  Mmmmm, loved that one.  Really like how the pitchers came together on the lighter budget.

What do you think of this squad?  Any places you would’ve zigged where I zagged?  Gimme your thoughts below, and hopefully I can bring home some Razzball glory!  If you listen to the CBS pod, they talked this draft on Wednesday, so you can listen to their thoughts too.  They mention a few things I did but never our name!  I think they’re mad at Razzball :)