Grey threw this knuckleball: “I have an idea for someone who wants extra credit on their Razzball exam. Put together, next year, a team of 27-year-olds. My guess is if you don’t research anything else and only draft 27-year-olds, you’ll have a leg up on the competition.”
Fun, yes! A ‘leg up’…on the pool of ALL other ages? Is he serious or just having fun with us? I’ll play along… cull all those ‘lucky-year’ studs. [Ed. Note- Bonus points for using ‘cull’.]
Attach Grey’s Top-400 rankings, establishing first-available round for each. Then, sort by round, selecting the top-ranked player available for the next pick.
At my first look, I have Adam Jones (5) followed by first-rounders Carlos Gonzalez (8), Chris Davis (9), and Evan Longoria. All age-27, and four of top-nine players. WOW!
With a snake draft with first pick at #5 is Adam Jones. It’s a pretty nice lineup, but lacks a strong corner-infielder due to my first pick being an OF. (No players drafted ahead of assigned snake pick.) At my second look, I begin my snake at #9 with Chris Davis. Better. Much better… and I certainly can’t pass up the ‘big cheat’. I add Jay Bruce and Jason Kipnis, both birthday boys turning 27 on April 3rd. Not the magic age for their first 3 games, so to be safe, I’ll just bench ‘em until they qualify.
Yup, my here’s my best age-27 lineup:
| C – Carlos Santana (94) |
| 1B – Chris Davis (9) |
| 2B – Jason Kipnis (33) |
| 3B – Josh Donaldson (56) |
| SS – Asdrubal Cabrera (162) |
| MI – Zack Cozart (279) |
| CI – Todd Frazier (124) |
| OF – Jay Bruce (20) |
| OF – Yoenis Cespedes (83) |
| OF – Dexter Fowler (154) |
| OF – Lorenzo Cain (224) |
| OF – Alex Presley (319) |
| UT – Neil Walker (291) |
| SP – Homer Bailey (58) |
| SP – David Price (64) |
| SP – Kris Medlen (132) |
| SP – Johnny Cueto (185) |
| SP – Corey Kluber (194) |
| CL – Greg Holland (112) |
| CL – Steve Cishek (207) |
| CL – Ernesto Frieri (213) |
| MR – Nate Jones (244) |
| MR – Josh Fields (286) |
| BN – Louis Coleman |
| BN – David Carpenter |
How good is this team? I entered in Grey’s last draft, stopping at 13 hitters, 5 SP, and 2 CL (draft not completed) to The War Room. It ranked 7th of 13 teams (had to balance teams, drop a pitcher for a hitter on 4 teams, to get all teams with 13 hitters, 5 SP, and 2 CL). Next is take on Grey’s challenge at another level. And that’s run it in mocks, see what she can really do. This is really a must for those TWO of you who will turn 27 on March 27—Opening Day 2014, Dodgers VS D-backs, Sydney AUS!
