February Mock Draft

Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran and Alex Rodriguez seem to be going off the board first in most of this year’s early drafts, but after the top three, fantasy owners are faced with very tough choices. From elite hitters such as Vladimir Guerrero to stars at shallow positions like Miguel Tejada to dominant starting pitchers such as Johan Santana, drafters have lots of options. To help you prepare and plan your strategy for your own drafts, it never hurts to look at a variety of mocks to find out what other owners are thinking, and this one is very interesting indeed.

From the tactic of establishing a dominant rotation right at the draft’s outset by plucking Santana and Randy Johnson with back-to-back picks to the brief run on the elite catchers in round five, there’s plenty of food for thought for fantasy owners in these 15 rounds…

As with any mock draft, the drafters’ preferences and team needs obviously play a role in their respective choices, and a player’s rank might therefore vary from what you might expect from a cheat sheet compiled outside of actual draft conditions.

Pick #	Player	Round	Team
1.	Albert Pujols - 1B, StL	1	rico
2.	Carlos Beltran - OF, NYN	1	pomp
3.	Alex Rodriguez - 3B, NYA	1	roto&Mook
4.	Miguel Tejada - SS, Bal	1	Amazinz
5.	Vladimir Guerrero - OF, Ana	1	So0p
6.	Alfonso Soriano - 2B, Tex	1	warrick
7.	Todd Helton - 1B, Col	1	sisyphus
8.	Manny Ramirez - OF, Bos	1	Saints
9.	Bobby Abreu - OF, Phi	1	irish&ump
10.	Barry Bonds - OF, SF	1	brand
11.	Carl Crawford - OF, TB	1	flb&kim
12.	Johan Santana - SP, Min	1	Dog
13.	Randy Johnson - SP, NYA	2	Dog
14.	Mark Teixiera - 1B, Tex	2	flb&kim
15.	Adrian Beltre - 3B, Sea	2	brand
16.	Gary Sheffield - OF, NYA	2	irish&ump
17.	Nomar Garciaparra - SS, ChN	2	Saints
18.	Miguel Cabrera - OF, Fla	2	sisyphus
19.	Pedro Martinez - SP, NYN	2	warrick
20.	Mark Prior - SP, ChN	2	So0p
21.	Curt Schilling - SP, Bos	2	Amazinz
22.	Derek Jeter - SS, NYA	2	roto&Mook
23.	Jason Schmidt - SP, SF	2	pomp
24.	Scott Rolen - 3B, StL	2	rico
25.	Roy Oswalt - SP, Hou	3	rico
26.	David Ortiz - 1B, Bos	3	pomp
27.	Ben Sheets - SP, Mil	3	roto&Mook
28.	Ichiro - OF, Sea	3	Amazinz
29.	Eric Chavez - 3B, Oak	3	So0p
30.	Jim Thome - 1B, Phi	3	warrick
31.	Tim Hudson - SP, Atl	3	sisyphus
32.	Carlos Delgado - 1B, Fla	3	Saints
33.	Carlos Zambrano - SP, ChN	3	irish&ump
34.	Jake Peavy - SP, SD	3	brand
35.	Micheal Young - SS, Tex	3	flb&kim
36.	Jim Edmonds - OF, StL	3	Dog
37.	Marcus Giles - 2B, Atl	4	Dog
38.	Aubrey Huff - 1B/3B, TB	4	flb&kim
39.	Kerry Wood - SP, ChN	4	brand
40.	Eric Gagne - RP, LA	4	irish&ump
41.	Hideki Matsui - OF, NYA	4	Saints
42.	Adam Dunn - OF, Cin	4	sisyphus
43.	Hank Blalock - 3B, Tex	4	warrick
44.	Oliver Perez - SP, Pit	4	So0p
45.	Melvin Mora - 3B, Bal	4	Amazinz
46.	Juan Pierre - OF, Fla	4	roto&Mook
47.	Brad Lidge - RP, Hou	4	pomp
48.	Aramis Ramirez - 3B, ChN	4	rico
49.	Victor Martinez - C, Cle	5	rico
50.	Ivan Rodriguez - C, Det	5	pomp
51.	Derrek Lee - 1B, ChN	5	roto&Mook
52.	Javy Lopez - C, Bal	5	Amazinz
53.	Magglio Ordonez - OF, ChA	5	So0p
54.	Vernon Wells - OF, Tor	5	warrick
55.	Francisco Rodriguez - RP, Ana	5	sisyphus
56.	Roy Halladay - SP, Tor	5	Saints
57.	Mariano Rivera - RP, NYA	5	irish&ump
58.	Joe Nathan - RP, Min	5	brand
59.	Mike Mussina - SP, NYA	5	flb&kim
60.	Jimmy Rollins - SS, Phi	5	Dog
61.	Johnny Damon - OF, Bos	6	Dog
62.	AJ Burnett - SP, Fla	6	flb&kim
63.	Francisco Cordero - RP, Tex	6	brand
64.	Mark Loretta - 2B, SD	6	irish&ump
65.	Jeff Kent - 2B, LA	6	Saints
66.	Rich Harden - SP, Oak	6	sisyphus
67.	Chipper Jones - 3B/OF, Atl	6	warrick
68.	JD Drew - OF, LA	6	So0p
69.	Carlos Lee - OF, Mil	6	Amazinz
70.	Keith Foulke - RP, Bos	6	roto&Mook
71.	Mark Mulder - SP, StL	6	pomp
72.	Josh Beckett - SP, Fla	6	rico
73.	Corey Patterson - OF, ChN	7	rico
74.	Garret Anderson - OF, Ana	7	pomp
75.	Bret Boone - 2B, Sea	7	roto&Mook
76.	Armando Benitez - RP, SF	7	Amazinz
77.	Richie Sexson - 1B, Sea	7	So0p
78.	Billy Wagner - RP, Phi	7	warrick
79.	David Wright - 3B, NYN	7	sisyphus
80.	Jason Isringhausen - RP, StL	7	Saints
81.	Bartolo Colon - SP, Ana	7	irish&ump
82.	Jose Reyes - 2B, NYN	7	brand
83.	Octavio Dotel - RP, Oak	7	flb&kim
84.	Shawn Green - 1B/OF, Ari	7	Dog
85.	Moises Alou - OF, SF	8	Dog
86.	Kelvim Escobar - SP, Ana	8	flb&kim
87.	Joe Mauer - C, Min	8	brand
88.	Edgar Renteria - SS, Bos	8	irish&ump
89.	Jason Kendall - C, Oak	8	Saints
90.	Rafeal Furcal - SS, Atl	8	sisyphus
91.	Mike Piazza - C/1B, NYN	8	warrick
92.	Carlos Guillen - SS, Det	8	So0p
93.	Lance Berkman - OF, Hou	8	Amazinz
94.	Brad Wilkerson - 1B/OF, Was	8	roto&Mook
95.	Matt Clement - SP, Bos	8	pomp
96.	Trevor Hoffman - RP, SD	8	rico
97.	Brian Giles - OF, SD	9	rico
98.	Mike Lowell - 3B, Fla	9	pomp
99.	Odalis Perez - SP, LA	9	roto&Mook
100.	Luis Castillo - 2B, Fla	9	Amazinz
101.	Jose Vidro - 2B, Was	9	So0p
102.	Kevin Brown - SP, NYA	9	warrick
103.	Richard Hidalgo - OF, Tex	9	sisyphus
104.	Livan Hernandez - SP, Was	9	Saints
105.	Justin Morneau - 1B, Min	9	irish&ump
106.	Austin Kearns - OF, Cin	9	brand
107.	Jose Guillen - OF, Was	9	flb&kim
108.	Troy Glaus - 3B, Ari	9	Dog
109.	Danny Kolb - RP, Atl	10	Dog
110.	Chone Figgins - 3B/OF, Ana	10	flb&kim
111.	Travis Hafner - DH, Cle	10	brand
112.	Barry Zito - SP, Oak	10	irish&ump
113.	Roger Clemens - SP, Hou	10	Saints
114.	Brian Roberts - 2B, Bal	10	sisyphus
115.	Scott Podsednik - OF, ChA	10	warrick
116.	Jorge Posada - C, NYA	10	So0p
117.	Sean Casey - 1B, Cin	10	Amazinz
118.	Paul Konerko - 1B, ChA	10	roto&Mook
119.	Aaron Rowand - OF, ChA	10	pomp
120.	Andruw Jones - OF, Atl	10	rico
121.	Juan Uribe - 2B/3B/SS, ChA	11	rico
122.	Javier Vazquez - SP, Ari	11	pomp
123.	Greg Maddux - SP, ChN	11	roto&Mook
124.	Guillermo Mota - RP, Fla	11	Amazinz
125.	Mark Buerhle - SP, ChA	11	So0p
126.	John Smoltz - SP, Atl	11	warrick
127.	Freddy Garcia - SP, ChA	11	sisyphus
128.	Bill Mueller - 3B, Bos	11	Saints
129.	Torii Hunter - OF, Min	11	irish&ump
130.	CC Sabathia - SP, Cle	11	brand
131.	Jason Bay - OF, Pit	11	flb&kim
132.	Braden Looper - RP, NYN	11	Dog
133.	Jason Varitek - C, Bos	12	Dog
134.	Troy Percival - RP, Det	12	flb&kim
135.	Adam LaRoche - 1B, Atl	12	brand
136.	Johnny Estrada - C, Atl	12	irish&ump
137.	Randy Winn - OF, Sea	12	Saints
138.	BJ Ryan - RP, Bal	12	sisyphus
139.	Kazuo Matsui - SS, NYN	12	warrick
140.	Danny Graves - RP, Cin	12	So0p
141.	Brandon Webb - SP, Ari	12	Amazinz
142.	Eddie Guardado - RP, Sea	12	roto&Mook
143.	Ray Durham - 2B, SF	12	pomp
144.	Brad Radke - SP, Min	12	rico
145.	Bobby Crosby - SS, Oak	13	rico
146.	Orlando Cabrera - SS, Ana	13	pomp
147.	Chris Carpenter - SP, StL	13	roto&Mook
148.	Jeremy Bonderman - SP, Det	13	Amazinz
149.	Brad Penny - SP, LA	13	So0p
150.	Shingo Takatsu - RP, ChA	13	warrick
151.	Geoff Jenkins - OF, Mil	13	sisyphus
152.	Latroy Hawkins - RP, ChN	13	Saints
153.	Matt Morris - SP, StL	13	irish&ump
154.	Chase Utley - 2B, Phi	13	brand
155.	Phil Nevin - 1B, SD	13	flb&kim
156.	Steve Finley - OF, Ana	13	Dog
157.	Carl Pavano - SP, NYA	14	Dog
158.	Paul LoDuca - C, Fla	14	flb&kim
159.	Larry Walker - OF, StL	14	brand
160.	Casey Blake - 3B, Cle	14	irish&ump
161.	Akinori Otsuka - RP, SD	14	Saints
162.	Adam Eaton - SP, SD	14	sisyphus
163.	Sammy Sosa - OF, Bal	14	warrick
164.	Jose Mesa - RP, Pit	14	So0p
165.	Jeff Bagwell - 1B, Hou	14	Amazinz
166.	Mike Lieberthal - C, Phi	14	roto&Mook
167.	Coco Crisp - OF, Cle	14	pomp
168.	Dontrelle Willis - SP, Fla	14	rico
169.	Danys Baez - RP, TB	15	rico
170.	Lew Ford - OF, Min	15	pomp
171.	Chad Cordero - RP, Was	15	roto&Mook
172.	David Wells - SP, Bos	15	Amazinz
173.	Kevin Mench - OF, Tex	15	So0p
174.	Zack Greinke - SP, KC	15	warrick
175.	AJ Pieryznski - C ChA	15	sisyphus
176.	Jayson Werth - OF, LA	15	Saints
177.	Ken Griffey, Jr. - OF, Cin	15	irish&ump
178.	Scott Linebrink - RP, SD	15	brand
179.	Joel Piniero - SP, Sea	15	flb&kim
180.	Jeff Weaver - SP, LA	15	Dog

 
(Notes: 5×5 roto scoring was assumed for this mock. Players’ teams are current through the time of the draft, but may of course change during the off-season.)

Thanks to all our drafters for sharing their strategies and sleepers!