How long do you draft the Best Available Player?

[Captain Jack Sparrow]

Obviously every draft is different, but in general how many rounds do you draft best available before you start to address empty roster spots?

How deep is too deep?

[ebrage]

Minimum 1st 3 rounds, I like to get to the 5th before I start looking at needs over best available.

[mrider]

Well actually right away I always address needs after the first judging on the scarcity of he position. For example i could of picked Bonds (draft 3 weeks ago) or Manny instead I took Tejada so I could have the best avaiblible SS I also landed Garciaparra and the trades are in the works for a great outfielder.

[bselig]

First two rounds

[Titanic Grizzlie]

I did it through 8 rounds last night simply because value kept coming my way. I ended up with 2 SS, 2 3B, and 2 1B in the first 8 rounds: Tejada, young, mora, chavez, Teixira, and sexson. Hell one of those guys can't even play as of now because I only have 2 util.

My OF is really weak. My 2B and C is pretty weak as well. I think it couldturn out fo rthe betteras long as I am able to swing a deal for for an OF.

My advice is to draft for value in the first 6 rounds. Start switching over to need at that point, but don't put blinders on. If someone like Mora falls to you in the 8th of a 12 teamer like me last night then you have no choice but to take that player.

[Tavish]

Until my best available player would overfill my starters at a position. If the best available player at my pick is an OF for the first 3 rounds then I take all three. If another OF is my best avail in the next round I'll look someplace else.

[tuff_gong]

i usually draft the best player the first 5 rounds, first 3 at minimum depending on who's there.

[reiser]

i usually draft the best player the first 5 rounds, first 3 at minimum depending on who's there.

honestly, i think you should do it as late as possible. with names like Wood, Prior, Ordonez and Bonds dropping precipitously this year, that can really make you team into a contender. see Jason Schmidt's AVG position last year for example-coming off surgery, and having a horrible spring, i would guess he dropped to at least the 5th RD if not later, and of course, put up 2nd 3rd rnd value.

otoh, Nomo had off-season surgery, had a terrible spring, dropped big time in the draft and went to the bullpen

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

Until the end of the draft, then trade them away for what I need. That is unless there is a transaction limit or the owners in your league aren't big into making big-time trades.

[LBJackal]

I always take the best available player in terms of helping my team. If I have a 1B like Casey who I can get very late, there's no need to draft David Ortiz or something like that even if they're the best player available. Unless the dropoff from Ortiz to whoever I draft is bigger than the gain I'd get by stealing Casey so late. So for that reson I usually wait on SS's and grab Cabrera late, wait on pitchers and take Buehrle, Thomson, Vazquez, Dotel, etc.

So for me best available isn't just plain old value, but how much value I'm losing for the later rounds by filling up spots that I can get under-valued players in.