Cold Stove League Questionnaire 2009

[fezzik]

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?
Ludwick

i forgot about that pick. one of the biggest reaches/keys to success in the draft. he pretty much has to duplicate last season, which most people do not think is possible to warrant that selection.

That's a ridiculous statement...if he duplicates last years numbers he's a mid-2nd rounder. I expect dropoffs across the board, but I'm confident he will outperform where I took him (#60).

.280, 90R, 30HR, 100RBI

I can't wait to get this season going!

[RedBullVodka]

I thought it would be interesting to see what everyone thought. Could also be good for a laugh at the end of the year if someone is totally delusional or wrong (probably me ).

1. What was your draft strategy?

Draft a good hitting base / take one of the top 5 3B (hence A-Ram) / load up with high upside pitchers in middle rounds

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?

Soriano in the third was pretty good value.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?

Either Ludwick or Bruce.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?

GP / Rockets / Fade

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?

Hopefully not me.

6. The best pick that you made

Harden

7. The worst pick that you made

Harden

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?

Harden

9. Your team's weak/strong points

PItching could be my strength or weakness. If Harden somehow stays injury free, Bedard rebounds and Josh Johnson / Adam Wainwright build on promising signs my pitching could be gold. But there are a big number of 'ifs' in that statement.


Have fun

[AussieDodger]

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?

Chris Davis at 57, and Jay Bruce at 64. Davis is a powerhouse, but hasn't proven he can keep a tasty avg. yet, and Bruce will be a bust in my reckoning.

davis makes no sense for you to label him the reach of the draft when at least 4 guys were mad i took him when i did (you included) and you immediately im'ed me to trade for him and even offered players you drafted before him. go figure

He is just trying to drive down the price

Shhh

[smoovethug]

1. What was your draft strategy?
Best player available + wait for pitching + a little consideration towards youth.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?
Mike Cameron. A 20/20 guy that late is gold.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?
McCann in the 4th.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?
Myself, GP, Snakes

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?
RBV, Wicked, bobbing...no offense of course.

6. The best pick that you made
Paul Konerko. A guy I like to bounceback to 30/100 in the 13th. Mmmm

7. The worst pick that you made
Brandon Morrow. Awful looking back at the names that I took him over. I guess I got too caught up in his gaudy k/9 and potential for the future.

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?
Ervin Santana. My pitching is already thin I can't afford to have him miss time and/or be ineffective.

9. Your team's weak/strong points
Strong = power/speed. Weak = SP depth.

[AussieDodger]

7. The worst pick that you made?
Jason Giambi...he's a bum.

Trade?

[Fade2White12]

1. What was your draft strategy?
Youth, and not concentrate much on OPS and Saves. Last year, Utley had the highest OPS on my team with .915, and I had only two pitchers with over 10 saves, and still finished second. Also, last year, I drafted starters with question marks and poor previous seasons looking to bounceback, and that also worked quite well. I think this team is very similar to that, with Lackey, Harang, Verlander, Greinke, etc. It really worked out according to plan.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?
Gotta go Lidge in Rd 10

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?
Although I did my fair share of reaching on upside young guys, anything above a last round pick on Ben Sheets is a reach that I can't condone.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?
Aside from myself, I'd say BH, Snakes, Fezz

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?
I think it will come down to who is luckiest in regards to injuries. At this point in ST, my bet would be on GF since he's hit a few bad breaks already but that could change. It's pretty hard to pick any other teams, but if I had to, I guess I'd say WickedSmaat (sorry man ).

6. The best pick that you made
I love my early picks, but I think it's Duchscherer in Rd 24. Even if he barely pitches this year, it's no loss being such a late pick. Also, even if he regresses from last year, I think the upside is worth it as my 6th SP.

7. The worst pick that you made
Chase Headley

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?
For this year, I'd say it's Justin Upton. I've put a lot of faith in him, considering I used a 9th round pick on him. I think he'll be a superstar and very soon, but he and the rest of my young guys like Sandoval, Dukes, and Alexei will have to perform this season for me to finish well.

9. Your team's weak/strong points
I think my pitching will be huge this year just like last year. I also think that I'll have SBs and Rs sown up most weeks. Weakness has to be Saves, although I expect Gregg to have the job in ChC, and my backup relievers are second in line behind some frail guys (Perez behind Wood, and Wheeler behind Percival).

[Fade2White12]

I have to admit, I like seeing my name mentioned in almost everyone's top 3.

[Grounded Polo]

I have to admit, I like seeing my name mentioned in almost everyone's top 3.

Likewise.

[AussieDodger]

I have to admit, I like seeing my name mentioned in almost everyone's top 3.

I love being under-rated

[bobbing_headz]

Glad to see there's so much love for my team


1. What was your draft strategy?
After getting killed last year I figured i need to completely change my strategy. My goal early was to basically try and get as many well rounded hitters as possible. Taking Sizemore, Crawford, Rios, and Hunter are potential 5 tool guys. As for pitching I was looking to wait till the mid-late rounds to get pitching and to try to get a bunch of high K guys. Bills and Vazquez should fit the bill. Jimenez and Baker have potential and Zambrano is perhaps a fantasy of mine. Other than that, I tried to draft few RPs and load up on outfielders. It was not my intent at all to draft a top catcher or RP but i couldn't pass up Mauer or Nathan.

2. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?
Two guys, Napoli and Ordonez. Napoli was a steal in the 23rd and great on RBV for waiting on him. Easily has 25 homer potential and if he reaches 400+ ABs has definite top 5 catcher potential.

Ordonez is a reliable stud, pretty much a five outta 6 cat guy which is awesome and I felt he fell way past where he shoulda gone.

3. Who do you think was the reach of the draft?
One of my biggest peeves is when guys reach really early for rookies/and or really young guys. I know this is a keeper so that strategy does have some merit but I don't like to build for 2 or 3 years down the road. In the 10-11 round when guys like Wieters, Price, Kershaw and Scherzer were all picked that raised an eyebrow for me. Pitchers are probably even more unreliable than hitters.

4. Who do you think will finish in the top 3?
F2W, GPolo, Wicked

5. Who do you think will finish in the bottom 3?
Fezzik, Aussie, Snakes (bold!)

6. The best pick that you made
Miguel Tejada - I don't really like Tejada and would usually never draft him but, getting him in the 17th was crazy value given the fact that he is almost a lock for a top 10 SS and could push for top 5-6 if he can improve a little on last year's numbers/

7. The worst pick that you made
Tie - Huston Street - Granted, there wasn't really anything left on the board at closer so maybe this was warranted but Street probably is 50/50 to not even have the job to begin the season.

Joe Mauer - When I drafted him I didn't know about his injury situation. Now he might not even be ready for opening day. If he misses time then I wasted a pick.

8. What player is the biggest key to your success?
Travis Hafner. I need power. If Hafner can go 25/100/100 then I should be gravy. If tanks, then I'm wasting a util spot

9. Your team's weak/strong points
I've got lots of 5 tool guys and I should win steals a lot with Sizemore, Crawford, Rios and Hunter. My avg and runs should also be great but what I'm lacking in is probably RBIs and HRs. I'm still out on OPS but it could probably be better. In terms of pitching tried to get lots in the way of Ks but my ratios might suffer a bit. I don't really have any depth at RP so I'll probably tank saves most weeks. It might have been a waste to even draft RPs.