Early Draft, WHIR!!

[Relddem]

I like doing an early real draft as a warmup/practice (I do a few mocks first but they're not usually taken seriously enough and can create bad habits I find). This is also my first year doing auction style. So this is a standard Yahoo! Roto 5x5 Auction with $260 budgets. Here's the roster:

C- Matt Wieters ($12)
1B-Albert Pujols ($43)
2B-Kelly Johnson ($3)
3B-Evan Longoria ($39)
SS-Alexei Ramirez ($4)
OF-Andrew McCutchen ($26)
OF-Desmond Jennings ($19)
OF-Jay Bruce ($18)
Util-Peter Bourjos ($6) [OF]
Util-Alex Rios ($1) [OF]
BN-Jason Kipnis ($1) [2B]
BN-Brandon Belt ($1) [1B,OF]

SP-David Price ($28)
SP-Jon Lester ($20)
RP-Rafael Betancourt ($6)
RP-Frank Francisco ($4)
P- Mat Latos ($11)
P- Matt Garza ($8)
P- Matt Thornton ($2)
P- Addison Reed ($1)
BN-Brandon Morrow ($4)
BN-Mike Minor ($1)
BN-Francisco Liriano ($1)

I really couldn't be more thrilled with the result. Yes, RP is a bit of a mess, but I feel like I got such amazing value elsewhere that I can live with having to hunt saves down if necessary. And even RP isn't really that bad. Betancourt and Francisco have already been announced as closers, and I handcuffed Thornton and Reed, so at the very least the potential for a decent built in saves total is there. I get that there's a lot of risk here, but I'm pretty confident I can make up for it on the wire and that the values I got elsewhere were well worth the cost of some closer headache.

I'm thrilled with my offense. Relative to their average cost, Pujols and Alexei were steals (neither of whom I'm crazy about at their average costs or ADP in snakes, but I love at these prices), and I think Bruce and Wieters are being way undervalued. I also think I can get some great cheap production by starting out with Kelly Johnson and Jason Kipnis at 2B. Usually I'd go for one more bench hitter instead of a an 11th pitcher, but with the White Sox RP handcuff and the strength of my starters, I felt it was more prudent to invest in cheap, low-risk, high-reward pitching like Morrow, Liriano, and Minor.

On the SP side, Lester and Garza were both very cheap, and I also felt Garza along with Price and Latos are a bit undervalued even by average cost. Morrow and Liriano burned me last year, but what can I say, I'm stubborn and they didn't cost much. My SP staff isn't as sexy looking as my offense, but I actually have each of my Top 4 ranked as Top 20 SP. If I'm going to have an issue, its going to be WHIP, but I should dominate Ks and do well in ERA and Ws (as long as I'm willing to part with Morrow and Liriano if they start slow, which I likely will be).

[wilhouse]

you got a ton of value lol you should be very happy with how this works out.

and i wouldn't worry about how you RP worked out because I feel like pitchers get injuried so much in todays game that it will be no time before someone goes down and you can pick up their replacement.

good draft though.

[jayvee16_98]

you did very well in your draft...great infield and strong starting pitchers...only concern are your closers...might lose in the saves category...but overall, great draft!

here's mine: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=439899

[jayvee16_98]

you did very well in your draft...great infield and strong starting pitchers...only concern are your closers...might lose in the saves category...but overall, great draft!

here's mine: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=439899

[CyboNinja]

The only player who I think you overpaid for (and this is nit-picking) is Desmond Jennings. $19 seems like a bit much for a player still without a full season under his belt.

[Relddem]

The only player who I think you overpaid for (and this is nit-picking) is Desmond Jennings. $19 seems like a bit much for a player still without a full season under his belt.

Agreed, that was sort of a 'drive the price up/live with it if no one else bids' bid, it wasn't one I was necessarily hoping to win, but also wasn't one where I would have been upset if I did. Guys like Brett Lawrie and Eric Hosmer were going pretty high so I thought someone else would pay $20, but no one did. I don't hate it though, Jennings should have a decent .250-8-30 floor and a vintage Carl Crawford type ceiling.