Round | Pick | Player | Position |
1 | 4 | Evan Longoria | 3B |
2 | 25 | Grady Sizemore | OF |
3 | 32 | Robinson Cano | 2B |
4 | 53 | Brian McCann | 1B |
5 | 60 | Jon Lester | P |
6 | 81 | Elvis Andrus | SS |
7 | 88 | Cole Hamels | P |
8 | 109 | Ian Stewart | 2B |
9 | 116 | Lance Berkman | 1B |
10 | 137 | Nate McLouth | OF |
11 | 144 | Billy Wagner | P |
12 | 165 | David Ortiz | 1B |
13 | 172 | Juan Pierre | OF |
14 | 193 | Brad Lidge | P |
15 | 200 | Colby Rasmus | OF |
16 | 221 | Gavin Floyd | P |
17 | 228 | Chris Young | OF |
18 | 249 | Aaron Harang | P |
19 | 256 | Hideki Matsui | DH |
20 | 277 | Chris Young | P |
21 | 284 | Jeff Francoeur | OF |
22 | 305 | Mike Adams | OF |
23 | 312 | Brandon League | P |
24 | 333 | Ian Kennedy | P |
25 | 340 | Drew Storen | OF |
I had a hard time deciding between Evan Longoria or Ryan Braun at No. 4, but I ultimately sided with the shallower position and the guy who is two years younger and hit more home runs last season in 50 fewer at-bats. Remember, before nagging injuries really sapped Longoria's production in the middle of last year, he ended May with 13 homers, 55 RBI and a slash line of .327/.396/.623.
I'm the only sucker willing to grab a hurt Lance Berkman, but I desperately needed a 1B, and at that point, even if he opens the year on the DL, I couldn't pass him up. I mean, he's one season removed from a .312-29-114-106-18 campaign and just turned 34 years old, so I'm not ready to put him in the morgue quite yet.
Not sure taking Brian McCann in a 1-C league there was the right call. I was THIS close to taking Nelson Cruz instead, but I feel like OF can be addressed late. Love Ian Stewart's power at a MI spot.
We'll see if my middle relievers strategy works in this format, but I do like the ability to use Chris Young only during his starts at Petco Park since it's a daily league. I was left scrambling for a third starter, and in doing so, kind of stumbled upon Gavin Floyd. Since he was so lucky two years ago, winning 17 games with a sub-4.00 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP despite a 145:70 K:BB ratio over 206.1 innings, I'd mostly written him off. Well, the former No. 4 overall pick improved his ability like crazy last season, which was masked a bit by an increased ERA. Throwing harder than ever, Floyd recorded a 71:18 K:BB ratio (with a 3.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP) after the All-Star break last year. I'm happy no one else seemed to really want him.