34 Days 'til we determine who will be the aces of our live NFBC teams and where we will take them. Some old schoolers believe that the best usage of our earliest draft picks or the bulk of our auction money should be dedicated towards hitting. However, as Shawn pointed out in his new and great website, SportsDraftDaily.com, there's been an adjustment in draft strategy towards pitching over the last several years which has seen the best of the aces being pushed higher and higher up the draft boards. In fact, in Greg's Early Draft Results: Top 6 Rounds thread, I've seen three different SP's make it to the first round of various drafts, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Roy Halladay.
I personally have never taken a pitcher in the first round in any draft in my lifetime. However before 2010, I had never taken one as early as the 2nd. Now that's changed. Still, I don't think I'd be able to commit to a pitcher in the 1st. Your earliest rounds should be the players you can count on to provide the production you are paying for and to stay healthy enough to guarantee it. I still believe that pitchers are the least reliable to guarantee that production, both due to the increased risk of season long injury or the inconsistent year to year production both inherent in the nature of the position.
Because of that, if I were forced to take a pitcher in the first, I wonder now if I'd be willing to risk that pick on either Kershaw or Verlander. As ridiculous as Kershaw was last year and as high as his ceiling is, last year was his first dominant one. We've all seen way too many pitchers throw that one dominant season, just to never reach those levels again, no matter the skills. Verlander is in his prime and is a beast. How many SP's can get any pitch into triple digits on the speed gun, let alone in the 9th inning? However, Verlander's career has been littered with outstanding seasons followed by seasons not quite so outstanding.
Again, I look to my 1st round pick to be THE Foundation Block of my fantasy hopes. Therefore, if I ever were going to draft a pitcher there, I'd want that pitcher to be a virtual lock to return the production I am paying for and a virtual lock to stay healthy. There's only been one pitcher that has produced at that level every season for nearly the last half decade. Therefore, despite the seeds of doubt sowed by a fellow drafter that has my ultimate respect who will remain nameless (right Doughy
) that a corner may have been turned into the downward trend of his career track making a possibility of busting more likely and the fact that he pitches for the hated and despicable Phils, I believe the only pitcher I would consider in the first round is......
Still, first round? Not happening for me. However, I do realize I need to make sure I get my ace. Tough to chase after the $100K carrot without some serious mound help.
And since it's been awhile.....
Your obligatory boob pick.
On one side she's a fan of the hated Phils,
but on the other a fan of Bugs Bunny.
Well, noone's perfect.
And a return visit from our fave Phillies pitcher, this time laying down a bunt. You still sure you want the DH in the NL?
The Dobies may have a slight size advantage on the Lowy clan there!! 
