I thought I'd start this year's blog with a recap of my Main Event drafts and my thoughts behind each pick as I made them. This is something I've done each season I've been part of the contest, and something that I've revisited at the end of each season to learn from both the thought processes that worked and more importantly, didn't work.
My first Main Event draft took place 1st weekend in Las Vegas.
My Vegas experience this year was much different than the one I had last year. Last year was my first visit to Sin City since the birth of my son, nearly five years prior. At the time, I wasn't sure when and if I'd return there again. So I made sure to enjoy not only the NFBC drafts that I was taking part in there, but all that Vegas had to offer. And I did. Of the six nights there, I probably totaled enough sleep to make up for one night, and bypassed sleep completely three of those nights. The nourishment of choice was alcohol and I don't think I went more than an hour at any time without a drink in my hand. Whenever not drafting, I was at a gaming table, a club bar, the hotel pool, or somewhere having a grand old time. Though I was there to draft, the drafts became somewhat secondary to the Vegas experience. The consequences of my actions though didn't become fully apparant to me until Sunday that weekend. There I was sitting at the draft table at the Diamond, having not slept the night before, 10am and still having alcohol in my system from the prior night, and looking around the table at the Juprinka's, RT's, DiDonato's, Chad's, KJ's, Particelli's, Kirves, etc. etc. that I'd be drafting against in just a few minutes for a league for which I'd invested a $10K entry fee, when I realized I had committed a big "Uh-oh!" Well, at least all I had to do after the Diamond that day was take part in the Ultimate Auction!! Jeez, what an ass I was.
This year I handled things a bit differently. Not only had I attended the Vegas drafts the previous March, but in September as well for the NFFC/FFPC/FFWC live football drafts. This was my 3rd Vegas trip in a year and the need to experience all that is Sin City was no longer a priority. Instead I found myself spending more time enjoying the NFBC events themselves. I slept every night, only had one drink the entire week, passed on every chance to enjoy the Vegas nightlife, and spent more of my free time hanging around the Bellagio drafts chatting with my fellow drafters than at the gaming tables. Most of my time alone was spent relaxing at the pool (laptop in hand reviewing draft strategies and last minute news), at the gym (one needs to be in shape to be a great fantasy sports athlete
), shopping the hotel malls for wife and kids (a practice started last year as my wife's take for being so "understanding" about my Vegas trips), or starting each day or ending each afternoon on the laptop teleconferencing with my kids (my son waking me up each morning at 8am his time....5am my time
.....to go on the computer so we could talk
). A conversation with the great Juprinka as we both discussed whether we were going to go out with MtM on one of his nightly expeditions of Vegas one particular evening struck home. The one line Juprinka said that meant the most...."I'm here to draft." So was I. This year I realized it.
My preseason drafts heading into the live events this year were somewhat light. I'd only taken part in KJ's MLBC Contract league (a format as fun as it gets but that doesn't really do much as far as prep), Max's 1000 Slow (nice prep but having taken place a full month prior to the live events), and an Online Championships draft a couple weeks prior to get a feel for the pace of a fast draft and current draft flow. This was a far cry from what I had in store for myself once the Vegas drafts commenced. I had eleven drafts scheduled over a 10 day period until opening day with only two days off from drafting during that stretch, one my travel day home from Vegas. Still, I felt ready.
My first day of drafting in Vegas was that Friday and I made that my 12-team draft day. I took part in a XII early followed by Joe Berg's 12-team Super that night. I enjoyed both drafts and feel I put together competitive teams, but I purposely scheduled my 12-team drafts for the first day as I feel it to be the easier draft format (sorry Joe
). I felt that day would give me some insight into current draft flow and up-to-date player market "values" (sorry Doughy
) and prepare me for the three "Primetime" events I had over the next couple days, the Main Event on Saturday, followed by the monster Diamond/Ultimate Auction Sunday that would end my Vegas draft weekend.
I scheduled the Main Event as my only draft that Saturday, partially to be well rested for Sunday's big draft and auction, but also because it's the Main Event and I wanted to enjoy the time prior, during, and after the draft that makes that day always so special.
This draft had some heavy hitters participating, among them one of the heaviest of all, our two-time Main Event champion and HOF, Lindy. At least he'd be across the table from me, he having the 13th pick, mine being number 6.
The following is my draft recap for that team and some thoughts for each pick as I made them:
1.6 -
Andrew McCutchen OF - Having been awarded the 6th pick, I anticipated either Kemp or McCutchen being here for me. With 1B being deeper this year and the top options there and the rest of the IF all having some question marks, I had no problem taking a five-category contributor in this spot even at OF which is a position I often wait on.
2.10 -
Adrian Beltre 3B - A power/average option (how I typically look to build my teams early) at a scarce position, I was a little surprised but happy to see him still on the board. I briefly considered Price, but decided I'd wait on pitching to build a power/average base instead.
3.6 -
Ian Desmond SS - Five pitchers are off the board. I again consider a pitching option here as I picture a run on the balance of premium starters in the 3rd/4th rounds as is typical in NFBC drafts. However, I decide to wait a round in order to grab Desmond here. I'm high on Desmond this year as a player who took that step up to meet his potential last season and is both a power and speed contributor at a scarce position. I now have what I believe is a strong power/speed/average base on offense and two scarce positions filled in the first three rounds.
4.10 -
Madison Bumgarner SP - As anticipated, pitching is starting to go off the boards, but there are several solid options that remain. I may have taken Aaron Hill here if he fell one more pick, but when he went the pick just before me, it solidified my thoughts on taking my first SP here. I consider Bumgarner, Scherzer, Sale, and Medlen. Scherzer and Sale's anticipated K's make them very appealing options, but I believe Bumgarner to be slightly undervalued this year due to his late season fade last year, but someone I'm expecting big things from this year. When all is equal, I always go NL for pitching, especially in a park as appealing as AT&T.
5.6 -
Kris Medlen SP - Scherzer and Sale are both gone by the time the draft gets back to me making Medlen the easy pick for me as I wanted to double up on SP in 4/5. From what I've seen of the live drafts this year, I may be slightly higher on Medlen than most as I've seen him go more often than not towards the bottom of the second tier of pitching rather than the top/middle where I have him rated. I believe the difference in K-rate between he and the other options in that tier to be the reason, and a valid one. Still, I expect very strong ratios from Medlen this year and when combined with Bumgarner, should allow this team to absorb some high K pitchers with ERA/WHIP risk later in the draft and in FAAB.
6-10 -
Wilin Rosario C - Catchers are starting to come off the boards, seven gone already and Napoli was just picked. Part of my draft strategy this year is to grab a top catcher early whenever possible, but after the run starts. I believe the catcher tier after Posey this year to be extremely deep (and equal in value), but significantly stronger than the tiers that follow. I wanted at least one from that tier in every draft. I would wait 'til the run started and then grab one while they were coming off the board. Rosario seemed to be the one I drafted most often. A potential 30 HR's from the catcher position should be very useful when looking at speed only OF options later in the draft.
7-6 -
Shin-Soo Choo OF - This wasn't really part of the draft plan. Although I like Choo to rebound in his new environments this year, in most drafts I've seen to this point he's been taken off the boards a bit earlier than I have found comfortable drafting him. I also haven't typically focused on a 2nd OF this early considering the later draft options usually available at the position. However, 7th round for a potential 20/20 contributor in a great offense who shouldn't hurt BA seemed like a player that fit the way this team was being built very well. I now have three potential 20/20 contributors in my first 5 offensive picks. I liked the way this offense was coming together.
8-10 -
Chris Davis 1B/OF - The 6th round gutted the 1B position in this draft as Konerko, Rizzo, Hosmer, Howard, and Ike were all taken in that round and Trumbo followed prior to my pick in the 7th. I thought about grabbing Chris Davis in the 7th as I still needed to fill the position and thought he was the last option in that tier, sure to be taken shortly by someone with the 1B run in full bloom. Still, I thought Choo the better fit at the time and just accepted that Davis wouldn't make it back to me. However, not another 1B went in the 18 picks between my Choo pick and here. I grab Davis without thinking twice.
9-6 -
Melky Cabrera OF - A 3rd OF in my first 9 picks is a vast departure from my typical draft strategy. However, a strong BA base is a major staple of what I try to accomplish early. With the recent Rosario and Davis picks, I felt the need to strengthen that base once again and in Melky also obtained a contributor in all 5 categories and a potential big contributor in the often forgotten category of runs.
10-10 -
Jason Grilli RP - Relief pitchers are starting to go off the board. I grab one that I like more than most.
11-6 -
Brett Anderson SP - I like Anderson a lot this year to have a big bounceback year if he can remain healthy. That's always the question with him. However even if he does, I'm not sure he was the right pick here for this team. I already have Bumgarner and Medlen as my first two SP's for this team, and their main contributions figure to be the ratios while maybe being a little light on K's. That fits Anderson's profile as well. An upside K option may have worked better here. My first choice here was Mike Minor and I think he may have fit better, but he went the pick just prior.
12-10 -
Glen Perkins RP - Relief pitchers with the job and some security are pretty much off the board. I'm surprised to see Perkins still there with some of the options already taken prior to him. I see no way he makes it back and with just a couple options at the position remaining, maybe none of them make it back, so I grab Perkins here.
13-6 -
Dan Uggla 2B - One of the issues with grabbing three OF's early is that you will likely have to fill the scarcer positions with less appealing options. 2B being such a weak position this year, I may have waited a little too long there. With all of the negatives that Uggla brings, he does play in what should be a dynamic offense this year and he does have power. This team can certainly use an infusion of power at this point and I'm hoping that I built up enough BA coverage in the early portions of the draft to absorb Uggla's likely BA drain.
14-10 -
Alexi Ogando SP - A mid-teens target in my drafts this year, this is one of the SP's with K upside that I'll need to come through if this Bumgarner/Medlen/Anderson staff is going to compete in K's.
15-6 -
Alejandro DeAza OF - One of my strategies in each of my drafts this year was to fill out my speed category with what I saw was a large tier of speed OF's usually available in the late teen rounds. In this draft, with the Uggla pick already on the board, I felt the need to draft one with a little more BA coverage. With Pagan, Span, and Fowler grabbed in the last two rounds, I jump on DeAza here as one of the last of those options.
16-10 -
Adam Dunn CI/1B - Yikes!! What was I thinking? Power was quickly disappearing from the remaining draft pool. With my remaining OF options earmarked for the speed that I still needed to fortify, I needed an infusion of power at CI. Dunn supplies that. Still, Dunn and Uggla??? My immediate thought when thinking of those two together and the consequences to this team's BA prospects....Ugg, I'm Dunn!
17-6 -
Mike Saunders OF - One of the OF's I'm high on this year for a step up if given the full opportunity. Speed, power, fences moving in at Safeco. Hopefully, Raul Ibanez doesn't take away too much of his time.
18-10 -
Tim Hudson SP - Probably a bad pick. Solid pitcher, but I needed more K upside here.
19-6 -
Shelby Miller SP - This is the type of pitcher I needed to focus on the balance of this draft. Upside, upside, upside, especially in K's.
20-10 -
Justin Maxwell OF - I like him this year. Even with the BA drain, potential 20/20 options as a 5th OF don't grow on trees. Still, with Uggla and Dunn already rostered, he's a bad fit here. I will need to look for a better option in FAAB.
21-6 -
Oscar Taveras OF - At the time of the draft, there were questions on Beltran's availability for the start of the season. Does he get his chance sometime down the line? Can I afford to hold onto him that long?
22-10 -
Phil Hughes SP - Hughes had a mini-breakout last year and I believe his draft ADP to be a slight overreaction to his spring health woes. He does bring some of that K upside I need to fill out my staff.
23-6 -
Brian Roberts 2B/MI - The in-his-prime Roberts brought some speed, some power, and some BA coverage. All things this team needs (especially the BA coverage). The question was what Roberts do we get and can he stay healthy? Of course, by day 3 of the regular season, the 2nd part of that question was answered.
24-10 -
Dylan Bundy SP - A flyer, already dropped.
25-6 -
Yasmani Grandal C - I waited a long ways on 2nd catcher. This is what happens sometimes when you do. He showed some pop and average in his small sample size last season. Out on suspension, I'm hoping he gives me the same when he returns.
26-10 -
Mark Teixeira 1B - I know he's hurt and there were rumors of surgery....but the 26th round? If he can make it back and Dunn's too much of a BA drain, I can slot him there and even though Tex's big BA days are long gone, I can expect better than Dunn's likely Mendoza line showing.
27-6 -
Andy Pettitte SP - Professional pitcher. Shouldn't help too much, shouldn't hurt too much. A pitcher like this is often usable during the course of a long season.
28-10 -
Kyle Kendrick SP - Showed a big jump in both skills and results 2nd half last year, but still flying under the radar. If that skills jump is real, he will be a big help to this team.
29-6 -
Eduardo Nunez MI - Not a bad reserve as he can supply speed at what will likely be a few positions. With the bevy of Yankees IF old and/or injured, he should have no shortage of opportunities this year. At worst, he's Jeter's replacement for the entire first month.
30-10 -
Kurt Suzuki C - Drafted to cover the time Grandal's on suspension, already dropped for Kratz.
Summary - This team's off to a great start (for the first 6 days
), but does it have the players and is it built correctly to last 26 weeks? I see some significant holes that definitely need to be addressed. I believe whether I am able to and how I address those holes in-season will determine how this team performs throughout the year.