My First Mock Draft

by DLM30 on Jan 18, 2012 3:53 PM EST

Hey everyone, I am fairly new to fantasy baseball, and so in preparation for the season I've decided to do plenty of mock drafts to get myself ready for actual drafts. I went into this draft without much of a strategy or preparation, and without much experience in fantasy baseball I am not to sure how to rate my team. I did this mock draft on mockdraftcentral.com, and had the 6th pick of 10 in a standard snake draft. Standard 5x5 roto league.

Roster Requirements and Team below:

Pos	Starters	Max
C	1	1
1B	1	1
2B	1	1
SS	1	1
3B	1	1
OF	5	5
UTIL	1	1	(1B, 2B, 3B, C, DH, OF, SS)
CI	1	1	(1B, 3B)
MI	1	1	(2B, SS)
P	9	9	(RP, SP)
BENCH	3	3	(1B, 2B, 3B, C, DH, OF, RP, SP, SS)

R1 P6	SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL
R2 P5	SP Clayton Kershaw, LA
R3 P6	SP Felix Hernandez, SEA
R4 P5	C Carlos Santana, CLE [1B]
R5 P6	OF Nelson Cruz, TEX
R6 P5	SP Zack Greinke, MIL
R7 P6	OF Alex Gordon, KC
R8 P5	2B Ben Zobrist, TB [RF]
R9 P6	SP Josh Beckett, BOS
R10 P5	OF Jayson Werth, WAS
R11 P6	1B Ike Davis, NYM
R12 P5	1B Ryan Howard, PHI
R13 P6	SP Jordan Zimmermann, WAS
R14 P5	3B David Freese, STL
R15 P6	SP Yu Darvish, FA
R16 P5	SS Erick Aybar, ANA
R17 P6	SS Dee Gordon, LA
R18 P5	SS Emilio Bonifacio, MIA [3B, LF]
R19 P6	RP Huston Street, SD
R20 P5	C Wilson Ramos, WAS
R21 P6	3B Mike Moustakas, KC
R22 P5	OF Lucas Duda, NYM [1B]
R23 P6	SP Mark Buehrle, MIA
R24 P5	OF Yonder Alonso, SD
R25 P6	RP Juan Abreu, HOU

A couple of notes about my team:

1) Loved getting Tulo where I did. Considering SS is so thin, and the elite is really separated from the rest, I was happy with this pick.

2) My team strength is definitely starting pitching, with three (possibly 4, if counting Yu) aces. I definitely think I have the best staff, and had this been a real league I could have traded the depth to address other needs.

3) Since I am fairly new to fantasy baseball, I don't really know what to make of my team. Overall, I like it, and if certain players can have bounceback years (Davis, Werth, Freese) I feel this team would be good.

So, what's your take on it? Where can I improve, and how do you think this team would do. Also, any advice for me that would help?

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This is a very solid team

I like it

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by The Chair of Knowledge on Jan 18, 2012 6:54 PM EST reply actions

OF is

thin considering cruz will be injured at some point, who knows with werth, and gordon could be an anomaly. also you are short on saves, but thats something you could get in WW

by TINO24 on Jan 18, 2012 10:21 PM EST reply actions

wow

SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL
SP Clayton Kershaw, LA
SP Felix Hernandez, SEA
C Carlos Santana, CLE [1B]

awesome first 4 picks.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Jan 19, 2012 7:10 AM EST reply actions

OF

is going to be very difficult for you. Yet, Starting Pitching is going to be stacked

Kershaw, Felix, Greinke, Beckett, Zimmerman, Darvish, and Buehrle. Awesome rotation.

But relief pitching is next to nonexistent, and relying on Nelson Cruz to be your best OF means a possible long season (his health and all). I like Howard in the 12th. Overall, you have a very good IF (If Moustakas hits like he can, I would call it great), outstanding Starting Pitching, a good catcher duo but a thin OF and very very thing RP.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Jan 19, 2012 7:15 AM EST up reply actions

Too many SS

With Tulo at the top, I don’t see a reason to draft Dee Gordon, Erick Aybar, and Emilio Bonifacio all in a row. Bonifacio helps because of multiple position eligibility. Aybar isn’t often healthy all year. Dee Gordon at least has upside.

I see you nearly punted saves, with only Huston Street as a known SV guy. Juan Abreu may get some, but HOU is so terrible it’s not worth it. Obviously it’s best to go for SP, but I’d try to eventually add on a good closer through trade.

Nelson Cruz is overvalued, especially after the World Series, if only because he can’t stay healthy. I like Werth for a decent bounce back, but OF may hurt you. Duda and Alonso as your #5 OF (and I guess Bonifacio as #4?) will drag your offense down.

However, you have a ton of top talent, especially pitching. I say look into trading a SP for a top bat (and maybe a closer) in the future. You could even wait until the season gets under way and you get a few starts out of all your aces.

by varrys on Jan 19, 2012 4:05 PM EST reply actions

couldn't he just trade Aybar and/or Gordon

for closers? Perhaps not elite closers, but 2 that can be good enough to keep him in the top half of saves and whip?

I would trade Zimmerman and Beckett if he’s going to, but the other 4 are probably the reason why he’s going to be competitive. I bet a Zimmerman and Aybar package could get a very good closer and an OF with upside.

by JoelGuzman'sScout on Jan 20, 2012 4:30 AM EST up reply actions

I wouldn't trade a closer for a MI guy

I don’t consider Aybar or Dee Gordon worthy of holding down SS for a team; they’re more useful as MI at best. But if he could do it, sure.

I’d rather hold onto Zimmermann than Beckett. Beckett had a pretty good year and is higher in value, whereas some won’t value Zimm because he’s in WAS and had a lower IP total (which was the team shutting him down, but it might make some wonder).

by varrys on Jan 20, 2012 7:38 AM EST up reply actions