I've run three polls over the past week or so. One to ask who everyone thinks will close in San Francisco. Another to ask how everyone would draft three AL prospects, and third to determine a consensus on the draft round for Delmon Young.
On the Giants' closer, 36% believe 2006 1st round pick, Tim Lincecum, will be the Opening Day closer. The current closer, Armando Benitez, got 31%, and the remaining three choices garnered the rest. That field was led by "Someone Else" with 22%.
The draft order of the three minor leaguers was similar. Two choices garnered the vast majority of the ballots cast. Here 48% chose Devil Rays 3B Evan Longoria first (a 2006 first round draftee with Tim Lincecum), and 38% selected Tigers' LHP Andrew Miller - yet another 2006 1st round draft choice. Birthday Boy Reid Brignac, a 21-year-old AA SS with the Tampa Bay DRays, got the remaining 12% of votes cast.
Finally, the overwhelming majority choose "Later than the 4th round" for leading AL ROY candidate Delmon Young. 77% elected that option. Just 18% said the 4th round, and two strays (5%) said the third round.
What can we take from these results? 1st, most people believe Armando Benitez's closing days are up in San Francisco. Also, that minor league RHP Tim Lincecum is going to be a trendy sleeper pick once fantasy drafts begin. Geez, the guy has thrown 31.2 low-level innings, and he is already seen as a potential closer! Third, with minor leaguers, a hitter is more attractive than a top minor league pitching prospect with a couple handfuls of September innings. Finally, no matter the hype around Delmon Young, fantasy leaguers aren't buying it.
Anything else?