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The first experts league fantasy baseball draft took place on Tuesday evening in Dallas, Texas. The SiriusXM FSTA Experts league is a league with 13 of some of the most well known fantasy baseball experts in the industry. Here is a look at the participants:
Dr. Roto - Scout Fantasy
Jeff Ericsson - Rotowire
Steve Gardner - USA Today
Anthony Perri - Fantistics
Ray Murphy - BaseballHQ
Nando Di Fin0 - Fantasy Sports Network
Charlie Weigert
Greg Ambrosius - STATS Inc./NFBC
Glenn Colton and Rick Wolf
Ray Flowers - SiriusXM Fantasy
Jeff Mans - Fantasy Alarm
Lawr Michaels - Mastersball
Ron Shandler - RonShander.com
Below is a link to the draft results:
Quick Thoughts on the First Round
- Power hitters dominated the first round, as 11 of the 13 picks were hitters who could hit 30 or more bombs in 2016. The only exceptions were Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen.
- Have to say I am surprised the Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was drafted first overall. Not that I disagree with the pick, as I have Goldy as my #1 overall player in my Top 300. I am just surprised that Mike Trout or Bryce Harper were not taken before him.
- Clayton Kershaw was drafted fourth overall.......as expected. I am a little surprised that Steve Gardner from USA Today didn't take him at #3. That said, how can you pass up Bryce Harper at 3?
- Nolan Arenado was taken at #5, and was the first third baseman off the board. For me, Manny Machado is the top third baseman in the game due to his 30-20 season in 2015.
- Astros shortstop Carlos Correa goes at # 6 to Nando Di Fino, and I can't blame him. If I was sitting at 6 I would have taken him there as well. The best fantasy shortstop in the game goes at # 6, and he very well could be the top fantasy player in the game this time next season.
- Two more third baseman come off the board after Correa - Josh Donaldson at 7, Kris Bryant at 8 and Manny Machado at 12. Machado went about 6-7 picks too late in my opinion. Nice pick there for Lawr Michaels.
- The last pick of the first round is Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who is in his walk year, and I expect a big year from him in 2016.
Quick Thoughts on the Second Round
- The first pick of the second round is Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, who is a good bet to hit .290 and steal 50+ bases once again in 2016.
- Surprisingly, Gordon was drafted ahead of teammate and power hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton's draft day value taking a hit due to his injury history. Is this the year he hits 50 home runs?
- The steal of the first two rounds goes to Charlie Weigert who landed Astros right fielder George Springer with the 7th and 20th overall pick in the second round. Springer has the potential to put up a 30 home run, 30 stolen base season in 2016, and should have been taken in the middle of the first round in my opinion. I wouldn't hesitate to take him at #7 overall and later.
- The other steal in the first two rounds goes to Ray Murphy from Baseball HQ, who drafted Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts with the 9th pick in the second round and 22nd overall. Betts has 20-20 potential in 2016, and could hit around .280-290 with 100 runs scored in the landed Red Sox lineup.
- The first reach in the FSTA experts league draft was Dr. Roto, from Scout Fantasy, grabbing Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber with the last pick in the second round, and 26th overall. I get that he has plenty of power, but will he be any different than Yankees catcher Brian McCann in 2016? I don't think so.
I will offer my thoughts on the rest of the draft on Wednesday or Thursday.