who would you draft fourth?

[wade]

We have a 12 team league with a live draft. I am assuming the first three picks will be A-Rod, Pujols, and Vlad. If one of them drops, I'll pick that one. However, if it goes as most expect, I am sitting at 4.

 

So, who would you take? There's Manny, but he's on the wrong side of 30. There's Johann Santanna, but do I want a pitcher that early?

 

One guy I'm thinking of that might be a little of a stretch is Texiera.

 

What do you guys think?

[rawaction]

I would take Teixeira over Vlad. Pick him, if he's there.

[cjbucks]

I would go with Tex also.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Miguel Cabrera would be a mighty fine pick, but I wonder how his numbers will suffer without Pierre and Castillo in front of him.

[wade]

Miguel Cabrera would be a mighty fine pick, but I wonder how his numbers will suffer without Pierre and Castillo in front of him.

 

I should have mentioned that Miggy is someone's keeper. He was the first name that popped into my head until I heard that. I think he's the only big name keeper in our league.

[wade]

I would go with Tex also.

 

You and Rawaction are making me feel pretty good about my pick!

[Mark_R]

Tex is the third best player in fantasy.

[wade]

So, my next question is where do you guys go for your fantasy rankings. Or do you just do them yourself?

 

I too like Texiera, but he's no higher than 6 or 7 in the magazines and websites of seen.

[Mark_R]

I use personal feelings first (I always have a list of players that "I will not draft"), then websites, and then a couple of magazines.

 

The only problem with magazines are that they can be pretty outdated, given they have a deadline to meet for publication. If you have access, the best I've seen is Eric Karabell at ESPN who I use very frequently. Good insight and analysis.

[rawaction]

So, my next question is where do you guys go for your fantasy rankings. Or do you just do them yourself?

 

I too like Texiera, but he's no higher than 6 or 7 in the magazines and websites of seen.

 

Try to find projections and mock drafts online. Just basically get a general idea, then rank yourself based on that, plus your hunches. Vlad has been on the DL each of the last 2 years, that's why I pick Tex over him.

 

If players are close in rankings, I go:

 

1. need/position scarcity

2. injury history

3. team around them

4. age/upside

5. 2nd half stats from previous year

[wade]

Sounds good. So when are you guys looking at taking a pitcher? Are they deep enough now that you can just wait and see how the draft shakes out, or is the second round gonna pretty much be full of pitchers?

[wade]

By the way, on the position scarcity front, a lot of places have Tejada ranked very high, but I am scared of him starting to decline this year.

[rawaction]

By the way, on the position scarcity front, a lot of places have Tejada ranked very high, but I am scared of him starting to decline this year.

 

I wouldn't be too scared of that. He may suffer a dropoff playing for a team he doesn't want to be on, but I still think he gets traded mid season and gives you a huge 2nd half.

[wade]

By the way, on the position scarcity front, a lot of places have Tejada ranked very high, but I am scared of him starting to decline this year.

 

I wouldn't be too scared of that. He may suffer a dropoff playing for a team he doesn't want to be on, but I still think he gets traded mid season and gives you a huge 2nd half.

 

Plus, I guess the gap from here down to the next level of shortstops is significant enough that a dropoff still puts him at a large advantage.

[rawaction]

Sounds good. So when are you guys looking at taking a pitcher? Are they deep enough now that you can just wait and see how the draft shakes out, or is the second round gonna pretty much be full of pitchers?

 

I'd probably wait til 3rd round. If you can't get Santana, go after a guy like Tejada, Utley, Wright (an elite player at a tough to find position). Then go after a pitcher. Guys like Zambrano, Prior, Webb, Harden, Zito, etc should be on the board still.

[wade]

Sounds good. So when are you guys looking at taking a pitcher? Are they deep enough now that you can just wait and see how the draft shakes out, or is the second round gonna pretty much be full of pitchers?

 

I'd probably wait til 3rd round. If you can't get Santana, go after a guy like Tejada, Utley, Wright (an elite player at a tough to find position). Then go after a pitcher. Guys like Zambrano, Prior, Webb, Harden, Zito, etc should be on the board still.

 

Awesome, thanks. You know, a guy that I've targeted is our own Aramis. With him turning 27, I think all he needs is good health to hit like another Ramirez that's often drafted top 5.

[Diffusion]

Third base is a tough to find position? Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, Morgan Ensberg, Scott Rolen, Eric Chavez, Chipper Jones, Adrian Beltre, Troy Glaus, Chad Tracy, Hank Blalock, Chone Figgins, Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, Mike Lowell even, with Alex Gordon, Andy Marte, Ian Stewart and Andy LaRoche on the way, that's tough to find?

[mhuber92211]

I picked Tex up at 6th. He is a strong fantasy player. I am against picking a SP in the first 3 rounds due to their lack of everyday contribution.

[wade]

Third base is a tough to find position? Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, Morgan Ensberg, Scott Rolen, Eric Chavez, Chipper Jones, Adrian Beltre, Troy Glaus, Chad Tracy, Hank Blalock, Chone Figgins, Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, Mike Lowell even, with Alex Gordon, Andy Marte, Ian Stewart and Andy LaRoche on the way, that's tough to find?

 

It doesn't look like it would be tough to find a good player, but an elite one at third might be difficult. I'm picking 4, so A-Rod will already be gone and someone already has Miggy as a keeper. Now, of those other guys how many would be considered elite? I would think the drop off from an Aramis to Mike Lowell could be significant, for instance.

 

I do see lots of guys with big year potential, but other than Chipper, is there a lot of consisency? I'm not arguing, I'm just asking.

[rawaction]

Third base is a tough to find position? Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, Morgan Ensberg, Scott Rolen, Eric Chavez, Chipper Jones, Adrian Beltre, Troy Glaus, Chad Tracy, Hank Blalock, Chone Figgins, Garrett Atkins, Melvin Mora, Mike Lowell even, with Alex Gordon, Andy Marte, Ian Stewart and Andy LaRoche on the way, that's tough to find?

 

I didn't mean 3B. I put Wright in that group, because he's one of the players I would target. Plus, I think there is a dropoff after Wright due to inconsistency (Ensberg, Beltre) or injury probability (Ramirez, Rolen, Chipper).