This year I made the choice to join the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and I couldn’t be happier. Not only do I get to belong to a great group that supports the industry’s best and brightest, but I get to participate in leagues with fellow writers.
This season I was asked to join the latest FSWA Fantasy Baseball Draft (The Nado DiFino Award) and I thought that was a great chance to see where my rankings stacked up before my main money leagues drafted over the next two weekends.
For Reference FSWA Leagues Start-
CC,1B,2B,3B,SS,MI,CI,OF,OF,OF,OF,OF,OF,UT,P,P,P,P,P,P,P,P,P
and Scoring is
Runs,RBIs,SBs,OB%,Slugging% – Ks,ERA,WHIP,QS,Saves
When I found out I had the fourth pick in the draft I was praying that Andrew McCutchen would fall to me becuase he fills up all five offensive categories and plays a position that will end up being depleted with 12 teams having to start 5 Out Fielders. Well in a draft full of fantasy writers that didn’t happen. Paul Goldschmidt was there for me to take him, but in a league where you start 9 Pitchers every week I couldn’t pass up on the clear number one, tier to himself, Clayton Kershaw. That was the first of many slightly controversial picks I made in this draft.
| COACH ESSER DENNIS | ||
| 4 | Clayton Kershaw, LAD SP Over Goldschmidt was tough, but I’m happy | |
| 21 | Jose Bautista, Tor OF Needed a high upside Outfielder and Bautista can top four categories if healthy | |
| 28 | Justin Verlander, Det SP This was a personal preference. I have him rated 3rd-SP most don’t | |
| 45 | Joe Mauer, Min C 2-Catcher League Mauer is huge in OB% and Runs | |
| 52 | Matt Kemp, LAD OF -Big gamble on health here. Wouldn’t have got him in the next round | |
| 69 | Matt Carpenter, StL 2B -Value pick here as he is plus in Runs,OB% and decent in Slugging% | |
| 76 | Josh Donaldson, Oak 3B -Another value pick, Wanted to wait and go with a sleeper later, but not bad. | |
| 93 | Trevor Rosenthal, StL RP -The last of the upper tier Closers and now with Chapman hurt its good value | |
| 100 | Jose Abreu, CWS 1B -needed some upside power at 1B and love to gamble on Abreu | |
| 117 | Hisashi Iwakuma, Sea SP -Iwakuma has a lot of upside as long as that finger is ready soon | |
| 124 | Danny Salazar, Cle SP -Salazar is going to break out this year and reached a little here | |
| 141 | Austin Jackson, Det OF -Jackson was always a target and his ESPN ADP kept him off screen | |
| 148 | Jason Castro, Hou C -Castro was the last offensive Catcher that could be plus in Slugging% | |
| 165 | Jason Grilli, Pit RP -Steady closer who has a decent WHIP as well | |
| 172 | Brad Miller, Sea SS -big time target for me and it was tough to lay off Castro and Simmons as they fell | |
| 189 | Khris Davis, Mil OF -Fourth Outfielder with power upside-a bit of a gamble | |
| 196 | Lance Lynn, StL SP -Lynn is nice starter to have in this format with his K totals | |
| 213 | Matt Garza, Mil SP -Auto picked Garza when Adam Eaton was in my que but had been sniped-still stings | |
| 220 | Nate Jones, CWS RP -The last decent upside closer left. | |
| 237 | Taijuan Walker, Sea SP – Walker here was a round early based on ADP, but the shoulder sounds good | |
| 244 | David Freese, LAA 3B – Batting fourth against Lefties and if healthy not a bad Corner Infielder | |
| 261 | Oswaldo Arcia, Min OF – One of my favorite late round power sources | |
| 268 | Michael Brantley, Cle OF -Solid outfielder with room for improvement-pure depth | |
| 285 | Neil Walker, Pit 2B – Could be a nice value pick for MI depth-if not, to the wire I go | |
| 292 | Devin Mesoraco, Cin C -Vargas knee issues had me looking for a 3rd Catcher when normally I wouldn’t | |
| 309 | Todd Frazier, Cin 3B – Too much potential this late in the draft. RBIs in a pinch | |
| 316 | Erik Johnson, CWS SP – Late round sleeper or bust. I like what I saw last year and worth a gamble | |
| 333 | Junior Lake, ChC OF – Needed Steals and he could get 20 this year while putting up decent Slugging% | |
As you can tell my team lacks stolen bases and I will have to look to make a trade early on or raid the waiver wire for this year’s Nate McLouth. Let me know what you think and who you are targeting in your fantasy baseball drafts.
