Brassball wrapped up its annual draft about last weekend. I have no doubt that, like every draft, were dozens of bargains and even more busts. The problem is that no one knows which players fall into which category. Right now I feel pretty good about my own draft but that could change quickly (at the snap of a ligament) or more slowly (if a few players fail to develop).
My team was pretty well set going into the draft. I needed a fifth starter (about 28 starts), a lefty reliever and perhaps a utility infielder that could hit lefties. None were pressing needs and I planned to take the best talent available at every step. Rather than drafting for 2013 I could draft for 2014 and the future, which made the draft more fun, but also less predicatable. Drafting for the future lets you dream on projection and prospects, while drafting for the present lets you look at hard numbers and Strat-O-Matic cards.
On the prospect front, there were lots of guys I liked but no one I really loved. That, too, freed me up some as I could let minor leaguers (called amateurs in Brassball) get drafted without feeling like I missed out on my guy. I really think the prospect scouing and drafting in Brassball has improved in recent years, leaving the available amateur pool a little thin. I had no idea which amateurs I'd end up with, but I was confident that I'd find some I liked.
Our league permits each team to have eight amateurs on its roster after the draft and I only had one going in - Minnesota second baseman Eddie Rosario. I had a few graduations last year (Bryce Harper, Yeonis Cespedes), traded a few away (Anthony Rendon, Miguel Sano) and cut a couple (Joe Ross, John Lamb), leaving me with plenty of spots to fill. Having several amateur slots is a nice problem to have, as there are always talented players available. The key is, obviously, finding the right guys to pick.
Without further ado, let's see how I did. Here's who I drafted, who I didn't and a little bit about why.
Round 1, Pick 24 - None
I traded away this pick last July in the trade for RA Dickey and Craig Kimbrel. Although it's never fun to be without a first rounder, it's hard to complain too much. Kimbrel was intregral in my 2012 championship run and Dickey is my ace for 2013. If I had kept this pick, I would have considered pitchers Carter Capps, Joe Kelly and amateurs Carlos Rodon and Aaron Sanchez. I likely would have drafted Capps.
Round 2, Pick 40 - Carter Capps, P, Seattle Mariners
I would have taken him at 24 and got him at 40 - can't complain about that, The bullpen is a strength for me (Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen), but Capps looks like a shutdown reliever and there's always room for another one of those.
Other Players Considered: None seriously.
Round 2, Pick 48 - Stephen Pryor, P, Seattle Mariners
I drafted Capps' running mate in my effort to recreate the Seattle bullpen. Like Capps, Pryor is a MO player that seems to have a job locked down in 2013. He also has the upside to be a weapon out of the bullpen.
In retrospect, I likely drafted Pryor too early. He probably would have been available in later rounds and I could have used this pick to draft a highly-ranked prospect, instead. I had Capps and Pryor high on my pre-draft list, so I just grabbed them both when the time came. I probably should have given pick more thought before pulling the trigger.
Other Players Considered: None seriously.
Round 3, Pick 54 - Adalberto Mondesi, SS, Kansas City Royals (Amateur)
I was all set to draft Trevor Story, but a draft glitch caused him to go at pick 53, immediately before my selection. I'm really happy with Mondesi, but Story is closer to the majors. It will be interesting to follow these two shortstops over the next few years, as it is easy to compare the guy I have to the guy I thought I had. I also considered Corey Seager at this spot, but thought Mondesi had more potential (even if he's more of a risk).
Other Players Considered: Joe Kelly, Corey Seager, Pete Kozma. Kelly could have filled some of my innings at starter this year but I'm not sold on his long-term role or value. Just two weeks after the pick it looks like he may win the #5 spot in St. Louis, making him more valuable than I imagined. I think Kozma's 2012 was a bit of a fluke, so I didn't take him despite his fitting my utility infielder role perfectly.
Round 3, Pick 66- Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers (Amateur)
My second prospect, Seager was in the running eight picks earlier. He seems to have more upside with the bat than his brother Kyle, as well as more defensive value. It's hard to know what's happening with the Dodgers these days, but if Seager continues to develop, they'll find a spot for him.
Other Players Considered: None seriously
Round 3, Pick 74 - None
Another pick I dealt away. This one in a deal for catcher Miguel Montero. I may have over paid for him, sending this pick and Angels prospect Kaleb Cowart. (Or is it Caleb Kowart? I can never remember.) Montero fits my club really well for 2013, with a strong lefty bat and solid defense. I'm not sure who I would have taken had I kept the pick, but it is likely the same guy I took just four picks later...
Bonus Round, Pick 78 - Slade Heathcott, OF, New York Yankees (Amateur)
My third amateur, Heathcott is an upside pick. He has a lot of talent but has been injured too often to make real progress in the minors. I suspect that Heathcott will either break through in 2013 or get cut before the 2014 draft.
Other Players Considered: Dorssys Paulino (Amateur), Raul Valdes, Andy Pettitte. I decided against Paulino as I had already drafted two young shortstops in Mondesi and Seager. Valdes was high on my list as a lefty reliever that can help me in 2013, but I figured he'd be available later.
Round 4, Pick 114 - Andy Pettitte, LHP, New York Yankees
I said I wasn't worried about filling the fifth start spot, but Pettitte isn't just a one-year fix. He's no youngster, but he should be decent in 2013 for the Yankees and, hopefully, useful for the 2014 Avengers. Pettitte's making a return to Metropolis, where he won a 2006 championship ring after being acquired in a mid-season trade. A little veteran leadership can't hurt, right?
The other option would be to take an amateur prospect. At this point, there was a large number of amateurs I liked, meaning I could wait another round or two and not worry about them all being taken.
Other Players Considered: Valdes, Kozma, Irving Falu.
Round 5, Pick 138 - Lance Berkman, 1B, Texas Rangers
Berkman wasn't really on my radar coming into the draft, but as I still had a large number of amateurs I liked, I started to look more at MLB players with this pick. Given our contract rules, I can give Berkman an inexpensive contract for this year and then see how he plays with the Rangers. Lucas Duda is my only real first baseman, so it won't take too much for Berkman to have the job in 2014. He's a wildcard due to age and injury history, but he's certainly capable of hitting well enough to bat in the middle of my lineup.
Kozma, who I would have considered if he was available, went to Santa Barbara with the pick right before me. That made taking Berkman pretty easy. I actually wanted Valdes more than Berkman, but I figured I could wait a round or two for him.
Other Players Considered: Valdes, Falu
Round 6, Pick 162 - Jorge Bonifacio, OF, Kansas City Royals (Amateur)
Once again Santa Barbara drafted a player I was likely going to take - Falu. He would have been a useful utility infielder and pinch hitter off the bench. I don't really need a good utility infielder, but who doesn't want one? After I was done cursing the Falu pick, I had to quickly decide on my own selection.
Bonifacio is another high upside amateur pick. Like both Seager and Mondesi, he has a relative with MLB experience and, like Heathcott, he has the potential to be a top prospect or a draft bust come this time next year. He has all the tools, but he's a long way from the majors.
Other Players Considered: Valdes. Immediately after making this pick I was regretting it. I really wanted Valdes and was afraid I had gotten too cute by not just drafting him here. I thought I could sneak Falu another round or two, but that didn't work out. I was going to be really upset if I lost out on Falu and Valdes.
Round 7, Pick 186 - Raul Valdes, LHP, Philadelpia Phillies
Whew. This was the easiest pick of the draft for me. Valdes is no youngster, but he was really good in 2012 before getting injured and he'll slot in well as my second lefty in the bullpen. He has limited innings, but they'll be quite effective.
Other Players Considered: None
Round 8, Pick 210 - Kyuji Fujikawa, RHP, Chicago Cubs (Amateur)
Filling your amateur slots with relief pitchers isn't generally a good idea, but at this late point in the draft, it's nice to take a guy you know will be in the majors right away. It's impossible to predict what Fujikawa will do, but anyone called the Japanese Mariano Rivera can't be all bad. That's not true. He could be terrible. You just never know.
Other Players Considered: Brian Roberts and a slew of amateurs, such as Lewis Brinson, Heath Hembree, Masahiro Tanaka, Stefan Romero.
Round 9, Pick 234 - Brian Roberts, 2B, Baltimore Orioles
This is similar to the Lance Berkman pick. Roberts barely played in 2012, but that means I can stash him on a cheap contract for a year and see if he's got anything left in the tank. The reports are good out of spring training, but he's only one pulled muscle away from the 60 day disabled list. This pick is also similar to the Andy Pettitte pick, as Roberts was on the 2006 championship club. We're getting the band back together! And, no, I never seriously considered drafting Vladimir Guerrero.
Other Players Considered: Brandon Webb and all those amateurs (well, the ones that weren't picked). Other amateurs I added to the list were Adam Morgan, Marcus Stroman, Roberto Osuna, Kyle Parker, Angelo Gumbs, Victor Roache, Michael Fulmer, Shohei Otani.
Round 10, Pick 258 - Roberto Hernandez, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Fausto Carmona...errr...Hernandez was pretty good a few years ago, but he was hurt and pitched just a handful of innings in 2012. Like Berkman and Roberts, he'll sit on my roster with hopes of a useful card in 2013. He's apparently in the running for the fifth starter's job in Tampa, and they seem to know what they're doing with reclamation projects. We'll see.
Other Players Considered: All the same names from above.
Round 11, Pick 282 - Corey Kluber, RHP, Cleveland Indians
I was still short some starts and Kluber can hopefully do the job without getting hammered. There's a chance he has a role with the 2013 Indians, so there may be a little future value, as well.
Other Players Considered: All the same names from above.
Round 12, Pick 306 - Wilmer Font, RHP, Texas Rangers
Font was a decent prospect before blowing out his arm a few years ago. He came back and earned a promotion and a few appearances late in the year. Seems like a long shot, but he's worth a $100,000 gamble.
Other Players Considered: Same
Round 13, Pick 330 - Stefen Romero, 2B, Seattle Mariners (Amateur)
Another Seattle youngster, Romero has done nothing but hit for several years. The reports are that his defense isn't great, but the bat seems to be legit. He's also made it to AA and has a chance to break into the majors with a good 2013.
Other Players Considered: Same
Final Round, Pick 338 - Nathan Karns, RHP, Washington Nationals (Amateur)
Karns wasn't on my prospect list just a few rounds ago, but the more I looked at him the more I liked him. He has had some injury trouble but, when healthy, has shown great stuff with great results. I decided to gamble on the high-end talent overcoming injury rather than a safer pick with less upside. Adam Morgan was likely my other main option here. Morgan seemed like the safer pick, but he's also a lefty. Lefty starters tend to get hit hard in Strat, so that and Karns' upside were the deciding factors. We'll see what happens with those two.
Other Players Considered: Same, with Morgan being the top name.
Final Round, Pick 344 - Travis Hafner, DH, Cleveland Indians
I can't believe no one wanted to claim this contract! He's now with the Yankees and, given all their injuries, should get regular playing time. He could well be productive, but he could just as easily miss spend 100 games on the DL with new teammate Brian Roberts. And Lance Berkman.
