Fantasy 40/40: Dynasty Draft: Strategies, Notes & Thoughts
If you are not familiar with the blog or what’s going on, I am currently involved in a dynasty draft online. A couple rounds are completed each day over an email chain. These are some thoughts about the dynasty draft – courtesy of Hye-Lites or J.K.O. They owned pick #6 overall and one slot before me one way and one slot after me the other. Their point of view so far after 10 rounds.
1st Round
So, having penciled out some scoring for the top players, it’s evident that a top pitcher scores more to Pujols (unless I have the scoring way wrong), so I’m going Lincecum at 6 if he’s there. If not, Utley or Matt Kemp for either a stud at a short position or a young guy to build around. I can build around any 3 of these guys.
David Wright is the worst pick of the bunch (#10); just don’t think he’s young enough or productive enough in this format to be a 1st round pick. A-Rod is the next worse because he’s 35, but short term productivity is unquestioned (#4). I really didn’t want to see Roy Halladay (#11) get picked.
2nd Round
Was hoping for Roy Halladay to last all the way back to 19…or Felix Hernandez, but CC was the 2nd pitcher that popped into my head after Lincecum, so having to “settle” for him isn’t bad. Just not that young. I had the top 5 pitchers ranked ahead of all offensive players (Tim, Felix, Halladay, CC, Greinke).
We had Longoria (#12) and Mauer (#13) as other targets, but they were both taken at the turn, which annoyed me. Also was hoping Justin Upton would fall, but didn’t expect it (#21).
3rd Round
Looking for Kinsler as a young 2B stud to build the offense around. Also have Zimmerman and Sizemore on the list. Matt Holiday is also a possibility.
PHUCK PHUCK PHUCK PHUCK… Kinsler already gone (#28) and Zimmerman picked right before I can go (#29). Not sure who to take (end up taking Reynolds and I can live with that; 3b is pretty thin after him).
Jose Reyes (#25)…wow. Speed guys don’t bode well in this format (I think).
4th Round
Cano, Markakis, Lind, Morneau, Youkilis are all there. Maybe Jimmy Rollins because of SS scarcity, but he scares me at 32 (my partner wants no part of a 32 year old SS). Lind has the highest scoring potential of the bunch. Too soon to take a 1B with who’s left, so Morneau is out. Maybe he’ll drop? This position eligibility changing mid-season scares me with Youkilis, so I’ll wait one more round.
Night Crawlers takes Youk (#48)…good pick. McCann gets taken already…need to look out for catcher.
5th Round
Gordon Beckham (#49)…there goes our first true “building for the future” guy. I’d have thought that wouldn’t happen for a few days. So, catchers seem to be going on a run, so suddenly Matt Wieters is on the radar with Morneau and Ben Zobrist. 1B mass is still relatively even, so going to hope morneau drops one more time. Internal team management has differing views on Zobrist… better check where he’ll play too. Wieters is supposed to be the next coming and I hate punting catcher. Weiters is the pick for now and the future (#54). Please be the next Mauer.
This seemed to be the round of reaching so far. Cain, McCutchen, Beckham, Wieters (but I’ll reach at catcher), Rivera. Ethier is kinda sneaky… Hanson’s good in the dynasty format. Morneau probably the best pick of the round.
6th Round
Adam Dunn Territory, but I think we’ll hold off and try to wait a bit longer on him. 3 teams before me need a 2b…I just hope nobody takes Zobrist. Pena and Billy Butler are options as well. So is Josh Beckett to really drive the rotation home.
Okay, Zobrist is still there and the two guys in front of me don’t need another second baseman. Zobrist is there to solidify the middle for me (#67).
I like Aramis Ramirez as an undervalued 3b. Maybe not great for dynasty, but he provides solid numbers when not hurt. I hope people keep picking relievers. Oh, and BJ Upton stinks (#63)… badly (personal opinion). Jason Bay… wouldn’t last until middle of this round in a normal draft, but I fear the production in Citifield on that loser team and the age.
7th round
Crawlers has already informed me that he’s taking my guy 6 picks early in Carlos Pena and everybody has a 1B already. Do I go Beckett or take another young hitter in Billy Butler?
So, Billy Butler is a young 1b trending up. Since Beckett is gone and nobody seems willing to touch Berkman or Derrek Lee, I’ll take him now as another young hitter to build around.
Another round of reaches with maybe the reach of the draft in Carlos Gonzalez (#76). Also thought Ian Stewart (#79) was a stretch. I do like the Cruz pick by Erickson (#81).
8th Round
We Be Buntin’ is just reaching for need. Alexei Ramirez is never a good pick. I did want either Webb or Hamels in this round when the draft started, but both are off the board, so I’ll wait a bit longer for my 3rd starter. Glad to see somebody unafraid to take an older player, especially in the 8th. Just wouldn’t have taken Manny. I don’t trust Ubaldo or Peavy here as a 3rd pitcher, so we’ll take Carlos Quentin (#91) as a bounceback OF who is still young with 35 HR potential. Berkman and Lee still dropping.
I hope people keep drafting closers. Also, I hope BOHICA keeps drafting Howie Kendrick. Ichiro is a nice veteran pick, but has a 500 point ceiling and I’m still trying to focus on guys trending up.
9th Round
Buster Posey, like Gordon Beckham, starts the 9th as another prospect for Crawlers. I wanted him, but not this high. Still looking at taking Berkman/Derrek Lee, but only 1 other team needs a 1B, so they should fall for a while.
Strasburg going… my co-manager was actually pushing him in this round. I would not have been opposed, but there are plenty of quality MLB pitching still available. Prospects are starting to go and I really want to land Heyward, so I’m leaning towards him despite co-manager’s reservations.
Nolasco was at the top of my list of people to take here, but Anaheim Smog took him at pick 100. BOHICA takes another high injury, high upside guy in Francisco Liriano at 101. Since Nolasco is gone and prospects have started going a bit faster, we’ll take Heyward now as the most talked about, highest rated prospect this decade. Plus, he’s blowing the Braves away and we’ll be starting this year (pick #102)
Can’t say anything about 40/40 CLUB taking Pedro Alvarez (#103) after I just took Heyward. I like Jair Jurrjens in this league to Phantom Aces. Maybe the best pick of the round. Erickson gets a decent steal in Roberts in the 9th for the near term. Brett Anderson is also legit to Wild Pitches at 107. Another closer = another smile on my face.
10th Round
If Derrek Lee/Berkman fall to me, I’m taking one of them. Probably Berkman because he was playing hurt last year and he’s always solid and can either fill my DH spot or 1B if Butler isn’t playing well. Michael Bourn, a speed guy (who I am trying to stay away from this early), is a terrible pick in my opinion. Jered Weaver is another pitcher that was getting consideration as my 3rd starter, but he goes to Phantom Aces. Another closer, Beltran, and Geovany Soto go before 40/40 CLUB, who takes 1 of D. Lee and Berkman (Lee #114). So, since Weaver is gone and the older players who are normally gone in the first 5 rounds are going, I’ll take Berkman (#115) here and take it to the bank. I’m looking pitching in my next couple picks though.
After my pick, Y. Escobar (#116) going to Andy Likes To Pettite at pick 116 is slightly upsetting because he was a guy we targeted this far into SS, but I was hoping to get him later. Closers are starting to fly. Now that we’re into double digits, probably time to start looking that way. Night Crawlers finally takes a pitcher from his favorite team, the Red Sox. Lackey (#120) is okay, but the AL West is not the AL east.
Overall Team Recap thru 10 (Hye-Lites)
I’ve filled every position except SS/2B (Depending on Zobrist eligibility) with 8 guys who are well under 30 and all trending upwards with 2 veteran stars in Sabathia (30) and Berkman (35). Nobody has a better 1-2 in the league, so I should be able to make up an deficiency in the line-up with superior pitching.
- J.K.O.
Good work and thanks for the round-by-round breakdown.
