Earlier I wrote about my experience at this year's fantasy baseball draft. My draft was from the vantage point of a team that finished second the previous year and the bulk of my team remained the same in a 5x5 keeper league. During the draft I made it a point to follow the draft of the team with the deepest pockets since he basically dismantled his team and was in major rebuild mode. That team I have referred to previously as the Darkside. The Darkside entered the draft with $227 of a possible $300 available and a total of 37 roster spots available.
As I mentioned in my draft post the Darkside threw a curve out the gates by throwing out Cardinals first base prospect Matt Adams. I did make a bid to see how serious he was but the Darkside landed Adams at $4. Adams is viewed as the Cardinals first baseman of the future and has shown the ability to hit for average and power. In 2011 at Double A he hit .300/.357/.566 with 32 home runs in 115 games.
Also in the first round the Darkside went after and landed Angels shortstop Erick Aybar for $21. In 2011 Aybar hit .279/.322/.421 with 10 home runs and 30 steals in 143 games. The Darkside had their shortstop who was ranked ninth by MLB.
The Darkside made an attempt at Ian Kinsler at the end of the first round but he went elsewhere at $34. Instead he landed Brandon Phillips with the next pick for $23. MLB ranked Kinsler the number two second baseman while Phillips is fifth. In 2011 Phillips hit a career best .300/.353/.457 with 18 home runs and 14 steals. We'll have to see if Phillips can maintain that or return to levels closer to his career numbers .272/.322/.434.
In the second round the Darkside fired another curve by throwing out Reds third base prospect James Darnell and he was bidded up to $6 before he could claim him. I had written about him as part of the Mat Latos trade but he really wasn't on my radar. In 2011 he split time between Double A and Triple A hitting a combined .310/.406/.547 with 23 home runs and 2 steals in 111 games before getting an 18 game call up with the Padres.
The second round also included an attempt for Carl Crawford but he landed out of reach at $26. Yet for the same price the Darkside did land John Hamilton at end of the round. The MLB ranks Crawford as the 15th outfielder while Hamilton is 11th. In 2011 Hamilton hit .298/.346/.536 with 25 home runs and 8 steals a year after winning the MVP. I've always liked Hamilton and he was on my roster for years but as I've said its nice to see them leave the nest at high prices.
In the third round the Darkside made a run at 17th ranked outfielder Matt Holliday but he landed elsewhere for $28. With the very next picked he snagged Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester for $23. The MLB has Lester as the number 16 starting pitcher. In 2011 Lester was 15-9 with a 3.47 ERA, 182 strikeouts and 1.26 WHIP in 191.2 innings over 31 games.
In the same round they landed another pitcher with the Indians Ubaldo Jimenez at $13. The MLB has Jimenez at number 40. In 2011 split the season between the Rockies and Indians and was 10-13 with a 4.68 ERA, 180 strikeouts and 1.40 WHIP in 188.1 innings over 32 games. That is only one season removed from a career best year.
At the top of the fourth round the Darkside grabbed Angels first baseman Kendrys Morales for $11. The MLB has him as the 15th ranked first baseman although he'll now be behind Albert Pujols and will DH. Yet they are making that ranking based on him being first base eligible although he hasn't played since he was injured in 2010. In his last full season in 2009 he hit .306/.355/.569 with 34 home runs and 3 steals in 152 games. He's still not 100% but the Angels and the Darkside hope he can approach those numbers again as a DH.
Then from his spot he threw out Mets second base prospect Reese Havens and got him for $1. In 2011 Havens played 58 games at Double A and hit .289/.372/.455 with six home runs and 2 steals but missed most of the season with injuries.
Later that same round the Darkside made the move that had many really scratching their heads because of the price as he landed Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval at $30. Sandoval is the tenth ranked third baseman by MLB and can hit for average and power. In 2011 he hit .315/.357/.552 with 23 home runs and 2 steals in 117 games.
At the end of the same round he also took Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew for $10. Drew is trying to return from an ankle injury and that may contribute to why the MLB has him as the number 16 shortstop. In his last full season in 2010 Drew hit .278/.352/.458 with 15 home runs and 10 steals in 151 games. But again staying healthy always seems to be a Drew family issue.
Near the front of the fifth round Pirates outfield prospect Starling Marte was thrown out and the Darkside got him for only $2. In 2011 at Double A Marte hit .332/.370/.500 with 12 home runs and 24 steals in 129 games. He had been on the list of position players I was interested in but I didn't make an attempt.
Later in the fifth he landed Corey Hart for $17. MLB has him as the 28th ranked outfielder. In 2011 Hart hit .285/.356/.510 with 26 home runs and 7 steals in 130 games.
I battled the Darkside and the end of the fifth when I got Mike Moustakas for $12. He then countered by throwing out the top third base prospect in the minors by throwing out Nolan Arenado of the Rockies organization. I made a couple counters but he got him for $7. In 2011 at Class A Advanced Arenado hit .298/.34/.487 with 20 home runs, a minors best 122 RBI and 2 steals in 134 games.
At the end of the fifth I battled the Darkside again and lost out on the Yankees Eduardo Nunez for $6. As I mentioned Nunez should getting plenty of time backing up old men Jeter at short and Rodriguez at third. In 2011 he hit .265/.313/.385 with five home runs and 22 steals in 112 games.
I threw out Nyjer Morgan in the sixth and he made a bid but landed elsewhere at $6. In the seventh he threw out shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar and we both made some counters before he landed elsewhere at $8. He was in bargain roster fill mode the next couple rounds as he got Alexi Casilla $4, Carlos Pena $5, Lorenzo Cain $4 and Pedro Alvarez $3. In 2011 with the Twins Casilla hit .260/.322/.368 with two home runs and 15 steals in 97 games. In 2011 with the Cubs Pena hit .225/.357/.462 with 28 home runs and 2 steals in 153 games. Cain cut his teeth at the Royals Triple A in 2011 and hit .312/.380/.497 with 16 home runs and 16 steals in 128 games. Alvarez split time between the minors and Pirates in 2011 and hit .191/.272/.289 with four home runs and one steal in 74 games with the Pirates.
The ninth round was the last time my path crossed with the Darkside in the draft. He threw out Bud Norris and we countered a few times before I landed him at $9. He threw out Josh Collmenter in the 10th and he went elsewhere for $4. He threw out Phil Hughes in the 11th and he went elsewhere for $5. Then he threw out and got Joe Blanton for $1. In 2011 with the Phillies Blanton was 1-2 with a 5.10 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 1.48 WHIP in 41.1 innings over 11 games.
In the 13th round he threw out and got Dodgers outfield prospect Scott Van Slyke for $1. In 2011 at Double A Van Slyke hit .348/.427/.595 with 20 home runs and 6 steals in 130 games.
In the 14th round he threw out Athletics catching prospect Derek Norris. In 2011 at Double A he hit .210/.367/.446 with 20 home runs and 13 steals in 104 games.
In the 15th he threw out White Sox outfielder Alejandro De Aza who he got for $4. De Aza split 2011 between Triple A where he hit .322/.378/.494 with nine home runs and 22 steals in 99 games and the White Sox where he hit .329/.400/.520 with four home runs and 12 steals in 54 games.
He took a few rounds off and came back in the 18th round to throw out and land his last player Royals pitcher Greg Holland. In 2011 Holland was 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 0.93 WHIP and 4 saves in 60.0 innings over 46 games. Holland will now be in the mix to be the Royals closer with the recent injury to Jochim Soria.
He left the draft with no money left on the table and 10 roster spots plus three farm spots still open. After he moves his prospects to the farm he will have enough funds to pick up seven free agents off the waiver wire at $5 each. Those pick ups should help address depth concerns. Otherwise it was a fairly good draft for making his core team.
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