My Draft 2015

We held our draft last weekend in our keeper league and I went in with deeper pockets than the previous few years. Yet in typical fashion the majority of the other owners had dismantled their teams and had much bigger bankrolls available. We have a $300 cap and I had $82 available to fill 13 spots.

Last season I finished just outside the money in fifth place. One factor was due to injuries to Jose Fernandez, Paul Goldschmidt and Giancarlo Stanton. Another was due to short comings in the batting average and saves categories that I hoped to remedy in this draft.

Going into the draft my core team was Paul Goldschmidt at first, Dee Gordon at second, Kyle Seager at third, Brad Miller at short, Wilson Ramos and Alex Avila at catcher, Stanton, Bryce Harper, Adam Eaton, Drew Stubbs, Avisail Garcia and Oswaldo Arcia in the outfield, CJ Cron for CI, Joe Panik for MI, and Allen Craig for flex. My pitching staff was Fernandez, Julio Teheran, Michael Wacha, Jake Odorizzi, Kevin Gausman, Drew Storen, Jenrry Mejia and Jason Motte. Many were under contract while others were picked up last year and carried over.

The main goal of the draft was to add pitching and outfield depth while attempting to secure some of my top draft targets. My top pitching targets were Clayton Kershaw and Craig Kimbrel. The number one position player I wanted was Jose Altuve, I knew securing any of them would deplete my bankroll and it would be bargain bin humting the rest of the way. A couple low dollar pitching targets I hoped for were Mike Fiers and Kendall Graveman while in the outfield my eyes would be on Steven Souza, Ryan Rua, Anthony Gose and Randal Grichuk. Plus I had to get at least two farm eligible players in order to bring up Kris Bryant and Michael Taylor at some point.

The first player off the board was uber pitcher and phenom Kershaw who the defending champs bid up and snagged for $41. The remaining first round players were Buster Posey ($28), Jose Reyes ($24), Freddie Freeman ($27), Adrian Beltre ($32), Troy Tulowitzki ($28), Kimbrel ($23), Miguel Cabrera ($36), Jung Ho Kang ($4), Joey Votto ($18), Hanley Ramirez ($28) and Ben Revere ($20). Seems every year there is someone that throws a low end player like Kang in the first round.

I was the one that landed RHP Kimbrel at $23. I was happy with the price being a few dollars lower than I figured it would take. The Braves closer led the NL in saves for the fourth season consecutive in 2014 as he was 0-3, 1.61 ERA, 95 K, 0.91 WHIP, .142 BAA in 61.2 IP over 63 games. He's been saving his arm in spring training going 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 K, 0.80 WHIP, .067 BAA in 5.0 IP over 5 games.

A few rounds later my big game target was released and I was on the hunt for Altuve. I figured his previous team owner would be my main competition and was proven correct as he continued to counter. I could tell when he jumped the bidding past the $30 mark with a $31 bid he figured I would not pursue. Without hesitating I leaped off that proverbial cliff and tossed out $32. After some thought the other team owner relented and Altuve was mine! On my roster he will take over second while Gordon slides over to MI. He should offer much needed help with average, runs and steals. Last season he hit .341/.377/.453 with 7 HR, 59 RBI, 85 R, 56 SB in 158 games. This spring he has hit .347/.373/.449 with 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 3 SB in 15 games. While spring stats should be taken with a grain of salt he appears to be picking up where he left off.

That left me with $27 to fill 11 roster spots the rest of the draft. Not unfamiliar territory for me. It would be a waiting game. I made some bids but broke off pursuit if they got above $7. Souza went out of my reach at $8 and Fiers at $11. But then things started clicking.

Nathan Eovaldi was out there and the bidding was slow and hovering around $4 and I tossed out $5 and finally secured him at $7. Last season with the Marlins he tried to be a work horse but struggled while going 6-14, 4.37 ERA, 142 K, 1.33 WHIP, .282 BAA in 199.2 IP over 33 games. Yet the Yankees saw enough in the RHP to trade for him in December. This spring with the Yankees he is 1-1, 0.66 ERA, 14 K, 0.73 WHIP, .204 BAA in 13.2 IP over 4 games.

RHP Jason Hammel was mine for $4. He started 2014 with the Cubs going 8-5, 2.98 ERA, 104 K, 1.02 WHIP, .222 BAA in 108.2 IP over 17 games. Then a midseason trade sent him to the Athletics where he struggled going 2-6, 4.26 ERA, 54 K, 1.29 WHIP, .254 BAA in 67.2 IP over 13 games. He had felt comfortable with the Cubs and returned as a free agent in the off season. This spring he has been 3-1, 3.24 ERA, 22 K, 1.16 WHIP, .263 BAA in 25.0 IP over 6 games. Here's to hoping he stays in a comfort zone in Chicago.

I landed outfielder Travis Snider for $1. Last season he hit .264/.338/.438 with 13 HR, 38 RBI, 37 R, 1 SB in 140 games with the Pirates. In the off season he was traded to the Orioles. This spring with the Orioles he has hit .255/.345/.392 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 0 SB in 19 games.

Next I tossed out and got RHP Tim Lincecum for $1. How the mighty have fallen as this two time Cy Young winner hasn't been in top form for a few years. Last season with the Giants he was 12-9, 4.74 ERA, 134 K, 1.39 WHIP, .258 BAA, 1 SV in 155.2 IP over 33 games of which some were in the bull pen. This spring he has been aided by the fact the entire pitching staff has struggled and he may have done enough to earn the fifth spot going 0-0. 6.27 ERA, 17 K, 1.50 WHIP, .274 BAA in 18.2 IP over 6 games.

I then landed outfielder Ryan Rua for $1. He was first on my radar in 2013 as a slugging second baseman and bash brother to Joey Gallo in the Rangers farm system. He had launched 36 home runs in 2013 and was on the rise himself last season hitting .300/.375/.475 with 10 HR, 38 RBI, 34 R, 5 SB in 71 games at Double A Frisco, .313/.382/.505 with 8 HR, 36 RBI, 31 R, 1 SB in 58 games at Triple A Round Rock and .295/.321/.419 with 2 HR, 14 RBI, 11 R, 1 SB in 28 games with the Rangers. He has transitioned to the outfield but is also capable of playing 1B, 2B and 3B. This spring he has hit .290/.333/.532 with 2 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 0 SB in 21 games with the Rangers. First player that is farm eligible.

Next I landed my hidden gem in outfielder Anthony Gose at $3. I had snagged him a couple times over the past couple seasons as he bounced between the minors and the Blue Jays as he showed glimpses. He passed the 70 steal mark twice in the minors in 2009 and 2011 and I'm banking on once he gets his MLB legs under him he'll take off like Dee Gordon last season. In 2014 he hit .244/.305/.346 with 4 HR, 25 RBI, 29 R, 21 SB in 51 games at Triple A Buffalo and .226/.311/.293 with 2 HR, 13 RBI, 31 R, 15 SB in 94 games with the Blue Jays. The Tigers saw enough to trade for him in the off season and he appears ready to be their lead off hitting center fielder in that potent offense. This spring he has hit .303/.361/.455 with 0 HR, 7 RBI, 12 R, 6 SB in 23 games. Combine him with Altuve and Gordon and the steals tally should be dinging like a pinball machine.

Outfielder Randal Grichuk was mine for $1. Grichuk will always be in the unenviable position as the player taken by the Angels with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2009 draft and the Angels then took Mike Trout with the 25th pick. Trout quickly leap frogged him to super stardom while Grichuk is now trying to make a name for himself with the Cardinals. Last season he hit .259/.311/.493 with 25 HR, 71 RBI, 73 R, 8 SB in 108 games with Triple A Memphis and .245/.278/.400 with 3 HR, 8 RBI, 11 R, 0 SB in 47 games. This spring he hit .250/.365/.545 with 4 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 0 SB in 20 games as he tries to get a foothold as the fourth outfielder.

Robert Refsnyder joined my team for $1. The 2B\OF was battling for the Yankees starting second base this spring. Last season he hit .342/.385/.548 with 6 HR, 30 RBI, 35 R, 5 SB in 60 games at Double A Trenton and .300/.389/.456 with 6 HR, 33 RBI, 47 R, 4 SB in 77 games at Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This spring he has hit .357/.460/.548 with 1 HR, 6 RBI, 10 R, 2 SB in 24 games. He is second player that is farm eligible.

Next RHP Kendall Graveman joined at $1. He spent 2014 skyrocketing through the Blue Jays system as he split 2014 between Class A Lansing, Class A Advanced Dunedin, Double A New Hampshire, Triple A Buffalo and the Blue Jays, He was 2-0, 0.34 ERA, 25 K, 0.65 WHIP, .126 BAA in 26.1 IP over 4 games at Lansing, 8-4, 2.23 ERA, 64 K, 1.11 WHIP, .243 BAA in 96.2 IP over 16 games at Dunedin, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 4 K, 1.67 WHIP, .364 BAA in 6.0 IP in 1 game at New Hampshire, 3-2, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 1.02 WHIP, .245 BAA in 38.1 IP over 6 games at Buffalo and 0-0, 3.86 ERA, 4 K, 0.86 WHIP, .222 BAA in 4.2 IP over 5 games with the Blue Jays. Then he was traded to the Athletics in the off season. He is battling for the fifth spot in the rotation as this spring he was 3-1, 0.36 ERA, 17 K, 0.75 WHIP, .141 BAA in 25.1 IP over 6 games. Third farm eligible player.

At this point I wanted to go after one of the top prospects still left on my board after Blake Swihart slipped away at $7 and DJ Peterson for $4. I offered up my favorite pitcher in the minors the previous two seasons in Henry Owens. I was happy to get him at $5. Last season the LHP was 14-4, 2.60 ERA, 126 K, 1.12 WHIP, .201 BAA in 121.0 IP over 20 games at Double A Portland and 3-1, 4.03 ERA, 44 K, 1.16 WHIP, .230 BAA in 38.0 IP over 6 games at Triple A Pawtucket. This spring with the Red Sox he was 0-3, 8.74 ERA, 8 K, 1.59 WHIP, .267 BAA in 11.1 IP over 5 games. He is my fourth farm eligible player.

For my final selection I went after player-in-limbo Trea Turner and got him for $1. The Nationals must have big plans for him if they went that hard to trade for him so soon after being drafted and to "violate" the MLB rule. The shortstop split 2014 between Class A Eugene and Class A Fort Wayne. He hit .228/.324/.283 with 1 HR, 2 RBI, 14 R, 9 SB in 23 games at Eugene and .369/.447/.529 with 4 HR, 22 RBI, 31 R, 14 SB in 46 games at Fort Wayne. He was originally drafted by the Padres with the 13th pick of the first round in 2014 out of North Carolina State where he hit .321/.418/.516 with 8 HR, 36 RBI, 65 R, 26 SB in 54 games. Even though he is technically traded the Padres gave him some token time this spring as he hit 0 for 5, .000/.000/.000 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB in 7 games. Fifth farm eligible player.

Looking back at my draft I noticed in picking up Kimbrel and Altuve I picked up two of the top 100 MLB players according to the site that our league is through. That put me at 8 total of the top 100 and I decided to check out where the other 12 teams in the league stood. The defending champion is stacked with 15. The remaining in the order the are listed on our site: team 1 (7), team 2 (8), team 3 (9), team 4 (12), team 5 (11), team 6 (5), team 7 (6), team 8 (8), team 9 (7) and team 10 (3). While it obviously takes more to make a team I will plan on looking back at the end of the season to see if this factors into the order of finish.