Sunday Draft (2-13-11) 2011 MLB Fantasy Mock Draft - Round 1

This week I'll use the Sunday draft as a springboard for my MLB fantasy mock draft I've been planning on doing for months. Every couple of days, I will post a round or two of a mock draft that would show how I would fill out 12 fantasy baseball teams. This fictional league would be a head-to-head league with standard 5X5 scoring. Each team will have 25 players on it. Without further ado, the first round of my 2011 MLB Fantasy Mock Draft (sponsored by the TI-83 Scientific Calculator).

  

1-1  = Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals – What make Albert extra scary this year? Two words…contract year.

1-2  = Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers – If he didn’t get hurt during the last two weeks of the 2010 season, he would’ve had numbers very similar to Pujols.

1-3  = Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees – The only reason I have him jacked up this high is the combination of the team he’s on plus the position he plays.

1-4  = Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies - One of these years, Tulowitzki is going to stay healthy and crack 40 home runs.

1-5  = Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins – I’m not as high on Ramirez as most fantasy experts due to his miscast batting lineup spot (Florida has hit him 3^rd when he should be batting leadoff and stealing 60 bases a year), and the Marlins aren’t exactly the ’27 Yankees. There’s probably no way he slips past the 3^rd pick in any draft you will participate in.

1-6  = Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays – Longoria is the best player at pretty weak position. Tampa has surrounded Longoria with some solid hitting, so expect Longoria to see a few more fastballs this season.

1-7  = Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Red Sox – Buster Olney wrote the other day that he wouldn’t be surprised if Gonzalez put up 48 homers and 146 RBIs this season. If he does that, than he’s the #2 pick in the 2012 draft. I personally wouldn’t fault anyone for taking him that high this season.

1-8  = Joey Votto, 1B, Reds – His first mostly healthy season produced MVP level numbers. Votto should be a monster again in the middle of a potent Reds’ lineup.

1-9  = Roy Halladay, SP, Phillies – There’s a point in the draft where after a certain number of hitters are off the board, you’re not comfortable with any of the options as your first pick. For me, that point is right here, so instead of feeling uneasy, go ahead and take the best pitcher in the game.

1-10 = Carl Crawford, OF-LF, Red Sox – Crawford produced top-5 fantasy seasons while hitting in Tampa Bay. It’s scary to think what he could do on a loaded Red Sox team (as long as they give him the green light to run). I wouldn’t fault anyone for considering him anywhere from pick 3 on (the only reason I have him so low is because there are so many outfielders).

1-11 = Ryan Braun, OF-LF, Brewers – This pick isn’t all that exciting, but the floor (.280-25-100) is solid enough that he’s a very safe option in the first round. If the Brewers are as good as I think they can be, he becomes a steal at 11.

1-12 = David Wright, 3B, Mets - Sure, the Mets are in financial chaos, and are probably looking at a .500 record or worse competing in the tough NL East. This will not affect Wright. He has a very motivated Jose Reyes hitting in front of him, and should have plenty of RBI chances.