10-109 = Michael Bourn, CF, Astros – Bourn is a proven base stealer who has swiped 153 bases the past three seasons. He should get at least 85 runs scored as well batting lead off for the Astros.
10-110 = Chad Billingsley, SP, Dodgers – Billingsley has solid strikeout numbers, but like most young starters has struggled with walks. If he can get his WHIP under 1.20, he could finish the season as a top-15 starter.
10-111 = Jonathan Broxton, RP, Dodgers – After being one of the most consistent relief pitchers in all of baseball the past five years, Broxton imploded in the second half of 2010. His second half ERA was over 7, and he blew five out of eight save chances before being removed from the closer role for the rest of the season. Los Angeles appears committed to giving Broxton a shot at rediscovering his mojo in the closer spot. If he returns to his 2009 form, you’re getting a guy who posted a WHIP of 0.96 in the 10th round. Just be prepared with a plan B if Broxton gets off to a rocky start.
10-112 = Michael Young, 3B, Rangers – In retrospect, Young should’ve gone much higher in this mock. As long as he isn’t traded before the season, Young will fill a super utility role for Texas. He could very well have eligibility at all four infield positions, as well as the outfield. He’s going 70th in ESPN drafts, which feels a little high for me, but if you’re looking to fill your team with guys that will have multiple position eligibility, there aren’t many better options.
10-113 = Ian Desmond, SS, Nationals – Desmond still has some untapped potential, but even if he doesn’t reach it in his age 25 season, he’s a solid bet for 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases.
10-114 = Chone Figgins, 2B, Mariners – Figgins is an interesting bounce-back candidate. Even during a miserable 2010, he still managed to rack up 42 stolen bases. If he can up his average closer to his career number of .287, he could be a great late-round option to fill second base. Figgins will also add 3B eligibility very early in the season (depending on your league’s settings).
10-115 = Matt Wieters, C, Orioles – Here’s the list of things Wieters was supposed to do when he was called up to the Majors.
- Hit 50 home runs and collect 200 RBIs
- Turn water into wine
- Destroy meteors and other space debris that could impact the Earth
- Bring Jimi Hendrix back from the dead
- Fix the economy
Needless to say, Wieters hasn’t delivered yet. He’s currently going 170th in ESPN drafts, when some people were reaching on him in the 6th round a year ago. Another bounce back candidate in the 10th round of the mock.
10-116 = Brett Anderson, SP, Athletics – Anderson was my favorite under the radar pitcher going into 2010, but unfortunately two separate elbow issues limited him to only 112 innings. When he did pitch, he put up a 2.80 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP.
10-117 = Neftali Feliz, RP, Rangers – Feliz was a stud closer for the Rangers during the American League pennant winning season. Feliz record 40 saves and put up a 0.88 WHIP. The only reason he’s not being taken in the 6th or 7th round as a closer is the chance that he ends up as a starter this season. Even as a starter, Feliz could provide solid value. This team now has the option to punt saves (which means not drafting closers, but finding starters who will have RP eligibility).
10-118 = Grady Sizemore, CF, Indians – Sizemore has been to fantasy teams what osteoporosis is to senior citizens each of the last two seasons. It’s unlikely that he’ll ever return to the 30-30 numbers he put up in 2008 after the micro-fracture surgery he underwent, but round 10 is a decent spot to take a flier on him.
10-119 = Geovany Soto, C, Cubs – Soto is a great option at catcher if you wait this long to draft one. He’s very selective at the plate, which gives him a pretty safe floor of .280 for a batting average. If he has more luck with BABIP, Soto is capable of putting up a .320 average along with 25 home runs.
10-120 = Nick Markakis, RF, Orioles – Markakis isn’t the sexiest pick, but of all players taken in the 10th round here, he’s the safest. You can pencil him in for a line around .300-15-80-10-85.
11-121 = Andrew Bailey, RP, Athletics – You’re going to get Bailey at a discount thanks to a minor surgery on his elbow at the end of last season. He might start the year slow, but expect over 30 saves and WHIP below 1.00.
Team 1 Roster = Albert Pujols, Dustin Pedroia, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Ichiro, Hunter Pence, Brian Wilson, Casey McGeehee, Dan Haren, Nick Markakis, Andrew Bailey
11-122 = Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Astros – Rodriguez will struggle earning wins pitching for a shoddy Astros team, but you won’t care if he repeats his 2nd half peripheral numbers from 2010 (2.11 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings after the all-star break).
Team 2 Roster = Miguel Cabrera, Tim Lincecum, Jose Reyes, Brandon Phillips, Adrian Beltre, Jay Bruce, Roy Oswalt, Jacoby Ellsbury, Chris Young, Geovany Soto, Wandy Rodriguez
11-123 = Mark Reynolds, 3B, Orioles – Let me start by saying I will never own Mark Reynolds on a fantasy team. He has swung and missed an astonishing 17% of the time each of the last three seasons (far and away the league leader all three years in that dubious category). Some fool will draft him for his power potential, but his poor batting average and insane strikeout totals are not worth it. I’d recommend putting him on your exclude list on your pre-draft rankings.
Team 3 Roster = Robinson Cano, Matt Kemp, Kevin Youkilis, Jimmy Rollins, David Price, Billy Butler, Shane Victorino, Shaun Marcum, J.J. Putz, Grady Sizemore, Mark Reynolds
11-124 = Aubrey Huff, 1B-LF-RF, Giants – A great Swiss-army knife option to take in the middle rounds. Huff has an outstanding walk to strikeout ratio, and is a solid bet for 20 home runs and at least 90 RBIs.
Team 4 Roster = Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Zimmerman, Shin Soo Choo, Josh Johnson, Rickie Weeks, Kendry Morales, Yovani Gallardo, Colby Rasmus, Max Scherzer, Neftali Feliz, Aubrey Huff
11-125 = Bobby Abreu, LF-RF, Angels – He’s getting a little long in the tooth, but as a late round option he can help you. He still gets on base (even though his batting average dropped to a career low .255, he still managed to draw 87 walks), and has stolen at least 20 bases in each of the past 12 seasons.
Team 5 Roster = Hanley Ramirez, Felix Hernandez, Ian Kinsler, Jose Bautista, Justin Morneau, Jered Weaver, Mike Stanton, Jonathan Papelbon, Brett Gardner, Brett Anderson, Bobby Abreu
11-126 = Trevor Cahill, SP, Athletics – Cahill doesn’t get a bunch of strikeouts, but his ability to induce groundballs is what drove him to finish the year with 18 wins. Bump him up a round or so if you are in a league that counts GIDP (grounded into double plays) as a stat category.
Team 6 Roster = Evan Longoria, Ryan Howard, Zack Greinke, Justin Upton, Derek Jeter, Joakim Soria, Alex Rios, Brian Roberts, Clay Buchholz, Matt Wieters, Trevor Cahill
11-127 = David Ortiz, UT, Red Sox – If you can withstand an awful April (he’s gotten off to miserable start each of the past two years), than this pick will look like a bargain for you. Ortiz should benefit from Boston being able to give him more days off against left handed hitters, which will improve his overall batting average.
Team 7 Roster = Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Jayson Werth, Andre Ethier, Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval, Rafael Furcal, Chone Figgins, David Ortiz
11-128 = Ted Lilly, SP, Dodgers – Lilly isn’t going to excite anyone, but he always puts up a solid WHIP and ERA year in and year out. Pitching in Dodger Stadium for a full season could lower his ERA even more due to less balls leaving the park.
Team 8 Roster = Joey Votto, Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Dan Uggla, Cole Hamels, Tommy Hanson, Pedro Alvarez, Heath Bell, Corey Hart, Ian Desmond, Ted Lilly
11-129 = Juan Pierre, LF, White Sox – Pierre returned to a full-time gig with the White Sox in 2010 and rewarded them with 68 stolen bases. Pierre will also give you solid run production hitting at the top of the White Sox lineup.
Team 9 Roster = Roy Halladay, Mark Teixeira, Andrew McCutchen, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brian McCann, Mariano Rivera, Delmon Young, Stephen Drew, Kelly Johnson, Michael Young, Juan Pierre
11-130 = Josh Beckett, SP, Red Sox – Coming off his worst season in the Majors (largely due to a back injury), Beckett is poised for a comeback. If Beckett rights himself, he has 20-win potential pitching for a powerful Red Sox squad.
Team 10 Roster = Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Joe Mauer, Jason Heyward, Aramis Ramirez, Alexei Ramirez, Martin Prado, Drew Stubbs, Francisco Liriano, Jonathan Broxton, Josh Beckett
11-131 = Huston Street, RP, Rockies – A little risky due to his declining strike out rate over the past few seasons, but he has the longest leash of any closer available at this point in the draft.
Team 11 Roster = Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez, Jon Lester, Buster Posey, Adam Dunn, Mat Latos, B.J. Upton, Ben Zobrist, Elvis Andrus, Chad Billingsley, Huston Street
11-132 = Starlin Castro, SS, Cubs – Castro was only the 4th player in the last 50 years to post a .300 batting average at the age of 20. If he keeps his average up, he should produce solid run totals and stolen bases hitting in the top third of the Cubs lineup.
Team 12 Roster = David Wright, Chase Utley, Nelson Cruz, C.C. Sabathia, Carlos Santana, Carlos Marmol, Paul Konerko, Chris Carpenter, Brandon Morrow, Michael Bourn, Starlin Castro
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