2013 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Rounds 6-7

6-51 = Brett Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
ESPN Projections = .280, 17 HRs, 65 RBIs, 86 Rs, 19 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 8^th Rounds
          Lawrie looked significantly more impressive during his brief call-up in 2011 than he did during his first full season in the bigs. He’ll need to improve upon his 51% groundball rate to deliver a 20-20 season.
                       
6-52 = Allen Craig, 1B-OF, St. Louis Cardinals
ESPN Projections = .296, 25 HRs, 103 RBIs, 87 Rs, 4 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 6^th Rounds
            If Craig could somehow stay healthy, he’d be a lock for top-15 fantasy production. Unfortunately, he’s missed roughly a quarter of his games due to injury during his pro career.
                      
6-53 = Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians
ESPN Projections = .257, 15 HRs, 70 RBIs, 90 Rs, 25 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th Round
            He’ll never steal 30+ bases again, but you won’t complain if Kipnis raises his home run total to 20.
                       
6-54 = Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies
ESPN Projections = 15 Ws, 3.25 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 176 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 7^th Rounds
            One down year has not destroyed No Credentials faith in Halladay.
                     
6-55 = Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers
ESPN Projections = .274, 3 HRs, 57 RBIs, 90 Rs, 32 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 7^th Rounds
            With the loss of Josh Hamilton, I fully expect Texas to give Andrus the green light on the base paths much more this season. If he stays out of the tattoo parlor, he could crack 40 for the first time.
                       
6-56 = Adam Wainwright, SP, St. Louis Cardinals
ESPN Projections = 16 Ws, 3.32 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 197 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 7^th Rounds
            I’m not sure if Wainwright will ever be as effective as he was before Tommy John surgery, but this is the appropriate point in the draft to find out.
                       
6-57 = Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Chicago Cubs
ESPN Projections = .268, 27 HRs, 95 RBIs, 85 Rs, 6 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 8^th Rounds
            Another guy that you shouldn’t get to excited about on draft day (don’t call his name in the third round, or bid too much in an auction), Rizzo is a prime example of why you could skip out on the top few first basemen in the first round.
                       
6-58 = Mat Latos, SP, Cincinnati Reds
ESPN Projections = 15 Ws, 3.32 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 197 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 7^th Rounds
            No Credentials fully expects Latos to make the leap to “ace” status during his second season in Cincinnati. This is a guy I want on as many fantasy teams as possible.
                       
6-59 = B.J. Upton, OF, Atlanta Braves
ESPN Projections = .245, 23 HRs, 77 RBIs, 84 Rs, 31 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 8^th Rounds
            I’m not a fan of guys that routinely hit below .250, but there aren’t many power-speed combo players like Upton.
           
6-60 = Gio Gonzalez, SP, Washington Nationals
ESPN Projections = 19 Ws, 3.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 208 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 4^th through 6^th Rounds
            Gonzalez hasn’t been suspended yet for his connection to the steroids ring in Florida, but that hasn’t stopped me from scooting him down my draft board a bit. He’ll need to deliver a “I don’t give a shit” season like Ryan Braun did last year for me to trust his ability to deal with steroid allegations.
           
7-61 = Carlos Santana, C-1B, Cleveland Indians
ESPN Projections = .257, 26 HRs, 87 RBIs, 81 Rs, 5 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 7^th Rounds
            Santana’s disciplined plate approach will eventually lead to a top-ranked fantasy season at catcher for him, but I’m not sure if we can sign off on it happening this year.
                       
7-62 = Ben Zobrist, 2B-SS-OF, Tampa Bay Rays
ESPN Projections = .269, 19 HRs, 82 RBIs, 91 Rs, 17 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 8^th Rounds
            One of the few players whose value goes beyond the stats he can post. Zobrist’s ability to cover both middle infield spots is worth an extra round or two.
                      
7-63 = Desmond Jennings, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
ESPN Projections = .252, 15 HRs, 54 RBIs, 98 Rs, 36 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 7^th through 9^th Rounds
            Jennings tanked in the first half of last season, but a strong second half gives me reason to believe that he will be a catalyst at the top of the Rays’ lineup this season. If he could drag his average up to .270, we could be talking about a 50 steal season.
                       
7-64 = Johnny Cueto, SP, Cincinnati Reds
ESPN Projections = 18 Ws, 3.00 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 169 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 7^th Rounds
            Of all the “ace” caliber pitchers that didn’t deliver close to a strikeout per inning last season, Cueto is the least likely to regress.
           
7-65 = Brandon Phillips, 2B, Cincinnati Reds
ESPN Projections = .285, 18 HRs, 76 RBIs, 93 Rs, 15 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 7^th Rounds
            Phillips isn’t exciting to own, but reliability at second base doesn’t grow on trees.
                      
7-66 = Chris Sale, SP, Chicago White Sox
ESPN Projections = 15 Ws, 3.37 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 203 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 8^th Rounds
            For me, he’s the shakiest starting pitcher we’ve picked so far, as his 1.33 WHIP in the second half of last season could be a better indication of the pitcher he actually is.

 



 
7-67 = Pablo Sandoval, 3B, San Francisco Giants
ESPN Projections = .309, 23 HRs, 90 RBIs, 80 Rs, 3 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 8^th Rounds
            Don’t let his Ruth-esque October last year fool you. Sandoval is a player prone to injuries, and is completely dependant on his BABIP due to the fact that he barely walks. You could argue that he could end up with anywhere from 10 to 35 home runs this season.
                       
7-68 = R.A. Dickey, SP, Toronto Blue Jays
ESPN Projections = 17 Ws, 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 176 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 8^th Rounds
            We have no data on what happens when a knuckleballer wins the Cy Young and then changes leagues the following year, so I’m going conservative with Dickey this season and letting someone else draft him.
                       
7-69 = Michael Bourn, OF, Cleveland Indians
ESPN Projections = .268, 5 HRs, 49 RBIs, 89 Rs, 43 SBs
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 6^th through 8^th Rounds
            One of the elite base stealers in the game, Bourn could take his running to new heights as a member of the Indians. Remember, they gave Jason Kipnis (a moderately fast white guy) the green light to steal 31 bases in 2012.
           
7-70 = C.C. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees
ESPN Projections = 17 Ws, 3.39 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 213 Ks
No Credentials Appropriate Range of Taking Him = 5^th through 7^th Rounds
            There’s a zero percent chance Sabathia falls to pick 70 in your fantasy draft. More than likely, he’ll go somewhere in the late fifth to early sixth. However, there are too many red flags for Sabathia this year to warrant making him the ace of my fantasy staff. For one, theirs a decent chance that the Yankees will stink, driving down Sabathia’s win totals (wins are a fluky stat, but Sabathia has been the most reliable producer of them over the past four years). He hit the DL last August because of an elbow problem, which is scary when you consider that he’s thrown more innings than any other MLB pitcher on Earth over the past five years. Throw in his body type (big guys rarely age well unless steroids are involved), and we are looking at a cliff at some point down the road for Sabathia’s career. I’m not guaranteeing it will happen this year, but I don’t want him stuck on my roster when it does.

 

Click here if you missed Rounds 4-5

Click here if you missed  Rounds 2-3
Click here if you missed Round 1

No Cred At All Keeper Team Ranks

We're a little late, but here's the mid-season rankings of the order I would consider keeping the players that are currently on my keeper team if I were forced to decide today. I am able to keep five players for next season. The price of keeping player is a draft pick that corresponds to where a player was taken the year before.

Barring Injury, the Cornerstones of My Franchise

1. Robinson Cano, 2B, Yankees – With the early season struggles of Hanley Ramirez, I was wishing I could go back in time and draft Cano first overall. Fortunately, I was able to put together a blockbuster trade to secure Cano on my team through 2015.

2. Michael Pineda, SP, Mariners – The only pitcher at this point that is locked in to be kept on my team. If I keep him for the full five years, he’ll only cost me a 12h round pick in 2015.

3. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins – Perhaps it’s the second hand smoke from 80-year old Jack McKeon, but Hanley has been on fire ever since the Marlins switched managers.

4. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays – Another player that I gave up a lot to acquire mid-season, Longoria still hasn’t fully emerged from his early season slump.

     On the Bubble

5. Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers – Fielder has been the offensive MVP of my team, but it’s 2012 and beyond that scares me. Will Fielder still be motivated after signing a $175 million contract, or will he eat 175 million Big Mac’s to celebrate his new found wealth?

      First Four Out

6. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals – He hasn’t lit the world on fire, but he’s still been the second best offensive rookie so far this season (behind Dustin Ackley, who I shipped out to acquire Cano). Fielder is without question the better player right now, but Hosmer has a very good chance to be a better player as soon as next season.

7. Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins – Plate discipline is certainly an issue, but then again, discipline is usually an issue for anyone that is 21 years old. He would probably go in the first five rounds of next years draft if I don’t protect him.

8. James Shields, SP, Rays – His insanely low price tag (I snagged him in the 25^th round) plus his ridiculous performance (nearly a strikeout per inning, six complete games) has forced me to place Shields higher on this list. The wise move for me would be to find a trade partner that would intend to keep Shields and swing him for another arm and a quality bat.

9. Tommy Hanson, SP, Braves – He has put it all together this season with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

      Too Expensive

10. Cole Hamels, SP, Phillies – With only five players allowed to be kept, Hamels 4^th round price tag is too expensive a price to pay for a pitcher.

      Nice Guys, But Can’t Keep You

11. Matt Wieters, C, Orioles – Buster Posey’s injury is exhibit A of why you shouldn’t spend too much on a catcher. They are one nasty home plate collision away from missing a full season.

12. B.J. Upton, OF, Rays – Doesn’t hit for average, but his power and speed make him a valuable fantasy commodity.

13. Gio Gonzalez, SP, Athletics – His WHIP is a little too high for my liking (making him a candidate for potential regression), but otherwise he’s been an unsung hero for No Cred At All.

14. Adam Jones, OF, Orioles – I just traded Brandon Phillips for Jones the other day (Phillips was expendable after the acquisition of Cano). His inability to take a walk is a bit scary, but Jones is capable of delivering 10-15 home runs and 5 steals the rest of the way.

      Top Three Farm Hands Left

15. Brett Lawrie, 2B-3B, Blue Jays – Lawrie broke his hand the day before Toronto was going to call him up in June. We should see him sometime around the trade deadline.

16. Desmond Jennings, OF, Rays – Tampa held back Jennings longer than expected, and then he suffered a small fracture in one of his fingers.

17. Kyle Gibson, SP, Twins – I was hopeful that Scott Baker’s DL stint would allow the Twins to call up their top pitching prospect, but there has been no word yet of such a move.

      Un-keep-able

18. Justin Masterson, SP, Indians

19. Jose Tabata, OF, Pirates

20. Mike Moustakas, 3B, Royals

21. Colby Rasmus, OF, Cardinals

22. Jordan Walden, RP, Angels

23. Vernon Wells, OF, Angels

24. Chris Perez, RP, Indians

25. Kyle Farnsworth, RP, Rays

26. Jamey Carroll, 2B-3B-SS-OF, Dodgers

27. Mike Leake, SP, Reds

28. Joe Nathan, RP, Twins

29. Randy Wolf, SP, Brewers

30. Carlos Marmol, RP, Cubs

31. Ted Lilly, SP, Dodgers

Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Rounds 14-15

14-157 = Gio Gonzalez, SP, Athletics – Gonzalez is only 25, and if he lowers his walk rate, has a chance to crack 200 strikeouts.

14-158 = Vernon Wells, CF, Angles – Wells came to Anaheim from Toronto in what was viewed as the worst move of the off-season. Anywhere from pick 110 on isn’t a bad spot to bet on a guy who hopefully wants to provide his new employer with some vindication.

14-159 = John Axford, RP, Brewers – Axford racked up 76 strikeouts in 58 innings, and should find himself in more save situations thanks to the new additions to the Milwaukee pitching staff. I’d much rather draft Axford in the 13^th or 14^th round as opposed to Marmol or Rivera in the 6^th.

14-160 = Ryan Dempster, SP, Cubs – Even when the Cubs are in total disarray, Dempster always seems to finish with a sub-4.00 ERA and close to 200 strikeouts.

14-161 = John Danks, SP, White Sox – Danks is a volume pitcher. He doesn’t post a bunch of strikeouts per start, but he’s a great bet to finish the season with 210 innings.

14-162 = Craig Kimbrel, RP, Braves – Kimbrel isn’t guaranteed the closers gig in Atlanta, but thanks to his ridiculous strikeout rate (recorded over 14 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors, struck out 40 in 20.2 innings during his call-up at the end of 2010) he’s the favorite to earn the role. It’s a bit of a gamble to draft him this high as he isn’t assured of the closer’s role, but if he succeeds you’re getting a guy with a skill set that could place him in the top-5 of all closers in baseball. 

14-163 = Vladimir Guerrero, RF, Orioles – He’ll be a full-time DH for Baltimore (his performance in the field for Texas in the World Series was the end of his fielding career), which should go a long way in keeping him healthy. He’s a solid late round bargain for 25+ home runs and a solid batting average.

14-164 = Brian Matusz, SP, Orioles – One can point to Matusz’s second half numbers as reason for optimism going into 2011 (2.18 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 52 Ks in 62 innings). He has the talent to survive in the AL East.

14-165 = Mike Napoli, C-1B, Rangers – It’s unclear at this point how Napoli will get his at-bats, but I’m willing to bet he’ll finish with at least 400 by seasons end. That should be enough to give you 20 home runs.

14-166 = Ryan Franklin, RP, Cardinals – Not the sexiest guy to draft on your team, but he’ll get you close to 30 saves.

14-167 = Carlos Lee, 1B-LF, Astros – Lee had his worst season in the Majors last year. While there is the possibility of a bounce-back, Lee is best suited to be picked as one of your bench players that can fill in at first base and the outfield.

14-168 = Drew Storen, RP, Nationals – Similar to Kimbrel in the sense that he is not guaranteed the closer role at this point, but he has the best stuff of anyone in the Nationals’ bullpen. 

15-169 = Aaron Hill, 2B, Blue Jays – Hill was plagued all season by a .196 BABIP, which was 30 points lower than any other player in the majors. If that normalizes (league average is around .300), it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could post numbers close to what he put up in 2009.

15-170 = Brett Myers, SP, Astros – Myers thrived during his first year in Houston. It may be unrealistic to think he’ll throw 223 innings again, but he’s a solid pitcher to anchor the middle of your rotation.

15-171 = Jesus Montero, C, Yankees – Montero is our first player that isn’t guaranteed a spot on a major league roster to come off the board. Montero is ready to hit in the major leagues, but New York wants to develop his defense and his ability to manage a pitching staff. I’m willing to bet that Montero will be in the big leagues by June, whether he’s playing for the Yankees or not. If you miss out on one of the top catchers, take Montero and stash him on your roster until he’s called up.

15-172 = Javier Vazquez, SP-RP, Marlins – All numbers indicate that Vazquez is in severe decline (his average fastball velocity dropped 2 mph last season), but this is a good spot to see if getting out of Yankee Stadium will be all Vazquez needs to rediscover his mojo.

15-173 = David Aardsma, RP, Mariners – This pick was logged before I discovered Aardsma will be out until mid-April (aaaarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhh!!! Get it, Aardsma, AAArgh, nevermind…). There’s no guaruantee he’ll return to the closer role when he returns, but we’re getting to the point where saves are hard to find. 

15-174 = C.J. Wilson, SP, Rangers – Wilson performed as well as could’ve been expected in his switch from the bullpen to a starting role in 2010. The only concern I have going forward with him is how his arm holds up after the heavy workload he carried during the season and the Rangers playoff run.

15-175 = Jordan Zimmerman, SP, Nationals – Zimmerman has bounced back nicely from Tommy John surgery in August of 2009. He has potential to deliver over a strike out per inning. Expect 160 solid innings out of him.

15-176 = Leo Nunez, RP, Marlins – Nunez record the second highest total of blown saves last season, but thanks to a lack of quality arms in the Florida bullpen, is still slated to pitch the ninth inning for the Marlins. If he were to lose his closing gig, he would lose all fantasy value.

15-177 = Edinson Volquez, SP, Reds – A great roll of the dice pick at this point in the draft, Volquez is capable of delivering over 200 strikeouts. He will also have plenty of opportunities for wins picking a for a solid Reds team. There are health concerns, but at this point in the draft there are no sure things.

15-178 = Ian Kennedy, SP, Diamondbacks – Kennedy delivered a 3.80 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in his first full season in the desert. He’s only 26, so he does have potential to improve on those stats.

15-179 = Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants – Bumgarner’s performance in the playoffs (2.18 ERA and 1.11 WHIP) will not be duplicated during a full season, but his exceptional control should keep his ERA under 4.

15-180 = Tsuyoshi Nishioka, 2B-SS, Twins – I wouldn’t know who this guy is if he walked into my living room right now with a t-shirt that said, “Hi, my name is Tsuyoshi Nishioka.” What I do know is he’s going to start the year batting 2^nd for one of the best offenses in the American League. Even if he only hits .275 he’ll have a chance to score 100 runs. (EDITORS NOTE: Nishioka is eligible at shortstop in Yahoo leagues, but not ESPN fantasy leagues)