No Credentials Keeper Team Player Ranks

            Loyal readers of this blog (all 11 of you) will recall that I used to write periodically about my fantasy baseball team. Why haven’t I done it yet this season? To put it simply, no one other than myself and the nine other people in my keeper league give a shit about it. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to post a ranking of all 35 players currently on my team. We’ll be able to keep 10 players after this year, so the top 10 are the players I would keep if the season ended right now. Just for a refresher, here are the basic league rules and notes.

-         The price of a keeper player is forfeiting whichever draft pick was used on that player originally (with a tax and players who’ve been kept 2+ years, but we don’t need to get into that).

-         We kept 5 after last season, 10 after this year, and will be keeping 15 after 2013 and every year after that.

-         I won the league last year thanks to good fortune during the first half of the season, and a flurry of trades halfway through the season. I was able to acquire Robinson Cano and Evan Longoria via trade, and added an arsenal of pitchers just before the trade deadline. One of the 10 most incredible things I’ve ever accomplished was successfully completing four trades in one day in the same league.

-         Before this year, I kept Robinson Cano, Evan Longoria, Prince Fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, and Desmond Jennings.

-         Shortly after the season started, I was able to move Johnny Cueto and Jose Valverde for Nelson Cruz (lost that trade so far), and then swapped Desmond Jennings and Ian Kennedy for Ryan Braun (won that trade big time).

-         Around the start of summer, I was able to acquire Buster Posey and Cliff Lee in two separate deals.

-         Last year, my starting pitching was led by Cole Hamels, James Shields (career year in 2011), Tommy Hanson, Michael Pineda, and Gio Gonzalez. Pineda is the only one of them I was able to get back in the draft, and he’s been stuck on the DL all year. I’ve been punting ERA and WHIP all season. If my offense doesn’t show up, I lose.

-         Last year my team was loaded with minor league prospects. Brett Lawrie, Mike Moustakas, Jacob Turner, and Kyle Gibson were all used to sweeten blockbuster trades, while Eric Hosmer was a nice boost out my utility spot. This year? Not so much. Anthony Rizzo was the only big name I was able to move (in the Cliff Lee trade), but it’s fair to say that Rizzo would’ve been more valuable now than he was when I shipped him out. Trevor Bauer came up after great anticipation, stunk up the joint, and has since been shut down to rest. Dealing with prospects is a fickle mistress.

-         I forgot Adam Jones was on my team last year.

            After the primer, here are the ranks.  

35. Lance Berkman, 1B-OF, St. Louis Cardinals

            Picked up the old guy for some bench depth. Not a chance he’s kept for 2013.

34. Travis Blackley, SP, Oakland Athletics

            I wouldn’t know who Travis Blackley was if he came into my house with a t-shirt that read, “Hi, my name is Travis Blackley.” He’s filling a spot until a couple of my DL guys come back.

33. Julio Teheran, SP, Atlanta Braves

            It feels like Teheran has been Atlanta’s top pitching prospect for 10 years.

32. Bobby Parnell, RP, New York Mets

31. Frank Francisco, RP, New York Mets
            Parnell is only on board until Francisco returns from the DL. I don’t pay for saves, especially from erratic relievers.

30. Carlos Marmol, RP, Chicago Cubs

            If you read the previous paragraph carefully, you’ll know why Marmol is ranked at 30.

29. Erik Bedard, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

            A brittle pitcher his entire career, Bedard has been shockingly healthy all season long for the resurgent Pirates. He throws out some stinkers, but his K rate is good enough to warrant keeping him around this season.

28. Brandon McCarthy, SP, Oakland Athletics

            He’d be ranked in the top-15 if he could stay healthy for more than a month at a time.

27. Felix Doubront, SP, Boston Red Sox

            Hey, at least he’s better than Jon Lester.

26. Steve Cishek, RP, Miami Marlins

            The best reliever that is apart of Miami’s “closer-by-committee”, Cishek will be in line for even more saves if Heath Bell is shipped out of town.

25. Jacob Turner, SP, Miami Marlins

            The top prospect acquired by Miami when they shipped Annabel Sanchez to the Tigers, Turner should be back up in the majors after the trade deadline.

24. Michael Pineda, SP, New York Yankees

            Best known as “the guy with the bum arm that Seattle was able to pawn off on the Yankees for Jesus Montero”, Pineda should be at full strength for the start of 2013.

23. J.J. Putz, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks

            Since reinforcement is the key to learning, I’ll say it again… I won’t pay for saves.

22. Trevor Bauer, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

            The top pitching prospect in the majors, Bauer had some issues with control in his first few MLB starts, and has now been given a break to rest his arm. Hopefully he’s back in the Diamondbacks rotation in September.

21. Daniel Murphy, 1B-2B-3B, New York Mets

            Murphy is the kind of unsung guy that can boost your team to a fantasy championship. He’s not flashy, but he’s a solid .300 hitter that can fill in three infield spots. Due to Evan Longoria’s health issues, he’s played a lot at 3B.

20. Wil Myers, C-OF, Kansas City Royals

            Myers is the top minor league prospect left on No Cred At All, but unfortunately doesn’t have an open spot in the Royals outfield. Not to mention that he’s 0 for his last 80 in Triple-A.

19. Emilio Bonifacio, 2B-3B-SS-OF, Miami Marlins

            No Cred’s swift army knife, Bonifacio racks up the steals whenever he is in the lineup.

18. Pedro Alvarez, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates

            Alvarez is an all or nothing slugger who if he ever figures it out, has the potential to be a 40-homer a year player.

17. Colby Rasmus, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

            I drafted Rasmus last year, traded him before last year’s deadline, and then was able to scoop him up off waivers this season. He’s streaky, but when he’s hot, he can single-handedly win a week.

16. Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Philadelphia Phillies

            No Credentials still won’t pay for saves, but Papelbon is my all-time favorite Red Sox reliever, so we’ll pay him some respect and put him inside the top-20.

15. Trevor Cahill, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

            Cahill would be much better off if he didn’t have to pitch in Arizona, which is a problem when he plays for the Diamondbacks.

14. Nelson Cruz, OF, Texas Rangers

            Acquired early in the season, Cruz has been the biggest disappointment for No Credentials. 

13. Jonathan Niese, SP, New York Mets

            The fact that Niese ranks this high on my list makes me seriously doubt my team’s championship chances this year.

12. Phil Hughes, SP, New York Yankees

            After a miserable 2011, Hughes has rebounded to have a serviceable season. He’d be a shoe-in for the top-10 if he could figure out how to stop giving up gopher balls.

11. Matt Moore, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

            Moore has unquestioned stuff, and recently has figured out how to more consistently throw strikes. A strong final two months by Moore will easily push him into the top-10.

10. Cliff Lee, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

            I made a trade for Lee in early June, which means my team has collected 100% of his wins this season. Unfortunately, that only amounts to one. No Credentials is cheering hard for a panic trade to the Rangers.

9. Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Cleveland Indians

            Figured he’d be just a one-year rental, but Choo’s success in the leadoff spot has pushed him ahead of Nelson Cruz on the outfield depth chart.

8. James McDonald, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

            The waiver wire pick-up of the year for No Credentials, McDonald has been the lone ray of consistency in the No Credentials starting rotation. He’s hit a rough patch since the All-Star break, but look for him to bounce back soon for the resurgent Pirates.

7. Elvis Andrus, SS, Texas Rangers

            Andrus was the one player that I absolutely had to draft this year, and was fortunate to get him at the start of the fourth round with my first available draft pick. An improved eye at the plate has allowed Andrus to post a career high .370 on-base percentage. Incredibly he’s playing his fourth season in baseball, and he’s only 23 years old.

6. Buster Posey, C-1B, San Francisco Giants
            Posey was a mid-season trade acquisition (which the other team received among other things, Ted Lilly, who I’m pretty sure made exactly one start for his new team. Sorry Ethan) who solidified the poop sandwich I was rolling out at catcher every night.

5. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami Marlins

            Stanton was having a breakout campaign before a balky knee sidelined him until sometime in August.

4. Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

            An RBI machine in April, Longoria tore his hamstring and hasn’t seen the field since. A return this week will be a welcome pick me up. 

3. Prince Fielder, 1B, Detroit Tigers

            Hasn’t cranked out the normal amount of dingers, but Fielder has done everything else in his first season with the Tigers. To think that I almost ditched him and kept Eric Hosmer for 2012. Yikes.

2. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

            It doesn’t really make sense how Ryan Braun ended up on my team, but let me run through the details. Before the season, the owner that had the rights to him chose not to keep him (which at the time seemed laughable, but the player he kept instead was Mike Trout, which only cost a thirtieth round pick. That decision worked out). My friend Ethan won the first overall pick in our preseason draft lottery (don’t ask), and wisely used it on Braun. Unfortunately for him, either alcohol or foolhardiness caused him to trade Braun to me for Desmond Jennings and Ian Kennedy. That’s right, an outfielder who’s barely hitting .240 and a pitcher who’s thrown up a mediocre 4.20 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. In defense of him, Jennings was a fourth round pick in redraft leagues that he would be able to keep at the price of a thirtieth round pick n year, and Kennedy was one of the best ten pitchers in baseball last year. Needless to say, Braun has been the MVP of No Cred At All. Without him, we never would’ve survived the early season struggles of Fielder and Robinson Cano.

1. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees

            Cano hasn’t been better than Braun this season, but he’s far and away the top second baseman in baseball. The difference in value between Cano and the tenth best 2B is much greater than the difference between the top first baseman and the tenth best 1B. 

Top 10 Hardest Red Sox Break-Ups

            Last Sunday’s trade of Kevin Youkilis (long overdue, even if the package Boston got back could be best described as a lingering fart) got No Credentials thinking. What were the ten most difficult “breakups” that I’ve had to deal with? Before I reveal the list, I’ll provide some context.

-         I was born in 1985, and didn’t become a diehard sports fan until I was nine, so if you’re in your fifties and get mad that Carlton Fisk isn’t on this list, that’s why.

      -         I tried my best to focus on the disappointment I was feeling as soon as I found out a certain player was leaving, without focusing on the aftermath. All but number nine on this list do a pretty good job of that.

Now on to the list…

10. Carl Everett

            Just kidding!

9. Adrian Beltre

            Beltre only spent one year in Boston, so there wasn’t a great deal of emotional attachment, but this move hurt the logical part of my brain. Coming off a lackluster five seasons playing for the Mariners, Beltre inked a one-year deal with the Red Sox in 2010. He exceeded expectations, batting .321 with 28 dingers, won the AL Silver Slugger Award for third baseman, and made the All-Star team. Rather than re-sign him (because you know, it wouldn’t make any sense to resign a guy who has already proven he can handle playing in Boston), the Red Sox instead chose to spend their money on Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and John Lackey. Adrian Gonzalez is currently on pace for about 15 home runs (Beltre is on pace for 30), while Crawford and Lackey have been on the DL all season. Bummer.

8. Wade Boggs

            I’m too young to remember Boggs leaving Boston for the Yankees after the 1992 season, but I think my Dad was bummed out about it. Ironically enough, 1992 was the only season Boggs hit under .300 in a Red Sox uniform (I’m guessing a poor BABIP contributed to a .259 average that season. Either that or he was looking forward to getting the hell out of Boston). For evidence that Boggs may have been under appreciated, here are the batting averages (with on-base percentage in parentheses) Boggs posted from 1985 through 1988.

1985: .368 (.450)

1986: .357 (.453)
1987: .363 (.461)
1988: .366 (.476)    

7. Mo Vaughn

            Mo was David Ortiz before Big Papi ever made it to the big leagues. In his prime, he was a go big or go home hitter who somehow managed to post a .293 career batting average. He always came up huge in big moments (his most memorable Red moment was a walk-off grand slam off of Randy Johnson in an early season comeback against the Mariners), but unfortunately he only got to play in 7 post-season games his entire career. It was a bummer when he left for the Angels in 1999, but at least no one had any false hope that he was going to stay.

6. Roger Clemens

            Clemens is an asshole, so I don’t want to spend too much time on him. Just know that at 11 years old, I was really sad to see him go.

5. Johnny Damon

            Damon was only with the Red Sox for four years, but the goodwill he built up didn’t even make him a full on villain when he left for the Yankees in 2006. It was sad to see him go, but the way the rest of his career has gone proved Theo Epstein right. He wouldn’t have been worth the money the Red Sox would’ve had to fork over to keep him.

4. Manny Ramirez

            Sure Ramirez has had a lot of dirt thrown on him since leaving Boston. Sure the Red Sox placed him on waivers while he was there…twice. Sure he was nearly involved in a blockbuster trade that would’ve brought Alex Rodriguez to the Red Sox in 2004 (remember that?). Sure he was probably juicing during his entire career (who wasn’t?). You want to know what Manny’s postseason batting averages were during the two championship seasons? .348 and .350. The Red Sox have never really been the same since he was traded in July of 2008. 

3. Nomar Garciaparra

            The only thing that would’ve made the 2004 World Series run better for No Credentials is if Nomar could’ve been on the field for the final out in St. Louis. He was drafted right when I started becoming a die-hard sports fan. He came up and won rookie of the year. For a five-year stretch, it was a legitimate debate whether or not him, Alex Rodriguez, or Derek Jeter was the best shortstop in baseball. If he wasn’t so brittle, I’m certain he would’ve reached 3,000 hits. Lastly, numerous pets owned by friends of mine in junior high school were named Nomar. I was heavily intoxicated when word of his trade to Chicago broke, so this trade crushed me. 

2. Jonathan Papelbon

            The picture above shows everything I love and miss about Papelbon. At least I can still root for him because he’s on my keeper league team.

1. Pedro Martinez

            If you could teleport a “in his prime” Pedro Martinez to 2012, what would his ERA and WHIP be? 1.25 and 0.50? 1999-2003 Pedro was appointment television (his dominating two-inning stint in the 1999 All-Star Game against a lineup of Jersey Shore-like guerilla juice heads being the most memorable, other than of course throwing 102-year old Don Zimmer to the ground in the 2003 ALCS). He was a bit of a liability during the 2004 World Series run (remember him calling the Yankees “my daddy”?), but delivered a vintage Pedro performance in Game 3 to help Boston stomp the life out of the Cardinals. Pitchers like Pedro come along once in a generation.   

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/18-5/20)

10. Kerry Wood Strikes Out a Dude, Then Retires
            Wood’s decision to retire after a strikeout is one of the coolest baseball stories of the past decade. Call me crazy, but I think he took a page out of the George Costanza playbook in deciding to leave on a high note.

9. Jimmie Johnson Wins All-Star Race

            Thanks to the ill-fated format change (on paper rewarding winners of each segment with a prime starting spot for the final 10 laps wasn’t a horrendous idea, except for once Jimmie Johnson won the first segment, he had no reason to drive hard for the next 60 laps), this race will go down as the most hated All-Star race in history. To erase any ill will created by Saturday night’s debacle, here’s the classic finish of “One Hot Night”, the first Motorsports race run under the lights on a super-speedway.

8. Chelsea Wins First Champions League Title

            Heroics by Didier Drogba (a legend in EA Sports FIFA games for years) carried Chelsea to an unlikely victory over Bayern Munich.

7. Lebron and Wade Combine For 70 Points to Lead Miami to Game 4 Win

            Apparently it took a desperate situation to bring out the best in Miami’s dynamic duo. In a series where Indiana now probably has the 3^rd-10^th best players, they’ll need to carry their momentum into Game 5.

6. Strasburg Ks 8 in Five Innings, Also Hits a Home Run

            With as talented as Strasburg is, I’m shocked he didn’t also come up with a cure for cancer during his start Sunday against Baltimore.

5. Spurs Sweep Clippers

             There isn’t a hotter team in the NBA than the oldest team in the NBA not named the Boston Celtics.

4. Celtics Blow 15-Point Lead, Let 76ers Even Series

            Thankfully, Boston got their act together in Game 5.

3. Papelbon Records Save in First Career Appearance Against Red Sox

            After their former closer (who apparently Boston couldn’t afford because you know, they don’t have much money or anything) shut them down in an embarrassing loss, it was imperative for Boston to sweep the weekend games.

2. I’ll Have Another Wins Another Race

            I wish I could take as much credit for I’ll Have Another’s success in the Preakness like I did with the Kentucky Derby, but I waffled a little bit and threw him and Bodemiester in a two horse parlay (which won, thank you very much). No Credentials will be cheering I.H.A. on when he attempts to win the first Triple Crown in 34 years at the Belmont.

1. Durant Buries The Lakers, Thunder Take 3-1 Series Lead   

            If not for some shady calls by refs Friday night, we’d be talking about an Oklahoma City sweep. Kevin Durant is clearly the best player in this series (his effectiveness on the defensive end appears to be growing with every game), and Russell Westbrook is making a case that he’s the second. There battle with the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals will be one for the ages. 

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (11/11-11/13)

10. Miami Marlins Debut Worst Baseball Uniforms in the History of Man
            When I first read this story, I thought the Marlins had a contest to design the jerseys that only kids eight years and under could participate in.

9. Wilson Ramos Found Unharmed in Venezuela

            I’m a fairly oblivious person, so I thought kidnapping only still happened in movies and on television. Happy to see Ramos is safe, as he is a key part of the Nationals future.

8. Jonathan Papelbon Bolts Boston, Joins Phillies

            Sadly, another of my favorite Red Sox players is leaving. The time is right though, as the Phillies inked Paps for $50 million. Boston was wise to not match and save some cash for Jacoby Ellsbury.

7. North Carolina Beats Michigan St. On a Boat

            Can’t say that I care about college basketball in November, but this story gives me an (weak) excuse to post the following video.

6. Junior dos Santos Rocks Cain Velasquez

            The fight itself is noteworthy, but the greater significance is that the event was the first to air in primetime on network television. UFC and FOX made a mistake only showing one fight (the appeal of UFC is that even if the main event sucks, there’s four other fights that have the potential of being good), but expect them to get it right next time.

5. Colts Take Two Game Lead in “Suck For Luck” Sweepstakes

            With Sunday’s outcomes in Miami, Cleveland, and Indianapolis, we’re one step closer to the doomsday scenario of Peyton Manning being on the trading block.

4. 49ers Hold Off Giants

            I’m not ready to buy into the 49ers as a viable Super Bowl contender, but they did go a long way in securing a first round bye in the NFC with their win over the Giants.

3. Patriots Quiet Critics, Take Control of AFC East

            Is it just me, or has Rob Gronkowski stepped it up a notch ever since he appeared in a Twitter picture with a porn star?

2. God’s QB Completes Two Passes, Broncos Win Anyway

            We can officially say that there is a higher power at work for the Broncos after they won in Kansas City with Tom Osbourne’s playbook he used for the 1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

1. Jimmie Johnson Officially Can’t Win Sixth Sprint Cup

            Most gear-heads are excited about the brilliant battle for the title between Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. I am too, but I’m really over the moon about Johnson (and his douche bag crew chief Chad Knaus) not winning another championship.

Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Rounds 8-9

            We’re starting to get to the point in the draft where most fantasy leagues are won. From this point forward, there are going to be players chosen that will finish the season ranked in the top 50. For my money, the 8^th round and on is much more important in fantasy baseball than the first seven.

8-85 = Chris Carpenter, SP, Cardinals – The hamstring injury he suffered yesterday is a little scary, but the Cardinals are confident that he will still be able to pitch on opening day. He supposedly had a down year in 2010, but still finished with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. If St. Louis struggles, look for Carpenter to get shipped to a contending team before the trade deadline.

8-86 = Ben Zobrist, 1B-2B-CF-RF, Rays – It might sound strange, but Ben Zobrist could win a few leagues this season. This is a guy that hit 27 home runs in 2009, but fell off the cliff last season with only 10 home runs and a .238 batting average. Zobrist drew over 90 walks each of the last two seasons, and his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was insanely low during the second half of the season. An increase in batting average to even the .260 or .270 range should get his home run total closer to 20, and you’ll also get 20-25 steals. Throw in crazy position eligibility (he might even play enough games at shortstop to qualify there by seasons end) and you are looking at a very interesting buy-low candidate.

8-87 = Drew Stubbs, CF, Reds – Stubbs was one of two players last season that hit over 20 home runs and stole 30+ bases, along with perennial top-5 fantasy pick Hanley Ramirez. What drops Stubbs is his very poor contact rate. His strikeout rate was the 3^rd worst in the majors last season. There’s a good chance that Stubbs could lead your fantasy league in most times added and dropped during the season. 

8-88 = Stephen Drew, SS, Diamondbacks – If Charlie Sheen has tiger blood, I think the Drew family has kitten blood. Neither Stephen nor J.D. has ever realized their potential. The only reason Drew is picked this high is because you’ll stomach 15 home runs and 15 steals from your shortstop. 

8-89 = Heath Bell, RP, Padres – Since taking over the closing duties for the Padres after Trevor Hoffman left, Bell has racked up 89 saves. The only scary aspect of this selection (and the reason he is down this low as opposed to being taken in the early 7^th round) is the potential for him to get traded during the season to a team that needs him as set-up man. Unless your league also counts holds, this event would greatly reduce his fantasy value. I’d suggest attempting to trade him in early June before a trade occurs.

8-90 = Pablo Sandoval, 1B-3B, Giants – Kung Fu Panda was just Fat Panda in 2010. His batting average dropped from .330 in 2009 to .268. Sandoval reportedly has shed 30 pounds during the off-season, and has been off to a hot start in spring training. In ESPN.com drafts, he’s being taken around the 111^th pick. I encourage everyone to grab him much earlier. Even if you use an 8^th round pick on him, you’re getting a guy that will potentially play like a 3^rd rounder.

8-91 = Brian Roberts, 2B, Orioles – Amazingly, Roberts is being taken with the 148^th pick (on average) in ESPN.com leagues. Roberts 102 games last year due to back problems, but was still able to steal 12 bases in 59 games. This is a great spot to grab a 2B who could potentially score 110 runs and steal 40 bases. If he were an outfielder, he’s a 17^th round pick, but his position makes him worthy of an early round gamble.

8-92 = Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Red Sox – Papelbon is probably auditioning for a new team, as Daniel Bard is poised to take over as the Red Sox closer in the 2012 season. The added motivation of pitching for a new contract should help motivate Papelbon to improve on his 3.90 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, which were his worst numbers in those categories since becoming the closer in 2006.

8-93 = Colby Rasmus, CF, Cardinals – Rasmus improved his from .714 to .859 from 2009 to 2010. If Rasmus takes another step forward, we could be looking at a 30-homer, 15-steal breakout season from the 24-year old outfielder.

8-94 = Shaun Marcum, SP, Brewers – Marcum posted a 3.64 ERA and 1.15 WHIP despite pitching in the AL East. In fact, if you take out his 10 starts against the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays, Marcum would’ve had a 2.74 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. What numbers can Marcum put up if he’s facing teams like the Astros, Pirates, and Cubs on a regular basis? Marcum is my favorite under the radar starter going into 2011.

8-95 = Jacoby Ellsbury, LF-CF, Red Sox – Ellsbury’s 2010 was destroyed by broken ribs that for some reason, took approximately 5 months to heal. If he is healthy, you can pencil him in for at least 50 stolen bases. The question for Ellsbury is where he will hit in the Red Sox lineup. If he hits first and succeeds, he should be able to push 110 runs scored. If he’s at the bottom of the order (which is where I would put him), he’ll still give you steals but he’ll be lucky to crack 80 runs scored. Based on this risk, his average draft position of 58 in ESPN leagues is way to high (you can thank members of Red Sox Nation for that).

8-96 = Casey McGehee, 3B, Brewers – A safe bet for 25 home runs and 105 RBIs hitting behind Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Not a lot of upside, but you know what you’re getting.

9-97 = Dan Haren, SP, Angels – Haren struggled while in Arizona, but after getting traded to the Angels rebounded to finish with his third consecutive season with more than 200 strikeouts. He’s going 63^rd in ESPN drafts so far so expect to pay a little higher price than the 97^th pick to get him.

            Team 1 Roster = Albert Pujols, Dustin Pedroia, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Ichiro, Hunter Pence, Brian Wilson, Casey McGehee, Dan Haren

9-98 = Chris Young, CF, Diamondbacks – His batting average will hurt, but as long as he keeps it over .250 he has a chance at a 30-30 season. He’s basically Drew Stubbs with a longer track record of success.

            Team 2 Roster = Miguel Cabrera, Tim Lincecum, Jose Reyes, Brandon Phillips, Adrian Beltre, Jay Bruce, Roy Oswalt, Jacoby Ellsbury, Chris Young

9-99 = J.J. Putz, RP, Diamondbacks – Arizona will stink, but even bad baseball teams usually win at least 60 games. Putz is the first solid closer Arizona has had in years. Rather than take one of the top closers in the 5^th or 6^th round, grab Putz in the 9^th to anchor your pen. He’ll end up as a top-10 reliever in fantasy.

            Team 3 Roster = Robinson Cano, Matt Kemp, Kevin Youkilis, Jimmy Rollins, David Price, Billy Butler, Shane Victorino, Shaun Marcum, J.J. Putz

9-100 = Max Scherzer, SP, Tigers – After a brief stint in the minors, Scherzer posted a 2.46 ERA along with more than a strikeout per inning in his final 23 starts. Health is a concern (but then again, isn’t it with every starter?), but Scherzer is a solid option as a #2 or #3 for your fantasy rotation.

            Team 4 Roster = Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Zimmerman, Shin Soo Choo, Josh Johnson, Rickie Weeks, Kendry Morales, Yovani Gallardo, Colby Rasmus, Max Scherzer

9-101 = Brett Gardner, LF-CF, Yankees – Gardner is essentially the same player as Jacoby Ellsbury (a speed-demon with no power that is prone to prolonged slumps). As mentioned earlier, on average, Ellsbury is going 58^th in ESPN drafts. Gardner is going 112^th. You’d be a damned fool to draft Ellsbury in the 5^th round when you can snag Gardner in the 9^th.

            Team 5 Roster = Hanley Ramirez, Felix Hernandez, Ian Kinsler, Jose Bautista, Justin Morneau, Jered Weaver, Mike Stanton, Jonathan Papelbon, Brett Gardner

9-102 = Clay Buchholz, SP, Red Sox – Buchholz will need to improve his strikeout totals (only 120 last season) to enter the discussion as a future ace. However, even is his ERA climbs into the high 3s, expect him to have a chance of pushing 20 wins thanks to the powerful offense that will be supporting him.

            Team 6 Roster = Evan Longoria, Ryan Howard, Zack Greinke, Justin Upton, Derek Jeter, Joakim Soria, Alex Rios, Brian Roberts, Clay Buchholz

9-103 = Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers – Furcal is capable of playing like a top-20 player, but he’s also prone to long stings on the DL. Make sure you draft a second shortstop if you end up with Furcal as a starter. It would also be wise to move Furcal as soon as possible if he gets off to a hot start.

            Team 7 Roster = Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Jayson Werth, Andre Ethier, Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval, Rafael Furcal

9-104 = Corey Hart, RF, Brewers – Hart smacked 31 homers and drove in 102 runs for the Brew-Crew last season. However, he’s another player who’s strikeout rate makes him a candidate for a decline in 2010. Even if he falls off to .260 with just over 20 home runs, his spot in the top third of the Brewers lineup should assure him of fantasy relevance. It would help if his stolen base totals improved as well (he had 23 in both 2007 and 2008, but only seven last season).

            Team 8 Roster = Joey Votto, Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Dan Uggla, Cole Hamels, Tommy Hanson, Pedro Alvarez, Heath Bell, Corey Hart

9-105 = Kelly Johnson, 2B, Diamondbacks – Johnson’s 26 home runs last season seemed a little fluky, but if you’re still looking for a 2^nd Basemen at this point in the draft you could do worse than a guy with 20-10 potential.

            Team 9 Roster = Roy Halladay, Mark Teixeira, Andrew McCutchen, Ubaldo Jimenez, Brian McCann, Mariano Rivera, Delmon Young, Stephen Drew, Kelly Johnson

9-106 = Francisco Liriano, SP, Twins – While certainly not at the level he was during his rookie year in 2006, Liriano was still able to strike out just over a batter per inning (201 Ks in 191.2 innings). Being able to start a career high 31 games last season is also an encouraging sign.

            Team 10 Roster = Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Joe Mauer, Jason Heyward, Aramis Ramirez, Alexei Ramirez, Martin Prado, Drew Stubbs, Francisco Liriano

9-107 = Elvis Andrus, SS, Rangers – I’ll first start by saying Andrus is being taken around the 80^th pick, so more than likely he’ll be gone by the end of the 7^th round. Someone will take him at that point because of his stolen base potential. I’ll stay away due to his virtually non-existent power (his .301 slugging percentage was among the worst in baseball), and his inefficiency stealing bases (was only 32 for 47 on stolen base attempts). Furthermore, if he struggles, Texas has plenty of options to stick at the top of their lineup that would relegate Andrus to the bottom of the order. Keep in mind however that if you are in an AL-only league, he needs to come off your draft board much earlier due to the weakness of the shortstop position in the American League. 

            Team 11 Roster = Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez, Jon Lester, Buster Posey, Adam Dunn, Mat Latos, B.J. Upton, Ben Zobrist, Elvis Andrus

9-108 = Brandon Morrow, SP, Blue Jays – Morrow might as well rename himself Forrest Gump, because you never know what you are going to get when he takes the mound. In a May 10^th start at Fenway Park last season, Morrow was so bad he didn’t even make it through the 2^nd inning (that will happen when you walk 6 and give up 6 earned runs). On August 8^th against the first place Rays, Morrow threw arguably the best game of the season. He struck out 17 and didn’t give up a hit until the 9^th inning. If you draft him, be prepared for the wild swings.

            Team 12 Roster = David Wright, Chase Utley, Nelson Cruz, C.C. Sabathia, Carlos Santana, Carlos Marmol, Paul Konerko, Chris Carpenter, Brandon Morrow