A Post That Will Only Interest My League: 2011 Fantasy Team Rankings - Part 2

We now move onto the exciting conclusion of my fantasy league's preseason rankings.  Hooray fantasy.

6. Ryan
Summary: Too many head scratcher picks to rank him higher than this.

9	Ryan Braun, Mil OF
16	Alex Rodriguez, NYY 3B
33	Dan Uggla, Atl 2B
40	Adam Dunn, CWS 1B
57	Ubaldo Jimenez, Col SP
64	Cole Hamels, Phi SP
81	Martin Prado, Atl 2B
88	Shane Victorino, Phi OF
105	Neftali Feliz, Tex RP
112	Jimmy Rollins, Phi SS
129	Jonathan Sanchez, SF SP
136	Juan Pierre, CWS OF
153	Phil Hughes, NYY SP
160	Huston Street, Col RP
177	Gaby Sanchez, Fla 1B
184	James Shields, TB SP
201	Jake McGee, TB RP
208	Juan Uribe, LAD 2B
225	Carlos Ruiz, Phi C
232	Carlos Zambrano, ChC SP
249	Brandon Webb, Tex SP

The Good: Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez to start out the draft is a really nice way to get things started. I will admit that A-Rod getting taken right before my pick was the most heartbreaking moment of my draft. Cole Hamels somehow remains under the radar, but he could be the best Phillies pitcher this year. Also, Neftali Feliz is good enough to start, which means he'll be a lights-out closer. To round it out, he had some good value picks with James Shields and Carlos Zambrano.

The Bad: Martin Prado is not a guy I will be betting on this year. I also think it's time to stick a fork in Jimmy Rollins, because he's done.  Juan Pierre will get you steals, but I just feel dirty if he is a part of my team as he is worthless in other areas.  Also, getting stuck with Carlos Ruiz as his catcher is less than ideal.  I would have much rather had Posada at that point in the draft.

5. Bryan
Summary: The Minnesota Brave Yankees have a lot of players from those teams.

10	Robinson Cano, NYY 2B
15	David Wright, NYM 3B
34	Andrew McCutchen, Pit OF
39	CC Sabathia, NYY SP
58	David Price, TB SP
63	Justin Morneau, Min 1B
82	Delmon Young, Min OF
87	Matt Wieters, Bal C
106	Mariano Rivera, NYY RP
111	Michael Young, Tex 3B
130	Colby Lewis, Tex SP
135	Joe Nathan, Min RP
154	Craig Kimbrel, Atl RP
159	Jhoulys Chacin, Col SP
178	Jason Kubel, Min OF
183	Vladimir Guerrero, Bal DH
202	Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Min 2B
207	Erick Aybar, LAA SS
226	Brandon Beachy, Atl SP
231	Freddie Freeman, Atl 1B
250	J.P. Arencibia, Tor C

The Good: I love the David Wright pick in Round 2. I also hate it since it led to A-Rod getting selected right before me (I'm very bitter about that).  Getting CC and David Price in the fourth and fifth is a good way to get yourself excellent starting pitching.  I also like the Morneau pick, as even though it comes with risk, getting a second round talent in the sixth round is a wise move, even though it's impossible to know how he is going to come back from his concussion. Michael Young falling to 111 is also some good value, as you can expect solid production out of him, and he may qualify for multiple positions.

The Bad: I hate to say this, but I'm not a big McCutchen fan for fantasy purposes. I like watching him play as he is good in just about every way, but I don't think he's great enough to justify using a third round pick on him. I also don't really like Delmon Young as I don't see him greatly improving off last year's stats. In fact, it may have just been easier to say I don't really care for his outfield as Kubel doesn't excite me either. Also, the end of the draft just confuses me, as I expect to see all three of those guys dropped before the end of the first month.


4. Mike A
Summary: He loves catchers. As someone who was left scrambling for a catcher, this makes me hate him.

4	Evan Longoria, TB 3B
21	Dustin Pedroia, Bos 2B
28	Joe Mauer, Min C
45	Shin-Soo Choo, Cle OF
52	Derek Jeter, NYY SS
69	B.J. Upton, TB OF
76	Carlos Santana, Cle C
93	Joakim Soria, KC RP
100	Drew Stubbs, Cin OF
117	Billy Butler, KC 1B
124	Wandy Rodriguez, Hou SP
141	Jeremy Hellickson, TB SP
148	David Ortiz, Bos DH
165	Josh Beckett, Bos SP
172	Johnny Cueto, Cin SP
189	Ryan Franklin, StL RP
196	Gavin Floyd, CWS SP
213	Kevin Gregg, Bal RP
220	Domonic Brown, Phi OF
237	Ike Davis, NYM 1B
244	Jake Peavy, CWS SP

The Good: He filled positions of need early on, and I really like both Longoria and Pedroia.  I also like BJ Upton, because even in a bad season, with his stolen bases, he's still a justifiable pick at 69 (stop giggling).  For pitching, I like Hellickson, but that may be because he's from Iowa.  I also like taking chances on Beckett and Peavy, because late in the draft, it's always a good idea to sacrifice a higher risk for potential upside.

The Bad: Jeter at 52 seems a little high to me.  Even if he is on again this year, he's really only an asset in batting average and runs scored.  And betting on an old guy to get back to his old ways is always risky.  Two catchers in the first seven rounds can pay off if he finds the right trade partner, but the extra catcher isn't an ideal utility guy with how many off days both of those guys are going to get.  Finally, Domonic Brown seems like a wasted pick unless he wants to play the beginning of the season with a useless player taking up a roster spot.


3. Jason
Summary: Great early picks, but went a little heavy on pitching and was left scrambling for hitters late.

12	Adrian Gonzalez, Bos 1B
13	Felix Hernandez, Sea SP
36	Adrian Beltre, Tex 3B
37	Clayton Kershaw, LAD SP
60	Rickie Weeks, Mil 2B
61	Matt Cain, SF SP
84	Alex Rios, CWS OF
85	Colby Rasmus, StL OF
108	Jonathan Broxton, LAD RP
109	Jonathan Papelbon, Bos RP
132	Tim Hudson, Atl SP
133	Starlin Castro, ChC SS
156	Mike Napoli, Tex C
157	Mitch Moreland, Tex 1B
180	J.J. Putz, Ari RP
181	Jaime Garcia, StL SP
204	Nick Markakis, Bal OF
205	Edinson Volquez, Cin SP
228	Luke Scott, Bal DH
229	Garrett Jones, Pit 1B
252	Julio Borbon, Tex OF

The Good: He may have gotten the second best first baseman and the best pitcher with his first two picks.  That's not bad work for having the last pick. I also absolutely love Colby Rasmus this year. He is a guy that I definitely would have taken had I not had such great outfielders fall to me early in the draft. Another guy I really like is Jonathan Broxton. He had some bad luck last year, and I think he'll go back to being a dominant closer this season. I also feel that Starlin Castro has a ton of potential as a fantasy shortstop, and Nick Markakis is a great late pick if he can regain his power.

The Bad: I'm not a fan of Beltre, because even though I know that there is a very small bump up in performance for a contract year on most guys, Beltre is the one guy who seems greatly affected by the promise of big time money. Papelbon is a guy that I really don't like going into the season. If he struggles, the Red Sox have three guys ready to take his spot, and it's his last year, so the Red Sox probably don't care about his future happiness. Also Garrett Jones and Luke Scott are not guys I see sticking on his team for more than two weeks.


2. Scottie
Summary:  He drafts almost as well as me; almost being the key word.

5	Miguel Cabrera, Det 1B
20	Matt Holliday, StL OF
29	Matt Kemp, LAD OF
44	Justin Verlander, Det SP
53	Brandon Phillips, Cin 2B
68	Andre Ethier, LAD OF
77	Elvis Andrus, Tex SS
92	Chris Young, Ari OF
101	Pedro Alvarez, Pit 3B
116	Francisco Rodriguez, NYM RP
125	Shaun Marcum, Mil SP
140	John Axford, Mil RP
149	Hiroki Kuroda, LAD SP
164	Gio Gonzalez, Oak SP
173	Nick Swisher, NYY OF
188	Leo Nunez, Fla RP
197	Bronson Arroyo, Cin SP
212	Rajai Davis, Tor OF
221	Wade Davis, TB SP
236	Erik Bedard, Sea SP
245	Jorge Posada, NYY C

The Good: I think Matt Kemp in the third round is great value.  I really like him to have a great year this season, and they stole the Phillies baserunning coach, so he should not only be better with the bat but on the basepaths as well.  Justin Verlander is another guy that could have a huge year.  I also like the Bedard and Posada picks at the end.  I very nearly took Bedard a couple picks before that, but decided to let him slide, and Posada is a guy who should give you solid production for a catcher, so snagging him in the last round is an excellent value.

The Bad: I don't even really understand the Elvis Andrus pick.  There are guys who lack power, and then there are guys like Rey Ordonez and Elvis Andrus who have NO power.  He's an okay hitter, but to take him that high just doesn't make sense.  Bronson Arroyo and his mononucleosis isn't a great pick at any time, but he has managed to already trade him away. Congratulations for that. Finally, I will always hate Matt Holiday, because he is a traitor.  You think I'm just saying that because he plays for the Cardinals?  This started much earlier than that, all the way back to the 2006 World Baseball Classic where he threw the game in order for the Canadians to advance.

Hey Scottie, I guess I never knew your hometown had changed to Montreal.

1. Joe (Hey, that's me!)
Summary: If a team was judged only on outfielders, this team runs away with the league. Actually, either way, this team runs away with the league.

8	Carl Crawford, Bos OF
17	Mark Teixeira, NYY 1B
32	Justin Upton, Ari OF
41	Ian Kinsler, Tex 2B
56	Jay Bruce, Cin OF
65	Aramis Ramirez, ChC 3B
80	Alexei Ramirez, CWS SS
89	Chase Utley, Phi 2B
104	Chad Billingsley, LAD SP
113	Matt Garza, ChC SP
128	John Danks, CWS SP
137	Matt Thornton, CWS RP
152	Brian Matusz, Bal SP
161	Travis Snider, Tor OF
176	Joel Hanrahan, Pit RP
185	A.J. Burnett, NYY SP
200	Chris Iannetta, Col C
209	Brett Myers, Hou SP
224	John Lackey, Bos SP
233	Javier Vazquez, Fla SP
248	Bud Norris, Hou SP

The Good: Carl Crawford being ranked 3 and falling to 8 was a pretty nice surprise for me. My outfielders just make me smile altogether. People seem to forget that Jay Bruce was a #1 overall prospect a few years ago. He's been getting better and better, and this year, I see him taking a huge leap forward into a mixture of Babe Ruth and Jesus. Justin Upton seems ready to fulfill his potential and have an even better than 2009. And Travis Snider has been getting glowing scouting reports all spring. This is the year he becomes too legit to quit. On the pitching side, I'd say my favorite pick is Chad Billingsley. I feel like he'll be elite this year, so it was good to get that type of talent despite waiting until the ninth round to start selecting pitchers.

The Bad: I have two Houston Astros players on my team. I'm not sure how that happened, but every time I look at my team and realize that, it makes me sick to my stomach. Also Iannetta is a huge risk at catcher, but if he actually puts it together this year, he could be a top five catcher.  It's unlikely that he figures it out to that extent, but maybe a .240 AVG with 20 home runs is possible. And since I know everybody is thinking it, I'll bring up the Chase Utley pick. It's risky, but it's also awesome. If he doesn't play this year, I wasted an eighth round pick, but he has shown impressive healing powers in the past, and even if he's only full strength for the second half of the season, I'm getting a borderline first round pick for half a season in the eighth round.

And that is now completely wrapped up. Congratulations to me for being awesome.

-Joe

P.S. If you need a dog walker, this may be your guy.