The Best and Worst of My 2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft - Part 1

Hey everybody, baseball is here. Last week, I had my fantasy baseball draft, and it sure was a doozy. Unfortunately, this past weekend was also WrestleMania, so I didn't have time to write about it before the season started. Still, people need to know whether their draft was good, bad, or ugly, so I'll be focusing on the best picks, the worst picks, and my pick in each round. It's super simple this year, just a straight 5X5 head-to-head 10 team league with 29 rounds. Who did the best? Me, probably. Who did the worst? I don't know, but let's check it out.

ROUND 1
1 Mike Trout, LAA OF Joc Jams Volume 1
2 Bryce Harper, Wsh OF Team Asaysian
3 Paul Goldschmidt, Ari 1B The Nasty Boys
4 Josh Donaldson, Tor 3B Team GreinkMyCrank
5 Clayton Kershaw, LAD SP Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
6 Jose Altuve, Hou 2B Regular Ass Joel
7 Manny Machado, Bal 3B   Team Pedigree
8 Carlos Correa, Hou SS Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
9 Giancarlo Stanton, Mia OF Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
10 Andrew McCutchen, Pit OF Total Jocs

Best Pick: Andrew McCutchen
It's very difficult to pick a best and worst pick in the first round. Basically, everybody ends up with one of the ten best players in the draft. Still, getting McCutchen at ten seems kind of crazy.

Worst Pick: Giancarlo Stanton
I love Stanton, but with his injury history, I really wouldn't be able to take him with McCutchen still available.

My Pick: Manny Machado
This pick came down to Machado or Correa. Living in Florida allows me the luxury of attending Spring Training games. This spring, I managed to make it out to seven games. I got to see Correa play twice and Machado play once. Correa really never did anything of note in the games that I watched. Meanwhile, Machado hit a home run right after I left my seats behind home plate to go into the left field bleachers. That was a really boss maneuver on his part, and it was then that I decided that I was likely going to draft Machado. This is very stupid logic, as I am not only going off of an incredibly small sample size, it's an incredibly small sample size in games that don't matter. I have no regrets.

ROUND 2
11 David Price, Bos SP Total Jocs
12 Kris Bryant, ChC 3B Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
13 Nolan Arenado, Col 3B Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
14 Anthony Rizzo, ChC 1B   Team Pedigree
15 Jose Bautista, Tor OF Regular Ass Joel
16 Jose Abreu, CWS 1B Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
17 Edwin Encarnacion, Tor 1B Team GreinkMyCrank
18 Miguel Cabrera, Det 1B The Nasty Boys
19 Mookie Betts, Bos OF Team Asaysian
20 Dee Gordon, Mia 2B Joc Jams Volume 1

Best Pick: Nolan Arenado
Having Arenado fall to 13 and ending up with Correa and him is a pretty sweet way to start the draft. There are really no sings that Arenado is not the real deal, so having him slip to there is a nice way to build the left side of an infield.

Worst Pick: David Price
I just don't see why it was necessary to jump on a pitcher like David Price that early. He's going to a division with a lot of good hitting teams, and he also isn't going to be a friendly ballpark. Now, I still think that he will be good, but I don't really see him being any better than any of the top ten pitchers selected, so there was time to get a pitcher of this level.

My Pick: Anthony Rizzo
Rizzo isn't a really exciting pick, but he was really good last year, and I don't really see any reason he won't be really good again this year. He quietly almost stole 20 bases last year, so he's quietly a five category guy, and that's pretty nice to have at first base. That's why I favored him over the first basemen that were selected later in the round.

ROUND 3
21 Todd Frazier, CWS 3B Joc Jams Volume 1
22 Robinson Cano, Sea 2B Team Asaysian
23 A.J. Pollock, Ari OF The Nasty Boys
24 J.D. Martinez, Det OF Team GreinkMyCrank
25 Chris Davis, Bal 1B Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
26 Max Scherzer, Wsh SP Regular Ass Joel
27 Carlos Gomez, Hou OF   Team Pedigree
28 Miguel Sano, Min DH Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
29 Joey Votto, Cin 1B Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
30 Buster Posey, SF C Total Jocs

Best Pick: Max Scherzer
Scherzer has been pretty incredible the last couple years, and it seems pretty likely he'll be a top-5 pitcher again this year with the upside of being the most valuable fantasy pitcher overall. That's a pretty good get for the middle of the third round.

Worst Pick: Robinson Cano
Cano took a step back last year, he's in a pitcher's park, and he's on the wrong side of 30. I don't really see any reason he is going to bounce back to his previous levels. I think he'll still be a fine second baseman, but I see the upside as a top-50 player. Getting that at 22 is not exactly inspiring.

My Pick: Carlos Gomez
Can someone say panic pick? I can, because that's what I did here. Looking back, I think I would have preferred Buster Posey here, but I was pretty dead set on getting a scrap heap catcher late in the draft. The good news is that Carlos Gomez may bounce back and make me look like a genius for this pick. The bad news is that last year may have signaled a decline in his skill-set, and I'm going to be cursing him the entire year, so...hooray?

ROUND 4
31 Troy Tulowitzki, Tor SS Total Jocs
32 George Springer, Hou OF Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
33 Starling Marte, Pit OF Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
34 Madison Bumgarner, SF SP   Team Pedigree
35 Chris Sale, CWS SP Regular Ass Joel
36 Charlie Blackmon, Col OF Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
37 Matt Carpenter, StL 3B Team GreinkMyCrank
38 Jake Arrieta, ChC SP The Nasty Boys
39 Jacob deGrom, NYM SP Team Asaysian
40 Gerrit Cole, Pit SP Joc Jams Volume 1

Best Pick: George Springer
I'll admit, I kind of overlooked Posey in Round 3, but I was really bouncing between Gomez and Springer. I went with Gomez, because I was really worried about Springer's strikeout rate in the minor leagues and thought his batting average would take a dip and wasn't sure what that would cause. Still, none of that may happen, and he may take another step forward. Honestly, I think Springer has a better than 50% chance of outperforming Gomez, but Gomez still has higher upside.

Worst Pick: Troy Tulowitzki
Don't get me wrong; I love Troy Tulowitzki. I will probably never stop loving Tulowitzki, but he's getting older, he never stays healthy, and even though Toronto is a hitter's park, it ain't Coors Field. It's not that I dislike the idea of having Troy Tulowitzki in fantasy this year, but I don't like him that early.

My Pick: Madison Bumgarner
Since all the top hitters that I wanted had already been acquired, it was time to lock up a pitcher, as that was where the value was. I was between Bumgarner, Sale, and Arrieta, and I took the safest choice. Sale has that delivery that everyone says will make him break, but it won't happen until I draft him. Arrieta had a HUGE increase in innings last year, and although he looks solid, I was a little too concerned about that. And then there is the safe and reliable Bumgarner, who will inevitably be the one who gets injured this year. But the pick made sense for me at that time.

ROUND 5
41 Nelson Cruz, Sea OF Joc Jams Volume 1
42 Xander Bogaerts, Bos SS Team Asaysian
43 Corey Kluber, Cle SP The Nasty Boys
44 Yoenis Cespedes, NYM OF Team GreinkMyCrank
45 Kyle Seager, Sea 3B Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
46 Matt Harvey, NYM SP Regular Ass Joel
47 Jose Fernandez, Mia SP   Team Pedigree
48 Adrian Gonzalez, LAD 1B Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
49 Dallas Keuchel, Hou SP Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
50 Albert Pujols, LAA 1B Total Jocs

Best Pick: Corey Kluber
I think Kluber is a pretty safe bet to perform as a Top-10 pitcher this year, as he's been pretty amazing hte last two years, it's just that he had bad luck last year. With the Indians improving defense, I think his luck is about to change, and he's a fairly safe bet to be a top-10 pitcher this season.

Worst Pick: Albert Pujols
Pujols had a bounce back year last year, but that was basically the best case scenario, which made him the 74th most valuable player last season. Getting him at 50 doesn't exactly scream great value to me, especially since he's likely to be worse this year.

My Pick: Jose Fernandez
Was this a reach? Quite possibly, but I love me some Jose Fernandez. He was the 10th pitcher taken in this draft, but let's think about how talented this dude is. How many pitchers would you want over him if you had to win one game? Definitely Kershaw, probably Scherzer, and then? There is some debate, but I wouldn't want to bet against Jose Fernandez. He was great last year when quickly coming back from injury. Now that he's had a whole offseason to prepare, he is going to be must see TV.

ROUND 6
51 Justin Upton, Det OF Total Jocs
52 Kyle Schwarber, ChC OF Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
53 Stephen Strasburg, Wsh SP Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
54 Jason Heyward, ChC OF   Team Pedigree
55 David Ortiz, Bos DH Regular Ass Joel
56 Lorenzo Cain, KC OF Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
57 Zack Greinke, Ari SP Team GreinkMyCrank
58 Chris Archer, TB SP The Nasty Boys
59 Adam Jones, Bal OF Team Asaysian
60 Brian Dozier, Min 2B Joc Jams Volume 1

Best Pick: Stephen Strasburg
I can't stop believing in Strasburg. He seemed to put things back together towards the end of last season, so maybe he breaks out to show the promise he had when he was first called up. Pitchers are fickle beasts, but I would have been happy to bet on Strasburg had he fallen one more spot in the draft.

Worst Pick: David Ortiz
I think every year I figure that David Ortiz is going to be a crappy pick and every year he ends up still being really good at hitting baseballs. But even with the good hitting of baseballs, he probably can't be expected to really exceed this draft position, and he could be much worse. At least this is the last year he can make me look stupid, but maybe he'll make me look smart on his way out.

My Pick: Jason Heyward
Remember when Jason Heyward hit 27 home runs in a season? Well, I'm betting that there is even more power to tap into since he was so young when he did it. So you're saying he hit less home runs than that last year, and in fact hit less than 27 home runs over the last two years? Well, that means he's just saving up on that power. He's even started pulling more balls during Spring Training. THAT MEANS SOMETHING. Anyway, he was about the 50th most valuable guy last year, and I don't really see any reason for regression with a little bit of power upside.

ROUND 7
61 Carlos Gonzalez, Col OF Joc Jams Volume 1
62 Noah Syndergaard, NYM SP Team Asaysian
63 Ian Kinsler, Det 2B The Nasty Boys
64 Carlos Carrasco, Cle SP Team GreinkMyCrank
65 Eric Hosmer, KC 1B Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
66 Kenley Jansen, LAD RP Regular Ass Joel
67 Corey Seager, LAD SS   Team Pedigree
68 Rougned Odor, Tex 2B Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
69 Francisco Lindor, Cle SS Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
70 Sonny Gray, Oak SP Total Jocs

Best Pick: Noah Syndergaard
This was a tough round to pick a best pick, as it is filled with guys that I don't totally believe in. I could poke holes in every single one of these picks, quite easily, but for best, it came down to Thor and Carrasco. I give the edge to Syndergaard, because he's young, throws a million miles per hour and may be improving. Carrasco took a big step forward last year, but expecting another step forward as opposed to a small step back is a dangerous game, so I'll go with Syndergaard.

Worst Pick: Francisco Lindor
I'll go with Lindor as I see his performance last year as an absolute best case scenario. He was a good hitter in the minor leagues, but he didn't set the world on fire. I could see him hitting .265 with about eight home runs and 30 stolen bases. That's a fine performance from a shortstop, but it's really not that different than Jean Segura, and nobody saw Segura as a 7th round pick.

My Pick: Corey Seager
Top prospects have seemed to acclimate themselves quicker at the big league level recently, and man am I hoping that is the case with Seager. The thing that most appealed to me about Seager is that his older brother, Kyle, admitted that Corey is the more talented baseball player. That means I got the more talented brother 22 picks after the less talented brother was taken. That's a steal. Also, I would way rather bet on Seager than Lindor, so hopefully that bet pays off for me this year.

ROUND 8
71 Johnny Cueto, SF SP Total Jocs
72 Ryan Braun, Mil OF Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
73 Felix Hernandez, Sea SP Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
74 Freddie Freeman, Atl 1B   Team Pedigree
75 Prince Fielder, Tex DH Regular Ass Joel
76 Yasiel Puig, LAD OF Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
77 David Peralta, Ari OF Team GreinkMyCrank
78 Jon Lester, ChC SP The Nasty Boys
79 Adrian Beltre, Tex 3B Team Asaysian
80 Ben Revere, Wsh OF Joc Jams Volume 1

Best Pick: Felix Hernandez
The King is still great and getting a pitcher of that caliber in the eighth round is a really nice get. Johnny Cueto has huge questions about him, and although Jon Lester is good, has there ever been a point where you would have rather had Lester than Felix? I don't think so.

Worst Pick: Adrian Beltre
This is just a simple, "He ain't no spring chicken" argument. Adrian Beltre ain't no spring chicken. His power dropped off last year, and he's a good baseball player but probably not a great fantasy player. And at that age, he's probably going to spend some time on the disabled list. There were third basemen that I would rather have at this point in the draft.

My Pick: Freddie Freeman
Not gonna lie, this was my favorite pick in the first ten rounds of mine. Freeman falling to 74 is ridiculous, and I was ridiculously happy to snatch him up at that point. He had a down year last year, but he's still super young, so I not only see a bounceback, I could see him putting up the best stats of his career.

ROUND 9
81 Hunter Pence, SF OF Joc Jams Volume 1
82 Marcus Stroman, Tor SP Team Asaysian
83 Jacoby Ellsbury, NYY OF The Nasty Boys
84 Danny Salazar, Cle SP Team GreinkMyCrank
85 Jason Kipnis, Cle 2B Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
86 Wade Davis, KC RP Regular Ass Joel
87 Christian Yelich, Mia OF   Team Pedigree
88 Hanley Ramirez, Bos OF Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
89 Adam Wainwright, StL SP Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
90 Daniel Murphy, Wsh 2B Total Jocs

Best Pick: Marcus Stroman
This was a heartbreaking round for me, as I really like Salazar and Stroman is one of my favorite players in the game. As a short dude, I love short dudes. HDMH, Height Don't Measure Heart, and Stroman is pretty great. He was actually more lucky than good last year, but I think he gets back to his pre-injury form and raises his strikeouts and shows that he's a stud pitcher.

Worst Pick: Jason Kipnis
This hurts me. It hurts me deeply. I am one who, like Disturbed, is down the with Kipnis. Last year was a bounceback year for Kipnis. The only problem was that it still wasn't all that good. He didn't show the power he once had, and he wasn't a threat on the bases like he used to be. He was hitting again, but without great power or speed, he's a nice player, but that's it. I really hope he proves me wrong, but I think there were plenty of second basemen to take later in this draft.

My Pick: Christian Yelich
I got Christian Yelich on the cheap last year, and through the first half of the year, I kind of understood how I was able to acquire him so cheaply. He was not very good at baseball stuff. But then the second half happened, and he caught fire and started firing off line drives all over the place and even hitting some home runs. I don't think he's going to be a power threat, but I do think there is more juice in his bat than he's shown, and I also think he could up his stolen bases. He's going to have a high average at the top of a lineup, so he could be a top-50 player if he stays healthy this year.

ROUND 10
91 Trevor Rosenthal, StL RP Total Jocs
92 Matt Kemp, SD OF Team VottoEroticAsphyxiation
93 Garrett Richards, LAA SP Back 2 Take Yo Lunch $$
94 Tyson Ross, SD SP   Team Pedigree
95 Craig Kimbrel, Bos RP Regular Ass Joel
96 Carlos Martinez, StL SP Blackmon Have McHugh Gardner Wongs
97 Byung Ho Park, Min 1B Team GreinkMyCrank
98 Billy Hamilton, Cin OF The Nasty Boys
99 Cole Hamels, Tex SP Team Asaysian
100 Brandon Belt, SF 1B Joc Jams Volume 1

Best Pick: Garrett Richards
Richards was coming off of an injury last year, and he was still effective. Still, the year before, he was a boss, and I think that giving him more time to recover will lead him to becoming a great pitcher again.

Worst Pick: Billy Hamilton
Billy Hamilton can win you steals by himself. That's valuable, but there is an issue. He can't hit. Because he can't hit, there's a good chance he gets put on the bench. He may still steal 60 bases while only starting 100 games, but do you really want to put a pinch runner consistently in the lineup, hoping that he's going to get the chance to steal a base and possibly score a single run. That seems like a lot of sacrifice for minimal payoff.

My Pick: Tyson Ross
This came down to Ross or Martinez, so I asked my wife if I should take Martinez, since she knew him from his time in Low-A. She questioned the Martinez pick because of his shoulder issues, so I went with Tyson Ross. I like that pick more and more as I tried hard to acquire him last year, and him being the Opening Day Starter for the Padres seems like a pretty good sign of his success this season. And if he sucks, I can blame it on my wife.

That wraps up part one. Part two should drop later this week. That's when I show my savvy and really start to dominate this draft.

I Fully Blame Jonathan Papelbon for My Fantasy Baseball Loss

Jonathan Papelbon is such a piece of shit. When he went after Bryce Harper, he didn't just go after his Washington Nationals teammate, he went after his Team Pedigree teammate, and that is a bond that should never be forgotten. These guys have been playing well all year long, but Papelbon just didn't know his place. Even though Papelbon has been a good closer, Harper has been a transcendent star, joining with Mike Trout and Manny Machado to form the best trifecta in the entire league.

And yet, despite all that talent, Papelbon decided to throw it all away and fight with his teammate. My team lost 5-4-1, and had I just gotten one more home run that week, I would have advanced. Instead, Papelbon killed the morale of the team, and nobody did shit on Sunday. Jonathan Papelbon was released from my team and has earned a lifetime ban from my fantasy rosters.

And you know what happened once Papelbon was released? Despite the wind being taken out of our sails, and only playing for third place, the team came together and decided to go out there and kick some ass. The offense hit, and the pitching pitched out of their minds with a 1.46 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP, while striking out 91 guys on the week. Hell, Scherzer was so happy to be rid of Papelbon on the team, he had one of the greatest pitching performances ever.

As great as all of that was, nothing embodies my team's spirit that they carried throughout the year better than these two teammates palling around.

Jose Fernandez may have thrown a meatball to Longoria, but he can laugh about it, and both can go on to team up to play for the greater good of Team Pedigree. May they serve as an inspiration for my fantasy football and basketball teams.

A Review of My 2015 Fantasy Baseball Draft - Part 1

Last week, we had our annual fantasy baseball draft, and it sure was a doozy. I am going to break it down round-by-round in three separate parts, but before we get started, I have given each team a nickname based on the jobber that they most represent. Here are my explanations.

Norman Smiley – Because my dance moves are sick.
Vinnie Vegas - This guy is a gambler, and I respect that.
3 Count - This guy looked like a boy band member in high school, so this is fitting.
Eugene - Idiot who tries to take other people's gimmicks, but he can't pull it off.
LA Gore - If you told me LA Gore was his real Dad, it would explain so much. He ruined his family line of being man enough to wear cutoff jean shorts.
Dr. Isaac Yankem, D.D.S. - I have no idea who this clown is, but somebody else referred to him as "a doctor, but not a real doctor." That describes dentists pretty well.
Bob Backlund - Crafty, sometimes unintelligible, but shockingly effective as he kicked ass in the 2014 season.
El Dandy - He's Mexican, and Bret Hart let us know that he should not be underestimated.
Zack Ryder - Had a moment of glory, but is now firmly stuck in jobber territory.
GI Bro - He thinks he's like Booker T, but he's just a cheap knockoff.
Viscera - Large and sexually charged. Has glasses that are referred to as "The Big Nasties."
Kerwin White - Shockingly good at golf.

Now let’s get to the baseball stuff.

Round: 1 (Keepers: Giancarlo Stanton)
(1) Norman Smiley - Mike Trout CF
(2) Vinnie Vegas - Andrew McCutchen CF
(3) 3 Count - Clayton Kershaw SP
(4) Eugene - Paul Goldschmidt 1B
(5) LA Gore - Miguel Cabrera 1B
(6) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Carlos Gomez CF
(7) Kerwin White - Felix Hernandez SP
(8) El Dandy - Yasiel Puig RF
(9) Zack Ryder - Robinson Cano 2B
(10) GI Bro - Edwin Encarnacion 1B
(11) Viscera - Giancarlo Stanton RF
(12) Kerwin White - Adam Jones CF
Best Pick: Adam Jones
I really like Adam Jones this year, but that may be because I saw him hit two home runs at the one spring training game that I attended this year. He's really good, and he stays healthy. He's not great enough to be a top-5 fantasy performer, but top-10 is well in his reach, and it's tough to see him falling below the top-20.

Worst Pick: Yasiel Puig
Puig is a really good player, but that Dodgers don't seem to be trying to help him with his image, so clearly they share the media's opinion of him. Also, he's been good in fantasy, but it's not like he took a step forward last year, so I don't quite understand why he has been upgraded to first round status this year.

My Pick: Mike Trout
I had the number one pick. I didn't screw it up. Nice job, me.

Round: 2 (Keepers: Chris Sale)
(13) Kerwin White - Troy Tulowitzki SS
(14) Viscera - Starling Marte LF
(15) GI Bro - Ian Desmond SS
(16) Zack Ryder - Stephen Strasburg SP
(17) El Dandy - Max Scherzer SP
(18) Bob Backlund - Josh Donaldson 3B
(19) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Madison Bumgarner SP
(20) LA Gore - Adrian Beltre 3B
(21) Eugene - Freddie Freeman 1B
(22) 3 Count - Chris Sale SP
(23) Vinnie Vegas - Ryan Braun RF
(24) Norman Smiley - Bryce Harper LF
Best Pick: Ryan Braun
I have a weird thing for Ryan Braun. It's weird, because him using steroids made me like him more. Steroids are only going to help a guy so much, so I think Ryan Braun will get back to where he was before all of the controversy. Last year he was dealing with a wrist injury, so I feel like his power will be back this year. Again, this may just be my weird quirk where I really like guys who use steroids because it shows that they are willing to cheat, and possibly have long-term health issues, to win. That's honorable for my sports people.

Worst Pick: Adrian Beltre
He's old. He took a step backwards last year, and he'll probably take another step back this year. I cannot imagine a scenario where he provides top-20 value.

My Pick: Bryce Harper
Well, hopefully THIS is the year that Bryce Harper finally breaks out. I'll admit that this is the riskiest pick of this round, but I also think he probably has the second highest upside behind Troy Tulowitzki staying healthy all year. Nobody has ever questioned Harper's talent, so maybe this is the year he finally puts it all together.

Round: 3 (Keepers: Jose Bautista)
(25) Norman Smiley - Evan Longoria 3B
(26) Vinnie Vegas - Hanley Ramirez SS
(27) 3 Count - Jacoby Ellsbury CF
(28) Eugene - Justin Upton LF
(29) LA Gore - Buster Posey C
(30) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Jose Bautista RF
(31) Bob Backlund - Corey Dickerson LF
(32) El Dandy - David Price SP
(33) Zack Ryder - Carlos Gonzalez LF
(34) GI Bro - Victor Martinez DH
(35) Viscera - Jon Lester SP
(36) Kerwin White - Zack Greinke SP
Best Pick: Carlos Gonzalez
The potential output is just so huge with Carlos Gonzalez that it makes him a great pick for the third round. He never stays healthy the entire year, but even at 130 games, if he can get back to his production from two years ago, he is incredibly valuable in a head-to-head league. He is likely a boom or bust player, but you gotta go big if you want to be a champion. I also really like David Price, as I feel like he was the last pitcher in that top tier of guys.

Worst Pick: Victor Martinez
I had Victor Martinez as a worst pick last year, and it was way later in the draft, and he made me look really stupid. So now it is time for my revenge as I will again pick him as the worst of a round. I could have also gone with Jon Lester, who is already dealing with a dead arm, and the NL Central is basically mid-90s WCW, it's "Where The Big Boys Play."

My Pick: Evan Longoria
I love Evan Longoria. He wasn't very good last year, but he also wasn't all that bad either. I think he gets back to hitting 30 home runs with a .270 average. There was nobody that stood out above him, and it is more fun to have guys you like on your team, so it's good to have him back again.

Round: 4
(37) Kerwin White - Albert Pujols 1B
(38) Viscera - Adrian Gonzalez 1B
(39) GI Bro - Billy Hamilton CF
(40) Zack Ryder - Yoenis Cespedes LF
(41) El Dandy - Ian Kinsler 2B
(42) Bob Backlund - Prince Fielder 1B
(43) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Jose Reyes SS
(44) LA Gore - David Ortiz DH
(45) Eugene - Cole Hamels SP
(46) 3 Count - Craig Kimbrel RP
(47) Vinnie Vegas - Jordan Zimmermann SP
(48) Norman Smiley - Jason Heyward RF
Best Pick: Adrian Gonzalez
If you asked me in an hour, I would probably make the case for somebody else. There is 10 very fine picks, my pick, and the worst pick. Nothing really stands out. Right now, I'm feeling Adrian Gonzalez and that Dodgers offense to get things done.

Worst Pick: Craig Kimbrel
We are in a standard 5X5 league, but nobody cares about saves in our league. People load up on starting pitchers, because they like guys who get W's and K's. It's not like Kimbrel is a bad pick, but paying sticker price for a closer is never a good idea. I waited for closers to drop when I felt the value was too good, and I still may have overdrafted them considering how few were taken even in middle rounds, but we'll get to that later.

My Pick: Jason Heyward
I could understand why people may not be a big fan of this pick. I wasn't either. I like Heyward, but this is the point in the draft where there is a big dropoff in talent, and you're trying to mix in upside with keeping it somewhat safe, because the upside isn't going to be that great for many of these guys. If Heyward regains his power stroke, it's a fantastic pick. If he doesn't, he's still got a good shot of supplying something in all five categories while being an asset in stolen bases.

Round: 5 (Keepers: Jose Altuve)
(49) Norman Smiley - Jason Kipnis 2B
(50) Vinnie Vegas - Sonny Gray SP
(51) 3 Count - Matt Kemp CF
(52) Eugene - Kyle Seager 3B
(53) LA Gore - Kris Bryant 3B
(54) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Adam Wainwright SP
(55) Bob Backlund - Kole Calhoun RF
(56) El Dandy - Chris Davis 1B
(57) Zack Ryder - James Shields SP
(58) GI Bro - Jeff Samardzija SP
(59) Viscera - Jose Altuve 2B
(60) Kerwin White - Todd Frazier 3B
Best Pick: Adam Wainwright
Are we sure Adam Wainwright is done? Like, he could have easily just worn out at the end of last year for the playoffs and could be right back to Adam Wainwright levels this year. If that is the case, he is one of the top fantasy pitchers out there. If he does stink, then Yankem may need to give back his dentist license, but I would way rather have Wainwright than any other pitcher taken in this round.

Worst Pick: Sonny Gray
What upside do you get with Sonny Gray? He was maxed out last year, so best case scenario is that it's a fine pick for this round. Worst case is that he takes a significant step backwards, and you end up dropping him sometime in June. Also, I'm sure people were expecting Kris Bryant in the fifth round to draw my ire, but if you take a look at what was out there, I can't find much fault with it. It seemed ridiculous at the time, and maybe it is, but I'm an irrational Cubs fan, and is a bounceback from Chris Davis any more likely than Kris Bryant raking right when he comes up? I don't think so. Also, he started off Spring Training with eight home runs in 25 at bats. Even if he only gets 250 at bats, that's still 80 home runs. Not a bad haul for the fifth round.

My Pick: Jason Kipnis
I love Jason Kipnis. I stole him two years ago, and he was phenomenal for me. Last year, he was drafted way too high, so I stayed away while he had a fluky bad injury-ravaged season. Now he is primed to go back to that wonderful human being he was in 2013, only better. Why better? I don't know, man, I just like saying, OOOH WAT AHT AH - I'M GOING DOWN WITH THE KIPNIS.

Round: 6 (Keepers: Anthony Rizzo)
(61) Kerwin White - Gerrit Cole SP
(62) Viscera - Greg Holland RP
(63) GI Bro - Masahiro Tanaka SP
(64) Zack Ryder - Kolten Wong 2B
(65) El Dandy - Dustin Pedroia 2B
(66) Bob Backlund - Carlos Santana 3B
(67) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Anthony Rizzo 1B
(68) LA Gore - Starlin Castro SS
(69) Eugene - Matt Holliday LF
(70) 3 Count - Joey Votto 1B
(71) Vinnie Vegas - Chris Carter DH
(72) Norman Smiley - Jay Bruce RF
Best Pick: Joey Votto
I wanted Votto to fall to me, but it just wasn't meant to be. Still, I think he can bounce back and get near his pre-2014 levels. I notoriously get burned by expecting bouncebacks, so that explains my pick which we'll get to later. Also, honorable mention to Carlos Santana who I also liked quite a bit.

Worst Pick: Kolten Wong
Seriously? Zack Ryder felt it necessary to reach for Kolten Wong? I mean, he's fine, but he hasn't proven he's good, so this is totally a prayer of a breakthrough to even justify the pick. And even then, it's not like Wong was ever a top prospect, he was a fine prospect, but he's not oozing with untapped potential. There is no chance he exceeds expectations.

My Pick: Jay Bruce
This draft was really a homecoming for players I love. Evan Longoria, Jason Kipnis, and now Jay Bruce (just realized they're all white guys...crap). These are guys that I have loved for a long time, and I would say Bruce is most special in my heart. I loved Jay Bruce when he got drafted, and my love has only grown since then. Sure, he was terrible last year, but I believe in Jay Bruce, and I'm excited to have him back home.

Round: 7
(73) Norman Smiley - Manny Machado 3B
(74) Vinnie Vegas - Jake Arrieta SP
(75) 3 Count - Jonathan Lucroy C
(76) Eugene - Jacob deGrom SP
(77) LA Gore - Tyson Ross SP
(78) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Devin Mesoraco C
(79) Bob Backlund - Mookie Betts CF
(80) El Dandy - Matt Carpenter 3B
(81) Zack Ryder - Mark Trumbo 1B
(82) GI Bro - Gio Gonzalez SP
(83) Viscera - Brandon Moss 1B
(84) Kerwin White - Hunter Pence RF
Best Pick: Jake Arrieta
I think Arrieta's breakout was real, and I expect more of the same for him in 2015. Health is a concern, but I also think it might be getting a tad overblown in that many feel he has no chance of being a 200 inning guy. He could definitely be a top-10 starting pitcher this year, but I will admit that I do sometimes wear Cubs-colored glasses.

Worst Pick: Hunter Pence
I'm doing this without internet access currently, so I may forget to check back, but I'm pretty sure he's hurt. Don't draft a hurt guy; that means they're not healthy. If he isn't hurt? Um, he's a solid contributor but take somebody more exciting than an Edge-lookalike.

My Pick: Manny Machado
This decision may have partially been made in that same Spring Training game that Adam Jones hit two home runs, Machado hit one as well. If he stays healthy, I think he will take a big step forward this year, and I'm excited to have him on board for the first time.

Round: 8 (Keepers: Julio Teheran)
(85) Kerwin White - Alex Cobb SP
(86) Viscera - Chris Archer SP
(87) GI Bro - Hisashi Iwakuma SP
(88) Zack Ryder - Marcell Ozuna CF
(89) El Dandy - Julio Teheran SP
(90) Bob Backlund - Carlos Carrasco SP
(91) Dr. Isaac Yankem, DDS - Leonys Martin CF
(92) LA Gore - Alexei Ramirez SS
(93) Eugene - Alex Gordon LF
(94) 3 Count - Pablo Sandoval 3B
(95) Vinnie Vegas - Jorge Soler RF
(96) Norman Smiley - Garrett Richards SP
Best Pick: Jorge Soler
I think Soler is getting overlooked by a lot of people. Obviously, at number 95, that was not the case in this draft. I was really hoping he would fall to me, even though I was already loaded on outfielders. I think he could easily hit .270 and hit 30 home runs this year and still get better than that moving forward. Even though he didn't really fit my team with the roster I already had, this is definitely a guy I wish I could have gotten.

Worst Pick: Alexei Ramirez
Last year, the guy wasn't even draftable, now he's going in the top 100 picks? I understand breakouts, but at his age, I see it as more of a fluke than an actual breakthrough for him. There were at least 10 middle infielders I would have rather taken over Ramirez.

My Pick: Garrett Richards
I would say this was my biggest panic pick. Nobody that I was really interested in fell to me at this point, so I had to jut pick somebody. Overall, I still feel good with this pick. I had to go pitcher at this point, and the only other guys that I would have considered were Michael Wacha and Alex Wood, but I feel good about getting Richards. Obviously, health is a concern, but it looks like he may miss very little time and he has gotten positive reviews in his rehab. Despite panicking, I feel like I showed grace under pressure.

That wraps up part one, stay tuned for part two.