Yup. It’s fantasy baseball time. I know it’s not real baseball or anything, but I can still talk about it. Right? Here’s my problem.
I have a draft coming up next week for my league. It’s a pretty standard league, run by Yahoo in the 5x5 format. We have a couple extra roster spots than some leagues, but otherwise it’s pretty straightforward. I’ve looked through the lists of players, and have determined that Jacoby Ellsbury will be the first Red Sox player I select. (If he’s available, of course) Frankly his 70 steals make him incredibly valuable in the fantasy world. If I have him, I can fill the rest of my team with as many slow plodders as I want. So, now that I’ve determined he’ll be selected before any other Red Sox…I need to decide how many players from other teams will be selected before him.
I generally have a couple draft strategies. First and foremost, no Yankees. They are off the draft board for reasons that should be obvious. So, that trims off a few options of players to draft ahead of Jacoby. I’m a big fan of positional scarcity. If there are one or two second basemen that are heads and tails above everyone else, that’s a big deal to me. Also, I draft Red Sox players at least a round higher than they would otherwise go. Why? Because I can. Basically, the difference between the 20
th best player and the 35
th best player is a homerun or two. I figure that’s not enough to stop me from having a player I enjoy. Plus, if I have a Red Sox player it’s easier to follow. I’m more apt to know when they’re taking a day off in time to play a bench player. So, what does that mean for Jacoby?
If memory serves, Yahoo has Ellsbury pre-ranked in the mid-teens. So, if I move him up a round, that makes him a top five pick. No ARod…no Teixeira. Right now, I have Jacboy sitting at third on my list behind only Albert Pujols and Hanley Ramirez. That means I probably only have a real problem if I end up with the first or second pick in the draft. My dilemma? I would have a lot more fun during the season if Ellsbury was on my team rather than those two other guys. I’m not going to see and Marlins or Cardinals games. I’m almost sure of it. But, I’ll watch or listen to just about all the Red Sox broadcasts. So, having Ellsbury would make it a lot easier. But, can I do it? Should I draft Jacoby Ellsbury with the first overall pick? Or will everybody laugh at me?
Where would you take him?
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You can argue that Ellsbury is a legitimate end of 1st round pick in Yahoo leagues. I would definitely rate him behinf Pujols, Ramirez, Braun, Utley, Fielder, A-Rod (off your board).
ReplyDeleteAfter that, the first round gets murkier with possibly Lincecum, Howard, Wright, Longoria, Kemp, Texeira, Crawford, King Felix, Mauer, Sabathia all possible picks.
It wouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility to build your team around Ellsbury. It just might make it a little more difficult since he offers virtually nothing outside runs or steals (I had him on my team last year, drafted around pick 40)
Because I'm not a Red Sox fan, I would probably consider him in the late 2nd through 3rd round, depending on the flow of the draft and my needs at that time.
But you know what, in an auto draft, you really have to decide the people who you'd want ahead. Especially with a ranking in the teens for Yahoo, he will be gone by the 2nd round for sure.
Was this too long? Let me know how it turns out.
I agree that Ells should be a late first rounder. Of the players you mentioned, I don't draft ARod, Teixeira, or CC. I don't like taking pitchers in the first round either. They're too iffy for my liking. From there, it just comes down to enjoying Ellsbury more than Ryan Braun or Carl Crawford. Last year, my first round pick was Howard. I'll see where he goes, and where my pick is. If I end up drafting eighth...it's a moot point.
ReplyDeleteHEE...HEEEE....HEEE
ReplyDeleteSec 36 should come clean and inform all of you that he has never done that well in our fantasy league because of this very post.
U R crazy to take Els over Braun, Cabrera, Wright, Mauer, Kemp, Upton, Sizemore, Crawford, etc...
Steals are important, but you can get much better over all value in the first couple of rounds.
You keep over picking those Sox, and enjoy camping out in the middle of the pack.
If I am to draft in the late rounds I will be getting Wright and then picking up Pierre/Gardner/Brantley in the later rounds.
I will get 30 HR, 80 steals, plenty of RBI and runs and I will not have wasted a top round on only speed.
I would be glad if you picked Ells in the first, second, or third round. More value for me.
Adam_the_Yankee_Fan forgets that the year I drafted the most Sox (11) was the year I finished the highest (2nd...just out of first). You can have Braun whenever you want him!
ReplyDelete