OOTP 20 Challenge Draft Thread - Rd 17 Pick 10 (spleen1015)

[EagleFan]

93 seems very similar to 91 in terms of stats.

[EagleFan]

We got so close.

[EagleFan]

This evening I'll start putting together the main thead.

[thehitcat]

Can't wait!

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

1993? 1991 was Angels and you have an Angels player.

My bad...Rob Nen - 2000

[EagleFan]

No worries.

[EagleFan]

Draft complete.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Breeze

My bad...Rob Nen - 2000

This was one of the guys I was floored never got drafted. Glad to see that has been corrected

[EagleFan]

Added the season thread. The first "week's" schedule is listed. That will be Thursday evening. Please have your lineups in by 6 PM EST for those games.

Good luck to all.

The game of the week will be between New York and San Fernando. I'll post a separate thread for games of the week and "live post" them in those threads. Still trying to come up with a good system for posting the weeks in general (so I can get into a good pattern for any future leagues).

[Vince, Pt. II]

So my philosophy during the draft was a combination of building a lineup I liked while trying to find relative value. I think I got a little too cute with some of my "clever" picks - Todd Helton comes to mind, as I mentioned during the draft - and generally think that I put far too high a value on players on less talent-rich teams. That being said, I am pretty content with the team I ended up with.

As I look at it, I'm happiest with:

• My bullpen. Was really hoping to sneak Eckersley in, but getting Gagne and Wagner for my righty and lefty out of the pen makes me really happy.
• 2nd base. I graded Hornsby, Morgan, and Collins as a huge step above everyone else, and when I missed out on all three I immediately moved 2B to the very bottom of my priority list. I had visions of snagging Robbie Alomar in the mid-to-late rounds, but jbergey got to him before I could, so I waited even longer. I had Bret Boone and Chuck Knoblauch as my two options, and opted for Knoblauch so I could have another leadoff-type hitter to slot in at #9 to turn the order back around.
• 3rd base. I wasn't really sure what to make of 3B for most of the draft; Mike Schmidt was to me the clear #1, but he ended up the third guy drafted at the position. EagleFan can testify that Schmidt was at the top of several lists I sent him, for multiple rounds...and I always ended up talking myself out of him when it finally came to my pick. I paid serious consideration to Brooks Robinson when we got to the 7th round...and then yeah took him in the 8th. I honestly was at a loss, until I started doing some research. I found Scott Rolen and Josh Donaldson, and loved both options. I was torn on Donaldson, because at the time I was still contemplating Robbie Alomar for 2nd base. In the end I went with Rolen, and I couldn't be happier. I'm honestly kind of disappointed to have forgotten about him; he was one of my favorite players when he was in his prime, as I was (and still am in beer league) a 3B myself.

What I'm not so thrilled about:

• My starting pitching. I think I missed in exactly the wrong way; I didn't get in early enough to get the headliners (either of the Johnsons, Pedro, Maddux, Kourax, Gibson, Clemens), and I used some excellently valuable early-ish picks when I could have gotten similar pitchers with much later picks (Sale, Ryan, Glavine, Blue). I love terrific Tom and "Grover" Pete Alexander, but I don't think they are big enough advantages over some of the much later picked pitchers that they justify their draft slots.
• Hank Aaron. Hard to be disappointed in someone as great as Hammerin' Hank...I mean, he's Hank effing Aaron. But he killed the Braves, which took a ton of great options off the table for me, and he's really just a power hitter. He wasn't the best defender, and even though I was able to get him in a 31 SB season I'm not sure how much value that is really going to get me. And as my 2nd round pick...I think the legacy and real-life cache of his name got to me.
• My bench. I ended up going with a 3rd and 4th SP to round out my bullpen rather than flesh out my bench, so I only have two position players on the bench. While I loved getting The Big Hurt late and think he'll be an asset as power off the bench, I think Zobrist was probably me getting too cute again. I didn't end up getting a lefty masher (Willie Stargell was right there for the taking, too), and I also didn't get a backup catcher (Bill Dickey, I'm looking at you); so the only guy in the lineup I would realistically pinch hit for, Carlton Fisk, is the only option at Catcher, and therefore cannot be pinch hit for.

All in all, this was a blast, and I can't wait to see how the games play out!

[Vince, Pt. II]

Here's a list of guys I'm surprised weren't drafted:

• Willie Stargell
• Albert Belle
• Mickey Cochrane
• Bill Dickey
• Kirby Puckett
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• David Price
• Curt Schilling
• Dean Chance
• John Olerud
• Tim Keefe
• Derek Jeter
• Whitey Ford
• Kenny Lofton
• Jason Giambi

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Here's a list of guys I'm surprised weren't drafted:

• Willie Stargell
• Albert Belle
• Mickey Cochrane
• Bill Dickey
• Kirby Puckett
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• David Price
• Curt Schilling
• Dean Chance
• John Olerud
• Tim Keefe
• Derek Jeter
• Whitey Ford
• Kenny Lofton
• Jason Giambi

Agree with a lot of them. Was preparing to take Belle but I already had an Indian player. Stargell was on my list in the mid rounds but I wasnt really feeling the pick so I kept passing. And Mickey Cochrane did get taken(he is on my team

[bhlloy]

Jeter is a pretty insane oversight, but just a ton of great Yankees out there really make it tough to take a guy whose greatness is more longevity and consistency than a couple of insane season.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Oh, perhaps my BIGGEST holy cow how wasn't he drafted: Jeff Kent.

2000: 33 HR, 12 SB, .334/.424/.596 at the 2B position.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Here's a list of guys I'm surprised weren't drafted:

• Willie Stargell
• Albert Belle
• Mickey Cochrane
• Bill Dickey
• Kirby Puckett
• Hoyt Wilhelm
• David Price
• Curt Schilling
• Dean Chance
• John Olerud
• Tim Keefe
• Derek Jeter
• Whitey Ford
• Kenny Lofton
• Jason Giambi

I have a few to add to this list:

Elston Howard
Johnny Mize
Hank Greenberg
Charlie Gehringer
Arky Vaughan
Allen Trammell
Eddie Mathews
Home Run Baker
Hugh Duffy
Billy Hamilton
Al Simmons
Chuck Klein
Warren Spahn
David Cone
Juan Marichal
Fergie Jenkins

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Oh, perhaps my BIGGEST holy cow how wasn't he drafted: Jeff Kent.

2000: 33 HR, 12 SB, .334/.424/.596 at the 2B position.

I was looking at him. Can't remember why I didn't take him but there was a time where he was going to be one of my 2 picks when I was 3-4 picks away. Not sure what happened.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Breeze

I have a few to add to this list:

Elston Howard
Johnny Mize
Hank Greenberg
Charlie Gehringer
Arky Vaughan
Allen Trammell
Eddie Mathews
Home Run Baker
Hugh Duffy
Billy Hamilton
Al Simmons
Chuck Klein
Warren Spahn
David Cone
Juan Marichal
Fergie Jenkins

Most of these should be on my list too; Spahn, Marichal, Mize, Gehringer, and Vaughn especially. I took a long hard look at Baker, but wasn't sure his numbers would translate well.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Most of these should be on my list too; Spahn, Marichal, Mize, Gehringer, and Vaughn especially. I took a long hard look at Baker, but wasn't sure his numbers would translate well.

I was right ready to pick Eddie Mathews with the last pick, but I figured in this league configuration the extra bullpen arm would be more important.