Fantasy Baseball Tune Up – First NFBC Style Mock Draft

I signed up for Mock Draft Central last week to start getting some practice for the National Fantasy Baseball Championship. It’s very easy to use and there are a lot of draft options so you should find something that matches your fantasy baseball league. I did have the auto draft on accidentally several times so it messed up my overall strategy but I was just shooting for a good look at the first few rounds anyway. Following the NFBC format this was a 15 team draft, 23 rounds and I was picking out of the 10 hole.

1) Carl Crawford, OF – I would have slept well last night knowing I got him, 2 sick kids had other plans for me
2) Ichiro Suzuki, OF – it was between him or Carlos Lee, I was hesitant to go with Ichiro since I already had some wheels in Crawford, but check out the next pick
3) Adam Dunn, OF – match his power with Ichiro’s average and you end up with 2 pretty sick, balanced players
4) Joe Nathan, RP – great closer at a good spot
5) Vernon Wells, OF – getting a little OF happy but he should bounce back and if he does it’s like getting Carlos Lee on the cheap
6) Jose Valverde, RP – this was an auto draft error on my part, I’ll take it
7) Billy Wagner, RP – déjà vu all over again, see this time I figured out that I was on auto draft, no one needs 3 closers in the first 7 rounds of the NFBC, but should make things interesting
8) Tim Lincecum, SP – I’d like a little more experience in my #1 starter, but 200 Ks is 200 Ks
9) Chien-ming Wang, SP – could push 20 wins and with the heat he throws I expect the K rate to rise
10) Yovani Gallardo, SP – I had him and Lincecum real close so Gallardo 2 rounds later is pretty sweet, still overall 3 young starters has me a little nervous
11) Johnny Peralta, SS – a little early for him but I needed some power at a non-OF spot
12) Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C – for a league that requires 2 catchers this is a nice pick, could crack 20 HRs
13) Mike Jacobs, 1B – another auto draft gaff but fills the need
14) Rocco Baldelli, OF – ditto with auto draft, he does have 20/20 type skills but his health is laughable, I would have liked him a couple of rounds later
15) Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B – he really started to figure it out down the stretch, if he live up to the hype he should push 30 HRs and a 300 BA
16) Zack Greinke, SP – thanks auto draft! I needed a pitcher and he’s coming around so I can’t complain too much
17) Richie Sexson, 1B – he’s a masher, if Sexson bounces back he fills a huge hole
18) Geoff Jenkins, OF – a little washed up but he’s lefty and plays in Coors Field East (Philly) so 30 HRs is likely even in a platoon
19) Mark DeRosa, 2B – I’ve never given DeRosa a second thought in my life prior to last night, I was desparate for a 2B and he should hit 290ish, with 10 HRs and a handful of steals, he’ll do as a band aide until I figure something else out
20) Wandy Rodriguez, SP – bit of a flier but he has a nice K rate and it’s that point of the draft
21) Chris Snyder, C – has some power, smidge of upside, OK #2 catcher this late
22) Erick Aybar, SS – high average multi-tool prospect, hopefully he grows up fast
23) Chris Capuano, SP – was great in 05 & 06, awful in 07, if he returns to form he could be my ace, if he repeats 2007 I wouldn’t feel bad kicking him to the curb

I need a lot more prep to put together a quality team for the National Fantasy Baseball Championship but this was a nice warm up with some interesting challenges.