DD's first fantasy team of the year

[DiamondDave]

Standard 12 team, 5x5 roto league

In parenthesis you will see the round drafted... I was 6th pick in the odd rounds, 7th in the even ones

C - Joe Mauer (3)
1B - Mark Teixeira (2)
2B - Brian Roberts (5)
3B - Alex Rodriguez (1)
SS - Edgar Renteria (13)
OF - Rocco Baldelli (7), Nick Markakis (10), Michael Cuddyer (16)
UTIL - Aubrey Huff (17)

Bench - Jeremy Hermida OF (18), Edwin Encarnación 3B (19), Shane Victorino OF (21)

SP - Jake Peavy (4), Ben Sheets (6), Josh Beckett (12), Rich Harden (14), Dave Bush (20)
RP - Chris Ray (8), Chad Cordero (9), Brad Lidge (11), Joel Zumaya (15)

Had to go a little earlier than planned on RP, as they were flying off the shelves, but I think I got good value picks on them instead of wasting picks in rounds 1-5 on them like many teams...... I believe I got steals on Beckett and Harden in the late middle rounds... the risky picks at the end in Encarnacion, Victorino, and Hermida are of course risks, but each with big upside on the bench.... OF is weak, and heavily reliant on luck, but some well rounded players in some good situations.... Huff is slotted as the DH, but by the start of the season it will probably be Edwin Encarnacion if he is batting in the middle of the Reds lineup

Worst pick - Baldelli - OF's were flying off the shelves UBER quick in this draft (as seen by the types of pitchers that were there in the middle and late rounds).... 7 in a row were picked right in front of me and I had to take something. Was not about to reach and risk without potential though

Best pick - Tie between Beckett in the 12th and Harden in the 14th... I don't think there is a real explaination necessary

[Witlon]

The best pick was hands down Harden, Beckett's stats last year were definately nothing to write home about, and he didn't even fight any injury problems last year.

Closers you have to draft around that time, or you're going to coming up empty.

All in all, solid team, the biggest weakness is injury prone players(Sheets and Harden), and a lackluster DH, who could end up being a very solid bat, but there jury is still out in Huff, since he hasn't responded well to his big year and there's never guarenteed PT in Baltimore.

Should by a top 3 team, if you stick with it.

[DiamondDave]

Injury will be a concern... but usually I have players that are not injury prone, and I happen to have them in the year they become injury prone, while other draft supposedly injury prone people who then never get hurt... this year I told myself to not be scared of ones not named Ken Griffey Jr.

DH could be a problem, but I think I am covered.... Encarnacion is quite possibly the cleanup hitter in Cincy and could fill that role nicely

As for Beckett.... we know he's a better pitcher than his 5ERA showed last year.... will he come back this year? Who knows... but I think he is a shoe in for a nice number of wins regardless... and I think it is more likely he will be at or below a 4ERA than an ERA 4.5 or above again

[DiamondDave]

Debating on replacing Huff with Hawpe from Colorado

[realmofotalk]

Your best value pick was Edgar Renteria in the 13th round.

[browntown653]

I like your team a lot...pitching could be devastating if healthy. OF could make or break you IMO.

[realmofotalk]

To take Wilt's comment a step further, Aubrey Huff was a wasted pick, since you were taking Encarnacion as a sleeper pick, anyway.

[DiamondDave]

Yeah... that solidified a damn good infield... SS's flew off the shelves early.... 9 or 10 were snatched quick... then with only 2 teams left to take a SS, I was able to sit until round 13 to get Renteria... I could not wait longer as other talent was getting scarce, and other teams may have started looking at backup IF's and the other remaining team had to be looking in that direction too to fill up SS

[DiamondDave]

To take Wilt's comment a step further, Aubrey Huff was a wasted pick, since you were taking Encarnacion as a sleeper pick, anyway.

Huff was a reach.... hoping he could do well in the 5 spot in the O's lineup.... looking back I could have gone another direction... at this point he is nothing more than a backup 1B/OF, probably going to get dropped, unless he starts hot and gains trade value....

[Dry1313]

Debating on replacing Huff with Hawpe from Colorado

No doubt, Hawpe is going to beast.

[DiamondDave]

I think he will be a solid fantasy producer.... the problem is that if I have Eddie E as DH, that leaves we 3 OFs on the bench.... not necessarily what I like... but of course DH goes to the hot hnad, not just inherently Eddie E (unless he turns into uber-stud)....