Legends of Fantasy

The second fantasy baseball league I joined is JP's Legends of Fantasy Baseball. This is also a 5x5 roto league, but with 14 teams instead of 12. It's also a redraft league, meaning no keepers. This league is in its second year, and boy was the first year a roller coaster. I was coasting my way to a dominant 1st place finish when everything fell apart. During the middle 4 months (approx.) of the season I was anywhere from 15-20 points in 1st place which is pretty sick. But, alas, the best laid plans of mice and men...

A couple of my trades didn't work out so great the most notable being Lincecum for Fielder, and to a lesser degree Vlad for Lackey. But what really did me in was the combination of absurd (IIRC) trades that bolstered the teams chasing me PLUS my apparent inability to make any strong moves of my own (my big pick up was Garrett Atkins....gag) PLUS my job which was taking up a LOT of my time towards the end of the summer. Yes, it was a swift fall from grace over the final month or so of the season, falling from 1st to 3rd (the last money spot) and finally, thanks due in large part to one of the most UNGODLY pitching days I've ever seen by JP's team.....somehow I had squandered my lead and finished one half point OUT of the money (though an epic game by John Danks in game 163 almost put me right back in). Sigh.

Onto this year.

We had the draft online Sunday night, and most of the prep work I'd done for the People's League draft served well enough for this draft. The big difference being everyone was up for grabs in this one. The Raleigh Bladerunners were randomly given the 5th pick overall, and since this is a snake format, my picks would alternate between the 5th in one round and the 10th in the next. Off we go.

Rd 1 - Since Arod is hurt, I knew the first 4 picks would be Hanley, Wright, Reyes, and Pujols in some order, and they were. So it was between Miggy Cabrera, Grady Sizemore, and Ryan Braun. I LOVE Braun, hes the cornerstone of my People's League team. I am also very big on Miggy. He's a stud, but 1B is a deeeeep position and those numbers can be made up. I went with Grady Sizemore because he's pretty much a lock for 30-30 (I'm a sucker for power/speed guys), a shit ton of runs, and serviceable rbi and avg. He's the top OF and a stud. Ship it.

Rd 2 - I was feening for Carlos Beltran who whos basically another Grady, but of course he was taken right before me. I took the best player on the board, imo, in Carlos Lee. El Caballo is a monster, and is one of the most consistent sluggers in the game. 30-100-100, .300 10sb's. Pencil it it. Scratch that......you can use ink.

Rd 3 - Was eyeing Soriano, he went two picks before. I really thought about Kemp, who I'm huge on, but he's still not a sure thing. I then realized that Jason Bay was a stud, and he happens to be playing for a new contract, and he happens to have had a huge 2nd half in Boston last year.

Rd 4 - It's a 4 OF league and I already have 3. So who did I take? Well I had the need for speed. And Shane Victorino had my fix. 15 hr/35 sb's.....I'll take it.

Rd 5 - When I took Shane only two pitchers had been taken. Timmy and Johan. I thought about taking CC Sabathia in Rd 4 but since pitchers weren't going I thought CC had a better shot of falling while Victorino definitely wouldn't. My suspicions were confirmed when Magglio, Hart, Granderson, and Torii Hunter all went before my next pick. (Shane def would have went). To my astonishment sitting there at overall pick number 61 was arguably the best pitcher in the game (at least top 3 by all measures), CC Sabathia. He's a stud and a horse. Great bargain at 61 overall.

Rd 6 - My CC pick started the run on aces as Webb, Hamels, Halladay, Haren, CBills, Volquez, and Lackey all went before my next pick. Seeing the aces disappear I decided to take the best pitcher on the board, imo. Josh Beckett is a stud, and an easy top 10 pitcher. Big year coming from him.

Rd 7 - I have 4 OF's and 2 pitchers.....think its time for an infielder? I was looking for a 1B or a 3B and as it turns out Aubrey Huff is both. Guy was awesome last year, and while I don't think he'll quite repeat those numbers, 80% of them would still be super. I'll take it.

Rd 8 - When I took Beckett I was looking for Stephen Drew, but he went before me. The SS well was drying up and there were two guys left who were deserving to be my SS. JJ Hardy and Jhonny Peralta (yes its Jhonny, not a typo). They're interchangeable, imo. I'd take either, but I had to sweat out 18 picks first. The dropoff after these two were steep so I was gonna be scuffling if I missed out. First 16 picks, so far so good. 2 picks to go. JP takes Peralta. NOOOOOOO. "One Tiiiiiiiiime" I write in the chat box......Andre Ethier is the next pick. I high-five the monitor and select JJ Hardy.

Rd 9 - With no hitter standing out to me, its time for a pitcher. Gallardo went so I go with my boy "Tricky" Ricky Nolasco. I covered Ricky in the People's League post.....he's a STUD.

Rd 10 - I'm lookin to fill infield spots now. Some guys I like that went: Jose Lopez, Zimmerman, DeRosa, Cantu. Hmmm, Delgado still on the board, but so is James Loney. I'm feeling youthful so I go with the smooth swing of the Dodgers 1B. He'll hit for better avg anyway.

Rd 11 - Was looking at Alex Gordon (which Jared knew....he knows all), but with Loney at 1B I can slot Huff at 3B, meaning it wasn't a necessity though he could play DH (theres two DH spots). The 2B's were getting weaker and weaker, and so I took Kelly Johnson who could be a nice sleeper pick. Jared said this was a mistake, and that I should have taken Gordon.....we'll see.

Rd 12 - At this point I have three starting pitchers but no closers, and since about 20 closers have come off the board I decide it's time to take one. I'm big on Frank Francisco who had a huge second half last year. He racks up the guys and should hold the job all year. Sweet.

Rd 13 - On the return I wanted Hanrahan but he went right after Francisco. So I took who I perceived to be the last closer with a definite job. And even though he's hurt right now, Trevor Hoffman still gets the job done at his ripe old age of 80.

Rd 14 - I dont know what I'm looking for here. Carpenter goes, J. Upton goes, Cueto goes, Jurrjens goes, Weeks goes, Slowey goes.....sigh I would have LOVED to get Slowey here. Once again, with no batter standing out to me, I took, imo, the best pitcher on the board in Jered Weaver. I've never really liked him, but he's got the pedigree and the numbers that say he could step it up a notch this year.

Rd 15 - Was eying Edwin Encarnacion, but he was taken. Well lookie here? Who's STILL on the board 200 picks in? Superstar prospect Matt Wieters. Unbelievable. I know hes starting in the minors, but according to just about EVERYBODY, he'll be up soon. And apparently, he's the real deal. Think, Piazza, with a good arm. (Commence drooling). In a league like this where hyped guys usually go early, this was a shocker and a huge coup. Could be the pick of the draft.

Rd 16 - Was lookin Ubaldo, Maine, Frenchy, Meche ( who went right before me). I took a guy I'm very big on this year in the Prophet. Elijah Dukes should go 20-20. That would be sweet.

Rd 17 - On the return I wanted Wandy Rodriguez, but he was snagged. Ditto, Parra. But what do we have here? Who's still on the board at pick #229? Chris R. Young, who if it weren't for a vicious Pujols liner that almost killed him (incidentally, Young is about 6'10'' and had he been a normal sized person the ball would have soared right over his head.....oh well) would have had a very nice year and would likely have been one of the top 20 pitchers taken. How quickly we forget. Tsk. Tsk. Well, thats why I play the game. My #5 pitcher has shown the ability to pitch like a #2 at least. I am good.

Rd 18 - Was eyeing Corpas, A. Reyes. Was thinking about Jonathan Sanchez, but eh. I took Chris Perez who should have the closer job in St. Louis. (comment from Jared, "nice pick")

Rd 19 - With my position players almost locked up, I'm looking for a pitcher. Took Sean Marshall. Sure, why not?

Rd 20 - Took hotshot Jordan Zimmerman who's been awesome this spring for Washington. We'll see.

Rd 21 - Dan Murphy is batting 2nd for the Mets.....100 runs?

Rd 22 - Smoltz, Arredondo, Snell and Polanco went. I took a favorite of mine in Brandon Wood.

Rd 23 - Took super prospect Colby Rasmus on the return. If he gets PT this year...watch out.

Rd 24 - Was gonna take Bourn for some cheap steals, but he was plucked. I took Orlando Cabrera who provides some pretty solid MI numbers.

Rd 25 - I took Jorge De La Rosa with my last pick. He'll get K's at least.

So there it is. Looking at my team, I like what I see. I see solid power, and decent SB's though I could stand to add some more. My OF is my strength both in starters Grady, Lee, Bay, and Victorino, and in Dukes, Murphy and Rasmus. I'll probably be dealing from there later on. I also really like my staff. CC, Beckett, and Ricky at the top make a top 3 that would rival any. Weaver and Young round out my top 5....very nice. Between Francisco, Hoffman, Perez and whoever I end up getting off the wire should keep me competitive in saves. Hopefully I can stick it to Jared this year.

More to come...