12 Team Head-To-Head Mock Draft: OBP and QS (Ep. 956)

Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros MLB. This is the Fantasy Baseball Podcast. It is me Joey P joe P Zapia with me today for our final That's right. If you can believe it, it's very emotional. It's a sad time. Our final mock draft of this season though elsh The Joe al Rico and from the of course very famous tool Shed podcast also works for rotaballer. Chris Cleig, one of the best in the business when it comes to

With some of these players today. I got it. We'll be all right.

You're gonna be tempted to take Connor Griffin, but we're not gonna want to take Connor.

Yeah. I just saw Connor Griffin four times last week. He looks awesome, by the way.

I just talked to Jeff Ponce about it. But you know, Joe, I do want to tell you when we do these final mock draft, you're supposed to go.

It's fun mocks draft.

I did miss that up again, and they're all so lucky that you picked it up. Just so so lucky, Joe Rico. This is the last one for you as well.

You're welcome.

We get the real season going on, so that is very exciting. Uh. Do you think Welsh is excited that he doesn't have to watch Jordan Montgomery pitch for his Arizona Diamondbacks now this year?

That's a brutal one. Like I don't even know what to make of it. I mean, I haven't been a big Ryan Nelson fan. Maybe it makes it a little bit easier for Ryan Nelson to slip in there at some point, But I feel bad for him on a kind of a human level, you know, like Lates start last year and then he gets dragged by the team and the media and then Tommy John It's it's been a tough year. So for Jordan Montgomery, I.

Hear twenty two million dollars when you rub it on your arm over the year. It really does help. When you can sit there bathing diamonds and rub one hundred dollars bills on your arm. Tommy John goes a little bit quicker, He'll be he'll.

Be all right. So we're gonna do one catcher, all the infielders. We've got a bunch of outfield spots to today. How many we got here, we got one, two, three, four outfield spots one U till we've got two RP spots and seven pitcher spots today we're gonna do. So we're gonna kick things off here officially from this draft.

I'd say probably late eight, late May. Late May sound about right. Maybe early Sune. But I'm not drafting him for pitching stats. I'm taking him for his hitting stats. But I think the pitchers like I've seen, just as a side note, like there are some leagues where he's just O Tani pitcher, only he's going way too high just because of that name brand value. I don't expect a lot from him on the mound this year, but I still expect him to do great things at the dish like he always does.

All Right, I am up here on the clock at twelve, and you know what, I think I'm gonna do something fun here. Why not? It's the last one. Let's see how it goes. All right, Let's go with the next pick here, because Juan Soto to Chris Clegg at one oh six, Cleig, this is an OBP format we're playing in today, So Sodo certainly a guy that you absolutely

I don't know.

He handled the New York media pretty well last year with the Yankees, and yeah, the first year of big contracts, you know, it is something that I think we have to be weary. We've seen guys kind of struggle in that first year, but I don't think we see much struggle from Sodo. He's been as consistent as they come. His entire career basically feels like a lock to give a four hundred plus OBP or better, you know, and thirty plus homers sneaking a few steals and yeah, the

All right, you're back on the clock. I'll let you make your pick. Kyle Tucker at one oh seven, Mookie Bets at one o eight. While we're getting a little antsy about Mookie Bets, I hope he's okay. He doesn't look good. I don't like the interview yesterday where he can't keep any food down. This is troubling. I hope just forget fantasy. I hope Mookie Bets is okay. Corbyn Carroll went on nine.

It looked like Christian Bale from the Oh my god, the problem.

It's not good. I'm really concerned about him. So shout out to Mookie. One of the best guys in sports periods. So you took Corbyn Carroll at one oh nine. On the way back, you took Alvarez at two oh four, and that's how you're starting your team. So pretty good start here for you. How do you feel about these two outfielders as you're building from the outside in.

I feel pretty good, especially because I one hundred percent, totally, without question, knew we were doing OBP before we started this. And I did not just find out we were.

Doing and quality starts too three seconds ago.

Yep, No, I knew all these things, and that's why I'm very prepared. Corby Carroll. No matter what great pick jan So does, the steal of the draft going at six and an OBP league just going to point that out. But yeah, Corbyn Carroll is a smash here. Very exciting me. Mookie Betts went right before him in this, very excited to get him. I passed on Julio Rodriguez because this is an OBP format for Jordan Alvarez, a little bit of risk, huge power. I'm not trying to chase stolen

Obi I already immediately want to undo all my picks. I just want to say this a draft wizard, you could do that. Look, it would be fun, right, I said, it's the last time I don't. Mayor wanted to do this. It didn't work out for him. Gunnar Henderson won at one ten Francisco Lindoor at one eleven. I took Paul Skins and Terce Google with my two pick. Hit the turn just for S's and g's. Let's have some fun. Let's see if I can make it work. I already

That's another kind of high floor player that it's going to give you a major boost and OBP, it was an interesting year last year for Harper. The home runs were obviously like he's been in consistent year of the year we've seen him.

He had thirty last year.

He had twenty one and eighteen the previous years. I'll be a smaller sample size, but yeah, I feel like he's pretty much another lock for for thirty bombs a year, four hundred OVP, you know last year, three seventy three, but consistently going to take his walks. He's going to get on base at a high clip, and he's going to it for power, not going to be a zero

And head ahead and OBP format all.

Right, Trey Turner two await, Zach Wheeler two nine, Jaron Durana to ten than at two eleven, Jass Chisholm, then Joe Rico at the two three turn here in rounds two into three, Garrett Crochet and Freddy Freeman Freeman before Crochet. Just if you're keeping score at home on the YouTube channel, I love this. I just got Crochet in our Fantasy Pro's team league there for our our employee league. Very excited about him.

As did you want to point out also in the Fantasy prize.

I got that league just for you, Welsh. I got him for two bucks to get into the draft because it was only ten team league supply and demand. You gotta love it, so Crochet, Joe A. Rico, you gotta feel pretty good about this. Look at you with your Dodger stack. How's that feel right now?

Yeah, I'm doing a little best ball here mixing though not. I think that those two are just so fantastic and I don't set out to have players that are on the same teams in rodeo or head to have or any of those things. Not necessarily, but it'll still help out. Those guys are going to be banking a lot of each other's stats in terms of the runs and RBI. One guy hits a home er on the other guy's score, So I'll take it. Freddie Freeman for his career. The

Other hand in there.

Well you did that, yeah, I know. I looked. I was like, where is the oat? We went the first pick in the third round, Austin can.

Tell Marte at three to OHO two, Jackson Meryl at three TOZHO three, Austin Riley at three to Ozho four. I got both of those guys in that draft as well. I was just mentioning it was salary caps. A little different scenario there, Raphaeld Devers, Kyle Schwarber to Chris Clegg. Now, Schwarber a guy, look at you, We're Philly Stack, Harper and Schwarber. So Schwarber obviously going to continue to kill your batting average. How do you feel about that? Because

I was about to say, you're good?

So how does that make you feel?

Here?

Kyle Schwarber's let's talk about his value because we're so used to those batting average leagues. I got trapped there between Schwarber in batting average leagues, Schwarber and OBP leagues. Cleig, how much does that change the ADP for you?

I think it's pretty significant. I mean the OBPS are substantial. Year over year points league plays well, OBEP league, he plays very very well. You know last year, three sixty six OVP despite a forty eight batting average. You absolutely take that and the OBP floor. Now on the team is extremely high with Sodo, Harper and Swarber, so I can kind of build. However, I want to move them forward and have a pretty good base there to potentially

Matt Olsen at three oh seven, At three zero eight, Manny Machado, Logan Gilbert to the Welsh, we'll get to your picks of the second here. Roald Acunia goes at three ten, so mad. I was hoping he would make it to me because I would absolutely pull the trigger there, but instead he goes before me. Corbyn burns. Then I took Pete, Alonzo and Corey Seger, just the BPA guys

Well, quality starts too, I mean, Logan, Gilbert, give me a break. We talked about Derek Carty saying liked him to be number one lead the league in wins. I love the quality star potential. I thought about Chris Sale. Chrissel made it back to me. I can get big strikeouts when he's out there. He's going to go deep into games, So why the hell not. These are two

Yeah, I really wanted him to get to me. He did not, So you're officially your big your big, huge jerk. Well, I just want you to know.

I got two words for you, Joe, Yeah, sorry.

Yeah, okay, all right, let's move on here to the next couple of picks here. I've made mine. Continuing on, after you took Chris sale O'Neal Cruz at four five, Brent Rooker at four o six, then Cole Reagan's to Chris Klay, so Reagan's your ace. Gotta feel pretty good about that. I am somebody who typically does wait till the fourth round to pull triggers on pitchers, but I just couldn't pass up having some fun here on this

Yeah?

I don't know about that, but you know, I do think that this is a solid top two. Valdez gives you a pretty high floor and Reagan's has the upside. You know, I think that Reagan's has now shown that he can handle the workload to give you a good amount of innings year every year and strike out totals ratios are there. And with Franbur it's just the high floor. You know what you're getting from him, good ratios. So yeah, it may not be Skins and scooball, but pretty good

With nothing is my friend, Nothing is Manuel. Class A goes next to four to eight, then Whitet, Langford, Dylan Cees, Blake Snail back to Joel Rico, Ozzie Albi's and Devin Williams. So instead of taking another uh, I'm just curious here in staid to take another starting pitcher. You've gone closer. I know Class A went off the board there. Uh, you missed one. Your chance to take Jacob de Gram Joe.

So, I'm a big de Grom guy, of course, but I am not a liar.

A liar, that's that's what you are.

I'll post my player shares the day before opening. You're gonna see how much of a liar I am on Jacob a Gram. But quality starts make the difference. I think that de Gram is going to be limited to five innings a lot of the time, which in regular roto I think at five innings with de Grom could still be nine strikeouts, shut out ball. But we're looking at quality starts, and I think that's where he might

Yeah, great analysis there too. The head to head de Grom should take a hit. You're absolutely right, Michael Harris at five oh two, c J. Abrams at five oh three. De Grom did go at five oh four, then ti Oscar Hernandez Frambert of Clegg as we mentioned before, Alex Bregman at five oh seven, Marcelo Zun at five oh eight. I was hoping for him or James Wood instead Welsh snipe me on both of them, then, ya, I'm a motive. At five ten, Junior Kemenaro is also hoping for my cue, got obliterated.

So I pivoted to Lawrence Butler. We're just you got me back. I wanted Butler coming back around.

That was the guy.

So you got me back?

Serves you right, serves you right, Like I need. I need all the offense I can get. This is the interesting thing. It's like, all right, you take those two pictures of the turn, what does it look like offensively? So Alonso Seger Butler and then Marcus Simeon. So I've gone full Texas Rangers here. All the American League West I can handle Edwin Diaz at six oh two, then Hater at six oh three. Welsh, you got your closer

I think it was a pretty good vite. I didn't love what was around. That's kind of what happened because I was going to take Butler, and that's kind of what I was alluding to, and I was like, I'm gonna fill out my outfield. That's just what I'm going to do. But I think it ended up being a pretty pretty good value. And I think there's a lot of value on the board right now as well that I am battling.

Yeah, I would agree, definitely a fair amount of value continuing on here after Mason Miller, Tyler Glass. Now Williadamas Clegg, you went in the closer mark with Ryan Helsley. So did you have any pressure after Welsh took Miller to keep grabbing closers.

A little bit and just didn't love the other values on the board. It was outfield in first base, which I already have, and so like kind of the Welsh conundrum of the outfield situation of taking the two outfielders in the first three rounds kind of was in a weird spot. Yeah, I didn't love what was there. I was, okay, well, I'll just I'll take my closer and be happy with it.

That's right, You'll take it and you'll be happy with it.

You don't be.

Happy with it, sir.

I am furious at Team five right now. Taking Louise Robert I was another one I thought sure I would get back there. Michael King, Brenton Doyle, Pablo Lopez, then Joe Rico. Two more starters for you, Logan Web and showed to Emanaga. That's a pretty good look for you, my friend.

Yeah, I did pass up to gram earlier, but like looking at Web with the innings projections, he's gonna go six or seven innings pretty much every single time out there, one hundred and ninety plus innings very much at play, and I think the projections are very high on Logan Web specifically ATC loves him. That's what I put into my obp auction calculator for this draft. And he's coming

Okay bargain potentially in logan Web. After Emanaga goes at seven oh two, jan Here Diaz and Adlie Rutchman, Aaronola, Josh Naylor, Kyle Rawley to Clegg's on the clock, so I'll let him pick his next pick. In eighth round, George Kirby at seven oh seven, still worried about his health. Matt McClain. Then Christian Walker to the Welsh. Look at that, your old friend, Christian Walker.

My buddy, Well. I had a plan and the next pick is much more exciting. And also the OBP format this guy thrives in. He just you know, doesn't play enough games for everyone to get super excited. But give me OBP. I decided Anthony Santander was on the board and was top boost would have been my fourth outfielder. I want to get some infield. Josh Naylor had gone. Christian Walker is gonna make opening Day. I like him more than Josh Naylor this year, so I think he's

You sure did what could go wrong? Ryce so Iglesias at seven to ten, Bellinger at seven to eleven. I took Munos and then Santander. As aforementioned, I almost went Batista and Munio's. I was just gonna completely just non Joe this draft, just because I could. It's the last one. Just as se what it would look like.

Just to get yourself to hate your own draft.

Well, I mean, look, as long as I beat you, that's all that matters. Felix Bautista, Westburg, Mike Trout, sal Perez, Wilson, Gutraz. Thank Cleig. You took my boy, Mark Viento's. Look, I think Vento's is a thirty ninety ninety guy as a floor this year. You think I'm overestimating that in that lineup? Oh?

I mean, that's certainly fair.

He gave you twenty seven homers last year and four nund and fifty four plate appearances, so hard to imagine I'm not getting thirty this year. As long as he stays healthy all year, it's you know, he's not a huge boost in VP or anything of that nature, doesn't walk a ton, but you know, like I said, I've got a pretty good OVP floor, so it helps out and I really do believe in that power.

For sure. Lineup's going to be good.

Yeah. I like vent Too's value a lot there, Especially third base feels shallow, so you know, getting Vento's before kind of a do a fall off later.

I'm happy with.

Okay, so happy with Vento's. Luis Gestio ao A. Brian Reynolds at eight on nine, Say as Uzuki at eight ten, Rice Miller at eight eleven, Joe Rico, you took ian happen Spencer Strider. I was gonna pull the trigger on Strider and be a real jerk here me too, all right, so we know wouldn't have happened there. So let's talk about Strider. What are your concerns with his restrictions potentially this year? If Eddie, Well, I.

Guess I took him in the right spot, considering you guys are going to take him there, I think that he's we could probably just count him out for April, if you want to just take like six starts or so off of his total and say he's probably gonna pitch twenty two to twenty five times this year. I think that's about what we should expect. Now, with pitch your injuries, you always got to be a little bit more wary, so maybe you can take even a couple

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It hurt. I knew when I took trout I was costing myself at least one of Striider Schwellenbach. I didn't know I was costing myself both, but I knew I was in for it.

I wanted one of these pictures this round. Strider didn't get him, Hunter Green didn't get him, Chris Cleig took ten or Byby didn't get him. Then Bailey over, Freddy Peralter and Hunter Brown all went. So Cleg, let's talk about your tenor Byby selection another player I literally just drafted before I came here in our work league. So I mean, you gotta love that extension. That means that the Cleveland Guardians feel pretty good about him.

Yeah, definitely. I mean I think they're confident in him. He's been pretty good year over year in his two years since debuting. You know what you're getting out of him? Good ratios, solid strikeout numbers, low walk numbers, so good k mis BB, good ratios consistently. I think people kind of under rate Byby. He just not the flashiest arm, but I think he's very solid. You gave you one seventy three innings last year. I don't see why he

Between all those pitchers. Welsh, you select interesting concess will come back to you in just a moment. Hunter Brown goes, Bobashek goes. Then I took Riley Green and Matt Chapman. I'll continue to trying to build out that offense. I gotta take some pitching soon though, because it's flying off the board. Christian Yellwich at TENNHO two, Bryce Terraang at TENO three. Welsh, you took my dude, Sandy Alcontra. Good on you, my friend. You feel the compression in that

Also a couple of days quality starts, Like I'm well, it's one of the things we're holding back on him with the Marlins wins. Well, guess what quality starts he's built to go seven I obviously they could pare that down a little bit, but I love getting him in the quality start market. And yeah, I did feel the that's a good way you put it, like the compression of the pitching market, because there was this big bevy

Well, a bevy of dudes. Isn't that the club used to work out when you were in college?

M hm, yes, one hundred percent. I think you can dance. Yeah it was a bounce.

Oh you were a dancer. You were a dancer. But I've seen your moves. It's very good. Sandy Alcondra goes at ten oh four, then ten o five, Roki Sazaki, Vinie Pascuentino, Clegg Zach Gallon. This pitching staff is starting to look pretty good here, Reagan's Valdez and then you've got Byby Gallon and Justin Steele on the way back in the eleventh. This is not a boring pitching staff, my friend, I think this looks pretty damn deep to me.

Yeah, it worked out pretty good, just how it shook out, you know, I think that there is it just shows that you can wait. Especially in a twelve team league, you get bats early, and you can get some pretty good arms with some good value, and even a head to head league where pitching is very valuable. Like, I feel pretty good with the top five that I have so far. So yeah, I'm certainly happy with how the

I agree, my friend, I'm all in a great value this year. In fact, I think he can be a league winner this year because of that value. If he performs like a one or two and you're drafting him as a four, I mean, come on, Doran goes next, then ten oh nine, Jake Berger, Joe Ryan, Dylan Cruz, Randy Rose Rain, it's Joe Rico who then takes Esach Paradis in eleven oh one. Will Smith will get to you, Joe.

Yeah.

Well, one thing I want to throw out is I'm really feeling the pressure. I've never I can't believe this last draft of the season, I haven't had this. Maybe it's OBP. I can't believe how much I'm regretting going high outfield in this. I've never had that happen before, because there are guys, dude, there are guys left and right. Stephen Kwan, Stephen Kwan absolutely fell in this in this format. I would have loved to have taken him, but I have all four. So I'm really kind of feeling the

Who the hell is my other pick?

Oh?

Exavier Edwards? So you took wu. That was what I wanted. I'd been looking at Edwards because he's a huge obp boost. He's a great stolen base chase. He's kind of a nothing burger as far as power goes. But I've already taken Walker and Cossas and Alvarez and Wood and Trout. I can, I can afford to do this, and I'm just gonna throw this out there. There's an outfielder too.

Yeah, okay, you're feeling triggered. Do you want your blankie?

Well?

You want want, I want, I want, I want a severance I need from my my fantasy drafting life versus this life.

I need to go make your pick. You got eight seconds, all right, Joe Urico. Last couple of picks A Rosa, Raina Paritis, two great values there, especially if Rosa Raina bounce is back, then Christopher Sanchez a Welsh favorite, and Dansby Swanson. So how do you feel about these last few picks? Break them down for me.

I feel really good, like they're all guys that get boosts in on base percentage formats a Rose Raina. I think even if this was just a standard batting average league, I got him around. We'll pick one twenty. I think that's about where he should be going. But the on base percentage really negates that kind of negative that he would give you. The negates the negative, a little bit of a double negative there. And then he's talked for a little a little bit, quite a lot of it.

So danz Bey Swanson at thirteen oh one, Jared Jones who knows if and when? Jeff Hoffman at thirteen oh three, Brandon Nimo at thirteen oh four, Logan o Hoppy at thirteen oh five, Chris Cleig, you took Xander Bogarts. You are on the clock for your next pick. Nick Pavetta at thirteen oh seven. Then we had Pete crowl Armstrong. Go Gavin Williams. You took him from me wlsh I had him in the queue. You snipe me, you dirty bastard.

I think, I mean, I guess I was about to say barring injury, that's what you were asking.

I don't know.

I think like one hundred and sixty, Like one hundred and sixty would be like the fair marker. Does that sound clik? What does that sound about?

Right?

With Gavi Williams?

You think, yeah, one hundred percent I agree with that.

Yeah, all right. I'd always Garcia at thirteen ten, Real Muto at thirteen eleven. I took Profar and Ryan Pepio at the turn fourteen oh two. Chris, excuse me, Nick Cassianos, than Josh low Uhenio Suarez to the Welsh and other diamondback So what swarre is are you getting this year? Welsh? You getting the one from the first half or the second half?

I mean, I'm banking on the second. If I get the second half one, that's a huge value that I just got. If I get the first half one, then I'm going to be looking for replacements. But you know, this is a weird This is a weird constructed draft that I did because I went heavy outfield with heavy pitching, so I'm kind of playing from behind a little bit on the infield, so I'm looking for value. Swarez better probably OBP play big power potential. I was really behind

All right, Well, see if it's true or not. So after Suarez, Trevor McGill, then you've got Seth Lugo, Chris Klegg. Every time I come to you, you're on the clock, so do the best you can here. Bogarts Taylor Ward the last two picks for you, So you're filling out that offense. Colton Kowser before that, what are your thoughts on Kowser, Bogarts and Taylor Ward.

Yeah, I thought Cowser fell pretty far.

I like the value there provides go ovp some power speed. Bogarts is boring, but second base gets boring too, so it's like I needed somebody there. And yeah, the next pick Taylor Ward another one where like he just continually undervalued year every year and provides good value and you can wind up getting a pretty good return for him, as long as he stays healthy, that is. But I do think Ward fits this format pretty well.

Alec Bohm at fourteen oh eight, Lewis a Rise at fourteen oh nine, Ronaldo Lopez, Kevin Gosman, that Joe Rico, you took Jonathan India and Tyler O'Neil on India. Now that he is in KC, yeah, he gets a big boost.

And on base percentage formats, he's usually outside of the top two hundred and most of these mocks we've been doing, but I love him this year. He's one of my most rostered players. I think my favorite second basement considering the costs to draft. He's not my number one second basement, but just considering where he's going the situation leading off

All right, So see if you can make up that power, I'm gonna go ahead and take my selections here. Let's go through. I got a value pick, so before draft Wizard wasn't happy with me. Now a little bit better, so that's nice to see it's moving in the other direction there. All right, let's continue on here. After the selections from Joe, Rico, Tyler on you got use Kokuchi at fifteen oh two, Jeremy Penny at fifteen oh three, Rangifo at fifteen oh four, Kerry Carpenter, then Bryce and Stott.

Yeah, I think so, and you know, waiting on both my middle and field, it kind of left limited options. But uh yeah, I think that Stott. You know, we've seen him go fifteen thirty and I don't see a reason why he can't get back to who he was in twenty twenty three. A lot of the metrics last year in the hood were very similar twenty did in twenty twenty three. So kind of think we see a bounce back for him this year. And yeah, like you said, he feel kind of far and stone bases are there.

Stuff Spencer Arraghetti than Ryan Presley, Welsh you took Nadyavaldi again sniping me. You're killing me Welsh quality starts, Man, I have coming back to you in a second, Paul gold Schmidt, then Jose Burrios, Pete Fairbanks to me, I'm getting the other closer. And then I have got Jackson Holiday, so profar Pepio Fairbanks Holiday my last couple of picks. Cleig, you're a prospect guy. Let's talk about Jackson Holiday second time around. What are we going to get from Jackson Holiday?

I think he's definitely going to be better this year. It's hard to imagine that he's not. I mean, it's kind of funny that he's almost the opposite profile that he was billed to be as a prospect, and you know, all the big aulets through seventy grades on the hit tool, I was never there because the contact rates were never there from his pro debut, like in the miners at any point. But he's kind of become a power over hit guy, which is weird to say. His exit velocities

He gets the ball in the.

Air often and he hits it hard in the air, So holiday may not run the batting averages people think, but I do think there's going to be more juice and the LBP is going to be solid. Like he's got a really good approach. I think that's been cleaned up. It didn't look great last year in his debut, but again important to remember he just turned twenty one years old.

Guys aren't going to be great. Most prospects come up and are going to struggle. It's just the nature of the game.

I think everybody expects these guys to come up and light the world on fire like a Sodo or a Coonie or a Tatis did. But yeah, I think that he was rushed. I think the talent's there for sure, But I think that it all comes down to expectations, like what do you expect from Jackson holiday? I think he can give you an eighteen home run season this year. He can steal a few bags and be productive across the board. So yeah, I certainly think a bigger year is in order for him.

I'll take that in the sixteenth round. Give me eighteen eighteen, maybe more. Who knows, Michael Tolia goes next to sixty to two than Alec Burlson, than Welsh to glabor to so Welsh. You know. I keep saying that although the ballpark factor is going to be worse than Yankee Stadium, I think him getting out of New York. Continue to say I think is the best medicine for him, and

Yeah, no, I agree with you that I think a change of scenery is going to be really important. There's an aggressiveness. He's going to get to hit in the middle of the lineup. Never been a huge OBP guy, but three point thirty last year, three forty seven the year before that, I've got a high OBP team. So I'm kind of banking on that bounce back to him to get to those mid twenty homers late in the draft. He seems really revived on that team. So it's a

Just riskier, just a little bit riskier, a little bit a little bit riskier there. All right, let's continue on with the picks here. So after you took Labor Torres and Cornassillos, Strand goes, then Tyler Stevenson Clegg took Max Munsey. He's back up on the clock Byron In at sixteen oh eight, Nico Horner Andres Amenez, Lane Thomas, then Lars Newpara, Joe Rico at sixteen twelve, and seventeen oh one Brandon Lau Lars newtbar Now that's a name that Welsh talked

I do, And this is somebody that I've also liked for a long time. But the big thing is that we've seen it over the last couple of days that he looks like he might be leading off in Saint Louis Mason Winn the most recent spring training lineups that Mason Wins had a terrible spring, as much as I love him, and it looks like he might be batting towards the bottom of the order, if not even ninth, with Lars Newbar occupying one of those top two spots.

That's right, The real prize is the newt Bar. That's what it is, all right, Let's continue on here. After you have Brandon Loud, Mason win goes right after Brandon fought, then Victor Roblis, Zach Eflyn, Chris Kleig. You took ken Lee Jansen though he is now your next second closer. Excuse me. So when you have Jansen here, obviously an

Yeah, it's definitely possible they move him. I don't I've never been a Ben Joyce fan. He just doesn't miss bats like you'd expect from the Velocity. So I do think that Jansen keeps the role as long as he's in LA. I didn't want to say Kenley Jansen. I really wanted Pete Fairbanks a couple of rounds ago, and you took him, so I needed a closer, and I was like, well, I think he gets saved, so it's it was boring, but yeah, that's kind of where I went, even though I didn't love the pick there a bit.

Another one out of my que Clay Holmes at seventeen oh seven that Sean Manaya. I'm getting brushed here. I mean, this is why I like the turn every now and then you get one of these rafts where it just does not work for you, where you're just getting obliterated, and that's what's happened to me. So Lair out of my Q two, that was my go to dh Thanks Welsh, way to go, Shane Bose, then rafaela Io take Brandon Woodrooff, So I'm gonna take a shot there on Woodroff, who

Welsh, Yeah, I did. I pivoted to so Lair because I wanted Victor Robliss. It's the three DBP last two years high OBP, massive stolen bases. I would have, you know, utilized him as a U two or Movealva as it doesn't matter. I got sniped, so I went with the heavier power and so layer not as good of an OBP, but I'm still near the top tenor hawk again, just like guys that are gonna push innings. I felt really

I'm predicting I'm going to be lasting this because I went pitcher pitcher. But we'll find out in a second. I just went off the board. Try something new. Hey, the last one, you know, at least, all I did was.

I meant it's like college.

You know what I did. I drove home the concept. I'm right wait on pitching, and that's good. It's sometimes you need to just get it out of your system one time, and I did.

So.

Hope all of you can learn from this. Tannerhow Goes and Carlos, Garrea, Zachneto, Cleig. You took Tommy Edmond th and todj Bradley, Alec, Alexis Diaz, Yondi, Diaz Actebec Diaz Boys, Jordan Romanald then Reese Olsen and jo Rico and Gabriel Moreno. So catch her off the board for you. Gabriel Moreno another one that I think offensive. We've been waiting to see this other gear in him, but we just haven't seen it yet. Is this the season we do for Moreno?

I'm hoping so. I think if he plays a whole season or a whole catcher season. One hundred and twenty five hundred and thirty games. We could maybe see him get to double digit homers, chipping a couple of steals. The on base percentage is going to be good, and the lineup is very good. Arizona scored the most runs in the major leagues last season. So for a punt at the position, I'll take it.

Punting at the position. There you have it, everybody, all right, let's see I need I am done with util there. I don't know why it's telling me to take this guy. I don't want to take that guy. I'm going to take this guy instead because I'm worried about the rest of these Jabbroni's in this draft. So Gabriel Moreno goes, David Bedner goes, Nicko Lodolo goes, then he'll gore Craig Claige. Excuse me, you took Bowden Francis. Francis had a terrific season,

I debated both of those picks there.

So I was looking at Scherger and Francis, and I would bet that Francis throws more innings. I just don't trust Schurzer to stay healthy. Unfortunately, get that age and you got all kind of injuries popping up. I've seen it with Scherger and Erlander the last few years. Still very talented, but also the question like what does Francis get to threw one hundred and three last year? What's the jump? I think you can get to one fifty. I think that's pretty reasonable, But is it a slow

I agree in a lot of leagues. He qualifies at RP too. Guriel goes next, Clark Schmidt, Hazus Lozardo to the Welsh again. Thanks Welsh, rask me, said Nester Cortez. I took JJ Blede and Ivan Herrera, so I got my catcher there, Walker Bueller in twenty oh two, then Mitch Keller, Trevor Story, Welsh Trevor Story, and Hazus Lozardo. Once upon a time, you know, Trevor Story was a good fantasy player. That has not been the case for some time. I'm curious, why take Trevor's story and not

It's so funny that you say that, because I do think I think.

I know how you think I know the brain of the Welsh.

I spent I was staring at them. I probably, like Christian Campbell, probably should have been the play. I didn't think it would help me in the projection here a ton, because the projections are kind of wonky, and I think you could slow start probably the better choice with Christian Campbell. I just, I just I do believe if Trevor Story plays a season, he's a twenty twenty guy. He's just not a big push on OBP. But yeah, I know

All right, all right, let's move on here. After Trevor's story, you have Max Scherzer, than Ajpuck, Nathaniel Low to Chris Klegg, who's back on the clock, Jackson job erseg Aronado Alvarez, who I like, you're getting value single catcher leagues man, you can wait get wells Herrera Alvarez is gonna start the year hurt. The handmapone can be tricky, but you'll probably plug and play a ten or twelve team league for a couple of weeks, or even a month or

Yeah, it was one of my last pitchers. I'm kind of hoping exactly what you're saying, that he can bounce back to where he was before. He's throwing three hundred and thirteen innings in his career, three point thirty nine ERA one twenty five whip with almost a twenty percent strikeout minus walk rate. If I can get that in the later rounds essentially as like a bench piece, I'll I'll take that every day from Springs, it's all upside And Justin Martinez, they just paid the man, so I'm

I think they're going to just implement both of the guys like they just signed Justin Martinez. I think he's the future. I think Puck is the best of them, and I think they will fire man it between them. I've been pretty adamant that Puck is my guy, but at the end of the day, it could be Justin Martinez saves fifteen games, Puck saves twenty, or it could be around the other side. So I think either one plays.

I like the fall of the money strategy, though that typically does work out, although the Diamondbacks have had trouble sometimes pending the money in weird choices they make. Josh Young, John Yeah, Andrew Vaughn, Kumar Rocker, Garcia, Michael Waka to Clegg. Now, Clegg, I know you took Michael Waka. I know you're on the clock again here every time I come to Clegg because he's in the middle of the draft. Somehow he's out there. But he made his pick. It was Jake McCarthy.

I'm guessing he probably has innings managed as a starter. They need starters, is the problem in Texas, and they've had some injuries. Cody Bradford went down John Gray, they had talked about him and the bullpen. Also, he's out, So I think that Rocker's the guy in that rotation now. I mean, I don't think Jack Lyder is that good. Like everybody's talked about Jack Lder spring, he still has zero fiel for.

Command at all.

I agree, and I think that Rocker is the better suited starter there. Lighter could go to the bullpen and potentially play up, but no, I'm certainly on Rocker.

The fastball is really good.

He has that bullet slider that missus bats, and he's kind of tinkered with a change up at times where I think that that could be the pitch that kind of pushes him over the edge as a starter.

And the innings are the question.

You know, you mentioned that last year he threw thirty six innings in the minors and I'm twelve in the majors, so not a lot of intings at all. So how do they push him? Like how many does he get this year? Does he even get one hundred? You know that's that is a question mark. But I think if healthy like they are going to push and see where it goes.

That's why I like the closer role because the same with Mason Miller is like, well, okay, how do you get the best out of this guy? The way you do it is by giving him cleaning things, making sure he's only pitching so many days a week, and letting go out there and just let all hang out. And the work with Mason Miller, I think I think Rocker, they would serve this team very well if they were to do that. But we'll see. Michael Walker goes that Willie cashro you, Darvis, well, she look at that. You

You guys let me have him. I got my balance. I got Christian Campbell, who's the better pick. But I also got story to bat. I just should have flipped it. So, Hey, you know what, good things happen to good people, Joe, So what I'm saying.

If you say so? All right, Granger Swarez, then Merril Kelly. I took Luis s Everino, and then Reese Hoskins, Carlos Estefez goes next, Cedric Mullins. Well, she took a role as Chapman who gets more saves this year? Chapman or Hendrix for the Red Sox.

As you continued to stack it, I think it's going to be Chapman. I know that they've kind of gone back and forth. Liam Hendrick said Chapman is a better reliever right now, but they have said that Hendricks has not done with it. I don't think Chapman's going to let it go. I think Boston's going to be a powerhouse this year. I think we might look back and we might just laugh at ourselves for how late e world as Chapman went could be wrong, but guess what,

Yeah, look, man, forget about it. I think that you know, you can get those guys late. That's why I like to wait on closers. Typically it's what I do. Chapman goes and Kirby Yates, Zach Gelof, Clegg takes, Jake McCarthy, Helio Ramos. Nice value there, Kyle Finnegan, Connor Norby who's actually starting now on the IL. We just found that out today. Ben Joyce favorite of Chris Clegg. Jock Peterson to Joe Rico Grant Holmes. So nice picks here, Joe Rico.

Yeah, I love Peterson. I've talked a couple of times now that I needed a little bit more power. I'm just gonna take one bench bat and he'll be the one in the head to head league. I think that you can slot him in there and he's probably only going to play against right handed pitching, but I'll definitely take that production. And then Grant Holmes. I really like his potential this season. I don't know what to expect from a volume standpoint, but I think while he's out there,

I like Holmes a lot. He's sneaky.

Ryan Malcassel at twenty three to zero two, Jason Foley, that Michael conford O Tario Estrada, who's also going to miss a significant start to the season. Matthew Boyd to Chris Cleig, who guess what he's on the clock. We'll come back to you in a second, Chris Bassett, Brendan Donovan, No, you made your pick, great, Matthew Boyd. Your last pick Garrett Mitchell. That's a favorite sleeper that's been on the show for quite some time. So let's talk about Garrett Mitchell.

I think Garrett Mitchell says to say healthy and he's not proved to do that at any point in his career, and that's an issue. But your last picking, your draft is made to kind of churn. If it works out great, like there's power, there's speed. Yes, he has to lift the ball more to get to that power. We know that he has too many ground balls, but he does hit the ball incredibly hard, he's got a lead sprint speed, he's gonna steal bases, and there's obep skills as well.

Okay, last picks here, just recapping as we go. So after Boyd and Bassett, Donovan, Dustin May, Holton McMahon, I took Cole Keith and David Peterson. I was tempted to take Max Meyer two, but I ty to go. Peterson's having a great spring and he's got a spot in that Mets rotation. They're gonna score a ton of runs, morel than Verlander, Kybert Ruiz, Ryan Weathers, Brady Singer, Garrett Mitchell, Festa, sorry, Joel Rico, Tyler, Fitzgerald, James as Ion, excuse me, Jake

That's all the good guys always finished last. That's what I've always said, bad thing, bad things happening to great people. Is really sad to see that I finished. I gotta be but I was behind Joe. So it's a pretty pretty demoralizing way to end the season, to be behind a piece of.

Pay first time for everything, the first time all draft season that Ariel Cohen is actually like my draft. I love this. This makes me very happy. There. Chris Towers hated it, Andy Barons hated it. Chris Cleig. When you look at the expert opinions, did you get any any positive or negative for any experts that we might know and love.

I did not.

Actually I didn't any from anybody. But what if said, if you drafted Matt Olsen at three point six in the outfield later, you would have scored higher. That's exactly what I say. When it happened, and when he came back in the round, I was like, yeah, I wish I had taken Olsen over Harper. So yeah, it agreed with me, but.

You actually did. And I'll read it off for you if you gotta click on after summary expert.

I did not do that well.

Lake Meyer loved you the most. Scott Pianowski, Kelly Kirby, Andy Barons, and Chase Davis all big things up. Frank Amerant hated you, thanks for garbage. keV hated you. Greg Smith it was number one in projections for the season last year. Hated you and Riol Cohen not a bit, Sorry, Ariol.

What's okay? Here's my draft every single time. Let's talk about Clegg's team, cal Rawley, Bryce Harper, Ander Bolgar's, Bryson Stock, Viento's Nathaniel Lowe, Edmund Juan Soto, Schwarber, Cowser, Ward McCarthy. The pitching staff phenomenal, Reagan's Valdez, Biby, Zach Gallon, Steele, you'll go to war with that in the headhead than Bowden, Francis Waka, Hellsley Jensen. The bench is Munsey, Mitchell and Boyd. So what would you grade this, Chris Clegg?

I think it's a solid Bee. I think I waited too long in the middle endfield.

That hurt.

I mean, having to roll with Stotton Bogart's like I don't love. And then certainly the middle endfield spot ye not great, but I think I think as well Sho kind of refer to in the draft waiting an outfield certainly would have been the play, just because there were so many good outfield values.

I like the pitching staff, though.

I think the pitching turned out really good considering and I waited a bit and so I'm happy on that end. Don't love Kenley Jansen, probably could have had a better value there. Kind of panicked after I lost Peter Fairbanks, so I really wanted and just grab Jansen.

But it's it's a solid Bee.

I think it could have been better from several different aspects, but I don't hate it.

Just got the tweet of the year two. I just saw on Twitter someone listener to the show said, subtweeted our fp MLB news tweet about Evan Carter getting sent down and said, if only everyone listened to Joe Pizzapia More. I agree, I agree, that was just breaking news.

There found.

All right, Joe Rico, you're the best of us. So let's talk about your drafter, Gabriel Moreno uh At Catcher, Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albi's, Dansby Swanson. He saw paradis really solid here uh Low in India in the middle and corner spots than Ian Hap, Randy Rose, Arena, O'Neil, Lars new Bar, joey Otani the difference maker right there in the util spot. Then the pitching staff Crochet, Emonaga, web Strider Man that is solid, Sanchez, Reese, Olsen, Springs, Devin Williams, Martinez,

I got a legit A. There's no Canadian a's on this episode. This is a Did you know this?

Chris Clegg, did you know, go ahead, Rico, tell them about how they great stuff up in Canada.

All right, So here we go, gonna get myself in more trouble in the comments, but let's let's have it. So in the way that the grading system works is that ninety two one hundred counts as a plus, eighty six through eighty nine is an A, eighty one to eighty five is a minus, and then seventy through seventy nine is B, sixty through sixty nine is C, Fifty through fifty nine is D.

It's like impossible to fail pretty much.

I mean, it's the crazy it is.

Then you get extra credit and just say you're sorry for getting a bad grade. That that you get right about.

That conversion is the wildest of all.

It's so good, right, and this blew our mind last time, so I wanted to share it with somebody New Welsh. Let's take a look at your squad here and see what you think. Fifth place, that's what a good enough for Kybert Ruiz, Christian Walker, Glaber Torres, Xavier Edwards, Heno Sarez Cosas, Story Corbyn, Carrol Alvarez, James Wood, Mike trout Hore, Hilaire, than the pitching staff, Gilbert Sale, I'll contra of Aldi, how Gavin Williams, Lazaro fantastic, Mason Miller, Scott, and then

Ross.

Go over to betting pros and listen to uh Seth Wilcock, Rico and myself did a preseason betting show and I'm definitely in on a lot of different Red Sox things. I don't know. Yeah, you're usually the host on that you you were excluded, Sorry, buddy.

And I got a short coming out with my favorite bet. Maybe that's why, Maybe that's why.

Maybe maybe you know, don't want to didn't want to do Otani plus another person for MV.

It's just good. That's just good practice, Bro, that's just good practice. Actually MVP, whether we like it or so.

On this team, I think this is like this is I do think I'm getting undercut on a couple things. I'm I think it's undercutting me a little bit on quality starts. Maybe a tiny bit of offense. But at the end of the day, it's probably right, you know. I mean, technically I got an A in Canada, but I think this is like a bee. I think this is like a B type of team. There's a couple things like Glaberg Kybert. I don't know. Edwards will have to see. I just I think it's a tad bit better,

Joepy's a pea. I actually liked my draft. I just realized, Ah, that's.

Why you got an a. People have been cracking the code lately. I've been getting a lot of tweets about that too, where it's like, hey, look I actually got a good grade from you, So now I'm ready. I'm tough. I'm not just gonna cand it out to you. This is in Canada. I'm from Brooklyn. Okay, you know how hard it is to get a good grade in Brooklyn. You ever hear us talk? All right, let's get to my team. Tell me if pocket aces worked or did

There's some stuff I don't love, Like on the Office, you took a lot of upside though you know, I'm gonna like pair that back like Ivan Herrera's my starter. You have two rookies on the corner and the middle, which is a little bit risk, and then you've got Reese Hoskins at you till but the rest is like a really core offense. You were able to I think

I think there were two runs that killed me there in the bag where I just ever buy a que got obliterated by you by Clegg. It was just the worst, like.

If you had gotten al Contra And yeah.

You know, I think faith Clegg pocket Ace is at twelve. What do you think of this build? And you can be honest here you won't hurt my feelings.

I mean, think it works, and if there's a format to do it, it's probably a head to head format for sure, just to kind of secure pitching. But yeah, I think that just with the pitching pool and how ADP is kind of shaped up this year, yeah, I probably wouldn't go that route. I think the early bats are kind of where I want to attack, and then I think getting one as early and then you can kind of build out from there with some solid arms.

Oh it's my opinion too. I just saw it and I said, you know what, it's the last show. Let's give everybody you know some different strategies here to go into their final drafts. But what do you think? Who won the draft? Who had the best team? Drop your comments below, subscribe to the channel. You could win yourself a John Smaltz autograph jersey when you do. We're trying to get to twenty five thousand by opening day. Here on Fantasy Ros MLB YouTube channel, and of course subscribe

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