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Question Submitted to RotoBaller >>
Name: Charly
Fantasy Baseball Question: I have the 16th draft position in a 16 team keeper league. My keepers are Miguel Cabrera (1st round), RA Dickey (5th round) and Mike Trout (16th round). I would like advice on who to target with my first four picks at the following draft positions: 17, 48, 49, 81 - i.e. especially who do I NEED to snag with 17. Here are the players who are NOT available (other teams' keepers):
Player Pool: Mixed
# of Teams: 14+
League Info and Categories: Weekly H2H points league where points can get you in the playoffs. Point breakdowns:
- Batting Points: Single (2); Double (3); Triple (4); Base on Balls (1); Hit By Pitch (1); Home Run (6); K's (-1); Run (3); RBI (4); SB (3)
- Pitching Points: Base on Balls (-1); Earned Run (-3 ); Hit Allowed (-1); HBP (-1); Hold (4); IP (6); Inherited Runners Scored (-2) K's (1); QS (8); Save (15);
Roster Positions: C 1 1B 1 2B 1 3B 1 SS 1 OF 3 U 1 SP 5 RP 2
League Host: CBS
RotoBaller Detailed Analysis >>
Hi Charly,
Thanks for your second question. Glad you came back! Again, love the points league questions. No one really caters to points leagues anywhere else, and understandably so, since each league is unique in its scoring system. That's one of the reasons RotoBaller started this customized Q&A, so that we could tackle tough questions like these. You've come to the right place.
After removing the keepers from the draft board, it seems the top 25 or so guys available, in rough order, are: Braun, Kemp, Upton, Prince, Kershaw, Tulowitzki, Hamilton, Verlander, Wright, Gonzalez, Longoria, Lee, Holliday, Cain, Hamels, Hanley, Bruce, Goldschmidt, Kinsler, BJ Upton, Castro, Zimmerman, Reyes, Pedroia, Butler, Kimbrel, Konerko. This list is debatable, for sure, but it will cover your first pick for sure. In my opinion, this list drops off a bit after Hamels. If any of those top players, including Hamels, make it to you, I would say they are ALL very fine picks. Keep in my there are about 45 keepers, and another 15 players drafted before you pick, so you're getting a player around Hamels' caliber for 60th overall which is very nice. Matt Holiday is falling in drafts (I have him ranked here higher than his ADP is indicating, so if he falls to you, your points structure should give you a lot of confidence drafting him. As far as the guys listed after Hamels, I think Butler is in for a big year and would be very good in your league. For middle infielders, I like Reyes and Pedroia a lot this year. Hopefully you'll be able to pick from the better selection of players in frton of Hamels, though.
At 48, 49, you're looking at another 30 players off the board, and a pick at about 90th overall including keepers. Every draft will look so different by this point that it's almost futile to project which players will be taken. That said, here are some guys that I would really like around 90th. Sabathia is healthy and is an IP machine - he should be great in your league. I like him better than Sale (who I also love by the way), Scherzer, Halladay or Cueto, all of whom are going around 90-100. Cueto and Sale, as I mentioned, are also really good pitchers around the 90th pick. As far as hitters, if you don't grab a second OF with your first pick, you should definitely snag one here. As we discuss in our OF Rankings piece, it's very important to grab a few top notch outfielders because they drop off quickly. Choo and Jennings are both favorites of mine and may fall to you. Hunter Pence is a huge sleeper favorite of mine, and at 90 he's a steal. I also think Austin Jackson is on the verge of a huge season, think 290-20-80-110-20. His upside is just huge if you can get him with your 2nd or 3rd pick in the draft. As far as non-OF, I would love Davis, Howard, Konerko as my 1B if they fell that low. If you didn't take a pitcher with your 1st pick, make sure to grab at least one here.
With the last pick you mention, 81 (125th overall including keepers), some guys I would look to target are: Latos, Jordan Zimmerman, David Ortiz, Carl Crawford, Shane Victorino, Beltran, Haren, Gallardo.
YOUR ANSWER! >>
In summary, drafts are very hard to predict, but with our Draft Strategy piece you can help yourself plan and have a solid approach. With your first pick, make sure to take a rock solid player (think Holiday, Hamels, Lee, etc), a guy who is as guaranteed as possible to put up big points in your league. With your second and third picks, make sure to beef up your SP / OF which will be the most important positions in your points league.
Hope this was helpful and thanks for your submission!
- The RotoBaller Staff
