2/17/2008 3:11:23 PM

I like Furcal, but had him last year and am still holding a grudge for a very mediocre season. Posada was a nice pick here too. I hated my Swisher pick. This was my first real reach. I had circled Swisher as someone I believed would break out. More of a gut instinct than anything. So why not. But him as my starting 1B is very shaky, or at least could be very shaky. I also thought the Rich Hill selection and Jermaine Dye picks were reaches, considering where they were on their position depth charts. Dye won't ever have that MVP caliber season again and Hill is the third best SP for the Cubs, with Lilly #2 and not chosen at that point. Pete wanted a healthy Vernon Wells and if that's what he gets, that would be a great value pick. I'm not sure it will pan out. BUt that's what this round is about -- taking chances.

Jimmy Dinsmore

2/17/2008 3:33:57 PM

Anyone that expects Dye to have 2006 over again is off their rocker. But, he hit .277 with 17 homers in the 2nd half of last season. If he hits goes 30-100-.280 and snags about 10 steals - all pretty realistic numbers - I'll feel pretty comfortable with the pick.

Adam Bartel

2/18/2008 12:42:01 PM

I was actually excited about getting Dice-K in this round. While most other guys were "taking chances" (i.e. Dye, Swisher, Furcal, etc.), I feel like a got a solid value pick without having to reach.

Dice-K will pitch 200+ innings again this year. He'll rank in the Top 5 in K's. And he's still playing on the Sawks with that potent lineup.

Most of his downfall last year was in the second half when his K/9 ratio went through the floor. I attribute that to the longer MLB season, as opposed to what he was used to in Japan.

I don't think he wears out this year because now he'll understand how to pace himself. I don't think you'll be seeing very many of those 100 pitch bullpen sessions in-between starts, like the infamous ones from last year.

Plus, he now has a year under his belt, which means he has scouting reports on all the hitters he'll face the most. That will help.

All-in-all, to get a solid rotational need without feeling like I reached, or took a flyer in Round 8 has me feeling pretty good.

Jeremy Fischer

2/18/2008 1:50:19 PM

It's interesting to see where Dice-K fell. I remember last year at this time he was the most anticipated thing to happen to a fantasy draft in a long time. He'll provide nice value here!

I went with value as well and nabbed Rafael Furcal. This guy was a fourth-round pick in '07, but injuries slowed him all season. He's still has plenty left in the tank and will likely swipe 30+ steals at one of fantasy's weakest positions.

Dan Clasgens

2/18/2008 7:03:19 PM

See my player profile on Dan Uggla to see why I drafted him here.

Best pick of the round has to go to J-Fish picking up Dice-K. Should provied some great numbers in his second season in Boston.

Chris Murdico

2/22/2008 4:27:32 PM

There were a couple of reasons I went with Howie Kendrick here, despite the reach.

First off, we can talk about ADP all you want, but it's not a bulletproof indicator. Many starters had higher/lower (however you look at it) ADPs than where they were drafted in this league. (For instance, Erik Bedard, Felix Hernandez and Fausto Carmona were all reaches in my opinion. Solid pitchers, but drafted too early.) However, a run of starters can change the landscape considerably, and the opportunity to get stud starters dried up early.

I left myself in a pinch by not drafting a premium 2B, as the position is a tad thin. The rest of the lot available to me consisted of Dan Uggla, Kelly Johnson and Placido Polanco. I had hoped Rickie Weeks would fall to me, but he did not.

So, with power a strong point on my team, I wanted some average to balance it out. Enter Kendrick. I think he's poised for a breakout season, and it may have been early to draft him, but I closed up my 2B hole and raised my team average in one felled swoop. The rest of his anticipated breakout production will be a bonus.

Chris Wetzel