2/12/2008 11:00:11 PM

I went with Nick Markakis. He followed up a great second half in '06 with a stellar sophomore campaign in '07 and at 24 he is on his way up. I'm not banking on the 18 bags again this year after he stole just two bases as a rookie, but he will help in every other catagory and could end up as a top five outfielder when it is also said and done.

Jim Humbert #2 took Pabelpon and its about time, but that only tells me that Jim Humbert #1 will be the last team to draft a closer. This is going to give Jim his perfect way to stake his "you don't need to draft closers early ever theory".

Muhlenkamp wound up with Hamels and he will not be disappointed, but my favorite pick of the round outside of my own of course (being that I had the round's first pick) was Murdico snagging up Garrett Atkins. He's the last of the two tier third basemen and the dropoff is noticable. Atkins provides nice power numbers and is a much safer bet than a Ryan Zimmerman or Edwin Encarnacion. Third base has talent, but the position is surprisingly thin in a 12-man league.

Dan Clasgens

2/13/2008 8:29:18 AM

I was actually thrilled to get Kinsler in this Round. Considering 2B might be the thinnest of all positions, I figured someone would snag him earlier.

By all projections I have been monitoring, it looks like he should be a 20/20 man. You can't pass on that type of production, at the weakest position in fantasy, late in the middle rounds. MLB.com even has him projected as the 3rd best 2B. I don't know about that, but I do know I'll take 20/20 out of him regardless.

I also have no problem with Papelbon. In fact, had Kinsler not fallen into my lap here, I was ready to go with Paps.

I'm in the boat that says you never pay for saves (whether that means actually paying via an auction draft or paying via drafting one in the high rounds). However, I think in the middle rounds, it's okay to get one of the top closers, because they should be available, to anchor your saves category. Then you can pick up other save guys in the last rounds of the draft, or off the waiver wire to fill-in.

And I have made the first error in judgement. I agree with Dan: 3B is surprisingly shallow this year. I overestimated that and now I'm staring at no 3B, and none of the guys left on the board excite me.

But now I know.

Jeremy Fischer

2/13/2008 12:12:14 PM

I was debating on going with another starter here in the fifth round or filling in spots in my lineup. I chose to forego the starter since there are still plenty of good ones out there and because I have a top tier starter already in Beckett.

Instead I decided to fill my 3B spot. Like Clasgens said, 3B is not a very deep position this year. Atkins was available so I snagged him up. He was definitely the best available and with him I have added onto a lineup that will put up some great power numbers along with filling the speed categories in runs and SBs, even if only slightly in the SB category.

I like the Papelbon pick here. He and Putz were the two I was looking to get if they fell to me in the next round. Since Papelbon is out and Putz most likely will be as well, I'll have to try to decide if I want to go starter or outfield, or maybe even 2B depending on how is available.

Other than my own pick, I liked Clasgens pick of Markakis. He's a star in the making and could have another great year.

Oh, and J-Fish, now you know...and knowing is half the battle!

Chris Murdico

2/13/2008 5:05:50 PM

I posted earlier that 2B is not nearly as shallow as you think. That's a misnomer. Third base is very, very shallow and honestly first base (as far as really solid guys) is shallower than in year's past (thanks to steady guys being less steady and other stars aging). I was glad to see the reliever run start, but I won't be participating in that run. I can't believe nobody is praising the Kazmir pick I made. I liked Hammels and would've snagged him, but Kazmir did lead the majors in KOs which is one of the categories. Yes, he won't get the wins of an ace, but honestly you can throw a no hitter and not get a win either, so wins is the one crapshoot category. Kazmir isn't top 5, but he's certainly a high second tier guy and I was thrilled to snag him.

Jimmy Dinsmore

2/13/2008 9:58:43 PM

My feeling is that you need to get the most talented pitcher, and let the wins work themselves out. There's usually a few teams that surprise on both ends, so oftentimes your assumptions don't work out there. Plus, if a guy doesn't get run support through mere chance, the team he's on doesn't matter all that much. If you have enough talent, the K's/ERA/WHIP will override any win deficiencies you might have.

Adam Bartel

2/13/2008 10:57:21 PM

yes, and if Johan Santana were a D-Ray (or just Ray now) would he not still be the best pitcher. Smoltz, I love the guy, but he's old and his previous injury history scares me. Zambrano is inconsistent (remember him through June, I do I had him last year and it was a nightmare). Harang, okay I didn't draft him because I had two Reds already and I didn't want to hear the homer chants. But Harang is a solid pitcher and is a fantasy ace, in my opinion.

I don't now or ever draft for wins. You never know. A great pitcher can have wins blown for him all the time. It's not his fault and it doesn't hurt his value, in my opinion. Kazmir has 20-game winner stuff, that's what I draft for. By the way, how stupid were the Mets to give up Kazmir. I think they got Victor Zambrano and somebody else for him. Doh!

Jimmy Dinsmore

2/14/2008 10:32:02 PM

A quick comparison of Cole Hamels and a few similar pitchers who will go close to him in most drafts:

The following stats listed in order are: Innings/ H9/ BB9/ K9 / HR9/ ERA/ and WHIP.
Hamels 183.3 / 7.95 / 2.11 / 8.69 / 1.23 / 3.39 / 1.12
Bedard 182 / 6.97 / 2.82 / 10.93 / 0.94 / 3.16 / 1.09
Harang 231.6 / 8.27/ 2.02/ 8.47/ 1.09 / 3.73 / 1.14
Verlander 201.6/ 8.08/ 2.99/ 8.17/ 0.89/ 3.66/ 1.23
Kazmir 206.6 / 8.54 / 3.88 / 10.41/ 0.78/ 3.48/ 1.38

Some quick observations:
- Bedard had the best year of the bunch and now moves to a pitchers' park- he is the first that should be picked.
- Kazmir's WHIP and anemic team (though the Rays are getting better) make him the last to be picked of the five.
- Of the other three, Harang plays on the weaker team and pitches in a bandbox. Its amazing that he put up those numbers with such obstacles last year. He is underrated and probably could be had later in most drafts outside of Cincinnati.
- Verlander's control problems drop him a tick below Hamels whose major flaw is not his fault- pitching in a hitters' park third only to Cincinnati and Colorado...Hamels is the second choice of this group.
- By the way, Fausto Carmona does NOT belong in this tier because of his low strikeout rate.

Pete Muehlenkamp