MLB Mock Draft — Fantasy Sports Update!

POSTED 3-4-08

The Update! panel of experts recently took part in their annual preseason ritual: the MLB mock fantasy draft. The results posted here are a good indictor of how a normal 10-team rotisserie draft will break down. Everyone has their own favorite or sleeper they target, so players rankings can often go out the window.

As an added bonus, check out what our MLB expert Chris Starbonell thinks about his draft picks. Read on to see how our league broke down:

ROUND 1

1. Alex Rodriguez (3B NYY)
2. Hanley Ramirez (SS FLA)
3. Jose B. Reyes (SS NYM)
4. David Wright (3B NYM)
5. Jimmy Rollins (SS PHI)
6. Brandon Phillips (2B CIN)
7. Matt Holliday (OF COL)
8. Albert Pujols (1B STL)
9. Ryan Howard (1B PHI)
Comment: I was hoping Albert Pujols would fall to me. Alas, he was snatched up right before I got to pick. Oh well, I had Howard ranked as the No. 4 overall fantasy player, so I consider this pick to be something of a steal.
10. Ryan J. Braun (3B MIL)

ROUND 2

11. Johan Santana (P NYM)
12. Miguel Cabrera (3B DET)
Comment: This was a no-brainer, I think Cabrera can post A-Rod-esque numbers in an explosive Tigers lineup.
13. Chase Utley (2B PHI)
14. David Ortiz (U BOS)
15. Prince Fielder (1B MIL)
16. Grady Sizemore (OF CLE)
17. Jake Peavy (P SD)
18. Vladimir Guerrero (OF ANA)
19. Carl Crawford (OF TB)
20. Alfonso Soriano (OF CHC)

ROUND 3

21. Jonathan Papelbon (P BOS)
22. Magglio Ordonez (OF DET)
23. Carlos Beltran (OF NYM)
24. Brandon Webb (P ARI)
25. Alex Rios (OF TOR)
26. Russell Martin (C LA)
27. Josh Beckett (P BOS)
28. Victor Martinez (C CLE)
29. Erik Bedard (P SEA)
Comment: After snagging two power-house bats to build an offense around, it was time to reach on Bedard. His strikeout rate was the best in the majors last season and the wins should be easier to obtain with Seattle than they were in Baltimore.
30. Manny Ramirez (OF BOS)

ROUND 4

31. Francisco Rodriguez (P ANA)
32. Curtis Granderson (OF DET)
Comment: Here's another pick I reached on, but I love Granderson's game. Plus, he'll be leading off in the best lineup in baseball and I needed to start thinking about stolen bases.
33. Ichiro Suzuki (OF SEA)
34. Justin Verlander (P DET)
35. Troy Tulowitzki (SS COL)
36. Carlos N. Lee (OF HOU)
37. C.C. Sabathia (P CLE)
38. Robinson Cano (2B NYY)
39. Mark Teixeira (1B ATL)
40. Lance Berkman (1B HOU)

ROUND 5

41. J.J. Putz (P SEA)
42. Roy Halladay (P TOR)
43. B.J. Upton (OF TB)
44. Nick Markakis (OF BAL)
45. Justin Morneau (1B MIN)
46. Dan Haren (P ARI)
47. Derek Jeter (SS NYY)
48. John Lackey (P ANA)
49. Jorge Posada (C NYY)
Comment: Since I took part in a two-catcher league, I felt that making the position a priority would give me more flexibility with the rest of my offense.
50. Brian Roberts (2B BAL)

ROUND 6

51. Derrek Lee (1B CHC)
52. Brian McCann (C ATL)
Comment: McCann has two straight 90-plus RBI seasons under his belt and if he can stay healthy, I don't have to worry about the backstop position this season.
53. Cole Hamels (P PHI)
54. Chone Figgins (3B ANA)
55. Joe Mauer (C MIN)
56. Felix Hernandez (P SEA)
57. Chipper Jones (3B ATL)
58. Mariano Rivera (P NYY)
59. Aramis Ramirez (3B CHC)
60. Adam Dunn (OF CIN)

ROUND 7

61. Torii Hunter (OF ANA)
62. Carlos Zambrano (P CHC)
63. Bobby Jenks (P CHW)
64. Eric Byrnes (OF ARI)
65. Scott Kazmir (P TB)
66. Aaron Harang (P CIN)
67. Joe Nathan (P MIN)
68. Garrett Atkins (3B COL)
69. Ian Kinsler (2B TEX)
Comment: Already a 20 / 20 guy, Kinsler should be able to build on what was a pretty inconsistent 2007. His ability to swipe bags definitely helped make this an easy decision.
70. Travis Hafner (U CLE)

ROUND 8

71. Bobby Abreu (OF NYY)
72. A.J. Burnett (P TOR)
Comment: This was definitely a risky pick that I reached for here. Since he can opt out of his contract after this season, I'm expecting a monster 2008. If he delivers, he makes an outstanding No. 2 starting pitcher on my staff.
73. Roy Oswalt (P HOU)
74. Carlos Pena (1B TB)
75. Jose Valverde (P HOU)
76. Rickie Weeks (2B MIL)
77. Hunter Pence (OF HOU)
78. Adrian Gonzalez (1B SD)
79. Takashi Saito (P LA)
80. Ryan Zimmerman (3B WAS)

ROUND 9

81. Brett Myers (P PHI)
82. Fausto Carmona (P CLE)
83. John Smoltz (P ATL)
84. Dan Uggla (2B FLA)
85. Billy Wagner (P NYM)
86. Daisuke Matsuzaka (P BOS)
87. Brad Hawpe (OF COL)
88. Corey C. Hart (OF MIL)
89. Carlos Guillen (1B DET)
Comment: Ideally I'd like to play him as my shortstop, but it's nice that he has added eligibility at first, giving me options with my lineup.
90. Miguel Tejada (SS HOU)

ROUND 10

91. Chien-Ming Wang (P NYY)
92. Trevor Hoffman (P SD)
Comment: I planned on carrying three closers and because of that, I needed to make sure I can get a bundle of saves out of them. Hoffman has four consecutive seasons with at least 40 saves, so he makes perfect sense for my team.
93. Michael Young (SS TEX)
94. Kelly Johnson (2B ATL)
95. Delmon Young (OF MIN)
96. Vernon Wells (OF TOR)
97. Brad Penny (P LA)
98. Rafael Soriano (P ATL)
99. Juan Pierre (OF LA)
100. Paul Konerko (1B CHW)

ROUND 11

101. Ben Sheets (P MIL)
102. Kenji Johjima (C SEA)
103. Jered Weaver (P ANA)
104. Nick Swisher (OF CHW)
105. Chris B. Young (OF ARI)
106. Francisco Cordero (P CIN)
107. Jeff Francoeur (OF ATL)
108. Jason Bay (OF PIT)
109. Chad Cordero (P WAS)
Comment: I love Cordero at this pick. He had a down-year in 2007, but he's capable of putting together a 40-save season in an improved Nationals lineup.
110. Javier Vazquez (P CHW)

ROUND 12

111. Huston Street (P OAK)
112. Chris R. Young (P SD)
Comment: Young was sporting an ERA under 2.00 until a mid-August back injury threw off his game. He slots in as a tremendous third starting pitcher on my roster.
113. Manny Corpas (P COL)
114. John Maine (P NYM)
115. Ken Griffey (OF CIN)
116. Alex Gordon (3B KC)
117. Gary Sheffield (U DET)
118. Hideki Matsui (OF NYY)
119. Andruw Jones (OF LA)
120. Tim Hudson (P ATL)

ROUND 13

121. Francisco Liriano (P MIN)
122. Oliver Perez (P NYM)
123. Jason Isringhausen (P STL)
124. Brad Lidge (P PHI)
125. Todd Jones (P DET)
126. Mike Lowell (3B BOS)
127. Dontrelle Willis (P DET)
128. Jeremy Hermida (OF FLA)
129. Johnny Damon (OF NYY)
Comment: Damon is a terrific bounce-back candidate for 2008. Injuries hampered his 2007 campaign, but he's still the leadoff hitter in a deadly lineup.
130. Shane Victorino (OF PHI)

ROUND 14

131. Pat Burrell (OF PHI)
132. Tim Lincecum (P SF)
Comment: I love Lincecum's upside in his first full season. His strikeout potential alone makes him well worth this pick.
133. Chad Billingsley (P LA)
134. Jermaine Dye (OF CHW)
135. Jim Thome (U CHW)
136. Matt Cain (P SF)
137. Aaron Rowand (OF SF)
138. Jeff Francis (P COL)
139. Joe Blanton (P OAK)
140. Rich Hill (P CHC)

ROUND 15

141. Khalil Greene (SS SD)
142. Howie Kendrick (2B ANA)
143. Adrian Beltre (3B SEA)
144. Todd Helton (1B COL)
145. Yovani Gallardo (P MIL)
146. Matt Kemp (OF LA)
147. Jason Varitek (C BOS)
148. James Loney (1B LA)
149. Jacoby Ellsbury (OF BOS)
Comment: At this stage of the draft, I felt that I had compiled a decent enough source of stolen bases. Since I wanted to lock down this category (and because I needed an outfielder), I took Ellsbury at this spot.
150. Jeremy Bonderman (P DET)

ROUND 16

151. Pedro Martinez (P NYM)
152. Rafael Furcal (SS LA)
Comment: I wasn't thinking about drafting another shortstop, but with Carlos Guillen's position eligibility I thought it prudent to snag Furcal, who is coming off a pretty bad season. He's fully healed from the bum ankle that limited his speed in 2007.
153. Willy Taveras (OF COL)
154. Randy Johnson (P ARI)
155. Josh Hamilton (OF TEX)
156. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (C TEX)
157. Orlando Cabrera (SS CHW)
158. Kevin Youkilis (1B BOS)
159. Bengie Molina (C SF)
160. Kelvim Escobar (P ANA)

ROUND 17

161. Raul Ibanez (OF SEA)
162. Joba Chamberlain (P NYY)
163. Edgar Renteria (SS DET)
164. Andy Pettitte (P NYY)
165. Ivan Rodriguez (C DET)
166. Ted Lilly (P CHC)
167. Kosuke Fukudome (OF CHC)
168. James Shields (P TB)
169. Phil Hughes (P NYY)
Comment: Hughes has looked great so far in spring training and as long as he stays healthy, a breakout season seems possible.
170. Cameron Maybin (OF FLA)

ROUND 18

171. Ramon Hernandez (C BAL)
172. Matt Capps (P PIT)
Comment: Capps fills out my bullpen and has elite closer talent. The saves won't exactly come rolling in with Pittsburgh, but I like him nonetheless. He'll put up nice ERA, WHIP and strikeout stats.
173. Adam Wainwright (P STL)
174. Brandon Lyon (P ARI)
175. Rich Harden (P OAK)
176. Ian Snell (P PIT)
177. Derek Lowe (P LA)
178. Josh Willingham (OF FLA)
179. J.D. Drew (OF BOS)
180. Joe Borowski (P CLE)

ROUND 19

181. Rocco Baldelli (OF TB)
182. Placido Polanco (2B DET)
183. Jon Garland (P ANA)
184. Barry Zito (P SF)
185. Kazuo Matsui (2B HOU)
186. Josh Fields (3B CHW)
187. Chris Duncan (OF STL)
188. Joakim Soria (P KC)
189. Jose Guillen (OF KC)
Comment: He's suspended for the first 15 games of the season, but Guillen's got enough pop in his bat to help round out my offense.
190. Nate Robertson (P DET)

ROUND 20

191. A.J. Pierzynski (C CHW)
192. David DeJesus (OF KC)
Comment: DeJesus scored 101 runs last season on a Royals lineup that improved during the off-season. I needed a fifth outfielder and I was willing to give him a test run for a couple of weeks. Worst case scenario, he's dropped by mid-to-late April.
193. Geovany Soto (C CHC)
194. John Buck (C KC)
195. Austin Kearns (OF WAS)
196. Ryan Garko (1B CLE)
197. Jeremy Accardo (P TOR)
198. Tom Gorzelanny (P PIT)
199. Dustin McGowan (P TOR)
200. Jeff Kent (2B LA)

ROUND 21

201. Ronny Paulino (C PIT)
202. Clay Buchholz (P BOS)
203. Paul Lo Duca (C WAS)
204. Ryan Doumit (C PIT)
205. Rafael Betancourt (P CLE)
206. Eric Gagne (P MIL)
207. Kerry Wood (P CHC)
208. Evan Longoria (3B TB)
209. Carlos Delgado (1B NYM)
Comment: In Need of a utility player, I gladly selected Delgado, who is coming off a dreadful 2007 season. He's in a potential walk-year and the Mets need him to come back strong.
210. Bronson Arroyo (P CIN)

ROUND 22

211. Frank Thomas (U TOR)
212. Mike Cameron (OF MIL)
Comment: I blame this pick on too much sun. I completely forgot that Cameron had a 25-game suspension on his plate to start the season. Once I realized this, I immediately dropped him for Melky Cabrera, as I needed a rent-a-player to fill-in the outfield until Jose Guillen returns.
213. Carlos Marmol (P CHC)
214. Greg Maddux (P SD)
215. Ervin Santana (P ANA)
216. Mark Buehrle (P CHW)
217. Carlos Ruiz (C PHI)
218. Chris Snyder (C ARI)
219. Hank Blalock (3B TEX)
220. Yadier Molina (C STL)

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