With Spring Comes The Annual Baseball Fantasy Draft

I want to talk about something most of us do but don't admit to -- playing fantasy baseball. I have no shame in admitting I've played since Dickie Thon was a prime pick. Everyone talks about who should go first in the draft, but what you need to know is who to pick late.

Fantasy baseball is won based on what you do in the late rounds. Three years ago everyone thought Wang in the 23rd round was a waste. 19 wins later, opinions changed. The key is knowing who is worth gambling on. Identify rookies and players on the rebound, and for the love of all that is good, don't be the guy that drafts 5 closers. Seriously, what's up with that?

Immediately David Price is the man to look for. If he's available in the 13th round take him. While everyone is chasing down star catchers, snatch  Matt Wieters from Baltimore around the 15th round. He will DH too so he should stay strong the full year. Around this same round snag Matt LaPorta with the Indians, plus power and a good OPS = a late round steal.

From the 16th round on down there are some players that can make a huge difference. Bronson Arroyo, Andy Pettite, Randy Wolf and Oliver Perez will likely provide 15 or so ugly wins, but wins none the less. Randy Johnson is a decent 18th rounder. Manny Corpas and Taylor Bucholz should fly under the radar as closers in waiting. Lyle Overbay still has power and Hideki Matsui is a worthy risk.

Teams that win are the teams with a deep bench that can survive injuries without being forced to scour the waiver wire or take bad trades just to get a body in the lineup. When all else fails go with the tried and true method of rounding your team out with guys playing for a new contract. Look what it did for Jason Giambi's motivation.

Comments

[Joe Moag]

I will go out on a limb and predict that this post is the first and the last time that Manny Corpas' name is mentioned this season.

:-)

[Mandy Fox]

Don't say that! He's one of my sleeper picks! I've hinged too much on him going bonkers this year. He dropped 20 lbs., says he's in shape and ready to go...A couple injuries, a pandemic... He's closing again!

The Manny Corpas' out there are the guys that make fantasy fun. Then again last year I took Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy so maybe I'm not really the person to take advice from.

[Joe Moag]

Who and Double Who?