It is time for a wrap up of one of the final industry drafts of the 2022 fantasy baseball season. The FSGA draft usually kicks off the season in January, but this season it’s happening in late March. How did Ray Flowers team come together in the 15-team mixed league? Read on to find out.
RULES
5 x 5 Rotisserie style scoring.
Hitting Categories – BA, HR, RBI, Runs, SB
Pitching Categories – W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV
ROSTER: 2-C, 1-1B, 1-3B, 1-CI, 1-2B, 1-SS, 1-MI, 5-OF, 1-UT, 9-P, 6 reserves
Every team must have a minimum of 3,500 at-bats and 900 innings pitched.
POSITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
This league is staying old school saying that you need to have participated at a position seven times last season in order to qualify at the spot this year (for more on that I discussed qualifications here).
FREE AGENT ACQUISITION BUDGET
This league will indeed be using FAAB. Each team will have $1,000 to spend over the course of the year. You must have $1 to big on a player (no zero bids).
INJURED LIST
There is no limit to the number of players that can be placed on the Injured List. Players must be activated by the scoring period after they are activated.
DRAFT PARTICIPANTS
1. RotoBaller
2. Fantistics
3. DFS Karma
4. SiriusXM Fantasy Drive – Ray Flowers
5. USATODAY Sports
6. Colton & The Wolfman
7. Fantasy Alarm
8. Yahoo Sports
9. CBS Sports
10. Monkey Knife Fight
11. NFBC
12. RotoWire
13. RTSports.com
14. SiriusXM–Dr Roto
15. Baseball HQ
MY ROSTER
*Round taken in parenthesis.
Catcher: Adley Rustchman (16), Yan Gomes (29)
First Base: Vlad Guerrero Jr. (1)
Second Base: Ketel Marte (5)
Third Base: Eugenio Suarez (17)
Shortstop: Trevor Story (2)
Middle Infielder: Brendan Rodgers (13)
Corner Infielder: Miguel Sano (19)
Outfield: Yordan Alvarez (3), Christian Yelich (7), Jesse Winker (10), Trent Grisham (11), Jarred Kelenic (12)
Utility: Cavan Biggio (22)
Pitchers: Joe Musgrove (4), Frankie Montas (6), Tyler Mahle (8), Sean Manaea (9), Tanner Houck (14), German Marquez (15), Lou Trivino (18), Luis Patino (20), Zach Eflin (21)
BENCH: Garrett Hampson (23), Mike Moustakas (24), Daniel Hudson (25), Luis Arraez (26), Hector Neris (27), Madison Bumgarner (28)
DRAFT WRITE UP
***NOTE: This is a LIVE draft diary. Everything written below, unless noted, was written in real-time duding the draft on Monday night.
ROUND 1: I’m hoping Juan Soto is there for me to select as the clock starts in the first round. ADP says he’s third off the board in March (NFBC), but maybe someone goes off ADP, people do that all the time, right? Shoot, he went second. Oh well. Jose Ramirez or Vlad Guerrero? I’m going with Vlad, even without the steals, as he figures to best Ramirez in the other four categories, potentially by a good deal in batting average and his lineup advantage over Ramirez is immense. If Ramirez is dealt to the Jays…
ROUND 2: Lots of hopes and dreams will be dashed before I make my next pick. Devers/Freeman/Albies all gonzo. Trevor Story might be a nice addition here since I passed on speed early since Starling Marte just went. Then combo Story with a power outfield bat in round three? Yep, got my 20/20 shortstop in Story.
ROUND 3: I’m thinking starting pitching next round, with a focus on another power bat in this round. The pitching is going fast, so I’m not waiting until round seven to take a guy, but I will push it a bit. Looking at the board, I might go Tim Anderson. Average and speed is his game. Likely him or Yordan Alvarez with Aaron Judge off the board. Alvarez is a legit 30-100 threat, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he bettered those numbers this season. Plus, he is outfield eligible this season which gives him a little extra boost as well. It’s Alvarez.
ROUND 4: So, starting pitching here? These rooms are soooo aggressive with pitching in 2022 and I’m still not down with that, but you gotta play your room and not stubbornly stick to what you think. Alcantara/Berrios/Musgrove would look nice at the top of the squad on the hill. Third base isn’t a bad spot here either (Bryant), though outfield is always tempting with the potential for power/speed (Arozarena?). Oh well, those two just went. Going pitching or Francisco Lindor. Such depth at shortstop, and Lindor just went anyway, so let’s go pitching. Joe Musgrove is a perfectly acceptable #1 in this format for me. There, I said it.
ROUND 5: I would take Jose Berrios if he falls to this spot. If not, I’m thinking third base or maybe the stability of Jose Altuve at second base or Ketel Marte who just got rich and qualifies at two spots defensively. Shoot. There went Berrios three picks before I’m up. I think a third sacker could fall, at least potentially, so I’m thinking Marte who quals at second and in the outfield. Many folks seem to miss that he’s gone .318/.374/.543 the last three years. He’s a legit weapon on offense.
ROUND 6: Christian Yelich or Jazz Chisolm are targets here… with third base and starting pitching as well. Bregman/Rendon could fall, so I’ll likely push things there and let er’ ride. So, some speed or some pitching? With folks pushing relivers up, some starting pitchers are falling. Just bonkers how people are drafting saves. Shoot, there went Jazz. There goes Lance Lynn. Crap. Now Dylan Cease. Once pick to go until… Frankie Montas who is my guy. He had a 3.37 ERA, 207 punchouts in 187 innings and posted a 1.18 WHIP. Yes ma’am, I’ll have another.
ROUND 7: I will consider Max Fried if he’s here at this point, but he’s likely the only arm I’m gonna take. The two third sackers are still there (Bregman/Rendon), as is Yelich. Fried just went three picks before me. Rotoballer sniping me twice on the hill (Berrios). Since I passed early on speed with Vlad in the first round, I’m gonna grab Christian Yelich who will dwarf the speed numbers posted by the duo on the hot corner. Read that P.P. (Player Profile) for why I still like Yelich.
ROUND 8: Shoot, there went Bregman. Hopefully Anthony Rendon falls. Probably a pipedream with a full round to go. If not Rendon, likely starting pitcher here. There’s a good group of arms that I can see myself going with here, all guys on my third tier, so not feeling the heat just yet. Of course, still 12 picks until my next turn. Three of four picks at the end of the seventh round… all starting pitchers. Another starting pitcher. Will be tempting to get Rhys Hoskins as my corner infielder… if Rendon isn’t… there he went. Shoot. Pushed it a round too far with Rendon. Chris Bassitt is the call for the ratio stability… until he literally goes one pick ahead of me. Total snipe job. Tyler Mahle… come on down as the next arm on my list. He had 210 punchouts last season, did you know that? Not a bad fallback option at all.
ROUND 9: I’m thinking another arm here. Sean Manaea has seen his velocity down a bit this spring, but he’s been extremely stable on the bump, struck out 194 batters last season and he could still be dealt to a better team which would give him a boost. Chose Manaea instead of dart throwing a bit in the bullpen. Strong ratios and enough durability to make me feel solid about the call.
ROUND 10: I’m thinking Taylor Rogers in the pen or Rhys Hoskins at corner infield if I get lucky. It’s not likely to happen, but I can always dream. As I finish that sentence, there goes Rogers. Goodness on the relievers. I’m thinking of cuffing some bullpen arms later. Brendan Rodgers is dual position eligible and also an option here, but it seems a wee bit early. Hoskins is gone. Jessie Winker is a star with the bat. He could platoon a bit, and he loses the park in Cincy with the move to Seattle, but he still rips and he should help to stabilize the batting average.
ROUND 11: Josh Bell just went, so I’m tempted to go Joey Votto. Still, the lineup is appreciably worse than last season in Cincy and he is approaching 40 years of age. Trent Grisham is a 15/15 threat and he could hit leadoff for the Padres. For more, you can see his Player Profile. Tempted to go J. Kelenic since I can’t argue the fact that he is more talented than Grisham, but TG has more stolen base oomph, and I need that with two of my top three picks praying to reach three steals. Tommy Pham later isn’t a bad target coming up.
ROUND 12: Kelenic if still hanging around ain’t looking bad. Franmil Reyes doesn’t run, but he is a 30-homer bat who with just a bit more lift could hit 40. He really rips it up and would be a nice boost to my squad which could use some oomph. Could go Mitch Garver for some catcher oomph (Player Profile). Garver just went, right after Votto. Here comes Reyes off the board. Rizzo/Sano at first base are targets at the position at this point. Eugenio Suarez qualifies at two spots, and even losing Cincinnati, he still has a legit shot to hit 30 homers. Pham just went – a bit earlier than I thought. I do have four outfielders already though, which might lean me to Brendan Rodgers. Normally, I would go Rodgers, so I’m going rouge with Jarred Kelenic. I’m a bit thin in power in the outfield, so I will look to find a guy or two who sock at the corner infield spot and utility to help make up for that.
ROUND 13: Brendan Rodgers, Gleyber Torres or a pitcher seems to be the play, or Suarez if I want to get that third baseman who leads baseball in homers since 2018 (he is also SS eligible). Nah on him. Rodgers qualifies at second base and shortstop making him the ideal middle infield addition at this point of the draft.
ROUND 14: I’m thinking about getting tricky here. If Camilo Doval falls, I might take him and then jump the ADP to roster Jake McGee. I also might just grab two relievers here as there are still plenty of starting pitching arms that I’m in on. I’m thinking arms here and in Round 15 with Miguel Sano my 16th round target. Doval just went, so moving on from the Giants for now, though I might still circle back to McGee in a bit. I grabbed Tanner Houck. For reasons why, see this Player Profile.
ROUND 15: Catchers are going heavy, so I’m thinking a reliever stab here or a starting pitcher. I know that German Marquez pitches in Coors, but he also throws innings and produces strikeouts every season, in a big way. Check out this report. His workload stability helps to offset some of the concerns with innings from Houck.
ROUND 16: Let’s see if Miguel Sano falls here to complete my thoughts on him in Round 14. There’s also a temptation to go Soto/Trivino at the relief spot. Same time, I might also go Marcell Ozuna who has a better profile in terms of batting average and certainly health than Sano, but he doesn’t play a corner spot. Maybe go nuts and hope to get both? I might also go Adley Rustchman as catchers continue to fly off board. Catcher and reliever… not gonna be my strength, so if Adley falls back to me, I’ll likely bite, even with the elbow concerns. It would be ideal if he fell… but I know he won’t, cause we can’t have nice things, right? Luke Voit just went, and he was one of my corner infield power targets. One pick… will I get sniped? Nerves racing. Well, it was Ozuna, one of my three main targets. Adley is mine.
ROUND 17: Sano? Eugenio Suarez is 3B/SS and has a similar outlook to Sano with the extra flexibility and more certainty for 500 plate appearances. What about the bullpen? Do I push it, knowing neither of my targets will make it back to me? I went Suarez, thwarting my Sano plan that would have worked.
ROUND 18: Lou Trivino is my target right now after Geovany Soto just went. Trivino’s ADP in March is pretty much smack dab on my pick this round, so we shall see. If he’s not there, do I finally take Sano? I keep talking about him so it seems like I should. Could also go Moose for the corner, or turn to the outfield for some power. Might also grab an arm as starters are really starting to go. This one is wide open five selections before my pick. More catchers – two in a row. Three picks. One pick. Got him – Lou Trivino.
ROUND 19: OK, if Miguel Sano is still available, I’m taking him. The wait, the delay, you know he won’t be, right? If I don’t go that way, I might dart throw up McGee though starters are starting to look a bit thin on the hill. Finally did it. Sano, by the way, hit 30 homers last season and the last two complete season… despite a mere 380 and 470 at-bats. If he plays 140 games he hits 35 homers, maybe 40, for the first time, but can he finally get that mark? We shall see.
ROUND 20: Shoot. Jake McGee just went. Oh well on that one. Luis Patino is the call. For more, see this Player Profile.
ROUND 21: Zack Greinke? No upside, so I will let it ride this round. I could use some pop, and I’m condiment that last season is the floor with more to give with Mike Yastrzemski (see this report). He went one pick before me. Wild. Like, what are the odds of that happening in the 21st round with a guy who has an ADP of like 290? Pivoted to Zach Eflin who was my breakout pitcher last season. He was solid before a knee issue shut him down. His last 29 outings he has 169 punchouts over 164.2 innings with a 1.26 WHIP. Gotta stay healthy though.
ROUND 22: Greinke just went a couple picks ahead of me. At this point, it is merely middle reliever diving, so there is no real reason to be reaching. There is a large swath of options I can prospect with at this point. Cavan Biggio went 20/20 his first 159 games. He’s third base eligible and is slated to play second base for arguably the best lineup in baseball, even if he’s gonna hit in the bottom third of the order.
ROUND 23: Do I go Moose at the third base/corner spot, or take a somewhat redundant piece with Biggio in Garret Hampson? Playing time is always in doubt with Hampson, but he plays in Colorado, qualifies at two spots, and should still go 10/15. Ah, what the hell.
ROUND 24: Austin Nola… one pick before me. Will I ever get a second catcher? Sniped again. Starting to feel like my draft board is being followed with a spy camera. Goodness. Give me the potential power stroke of Mike Moustakas.
ROUND 25: Give me Daniel Hudson who likely gets some 9th inning work with the Dodgers as it appears to be closer by committee.
ROUND 26: Thinking of doubling up Padres’ relievers here. The problem is R. Suarez has already been rostered, and so has D. Lamet, so what is the value of Johnson/Pagan? Also considering Luis Arraez and that .300 batting average with three positions defensively (2B/3B/OF). He could hit in the prime second spot in Minnesota while playing every day, and he reportedly is in the best shape of his life (that always works out, right?).
ROUND 27: Dart throw time. Give me Hector Neris. The last three years he has a K/9 of 11.77 with a 1.18 WHIP. Certainly should get some save opportunities, at least a few.
ROUND 28: Josh Staumont? Marco Gonzales? Madison Bumgarner. I might take a shot on Josh Lowe who is a 20/20 threat waiting to happen – of course with a serious roadblock in terms of at-bats (as in he will start the season in the minors). Shoot on Staumont. What about Rafael Ortega who went 11/12 last season in less than 300 at-bats. Ultimately, I went Madison Bumgarner who had a 1.08 WHIP his last 23 starts last season (his velocity is up about 1.5 mph this spring too).
ROUND 29: With everyone taking catchers like they were straight going out of style, I just kept waiting and waiting, ending up with a solid hitting but short of playing time Yan Gomes. There have been rumors that Willson Contreras could be dealt, and if that happen, Gomes will be solid. There’s also the chance that Contreras spends time at DH opening up work for Gomes at catcher as the 30th backstop off the board. Not ideal.
FINAL THOUGHTS
My team is behind the proverbial eight-ball at catcher and at closer. The price tag was unbelievably high for both spots. I’m OK with waiting on both spots, but I’m not really OK with getting the crap-ass last catcher. As for closers, gonna have to trade or play the waiver-wire game, but one astute moves brings me enough there to have a passable save total to get me out of the cellar.
PITCHING – Everyone talks about strikeouts, and I’ve got em. I have four guys who had 200 punchouts last season and a fifth with 175 (Marquez). I’ve got some youth in Houck/Patino, and some veteran stability late with Bumgarner. Eflin could be a strong selection IF he stays healthy. I’ve always liked the skills.
HITTING – Not going to win steals, but in opposition to my struggles for saves, I certainly have enough speed to finish middle of the pack, potentially a bit higher. I also have high levels of batting average stability (Vlad, Arraez, Alvarez, Winker, Marte) to help offset the concerns (Moose, Sano, Suarez). I’m also pleased with the depth I created, it matters a ton in a 15-team league where waivers aren’t always offering you a ton of options. Here are my multi position players: Marte 2B/OF, Suarez 3B/SS, Rodgers 2B/SS, Biggio 3B (he is slated to play 2B), Hampson 2B/OF, Arraez 2B/3B/OF. That’s a strong group of moveable pieces each week.
In the end, I need to find a closer. No way around that, but with the way the 9th inning is going, we are getting seemingly a team a day talking about sharing their 9th inning, I hope to piece it together. The lack of speed early – passing on Ramirez/Bichette – pushed me to talking some playing time risk later to fill that need (Hampson/Biggio). If Sano stays healthy and Yelich rebounds to 25 homers I will be solid in the homer category, even though having multiple outfielders who might be in the 18-20 homer range isn’t ideal in 2022. I also have youth (Kelenic/Rustchman/Rodgers/Patino/Houck) that we can project out, giving me some room to potentially grow in season.
It’s a solid team, but I’m not in love with it, especially after the reserve round just kinda went… without making much of a dent.
Here is a link to the draftboard.