Beat Chris Liss 2

NFFC Online

This draft took place last night (March 9). Once again I drew the 12 slot.

Here are the results:

Link to livestream. Link to BCL1.

1.12 Mookie Betts — I was hoping for Kyle Tucker or Corbin Carroll, but knew realistically that wasn’t likely to happen. So it was either a repeat of BCL1, wherein I went Julio Rodriguez and Jackson Chourio or mixing it up with Betts, who’s a better bet for runs and average at the cost of steals.

2.1 Jackson Chourio — I think 20-30 is his healthy floor, and there’s a chance he hits .300. Plus I like the home ballpark.

3.12 Austin Riley — He was going at the 1-2 turn last year, and nothing’s changed except that he got hurt after a slow start, but he’s healthy now. I also find third base to be scarce, and Riley gives you some batting average from the position too.

4.1 Chris Sale — I talked myself into Sale earlier in the day as he’d be going at the 1-2 turn like Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal based on last year’s numbers. The market must assume he’s a higher injury risk, but that’s not necessarily the case given how hard Skubal and Skenes throw.

5.12 Raisel Iglesias — I love old warhorse closers on good teams. They’re not reliant on dominant stuff, and they know how to survive.

6.1 Yainer Diaz — I always hate rounds 5 and 6 — never see any value there, so sometimes I punt and take the premium catcher. Diaz gives you pop and major average from the position — remember the baseline for catcher batting average is much lower than that of the other positions.

7.12 Max Fried — I got him in BCL1 too, in the same spot. Just a solid pitcher who should get run support in a favorable stadium for lefties.

8.1 Cody Bellinger — First base is scarce, and I like Bellinger’s left-handed bat in Yankee Stadium. Plus he’s a sneaky source of stolen bases as first base-eligible players rarely run.

9.12 Hunter Brown — I missed out on Spencer Strider by a few picks, so I settled for Brown who dominated for two thirds of the year after a bad start.

10.1 Jake Burger — This was a tough call, but I wanted to fill up at corner while I had the chance, and Burger’s had two straight years of solid pop without killing your batting average, despite playing in Miami. I thought about Alex Bregman and even Marcus Semien, who somehow was still available.

11.12 J.T. Realmuto — My queue really emptied ahead of this turn — Sandy Alcantara, Bo Bichette, Shane McClanahan and Josh Lowe — but I was cool with JTR for a bounce-back year. He’s 34, but I expect him to run more now that he’s nine months removed from meniscus surgery and claims he feels as good as ever.

12.1 Sonny Gray — I preferred Alcantara or McClanahan, but Gray is an old warhorse who knows how to pitch and plays in a good park.

13.12 Kevin Gausman — I was thrilled to land him here. He had shoulder trouble last year, but he touched 96.2 in a spring training outing and appears healthy. Prior to last season, he was routinely an early round ace.

14.1 Kenley Jansen — Another old warhorse closer, who I also drafted in BCL1.

15.12 Zach Neto — I think Neto’s mispriced. He went 23-30 last year at age 23, and he’s expected back in April. Maybe I’m being cavalier about his return from shoulder surgery, but he’s already doing throwing drills and hasn’t had a setback.

16.1 Jordan Romano — I went for a third closer because the price was right. Chances are at least one of the other two misses time or loses the job at some point, so it’s nice to have a surplus of saves. Also, three closers are a nice luxury when your marginal starters have tough matchups.

17.12 Jackson Holliday — I needed a second baseman, and he is one. Seriously though, this is the time to swing for the fences on one of the league’s top prospects.

18.1 Brandon Nimmo — Maybe I should have taken Cedric Mullins instead because Nimmo’s banged up, but I needed an OF, and I got a bit stuck with the clock. Nimmo’s batting average should rebound, and he’s a great source of runs given his strong OBP.

19.12 TJ Friedl — Apparently, he’s leading off, and I needed the steals. I was short on OF through 17 rounds, so I decided to attack it with volume.

20.1 Nolan Jones — My second share of Jones, just too obvious given his 2023 season and home ballpark.

21.12 Jonathan India — He gets a ballpark downgrade, but he’ll run a little, and gives me needed MI depth.

22.1 Nick Lodolo — I drafted a lot of starters in the early-middle rounds, but I was still a bit thin. Lodolo’s a pedigreed young pitcher who misses bats.

23.12 Alec Burleson — I needed more outfield depth. Burleson provided some pop (21 HR), nine steals and a solid average last year. Maybe he’ll qualify at first base at some point too.

24.1 Roman Anthony — Another top prospect, potentially a good source of steals when he gets called up, hopefully sooner rather than later. Round 24 seems cheap for this kind of upside, but that’s where the market has him.

25.12 Evan Carter — Attacking outfield with volume. Carter was roughly a 10th-round pick last year after his 2023 post-season run. He stole bases in the minors too.

26.1 Dustin May — He’s competing for a rotation spot in LA and has always been very good when healthy.

27.12 Jacob Wilson — A solid prospect who has the shortstop job to himself in a bandbox ballpark. Plus I needed someone to fill in while Neto gets healthy.

28.1 Gerrit Cole — At the time, the results of his tests were not entirely known, so it was worth a shot. It looks like he’ll be the first drop. Prefer wasting a 28th to a 6th.

29.12 Gavin Lux — Former top prospect gets a big park upgrade, could qualify at a few positions before long. Also got him in BCL1.

30.1 Will Warren — Jack Kitchen, who’s running this team for me, asked me to get him in Round 30, so I did. He’s a candidate to replace Cole now.

Roster By Position:

C Yainer Diaz/J.T. Realmuto

1B Cody Bellinger

2B Jackson Holliday

3B Austin Riley

SS Zach Neto

CI Jake Burger

MI Jonathan India

OF Mookie Betts/Jackson Chourio/Brandon Nimmo/T.J. Friedl/Nolan Jones

UT Alec Burleson

SP Chris Sale/Max Fried/Hunter Brown/Sonny Gray/Kevin Gausman/Nick Lodolo

RP Raisel Iglesias/Kenley Jansen/Jordan Romano

B Roman Anthony/Evan Carter/Dustin May/Jacob Wilson/Gerrit Cole/Gavin Lux/Will Warren