-
@ Real Man Sports
2025-03-21 18:23:28I put Beat Chris Liss 3 in quotes because technically this was not a Beat Chris Liss league — I just bought it at the last minute to get an extra league. In any event, I drew the seventh spot, and here are the results:
1.7 Corbin Carroll — He’s been hitting home runs this spring, a signal his shoulder is healthy. You know he’ll run, and given how he performed at the end of last year, I’d expect the batting average to bounce back too.
2.8 Jazz Chisholm — I want to see what he can do with a full year in Yankee Stadium. He’s a health risk, but he was a 20-20-ish player in Miami with only 100 games in 2023. It’s also nice that he qualifies at 3B and OF. I considered Mookie Betts, who slipped, but I’m concerned about severe weight loss from an illness undermining the first half of his season.
3.7 Chris Sale — He’s a Hall of Fame level pitcher with his health and form back. Remember when Justin Verlander faded in his 30s and then got it back together? I expect a few good years from Sale before he declines again.
4.8 Corbin Burnes — I don’t really even like Burnes, but he slipped a full round past ADP, and I value-took.
5.7 C.J. Abrams — I love this pick, probably my favorite of the draft. Abrams is a 20-30 player despite attitude issues. What if he matures and gets it together at age 24?
6.8 Adley Rustchman — I didn’t see anything I liked, and I was light on power. One way to get a leg up power-wise is to draft elite catchers.
7.7 Cody Bellinger — I like him with Yankee Stadium’s short porch, a few steals from a first-base-eligible player and also outfield eligibility.
8.8 Mike Trout — I had enough pitching and speed, but I needed some power, and Trout still has as much as anyone if he could ever play 100-plus games. He’s healthy now at least.
9.7 Will Smith — A second top catcher to pair with Rutschman. I was light on power through five rounds, but my next four picks were 20-plus HR catchers, Bellinger in Yankee Stadium and Trout.
10.8 Roki Sasaki — He slipped a couple rounds after a rough outing in Japan, but he was still throwing 100 with nasty movement. Another value-take.
11.7 Sonny Gray — A favorite old warhorse in a good pitcher’s park. I really wanted Sandy Alcantara, but Gray’s ADP was higher, so I thought there was a better chance to get Alcantara on the way back.
12.8 Sandy Alcantara — Turns out I thought right. I love Alcantara, who was going in the third round a couple years ago, now that he’s healthy and throwing 100 mph again.
13.7 Alexis Diaz — Taking Alcantara cost me my two go-to closers, Kenley Jansen and Jordan Romano, both of whom went earlier than usual, so I pivoted to Diaz. I thought this was a mistake at first — Diaz has been bad this spring, and he wasn’t even good last year, either, but he’s the closer until further notice, and a couple spring outings shouldn’t move the needle that much.
14.8 Kevin Gausman — Another old warhorse, coming off a down year, possibly due to injury. His velocity has been back up this spring too.
15.7 Xander Bogaerts — Another ADP value-take. Bogaerts had double digit homers and steals in 111 games last year and is a good bet to hit for a decent average.
16.8 Ryan Pressly — Another shaky closer, Pressly had three walks in an inning against the Dodgers, but he’s probably not losing the job over one ugly but scoreless outing.
17.7 Aroldis Chapman — Named the Red Sox closer, Chapman is probably the best of the three I drafted thus far. His ADP was lower because he was only given the role a couple days ago. Chapman perfectly fits the old warhorse mold I like too.
18.8 Brandon Pfaadt — I didn’t really need another starter, but he was the best player left on the board, and you always run out of pitching.
19.7 Zack Gelof — He strikes out a ton, but he went 17-25 last year in 138 games as a rookie, and now he gets to play in a minor-league band box. Lawrence Butler went 22-18 and is going in the fifth round!
20.8 T.J. Friedl — I was light on OF, and Friedl is one. He has a little pop, runs and is expected to lead off for the Reds in the best non-Coors hitting park in baseball.
21.7 A.J. Puk — I was still a little light in saves, and Puk is in the running for the Arizona job.
22.8 Roman Anthony — I don’t know if he’ll break camp with the Red Sox, but he was the remaining player I would have felt worst getting snaked on. He doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors.
23.7 George Springer — He went 20-20 in 2023 and 19-16 last year. He could be done, but at 35 he’s not ancient.
24.8 Jo Adell — I needed to fill in the outfield, and Adell should play, run and hit for power. The strikeouts and batting average risk are bad, but he’s still young enough to improve.
25.7 Griffin Jax — He’s a top reliever, next in line for saves and closer Jhoan Duran isn’t very good.
26.8 Christopher Morel — I needed a corner and Morel is one. (If I needed a mushroom, this would also hold.) He hit .196 last year, but he has good pop and should play OF for the Rays in a small minor-league park.
27.6 Casey Mize — The former No. 1 overall pick has looked good this spring, and he’s completely healthy.
28.6 Will Warren — Warren should get a shot in the Yankees rotation, given the injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil.
29.6 Spencer Torkelson — Another former No. 1 overall pick for the Tigers, Torkelson hit 31 homers in 2023 and should get another shot this year given his strong spring.
30.6 Nolan Schanuel — I just wanted an extra corner with regular playing time heading into the year. He runs a little and had 13 HR, but in a full season of at-bats.
Roster By Position:
C Adley Rustchman/Will Smith
1B Cody Bellinger
2B Xander Bogaerts
3B Jazz Chisholm
SS C.J. Abrams
CI Christopher Morel
MI Zack Gelof
OF Corbin Carroll/Mike Trout/T.J. Friedl/Roman Anthony/George Springer
UT Jo Adell
SP Chris Sale/Corbin Burnes/Roki Sasaki/Sonny Gray/Sandy Alcantara/Kevin Gausman
RP Alexis Diaz/Ryan Pressly/Aroldis Chapman
B Brandon Pfaadt/A.J. Puk/Griffin Jax/Casey Mize/Will Warren/Spencer Torkelson/Nolan Schanuel