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@ Real Man Sports
2025-03-22 23:12:43I was supposed to do my Main Event next week, but Heather scheduled a trip to Spain for us I had forgotten about, so I moved it to today, which meant I had to cram a bit.
I drew the seven slot. Results are below:
Before I get into the round-by-round write-up I have to say this was the smoothest and easiest Main I’ve ever done. That doesn’t mean this is a great team — I could easily be wrong about everything — but using recent ADP I planned out each round, and it really went almost exactly to form. That never happens. Usually I’m worried about having to chase some category or getting stuck with players I don’t want. But today there was almost none of that.1.8 Kyle Tucker — I like Tucker in a new park, playing for a big contract. He’s fully healthy after an injury-shortened 2024, so he should be fresh. Had Team 7 taken Tucker instead of Juan Soto, I would have taken Jackson Chourio.
2.8 Chris Sale — I thought I might get Jazz Chisholm here, and my fallback was Trea Turner. But earlier in the day I decided I’d probably take Sale anyway as pitching gets scarce quickly in the 15-team and often gets pushed up as a result. But I hadn’t really locked it in, even though I felt Sale would make for an easier build. Then Chisholm and Turner went ahead of me on consecutive picks, and my choice was made for me.
3.8 Matt Olson — I was worried about this pick. This was in the elite closer range, and I didn’t want to go that route, so it was either Manny Machado (gone), Olson or dropping down for someone like Michael Harris about whom I’m only lukewarm. I took Olson who has a good shot of 40-100-100 in that lineup.
4.8 C.J. Abrams — The stat nerds hate him, but he could steal 40 bases, and he was raking before slumping in the second half last year. Tucker gave me some bags, but I really wanted a big-time steals source to pair with him.
5.8 Tyler Glasnow — My favorite fifth-round starter, Glasnow managed134 innings last year. A similar giant lefty, Randy Johnson, was also injury prone early in his career and took a while to get going too.
6.8 Cody Bellinger — I was dead set on Bellinger who is raking this spring. He’ll get the short porch in Yankee stadium and qualifies at first and OF.
7.8 Roki Sasaki — This was the first pick I really had to think about. There was a run of five straight pitchers ahead of me, three of whom I would have taken instead (Logan Webb, Max Fried, Hunter Brown.) I like buying the dip on Sasaki after a shaky outing in Japan, but I also considered pivoting to Mike Trout. In the end, I felt there were more hitters I liked afterward, so I went Sasaki, and then Trout went with the very next pick. In fact the next guy snap-called it, if I recall correctly.
8.8 Alex Bregman — I wanted a share after reading how well he’s hit at Fenway during his career (if Grok is correct, 1.240 OPS in 21 games.) Plus he might eventually gain 2B eligibility if Rafael Devers gets healthy enough to play third. And he should get a lot of RBI hitting third behind Devers and Jarren Duran.
9.8 Josh Lowe — I really wanted to get a share of Lowe after reading about how the minor league home park will boost power for lefties. The steals are a given if he’s healthy, but 20-25 HR would make him a huge bargain in Round 9.
10.8 Jordan Romano — The Lowe pick cost me Kenley Jansen, which I thought it might, so I pivoted to the other exprienced closer I like in that range, and Romano’s on a better team.
11.8 Kevin Gausman — I thought about Aroldis Chapman here, but starters were getting scarce, so I gambled he’d make it back and took Gausman. Gausman is coming off a down year, but he’s healthy, and he knows how to pitch.
12.8 Brandon Finnegan — I missed out on Chapman, it turns out, but Finnegan, who had 38 saves last year and was re-signed, was my backup plan. He’s not especially good, but saves are saves.
13.8 Brice Turang — I really didn’t need speed that badly, but Turang fell like 50 spots below ADP, and I did need a second baseman. His defense keeps him in the lineup, and I’ll take 30-plus steals in case one of my other speed guys doesn’t pan out.
14.8 Brandon Nimmo — I got snaked on Walker Buehler (and Jesus Luzardo two picks before that), so I went with Nimmo for his ability to score runs.
15.8 Jackson Holliday — After a lot of safe picks, I felt like gambling on a top prospect finally. He’s hitting well this spring too.
16.8 Jose Berrios — This just seemed like the right pick, a boring veteran who knows how to pitch and get you innings without killing you. With Glasnow and Sasaki, I needed more of a horse type.
17.8 Nolan Jones — He was scratched from the game today right after I made this, so we’ll see. Hopefully it’s something minor. His 2023 season was fetching a top-five-round ADP last year.
18.8 Casey Mize — Pitching was really flying, and Mize is a former top prospect with an opportunity.
19.8 Bo Naylor — I needed a catcher, and he is one. I like that he runs a bit, and last year’s batting average I’ll chalk up to variance.
20.8 Roman Anthony — I don’t know whether he’ll make the team out of camp, but he’s an elite prospect with little left to prove in the minors.
21.8 Jason Foley — I have two shaky closers, so I wanted to throw another potential one in the mix.
22.8 Porter Hodge — Another saves option if Ryan Pressly falls apart.
23.8 Colt Keith — Keith wasn’t horrendous as as rookie, and moving to first base will give him extra eligibility soon.
24.8 Jason Adam — Another potential source of saves with Robert Suarez looking awfully shaky this spring.
25.8 Gavin Lux — A former top prospect, getting regular at-bats in the league’s second best hitter’s park and picking up more eligibility.
26.8 Jonny Deluca — I needed outfield depth in case Anthony doesn’t start the year in the majors, and Deluca should play in that bandbox minor league park.
27.8 Miguel Vargas — A former top prospect with dual position eligibility should get his chance for regular low-pressure at-bats in Chicago.
28.8 Michael McGreevy — I needed another SP, and he’s one. Also has good control and pitches in a good park. Having a great spring too.
29.8 Jacob Stallings — I played chicken at second catcher all draft, got burned a few times, but Stallings is the starter for now in Colorado.
30.8 Blake Treinen — The Stallings pick cost me a gamble on Jared Jones’ elbow, so I took Treinen who’s an elite reliever who could fill in if starters have bad matchups.
Roster By Position
C Bo Naylor/Jacob Stallings
1B Matt Olson
2B Brice Turang
3B Alex Bregman
SS C.J. Abrams
CI Cody Bellinger
MI Jackson Holliday
OF Kyle Tucker/Josh Lowe/Brandon Nimmo/Nolan Jones/Roman Anthony
UT Colt Keith
SP Chris Sale/Tyler Glasnow/Roki Sasaki/Kevin Gausman/Jose Berrios/Casey Mize
RP Jordan Romano/Brandon Finnegan/Jason Foley
B Porter Hodge/Jason Adam/Gavin Lux/Jonny Deluca/Miguel Vargas/Michael McGreevy/Blake Treinen