@ Real Man Sports
2025-03-10 16:21:56
This draft took place last night (March 9). Once again I drew the 12 slot.
Here are the results:
Link to [livestream](https://x.com/Chris_Liss/status/1898810266865000544). Link to [BCL1](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26).
**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](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26), 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](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26) 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](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26).
**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](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26).
**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](https://www.realmansports.com/p/beat-chris-liss-1-results-b26).
**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