Now that all the keepers have been determined, lets see what type of team these expansion teams can build. Always fun to do a mock draft. You may have a different opinion then me, and if you would like to do a mock of your own, you are more then welcome. If anyone wants to contribute anything that is fine as well.
There is a lot of all-star talent available in the expansion draft. What kind of strategy will these owners use? Best player available? Fill their roster by position?
Lets see one owners interpretation.
Team A vs Team B
Team A 1st pick
A few months ago when looking at keepers, to me it looked like a no brainer that a player from KFP would be taken #1 overall. Not so fast! I am taking Troy Tulowitzki as the #1 pick. Tulowitzki, only 25 IMO is the 2nd best fantasy SS in the game, and under normal circumstances would have been an obvious keeper. SS besides probably C is the thinnest position out there and with Tulo on board you have an advantage over 10 teams.
Projection: .290 AVG 28 HR 90 RBI 100 Runs 18 SB
Team B 1st pick
Steals are at a premium here. Crawford arguably should have been frozen by KungFu Pandas, but where would the Pandas be without the Panda himself on the team? No doubt Sandoval has talent, but Crawford/Kemp combo would have giving KFP around 100 SB's right off the bat. Granted each week is still a crap shoot with SB's. Some week you might get 24 SB's in a week, and then 5 the following week.
Projection: .300 AVG 13 HR 70 RBI 100 Runs 55 SB
Team A 2nd pick
Well with Tulowitzki off the board, so goes 1b Joey Votto who I believe is the best 1b in the expansion draft. The majority of the teams elected to a freeze a 1B so the pickens are slim. I am going to go with Kendry Morales here. Morales in his first full season with playing time had a monster season and is still only 26 years old. Building a nice infield here.
Projection: .300 Avg 35 HR 110 RBI 85 runs 1 SB
Team B 2nd pick
Time to go shopping from my team. I definitely have a preference on who I want someone to take, but this decision boils down to me on who else is available on the other teams. I see Ben Zobrist & Brian Roberts as pretty much the BPA on Beantown & J-Fraud's team and I would be happy with one of them as my starting 2b. So I would pass on Brandon Phillips and take OF Andre Ethier here. Ethier was my favorite player in the bigs last year and it would pain me to see him go. I got a couple of very nice OF's to start off my team.
Projection: .280 AVG 30 HR 100 RBI 90 Runs 5 SB
Team A 3rd pick
I am continuing my trend with building a nice infield by taking Tampa's Ben Zobrist. Zobrist's power numbers dipped after the all-star break last year, but he still ended the season with 27 bombs. He was also 9th in the entire majors in OPS which is pretty amazing. I will roll the dice here and hope he is not a 1 year wonder.
Projection: .290 AVG 25 HR 90 RBI 90 Runs 15 SB
Team B 3rd pick
The defending champs basically have two guys to pick from, new Seattle 3b Chone Figgins or 1b Adam Dunn. I got Crawford with my first pick & Zobrist with my second so I have a good amount of speed already. Zobrist has nice power numbers for a second basemen but to add a guy like Dunn here who can blast out 40 is the right fit for me. Dunn will hurt the AVG/K's, but not sure if Figgins is going to have the same type of totals on a team who clearly their strength is pitching.
Projection: .270 Avg 40 HR 100 RBI 80 Runs 1 SB
Team A 4th pick
Here is hoping for a bounce back season. Josh Hamilton slightly edges Andrew McCutchen out from the Duffs. Hamilton was plagued with injuries last year, if he can get close to the production he had in 2008 he could be possibly the biggest steal of the draft. Very close call here, but I'd gamble with Hamilton here.
Projection: .275 AVG 25 HR 95 RBI 90 Runs 5 SB
Team B 4th pick
Even though I know Brian Roberts is safe since the other team snagged a 2b in Zobrist. There is still a chance that they take the veteran catcher Jorge Posada, or speedster Nyjer Morgan. Posada will still be one of the top producing catchers next season. That being said, I don't want to risk losing out on him, so i am taking Brian Roberts here. His SB numbers have dropped by 10 in each of the past two seasons. I don't see a dip, i think he will be around 30 still, plus a ton of good young talent on the O's, so definitely a shoe in for 100+ runs. Good avg, and actually had a career high in RBI's last season.
Projection: .285 AVG 15 HR 65 RBI 110 Runs 30 SB
Team A 5th pick
I fully expect LHW to protect Dustin Pedroia as his last keeper, so I am going with the speedster Michael Bourn here. Bourn should be near the top of the league in SB next year for sure. He hits for a good avg and should net close to 100 runs. My other option was Carlos Lee, but age factor definitely makes me want to take Bourn.
Projection: .280 Avg 5 HR 40 RBI 100 Runs 55 SB
Team B 5th pick
Original Mock had Pena going here, but Stonehenge elected to keep him for his power. I am going to select Adam Jones. Jones had a great start last year before fading in the 2nd half. Very young and has the potential to be a star in this league. 30 hr out of a 2nd basemen (Dan Uggla) was also pretty tempting, but like Jones a tad more.
RECAP First Freezes
Team A
SS Troy Tulowitzki
1B Kendry Morales
2B Ben Zobrist
OF Josh Hamilton
OF Michael Bourn
Team B
OF Carl Crawford
OF Andre Ethier
1B Adam Dunn
2B Brian Roberts
OF Adam Jones
Not bad, plus still some decent talent out there for next freeze round...
