PFB Owners Championship I

I was recently invited to participate in the inaugural Pro Fantasy Baseball Championship league. Over the weekend we conducted our snake draft. The league encompasses writers/managers from 12 different Fantasy Baseball sites. The league is a standard 5x5 daily roto league. It consists of C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, CI, MI, 4OF, 2Util, 4SP, 2RP, 2P, 7BN, 2DL. The day before the draft I was emailed the draft order where I was slotted 11th, then when I entered the draft room I was pleasantly surprised to see I was now 4th. Not sure what happened and I didn't question the change...just a small fist pump.

Going into the draft, I had four strategies I wanted to implement. Draft top line NL SP to contend for  ERA, use my Closer strategy to win the Saves category, fill my OF with speed guys, and don't miss out on a top tier 1B. I stuck to my pre-draft strategy and feel I did very well by the end of the draft. Here is my team.

1.	(4)	Troy Tulowitzki	SS
2.	(21)	Ryan Zimmerman	3B
3.	(28)	Adam Dunn	1B
4.	(45)	Victor Martínez	C,1B
5.	(52)	Alex Ríos	OF
6.	(69)	Cole Hamels	SP
7.	(76)	Mat Latos	SP
8.	(93)	Roy Oswalt	SP
9.	(100)	J.J. Putz	RP
10.	(117)	Brett Gardner	OF
11.	(124)	Juan Pierre	OF
12.	(141)	Francisco Cordero	RP
13.	(148)	David Ortiz	Util
14.	(165)	Neil Walker	2B,3B
15.	(172)	Joel Hanrahan	RP
16.	(189)	Craig Kimbrel	RP
17.	(196)	Alfonso Soriano	OF
18.	(213)	Austin Jackson	OF
19.	(220)	Luke Scott	1B,OF
20.	(237)	Omar Infante	2B,3B,SS,OF
21.	(244)	Carlos Zambrano	SP,RP
22.	(261)	Koji Uehara	RP
23.	(268)	Alexi Ogando	RP
24.	(285)	Magglio Ordóñez	OF
25.	(292)	Bronson Arroyo	SP
26.	(309)	Brandon Webb	SP
27.	(316)	John Jaso	C
28.	(333)	Bill Hall	2B,OF

Lets analyze my thought process while drafting and what else happened round by round. Today we will examine rounds 1-8. With the 4th overall pick, I chose Tulo but debated on taking Votto. Votto ended up going 11th. The only surprises for this round were Reyes going 8th (not a fan of that) and Braun slipping down to 12th before the wrap-around.

Round 2 started off with top tier 3B and 1B over the next 5 picks followed by Halladay and Lincicum. With one pick a head of me I was positive Zimm was coming off the board. But low and behold off came Pedroia. I couldn't click fast enough to scoop up Zimmerman. By the end of the round only two of us had taken IFs with both picks, besides me Fantasy Daddy had selected A-Gon and Teixeira.

I knew in round 3 I had to use my pick for more power. Youk went off the board 2 picks before me making it eight 1B gone so far. If I didn't pull the trigger on Dunn now I knew I would be picking up an iffy Morales or Morneau a couple of rounds later and may be really disappointed. I contemplated taking Uggla who at the time was the top rated player on my board. I took Dunn and Uggla went five picks later to Fantasy Daddy with A-Gone and Tex. By this round the Utley bantering started...how low would he go.

I struggled with this round. After seeing both Weeks and Phillips go I actually thought about taking one of the hurt trio; Uttley, Morneau or Morales. But then I took another pull on my Moosehead and came to my senses. I still felt my SPs would be around much later so I started thinking about the leagues 1 C format. V-Mart was available but I have never drafted a C so early. I figured he may actually DH more than catch therefor playing in 140+ games. That is very good production from such a weak position. I now own V-Mart. By the end of the round I saw many AL SP gone along with Heyward. I'm starting to like my pick even more.

In round 5 I knew there was not a top tier 2B to round out my infield and did not want to snag a SP just yet. I debated over Beltre and Rios. I really like the White Sox this year and Rios is a possible 25/25 guy batting 3rd in that line-up. Not a bad pick to anchor my OF. Overall in this round two of my targeted SP went (Johnson...solid and Ubaldo...too early) and Ellsbury went before my pick. Not a big fan of El this early, especially if he is not going to lead off.

Round 6 finally saw Utley go...could be huge value if he can play this year. Before my pick the first two RP went, Marmol, then Wilson. Then later Soria.  I  started to get nervous that a run a RP would happen and I would not get the 4+ RP to fulfill my strategy.  I knew it was time to select  my starting rotation, it had to start in this round. My usual strategy is to go back to back to back with SP and then look for value late. The only time I alter this sequence is if someone falls in the draft that has TREMENDOUS value. Like I stated earlier, my criteria was going to be NL stud SP...get me Ks and low ERA boys. The best NL SP on my board was Hammels. He is now my ace.

Three of the four picks ahead of me in this round (7) were all NL SP...grrrr... it went Hanson, Greinke, and Gallardo. I wanted all three. Now with my pick I settled on Latos...don't fail me Petco Park. The round ended with everyone filling a need and getting good value. 3 more SP went, RP Rivera and C Santana.

Still needing a 3rd SP I had Oswalt qued the entire time. If he went I decided I would grab Grady Sizemore and shoot for Marcum in the next round. The pick before mine selected Sizemore and I went with Oswalt...I think we both were pleased. The round ended with Elvis going (Mr. zero HR and overly hyped) and the 6th RP off the board...wondering if I can execute my closer strategy.

With two of my four strategies fulfilled, can I execute the last two? I will give you 10 more rounds tomorrow.