Let’s pretend your pre-Opening Day fantasy draft permits the trading of actual picks in 10-team mixed leagues (not just slots).
Here’s an unconventional road map to a roto championship, tailor-made for owners who believe in the depth of potential stars (or difference-makers) with pre-draft values ranging from 45-85:
The Premise
Trade picks in Rounds 1, 2, 4, 12, 14 and 16.
The Strategy
Step 1: Trade the picks from Rounds 1 (No. 5 overall) and 16 (No. 156) to the owner of the ninth slot in exchange for his/her picks in Rounds 6 (No. 52 overall) and 7 (No. 69).
Step 2: Trade the picks from Rounds 2 (No. 16 overall) and 14 (No. 136) to the owner of the second slot in exchange for his/her picks in Rounds 6 (No. 59 overall) and 8 (No. 79).
Step 3: Trade the picks from Rounds 4 (No. 36 overall) and 12 (No. 116) to the owner of the 10th slot in exchange for his/her picks in Rounds 7 (No. 70 overall) and 8 (No. 71).
The New Bounty
- Fifteen high-value picks from Nos. 25 and 125
- Three picks in Round 6, two in Round 7 and four in Round 8
The Core (courtesy of Mock Draft Central’s ADP rankings)
Pick 1 (No. 25 overall): OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins (candidate for 40 homers)
Pick 2 (No. 45): SP Zack Greinke, Brewers (my 10th-ranked starting pitcher)
Pick 3 (No. 52): 3B Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays (couldn’t risk him falling to the next spot)
Pick 4 (No. 56): OF Desmond Jennings, Rays (excellent power-speed source)
Pick 5 (No. 59): 2B Brandon Phillips, Reds (annual lock for 19 HRs, 19 steals)
Pick 6 (No. 65): 3B Pablo Sandoval, Giants (a necessary luxury pick)
Pick 7 (No. 69): 1B/3B Michael Young, Rangers (love that multi-positional versatility)
Pick 8 (No. 70): SP Madison Bumgarner, Giants
Pick 9 (No. 71): SP C.J. Wilson, Angels
Pick 10 (No. 76): 1B/2B/OF Michael Cuddyer, Rockies
Pick 11 (No. 79): OF Drew Stubbs, Reds
Pick 12 (No. 85): 1B/OF Michael Morse, Nationals (30-HR asset to return by April 12)
Pick 13 (No. 96): SP Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
Pick 14 (No. 105): OF Jason Heyward, Braves
Pick 15 (No. 125): SS Dee Gordon, Dodgers
Breakdown
1. The first 15 picks didn’t produce one closer (although John Axford was a major consideration at 85), but that’s hardly a big concern. In 10-team drafts, Rounds 17-19 should yield a smorgasbord of Tier II closers—25-save talents like Carlos Marmol, Brandon League, Chris Perez, Javy Guerra, Joe Nathan and Huston Street.
2. I landed four of my top 26 starting pitchers, and frankly, the fourth starter (Wainwright) may prove to be the most successful by season’s end. Last March, before he suffered an elbow injury, Wainwright (20 wins, 2.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 213 strikeouts in 2010) was my No. 3 overall pitcher heading into Grapefruit League play.
3. My philosophy for drafting shortstops is quite simple: If I can’t corral Troy Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Elvis Andrus or Starlin Castro in the first six rounds, I will skip the big-name, occasionally erratic vets from Rounds 7-12 before settling on Dee Gordon, a lightning-fast lock for 40 steals in 2012.
4. With six outfield-eligible assets in the first 15 picks, I won’t feel compelled to overextend for Lorenzo Cain, Austin Jackson, Martin Prado, Carlos Lee, Brandon Belt, Brennan Boesch, Mike Trout or Denard Span. However, at least three of the above names will be available in Rounds 24 and 25. Future superstars Trout, Cain and Belt have immense upside.
Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.
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