Tendah's team fallout: Matrix VI draft review 1 of 12

Written by Various Rotogods on March 01, 2006

BARTENDERMAN'S BASICS
Matrix finishes: 4/8/3/12
Average place: 6.75
Point totals: 92/70/102.5/41
Avg. points: 76.38
Who is BartenderMan?

See the full draft, round by round, here

Matrix VI draft:
Team name on draft day: Peavy Inc.
1. (keeper) Á. Rodríguez
2. (keeper) J. Peavy
3. (keeper) A. Soriano
4. (keeper) R. Harden
5. (49/1st pick) C. Lee
6. (72) J. Thome
7. (73) J. Peralta
8. (96) J. Gomes
9. (97) B. Giles
10. (120) J. López
11. (121) T. Hoffman
12. (144) J. Lugo
13. (145) S. Kazmir
14. (168) J. Francoeur
15. (169) E. Santana
16. (192) B. Hall
17. (193) J. Seo
18. (216) S. Shields
19. (217) J. Verlander
20. (240) Á. Ríos
21. (241) S. Linebrink
22. (264) T. Bowyer
23. (265) B. McCann
24. (288) D. Weathers
25. (289) A. LaRoche

BUNTS
Best pick(s): Getting Kazmir in the 13th and Ervin Santana in the 15th should help salvage a high-upside pitching staff that is relying on youngsters. But these two have strikeout rates most Matrix owners would envy.
Worst pick: Gomes was a reach in the 8th and Javy Lopez would have been around after the 10th.
Optimism: Young pitchers storm out of the gate, Soriano plays left field for the Nats and rips it up as Tendah's second baseman, Javy Lopez hits like a 1B as a C, Thome mashes along with A-Rod and Carlos Lee.
Pessimism: The young guns regress or are a year away, Thome's back gives out, no closers become available and Tendah goes into hibernation with Peavy, A-Rod, Lee and Harden by July 4th.
Last year: Drafted Justin Morneau with 1st pick (5th round), lost Clint Barmes to injury, floundered and traded most of remaing talent for A-Rod; finished with league-low 41 points including three categories with a 1, three with 2 and two with 3.
Status quo: Tendah tends to monopolize a few studs, overcharge anyone who wants to trade for them, and rely on spot starts for pitching depth.
Pick Tendah wishes he had back: "This early in the preseason it's hard to say what is/isn't going to develop. To be honest with you, much to others' disagreements, there really are no picks I wish I had back at this moment. My Thome pick got ridiculed, but honestly, I like that pick and think he's going to do well. Of course, we'll see. Thome at DH=no errors too. I guess that's one of the things I like about my draft. "
MY TEAM! (Owner goes fanboy on his own squad): "Others would be the speed I have at 7 of my 9 batting spots. I believe 6 of them have double digits, the 7th having 9. One had 39, other had 30-something, and then other 20-something steals. I may be very slightly off on that estimate, though I think I'm right. And a lot of power, rbis, and runs too. As for weaknesses, as usual for me are the errors, and K's (hitting). Pitching, my rule of thumb is never to pick closers high at all, regardless of dominance. Every year some of them get hurt, and others rise to take their places. Cases in point, I had K-Rod when he took over, and Farnsworth when he took over, ironically, both when Percival got hurt. Alfonseca is another example years ago. There are others, but those stick out most right now in my mind. However, I found Hoffman really late, and given the available hitters, took him. I know I'll find my other closers soon enough somewhere. Shields' and Linebrink's numbers are so dominant, they're better than some closers already, 'cept for the saves. They'll pick up some occassional saves, as well as vulture wins (look at Shields' 12 wins last year to go with 7 saves.) "

Starting lineup:
C Javy
1B Thome
2B Soriano
3B A-Rod
SS Peralta
IF J. Lugo
LF C. Lee
CF B. Giles
RF Gomes
Util Francoeur

SP Peavy
SP Harden
SP Kazmir
SP E. Santana
SP Seo / Verlander
RP Hoffman
RP S. Shields / Bowyer / D. Weathers

BEAGLE'S TAKE:
Peavy’s a Drunken Sailor – Carlos Lee was a nice pick. Unfortunately there wasn’t another good pick until Brian Giles in round 9. Thome is way too big a risk while Peralta is an error and strikeout machine. Lugo is a nice shortstop option in the 12th and Kazmir is potential stud in the 13th. Not really a huge fan of Jeff Francouer, his lack of plate discipline will allow the league to figure him out and he will disappoint in his sophomore year. Santana, Seo, and Verlander have nice upside, but are far from a sure thing. I’m not really sure why the Tendah insists on taking middle relievers every year. I mean Scott Shields is a good pitcher, but he’s a wasted pick. Adam LaRoche in the last round is a great pick and is a potential starter as full time player this year. Draft grade: C-

APE'S TAKE: Peavy
Keepers: Peavy, Harden, Soriano, A-Rod
Draft: A solid start with Carlos Lee especially with corner outfield spots significantly thinned out by steroid policies. Then it goes south. Jim Thome, hurt, fat, old, high suspicion of steroids and then shipped out of town for Aaron Rowand to confirm suspicion. Blech! Johnny Gomes, even if he does turn out to be a prolific power threat his ceiling is Adam Dunn, who was still on the board and already there. A few solid rounds netting Giles, Lopez, Hoffman, Lugo, Kazmir and then back to picking guys who really aren’t going to help even if they hit their potential. I only liked the picks of Seo and LaRoche after the 13th round.
Grade: D

TIMBERLAKE'S TAKE:
PeaPea: This looks like one of my teams from a couple years ago. Just a ton of young players on the squad (gomes/francouer/kazmir/Santana/seo/verlander) are all being counted on for serious contributions. This could pay off big time or just blow up. This team has lots of everything (power/speed/k’s/errors/ace potential/bust potential). Not to mention a somewhat shaky closer situation with many options but only one sure thing. This team is somewhat of a glorious mess. It has potential, but there are too many question marks for my liking. Im going bust
Draft: C+
Projected Finish: 10th

XACH'S TAKE:
Peavy LLC - Bartenderman
KEEPERS: A Rod, Peavy, Soriano, Harden.
Carlos Lee was a fine pick out of the gate. Thome should easily improve on his numbers from last season. I'm not sold on him as the correct pick here, but just about everyone gambled on last year's underachievers in the following round and he's as good as any I suppose. Peralta's a 5x5 gem, but I'm not sold on his value for 7x5 -- 130+ K's will prove a lot to swallow at shortstop. Lugo provides a nice alternative, but with 24 errors himself, I imagine one of these guys has to ride the pine, which means Adam Laroche will be depended upon for starting duties at the extra infield spot. As a last round pick, fine. But the fact that Tendah's only options for utility infielder are Laroache and Lugo . . . well, it's not good. I understand Javy will see time at 1B, which may help get him some more at bats. So he should make a fine catcher. Gomes and Francoeur round out this starting lineup. They represent holes in my opinion. Gomes is said to have nice upside and his numbers look good, but 113 K's in 348 at-bats raise a red flag for me. Maybe Francoeur's the real deal. I don't know enough about him. Bottom line: I see a bajillion errors and a bajillion strikeouts in this lineup and it's riddled with players with questionable fantasy outlooks for 2006. The pitching staff looks nice. And I've read good things about Verlander. Pitching should keep this team out of the basement, possibly. But overall I thought too many picks were wasted. Everyone makes a few bad picks in a draft . . . But Tendah made about 13 of them. C+

FATHER TIME'S TAKE:
TRIPLETS? HELL YEAH!! UM, NO I DON’T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND: So much of this draft was weird. First off, having to start with ARod and Peavy is never a bad thing, and Tender did the right thing in taking Carlos Lee with half of his infield already set. Jim Thome. (looks around) I mean, I don’t know how to tell you this, Tender, so I’m just going to tell you. I think he’s dead. And he’ll STILL strikeout 190 times. You may be saying, “but Fadda, you picked Scott Rolen with your second pick. How is that any different?” It’s different because I’m right and Tender is wrong. Duh. Hjhonnhyh Perahltah also will strikeout more than once. He, Dead Thome and Soriano will cause more wind than Tivo at a chili cookoff. I like the Brian Giles pick, nice and safe. Javy would probably have been there on the way back, but it’s hard sometimes when you pick on the corners. I just saw Julio Lugo misplay a ball while playing catch with his illegitimate son. Hoffman was quality at 11, but yeah, Tender for some reason LOVES the middle relievers. Kazmir, Francoeur, and Verlander = nice young studs. Timberlake would be proud. Just a strange all-around draft that often left you shaking your head or spitting soda onto your monitor. GRADE: C. FINISH: 12th.

EL AMIN'S TAKE:
Pea(nis in the)vy(J) Inc.

Here’s a guy who just makes you hate him. He keeps excellent players and obviously has an eye for up and comers, but he can’t be bothered to actually fill his team with decent players. There’s no more sure fire way to get called an asshole than by doing this. John Boy Started out his draft with a strong choice in Carlos Lee, but his next two picks are the equivalent of wiping your ass with steel wool. Thome could mash, Pheralta probably will, but these guys will add 300 ks to a line up like Asians eat rice. It’s automatic. And it makes the great pick of Lugo in the 12th round worthless since he‘s bringing his 20 errors to the IF slot, instead of SS.

There are plenty of cool players on this team. Lugo is an underrated player who could equal the production of a guy like Rafy Furcal. Scott Kazmir has the stuff, fire and K potential to be an ace, and Ervin Santana is not far behind in that regard. Still this team has way too many prospects and middle relievers to be even close to good, and John isn’t the type to scour the wire for vets.

By my count he whiffed on 9 of 21 post keeper picks including 6- Thome, 7- Pheralta, and 8- Gomes. That’s putrid.

Draft D+
Finish 11th

-- Compiled by TiVo

You've heard from Tendah himself, plus six Rotogods. What do you think about the team my man drafted?

-- Written by Various Rotogods on March 01, 2006