How many Braves are on your fantasy-baseball team?
My fantasy-league baseball draft (actually, it’s an auction) is this Saturday, and I’m trying to get up to speed since it’s a mixed league and I don’t usually pay much attention to the AL outside of the Braves’ opponents in interleague play and the playoffs.
The other obstacle to a good draft is my occasional tendency to go with my heart over my head. I end up with quite a few Braves that way, and sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s not so good.
Loading ...Derek Lowe, Brian McCann, Chipper Jones are the easy high picks, but everybody knows that, so they aren’t the guys I’m likely to get. The more likely players are the risky ones, and this year that’s the youngsters. How early do you jump in on Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schafer, Josh Anderson or Brandon Jones? How about someone like Casey Kotchman, who might have a breakout year?
What’s your draft strategy? Do you have trouble making practical picks over emotional ones?
By the way, a great time was had by all down at Disney’s Wide World of Sports last week. We had great weather, and the Little Chopper even got to run around the bases with all the other kids after Saturday’s win over the Mets. We all thoroughly enjoyed that particular game! Oh, and Jeff Francoeur looked good; I never saw him chase a bad pitch, but I did see him send a screaming line drive to right-center.
A couple of notes if you go:
• I don’t recommend the seats in the right-field bleachers, especially if you have small children. You’re right in the line of fire for foul balls, and the kids can’t see as well over the folks in front of them. It also gets hot out there, even on mild days, because of the metal and the direct sun.
• Be sure to check out the food stands outside the concourse on the first-base side. We ate at the Gyro/Pulled Pork stand every game, and it never got old.
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30 comments Add your comment
SAVANNAH DAWG
May 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
None of them. Chipper won’t stay in the line up long enough. Mccann is back and looking good but not putting up the numbers yet. Can’t trust the bullpen. Everyone else just isn’t putting up the numbers at all.
Ground ball second base
April 5th, 2009
11:58 pm
The only Braves I have is J.Schafer. I was targeting McCann in the 4th round (I didn’t want to miss out) but somebody grabbed him 4th overall.
ArmyBravesFan
April 2nd, 2009
10:59 am
I have Kawakami, Francouer and JS. I dont have much trade bait for McCann or Chipper and I need a C and 3B…. bah
Herschworld
April 1st, 2009
9:58 am
You know when a Chick talks about sports and thinks she knows a thing or two about what she’s talking about, but in reality she sounds like a blabering moron wasting space on the internet, that’s Chop Chick…I really believe that Chop Chick and Jeff Schultz are in a competition to be the biggest retards of the AJC..I still think Schultz has a slight lead because he looks like tony kornheiser and Andy Dick had a retard baby
Jason
March 31st, 2009
3:57 pm
I think the only true high draft from the Braves will be McCann, simply because he’s the best hitting C for fantasy players. Chipper you might think would be a great high pickup, but I’d have to reconsider this, as he’s had an issue staying healthy for the duration of a season, and won’t put up the power numbers/RBI’s that others would at the position.
As someone else pointed out, take the position that you feel is weaker on players at, such as SS. Rollins, Reyes and Ramirez are the top 3 SS’s to consider. I’d take my OF picks towards the end of your position players, unless you find a solid name in between someone down on your list and a pitcher.
I did pick up Schafer though, as he is not highly ranked, and could turn out to be a sleeper in the fantasy drafts. Francour might be decent to add to your bench, and start if he’s putting up solid numbers, but I’d look at other options here first, such as a Josh Hamilton or Nelson Cruz.
For 1b, if you can’t get your hands on Ryan Howard, I wouldn’t sweat it. Reds have a great 1B in Votto who contribute great numbers, and don’t forget about Todd Helton, who’s looking pretty good this spring, and should be ranked lower in the drafts
Mike
March 30th, 2009
9:39 am
I couldn’t get McCann or Chipper. I got Lowe and picked up Kawakami in a late round for the hell of it.
bayhome43
March 28th, 2009
9:48 pm
Hi CC – just wanted to drop a line and wish our team good luck this year. Won’t be the same without Smoltzie but I’m excited about this group and will be there cheering them on. Don’t know much about fantasy baseball – maybe I can find a tutorial online HA. TTYL
Nick
March 28th, 2009
7:46 pm
Breaking it down by position, obviously McCann is the premier fantasy catcher, but you really aren’t going to take a catch anywhere in the first 5 rounds. Kotchman is going to go undrafted in a lot of leagues. Johnson is a top 10 2nd baseman, but isn’t anyone you’re going to have to fight early for. Yunel has a lot of upside, but that only means he would be a good player to have on your bench just in case. Chipper is about #7 on the depth chart, but you know you’ll have to draft another quality 3rd baseman because he isn’t going the whole season. The outfield is weak fantasy wise; Anderson/Diaz won’t get drafted, center field is still in limbo, and Francouer truthfully is about the best value you can get, but only if you draft him in the final rounds and he bounces back. Pitching is probably the Braves’ strength in that no one is going to go real high, but you should get good “value” from our top 4 starters from their draft positions.
Santa3247
March 28th, 2009
1:18 am
2
Santa3247
March 28th, 2009
12:54 am
Hi, I’m Seong-Ho,Yoon living in jinhae city southkorea now.
Hey Jordan Schafer! do you want to play at MLB, with failing at AA and no experience at AAA at all? Breaking into the queue? ^*^
You like zombi resembled bbb not 666, babylon baldhead braggart. ^*^ Medicine hitter. ^*^
May the force of Messiah be with you