I have the top pick in my fantasy draft...

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by The Bad Guy

First round went:

Pujols, Hanley, Cabrera, Reyes, Wright, Sizemore, Braun, Josh Hamilton, Ryan Howard, Ian Kinsler.

lol @ Hamilton, Howard and Kinsler...how did Kinsler get drafted before Utley?

Yikes.

I love Hamilton. Major reach at #7...

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Hootie

lol @ Hamilton, Howard and Kinsler...how did Kinsler get drafted before Utley?

Yikes.

I love Hamilton. Major reach at #7...

I disagree with pretty much everything you said there. Hamilton's a fair pick at 7, who would you take? Hamilton's going to give you MVP caliber #s in almost every category and he's 27 this season, the magic #. Howard and Kinsler have gone 8/9 in one of my leagues and 10/11 in the other, they're both late 1st, early 2nd round picks in nearly every league.

In a re-draft league, if you think Utley will take a month to get healthy, Kinsler's more valuable. Or, if you like Kinsler's SB potential, he also could be. Kinsler was looking like the far stronger bet than Utley as the season progressed last season, until the hand injury. He's also a few years younger, entering his prime years. Utley's on the tail end of his prime years.

Ultimately I'd probably take Utley ahead of Kinsler, but there's definitely a strong argument that could be made in favor of Kinsler.

As to the OP, work on that OF in a hurry. I see Damon as barely above replacement level and Young doesn't even reach that (I've never understood the Young hype, even his minor league peripherals don't suggest anything more than a slightly above average player).

You're hurting pretty badly for power. Even if it's a one trick pony like Cust or Swisher, you've gotta add some pop to that lineup. I like the A-Rod pick, he's falling under a lot of radars. I grabbed him at 35 in my league.

[DrRyan]

Originally Posted by Hootie

lol @ Hamilton, Howard and Kinsler...how did Kinsler get drafted before Utley?

Yikes.

I love Hamilton. Major reach at #7...

Don't you guys all know. Hootie is the self proclaimed video game and fantasy sports champion. He cannot be beat. Just ask him

A case absolutely can be made for Kinsler ahead of Utley for all the reasons already stated above. Kinsler was the #1 fantasy 2B last season before the sports hernia injury and top 5-10 overall position player. CC, Santana and Lincecum are all in the conversation as well.

I prefer bats early and often but won't hesitate to take pitching early if it keeps sliding.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by DrRyan

Don't you guys all know. Hootie is the self proclaimed video game and fantasy sports champion. He cannot be beat. Just ask him

A case absolutely can be made for Kinsler ahead of Utley for all the reasons already stated above. Kinsler was the #1 fantasy 2B last season before the sports hernia injury and top 5-10 overall position player. CC, Santana and Lincecum are all in the conversation as well.

I prefer bats early and often but won't hesitate to take pitching early if it keeps sliding.

Kinsler can be had in the late 2nd round...I have no problem with his production...but I like Alex Rios, too...and I'm not taking him before the 4th-6th round...he was reached for.

Ryan Howard absolutely crushes batting average...sorry...I don't take a guy who crushes a category like that before #15-#20, where he belongs. Reach.

And Josh Hamilton, a favorite of mine, belongs around #18-#22...he's always an injury risk and you never know if he was a 1 year wonder...he really wore out after the break last year...and you saw what the HR derby did to Abreu's HR swing the year he hit a billion out.

I like all three players...but they were all reaches.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Hootie

Kinsler can be had in the late 2nd round...I have no problem with his production...but I like Alex Rios, too...and I'm not taking him before the 4th-6th round...he was reached for.

Ryan Howard absolutely crushes batting average...sorry...I don't take a guy who crushes a category like that before #15-#20, where he belongs. Reach.

And Josh Hamilton, a favorite of mine, belongs around #18-#22...he's always an injury risk and you never know if he was a 1 year wonder...he really wore out after the break last year...and you saw what the HR derby did to Abreu's HR swing the year he hit a billion out.

I like all three players...but they were all reaches.

What noob-ass leagues do you play in where Kinsler falls to the end of the 2nd?

Most expert leagues will have people that dedicate their first 2 picks to middle infielders. If Kinsler falls past 15, you have a bunch of reeruns picking.

If Josh Hamilton falls to #22, you have a bunch of vegetables picking. A 27 yr old hitting at Texas Stadium with MVP caliber numbers sliding to the third round when OF is not nearly as deep this year as it usually is?

Let's see your 1st 20.