Help me with my first pick

[virgonomic]

14 teams, standard Yahoo! (C 1 2 3 S O O O U SP SP RP RP P P P B B B B B B).

Mandatory keepers:

1. Encarnacion, 1B
2. Yellich, OF
3. Cruz, OF
4. Kluber, SP

Optional dynasty keepers:

19. -
20. OrArcia, SS
21. Trumbo, OF
22. Strasburg, SP

You guys advised me to take Kluber first overall (after keepers) last year. I did, and won the league.

This year I draft 14th (and 15th). Here are the top players available:

Seager, 3B
Kemp, OF
Longoria, 3B
Carpenter, 1/2/3
Hanley, 1B
Piscotty, OF
Gordon, 2B
Lemahieu, 2/3
Bregman, 3B
Dahl, OF
Upton, OF
Beltre, 3B

Verlander
Tanaka
Carrasco
Teheran
Hendricks
Hill
C-Mart

I had Hanley, Longoria, and traded for Verlander last year.

More hitters than pitchers will go. I left closers out bc I won't take one with my first pick.

Take the best infielder and pitcher left when I'm up? I probably avoid an OF with my first 2 picks.

[Hornsby]

Honestly, it's so hard to say who might be there when you pick. But the one thing I wouldn't do is to rule any position out. If the OFers are better than what other positions may be left, take one of the. Stats are stats, it doesn't matter where they come from. I think that too many people get hung up on getting a balanced team, with production from every position, sometimes you just can't do that.

[virgonomic]

Honestly, it's so hard to say who might be there when you pick. But the one thing I wouldn't do is to rule any position out. If the OFers are better than what other positions may be left, take one of the. Stats are stats, it doesn't matter where they come from. I think that too many people get hung up on getting a balanced team, with production from every position, sometimes you just can't do that.

Fair enough - if Kemp is there at #14 I probably can't pass him up. However, This league is shallow using C-1-2-3-SS-OF-OF-OF-UT. With 3 OF as keepers, I do think I need to take an IF, since 26 players will go before I'm up again.

[chancellor]

I can't imagine Dee Gordon will get to you, but he'd lock in SBs for you. If LeMahieu sneaks to you, go get him. Any of the 3B would be good, too. I'm guessing Verlander, Tanaka, and Carrasco will be gone; I like C-Mart best of the remainder followed by Hendricks and Teheran if you want to go pitching.

[Sharky]

Any of the 3B would be my first choice.

[Gregg]

How fast does the draft go? Can you post when it is getting closer to your pick and players are cut down a bit.

I would take Gordon over Tanaka and Verlander, but Tanaka over Longoria. Dahl is pretty high, but you have 2 OF, so then Lemahieu may come into play. Kemp is ok but I prefer Seager, doubt Seager makes it to you. I think it might be easier for feedback if you can get us closer to you turn.

[Hammer]

You take the best talent available that early in the draft (round 8). Your biggest need is an SP based on your list but I would only go that route as a tie breaker on available talent.

[virgonomic]

It's a live draft Tue 9PM EST so things will move quickly. I need to have a strategy in place because it will be difficult to get advice on the fly.

I suspect the first 4-6 will be hitters until there is an offer someone can't refuse, i.e., Verlander.

[virgonomic]

I finally got around to looking at ADP. Here are the highest drafted players available:

Verlander KSeager Gordon Carrasco Segura Carpenter Beltre Hendricks CMartinez Hamilton Lucroy HRamirez Tanaka Melancon JUpton Oh Price Hamels Bregman WDavis Lemahieu Bautista

I will pick at least 1 position player. Preferably an IF since I am keeping 3 OF and we only start 3. I won't take a catcher or closer that early. So, the best bat and the best arm, unless I love the bats?

[joncarlos]

Pitching should be plentiful and you've got 2 aces, so I'd go bat/bat unless you really love one of the arms

[chancellor]

Pitching should be plentiful and you've got 2 aces, so I'd go bat/bat unless you really love one of the arms

Agree. 3B/2B, ideally.

[virgonomic]

Sounds good. I do think I can wait on pitching in a league that shallow. I'd love Lucroy/Carpenter but Lemahieu/Bregman seems like a strong possibility, unless someone reaches for a 2B.

[virgonomic]

The first round wentL LuCroy Verlander Carrasco Seager Carpenter Gordon Segura Hendricks Martinez Beltre Longoria Tanaka Santana

I then took Lemahieu and Bregman. Full team in a HDID.