TGFBI: The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational

[Todd Zola]

Swanson was mostly a position thing. There are players I like ahead of the market at the other infield positions so it was sort of a preemptive opportunity cost thing -- leaving the spots available whereas the shortstops I like pretty much dried up and I'd end up taking other positions and grabbing Miguel Rojas in Round 22.

You're not going to crush every pick. Some picks are designed to crush later picks.

Having said that, if I didn't already have two outfielder, I probably would have taken Eddie Rosario, who didn't go until the 8th -- oof.

Swanson's ADP is about eight picks later, so it isn't an egregious jump - not that I would care, my rankings have Swanson worth of that spot.

[cavebird]

Hey, understood. As a Braves homer, I am just trying to jinx a healthy season out of him...

[Todd Zola]

I may be aggressive with playing time, but even so, Swanson is still in a tier by himself on my sheet, and maybe this is confirmation bias, but none of the 23 ensuing picks (and counting) were shortstops.

FWIW -- I also considered Yoan Moncada, but even though McNeil is probably better occupying second on a fantasy roster, the keystone is where a couple of my late faves reside - it's not a secret, I love Kolten Wong in Milwaukee and expect a rebound from Cesar Hernandez.

[cavebird]

I may be aggressive with playing time, but even so, Swanson is still in a tier by himself on my sheet, and maybe this is confirmation bias, but none of the 23 ensuing picks (and counting) were shortstops.

FWIW -- I also considered Yoan Moncada, but even though McNeil is probably better occupying second on a fantasy roster, the keystone is where a couple of my late faves reside - it's not a secret, I love Kolten Wong in Milwaukee and expect a rebound from Cesar Hernandez.

So who doesn't get the playing time in Cleveland? Rosario or Gimenez? Or both because the OF sucks?

[Todd Zola]

Wearing my drafting hat, I don't care. Hernandez should play nearly everyday. As the guy who pretends he has a crystal ball, Gimenez may not break camp as the starting shortstop, but I think he will get it soon enough with Rosario a utility guy, unless he takes well defensively to chasing fly balls.

[Todd Zola]

1.04 J Soto
2.27 M Scherzer
3.34 B Woodruff
4.57 G Springer
5.64 J McNeil
6.87 D Swanson
7.94 Z Greinke
8.117 T Rosenthal
9. 124 W. Contreras
10.147 I Happ
11.154 C Vazquez

While I am quite pleased with things so far, I need the next five or six picks to go just right to make it work and my blood pressure is already high enough. The inventory is there, and my guess is not many others will be interested in the pieces I need, but we'll see.

[cavebird]

I like the last few picks, assuming a 2 C league, which is must be. Happ looks like a steal.

[Todd Zola]

And we've slowed to a snail's pace...

1.04 J Soto
2.27 M Scherzer
3.34 B Woodruff
4.57 G Springer
5.64 J McNeil
6.87 D Swanson
7.94 Z Greinke
8.117 T Rosenthal
9. 124 W. Contreras
10.147 I Happ
11.154 C Vazquez
12. 177 W Smith (ATL)
13.184 T Mancini
14.207 K Wong
15.214 S Manaea

[Hornsby]

Like Mancini and Wong a lot at those spots...and Smith can easily be a 25+ save closer for pretty cheap.