*** VD 7 Commentary Thread ***

[heyelander]

Yeah the 18000 team limit is in play. The 2000 IP limit was for the BY Only Draft.

That's the stat I've actually been most worried about this draft.

[TS Garp]

Was looking for a minute there like we'd go on an unprecedented run of picks...

[heyelander]

Was looking for a minute there like we'd go on an unprecedented run of picks...

but then we got Long Johned.

[Long John]

Sorry. Apparently I was moving a lot of Irish beer today.

Pick up shortly.

[johnnya24]

Team reviews:

Heyelander - Never easy to read. Hitting is high on value and has a good all-round feel. I suppose if you're going to pick 3 hitters with sub 70 BY RBI's before halfway, its good to have 3 with almost 150 BY RBI's each. Career numbers well anchored, ratios are competitive, and some difficult positions in the bag. Has nibbled away at the pitchers. Good career pitching numbers, and decent BY numbers. Pretty solid start.

Frae - Good picks throughout. I can say I had my eye on almost all of his players at some point. Very nice balance, especially the pitching. Eckersley was a terrific pick in the 3rd ... possibly the best of the draft so far.

Pogues - I quite often don't have a clue what Pogues is doing, and this draft is no different. 3 closers (inc 2 tweeners) in the first 8 picks then Niekro. I half thought he was going to do something like that, but I didn't know why. Still don't. Hitting has a nice balance between career and BY, and some tough positions filled.

TSGarp - Seems to have drafted a good looking team so far. Really solid and competitive all round. Maybe jumped on Knoblauch a bit soon ... I'd probably have gambled on leaving him a few more rounds.

ElDiablo - Seems to be picking the guys I choose not to pick (Carlton, Hunter, Sutter especially). Carlton and Hunter fit really nicely together and Sutter is a nice accompaniment. Hitting is very well set across the board. Nice foundation ... power, speed, very good career and BY numbers, competitive ratios. One of the best teams so far.

Johnny - I like my balance. Had to think hard in order to make the best use of Pedro after one of the other big gun pitchers didn't make it back. Really wanted Hunter, but chose Guidry instead so I could grab a guy like Blyleven and drag my counting stats back without damaging my BY ratios too much. Wood consolidated things nicely for my pitching. Hitting .... only one tough spot filled, but really well anchored across the board. I like where I am. Not swapping.

Long John - Along with Pogues not 100% sure what's going on here. hitting could turn out good if he can compensate later. Crushing the career stats. Like Pogues, dedicated early picks to closers and not SP's. Will be interested to see how that works out.

Hacko - Decided to bomb the pitching counting stats, but despite that, isn't far off on the ratios despite not having a single pitcher with sub 2.00 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP. Randy, Roger and Nolan could all be in that sweet zone with the ratios. I think he picked one too many, but he may have a trick up his sleeve. Hitting is solid and good value throughout. I'm interested to see what he has in mind.

Controller - Did with his pitching what I wanted to do predraft ... 2 of Pedro, Maddux and Seaver (I might have went pedro-Clemens if Clemens made it to me in the 2nd incidentally). I didn't have the right draft position though. Followed it up with a bunch of excellent value / balance picks. Seaver - Maddux gives CJ a big edge in this draft IMO. If he carries his form from VD6, he could be the team to beat.

Feral - Given his propensity for early pitching, I was hoping he'd break up the Maddux & _____ combination from making it back to CJ. Instead he went with a riskier strategy of Rivera and Biggio. I like the Fergie and Schilling matchup, although I'd worry those two might negate a lot of the value from Rivera, or lead you down a path that forced you to negate the value of your first rounder. Hitting ... counting stats are well balanced, although the ratios are a bit schizophrenic ... Vlad and Alomar followed by Thome and Schmidt (although that may ultimately be a positive).

Revo - Another interesting team. Revo has some sort of cunning plan. Marchial and Gibson have given him a powerful career anchor position, and he has complimented those picks quite nicely with Santana and Saberhagen. Hitting is still in its infancy, so not much to say there ... although Jeter and McGwire aren't the best of fit (high ratio player / tank ratio player). Another team I'm following with interest.

[Pogues]

Team reviews:

Pogues - I quite often don't have a clue what Pogues is doing, and this draft is no different. 3 closers (inc 2 tweeners) in the first 8 picks then Niekro. I half thought he was going to do something like that, but I didn't know why. Still don't. Hitting has a nice balance between career and BY, and some tough positions filled.

I can tell you what Pogues is doing...not giving too much of a crap. I am just not really into this draft much, but I'm trying something different. I don't think this was the draft to try it though, but at this point I couldn't care less. Most likely I'll be last or very close to it.

A couple of the dump ideas I wanted to try others jumped on quicker than me, so I figured to try something really out there.

[johnnya24]

I can tell you what Pogues is doing...not giving too much of a crap. I am just not really into this draft much, but I'm trying something different. I don't think this was the draft to try it though, but at this point I couldn't care less. Most likely I'll be last or very close to it.

A couple of the dump ideas I wanted to try others jumped on quicker than me, so I figured to try something really out there.

I think this draft format (heavy on hitting, hard on pitching) could provide some opportunities for unusual strategies.

[heyelander]

I actually have an idea what I would like to do this time, but I'm currently not executing it well. Probably because it is ill conceived. I'm also worried I'll run into 2 other people trying the same thing, but hopefully it's a bad enough idea that no one else will try.

[The Feral Slasher]

Team reviews:
Controller - Did with his pitching what I wanted to do predraft ... 2 of Pedro, Maddux and Seaver (I might have went pedro-Clemens if Clemens made it to me in the 2nd incidentally). I didn't have the right draft position though. Followed it up with a bunch of excellent value / balance picks. Seaver - Maddux gives CJ a big edge in this draft IMO. If he carries his form from VD6, he could be the team to beat.

Feral - Given his propensity for early pitching, I was hoping he'd break up the Maddux & _____ combination from making it back to CJ. Instead he went with a riskier strategy of Rivera and Biggio. I like the Fergie and Schilling matchup, although I'd worry those two might negate a lot of the value from Rivera, or lead you down a path that forced you to negate the value of your first rounder. Hitting ... counting stats are well balanced, although the ratios are a bit schizophrenic ... Vlad and Alomar followed by Thome and Schmidt (although that may ultimately be a positive).

Revo - Another interesting team. Revo has some sort of cunning plan. Marchial and Gibson have given him a powerful career anchor position, and he has complimented those picks quite nicely with Santana and Saberhagen. Hitting is still in its infancy, so not much to say there ... although Jeter and McGwire aren't the best of fit (high ratio player / tank ratio player). Another team I'm following with interest.

This is two drafts in a row CJ has drafted right in front of me and taken the guy I really wanted in round 1. He's stolen a few other guys i was hoping for as well. And Revo and I have a very similar pitching strategy it appears. We seem to be after a lot of the same guys, pluse he took Hoffman right after I took Rivera, as well as T Simmons right after I grabbed J Lopez. It is strange to be going after the exact same guys as the drafters before and after me. I was about ready to give up on the whole draft after taking a closer and catcher so early, but it might work out ok. Doesn't seem like I'm struggling too bad and I've got both catchers out of the way. Did I mention catcher is becoming a wasteland ?

[Long John]

Team reviews:
Long John - Along with Pogues not 100% sure what's going on here. hitting could turn out good if he can compensate later. Crushing the career stats. Like Pogues, dedicated early picks to closers and not SP's. Will be interested to see how that works out.

There's a method to my madness, although, admittedly, I don't have enough VD experience to know if it's the correct method to victory. Time will tell.

[revo]

Roy Halladay's & Johan Santana's stats are not updated through the 2012 season. There are also many other players who will be drafted who are in the same boat, so be aware!

[johnnya24]

Roy Halladay's & Johan Santana's stats are not updated through the 2012 season. There are also many other players who will be drafted who are in the same boat, so be aware!

I'll go through it all tonight.

[heyelander]

Roy Halladay's & Johan Santana's stats are not updated through the 2012 season. There are also many other players who will be drafted who are in the same boat, so be aware!

I'm okay with it... no need to look at Halladay's stats.

[heyelander]

hadn't seen this one before...

I think I'll need to start using "hold on hasty pudding"

[johnnya24]

Sammy Gayvis Junior