Fantasy Baseball 2012: Breaking Down Bleacher Report's Official League Draft

Chris StephensMar 17, 2012

Fantasy baseball is one of the most popular games on the web.

Here at Bleacher Report, things are no different as we pride ourselves on good, quality fantasy articles.

To go with that, we also do an official fantasy baseball league on Yahoo! between various baseball featured columnists and candidates, ultimately testing our draft strategy and seeing who's the best.

This slideshow will provide a round-by-round view of the draft, with analysis from two or three owners in each round as to why they picked who they did, where they did.

Sadly, a few of the owners didn't make it to the online draft, so they were autopicked, but still had many of those attending perturbed about a player being taken that they wanted.

The 13 other owners will have to compete with my team, Heyward's Henchmen, which I must say is a pretty good looking team.

Included in the league are MLB team leader Stephen Meyer (Betances with Wolves), Nathan Palatsky (Bronx Bombers), Minnesota Twins featured columnist Chris Schad (Crishad Experience), L.A. Dodgers featured columnist Matthew Seukunian (Matt Sooki's Team), New York Yankees featured columnists Chris Sbalcio (Peña Coladas) and Rick Weiner (Prestige Worldwide), MLB featured columnists Josh Benjamin (Section 203 Veteran) and Doug Mead (Desert Desperados), Pittsburgh Pirates featured columnists Ian Hanford (Who's on First?) and Andrew Mease (RaisetheJollyRoger), Boston Red Sox featured columnist Benjamin Klein (The Humans Cespedes), Bryan Sheehan (The Flying Zagurskis), and Ben Ringel (Pull Up Your Pence).

So, without further ado, here's the 23-round Bleacher Report Fantasy Baseball Draft.

Round 1

1 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Miguel Cabrera (1B-DET)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Matt Kemp (OF-LAD)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Robinson Cano (2B-NYY)

4. Betances With Wolves: Albert Pujols (1B-STL)

5. The Human Cespedes: Troy Tulowitzki (SS-COL)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Jose Bautista (3B,OF-TOR)

7. Who's on First?: Ryan Braun (OF-MIL)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Adrian Gonzalez (1B-BOS)

9. Desert Desperados: Joey Votto (1B-CIN)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Justin Verlander (SP-DET)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Jacoby Ellsbury (OF-BOS)

12. Crishad Experience: Justin Upton (OF-ARI)

13. Peña Coladas: Roy Halladay (SP-PHI)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Carlos Gonzalez (OF-COL)

Draft Commentary:

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - Many would have taken Albert Pujols with this pick, but I thought it was a no-brainer to take Cano. First, Cano is the best 2B in the game and his numbers won't differ drastically from what Pujols provides. Additionally, I had other 1B in mind that I could take later in the draft and the chance to have a perennial MVP candidate at a traditionally-thin fantasy position was simply impossible to pass on. Other players I considered taking here were Pujols, Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Bautista.

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - I picked A-Gon because he embraced the city of Boston last year, and they really embraced him too. He had an MVP-caliber year and absolutely flourished in Fenway Park. His home run total may have been lower than expected, but I'm expecting he'll bounce back this year and be a fantasy beast in every way possible.

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - This pick was a toss-up for me because I could either pick the first pitcher of the draft, or I could draft either a shortstop or outfielder. In the end, I felt better going with Verlander over Justin Upton and Jose Reyes. My hope was that Reyes would be available for me in the second round, which he was, so it was a risk that worked out.

Second Round

2 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Evan Longoria (3B-TB)

2. Peña Coladas: Curtis Granderson (OF-NYY)

3. Crishad Experience: Prince Fielder (1B-DET)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Clayton Kershaw (SP-LAD)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Jose Reyes (SS-MIA)

6. Desert Deperados: Dustin Pedroia (2B-BOS)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Cliff Lee (SP-PHI)

8. Who's on First?: Hanley Ramirez (SS-MIA)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Ian Kinsler (2B-TEX)

10. The Human Cespedes: Mark Teixeira (1B-NYY)

11. Betances With Wolves: Giancarlo Stanton (OF-MIA)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Tim Lincecum (SP-SF)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Adrian Beltre (3B-TEX)

14. Bronx Bombers: Andrew McCutchen (OF-PIT)

Draft Commentary:

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - This goes along with my overall philosophy in drafting a fantasy team, which is to get the best offensive player available at a traditionally weak position in the first round and get two aces to lead my starting rotation in rounds two and three. I had hoped that Clayton Kershaw would still be on the board when this pick came up, but when he was taken earlier in the second round, my choices became Lincecum or CC Sabathia, the two best pitchers left on the board in my opinion. The way it worked out, I was able to get Lincecum in the second and Sabathia in the third.

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - With the bookend picks, I had to get the guys I wanted when I had the chance. I love power/speed combination guys, and before 2011, McCutchen had batted exactly .286 in the two prior years. I also love the 30/30 upside. I could get .290, 30 HR, 30 SB, 90 RBI and 90 runs. When you see "second round," this was the dead-last pick of the second round, so I like the value, relative to upside.

Round 3

3 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Felix Hernandez (SP-SEA)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: David Wright (3B-NYM)

3. Prestige Worldwide: CC Sabathia (SP-NYY)

4. Betances With Wolves: Cole Hamels (SP-PHI)

5. The Human Cespedes: Ryan Zimmerman (3B-WAS)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Josh Hamilton (OF-TEX)

7. Who's on First?: Jered Weaver (SP-LAA)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Matt Holliday (OF-STL)

9. Desert Desperados: Nelson Cruz (OF-TEX)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Hunter Pence (OF-PHI)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Starlin Castro (SS-CHC)

12. Crishad Experience: Pablo Sandoval (1B,3B-SF)

13. Peña Coladas: Carlos Santana (C,1B-CLE)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Zack Greinke (SP-MIL)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - I chose Carlos Santana with my third pick because he is one of the top offensive catchers in all of baseball. At a position so weak and with injury concerns for guys like Mauer and Posey, Santana was my favorite, edging Atlanta's Brian McCann for one reason. That reason is that Santana will likely see a lot of time at first base and DH for the Indians in 2012, increasing the number of games he will be playing in, which will obviously lead to a notable difference in offensive output as compared to McCann. Santana's power, production and position in the Cleveland lineup should see him among the league leaders in almost every offensive statistic for catchers.

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - He won a Cy Young in 2009, and is entering his prime at age 28. Greinke is finally healthy, had a good K/9 and great sabermetric stats last season (as noted in Matthew Berry's Love/Hate column for 2012), and could put up even better numbers in a contract year. Also, as I had the last pick of the draft and thus have to wait 26 picks until my next two selections, I wanted to grab a high-tier fantasy starter before they were all gone.

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Round 4

4 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: David Price (SP-TB)

2. Peña Coladas: Alex Rodriguez (3B-NYY)

3. Crishad Experience: Elvis Andrus (SS-TEX)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Dan Haren (SP-LAA)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Dan Uggla (2B-ATL)

6. Desert Deperados: Desmond Jennings (OF-TB)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Brett Lawrie (3B-TOR)

8. Who's on First?: Jay Bruce (OF-CIN)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Paul Konerko (1B-CHW)

10. The Human Cespedes: Ben Zobrist (2B,OF-TB)

11. Betances With Wolves: Mike Napoli (C,1B-TEX)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Jon Lester (SP-BOS)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Matt Cain (SP-SF)

14. Bronx Bombers: Craig Kimbrel (RP-ATL)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - While I am fully aware of the gamble that A-Rod now represents, I was willing to take the risk based on his past performance, offseason surgery and conditioning, and overall attitude about the upcoming season. Rodriguez clearly feels he has something to prove in New York in 2012 and when a guy of his caliber is motivated to put up a monstrous year, it's hard to pass him up in a draft. At such a weak position at third base, with only stars like Cabrera, Longoria, and Beltre reigning supreme in my mind (and also being taken quite quickly), A-Rod as my fourth pick was a risk, but really a no-brainer.

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - For the past few years, there has been one way to define the Toronto Blue Jays: hitting, hitting and more hitting. Lawrie was absolutely incredible in this department last year and his being able to steal bases makes him an even larger threat. Will he regress this year? Perhaps, but he's still going to have a great season and could be the key to the Jays making a statement in the AL East.

Ian Hanford, Who's on First? - I wanted a power presence, and I believe Bruce is set for a breakout year. Coupled with Ryan Braun, I felt Bruce would give me a chance to compete. Great American Ballpark is a great hitters park, and Bruce is starting to figure that out.

Round 5

5 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: B.J. Upton (OF-TB)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Brandon Phillips (2B-CIN)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Buster Posey (C-SF)

4. Betances With Wolves: Stephen Strasburg (SP-WAS)

5. The Human Cespedes: Yovani Gallardo (SP-MIL)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Kevin Youklis (1B,3B-BOS)

7. Who's on First?: Eric Hosmer (1B-KC)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Brian McCann (C-ATL)

9. Desert Desperados: Michael Young (1B,2B,3B-TEX)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Michael Morse (1B,OF-WAS)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Michael Bourn (OF-ATL)

12. Crishad Experience: Shin-Soo Choo (OF-CLE)

13. Peña Coladas: Mariano Rivera (RP-NYY)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Shane Victorino (OF-PHI)

Draft Commentary:

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - This was the most difficult pick of the draft for me. It was Michael Bourn and BJ Upton, and I went back and forth all the way down the clock. Basically, I looked at my projections and saw Upton around .250, 25 HR, 40 SB, 80 RBI and 90 runs. Bourn I expect around .290, 60 SB, 100 runs, and 50 RBI. Considering I started the draft with Miguel Cabrera and I was expecting good average from McCutchen, I went with the power of Upton.

Ian Hanford, Who's on First? - Does anyone have more upside than Hosmer right now? He played very well in his short stint for the Royals last season. He can hit for power and average. I like the players around him in Kansas City, and believe they could present him with plenty of RBI opportunities.

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - Having already got speed on my team in Reyes and a good combo guy like Hunter Pence, going with a guy who has shown a lot of power is what I wanted to go with here. Someone who has the ability to hit 30 home runs and 100 RBI is something everyone needs on their team.

Round 6

6 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Howie Kendrick (1B,2B,OF-LAA)

2. Peña Coladas: Yu Darvish (SP-TEX)

3. Crishad Experience: Alex Gordon (OF-KC)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Jonathan Papelbon (RP-PHI)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Ian Kennedy (SP-ARI)

6. Desert Deperados: Asdrubal Cabrera (SS-CLE)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Jimmy Rollins (SS-PHI)

8. Who's on First?: James Shields (SP-TB)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Michael Cuddyer (1B,2B,OF-COL)

10. The Human Cespedes: Chase Utley (2B-PHI)

11. Betances With Wolves: Aramis Ramirez (3B-MIL)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Jason Heyward (OF-ATL)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: John Axford (RP-MIL)

14. Bronx Bombers: Joe Mauer (C,1B-MIN)

Draft Commentary:

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - A guy who's quietly put up some good statistics the last two or three seasons, Kendrick should benefit greatly from possibly hitting in front of Albert Pujols. He has some versatility (eligible at 1B, 2B, and OF), but most of his value comes from playing second base, which is usually a position where power/offense is scarce.

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - Based on his 2011 stats, this was a reach, but it was only two years ago that Heyward was the "hot prospect" that people were hoping to get in the middle of their drafts. I was going to take offense with this pick as I had taken three pitchers with my previous four picks, and my decision came down to the all-around potential of Heyward against the speed and potentially high average that Los Angeles Dodgers SS Dee Gordon will provide. It was just last week that we looked at how I think both Gordon and Heyward will have big seasons in 2012, and this pick ultimately came down to a gut feeling. The chance to get a .275 average with 30-plus home runs and over 100 RBI from Heyward won out over the chance to get a .300 average and 50 steals from Gordon. Speed is something I felt I could find later in the draft.

Round 7

7 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Dee Gordon (SS-LAD)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Madison Bumgarner (SP-SF)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Josh Johnson (SP-MIA)

4. Betances With Wolves: Drew Storen (RP-WAS)

5. The Human Cespedes: Lance Berkman (1B,OF-STL)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: C.J. Wilson (SP-LAA)

7. Who's on First?: Mat Latos (SP-CIN)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Rickie Weeks (2B-MIL)

9. Desert Desperados: Adam Jones (OF-BAL)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Matt Moore (RP-TB)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Matt Wieters (C-BAL)

12. Crishad Experience: Drew Stubbs (OF-CIN)

13. Peña Coladas: Paul Goldschmidt (1B-ARI)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Adam Wainwright (SP-STL)

Draft Commentary:

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - If Gordon bats .280 then this is a win. If he bats .265, I'll regret it. I expect 50+ steals and 80+ runs (with upside for more). Shortstop gets thin very fast and after the top four, Gordon was my target. Again, with the bookend picks, I had to take him when I could, dead last pick of the 5th.

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - Did you see what he did in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers? If that's not enough to convince you that he's worth a high-round pick, then I'm not sure what will. I believe Moore is a top-five pitcher in the making.

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - The selection of Goldschmidt was the product of quite a few factors for me personally. First off, the first base position is not as deep as we all think it is, with the star sluggers coming off the board fairly quickly. With that being said, I had to set my priorities straight and go for the high level pitchers and stars at other weak positions first, allowing guys like Pujols, Fielder, Votto, and Teixeira to go elsewhere. I saw Goldschmidt play last year and I like his power in Chase Field. This guy could realistically put up a 30+ HR, 90+ RBI season for the D-backs in 2012, and sometimes it pays to roll the dice on the young guys. I would have preferred KC's Eric Hosmer, but he was taken a few picks before.

Round 8

8 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Jayson Werth (OF-WAS)

2. Peña Coladas: Carlos Beltran (OF-STL)

3. Crishad Experience: Tommy Hanson (SP-ATL)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Matt Garza (SP-CHC)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Carl Crawford (OF-BOS)

6. Desert Deperados: Corey Hart (OF-MIL)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Josh Beckett (SP-BOS)

8. Who's on First?: Neil Walker (2B-PIT)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Daniel Hudson (SP-ARI)

10. The Human Cespedes: Heath Bell (RP-MIA)

11. Betances With Wolves: Ryan Howard (1B-PHI)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Ike Davis (1B-NYM)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Miguel Montero (C-ARI)

14. Bronx Bombers: Mark Reynolds (1B,3B-BAL)

Draft Commentary:

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - Even though Werth was grossly overpaid by the Nationals, they did it for a reason: he's a good player that contributes across the board. People seem to be forgetting that after last year's down season, but to get a player who has been 20/20 every season since becoming a starter in 2008 this late is a steal (okay, so he was 20/19 last year). I mean, the dude hit 36 home runs in 2009. That power doesn't just disappear. Hitting in an improved, young lineup, Werth should be due for a nice bounce-back season.

Ian Hanford, Who's on First? - Second base is not the deepest position in baseball. Robinson Cano was my ideal first pick, but he was off the board by the time my pick rolled around. Walker is a gutsy player. He is great with runners in scoring position, and the Pirates seem to be on the up-and-up. I think he could be one of the more consistent second baseman in the league despite his average power.

Round 9

9 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Jordan Zimmermann (SP-WAS)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Ricky Romero (SP-TOR)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Derek Jeter (SS-NYY)

4. Betances With Wolves: Andre Ethier (OF-LAD)

5. The Human Cespedes: Brett Gardner (OF-NYY)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Alex Avila (C-DET)

7. Who's on First?: Nick Swisher (1B,OF-NYY)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Yoenis Cespedes (OF-OAK)

9. Desert Desperados: J.J. Putz (RP-ARI)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Brandon Beachy (SP-ATL)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Billy Butler (1B-KC)

12. Crishad Experience: Michael Pineda (SP-NYY)

13. Peña Coladas: Dustin Ackley (2B-SEA)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Freddie Freeman (1B-ATL)

Draft Commentary:

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - This was a no-brainer. I needed a shortstop and Jeter was far and away the best one left on the board. Yes Jeter is older and no longer the player that he was a decade ago, but he can still provide a high average to go along with boosting my runs-scored and stolen-base totals. For those who believe that Jeter is "done" as a useful fantasy option, I point to his production after the All-Star break last season, when he hit .331 with a .384 OBP, .831 OPS, four home runs and 41 RBIs. I would take Jeter over the other shortstops available at this pick—such as J.J. Hardy and Marco Scutaro—every time.

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - In every fantasy draft I do, regardless of sport, I have one rule: always draft at least one rookie. This year, Cespedes proved to be the winner. Simply put, the hype surrounding him is to the point where I felt like being a gambling man.

Round 10

10 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: J.J. Hardy (SS-BAL)

2. Peña Coladas: Gio Gonzalez (SP-WAS)

3. Crishad Experience: Andrew Bailey (RP-BOS)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Joel Hanrahan (RP-PIT)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Jose Valverde (RP-DET)

6. Desert Deperados: Brian Wilson (RP-SF)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Doug Fister (SP-DET)

8. Who's on First?: David Freese (3B-STL)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Ichiro Suzuki (OF-SEA)

10. The Human Cespedes: Chris Young (OF-ARI)

11. Betances With Wolves: Logan Morrison (OF-MIA)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Jesus Montero (UTIL-SEA)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Cameron Maybin (OF-SD)

14. Bronx Bombers: Brandon Morrow (SP-TOR)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - I had gone without a closer for long enough. With already a lot of closers off the board, I went ahead and grabbed arguably the best closer from last year. Do I think he'll repeat those numbers? No. But I do see him getting 40 saves this year.

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - Nothing is sadder than a pitcher who is absolutely incredible, but has a losing record because he gets zero run support. Thus, when Fister was traded to the Tigers last year, his 8-1 record and 1.79 ERA post-trade showed just how good a hurler he can be. With a great lineup backing him up and a full season in Comerica Park in store for him, I wouldn't at all be surprised if he had a Cy-Young-caliber year.

Round 11

11 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Ryan Madson (RP-CIN)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Nick Markakis (OF-BAL)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Jordan Walden (RP-LAA)

4. Betances With Wolves: Chris Carpenter (SP-STL)

5. The Human Cespedes: Cory Luebke (SP,RP-SD)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Melky Cabrera (OF-SF)

7. Who's on First?: Shaun Marcum (SP-MIL)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Matt Joyce (OF-TB)

9. Desert Desperados: Joakim Soria (RP-KC)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Yadier Molina (C-STL)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Peter Bourjos (OF-LAA)

12. Crishad Experience: Carlos Marmol (RP-CHC)

13. Peña Coladas: Coco Crisp (OF-OAK)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Ubaldo Jimenez (SP-CLE)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - With one outfield spot vacant on my team at this point (the others being occupied by Curtis Granderson and Carlos Beltran), I decided to give my team a boost in the speed department by selecting Coco Crisp. Crisp has been fairly reliable and consistent the past couple years, and with the pickings starting to thin out, I was actually a little surprised to see the AL's co-leader in stolen bases still on the board. Coco won't offer me much other than those bags, but in a Head-to-Head league, that's enough for me.

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - Evident from many of my picks in this draft, I'm a guy who loves redemption. I love getting proven players with records of past success on the cheap after a bad season or two. In Ubaldo's case, who would have thought during Ubaldo-mania a couple years ago that I could get him in the 11th round during my 2012 fantasy draft? Sure, he struggled after being traded, but again I'm willing to bet that all of his talent and unhittable stuff didn't just disappear. Plus, 2012 will be his first full season out of Coors Field, which should only help. He may never return to Ubaldo-mania form, but he has a ton of upside in the 11th round.

Round 12

12 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Huston Street (RP-SD)

2. Peña Coladas: Johnny Cueto (SP-CIN)

3. Crishad Experience: Jemile Weeks (2B-OAK)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Anibal Sanchez (SP-MIA)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: David Ortiz (UTIL-BOS)

6. Desert Deperados: Ervin Santana (SP-LAA)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Jason Motte (RP-STL)

8. Who's on First?: Neftali Feliz (RP-TEX)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Alexei Ramirez (SS-CHW)

10. The Human Cespedes: Sergio Santos (RP-TOR)

11. Betances With Wolves: Erick Aybar (SS-LAA)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Mike Moustakas (3B-KC)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Adam Lind (1B-TOR)

14. Bronx Bombers: Emilio Bonifacio (3B,SS,OF-MIA)

Draft Commentary:

Ian Hanford, Who's on First? - One word: flexibility. Feliz is going to get a shot in the starting rotation, but could see time in the pen if that does not work out. He has electric stuff despite his very stiff delivery. I like Feliz for his strikeout numbers, but the his role change definitely creates a risk.

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - Bonifacio won out in this spot because I feel confident in his average (.280ish), runs and steals. I had enough speed, but there wasn't much power left, and I already had batting average risk in Mark Reynolds and BJ Upton, so I needed someone who could provide a good average with a lot of at-bats.

13th Round

13 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Jason Kipnis (2B-CLE)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Rafael Betancourt (RP-COL)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Brennan Boesch (OF-DET)

4. Betances With Wolves: Jaime Garcia (SP-STL)

5. The Human Cespedes: Kenley Jansen (RP-LAD)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Hiroki Kuroda (SP-NYY)

7. Who's on First?: Jeff Francoeur (OF-KC)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Joe Nathan (RP-TEX)

9. Desert Desperados: Jeremy Hellickson (SP-TB)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Brandon League (RP-SEA)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Martin Prado (3B,OF-ATL)

12. Crishad Experience: J.P. Arencibia (C-TOR)

13. Peña Coladas: Marco Scutaro (SS-COL)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Geovany Sota (C-CHC)

Draft Commentary:

"Rick Weiner," Prestige Worldwide - I targeted Boesch as somebody I wanted to draft, though this was perhaps two rounds before I really wanted to grab him—but I have no regrets about the selection. Nobody will benefit more from the Detroit Tigers signing of Prince Fielder than Boesch, who will be batting second in Detroit's lineup. With Miguel Cabrera and Fielder batting behind him, teams will have no choice but to pitch to Boesch, who is poised to breakout after hitting .269 with 15 home runs and 60 RBI on average through his first two seasons. Boesch won't kill my batting average and I expect his home run and RBI totals to go up.

Round 14

14 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Javy Guerra (RP-LAD)

2. Peña Coladas: Derek Holland (SP-TEX)

3. Crishad Experience: Max Scherzer (SP-DET)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Chris Perez (RP-CLE)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Kendrys Morales (1B,OF-LAA)

6. Desert Deperados: Ryan Dempster (SP-CHC)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Jarrod Parker (SP-OAK)

8. Who's on First?: Devin Mesoraco (C-CIN)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Kyle Farnsworth (RP-TB)

10. The Human Cespedes: Tim Hudson (SP-ATL)

11. Betances With Wolves: Jhoulys Chacin (SP-COL)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Dexter Fowler (OF-COL)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Jhonny Peralta (SS-DET)

14. Bronx Bombers: Clay Buchholz (SP-BOS)

Draft Commentary:

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - I'll be honest, I don't know much at all about Javy Guerra. In fact, I didn't really know him at all before a couple days ago, when I read that he was named the Dodgers' closer to open 2012. This was not reflected much, if at all, in the Yahoo rankings. Kenley Jansen (who fantasy experts are wetting themselves over as a sleeper) was still ranked way above him, and was actually picked the round before him by The Human Cespedes, even though he just lost out on the closer job. I don't usually like paying for saves and drafting many closers, but I needed some pitching at this point and no other players near the top of the board really excited me.

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - To think a few years ago that I could've gotten somebody like Morales in the 14th round would have been crazy. Of course, injuries have hurt him over the last two years. But, if he's back to being fully healthy, then he'll be dangerous in the middle of the Angels' lineup. What makes it even better is that he has outfield eligibility. So, I can use him in two positions if I wanted.

Round 15

15 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Colby Rasmus (OF-TOR)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Frank Francisco (RP-NYM)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Austin Jackson (OF-DET)

4. Betances With Wolves: Kelly Johnson (2B-TOR)

5. The Human Cespedes: Bud Norris (SP-HOU)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Wandy Rodriguez (SP-HOU)

7. Who's on First?: Chris Sale (RP-CHW)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Vance Worley (SP-PHI)

9. Desert Desperados: Justin Masterson (SP-CLE)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Ryan Roberts (2B,3B-ARI)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Mark Trumbo (1B,OF-LAA)

12. Crishad Experience: Ted Lilly (SP-LAD)

13. Peña Coladas: Carlos Pena (1B-TB)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Jose Tabata (OF-PIT)

Draft Commentary:

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - I noticed this young man when he filled in for Roy Oswalt last year and the results simply spoke for themselves. No matter how you look at it, Worley has the potential to be a valuable young arm in an aging rotation. The walk totals may be high, but he's a good sleeper pick.

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - As we began to reach the tail end of the draft, my only starting batter position left was the Utility (essentially our DH). Not a ton of formidable bats were still available, and being my team's namesake, Carlos Pena seemed like a good fit. This guy is a constant power threat, albeit with little else to offer. However, a return to Tampa Bay, the place where he undoubtedly experienced the most success in his career, fueled my decision to grab the former AL home run king. I'll be the first to admit that he may not last all year for me, especially with a bench that includes Vernon Wells, Angel Pagan, Salvador Perez, and Brandon Allen—all guys I envision having a chance at bounce-back/breakout years—but being so late in the draft, this was a low-risk, high-reward move for me.

Round 16

16 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Jair Jurrjens (SP-ATL)

2. Peña Coladas: Johan Santana (SP-NYM)

3. Crishad Experience: Edwin Jackson (SP-WAS)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Edwin Encarnacion (1B,3B-TOR)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Ivan Nova (SP-NYY)

6. Desert Deperados: Brandon McCarthy (SP-OAK)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Trevor Cahill (SP-ARI)

8. Who's on First?: Alejandro De Aza (OF-CHW)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Edinson Volquez (SP-SD)

10. The Human Cespedes: Alexi Ogando (SP-TEX)

11. Betances With Wolves: Colby Lewis (SP-TEX)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Mark Melancon (RP-BOS)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: John Danks (SP-CHW)

14. Bronx Bombers: Alex Rios (OF-CHW)

Draft Commentary:

Ian Hanford, Who's on First? - I look for value late in the draft. De Aza is not a sure thing, but my team needed a speedy player. He will be an interesting table-setter for a bad White Sox team this year. I do not expect much, but I will be happy with 30-40 stolen bases.

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - I needed a second closer and it came down to Melancon or Brett Myers in Houston with this pick. Melancon may not be a proven commodity. but I'll take the closer on a talented Boston Red Sox team over the closer on a rebuilding Houston Astros team any day of the week.

Round 17

17 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Stephen Drew (SS-ARI)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Scott Baker (SP-MIN)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Ryan Vogelsong (SP-SF)

4. Betances With Wolves: Matt Thornton (RP-CHW)

5. The Human Cespedes: Wilson Ramos (C-WAS)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Tim Stauffer (SP-SD)

7. Who's on First?: Daniel Bard (RP-BOS)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Josh Willingham (OF-MIN)

9. Desert Desperados: Russell Martin (C-NYY)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Kyle Lohse (SP-STL)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Daniel Murphy (1B,2B,3B-NYM)

12. Crishad Experience: Roy Oswalt (SP-PHI)

13. Peña Coladas: Mark Buehrle (SP-MIA)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Danny Espinosa (2B-WAS)

Draft Commentary:

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - I generally don't like Drew. But in the 17th round, there was enough upside to warrant the pick as a backup for Dee Gordon. Drew will be available if someone else has a dire need for a shortstop, and at least there's still some upside if he gets healthy and figures it out.

Chris Sbalcio, Peña Coladas - Hands down the steal of the draft. I mean seriously, how does a guy like Mark Buehrle go undrafted into the 17th round? When I saw his name, I clicked on it and started praying that the guys in front of me wouldn't see him, and they didn't (although a couple guys after me did and were none too pleased that I snatched him up). Buehrle is one of MLB's most consistent pitchers, and moving to the weak-hitting NL will only make him that much better. I expect 15+ wins from Buehrle in Miami, with an ERA in the low-to-mid 3.00's. If I had seen Buehrle in the 10th round I probably would have taken him, so getting him seven rounds later was just a gift.

Round 18

18 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Lucas Duda (1B,OF-NYM)

2. Peña Coladas: Francisco Cordero (RP-TOR)

3. Crishad Experience: Grady Sizemore (OF-CLE)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Chris Capuano (SP-LAD)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Carlos Lee (1B,OF-HOU)

6. Desert Deperados: Yunel Escobar (SS-TOR)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Mike Trout (OF-LAA)

8. Who's on First?: Justin Morneau (1B-MIN)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Aaron Crow (RP-KC)

10. The Human Cespedes: Torii Hunter (OF-LAA)

11. Betances With Wolves: Ian Desmond (SS-WAS)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Bryce Harper (OF-WAS)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: Gaby Sanchez (1B-MIA)

14. Bronx Bombers: Brandon Belt (1B,OF-SF)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - My hope is that Lee gets traded to another team that needs a first baseman. Honestly, he won't have great numbers in Houston, except for in home runs. So, in the 18th round, I'm willing to take that chance, since I was mainly looking to fill bench positions anyways.

Rick Weiner, Prestige Worldwide - It's only a matter of time before Harper is a regular in the outfield for the Washington Nationals, so I had no problem looking ahead with this pick. His talent is undeniable and when he finally arrives in the majors, he will put up big numbers across the board. The chance to get a superstar in the 18th round—even if he only helps my fantasy team for a month or two this season—was too tempting to pass up. Harper's production in limited time will likely be close to, if not better than the production I would have gotten from other players I could have picked in this spot.

Round 19

19 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Jonny Venters (RP-ATL)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Mitch Moreland (1B,OF-TEX)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Phil Hughes (SP-NYY)

4. Betances With Wolves: Carlos Quentin (OF-SD)

5. The Human Cespedes: Jason Kubel (OF-ARI)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Chris Heisey (OF-CIN)

7. Who's on First?: Francisco Liriano (SP-MIN)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Josh Tomlin (SP-CLE)

9. Desert Desperados: Vladimir Guerrero (UTIL-BAL)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Jake Peavy (SP-CHW)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Matt Capps (RP-MIN)

12. Crishad Experience: Delmon Young (OF-DET)

13. Peña Coladas: Angel Pagan (OF-SF)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Sergio Romo (RP-SF)

Draft Commentary:

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - One of these days, Peavy is going to return to the same form he had when he was in San Diego. With it being this late in the draft, I felt like I could take a gamble here. If it works, then I look like a genius, but if it doesn't, it's no big deal.

Round 20

20 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Grant Balfour (RP-OAK)

2. Peña Coladas: Vernon Wells (OF-LAA)

3. Crishad Experience: Rafael Furcal (SS-STL)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Ben Revere (OF-MIN)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Alfonso Soriano (OF-CHC)

6. Desert Deperados: Dayan Viciedo (OF-CHW)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Yonder Alonso (1B,OF-SD)

8. Who's on First?: Lorenzo Cain (OF-KC)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Nolan Reimold (OF-BAL)

10. The Human Cespedes: Mike Carp (1B,OF-SEA)

11. Betances With Wolves: Alex Presley (OF-PIT)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Mike Aviles (2B,3B,SS-BOS)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: J.D. Martinez (OF-HOU)

14. Bronx Bombers: Adam Dunn (1B-CHW)

Draft Commentary:

Josh Benjamin, Section 203 Veteran - Not much to explain here. He's a great bat overall and is a solid option off the bench should one of the regulars falter.

Chris Stephens, Heyward's Henchmen - A few years ago, Soriano was one of the best players in the league, with him being taken in the first or second round in many drafts. My hope is that he returns a little closer to that form. If so, this could be one of the biggest steals of the draft.

Round 21

21 of 23

1. Bronx Bombers: Jim Johnson (RP-BAL)

2. Matt Sooki's Team: Mike Minor (SP-ATL)

3. Prestige Worldwide: Bryan LeHair (OF-CHC)

4. Betances With Wolves: Erik Bedard (SP-PIT)

5. The Human Cespedes: Chase Headley (3B-SD)

6. RaiseTheJollyRoger: Chad Billingsley (SP-LAD)

7. Who's on First?: Aaron Hill (2B-ARI)

8. Section 203 Veteran: Hisashi Iwakuma (SP-SEA)

9. Desert Desperados: Gavin Floyd (SP-CHW)

10. Heyward's Henchmen: Jacob Turner (SP-DET)

11. The Flying Zagurskis: Ricky Nolasco (SP-MIA)

12. Crishad Experience: Jonathon Niese (SP-NYM)

13. Peña Coladas: Brandon Allen (1B-OAK)

14. Pull Up Your Pence: Chris Davis (1B,3B-BAL)

Draft Commentary:

Nathan Palatsky, Bronx Bombers - Cheap saves. Johnson had a 2.67 ERA in 90 innings with 18 holds and 9 saves last year, and he is the unchallenged closer now. I see 30-35 saves with an ERA around 2.90, and that's more than worthy of his 21st round position.

Round 22

22 of 23

1. Pull Up Your Pence: Aroldis Chapman (RP-CIN)

2. Peña Coladas: Salvador Perez (C-KC)

3. Crishad Experience: Carlos Zambrano (SP-MIA)

4. The Flying Zagurskis: Jose Altuve (2B-HOU)

5. Heyward's Henchmen: Chipper Jones (3B-ATL)

6. Desert Deperados: Chris Iannetta (C-LAA)

7. Section 203 Veteran: Brad Peacock (SP-OAK)

8. Who's on First?: A.J. Burnett (SP-PIT)

9. RaiseTheJollyRoger: James Loney (1B-LAD)

10. The Human Cespedes: Alcides Escobar (SS-KC)

11. Betances With Wolves: Lonnie Chisenhall (3B-CLE)

12. Prestige Worldwide: Danny Hultzen (SP-SEA)

13. Matt Sooki's Team: R.A. Dickey (SP-NYM)

14. Bronx BombersAddison Reed (RP-CHW)

Draft Commentary:

Ben Ringel, Pull Up Your Pence - I might have blown this one, but since it was my second-to-last pick in the draft it's probably not that big of a deal. "Road Trip" was coming on FX, and I was so distracted that by the time my turn came up I didn't really have a pick ready. I wanted to take a starting-pitching sleeper, and quickly thought to myself, 'Isn't Chapman going to be a starter this year? I hope so.' It actually seems pretty unclear at this point whether Chapman will be in the rotation or the bullpen, as the Reds already have a handful of seemingly-capable starters. Even if Chapman ends up in the bullpen, he could end up as a set-up man for Ryan Madson and provide some good value with a low ERA and ample strikeouts. So if he starts, that's awesome, if he racks up strikeouts in the bullpen I'm happy, and if he doesn't really do much then it's not that much of a waste, considering where I drafted him.