What's the Greatest Draft Pick You Ever Made?

[Ben Grimm]

This brings up memories as a different thread pulled this name out of me.

In '98 I drafted Fernando Tatis in the final round (30) of our draft. I kept him the next season, and he went absolute ballistic to a tune of .298/34/107.

Apparently that was his one great year as he never got close. But it was a fun year for me.

This year, it's been Mike Trout in the 13th round. In my auction leauge, $11 for Chase Headley has been an absolute steal. Then again, $41 for Hanley and $27 for Werth hasn't panned out all that well

I can list more - as well as major clunkers. Interested in any of yours.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Chris Sale this year did pretty good for me until the end.

[EdTarbusz]

In 2001 I used my sixth pick (serpentine draft) to pick Ichiro Suzuki.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Jean Segura is turning into my greatest one in my short Fantasy career.

[Ben Grimm]

Segura's sweet. Looking like this year, my 30th round pick (final pick overall) of Manny Machado in an AL-only draft is money.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Segura's sweet. Looking like this year, my 30th round pick (final pick overall) of Manny Machado in an AL-only draft is money.

Man how I wish I would have picked up Machado in most of my leagues.

[Ben Grimm]

Man how I wish I would have picked up Machado in most of my leagues.

I've missed as many or more than I've gotten right. This year, I used a 14th pick on Wil Myers and he's struggling, so that looks like a bust. Last year I took the pitcher Iwakuma and dropped him when they pushed him into the pen - had him at rd 26. He went this year round 16 or so and is doing very well. I also took Bogaerts this year and dropped him quickly as he struggled early and Stepen Drew came back. Last I looked, he was raking and now I can't keep him since I released him.

That's the one really cool thing we do - and the most frustrating when you need impact players now... whoever we draft and keep, that player stays in his draft slot for the next three seasons with a fourth year option. In other words, I can keep Machado at 30 again the next two years with an option to keep him at 15 for the fourth season. That's what makes picking prospects fun in the league we do. The payoff can be immense if you hit one right.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I wonder if this Charlie Blackmon is the real deal.

[Ben Grimm]

I wonder if this Charlie Blackmon is the real deal.

Through May 10th:

AVG: .355
OPS: .991

Since May 11th:

AVG: .262
OPS: .685

But his first eight weeks were so good for a player picked up off the waiver wire, he helped teams get early leads from an unexpected source.

[GiambiJuice]

In a 12-team 5x5 league in 2009 I snagged Pablo Sandoval in the 18th round. He hit .330 with 25 HR and was eligible at catcher for the entire season. I won the league and retired from fantasy baseball forever after that.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

In a 12-team 5x5 league in 2009 I snagged Pablo Sandoval in the 18th round. He hit .330 with 25 HR and was eligible at catcher for the entire season. I won the league and retired from fantasy baseball forever after that.

I had a similar pick in 2005 in a 10 team Yahoo league. I needed a backup first baseman so I picked Derek Lee in like the 14th round. Lee proceeds to have a prime Albert Pujols type season with 45 HR, 50 doubles, 107 RBI, 120 runs, 199 hits, 85 BB and hit .333. He even stole 15 bags.

[GiambiJuice]

I had a similar pick in 2005 in a 10 team Yahoo league. I needed a backup first baseman so I picked Derek Lee in like the 14th round. Lee proceeds to have a prime Albert Pujols type season with 45 HR, 50 doubles, 107 RBI, 120 runs, 199 hits, 85 BB and hit .333. He even stole 15 bags.

Ooh, sore topic. I picked Lee in the first round the next year. Utter disaster, completed torpedoed my season within the first few weeks.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Ooh, sore topic. I picked Lee in the first round the next year. Utter disaster, completed torpedoed my season within the first few weeks.

Ouch! Lee's '05 season is one of the greatest fluke seasons ever like Norm Cash in '61, Davey Johnson in '73, Brady Anderson in '96, or Steve Stone in '80.

[GiambiJuice]

Ouch! Lee's '05 season is one of the greatest fluke seasons ever like Norm Cash in '61, Davey Johnson in '73, Brady Anderson in '96, or Steve Stone in '80.

Eh, he did hit over 30 HR three other times. 2005 was of course a bit outlier, but I don't think it's nearly as flakey as some that you mentioned.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Eh, he did hit over 30 HR three other times. 2005 was of course a bit outlier, but I don't think it's nearly as flakey as some that you mentioned.

I suppose it's semantics, In 2005 Lee led the National League in hits, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and total bases. And this was when Albert Pujols was in his prime. Lee never led the league in even a single category in any other season. His 7.4 WAR is 61% higher than his second best season, 220% higher than his third best season,, and 247% higher than his fourth best seasons.