Round 1 : Paul Goldschmidt. I had Judge/Votto/Stanton/Trout as the first 4 picks and to me, in that order. Then Altuve and Goldschmidt as the 5/6 picks in either order although I would select Goldschmidt over Altuve.. So I had me selecting Jose Ramirez with the 7th pick but I really wanted Goldschmidt for his power, on base and stealing ability. I had made a predraft conditional trade agreement with Graham who held the 5 spot of the draft and he said along as one of the first four picks I mentioned was not there at 5, he would trade his 5th spot to me. Trout/Judge/Votto went and then Ken picked Altuve so Graham kept his 5th spot and selected Stanton. I thought Keith would then select Goldschmidt but he went with Jose Ramirez leaving me to take who I wanted, Paul Goldschmidt. The draft started out very well for the Hammond Hallelujahs! We got who we wanted without having to trade up to get him.
Round 2 : Cody Bellinger. Holding the 10th spot (2nd round) of the draft, I had 11 names going into the draft for my first two picks knowing 2 of them would be there for me at 7 and 11. Six of those names I had going before I picked leaving Ramirez, Bellinger, Charlie Blackmon, Freddie Freeman and JD Martinez ranked in that order remaining on my list. I was prepared to select Ramirez at 7 and using my ranking, Greg would select Bellinger and Blackmon in the swing leaving me to select Freeman. Greg selected Kris Byant and Charlie Blackmon leaving me to select the second ranked player I had remaining on my list, Bellinger. After two picks, I was very pleased with the first two names I was able to announce.
Round 3 : Max Scherzer. Wish I Had Selected - Maybe Marcell Ozuna. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick of Bellinger In Round 2 To My Pick Of Scherzer Here In Round 3 - Tommy Pham and Corey Seager. I didn't know who I was going to select with my third round spot but as names were being announced and the draft was coming back to me in the middle of the third round, I saw an opportunity for Stephen Strasburg and started hoping that he or Scherzer would make it to me here. Graham selected Strasburg two spots ahead of me and I assumed Keith would take Scherzer but he didn't so I quickly announced Scherzer and again was pleased with who I was able to get with our third pick of the draft.
Round 4 : Nolan Arenado. In Hindsight I May Wish I Had Selected - Justin Upton, Zack Cozart or Carlos Correa. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Scherzer In Round 3 To My Pick of Arenado Here In Round 4 - Daniel Murphy. I was hoping for Marcell Ozuna here but Greg selected him in the swing. I really struggled with this pick as I also was considering Justin Upton, Zack Cozart and Carlos Correa. It came down to Upton or Arenado for me and I went with Arenado as I felt the drop off at third after Arendado was larger then Upton at a corner outfield position. Love Arenado's 6 at third and 5 power numbers. HATE his R5 and 3 24's. Feeling really good regarding 3 of 4 my four picks at this point and acceptable regarding Arenado.
Round 5 : Kenley Jansen. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Arendado In Round 4 To My Pick Here Of Jansen In Round 5 - Chris Sale, Rhys Hoskins, Justin Turner, Nelson Cruz and Wellington Castillo. Gregg had selected Craig Kimbrel earlier in the 5th round and I was surprised that didn't set off a little reliever run. I once again didn't have a definite plan going into my 5th/6th picks other then not wanting to select a catcher, DH or a starting pitcher. I had Jansen as the best reliever available in the draft and having selected him in the 5th round last year, thought once again to take him here.
Round 6 :Felipe Rivero. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Jansen In Round 5 To My Pick Here Of Rivero In Round 6 - Tucker Barnhart and Josh Reddick. I did this last year, too. Taking relief pitchers with my 5th/6th round swing picks. Last year after I did that, the next relief pitcher was not selected until round 8. So I tried to find someone else other then Rivero to select but couldn't find anyone I preferred over Rivero. I was happy with Rivero but wished there was a position player that I preferred over him.
Round 7 (Graham's spot) : Zack Greinke. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Rivero In Round 6 To My Pick Here Of Greinke In Round 7 - Jake Marisnick and Joey Gallo. As my spot in round 7 was coming towards me, I was hoping for and preferred Zack Greinke over the other starting pitchers available. I didn't think he would make it past Keith so I traded up with Graham and got Greinke.
Round 8 (Graham's spot) : Chris Taylor. Wish I Had Selected - Maybe Brian Dozier. I liked Chris Taylor as he is a platoon 0, can steal and has 49 games in centerfield.
Round 10 : Yadier Molina. Would've Selected Them Here If Not Drafted Between My Round 8 Pick And This Spot - Brian Dozier or Pat Neshek. At this point everyone had drafted a catcher except Gregg and me. When Jim selected J.T. Realmuto with his 9th round spot, I thought Keith would select Yadier Molina with his spot in the 9th round and then I would take Yan Gomes here. But Keith selected Christian Vazquez and when the draft got back to me with my first pick in the 10th round, we were happy to be able to select Yadier Molina to be our starting catcher.
Round 10 (Graham's spot) : Ian Happ. Platoon 0 with two 1's, plays 54 games in centerfield and a 7 at second base, we were happy to select Ian Happ in this spot of the draft.
So with our first 10 picks, we have 6 position players, 2 starting pitchers, 2 relief pitchers and feeling very good about our team.
Round 11 : Corey Knebel. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Happ In Round 10 To My Pick Of Knebel In Round 11 - Adrian Beltre, Matt Olson, Steven Souza and Yan Gomes. Decided to strengthen the bullpen with a grade 22 pitcher with games and innings. Unfortunately also a W but I decided that risk was worth taking.
Round 12 : Anthony Swarzak. Wish I Had Selected - Trea Turner. Taking Swarzak here just added to my bullpen depth and 7 of the next 12 selections before getting back to me would be relief pitchers but of the 5 picks that were not relief pitchers, Gregg selected Trea Turner and I was hoping for him. I just did not see Turner being selected before the draft got back to me in the 13th round. I wish I had selected Turner here and then Colome in the 13th round. When Gregg announced Turner in the 13th, I felt bad that I had not selected him here and taken a fourth relief pitcher latter. I'll also mention now that I was also hoping for Aaron Hicks to pair with Taylor and Happ in centerfield but Matt took him earlier then what I was willing to so I could accept that but this one hurt me. Wish I had selected Turner here. Ironic after being OK with Gregg selecting Pham, Marisnick and Gallo earlier in the draft, he wounds me towards the end of the first half of the draft.
Round 13 : Paul DeJong. Needed a shortstop and so did Greg. Thought to select DeJong with his two 1's and a 7 at 44. Hoping he can put up some big power numbers from the shortstop position but he is limited to 108 games. Maybe 25 homeruns and 25 doubles?
Round 14 : Jacob deGrom. Wish I Had Selected - Alex Avila, Elvis Andrus or Khris Davis. Caught up in a Z rating for a starter and in the end it will be of very little difference. I was thinking to draft Avila and start him bringing Molina off the bench but now could not. Or Andrus to pair with DeJong but now could not. Or Davis to play the corner outfield positions when Bellinger or Taylor have to sit or Happ or Taylor are starting in centerfield but now could not. With my bullpen, an 11 non Z starter would not have been too far of a disadvantage over deGrom's Z. So deGrom joins Swarzak as a selection I wish I could do over.
Round 15 : Rich Hill. Wish I Had Selected - A.J. Pollock. I wanted a left handed starter and decided on Hill but looking how the draft played out, he would've been there in rounds 18 or 19. I preferred Pollock over Fowler pretty strongly but after selecting Hill, Graham took Pollock in the 15/16 swing. Hill joins Swarzak and deGrom as selections I wish I could do over.
Round 16 : Dexter Fowler. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From My Pick Of Hill In Round 15 To My Pick Here Of Fowler in Round 16 - Matt Carpenter. I was preanticipating being harsher on this selection then what I now think and feel. Wish he had an arm, though.
Round 17 : Javy Baez. OK They Were Selected As I Had No Interest In Them From Round My Pick Of Fowler In 16 To My Pick HereOf Baez in Round 17 - Edwin Encarnacion. I selected Baez here as I thought he was the best ONE player to cover multiple positions. However, towards the end of the draft, I determined that he will start the 54 games at shortstop that DeJong needs to sit. But otherwise he will come off the bench to pinch run for Arenado if needed or play shortstop late for DeJong.
Round 18 : Brian Duensing. I usually do not concern myself too much if at all with right handed and left handed balance in my starting pitching and bullpen but did this draft and decided to add a second left handed reliever to pair with Rivero.