Mock it up: Fantasy Baseball '14

ROUND 1

FUNSTON

Mike Trout, LAA, OF: The ultimate (and very rare) five-tool fantasy weapon already has two top 4 overall fantasy finishes and he's still only 22.

EVANS

Miguel Cabrera, DET, 3B: Would be a rookie move to purposely circumvent a triple crown consistency king. Oh, and he also qualifies at 3B.

SALFINO

Paul Goldschmidt, ARI, 1B: A four-and-a-half category player. Could bang 40 homers and hit .320 as he enters his prime in a great park.

SILVA

Hanley Ramirez, LAD, SS: Looked freshly motivated in 2013 and might have challenged for NL MVP if not for two freak injuries. Plays SS.

POULIOT

Clayton Kershaw, LAD, SP: With my top four hitters off board, going with the No. 1 SP was an easy call. Kershaw is as dominant as they come.

BOYER

Andrew McCutchen, PIT, OF: An elite, extremely durable, five-category talent. Among the safest first-round picks.

SHORT

Carlos Gonzalez, COL, OF: The injury risk is obvious, but so is the upside in all five standard categories.

ALBRIGHT

Adam Jones, BAL, OF: A five category threat and he wears pants.

LISS

Bryce Harper, WAS, OF: 40-20 upside, will run through walls for your team. Plus zero chance I was getting him in Rd. 2 with DDD following me.

PIANOWSKI

Adrian Beltre, TEX, 3B: Infield power is a godsend in the early rounds, and I didn't want to take Cano (yet) in his new environment.

DEL DON

Ryan Braun, MIL, OF: There's obviously some risk here, but that's why he wasn't a top-10 pick like usual.

BEHRENS

Chris Davis, BAL, 1B: OK, you're worried about regression. But he's coming off 53 HRs. He can give back some of his ‘13 gains and still be great.

ROUND 2

BEHRENS

Troy Tulowitzki, COL, SS: If he weren't so high-maintenance, health-wise, he'd go 5-7 picks earlier. Still a huge talent at a premium position.

DEL DON

Yu Darvish, TEX, SP: He easily led MLB in strikeouts despite pitching through a back injury over the final two months of the season.

PIANOWSKI

Robinson Cano, SEA, 2B: Leery in the first round, eager in the second. I don't care if they play in Yellowstone.

LISS

Jacoby Ellsbury, NYY, OF: He's had some fluke injuries, but 20-40 guy if healthy with that short porch.

ALBRIGHT

Prince Fielder, TEX, 1B: 40 HRs is asking too much, but 30 HRs and100 RBIs is well within reach.

SHORT

David Wright, NYM, 3B: Encouraging return to form in past two seasons. The speed is nice at 3B and he should have some lineup help this year.

BOYER

Yasiel Puig, LAD, OF: Puig has the most upside of my options here and wasn't going to be available the next round.

POULIOT

Jason Kipnis, CLE, 2B: With Cano in Seattle, I see Kipnis as the top 2B this year. 15 HR, 20 SB and plenty of runs/RBI hitting 3rd for Cleveland.

SILVA

Joey Votto, CIN, 1B: Maybe the best all-around hitter in the game, playing in one of the most hitter-friendly home parks.

SALFINO

Carlos Gomez, MIL, OF: I buy the power and don't think it's even peaked yet. His speed is a given. 20 HRs and 40 SBs are the respective O/Us.

EVANS

Jean Segura, MIL, SS: 23-year old provides just about everything an owner needs at a thin SS spot -- tons of SBs, runs, solid BA, a little pop.

FUNSTON

Edwin Encarnacion, TOR, 1/3: He's averaged 39 HRs and 100+ RBIs over his past two seasons, and he still carries 3B eligibility in Y! leagues.

ROUND 3

FUNSTON

Ian Desmond, WAS, SS: SS is looking waifish in terms of bankable upper-level assets - happy to take an established .280/20/20 guy in his prime.

EVANS

Matt Carpenter, STL, 2B: The Silver Slugger winner roped 55 doubles and was a run-scoring machine in a breakout '13.

SALFINO

Freddie Freeman, ATL, 1B: His BA seems fluky given minimal K/BB progress, but I must respect a 144 OPS+ at age 23 - perhaps ‘13 isn't a peak.

SILVA

Evan Longoria, TB, 3B: A legitimate 30-homer, 100-RBI threat at third base. Appeared in 160 games in 2013.

POULIOT

Joe Mauer, MIN, C/1: Freed from catching duties, Mauer should make a run at another batting title this year.

BOYER

Giancarlo Stanton, MIA, OF: It's not ideal to start off with three outfielders, but I couldn't pass up Stanton's power in the third round.

SHORT

Dustin Pedroia, BOS, 2B: One of the top options at 2B in ‘13 despite a torn thumb ligament. I'm optimistic he’ll rebound in power after surgery.

ALBRIGHT

Jose Bautista, TOR, OF: 44 DNPs last year (I counted) and still hit 28 HRs. Only 14 guys hit 30 HRs last year. You do the math. I'm done.

LISS

Max Scherzer, DET, SP: Huge source of Ks, and the defense should be better with Fielder gone and Cabrera at 1B.

PIANOWSKI

Shin-Soo Choo, TEX, OF: Arlington is generally a fun place to chase your stats, and I like Choo's floor better than Alex Rios's, at least right now.

DEL DON

Stephen Strasburg, WAS, SP: Still waiting for the truly monster season. Can he stay healthy? Has the upside to be a top-five overall player.

BEHRENS

Jose Reyes, TOR, SS: Useful in ‘13 (10 HR, 15 SB, .296), despite injury. With a MI spot to fill, it's a small surprise he's still on the board.

ROUND 4

BEHRENS

Billy Hamilton, CIN, OF: This could be a terrible pick, but he’s a wild card. Might steal 110 bags, or post a .275 OBP and get sent back to AAA.

DEL DON

Jose Fernandez, FLA, SP: Considered Wainwright but instead swung for the fences. Looks like I'm going to be taking SPs earlier than most.

PIANOWSKI

Felix Hernandez, SEA, SP: With apologies to Top Jimmy, Felix is the real King. A very safe foundation piece for any rotation.

LISS

Justin Verlander, DET, SP: The velocity was back late last year, and like Scherzer, he'll benefit from better defense behind him.

ALBRIGHT

Jay Bruce, CIN, OF: Bruce gives me my third 30-homer outfielder and that makes me smile.

SHORT

Cliff Lee, PHI, SP: My favorite starting pitcher left on the board. 2.89 ERA and 1.09 WHIP since ‘08, and showing little sign of slowing down.

BOYER

Adam Wainwright, STL, SP: Time to grab an ace. He had a huge workload in ‘13, but I don't expect that to keep him from being elite in ‘14.

POULIOT

Carlos Santana, CLE, C/1: Should get 550 AB as little catching as he's going to do and approach 30 HR and 100 RBI.

SILVA

Buster Posey, SF, C: It's possible to wait on a catcher this year, but it wouldn't have been possible to find one with Posey's upside.

SALFINO

Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 3B: He's had a healthy offseason so hope another slow start is not in order, despite that being his tendency.

EVANS

Albert Pujols, LAA, 1B: Plantar facitis severely hampered production in ‘13. Aging, but baseline skills still intact. A .290-30-100 rebound likely.

FUNSTON

Alex Rios, TEX, OF: My collection of 20/20 guys grows larger; coming off a career-high 42 SBs and set to hit in middle of a loaded TEX lineup.

ROUND 5

FUNSTON

Allen Craig, STL, 1B: Look out if he ever makes it to 150+ games. As it was in '13, needed just 134 games to drive in 97 runs - he can flat-out hit.

EVANS

Justin Upton, Atl, OF: Standout April/August hints at true full potential. All about establishing consistency, which could happen in Age 26 season.

SALFINO

Wil Myers, OF, TB: When all the hitters left have some fleas, may as well go for a really young one with the most power upside.

SILVA

Madison Bumgarner, SF, SP: It was time to grab an ace and Bumgarner was the best available. I expect an ERA below 3.00 and 200 strikeouts.

POULIOT

Manny Machado, BAL, 3B: The knee makes him a risk, but some of those doubles are due to turn into homers this year.

BOYER

Adrian Gonzalez, LAD, 1B: Over 100 RBI and a nice batting average are a given. The most bankable first baseman left on the board.

SHORT

Elvis Andrus, TEX, SS: Feeling a drop-off at SS after Andrus, so couldn't pass. Little pop, but does enough in other cats to be a top-5 SS option.

ALBRIGHT

Chris Sale, CWS, SP: Shows you how long you can wait for a SP and still get a 200-K, minuscule walk rate, potential Cy Young candidate.

LISS

Matt Kemp, LAD, OF: Round 5's version of Ryan Braun

PIANOWSKI

Jason Heyward, ATL, OF: Not fully a post-hype case, but there's still a discount here. Love what he did at leadoff in ‘13, once healthy and relaxed.

DEL DON

Cole Hamels, SP, PHI: Had an 84:16 K:BB ratio over 91.0 innings after the All-Star break last year. The lack of wins was a fluke.

BEHRENS

Zack Greinke, SP, LAD: With these back-to-back picks I'll be taking a pair of near-aces, both of whom pitch in friendly environments.

ROUND 6

BEHRENS

David Price, TB, SP: Price and Greinke should offer excellent ratios with high K totals. With my next 4-5 picks, I plan to pound the hitting cats.

DEL DON

Matt Holliday, STL, OF: Might've taken another SP had Price remained. I'm not a Holliday guy at all, but the price was too good to ignore.

PIANOWSKI

Hunter Pence, SF, OF: From an aesthetics standpoint, I can't stand Fraggle Rock. Everything he does is awkward, ugly. But it’s all about the #’s.

LISS

Eric Hosmer, KC, 1B: Power and speed, and still young enough where there could be another level.

ALBRIGHT

Ian Kinsler, DET, 2B: Should hit leadoff for DET and...Oh, who am I kidding? I took him because I don't love any of the 2B and I needed one.

SHORT

Mark Trumbo, ARI, 1B: Trumbo is more appealing in fantasy than reality. Tied for 5th in MLB in HR since ‘11 and should continue to mash in ARI.

BOYER

Craig Kimbrel, ATL, RP: I don't typically take a closer this early, but getting the best stopper in the middle of RD 6 is pretty decent value.

POULIOT

Masahiro Tanaka, NYY, SP: I'll regret it a bit if he signs with the Yanks (edit note: He did), but Tanaka was the best SP on the board in my eyes.

SILVA

Starling Marte, PIT, OF: I wanted to add some more speed and needed my first outfielder. Marte has room to grow in his second full season.

SALFINO

Kenley Jansen, LAD, RP: If you wait on pitching, I like grabbing a closer like Jansen because he's plus-40 Ks over most. I'm going to need them.

EVANS

Yoenis Cespedes, OAK OF: Popular early pick from ‘13 a bargain after underachieving. A bit more patience and a 30-15 campaign is on tap.

FUNSTON

Gerrit Cole, PIT, SP: He's built like an ace, and once this Pirate started leaning on his deadly hook, he started posting ace-like numbers.

ROUND 7

FUNSTON

Brian McCann, NYY, C: Yankee Stadium short porch is made for McCann's swing, and the AL DH rule could lead to a career high in ABs

EVANS

Mat Latos, CIN, SP: SPs with higher upside still out there, but know exactly what you get with Latos -- 200 IP, 185 K, solid ratios, 14-16 W.

SALFINO

Yadier Molina, STL, C: When in doubt, grab BA. Low K rate gives him a high BA floor. Need about 5-10 of his 44 doubles to become HRs though.

SILVA

Michael Wacha, STL, SP: Feels a bit early for Wacha, but he showed last year that he already has front-line ability. Elite-changeup, plus-fastball.

POULIOT

David Ortiz, BOS, 1B: Ortiz was the best bat on the board, and his six starts at 1B keeps him eligible there in Y! leagues.

BOYER

Everth Cabrera, SD, SS: Shortstop is starting to thin out, so I think it's a good time to pop Cabrera. He's one of the best bets out there for steals.

SHORT

Aroldis Chapman CIN, RP: It's rare that I dabble in closers this early, but I wanted to maximize the strikeout potential for my pitching staff.

ALBRIGHT

Josh Donaldson, OAK, 3B: First pick I don't fully love, but we don't need to date, he just needs to perform for my fantasy team.

LISS

Josh Hamilton, ANA, OF: Maybe he can find a healthier nicotine substitute and get back to his 2012 numbers.

PIANOWSKI

Hisashi Iwakuma, SEA, SP: A great value for two years; In ‘14, you have to pay the freight. Turns 33 in April - not a deal breaker. #japaneseice

DEL DON

Trevor Rosenthal, STL, RP: Should immediately be a top-five closer. Would be interesting to see what he could do if starting, though.

BEHRENS

Pedro Alvarez, PIT, 3B: Not the first guy I've drafted who might hit .230, but at least he offers 30-plus bombs.

ROUND 8

BEHRENS

Wilin Rosario, COL, C: Hard not to like the power, the park and the position. He won't turn 25 until late-February, so there's room for growth here.

DEL DON

Matt Cain, SF, SP: Huge workloads finally caught up to him last year, but should bounce back in ‘14. I'm all in with this strategy at this point.

PIANOWSKI

Jose Altuve, HOU, 2B: Looking for some speed and a quality bat, undeterred by the fact that I have a second baseman already.

LISS

Anibal Sanchez, DET, P: Lots of SPs options, but figured I’d have fun with the DET theme. Lots of Ks between Scherzer, Verlander and Sanchez.

ALBRIGHT

Anthony Rizzo, CHI, 1B: Might've been able to wait another round for Rizzo, but I wanted him and I'm no waiter. Love the 30-homer potential.

SHORT

Homer Bailey CIN, SP: Has overcome early disappointment and injuries, now emerging as a frontline starter. Looking for a big contract year.

BOYER

Jordan Zimmermann, WAS, SP: Sure, I'd like a few more strikeouts, but Zimmermann is a bona fide three-category stud.

POULIOT

Greg Holland, KC, RP: Wasn't dying for a closer, but I see five elite RPs in fantasy this year and the fifth was still out there for me.

SILVA

Carlos Beltran, STL, OF: If the Yanks can keep him healthy -- DHing some will help -- Beltran should hit 30 HRs. I wanted a power outfielder.

SALFINO

Michael Cuddyer, COL, OF: Earned about as much as Votto last year. BABIP a silly .382, but hit trajectory suggests it should have been .355.

EVANS

James Shields, KC, SP: Similar to Latos, what you see is what you get - 13+ wins, 200+ IP and tallied at least a 7.71 K/9 in four straight seasons.

FUNSTON

Ben Zobrist, TB, 2/S/O: Dropped in power (HR/FB) in ‘13, but he's bounced back before and his run production was still top notch for a MI.

ROUND 9

FUNSTON

Shelby Miller, STL, SP: If late '13 sore shoulder turns out to be a non-issue, I've got a young K-per-IP arm with top 20 SP upside.

EVANS

Matt Morre, TB, SP: WHIP whale, but one of select few SPs remaining with legitimate 200K upside. However, needs to be more efficient in '14.

SALFINO

Alex Gordon, KC, OF: Solid if unspectacular, though I like the floor/ceiling profile. Maybe 25 HRs/15 SBs and .300, but 20/10/.275 more likely.

SILVA

Koji Uehara, BOS, RP: I hate grabbing closers this early, but the top tier is emptying out. Uehara had absurd numbers last season.

POULIOT

Kyle Seager, SEA, 3B: Already had a 3B, but Seager graded out significantly higher than any OF on the board. Expect a .290-20 season.

BOYER

Martin Prado, ARI, 2/3/O: Came on strong in the second half last season after a slow start in his first year in the desert. The 2B eligibility is nice.

SHORT

Salvador Perez, KC, C: Too good of a value here. Sure, more power would be nice, but you have to like getting a .300 BA out of your backstop.

ALBRIGHT

Alex Cobb, TB, SP: If he didn't get cracked on the melon like Gallagher, he would've been a top 20 starter last year. He will be this year.

LISS

Joe Nathan, DET, RP: Now that Rivera's retired, Nathan's the most consistent reliever over the long haul left. Plus, it fits with my Tigers theme.

PIANOWSKI

Julio Teheran, ATL, SP: Late ’13 run was intoxicating - I want in this year.

DEL DON

Brandon Phillips, CIN, 2B: I hope he's not traded because a lot of Phillips' value comes from where he hits in Cincy's lineup.

BEHRENS

Jayson Werth, WAS, OF: Here's hoping the average is more like ‘13 than ‘11. The nice thing with Werth is that 20 HRs are basically a given.

ROUND 10

BEHRENS

Brett Lawrie, TOR, 2/3: The price keeps getting better, even if the player doesn't.

DEL DON

Mike Minor, ATL, SP: Another top shelf starter. I'm sure most think this pitching heavy strategy is crazy.

PIANOWSKI

Starlin Castro, CHC, SS: If he can bridge the gap between 2012-2013, I'm happy. And maybe we get a growth season, period.

LISS

Jurickson Profar, TEX, 2B: Pianow and DDD took Teheran, Minor and Castro (my three targets here), so let's roll the dice on a super prospect.

ALBRIGHT

Jedd Gyorko, SD, 2B: Hit 23 homers last year in an injury-shortened year. Like the chance for 30 homers and Gyork puns.

SHORT

Domonic Brown, PHI, OF: Wanted some power for my outfield and Brown might have the most upside of the remaining options.

BOYER

Gio Gonzalez, WAS, SP: Gio makes up for some of Zimmermann's lack of punchouts. I've got quite a starter trio with those two and Wainwright.

POULIOT

Doug Fister, WAS, SP: Was pretty valuable in the AL with a poor infield defense. Now that he's in the NL with a better infield, he should be terrific.

SILVA

Aaron Hill, ARI, 2B: I needed a second baseman and Hill was the best one available. 25-homer power if his health cooperates.

SALFINO

Leonys Martin, TEX, OF: Have to build an entire offense around a rabbit. But he showed some power last year, so maybe he's a stronger rabbit.

EVANS

Evan Gattis, ATL, C: The reason why you can wait on a C. Enormous raw power could lead to 25-30 HRs now that he's a full-time backstop.

FUNSTON

Daniel Murphy, NYM, 2B: Here we are in Round 10 and I get the No. 3 rated fantasy 2B of '13 - too good of a value at this point to ignore.

ROUND 11

FUNSTON

Sergio Romo, SF, RP: Time to grab some saves, and Romo had 38 of them last season - also owns a career 2.27 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.

EVANS

Jose Abreu, CWS, 1B: Bit of an unknown, but a professional hitter with mammoth power/BA potential. About to take AL by storm.

SALFINO

Ernesto Frieri, LAA, RP: Grab surplus Ks from a closer whenever possible. Frieri can turn your typical 7.5/9 SP into a 8.7/9 SP, i.e., elite in Ks.

SILVA

Kris Medlen, ATL, SP: Was the best SP on the board. Having now drafted Bumgarner, Wacha, and Medlen, I can wait a while for my next SP.

POULIOT

Austin Jackson, DET, OF: Finally got me an outfielder. Jackson could be a bargain here if he can stick in the leadoff spot.

BOYER

Pablo Sandoval, SF, 3B: The last time he lost a bunch of weight, Sandoval had a monster season. This time around, he's also in his walk year.

SHORT

Hyun-jin Ryu, LAD, SP: Excellent rookie season and got better as ‘13 moved along. Not an ace, but happy to take him as my third SP.

ALBRIGHT

Glen Perkins, MIN, RP: I needed a closer; this one seemed as good as any; yay; SAGNOF!

LISS

Chase Utley, PHI, 2B: Utley is still good and it looks like he's put some of the injury risk behind him.

PIANOWSKI

Brandon Belt, SF, 1B: Now that his manager is done messing with his head, let's have some fun. Second half was tasty.

DEL DON

Billy Butler, KC, 1B: I'm going to target batting average more so this year, and Butler still has 1B eligibility in Yahoo.

BEHRENS

Alfonso Soriano, NYY, OF: Not a bad price for a hitter in a friendly park, coming off a 34-homer, 18-steal season.

ROUND 12

BEHRENS

Curtis Granderson, NYM, OF: No one expects another 40-HR season -- if we were, he'd have gone much earlier -- but 25/15 seems doable.

DEL DON

Jonathan Lucroy, MIL, C: In hindsight, this pick was a mistake, as plenty of good catchers fell to late rounds.

PIANOWSKI

Shane Victorino, BOS, OF: The versatile players are often underrated. Not sexy, but a sneaky contributor.

LISS

Desmond Jennings, TB, OF: I like the power/speed upside at this point.

ALBRIGHT

Sonny Gray, OAK, SP: Considering my full name is Sonny Grey Albright, I'd not only embarrass myself by not drafting but my entire family.

SHORT

Mike Napoli, BOS, 1B: Losing catcher eligibility hurts Napoli a bit, but I wanted another power bat.

BOYER

Matt Adams, STL, 1B: I wanted to add a little more pop to my lineup. Adams has 30+ homer upside in 2014.

POULIOT

Kole Calhoun, LAA, OF: The Angels' new leadoff man has enough power and speed to perhaps make a run at a 20-20 season.

SILVA

Coco Crisp, OAK, OF: I'm not expecting a repeat of last year's 22 home runs, but he'll steal bases and score runs atop a good Oakland lineup.

SALFINO

Andrew Cashner, SD, SP: No. 40 SP last year. I guarantee top 30 this year and will bet top 20. The Ks will catch up with the stuff.

EVANS

Rafael Soriano, WAS, RP: Closed out 65 of 75 chances over past two seasons. Precisely why you need not invest in a closer before RD 10.

FUNSTON

Tony Cingrani, CIN, SP: Throws mostly fastballs, but deceptive delivery has yielded lots of Ks, and there's no signs of him being figured out yet.

ROUND 13

FUNSTON

Jason Grilli, PIT, RP: I'm happy to buy at this price for a closer that's put together two straight years with a K/9 rate above 13 and a sub-3 ERA.

EVANS

Addison Reed, ARI, RP: Part of the three-way blockbuster agreed upon in December, he enters spring training as the unquestioned stopper.

SALFINO

Danny Salazar, CLE, SP: Who cares about injury risks and IP caps in mixed leagues? Upside is king and no AL pitcher has more K/9 upside.

SILVA

Jim Johnson, OAK, RP: I wanted to grab a second closer and Johnson seemed like the best option available.

POULIOT

Andrelton Simmons, ATL, SS: 17 homers at age 23 is very promising. He'd be getting a lot more hype if he weren't penciled in to bat 8th.

BOYER

Francisco Liriano, PIT, SP: Did he rediscover his old form last year? I'm leaning towards "yes," but even if he falls back I'll still get plenty of Ks.

SHORT

David Robertson NYY, RP: Replacing Mariano Rivera is no easy task, but Robertson has a legitimate chance to be a top-10 closer right away.

ALBRIGHT

Brad Miller, SEA, SS: Love MIller this year. You heard it here first (unless you read it at Razzball prior).

LISS

Aramis Ramirez, MIL, 3B: If he's bad, I can always trade him to Behrens for a top SP. Plus, literally the five top guys on my list got nabbed with the previous five picks.

PIANOWSKI

Matt Wieters, BAL, C: Not the career arc anyone expected, but the ability is still in there, somewhere.

DEL DON

Jonathan Papelbon, PHI, RP: Hoped for a different closer here, but a run had me settle on Papelbon. Rumors of his demise seem exaggerated.

BEHRENS

Huston Street, SD, RP: Now I know where I need to take Danny Salazar, if I really want him. Which I do. Kinda mad I didn't get him here. @*#!

ROUND 14

BEHRENS

Bobby Parnell, NYM, RP: Hey, look, another closer. I couldn't afford to pass here, and risk getting shut out.

DEL DON

Chase Headley, SD, 3B: One season removed from a .286-95-31-115-17 campaign, and that was before the fences were moved in at Petco Park.

PIANOWSKI

Nolan Arenado, COL, 3B: Far from a finished product, but I'll place my bet on pedigree and thin air.

LISS

Steve Cishek, FLA, RP: He's got a job.

ALBRIGHT

Danny Farquhar, SEA, RP: See 1/18th of an inch over for what Liss said for Cishek.

SHORT

Patrick Corbin, ARI, SP: Not scared off by his poor second half last year, as his peripherals were decent and some fatigue was understandable.

BOYER

Jeff Samardzija, CHC, SP: I think a year is coming where he puts everything together. At the very least, I'm getting plenty of strikeouts.

POULIOT

Kendrys Morales, FA, 1B: He's been good for .275-22-80 in pitcher's parks. If he finds a better spot to hit this year, this could turn a tidy profit.

SILVA

Jon Lester, BOS, SP: Time to beef up the rotation. Lester should be good for an ERA around 3.50 and close to 200 Ks in his contract year.

SALFINO

J.J. Hardy, BAL, SS: Ks per HR - In ‘13, seven averaged 3.0 or less: Encarnacion, Cabrera, Beltre, Hardy, Ortiz, Crisp, Bautista.

EVANS

Michael Bourn, CLE, OF: With plenty of pop already on roster, had a speed need. 50 SBs are long in past, but should be 80 R, 30 SB asset.

FUNSTON

Alejandro De Aza, CWS, OF: Not quite 20/20 in '13, but damn close (17/20) - hitting behind strong OBP guy like Eaton won't hurt in '14

ROUND 15

FUNSTON

Xander Bogaerts, BOS, SS: Sweet blend of patience/pop at the plate; held his own at age 21 in postseason against some of MLB's top arms.

EVANS

Brett Gardner, NYY, OF: Outside of HR/RBI, he really doesn't hurt you in any single category. You can always get quality SB guys late.

SALFINO

Justin Masterson, CLE, SP: K increase explained by heavier deployment of slider. One of four SPs top 10 in GB% with 9+ K/9.

SILVA

Nelson Cruz, FA, OF: I sought out the best bat on the board and Cruz was it. Here's hoping he signs somewhere power-friendly.

POULIOT

Fernando Rodney, FA, RP: Someone will sign him to close, and while I don't expect any sort of return to ‘12 form, he should get his 30+ saves.

BOYER

Jim Henderson, MIL, RP: It was time to grab another closer, and Henderson was the highest-ranked reliever on my list.

SHORT

Michael Brantley, CLE, OF: Brantley is not flashy by any means, but he does enough in all categories to be useful.

ALBRIGHT

Chris Tillman, BAL, SP: Bit of a yawnstipating pick, but I needed another starter and guess what Tillman is? Nifty, huh?

LISS

Carl Crawford, LAD, OF: He's healthy now, and still only 32.

PIANOWSKI

Jered Weaver, LAA, SP: Should be healthier this year, and while velocity is going south, I'm not giving up on him entering Age-31 season.

DEL DON

Ryan Howard, PHI, 1B: Going ugly here, but Howard has never been cheaper.

BEHRENS

Johnny Cueto, CIN, SP: I've got a whole pile of pitchers all ranked within the same range/tier, so let's grab two.

ROUND 16

BEHRENS

Hiroki Kuroda, NYY, SP: Kuroda's career ratios are 3.40 and 1.18, and he beat 'em both last season. To me, he seems like a steal at this price.

DEL DON

Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE, SS: Since I went so pitching heavy early, it's not a surprise I'm ending up with a lot of hitters coming off poor seasons.

PIANOWSKI

Matt Garza, MIL, SP: Forget every pitch from Arlington. The Brewers got a bargain here, and you can, too.

LISS

Justin Morneau, COL, 1B: He's still only 32 and playing in Coors Field

ALBRIGHT

Christian Yelich, MIA, OF: My team needed some speed and I like Yelich's upside.

SHORT

R.A. Dickey, SP, TOR: The homers worry me a bit, but Dickey was a lot better during the second half last year, likely because he was healthier.

BOYER

Avisail Garcia, CWS, OF: I don't know if he's ready to reach his ceiling, but the upside is certainly there.

POULIOT

Alexei Ramirez, CWS, SS: Could be a great value pick this year if he sticks in the top third of the White Sox lineup.

SILVA

Grant Balfour, TB, RP: The Rays' new ninth inning man will work just fine as my third closer.

SALFINO

George Springer, HOU, OF: Service time could delay him, but gamble on a combo stud when only replacement-level hitters remain.

EVANS

C.J. Wilson, LAA, SP: WHIP isn't the most attractive, but the southpaw chews up innings. Strong candidate for another 15+ wins and 180 Ks.

FUNSTON

Howie Kendrick, LAA, 2B: With solid run production for a MI, and an expected .280+ BA, he's a nice value here even if HR/SB numbers lag.

ROUND 17

FUNSTON

CC Sabathia, NYY, SP: I'll roll the dice that he can bounce back - xFIP was a run lower than his ERA - 15+ wins, 175+ K still a real possibility.

EVANS

Will Venable, SD, OF: Quality 20-20 bat who should prove useful at utility. Just hope the 19.8 HR/FB rate from season ago carries over.

SALFINO

Lance Lynn, STL, SP: Probable top 30 SP. Elite isolated SLG allowed and K/9 should result in improved ERA, though BB/9 limits WHIP upside.

SILVA

Zack Wheeler, NYM, SP: I need to round out my staff and Wheeler has arguably the best upside of anyone left.

POULIOT

Josh Reddick, OAK, OF: I'll live with the average if it gets me 25 homers, 85 RBI.

BOYER

Brandon Moss, OAK, 1/O: No reason to believe at this point that the power isn't real. He should be a shoo-in for 25+ bombs in ‘14.

SHORT

Ben Revere, PHI, OF: Wanted to add some speed to my roster and Revere might have the most upside of anybody on the board.

ALBRIGHT

Taijuan Walker, SEA, SP: Figured I'd nab a guy who will be the best SP in MLB about 200 picks after Kershaw. Ya know, for s's and g's.

LISS

Chris Archer, TB, SP: Good park, good defense, improving young pitcher.

PIANOWSKI

Nick Swisher, CLE, 1B: An Ibanez All-Star, the boring but useful veteran you can snag late in the draft.

DEL DON

Jed Lowrie, OAK, SS: He might have gone 10 rounds higher if not for the (legitimate) injury risk.

BEHRENS

Adam Eaton, CWS, OF: Let's recall that he's just a year removed from hitting .375/.456/.523 in the high minors, with 44 steals in 55 attempts.

ROUND 18

BEHRENS

Norichika Aoki, KC, OF: Decent speed, respectable average & on-base skills, plus the occasional HR. It's enough to assist in mixed leagues.

DEL DON

Torii Hunter, DET, OF: What a boring pick. Still, Hunter was quietly a top-50 fantasy player last year.

PIANOWSKI

Chris Carter, HOU, 1/O: The average downside pushes him to this spot, but he might also clock 35-plus homers.

LISS

Clay Buchholz, BOS, SP: He was great last year before getting hurt, and his home team makes him a good bet for wins.

ALBRIGHT

Wilson Ramos, WAS, C: Could've built a winning team just after RD 19, so you can imagine how unfair the first 18 rounds are for me to have.

SHORT

Erick Aybar, LAA, SS: Over past three years, he’s hit .280 with averages of 8 HRs, 53 RBI, 21 SBs and 69 runs. I'll take that out of the MI spot.

BOYER

Victor Martinez, DET, 1B: The lack of positional flexibility with V-Mart isn't ideal, but he's a good value this late.

POULIOT

Ian Kennedy, SD, SP: His ERAs have jumped, but his K rate has held steady and he gets to pitch in Petco now.

SILVA

Corey Hart, SEA, 1/O: As long as he stays healthy, Hart is a good get this late in the draft.

SALFINO

Brian Dozier, MIN, 2B: Intriguing MI power and speed late in draft. Average cause for concern. Projection in avg/homers/steals: .260-15-15.

EVANS

Jonathan Villar, Hou, SS: Top prospect fascinating young player who should be everyday SS for 'Stros. Could be this year's Jean Segura.

FUNSTON

Mark Teixeira, NYY, 1B: At this point, why not gamble on proven middle-of-the-order bat that should yield close to 30 HRs if he can stay healthy.

ROUND 19

FUNSTON

Tim Lincecum, SF, SP: Erratic the past couple years, but 190 Ks still in the offing and peripheral numbers suggest that a little luck could go along ways.

EVANS

Ubaldo Jimenez, FA, SP: Still wading in FA pool, but a SP who resurrected career with CLE in ‘13. Gotta love the 9.56 K/9 and rise in GB%.

SALFINO

Jhonny Peralta, STL, SS: I understand his skills are in question (Biogenesis). But could still hit .300 or club 20 HRs (though probably not both).

SILVA

Jimmy Rollins, PHI, SS: Best days are clearly behind him, but still provides speed and should rebound a bit from a power perspective in ‘14.

POULIOT

Nick Markakis, BAL, OF: Maybe baseball's worst .270 hitter last year, but as the Orioles' likely leadoff man, he still has fantasy potential.

BOYER

Anthony Rendon, WAS, 2B: Rendon was up-and-down his rookie season but has loads of potential with the bat.

SHORT

Todd Frazier, CIN, 3B: Frazier was a bit of a disappointment last season, but I'll take the cheap pop this late.

ALBRIGHT

Khris Davis, MIL, OF: I can't believe Khris Davis lasted this late after hitting 50 homers last year!?! Oh, wait a second...

LISS

Derek Jeter, NYY, SS: He's old but if healthy could have another 10-10-.290 year in him.

PIANOWSKI

Yovani Gallardo, MIL, SP: Last year was frustrating and I see the worrisome trends, too, but geesh, it's all upside at this price.

DEL DON

B.J. Upton, ATL, OF: Another "last year's bum" for me. I wanted to avoid BA risks like Upton but badly needed some SB potential.

BEHRENS

LaTroy Hawkins, COL, RP: It’s January, I have no idea who will lead COL in saves. Thus, I'm drafting the two top candidates with these two picks.

ROUND 20

BEHRENS

Rex Brothers, COL, RP: No, this isn't ideal. But I'm basically guaranteed to get 30 saves out of these back-to-back picks.

DEL DON

Dexter Fowler, HOU, OF: Obviously leaving Coors hurts, but he’s a 27-year-old with a career .365 OBP. He's slated to bat leadoff for HOU.

PIANOWSKI

A.J. Burnett, FA, SP: Came cheap with his return a mystery at the start of the mock. Yeah, I know, no bullpen. We'll figure this saves thing out.

LISS

Jason Castro, HOU, C: 26-year old who batted .276 with 18 HR last year. No reason not to use your last pick on catcher in a 12-team, 1-C league.

ALBRIGHT

Will Middlebrooks, BOS, 3B: After he returned from demotion, he looked like a new man. Well, same man, but one that could hit a baseball.

SHORT

Angel Pagan, SF, OF: Curious about the how the hamstring will bounce back, but he has a chance to be a nice value here.

BOYER

A.J. Pierzynski, BOS, C: In a one-catcher league where I don't get an elite guy, I'm waiting until the end. Pierzynski should do just fine in Boston.

POULIOT

Rick Porcello, DET, SP: Much improved K rate last year plus much improved infield defense this year should equal quality mixed-league starter.

SILVA

Oswaldo Arcia, MIN, OF: At this point I was just looking for a high-upside bat to finish out my roster. Arcia fits the bill.

SALFINO

Scott Kazmir, OAK, SP: 12th in K/9 (9.23), 23rd in K/BB (3.45). Never saw it coming. But "respect the stats." And if GM Beane believes, so do I.

EVANS

Brandon Beachy, Atl, SP: Will be 20 months removed from TJ surgery opening day. Too much talent. Too much potential. Nice bargain in RD 20.

FUNSTON

Oscar Taveras, STL, OF: With Bogaerts and now Taveras I have the top two offensive MLB prospects most likely to see early playing time in '14.