Fantasy Baseball drafts should soon be under way. Hopefully, this Head to Head points mock draft can help you find some good values.
Unlike a rotisserie format that pits your team against the entire league for the course of the season, head to head play goes against one opponent per week.
The basic concept in this format is a lot like fantasy football in that points are awarded rather than each team trying to win a ‘category’. Whichever team has the most points at the end of the fantasy week, wins that match-up.
ESPN has this format defined as:
"H2H Points is very similar to how fantasy football is played. It allows you to assign a given point value to individual statistic categories (i.e. HR=4, RBI=1, etc.) and each scoring period’s winner is determined solely by which team accumulates the most fantasy points versus a single opponent. The end result is a win (1-0-0), loss (0-1-0) or tie (0-0-1)."
Scoring can vary depending on your league settings, but this league used a standard format for scoring. The scores for each action are as follows:
Hitters:
- Total Bases = One Point
- Run Scored = One Point
- Stolen Base = One Point
- Walk = One Point
- RBI = One Point
- Strikeout = Negative One Point
Pitchers:
- Inning Pitched = Three Points
- Win = Three Points
- Save = Five Points
- Hit allowed = Negative One Point
- Earned Run = Negative Two Points
- Loss = Negative Five Points
- Strikeout = One Point
- Walk = Negative One Point
In this draft I used an auto-pick feature to completely remove and hometown biases I may have. I’ll break down my team as well as give you the picks that went too early and those picks that were steals at the end of the draft (as this is a KC Royals site I’ll also give a rundown of where each Royal was drafted).
Alright, that’s enough of the explanations, let’s get to my very lopsided team.
Next: Meet The Team
Here’s how my draft went.
This draft was in a 12-team format which means there were 300 total picks. That also means that two more players went in each round which is why some players may appear to have gone really early.
There are a number of really good players on this team, but had I been drafting I definitly would have gone in a more well-rounded direction.
Here is how the team shakes out by round, team, and overall draft position, and their average draft position (ADP). The ADP is determined by fantasy pros and is determined by the spot the player is going in ESPN leagues.
- Bryce Harper, Nationals OF, 4th overall, ADP = 3
- Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays 1B, 21st overall, ADP = 14
- Jose Abreu, White Sox 1B, 28th overall, ADP = 19
- Nelson Cruz, Mariners OF, 45th overall, ADP = 43
- Brian Dozier, Twins 2B, 52nd overall, ADP = 48
- Kyle Schwarber, Cubs C/OF, 69th overall, ADP = 57
- Eric Hosmer, Royals 1B, 76th overall, ADP = 76
- Ben Revere, Nationals OF, 93rd overall, ADP = 91
- Ken Giles, Astros RP, 100th overall, ADP = 85
- Zach Britton, Orioles RP, 117th overall, ADP = 105
- Jeff Samardzija, Giants SP, 124th overall, ADP = 117
- Brad Ziegler, Diamondbacks RP, 141st overall, ADP = 143
- Michael Pineda, Yankees SP, 148th overall, ADP = 147
- Wei-Yin Chen, Marlins SP, 165th overall, ADP = 167
- Justin Turner, Dodgers 3B, 172nd overall, ADP = 162
- Kyle Hendricks, Cubs SP/RP, 189th overall, ADP = 190
- Steven Souza Jr, Rays OF, 19th overall, ADP = 204
- Brandon Phillips, Reds 2B, 213th overall, ADP = 194
- Alcides Escobar, Royals SS, 220th overall, ADP = 205
- Taijuan Walker, Mariners SP, 237th overall, ADP = 261
- Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals 1B, 244th overall, ADP = 246
- Kevin Kiermaier, Rays OF, 261st overall, ADP = 280
- Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox SP, 268th overall, ADP = 259
- Anthony DeScalfani, Reds SP/RP, 285th overall, ADP = 279
- Devon Travis, Blue Jays 2B, 292nd overall, ADP = 272
There are some real power players in this bunch and even some good sleepers and value buys near the end.
Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses of the team along with the players I really like and the ones I really hate.
Next: Power Up
The Strengths
This team does have some really good players on it and should put up a lot of points in the hitting categories. On the base paths I should have a pretty good season also. It’s nice that there is no penalty for being caught stealing.
Power:
My first three players should hit more than 100 home runs for me. The first five have a shot at more than 150. A solo shot is worth six points in this league so I should score some big power numbers early and often.
Getting On Base:
I have last year’s league leader in on-base percentage with Bryce Harper as my first overall pick. He’s going to set the tone nicely and score a lot of points in his own right. Edwin Encarnacion and Nelson Cruz were in the top-20 in that category also and every time they reach base is a point.
Speed:
Ben Revere stole 31 bases last season and a sneaky Brandon Phillips stole 23. Kiermaier and Escobar both had double digit steal totals and this team should earn me some extra points on the base paths.
Just OK:
I have a pretty good trio of closing pitchers which should help me earn points in chunks of five. Zach Britton and Brad Ziegler recorded 30 or more saves each last season and Ken Giles is about to get a lot of save chances for a very good Astros team.
Next: This Call To The Pen
The Weaknesses
While my team has the capability of putting up a few home runs and stolen bases every night, my pitching may be bad enough to negate the offensive output.
Starting Pitching
When Jeff Samardzija is the best starting pitcher I have, I could be in some trouble. He and DeScalfani each took 13 losses last season which equates to -130 points over the course of the year.
Samardzija also gave up more earned runs last year than anyone in the league at 118. That’s -236 points in that category. Bottom line: I’ll be scouring the waiver wire for pitching early and often.
Middle Infield Depth:
If Brian Dozier gets hurt I’m in real trouble. Brandon Phillips isn’t the player he used to be and the team he plays for isn’t going to help his numbers any.
Alcides Escobar isn’t going to be hitting many home runs and Travis still has to get healthy. I’ll need to try and find some solid play on waivers. That’s not going to be easy to do in a 12-team league.
Starting Pitching
This isn’t a typo. It’s just so bad that it’s worth mentioning a second time. Michael Pineda and Taijuan Walker are going to have to live up to their hype in a big way to help this team out.
Next: Players I Hate
Players I would likely drop as soon as possible.
In the rotisserie mock draft I reviewed, I had a section about players that were ‘overvalued’ or perhaps taken too early. This mock draft didn’t have much of that which leads me to believe that everyone did auto-picks.
Because there aren’t any players I feel were overvalued by another team, I’ll list out a couple of players from my draft that I would part ways with quickly.
Jeff Samardzija:
Even when Jeff Samardzija was pitching well he struggled to get wins. Some guys just don’t get a lot of run support and Jeff Samardzija could be one of those guys. I’d rather take my chances with someone else.
In his place I probably would have taken a player like Ben Zobrist who will have eligibility all over the lineup. He was taken after Samardzija in this draft and while he doesn’t help my pitching, he does offer me some much more solid and reliable play up the middle.
Steven Souza Jr:
I like Steven Souza’s power potential and he wasn’t a terrible pickup. The problem with him is that in this league, strikeouts are worth negative points. Souza struck out in 144 of his 373 at-bats last season and I’m not looking to negate 144 points.
In his place I probably would have taken James Shields. He had a down year last year, but he could be due for a bounce back campaign. He’s still good for a lot of strikeouts and if I play the match-ups he could be a decent play in a points league.
Ryan Zimmerman:
I like Ryan Zimmerman when he’s healthy, but that’s something he hasn’t been in recent years. I also just don’t need very much help at first base. I already have a slew of power hitters in that position and it’s worth gambling on a different position in this instance.
Because I still need pitching help, I’d probably have taken Andrew Cashner instead of Zimmerman. He went only one pick later and also had a bad year in 2015. He has a high ceiling and could put up some good numbers if he ever figures things out.
Next: Players I Love
Players that could turn into steals.
I was able to get a few players in the later rounds that could be severely undervalued. If they pan out, they could be some of the top players at their positions.
Mike Moustakas:
Okay, so I didn’t get Moustakas on my team, but I still love this pick. He really broke out last season and has continued his hot hitting so far this Spring. If he continues to slap the ball to left and can add-on to the power potential he tapped into during the second half of the season in 2015, he could be a great steal.
Taijuan Walker:
Taijuan Walker has long been the next big thing in Seattle. So far, he’s failed to live up to the hype. Taking him 237th overall however, is well worth the risk.
Walker is not off to a good start this Spring, but that doesn’t mean he’s due for a bad season. Last Spring he did awesome and got blown up when real baseball started.
He’s shown flashes of his excellence in the past and he could find a way to bounce back.
Devon Travis:
I love that this auto-pick got me Devon Travis with my last pick. Until he got hurt last season, he had a shot at the American League Rookie of the Year award.
Travis plays in a very hitter friendly park and a very hitter friendly lineup. He’s going to get opportunities to score a lot of runs, drive in a lot of runs, and be a very productive hitter at the plate. If you have a chance to snag him late, I wouldn’t hesitate.
Next: Royal Spots and Analysis
Mock Draft Grade: C+
Overall, there are a lot of good things to like about this lineup. It’s hard to look at the home run potential and not be a little bit excited.
More from Fantasy Baseball
- Fantasy Baseball 2016: DFS Pitching Sleepers 4-5-16
- Fantasy Baseball 2016: Opening Day DFS Love-Hate
- Fantasy Baseball 2016: Rookie Sleepers At Each Position
- Fantasy Baseball 2016: Sleepers On The Waiver Wire
- Fantasy Baseball 2016: Sleepers Starting Season On Disabled List
The fact that the team should hit for a good average and steal some bags is appealing as well. Not many teams will be able to match the offensive output, especially in a 12-team league.
The biggest setback is the terrible pitching. It’s really bad and may be enough to completely unravel what my offense puts together.
While the offense is intimidating, a well-rounded team would be much more appealing.
For those Royals’ fans out there, here’s where your Royals were drafted.
- Lorenzo Cain, 56th overall (5th round)
- Wade Davis, 63rd overall (6th round)
- Eric Hosmer, 76th overall (7th round)
- Salvador Perez, 101st overall (9th round)
- Kendrys Morales, 138th overall (12th round)
- Mike Moustakas, 160th overall (14th round)
- Yordano Ventura, 177th overall (15th round)
- Alcides Escobar, 220th overall (19th round)
- Alex Gordon, 259th overall (22nd round)
- Joakim Soria, 299th overall (25th round)
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- This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!
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- The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. Immediately
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
While they’re a hard bunch not to like and you wouldn’t want them on any other real team, don’t be labeled a ‘homer’ by grabbing up all of the Royals quickly. If they are available when they’re projected to go, pick them up. Otherwise, it’s best to count on them for real wins instead of fantasy wins.
See the rest of KC Kingdom’s Fantasy Baseball articles here:
- 2016 Bounce Back Pitching
- 2016 Bounce Back Position Player
- 2016 Potential Busts
- 2016 Position Player Sleepers
- 2016 Pitching Sleepers
As with any type of fantasy sports, it’s hard to not get a little overzealous when you have your eye on one particular player. Don’t let that player sway your entire draft unless it’s one of the top players in the league.
It’s always best to save your gut feeling for the end of the draft. If you guess right and it’s late you’ll look like a genius, but if you swing and miss early it makes for a poor season.
So what do you think Fantasy Baseball fans? What did you like about this mock draft? What players do you hate? What players would you keep? Let me know your thoughts in the comments’ section below.