Looking Ahead - 2009 NERDD

DiamondVision

Hitters: Holliday, Utley, McCann, M.Ordonez, Helton, Lowell, J.Guillen, Wells, Griffey
Starters: Beckett, Cook, Lowe, Kazmir, Kershaw
Bullpen: Jenks, S.Shields, Beimel
Picks in the first 100: 31 and 63

Opinion: The offense is pretty stout. Those first four in the list are as good as any team can put together. And Utley getting a 2 helps. The pitching is fairly average both in the rotation and the pen. Both could be easily improved except that the DVs are in terrible shape for the draft. Only 2 picks in the first 100? He sold his soul last year, and it got him a World Series berth... but he'll pay the price in the draft this year. Still it's going to be a good team. Probably not as good as last year, though.

Main needs: shortstop and draft picks

Drillers

Hitters: Ludwick, C.Lee, Vladimir, Longoria, Jeter, Shoppach, Posada, Wiggington, Ellsbury
Starters: Lincecum, J.Shields, Haren, Bush, Slowey
Bullpen: Nathan, Delcarmen, Dotel
Picks in the first 100: 11, 27, 33, 43, 59, 75, 91

Opinion: The Driller offense will not be as good as in the past. The trade for Ludwick and Shoppach helped, as those two will be two of the best hitters on the team. Neither the offense nor the defense is the strong suit of this team heading into the draft. The pitching, however, is excellent. Lincecum is maybe the best pitcher in baseball, and Haren and Shields are as good a 2-3 tandem as there is in the league. The bullpen is not deep, but Nathan is outstanding; and there are enough good relievers in this draft to complement him. And unlike the DVs, the Drillers have the picks to get them.

Main needs: CF, 1B, bullpen depth


FFTs

Hitters: Mi.Cabrera, Ichiro, H&K Matsui, Iwamura, M&Del.Young, Fukudome, Peralta
Starters: T.Hudson, Wainwright, Dice K, Liriano, F.Hernandez, Kuroda, McGowan
Bullpen: J.Rivera, Joba Chamberlain
Picks in the first 100: 50, 66, 82, 92, 95, 97, 98

Opinion: The offense has dropped off a lot from FFT teams of the past, but who wouldn't love to have this pitching staff? It's above average for 2009, but it is loaded with young studs for the future. Joba, Liriano, Dice K, Wainwright, Felix, Kuroda... And any staff with Rivera at the end of it is going to win their share of games of close games. Ichiro is the best defensive outfielder in baseball, and Iwamura and Michael Young both got better than they deserved on defense, but otherwise this is not a great defense behind these young pitchers.

Main needs: C, 1B, bullpen


Fungoes

Hitters: Berkman, Sizemore, Napoli, Ibanez, Figgins, Zimmerman
Starters: Halladay, Wakefield
Bullpen: Papelbon, Rowland-Smith, Burton, Sampson
Picks in the first 100: 4, 14, 15, 20, 21, 30, 36, 46, 47, 52, 68, 84, 100

Opinion: The talent at the top of this team is amazingly good: Berkman, Sizemore, Halladay, Papelbon... but there's a big drop off after that. Napoli is going to be very good, and Ibanez will help, but this team lacks a lot of depth. The good news is, the Fungoes will rule the draft. They have 13 picks in the first 100, including 7 of the first 36 picks. And as he has proven time and time again, the Fungoes KNOW how to pick 'em. Expect the look of this team to change dramatically by the end of the draft.

Main needs: 2B, SS, LF, RF, starting pitching, bullpen depth