The first five selections of the Draft matched the Mock Draft pick for pick. The Mock picks are in parenthesis.
1. David Price, Fungoes (Price)
2. Ricky Nolasco, Wahoos (Nolasco)
3. Chris Davis, Mavs (Davis)
4. Cliff Lee, Warpigs (Lee)
5. Alexei Ramirez, SuperGoofs (Ramirez)
I had no real intentention of taking Cliff Lee at 4 when I wrote the Mock, but the closer we got to Draft Day the more I realized I needed his card and those innings. The Goofs were hoping to get Davis, but settled for his second choice of Ramirez.
6. Justin Duchscherer, Warpigs (Balfour)
Despite what I predicted in the Mock, I had planned on taking Duchscherer at 4 and Kuo at 6. But I figured the two starters would serve me better by keeping Lackey from pitching in any homer parks this year. I also trusted that Matt Thornton would last until pick 17, and his card was every bit as good as Kuo's. If Thornton didn't survive, though, the gamble wouldn't have paid off.
7. Nate McLouth, Nads (McLouth)
Six of the first seven picks were correct in the Mock Draft.
8. Max Scherzer, Pastas (Duchscherer)
I commented that this team had to make a choice between current card and potential here. Scherzer helps in both. I had Scherzer going 14 to the Fungoes... and if he had made it that far, he would have.
9. Grant Balfour, Buckeyes (Teagarden)
The best reliever in the Draft falls to the Buckeyes at pick 9, making my prediction of Teagarden a moot point. Teagarden then started the big slide... sitting back in the green room all alone by the time he was chosen by the Sidewinders with pick 45. Said Taylor, "It was embarrassing to sit there so long all alone, not being picked. Even when all the kids made fun of my name, they
still picked me for their team because... well, because I am
GOOD! And now this. And to make it even worse, I have to play for the damn Snakes!"
10. Kerry Wood, Killer Bees (Danks)
I thought I had Wood going earlier (at pick 16) than he really would, but it turns out I had him slotted too late. I really thought the Bees would take anything other than a reliever, but Wood fits the Beeboy's plan of returning to the top in 2010.
11. Hong-Chi Kuo, Drillers (Kuo)
Another pick right on the money, even though I thought at the time that Kuo would really have gone earlier. Still, it's a great pick.
12. Taylor Buchholz, Wahoos (Wade)
When it came to this pick in the Mock Draft, I was torn between Wade and Buchholz because the Chief told me, "I'm torn between Wade and Buchholz." Buchholz gets the nod because, according to the Wahoo manager, "He's cuter."
13. John Danks, Sidewinders (Devine)
Danks slid a little, and the Snakeman unlocked his jaw and swallowed him whole. Devine would have helped, but Danks is a better pick.
14. Jose Arredondo, Fungoes (Choo)
15. Travis Snider, Fungoes (Scherzer)
When writing the Mock Draft, I knew Snider was going here. Just
knew it. But I wanted Snider at pick 17, so I tried to lead the Fungoes to Choo. Plus, I liked the 'Gezundheit' line. Choo lasted until pick 37 - a nice pick by the Goofs. I know the FungoDude preferred either Scherzer or Danks with the other pick, but they were both already off the board. Arredondo is a nice consolation.
16. Joey Devine, Rhinos (Wood)
The Colonel assured me he would not take Wood (something about sloppy seconds), but I left the pick there because I liked the idea of him taking one of his cuts with his first round pick. Devine is a great pick for the Rhinos. His only drawback is the limited innings. The Rhinos made it an even better Draft by grabbing Corey Wade at pick 18.
