Mock Draft wrap-up

I had a lot of fun with this, but boy, lemme tell you that it is not nearly as easy as it looks. You’ve got your eyes set on Player A, and just as it looks like your going to get him, BAM! he’s gone. Or worse, you’re getting ready to pluck the guy you’ve had your eye on for the last 15 picks, them all of a sudden a guy you really didn’t anticipate being able to draft is right there for a taking. It’s a different animal on the inside.

Here’s the thinking behind my picks:

Round 1, Pick #30: Andrew Brackman, RHP, NC State
It came down to this: there was just too much talent and upside for me to pass on him. Yeah he missed some time with a tired arm (not to mention having to attend the funeral of an ex-girlfriend who was killed in a car accident), but you just take this kid, introduce him to Nardi Contreras, and let him go.

Round 2, Pick #94: Barry Enright, RHP, Pepperdine
What’s wrong with Barry Enright?!?! I caught alot of shit for this pick, but I stand by it. After taking the high risk Brackman in the first round, I took the safe and conservative route in Enright to balance it out. He may only end up a #4 guy in the rotation, but the chances of him reaching that ceiling are very good.Â

Round 3, Pick #124: Taylor Martin, RHP, St. Michael High (La.)
He’s a power pitcher with one of the highest ceilings in the draft, and probably should have gone in the second round. Classic example of a guy slipping through the cracks. I nabbed him at the end of the third round…then suddenly realized I hadn’t drafted a position player for an organization devoid of any yet…

Round 4, Pick #154: Rick Hague, SS, Klein Collins High (Tx.)
Exactly the type of player the Yanks should take. Talent says he’s a second rounder, but he’s considered nearly impossible to sign (committed to Rice). He’s a great well rounded player, with very nice offensive and defensive potential, and his intagibles help bring it all together. Hard to argue with the pick, I’m just glad I won’t have to open up the wallet for him.

Round 5, Pick #184: Pat Venditte, RHP/LHP, Creighton
I wanted to have some fun with the last pick of the draft, so I took Creighton’s ambidexterious reliever. Dude, this guy had a 43.1 IP shutout streak earlier this year! And he had 10 K’s in a 5+ IPÂ emergency start 2 weeks ago! And..come on, he’s 2 pitchers in 1! Seriously, think about it: he could throw 80 pitches righthanded, then another 80 lefthanded and save the bullpen…

Like I said, this was a lot of fun, but man, I’ve got a newfound respect for the guys that do this for real.