Team Name: Baseball HQ Bombers
Owner Name: Sean Wright
Home State: Waterbury, CT
Baseball Web Site: Baseball HQ
Personal Bio
I write for Ron Shandler's BaseballHQ.com, the premier fantasy baseball tools and information site on the web. Baseball HQ is a part of the longest-running information service in the industry. The Baseball Forecaster, our cornerstone publication, has been creating fantasy baseball winners since 1986. Check out the site for articles and analysis year-round for any kind of fantasy baseball league you are in. Our pre-season player stat projections are practically all you will need to build yourself a winning team.

Pre-Draft Strategy
Since this is my first season with the Full Count scoring system, I plan to play fairly conservatively for most of the draft. It seems fairly simple, but with the games played limitations, some strategies like platoons and week-to-week rotation management are harder to do. Here are a few of the things I will be looking to do:

Since I have the first pick, I'm going to go with P. Martinez, Bos and build around him with a couple of young stud pitchers. I'm a big strikeout fan, so I'll be looking to add a couple of high K/IP starters (K. Wood, ChiN perhaps) to supplement Pedro. I'll probably wait until very late to fill out my starters beyond that.
I'm a big "Position Scarcity" drafter. Since I will have a corner pick for the entire draft after the first round, I expect to be using one pick to make sure I'm hitting the weak positions (3B, C, SS) early in the draft and the other to hopefully influence a round.
Later in the draft, I like to take chances on longshots or guys who may have disappointed last year versus proven veterans. My theory is that several players emerge each year at every position who were seriously underestimated. If I can get two or three of them in the draft (versus a M. Bordick, Bal type who you know will give you mediocre numbers), I'll take the flyers.
Again, since I don't know any of the other owners, I'll be paying a lot of attention early in the draft to look for tendencies. I will have a long time between picks, so if I read the flow of the draft wrong and don't make the right pick, I could fall victim to a run on a position and end up in a tough spot. More reason to hit the scarce positions early.

Here's what I hope to see on my team at the end of the draft:
Power up the middle, with a top catcher, second baseman and shortstop
Two hard-throwing starters behind Pedro
One big-time closer and two 25-30 save guys
As many Rockies and Astros as possible for home games
And, most important, a team of guys I like to watch play (sorry Junior)

Here are some sleepers or guys I think I should be able to get lower than I have rated:
T. Womack, Ari - Tough adjustment to SS last year plus Buck is gone = bounce back
M. Lawton, Min - Just like watching him play, and he is very productive w/ great batting eye
T. Walker, Col - Must be on everyone's list, but you can't ignore Coors factor
B. Ausmus, Hou - Back with his buds in Houston, and now in hitter's paradise
R. Ortiz, Oak - Two awful months in 2000. If he can cut his walk rate, he could dominate
B. Wagner, Hou - He may be the toughest guy of all to predict. He went from #1 closer to tank in one season. Hope the others are afraid - hey, I like strikeouts.

Post-Draft Analysis
Did you get the team you envisioned?
Not entirely. I didn't expect so much emphasis on weaker positions (SS, 3B, C) so early. Several times I had the choice between a good player at 3B or SS and a stud at another position, and I decided to take the stud. It seemed like people went pretty far with the position scarcity strategy. Getting J. Giambi, Oak in the 4th and B. Williams, NYA in the 6th rounds were very pleasant surprises.
I was hoping one of the top three catchers would fall to me, as that was the only position I saw a clear dropoff. When that didn't happen (clearly a pipe dream), I think I panicked and took J. Lopez, Atl too early. Also, I would have liked to do better at closer, but I figure you have to take a couple chances in this game to win, so I decided to take one there.
Overall, I like where I am at every position except SS.

What worked and didn't work in your strategy?
P. Martinez, Bos gave me a lot of flexibility with what I wanted to do at pitcher. I decided to wait a little longer to take my second pitcher than most did, and I wanted to go strictly with young, hard-throwing guys to go with Pedro. That worked well, as I ended up with several pitchers in the same mold, hard throwing and under 30. I figure they won't all play up to my expectations, but as long as 2-3 of them do, they're a nice compliment to Pedro.
I screwed up at shortstop. I wanted one player (you'll see who later), and waited too long. N. Perez/R. Aurilia puts me at a big disadvantage there.
I also waited too long to take a 4th closer. I have some serious question marks in the bullpen, and could be in trouble there. I should have grabbed a E. Yan, TB or M. Kohlmeier, Bal just to give myself more options.

What were your best picks?
S. Casey, Cin - R. Sexson and M. Grace, Ari went in the same round as him. I love him there.
J. Burnitz, Mil - I just have a feeling.
J. Randa, KC - Waiting until the very end to take a 3B didn't really hurt.

What were your worst picks?
J. Lopez, Atl too early. Could have waited to take him and gotten a better hitter or pitcher in that round.
J. Ortiz, oak - Apparently I'm the only one who believes the buzz. Probably a waste of a pick, especially when I got J. Offerman, Bos late.

Who did you forget about?
I didn't really forget anyone. I kept Shandler's Baseball Forecaster by my computer and must have read and reread it about 50 times during the draft. I did take a few chances thinking players would make it back to me and they didn't (M. Lawton, Min, R. Person, Phil, and D. Hermanson, StL).

Who were your sleepers?
T. Womack, Ari - If the guy steals 50 bases, as I expect he will, he's a huge steal. I blew it by waiting too long.
J. Burnitz, Mil
F. Garcia, Sea - If he stays healthy, he could be my #2.
M. Williams, Ari - I think the whole team will be better this year with the departure of Buck Showalter. He drove in 142 runs two years ago.
O. Dotel, Hou - Try telling me a guy who struck out 10 batters per 9 innings pitched last year isn't a value in the last round.
R. Ortiz, SF - He reminds me of Jack McDowell - not pretty but he wins.

What was the strangest pick?
Clearly K. Wood, ChiN. I know he's got a great arm, but 2nd round? The other strange thing, which I was very grateful for, was Burghardt twice taking players in front of me at positions I had already locked up (J. Kent, SF and J. Posada, NYA). He could have hurt me by waiting and attacking a position I needed, knowing I wouldn't take them. He got me with the R. Person, Phil pick, though.

What would you have done differently?
Take a SS earlier.
Take a top closer instead of R. Alomar, Clev. I might have been able to wait a round and gotten him or J. Kent, SF.

Swap teams?
I like Creative Sports' team. Love the pitching and they're strong at the scarce positions. Can I pass on the outfield, though?

Who got away?
T. Womack, Ari. Also M. Williams, Ari, but I made a conscious decision to let him go and make the safer J. Randa, KC choice once I got stuck at SS.