Fantasy Baseball Analysis Draft: Round 20

February 16, 2012 @ 14:20:08

By KFFL Staff

Rnd: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28
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1) Alcides Escobar, SS, Kansas City Royals

Team: Jeff Paur, RTSports | Roster

This was a pure need pick for me. I needed to add some steals and Escobar had the most potential of the guys left to draft. Plus, he filled my middle infield spot. I really wanted Yunel Escobar with this pick, as I think he is the better overall player, but his lack of steals made me take the other Escobar.

2) Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Boston Red Sox

Team: Tim Heaney, KFFL | Roster

Ryan Lavarnway and Kelly Shoppach could threaten PT, but Salty showed glimpses of why many rated him highly when he was a prospect. He stayed healthy, finally. Might as well employ the backstops from two powerhouse lineups....

Trumbo worth the risk

3) Johnny Cueto, SP, Cincinnati Reds

Team: Doug Anderson, RotoExperts | Roster

I know the strikeouts are lacking, but it's still nice to get a pitcher who posted a 2.31 ERA and 1.09 WHIP this late in the draft. I'll take anything close to that.

4) Addison Reed, RP, Chicago White Sox

Team: Josh Shepardson, The Hardball Times | Roster

The Pale Hose's top prospect blew through the minors, and he has the best stuff in the pen. Wanted to handcuff Matt Thornton and Reed, but I will just have to root for Reed to win the job outright in spring training. It's also possible Thornton coughs up the job early in the year much like he did last year.

5) Gavin Floyd, SP, Chicago White Sox

Team: Bill Macey, Baseball HQ | Roster

Floyd has suffered a little bit of bad luck (via BABIP and/or strand rates) each of the past three years, but underneath is a pitcher with ground-ball tendencies and good strikeout and walk rates. His skills fully support an ERA under 4.00 and 150-plus strikeouts, which make him a terrific sixth SP.

6) Jim Johnson, RP, Baltimore Orioles

Team: Nicholas Minnix, KFFL | Roster

I couldn't hold out much longer and nab a reliever who's a favorite for saves. These guys pain me. But, Kevin Gregg won't get a shot, and Matt Lindstrom's 2011 marks are due for more correction than Johnson's. JJ limits bombs with that grounder-coaxing bag of tricks.

7) Michael Brantley, OF, Cleveland Indians

Team: Mark Chamberlin, Baseball Sharks | Roster

Unlike many sleepers, Brantley is one many are not talking about. Before trying to play hurt in August, he was on pace for a 90/10/60/20/.275 season. Yes, you will take that and run with your sixth outfielder, especially from a 25-year-old batting leadoff.

8) Nick Hundley, C, San Diego Padres

Team: Howard Bender, FanGraphs | Roster

After midseason surgery to clean out his elbow in 2011, Hundley hit .389 for August with a reduced K rate and a 1.190 OPS. He followed it up with a .351 September and a .966 OPS. Late-round sleeper written all over this guy!

An ace in the 20th round?

9) Mark Trumbo, 1B, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Team: Pasko Varnica, Mastersball | Roster

A risky pick. If he, as Trumbo himself and his manager claim, will have close to a 150-game presence then, given last year's performance, this is a decent pick in the 20th round for my DH.

10) Hiroki Kuroda, SP, New York Yankees

Team: Joe Hamrahi, Baseball Prospectus | Roster

There are still quite a few solid starting pitchers left in this draft, but Kuroda intrigued me enough to snatch him up with my 20th-round selection. Hiroki won't have the luxury of pitching in Dodger Stadium anymore, so his ERA and WHIP might suffer a bit. On the other hand, he still strikes out a lot of batters, and he should pad his win total pitching for the New York Yankees.

11) Vernon Wells, OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Team: Ray Flowers, Baseball Guys/SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio | Roster

Well color me surprised. Wells was indeed available after I considered taking him in the last round. He makes a solid UT option this late.

12) John Danks, SP, Chicago White Sox

Team: Steve Gardner, USA TODAY/Sports Weekly | Roster

A horrific 0-8 start in 2011 made Danks' overall numbers look pretty bad. However, he put up ace-type numbers in June, July and August. There's a lot of rebound potential here, and he's still only 26.

Rnd: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28
League Home Page | Scoring Rules | Rosters | Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide

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