by John Manuel
March 16, 2006

DREAM DRAFT

BA staffers try their hand at team-building

Round-By-Round Round 1 Round 6 Round 2 Round 7 Round 3 Round 8 Round 4 Round 9 Round 5 Round 10

Teams J.J. Cooper John Manuel Aaron Fitt Chris Kline Alan Schwarz Will Lingo Will Kimmey Alan Matthews Matt Meyers Jim Callis

By The Numbers

Vote For Your Favorite Draft

Pick	Player, Position, Organization (Age as of April 1, 2006)
1.	Felix Hernandez, rhp, Mariners (19)
2.	Grady Sizemore, of, Indians (23)
3.	Jhonny Peralta, ss, Indians (23)
4.	Mark Buehrle, lhp, White Sox (27)
5.	David Ortiz, dh, Red Sox (30)
6.	Justin Verlander, rhp, Tigers (23)
7.	Lance Berkman, of, Astros (30)
8.	C.C. Sabathia, lhp, Indians (25)
9.	Carlos Quentin, of, Diamondbacks (23)
10.	John Patterson, rhp, Nationals (28)

My Philosophy: Because everyone was available, drafting players who could both help a team now and still help in 2010 was not only possible but fairly easy. My tiebreakers were: lefthanded trumps righthanded for hitters and pitchers, the younger the better, and of course, personal link to the player.

My Draft: I felt like I executed my plan, though I drafted more pitchers than I thought I would going in. I love my first eight picks and like the fliers I took in the ninth (Carlos Quentin) and 10th (John Patterson) rounds.

Best Draft: Matt Meyers and Will Lingo both had a good mix of young and old, hitter and pitcher, toolsy and more subtle talents.

Worst Draft: I love Ryan Zimmerman, but not as a second-rounder. I thought Chris Kline took most of his players a round too early, with the exception of Victor Martinez and Huston Street. Jim Callis' draft skewed too young for me, and I have injury questions about the top two pitchers he picked (Mark Prior, Roy Halladay).

Best Pick: Martinez in the fourth round was stout, and so was Michael Young. I felt the fourth round looked better than the third round.

Worst Pick: Conor Jackson in the fifth round didn't do it for me. The other bats in that round have a lot more thunder, and so did the ones in the sixth and seventh rounds.

He Wasn't Taken?: Jose Reyes and Chris Carpenter were in the mix for my last two picks, and I'm shocked neither one went off the board.

That Hurt: I made a mistake in taking Quentin in front of Street. I wanted both for sentimental reasons, and I should have known to take Street, whom I almost took in the eighth round.