This is a 5x5 league using OBP instead of runs. 9 teams.I made one of the single worst moves in my history of fantasy baseball by picking up Marquis Grissom in the latter rounds, thinking someone would fill their outfield spots with at least a $2 bid to take him away from me.
He went right on through the auctioneers, and landed in my 4th OF spot. 
I entered this draft with the mindset of getting two players, absolutely. Vladimir Guerrero and Pedro Martinez. BJ Ryan was a NEAR-must-have.
It is a 4-player max keeper league. I could have kept Kent for $18 ($13+$5 added if keep); Garciaparra for $21; Kendall for $19. I went with Abreu ($26 - didn't even have to think about this one), Jose Reyes ($13), Joe Nathan ($10) and Eric Chavez ($22).
This will be my third year with Chavez. I am expecting 2004-Beltre-esque numbers, this year, from him.
Here is my resulting roster:
1B - Derrek Lee - $12 (he was the best first baseman left at the point I grabbed him)... worth every penny of the $12
2B - Jose Reyes - $13 (possibly overspending to keep him at this price... but that hamstring looks golden in the Spring)
SS - Juan Uribe - $1 (my second to last pick; I really wanted Carlos Guillen here, but I ran out of money). Not a bad pick here, though, as the second to last SS taken in the draft.
2/S - Omar Vizquel - $1 (this was my last pick; I wanted Chase Utley here, but again ran out of money - one team in the league got both Utley and Guillen... bastards.) 
3B - Eric Chavez - $22
1/3 - Melvin Mora - $23 (He was the third best player in all of our 5x5 fantasy baseball last year; hope the last two years haven't been fluke)
C - Paul Loduca - $7
C - Mike Lieberthal - $5 (these are probably the best bargain catcher picks that I have ever had; no chumps here; no greatness, either... but I usually end up with at least one chump)
OF - Bobby Abreu - $26 (a keeper; he was the #2 guy in our 5x5 last year)
OF - Vladimir Guerrero - $45 (I got him... I would have gone to $55) - he was the number one ranked 5x5 guy last year)
OF - Johnny Damon - $10 (bidding went $1, $2, $3, $4, and $10 immediately from me; nobody bit after that, and I was kind of surprised - this guy was the #16 in last year's rankings)
OF - Marquis Grissom - $1 (doh! Still, over 20 HRs and decent avg each of the leat two years; please, Barry, come back soon! #134 in the 5x5 rankings last year)
OF - Ken Griffey, Jr. - $1 (I didn't want him, either. I figured someone would most definitely take him for $2... he went for $7 last year... no dice... OF spots were dwindling, and I was out of money... could only get $1 players... Larry Walker was out there and he was high on my lists... I so hoped he was outside of folks radar. Suddenly, the reigning champ gets him for $4 and I am near tears) Good upside here with this pick. Griffey is healthy, for now. AND, while sucking in AVG, he hit 20 HRs. A healthy Kearns, a revitalized Dunn... and an iron hamstring, and I might have the steal of the draft.
I'm not holding my breath.
Larry Walker, FYI, was #7 in my rankings from last year that take into account the PACES of the players in HRs and RBIs and SBs to determine how they would have done with full seasons. Larry Walker, when healthy, is STILL one of the best fantasy guys in baseball.
DH - Erubiel Durazo - $4 (I was shocked with this price; sure, there are a lot of people down on him... no way he can repeat last year again... I guess most in the league forgot that this is his contract year).
P - Joe Nathan - $10 (my other no doubt keeper)
P - Mark Prior - $20 (I did not select a player in the first round of the auction; he was the second player called out in the second round... I was prepared to go as high as $20... I could have kept him for $31). Roll of the dice here. After getting him, I looked to the Baseball Gods and shouted "Just 180 innings is all I ask." That isn't a lot to ask for... is it?
P - Roger Clemens - $16 (about what he is worth... if he gives me half of what he did last year, I'm happy)
P - BJ Ryan - $20 (yah, I know... what kind of drugs am I on... what can I say... I love this guy. I think he will be one of the top closers in baseball this year. I also THOUGHT I would be able to get him under the radar this year. Unfortunately for me, so did someone else in the league. Bidding war results, and I overspend by $15 off my projection. $20 was as high as I would go...
P - Mike Mussina - $12 (great team; hoping for wins and similar stats from last year)
P - Orlando Hernandez - $2 (someone bid him for $1... couldn't let him go for that... it was enough to get him... and, if he can continue his same pitching after he returned from injury last year, I am a happy man at this price)
P - Guillermo Mota - $8 (I love this guy. My roto mags were a bit down on him, but it wasn't that long ago when I was watching him in a Dodger uniform... usually in awe. Florida will be very good this year. He will get lots of chances. I just hope that he makes the best of them).
P - Bobby Madritsch - $1 (one of my potential sleepers... I wanted Scott Kazmir here... and I was forced to bid Kazmir the round just before. The reigning champ, once again, stole him from me for $2). Madritsch posted a LOT better all-around numbers than Kazmir last year, so I can hope for the same.
Even if Kazmir stinks up the place this year, though, I would keep him for next year at $6 or $7.
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I didn't get Pedro. I entered a serious bidding war with another player... he finally took it up to $38, and that was just too much for me. If I pulled the plug on this, I would have been left with 11 empty spots on my roster and only about $15 to fill them). As you can see, I went to $37, so I was willing to go pretty close to that scenario.
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That led us to the farm team draft, and I prayed again to the Baseball Gods for the #1 pick. I pulled my crumpled paper from the bowl. "I have a hyphen," I thought the first moment I saw it. Yay. #1.
Everyone hoped, with held breath, that I would't announce the name that was on everybody's tongue.
"Oh, I'm gonna take a gamble here," I said. "JASON GIAMBI." [collective OH! from the drafting crew who were hoping they would have had the same opportunity)
My other farm picks: Morgan Ensberg (gonna have a great season), Hee Seop Choi (I'm a Dodger fan... I needed at least one), Damian Miller (completes a very nice 3 catcher crew), Craig Monroe (see my previous post on sleepers for this year -- I love this guy), Raul Mondesi (great team; hoping for better attitude and stolen bases), Jeff Davanon (see Craig Monroe, above), Joel Piniero (best #1 starter left out there), Matt Morris (free agent year), Mike Gonzalez (Mesa loses the job, here comes studmaster Mike), Scot Shields (best long reliever in the game who could really help with ERA and Ks - a fluke injury to K-Rod and I'll look like a genius).
All in all, I think I've at LEAST guaranteed myself a second to last place position.
