Continued from part one, part two, part three, and part four.
When things really matter, people stop taking stupid risks and start making smart decisions. And in the NBA and NFL amateur drafts, things really don't matter as much. The players are scouted since middle school, but when draft day comes, you're always bound to find that team that picks Michael Olowakandi with the first overall pick. Things just don't matter as much because he is simply one player on a team.
So, what does this have to do with the "Universe Draft" (and by the way, I am still regretting that name)? Well, because teams are building their teams from the bottom up, things really do matter. And though I may not have simulated the draft as accurately as possibly, most players selected aren't too risky.
But there comes a time in the draft when you definitely have to choose between potential and proven talent. In this portion of the draft (picks Nos. 21-25), teams will have to choose between Ryan Zimmerman and Chase Utley, or Rickie Weeks and Nick Swisher.
Here are picks nos. 1-20:
1. Yankees — Albert Pujols
2. Red Sox — Felix Hernandez
3. Cubs — Francisco Liriano
4. Devil Rays — Scott Kazmir
5. Marlins — Jonathan Papelbon
6. Athletic — Joe Mauer
7. Braves — Justin Verlander
8. Tigers – David Wright
9. Cardinals — Miguel Cabrera
10. White Sox — Johan Santana
11. Mets — Jose Reyes
12. Indians — Grady Sizemore
13. Twins — Dontrelle Willis
14. Blue Jays — Jered Weaver
15. Angels — Ryan Howard
16. Astros — Carlos Zambrano
17. Reds — Hank Blalock
18. Padres — Mark Texeira
19. Diamondbacks — Brandon Webb
20. Mariners — Adam Dunn
And with that, let's get started:
21. Phillies
Is it worth taking a second-tier pitcher with a first round pick? Some might say yes, because after all, Josh Johnson, Jeremy Bonderman, or Matt Cain might turn into a No. 1 starter ... but that's a huge risk.
The interesting player here is Johnson, who clearly has the potential to become a top-of-the-line pitcher. But the guy is simply too hard to grade at this point. His rookie year could just be a fluke, and he might drop out of the big leagues after a few years.
As for positions players, Chase Utley stands out among the pack. But then again, Utley is 27-years-old and plays like a maniac. That's a good thing, except that he could be an injury risk later in his career.
Ryan Zimmerman is 21-years-old, he is having a solid rookie year, and he is a good defensive player. Mulling over the options, Zimmerman seems to have the best potential, but at the same time, he is a lower risk than most young players.
The pick: Ryan Zimmerman
22. Colorado Rockies
At Coors Field, many pitchers were useless because of the altitude. But now that Coors is turning into a pitcher's park (soaked balls and all), the Rockies can now concentrate on pitching instead of hoping to out score every opponent.
So looking at pitching, Josh Johnson is the easy pick here. At only 22-years-old, he also brings what Zimmerman brings: big potential, low risk.
The pick: Josh Johnson
23. Washington Nationals
In the moment, playing hard is great. In the long-term, playing hard isn't so great. Andruw Jones always says that he doesn't try to take stupid risks diving for a ball that could end in an injury. He figures that he can help a team more by staying in the game a few more games, than making an extra out or saving an extra out.
Chase Utley is that all-out kind of player, but does he take stupid risks? Well, it's hard to do at second base, and in five years, he'll be 32-years old — an age where injuries start to creep up on guys, but not an age where you have to deal with a Barry Bonds-like joint.
At the least, you get a great leader in the clubhouse. At most, you get a hall of fame second baseman.
The pick: Chase Utley
24. Los Angeles Dodgers
There's one guy I can't quite figure out: Alex Rios. The 25-year-old is tearing it up for the Blue Jays, but he came out of no where. Is he really that good? Is this considered high-risk or low-risk?
For now, I'll call his great year a fluke and move on.
Los Angeles needs a scrappy player who is willing to energize the town and have a Hollywood attitude. Many of his opponents say this next guy could be a hall of fame hitter — but they also hate it when he hits the ball because he's such an ass about it.
But it's Los Angeles, so it's cool.
The pick: Nick Swisher
25. San Francisco Giants
Quick question: what is the most important position on the diamond, not including the pitcher? For me, it's easy — the catcher.
Just ask the Red Sox how Javy Lopez has been doing behind the plate — they sorely miss Jason Varitek.
At this point, finding the best young catcher might be a good idea — after all, handling a pitching staff and producing at the plate can be tough work, and not many players can do it. There are two options: Russell Martin or Brian McCann.
Martin is older, but he's coming on as a strong team player. But McCann was so good that he made the all-star team this year — as a 22-year-old! For me, this pick is easy. Though Martin could be a better hitting Varitek, I'll take McCann. He's something special, and someone who is overlooked.
The pick: Brian McCann
The next five picks are as follows. They have basically been pathetic, which puts them at the bottom of the draft:
26. Texas Rangers
27. Milwaukee Brewers
28. Baltimore Orioles
29. Pittsburgh Pirates
30. Kansas City Royals
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