You're Starting A Team - Who and Why?

[sheetskout]

OK. You're starting a team and you get the first overall pick in the master draft. Who do you build your franchise around?

Mine?

Of all the ones that come to mind (Longoria, Lincecum, Braun, Upton, Billingsley, Pujols, Reyes) I think I still would have to go with Joe Mauer.

He's still super young for his experience level and high-average hitting Catchers that can handle a pitching staff are gold. It's the MLB-equivalent of Shaquille O'Neill in the NBA seven years ago. Players at these positions just don't come around that often.

Let's hear em, but please put some thought into it and give an explanation.

Thanks.

 

[KOBEARODLT]

pujols...one of the best hitters to every play the game, flat out.

 

[Dpanthers14]

What if every ten years or so they did have a master draft wouldn't that be nuts!

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Hanley, but I'm biased.

 

[ee10]

I'd take Hanley...because he's a SS that can do it all.

 

[bigalexx]

I'd take Hanley...because he's a SS that can do it all.

except field

I would take Mike Napoli

 

[Zymco]

OK. You're starting a team and you get the first overall pick in the master draft. Who do you build your franchise around?

Mine?

Of all the ones that come to mind (Longoria, Lincecum, Braun, Upton, Billingsley, Pujols, Reyes) I think I still would have to go with Joe Mauer.

He's still super young for his experience level and high-average hitting Catchers that can handle a pitching staff are gold. It's the MLB-equivalent of Shaquille O'Neill in the NBA seven years ago. Players at these positions just don't come around that often.

Let's hear em, but please put some thought into it and give an explanation.

Thanks.

I'd take Hanley...because he's a SS that can do it all.

whatever they said

 

[sheetskout]

Let's hear em, but please put some thought into it and give an explanation.
Thanks.

Wow..

 

[JEA2880]

OK. You're starting a team and you get the first overall pick in the master draft. Who do you build your franchise around?

Mine?

Of all the ones that come to mind (Longoria, Lincecum, Braun, Upton, Billingsley, Pujols, Reyes) I think I still would have to go with Joe Mauer.

He's still super young for his experience level and high-average hitting Catchers that can handle a pitching staff are gold. It's the MLB-equivalent of Shaquille O'Neill in the NBA seven years ago. Players at these positions just don't come around that often.

Let's hear em, but please put some thought into it and give an explanation.

Thanks.

I gotta be honest, that's one of the worst selections I can think of making. He's not in my top 100 let alone #1. The guy is 26, which yes is fairly young, but has some MAJOR injury concerns. To me, he's wayyy too much of a risk in this capacity to take a risk on as the #1 draft pick in the universe. Hitting .340 is great, but not worth that much in 110 games/season. If he continues to catch, he's got 3 good years left in him, maybe.

If you ask me, it's gotta be Pujols. Just turned 29 and AVERAGES 39 homers, 122 RBI's, 118 R's, and oh yeah, hits .334. It's tempting to throw Johan's name in the hat, but the Mets have proven one SP can't carry a team. Pujols has almost single-handedly made St. Louis a contender every year he's been in the league. Pujols is Mauer with significantly more power.

 

[cowboysrule48]

I would take Pujols hands down. He's the best hitter in the game, and plays Gold Glove defense. Even though he is older than most of the other logical choices, he is just that much better than them. Not to mention the revenue he would help bring my team if he does make a run at Bonds in 10-15 years.

 

[mlbsalltimegreats]

I would have to take Pujols as he is a guy you could build young talent around and he is mature enough to help a younger player grow even better. The guy is the best at what he does and has been doing for 8 years now. Johan is second!

 

[Brett Keith]

Albert Pujols. He's clearly the best player in the game, has been for a while, and he doesn't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. I won't be surprised if he's got 6-7 more years of all-time great seasons left. He also is arguably the best defensive 1B in the game, he works his ass off, and is a leader.

 

[KOBEARODLT]

Albert Pujols. He's clearly the best player in the game, has been for a while, and he doesn't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. I won't be surprised if he's got 5-6 more years of all-time great seasons left. He also is arguably the best defensive 1B in the game, he works his ass off, and is a leader.

lets hope for even more than that, i would love to see him break some records..definately deserves it.

 

[sheetskout]

I gotta be honest, that's one of the worst selections I can think of making. He's not in my top 100 let alone #1. The guy is 26, which yes is fairly young, but has some MAJOR injury concerns. To me, he's wayyy too much of a risk in this capacity to take a risk on as the #1 draft pick in the universe. Hitting .340 is great, but not worth that much in 110 games/season. If he continues to catch, he's got 3 good years left in him, maybe.

Maybe. But the point is that to field a dynasty there is something to be said for filling a position like catcher with a stud.

I would rather have Mauer and Morneau to start a franchise over Pujols and Molina. But yes, that's if Mauer is healthy.

 

[Brett Keith]

Albert Pujols. He's clearly the best player in the game, has been for a while, and he doesn't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. I won't be surprised if he's got 5-6 more years of all-time great seasons left. He also is arguably the best defensive 1B in the game, he works his ass off, and is a leader.

lets hope for even more than that, i would love to see him break some records..definately deserves it.

Well even if he stops having all-time great seasons in 5-7 years, I don't forsee him having a big or sudden drop off. If he stays relatively healthy, I think he's a very productive player upto, and maybe past the age of 40. I trust that any drop in numbers won't be due to not working hard enough.

 

[Brett Keith]

I gotta be honest, that's one of the worst selections I can think of making. He's not in my top 100 let alone #1. The guy is 26, which yes is fairly young, but has some MAJOR injury concerns. To me, he's wayyy too much of a risk in this capacity to take a risk on as the #1 draft pick in the universe. Hitting .340 is great, but not worth that much in 110 games/season. If he continues to catch, he's got 3 good years left in him, maybe.

Maybe. But the point is that to field a dynasty there is something to be said for filling a position like catcher with a stud.

I would rather have Mauer and Morneau to start a franchise over Pujols and Molina. But yes, that's if Mauer is healthy.

I was actually thinking about this the other day, that I'd probably take Pujols and Molina over any other position player combo in baseball. This is coming from someone who loooooves Joe Mauer, but I also loooove Yadier Molina, and really love, and am in total awe of Pujols.

 

[IndyManning18]

Longoria!

 

[pujolsjunkie]

Gerardo Parra - he homered tonight and is better than Eric Byrnes.

 

[darocker80]

Pitcher: Tim Lincecum
Hitter: Evan Longoria

 

[JEA2880]

I gotta be honest, that's one of the worst selections I can think of making. He's not in my top 100 let alone #1. The guy is 26, which yes is fairly young, but has some MAJOR injury concerns. To me, he's wayyy too much of a risk in this capacity to take a risk on as the #1 draft pick in the universe. Hitting .340 is great, but not worth that much in 110 games/season. If he continues to catch, he's got 3 good years left in him, maybe.

Maybe. But the point is that to field a dynasty there is something to be said for filling a position like catcher with a stud.

I would rather have Mauer and Morneau to start a franchise over Pujols and Molina. But yes, that's if Mauer is healthy.

I was actually thinking about this the other day, that I'd probably take Pujols and Molina over any other position player combo in baseball. This is coming from someone who loooooves Joe Mauer, but I also loooove Yadier Molina, and really love, and am in total awe of Pujols.

The shelf life on a catcher is far too short to hang the hopes of your franchise on one with the #1 overall pick (when starting from scratch). They go downhill far too fast. I would still definitely take Pujols and Molina (in my opinion the best defensive catcher in the game right now) over Morneau and Mauer.

As for the question about Pujols and Molina being the best combo in baseball, I can think of a few out there I'd prefer:

Longoria/BJ Upton (still only 24)
Wright/Beltran or Wright/Johan (admittedly biased here )
Miguel Cabrera/Curtis Granderson

In fact, I'm going to make a new thread to address this question