- Feb 3, 2011
- 1,880
- 48
At the start of the draft, another coach proposed going with 6 teams and although I had her back, none of the other coaches was concerned. They were all focused on their own drafts based on a 5-team league. So, 5 it is.
And with that decided, I pulled out my spreadsheet and prepared for battle.
Now, I'm not going to make a big deal about it, but because I was solo and because my daughter's only 8, I should've been able to save her until round 6, but I was forced to use my 5th pick on her.
I didn't notice the error, but the reason I don't feel a need to complain is that she's a top-15 player and because, believe it or not, I was able to draft 5 of the top 13 players available on my list.
I didn't draw the ace, but by sheer dumb luck, I was able to get the other #1 pitcher with the 4th pick. Team 1 needed a pitcher and took the ace, of course, and Team 3, with two #1s already locked in (coaches' kids) didn't get greedy, but inexplicably, Team 2 took a girl I had 5th on the board.
With my #2 pick, I got a terrific, hard-working 10yo with a solid bat, but ended up trading her to Team 3 for a 9yo girl who I had rated just 1 point lower on a 25-point scale. Both are great kids, I'm just giving up some size and a little experience. It was a small thank-you for allowing me to get the pitcher and also to encourage them to give me a lower-tier player for bottom-tier player. The player I'm getting in the deal is determined, and she has a dad who's ready to do whatever to help the team. Desperate for a manager or assistant, it was a move I needed to make.
At #3, I took an 8yo that's one of my daughter's soccer teammates. Great all-around athlete and she was the highest on my board at the time. Other teams passed on her, I suspect, because she isn't 9 yet. Mistake.
In the 4th round, I got another steal. Fields well, great arm, terrific bat and solid speed, but she can't catch that well. She's well-coordinated, so that's definitely something I can coach.
I then got another steal in round 6, a 10yo shortie with lots of spunk. She can catch, fields and throws well, and is a good contact hitter.
The only real downside all night was that my buddy wasn't able to draft the pitcher he wanted. There are only four legitimate #1s in the division and two of them are on one team. So, I had to choose between trying to help him keep his core four together or giving my team a player who's ready to start.
If I were a veteran, maybe I could've made the deal, but I'm the only first-year coach in the group, and as of right now, I'm the only coach without a partner. He's got two #2s, though (I initially thought he'd said his DD was a #1, but I misheard that), plus another younger girl who's going to work hard at it, so he should be fine. He offered me the biggest bat in the draft, but although she's got a great arm and has pitched a little, she's not a pitcher.
He wanted another girl from my team as well, but while the player I wanted in return was an even swap for her, he had to obtain her from a 3rd team. He got that player, but once my final decision was that I wasn't going to part with the pitcher, he said he'd prefer to keep the two friends together on my team and hoped they'd both have a great year.
I'm committed to doing all I can to keep this from being an issue in future years.
Long story short, I was very happy things fell the way they did and on paper, we've got a team that should be able to compete pretty well all season, despite our youth (2 of our top 5 are only 8yo).
Looks like all that fantasy football draft experience paid off.
And with that decided, I pulled out my spreadsheet and prepared for battle.
Now, I'm not going to make a big deal about it, but because I was solo and because my daughter's only 8, I should've been able to save her until round 6, but I was forced to use my 5th pick on her.
I didn't notice the error, but the reason I don't feel a need to complain is that she's a top-15 player and because, believe it or not, I was able to draft 5 of the top 13 players available on my list.
I didn't draw the ace, but by sheer dumb luck, I was able to get the other #1 pitcher with the 4th pick. Team 1 needed a pitcher and took the ace, of course, and Team 3, with two #1s already locked in (coaches' kids) didn't get greedy, but inexplicably, Team 2 took a girl I had 5th on the board.
With my #2 pick, I got a terrific, hard-working 10yo with a solid bat, but ended up trading her to Team 3 for a 9yo girl who I had rated just 1 point lower on a 25-point scale. Both are great kids, I'm just giving up some size and a little experience. It was a small thank-you for allowing me to get the pitcher and also to encourage them to give me a lower-tier player for bottom-tier player. The player I'm getting in the deal is determined, and she has a dad who's ready to do whatever to help the team. Desperate for a manager or assistant, it was a move I needed to make.
At #3, I took an 8yo that's one of my daughter's soccer teammates. Great all-around athlete and she was the highest on my board at the time. Other teams passed on her, I suspect, because she isn't 9 yet. Mistake.
In the 4th round, I got another steal. Fields well, great arm, terrific bat and solid speed, but she can't catch that well. She's well-coordinated, so that's definitely something I can coach.
I then got another steal in round 6, a 10yo shortie with lots of spunk. She can catch, fields and throws well, and is a good contact hitter.
The only real downside all night was that my buddy wasn't able to draft the pitcher he wanted. There are only four legitimate #1s in the division and two of them are on one team. So, I had to choose between trying to help him keep his core four together or giving my team a player who's ready to start.
If I were a veteran, maybe I could've made the deal, but I'm the only first-year coach in the group, and as of right now, I'm the only coach without a partner. He's got two #2s, though (I initially thought he'd said his DD was a #1, but I misheard that), plus another younger girl who's going to work hard at it, so he should be fine. He offered me the biggest bat in the draft, but although she's got a great arm and has pitched a little, she's not a pitcher.
He wanted another girl from my team as well, but while the player I wanted in return was an even swap for her, he had to obtain her from a 3rd team. He got that player, but once my final decision was that I wasn't going to part with the pitcher, he said he'd prefer to keep the two friends together on my team and hoped they'd both have a great year.
I'm committed to doing all I can to keep this from being an issue in future years.
Long story short, I was very happy things fell the way they did and on paper, we've got a team that should be able to compete pretty well all season, despite our youth (2 of our top 5 are only 8yo).
Looks like all that fantasy football draft experience paid off.
