NFBC Draft Champions Recap: By no means Nervous When You Have Mervis

*takes an extended inhale* You odor that? No, not your sweatpants you’ve been sporting for the final week. Properly, them, however I’m speaking concerning the odor of the 2023 fantasy baseball draft season. So contemporary, so clear. So ulcer, so sniped. It’s good to be again to probably the greatest instances of the yr. It’s so a lot better than “Taking part in your ninth outfielder as a result of everyone seems to be damage” time of the yr. I’ve even begun rolling out my 2023 fantasy baseball rankings on our Patreon. So, me and a bunch of Razzball commenters obtained collectively and took half in an NFBC Draft. Will get one other draft began prolly round January/February, for those who wanna participate, and, in fact, Pleased New 12 months (of drafting fantasy baseball)! Anyway, right here’s my NFBC 2023 fantasy baseball draft recap; it’s a 15-team, two-catcher, draft and maintain league that goes 50 rounds and has no waivers:

C: Tyler Stephenson (9)
C: Elias Diaz (23)
1B: Jose Abreu (6)
2B: Thairo Estrada (12)
SS: Bo Bichette (1st spherical, eleventh choose)
3B: Austin Riley (2)
MI: Josh Rojas (14)
CI: Matt Mervis (17)
OF: Cedric Mullins (4)
OF: Tyler O’Neill (7)
OF: Seth Brown (13)
OF: Christopher Morel (19)
OF: Jose Siri (21)
UTIL: Brendan Donovan (22)

Bench: Kyle Stowers (25), Drew Waters (28), Kyle Farmer (30), Stone Garrett (31), Jacob Stallings (32), Elehuris Montero (35), Nick Pratto (36), Nelson Velazquez (38), Max Stassi (40), Taylor Partitions (42), Josh Smith (44), Michael A. Taylor (47), David Peralta (47), Christian Encarnacion-Strand (48), Conner Capel (49)

P: Brandon Woodruff (3)
P: Max Fried (5)
P: Clay Holmes (8)
P: Daniel Bard (10)
P: Jeffrey Springs (11)
P: Merrill Kelly (15)
P: Charlie Morton (16)
P: Dylan Floro (18)
P: Zach Eflin (20)

Bench: MacKenzie Gore (24), DL Corridor (26), Kyle Gibson (27), Cody Morris (29), Trevor Could (33), Nate Pearson (34), Ryan Yarbrough (37), Jared Shuster (39), Chris Flexen (41), Mychal Givens (43), Dane Dunning (46), Cole Winn (50)

YOU LOOK WEAK ON POWER. WHAT ARE YOU, 145-POUNDS SOAKING WET? SORRY, CHEAP SHOT. BUT YOUR TEAM DOES LOOK WEAK ON POWER TOO, NOT JUST YOUR BICEPS.

I drafted with out the Struggle Room, as a result of this draft was earlier than that was out there, so I did eyeball it, and was sporting my new glasses that I can’t see out of, so, yeah, perhaps. Completely increased on steals than I normally am, which is simply improbable going right into a yr when restricted pickoffs would possibly add steals to everybody. Tried my greatest to steadiness my velocity with some energy, grabbing Jose Abreu, Austin Riley, Tyler O’Neill, Seth Brown, Tyler Stephenson and a few bench bats like Kyle Stowers, Nick Pratto, and, oh yeah, my new favourite participant, Matt Mervis. Sooner or later in early December, after my Matt Mervis fantasy, I wrote again in October, I started to really feel my temperature rise each time I noticed his title. At one level, somebody walked by my home and mentioned, “Not nervous,” and I heard, “Matt Mervis,” and I dove out my first-floor window right into a rose bush, and confronted the passer-by to see if there was any information on Matty. There wasn’t clearly, they had been speaking about not being nervous as a result of they hadn’t heard again from their physician about some assessments or one thing. I finished listening midway by means of. Not Nervous Matt Mervis is the reality, and can make all the pieces higher. Pondering Matt Mervis goes to hit 35 homers this yr, as a result of I simply got here up with that quantity in my head and need to imagine it.

ALL RIGHT, COOL. LET’S HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT TAKING A PITCHER IN THE THIRD ROUND AND GOING BACK ON TEN YEARS OF NONSENSE I’VE HAD TO LISTEN TO FROM YOU. MAKING A STUPID GREY VOICE, “DON’T DRAFT A PITCHER UNTIL PICK 45 OVERALL BLEH BLEH I’M SO STUPID.”

You sound angrier than normal, Mr. Al Capps.

SORRY, I HAVEN’T EATEN LUNCH YET.

Brandon Woodruff was drafted by me at forty first total, so, actually, just a few picks earlier than I normally seize my 1st starter. This league is so deep and there’s no waivers, so my subsequent choose wouldn’t be for eight picks, and, as I at all times say, if a man falls, then you will have my go-ahead to draft. Woodruff was the eleventh pitcher off the board! No thought what others are pondering, however three closers went earlier than him! Josh Hader went earlier than him. Didn’t Hader simply have an egregious 2nd half? I get it, closers are boosted on this league (once more, no waivers), however I obtained Clay Holmes and Daniel Bard roughly 75 to 100 picks after Hader. Not saying they’re nice, however, once more, 75 to 100 picks later, and so they each had been higher than Hader on the Participant Rater final yr.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIMES PASSES, ONE THING REMAINS THE SAME, YOUR TEAMS NEVER HAVE ANY FLAWS. WELL DONE DRAFTING LEAGUE WINNERS EVERY TIME!

Okay, I get the sarcasm. Final yr, I drafted Aaron Choose and Jose Ramirez in the identical league, and completed ninth, so, clearly, the latest monitor document wants some gleaming over. I really do love this staff. Grabbed my already-fawned-over Matt Mervis; Tyler O’Neill sleeper, Thairo Estrada sleeper; Seth Brown sleeper, and there’s one other sleeper on this staff I haven’t even gone over but. Additionally, in years previous, I leaned closely on secure, late picks. This yr I attempted to work in some upside performs like Stowers, DL Corridor, Cody Morris, Pearson, Shuster, Drew Waters and Stone Garrett. Oh, yeah, I’m about to show Cole Winn into Will Winn.

ANY ACTUAL TAKEAWAYS BESIDES SOME EMPTY VICTORY LAPPING?

There’s a ton of outfielders to draft, however one way or the other it nonetheless will get shallow tremendous fast. If I needed to level to at least one difficulty with this staff, it’s my outfield might be Cedric Mullins and a wing and a prayer. It’s why I went somewhat heavier on outfield on my bench too. Strong a part of this staff is a variety of guys have further place eligibility. Did I simply jinx myself right into a beginning staff by June of Kyle Farmer, and Taylor Partitions? Oh God, I believe I did. I’ll be beginning Farmer with no likelihood for the overalls.