Fantasy Draft

The live draft on Yahoo.com was a new experience for me, even though we used Yahoo for the last fantasy baseball league I was part of, because this time around I wasn't on a bus in Africa. I won't pretend I didn't miss the dusty van full of friends just a little, but it was nice to have the internet at my fingertips during the draft rather than just a printout of the top 300 players.

Anyway, I ended up drawing the first selection. I went back and forth about whether to take Mike Trout or Miguel Cabrera, knowing that I wouldn't get another pick before everyone else in the league selected twice. I ended up with Trout, and I think it was a solid choice to go with a solid team.

Here's my lineup - feel free to leave your encouraging or disparaging remarks in the comments below:

C: Victor Martinez (Tigers)
1B: Adrian Gonzalez (Dodgers)
2B: Ben Zobrist (Rays)
SS: Starlin Castro (Cubs)
3B: Evan Longoria (Rays)
OF: Mike Trout (Angels)
OF: Nelson Cruz (Rangers)
OF: Carlos Gomez (Brewers)
OF: Andre Ethier (Dodgers)
MI: Dan Uggla (Braves)
CI: Will Middlebrooks (Red Sox)
Utility: Kendrys Morales (Mariners)
Utility: Jason Kubel (Diamondbacks)
SP: David Price (Rays)
SP: Gio Gonzalez (Nationals)
SP: Max Scherzer (Tigers)
RP: Mariano Rivera (Yankees)
RP: Joel Hanrahan (Red Sox)
Bench: Jon Lester (Red Sox)
Bench: Brandon Belt (Giants)
Bench: Lorenzo Cain (Royals)
Bench: Marco Scutaro (Giants)

In twenty-two players, I've managed to represent fifteen of the thirty major league teams. I have three current Red Sox and four former Red Sox - I have to admit that Marco Scutaro was more of a sentimental pick than a practical one, though he was the 2012 NLCS MVP and part of the World Champion San Francisco Giants.

I'm counting on Jon Lester to bounce back from last year's mediocrity, and on Mariano Rivera to perform like the android I KNOW he is in his final season. But most of all, I'm counting on myself to remember to set the roster every day - because forgetfulness was my downfall the last time I played.