[BadluckinOOTP]

This was a strange draft for me. My previous scouting director James Marcou had his contract expire because frankly, I wasn't paying attention to that page of the game. So, when the amateur draft came I was without a scout, and totally reliant on the BNN scouting reports (stats only league, remember?), and the stats the players put up in their college or high school circuits.

I have a new scouting director now, George 'Mountain Man' Heuer. He had a brief career at the turn of the century, and seemingly did something unrelated to baseball for a couple of decades and reappeared as an excellent scout. I tried to hire him straight up, and even offered him a decent chunk of cash, but I should have went for broke and offered 20,000 or something, since cash doesn't really mean anything right now. I was outbid by Brooklyn, and left scouting directorless.

So I traded for him. Two draft picks. I figured if I'm in a stats only league investing in a guy with an 'outstanding' rating in scouting amateurs, and two 'excellent' ratings besides that, will hopefully pay off.

So, the next handful of drafts will be interesting as I will rely heavily on the reports of Heuer until he gives me reason not to, and I'll take his word with quite a bit of weight.

Heuer has had a chance to look over my class this year and he isn't all that enthused. We had the 9th overall pick with our .500 record.

*Some of these guys haven't signed, but I expect them all too except maybe Taylor, who has went from 'very hard' to 'impossible', but I'm offering him a big chunk of change so hopefully he accepts.

1. R/R SS Johnny "Shadow" Guzzo, Toledo HS

18 year old slick fielding shortstop, who I think is a shoe-in to be a solid defensive SS for a lot of years. The question is will his bat come around. He put up a career .378/.434/.645 slash line in 539 career at bats in high school. But, his senior year was his worst. The new scout doesn't care for his bat, we'll see how he handles the new C ball team in Jackson, Mississippi.

2(a). Joe Taylor P/OF R/R, Norfolk HS

Okay, so I had two 2nd round picks, and they've both turned out to be strange. I drafted Taylor as a pitcher, on the basis that the game had him as a very hard signee, and at one point, I swear the game said he wanted a major league contract. The scouting report was okay, but I figured I'd take a risk.

Now, the weird thing is that I drafted him as a pitcher (with middling statistics), but the game has converted him to CF, where my new scout thinks he has the talent to really be a good outfielder, even though he had just 12 plate appearances in his high school career. So, I think I'll try him as a two way player and see how it goes in Jackson for him, if he signs of course.

2(b). P/1B L/L Rocky Crawford, Whitney College

*The pick I received from the Stars for 1B Dave Trowbridge

Same thing with our first college pick, Crawford. I picked him thanks to a strong junior season, and probably trusting in the BNN scouting report too much. After being average as an underclassman, He went 6-0 in 12 games, with a 2.64 ERA and 10.2 K/9, and he's never done a thing offensively. 5-70 in his career. But, like Taylor, the game has made him an offensive player initially, in this case, first base. And Heuer thinks he has a solid, if unspectacular bat.

For both of these guys, I'm going to see if I can get a scouting report for the original position I drafted them at, pitcher, and go from there. I specifically wanted pitchers with my two second round picks, but if Taylor is a stud CF, I'll have to oblige.

3. R/R OF Al Haines, Philadelphia HS

Hit .367/.428/.620 as a senior with 14 stolen bases. Good defensive statistics in CF in 119 HS games, +9.6 ZR.

Another uninspiring report from Heuer, but the speedy outfielder looks like he has the intangibles and skills to at least be a bench player. His defense and baserunning are good enough that even a competent offensive game make him a contributor.

4. L/L OF Lennie Vaughn, Chicago Poly

The 21 year old is toolsy, and never quite lived up to his potential in college. But, he's very athletic, plays a good outfield and has a lot of raw power, the question will be if he ever taps into it. Our scout, Mountain Man, really likes him.

.286/.358/.397 as a collegiate, which is right at league average. His freshman year was his most productive and each declined after that. Spokane is where he'll begin.

5. L/L OF Cy Bell, Austin HS

This guy I just took because of his stats, while scanning statslab. OPS'ed 1.074 in a 14 game injury shortened senior year. OPS+ of 140 in his 426 HS PA's. Will be a corner outfielder as a pro, but did play a bit of center as an amateur.

No 6th round pick, due to the trade with Brooklyn for our new scouting director.

7. L/L/ P Gene Thompson, Sacramento HS

The game is trying to change his position too, but I won't let him. Gene Thompson throws one pitch, a fastball, but he throws it more than 100 mph. And virtually nobody throws that hard in the FABL right now. So, I just want to see what he'll do. A lefty that can throw 100? He'll have an opportunity in my system until his arm falls off. But, there's not a player in this draft more destined to start in Jackson than Thompson.

It's not like he made a fool of himself in high school. 222.2 innings and a 2.99 ERA, and just 2.3 BB/9. 16-9 record.

8. L/R 3B Bobby Marsh, North Carolina Tech

A sure handed third baseman who showed power potential his junior year with 13 homers in just 212 at bats. The question is will the other parts of his offense round into shape. A few third basemen that I wanted were picked right before I was hoping to nab them, and I think I panicked a bit by reaching for Marsh, when I probably could have had him a few rounds later.

.269/.354/.511 as a junior. 138 OPS+

9. L/L P Dee Robinson, Queens HS

A control artist who missed his entire junior year due to injury. As a senior he went 2-4 with a 3.25 ERA in his 8 starts, but walked just 9 in 55.1 innings. Even my new scout is amazed by his control, even if he thinks the other parts of his game stink. Will be in the rotation in Jackson.

10. L/R P Chet Dodds, Sacramento HS

Probably wishes he had missed his whole junior year due to injury after an 8.28 ERA in 13 games out of the bullpen. But, as a senior in the rotation, he had a 3.80 ERA in 7 starts. Mountain Man doesn't think much of him.

11. R/R P Bud Webb, Opelika State

Had a fantastic sophomore year, 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA, but fell down to earth a bit as a junior, going 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA. The scout likes him alright and thinks he has a big league arm, even if he'll eventually be a 5th starter/mop up guy. Certainly held in higher regard than Dodds.

12. R/R Fred Toole, Maryland State

Career 3.92 ERA in 193 collegiate innings (115 ERA+), pretty hard thrower and has a nice curveball. Might work better in the bullpen.

13. R/R IF Snipe Heifner, Central Ohio

Had a solid junior year, .337/.400/.449 with 10 stolen bases. He played 2B the last two years, but really struggled in the field. He was better last year than he was the year before, so I'm hoping it is just a case of needing to develop. But, he's going to be 22 already in his first pro season, and I'm hoping the bat is developed enough to handle Spokane and maybe Gary. But, if he ends up having to play first, his FABL hopes vanish.

We pick 12 guys besides the ones above, but I had no say in them, and hopefully someone down there rises out of that ooze and becomes a useful player.