As we've actually started doing the draft, I think I like having to use your twists up front. Do you twist Jesus Alou into Felipe Alou in round 3? Or save that last name twist just in case?

That was a lot of fun, but looking at the other write-ups, I am really going to be glad we're being seeded by salary.

Round 0: not Round 1 b/c I re-rolled right out of the gate. First batch had Cy Young and pretty much nothing else. Looking back, maybe a rookie mistake b/c I could have taken my Cy Young who was ok or upgraded him and never did get another deadballer like I was hoping for.

Round 1: 2012 Josh Hamilton; 1996 Kevin Mitchell; 1978 Phil Niekro; 1945 Bob Feller; 1994 Robb Nen. While the draw had lots of players with great seasons, none were the actual season I had been given. I didn't want to use up more of my twists, so went with the best of the bunch in the hope they'd qualify as a solid group for this league. Niekro was the toughest decision. Pretty high cost ($9.45M) for decent but not great. In the end, it was a good choice as my pitching options were not great and I needed his IPs. Hamilton is good that year, Mitchell solid as a part-timer, Feller is decent in low IPs, and Nen is ok.

Round 2: 2019 1b Carlos Santana; 1906 1b Frank Chance; 2017 3b Jose Ramirez; 2020 P Zack Greinke; 2008 P Russ Springer. Happier with this round. It was starting to look like this team is going to have to hit HRs and that would continue later as well. Have to hope not too many deadballers out there. Greinke was the toughest decision - I could have twisted him to 2015 with my 5-year twist but wanted to save it, still hoping for the possibility of a bigger prize with that twist, and he does norm up decently. That didn't work out as you'll see.

Round 3: 1970 C Bill Sudakis; 1989 2b Ryne Sandberg; 1896 OF Billy Hamilton; 2003 P Hideo Nomo; and 1984 P Don Robinson. A real mixed bag. Great year for Sandberg and while it is not Hamilton's amazing year, it is really, really good (decided not to twist to his amazing year ... again, didn't really work out). Sudakis was a need pick - I was to round 3 without a catcher and needed at least a few hundred decent PAs. Again, the pitchers are just serviceable.

Round 4: Started using my twists based on need, unfortunately. Had to fill out my catchers, so used the 5-year twist on the 1965 Duke Sims to 1970 - good power year as a part-timer. Had no SS at all, so twisted Mickey Witek to 1940 where he had SS eligibility and fielded well. The negative was he didn't hit and only had about 500 PAs. Desperate times. Was happy to use my first name twist from the 2015 Mike Olt to the 2015 Mike Trout. Kept the 1990 P Ed Whitson where he was good and 2025 P Christopher Sanchez, also good.

Round 5: Got lucky with the 2021 Trea Turner who plays a very good SS and has a fine hitting year. Made me wish I hadn't twisted Witek, but there was no way to know I'd land Turner. Had to be done. The rest of the guys are unlikely to matter - the 2023 Evan Carter (less than 100 PAs, but they're good), I twisted the 2001 Corey Patterson to Danny Patterson (so-so, but serviceable, giving me a cushion of IPs) and two low-dollar guys to try to play the salary seeding game (1941 c Bill Baker and 2000 P Guillermo Mota who will be a mop up guy, if I use him at all).

Total salary = $108.6M

Need 1 sub

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Quick Draft Summary -

Always interesting to reflect on it a little while and see the other teams!

Round 1 - Not an impressive list and scared to re-roll the first round and quietly wonder if I should have but got Joe in a twist.

2000 Fernando Vina - LH, decent stats for Util, A-/A- fielder
1922 Bing Miller - hoping he would be a PH with decent offensive numbers, B/B- OF
2000 Darryl Kyle - best SP of the draw (highlights how poor it was)
1968 Darold Knowles - best RP of the draw HR/9+ 9,999! otherwise not impressive
1941 Joe Dimaggio - twist of 1941 Joe Orengo

Round 2 - A few better players just not in their sweet spot (2022 Acuna Jr)

2005 Jose Valverde - RP's look like they can be scarce and he is a decent draw
2020 Brett Martin - LH RP fits in
2017 JD Martinez - nice power season for him DH
1989 Terry Pendleton - nice 3B switch hitter bench A/A fielder
1908 Mordecai Brown - from 1907 Sam Brown to 1907 Mordecai Brown twist to 1908

Round 3 - some better players but all in the wrong year (Nomar 2001 and had used my twists), Carl Mays 1928, not that solid

1909 Hal Chase - needed a 1B hoped he would be a PH
2016 Ramon Cabrera - backup C
1975 Bill Madlock - nice hitting season .354/.402 but no bueno in the field C/D- 3B
1984 Kent Tukulve - hoping his sidearm delivery scares you as his stats don't
1909 Eddie Plank - I have used my twist to get 1915 so I have to twist 1914 five years to get 1909

Round 4 - Catcher is looking like an issue, need some hitting, more solid IP's wrong season bonanza here with no lifeline (Pedro 2004, Randy 2008) an OK draw.

1927 Dick Burris - LH back up 1st base as it looks more and more like Hal Chase is the starter there
2021 Marcus Semien - Nice Power at 2B poor range and plays 2B/SS
2023 Francisco Lindor - switch hitting power and some speed at SS A/C+ fielder
2004 Pedro Martinez - wish I had the lifelines!!!
1997 Mike Timlin - need bullpen

Round 5 - I could have a huge issue at C and looking for any difference making player as I have very few (DiMaggio and Mordecai Brown). Use my re-roll lifeline as the 1st draw was so insanely bad that either Stan Spence or UL Washington are the best players on the list.

2022 Tucker Barnhart - C with 308 PA's and can breathe and that is about it
1921 Muddy Ruel - C with 434 PA's I am happy I can roll out a real C each game (bad note: I have 3 catchers!)
2018 Giancarlo Stanton - Power and that is all
1954 Early Wynn - decent pull and my 4th SP
2014 Carlos Carrasco - 134 IP one of my best in this pen

Overall - after looking at the teams today I can see some had drastically better draws to work with and this team is not in their class. I am thinking 70 wins maybe the ceiling.