Springield Times - Annual Draft Preview

Spingfield Times - It's that time of year again, and shockingly our Topes actually have a pick in the first round this season. Without further ado, the first round predictions in the NASBL Draft.
1) Geovany Soto - New York Knights – Though the best player in the draft appears to be Evan Longoria, the Knights are already loaded with corner infielders (especially considering the pending MLB move of Michael Young to 3B) and the recent trade of Salty to the Cannibals seems to indicate that the Knights are leading towards solidifying their backstop position with the 1st pick.
2) Evan Longoria – Troy Haymakers – The Haymakers thank their lucky stars that Longoria is here for them. Will form a great tandem with Adrian Beltre at 3B as the heavy side of a 3B platoon. Although drafting Longoria here could also mean that Beltre’s time as a Haymaker may be short-lived.
3) Edinson Volquez – Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs – With only 3 starters on the staff, the Iron Pigs go with youth and productivity over PRODUCTIVITY by selecting Volquez over Cliff Lee with one of the picks acquired in the Carlos Quentin trade.
4) Cliff Lee – Grundy County Grizzlies – The Grizz believe that they can compete this year, and rightfully so. Adding the MLB Cy Young Award Winner gives the team the Ace that could push them over the top.
5) Jay Bruce – New Jersey Trash Heap – The Heap is absent a centerfielder on its squad (no apologies to Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher needed) and a young, young, power hitting centerfielder just happens to be available here.
6) Joba Chamberlain – Seattle Pilots – The supplemental draft and the trade for Miguel Tejada filled a lot of holes for the Pilots, so they have the luxury to go for the proverbial “best player on the board”. Joba could easily fill that moniker and end up a Pilot.
7) Joey Votto – Outlaw Josey Wales – It’s hard to see any holes in the Wales’ squad, which allows the team to get the best available young slugger, which happens to be Mr. Votto.
8) Jon Lester – Illinois Chow Chows – There’s no doubt that the Chows need some starting pitching to round out their rotation and a young, quality pitcher with 210 innings and a MLB no-hitter in 2008 fills the bill.
9) Justin Upton – Vermont Fighting Sioux – Younger brother of former 1st overall pick in NASBL B.J. Upton, Justin is frighteningly young and has all the tools to be a NASBL all-star when he fine tunes them. The Sioux just happen to need a right-fielder, as well.
10) Matt Garza – Lake Champlain Cannibals – The Cannibals need some pitching to go along with their high-powered offense. Garza is good and young and has plenty of innings.
11) Ricky Nolasco – Dallas Forth Worth Spurs – What a deep draft for good young pitching! The Spurs are very happy to get Nolasco here, a former Isotope that Topes GM Doug Sherlag appears to have given up on way too early.
12) Armando Galarraga – Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs - With its 2nd first round pick, the Iron Pigs further shore up its pitching staff for the NASBL season by taking Galarraga. Righties need a lot of luck to hit this guy (I’m looking at you Outlaw – who happens to play in the Pigs’ division).
13) Rick Ankiel – Pocono Chin Music – I predict that Ankiel will become the only player in NASBL history to be drafted in the 1st round as both a pitcher and a hitter. The best outfield arm in the game (besides Ichiro of course) comes home to the Chin Music here.
14) Ubaldo Jimenez – Honolulu Hawaiians – Stan requires his pitchers to have one defining characteristic, no ballpark home runs. Jimenez is young, has electric stuff, and keeps the ball in the park.
15) Gavin Floyd – Lake Champlain Cannibals – With the pick acquired for Ryan Doumit, the Cannibals select former super-prospect in Gavin Floyd here. Another 200 innings of solid starting picthing.
16) Alexei Ramirez - Springfield Isotopes – The Topes need a SS and Ramirez is a good young slugger at that position.