The Bear Briefs - 1st 3 Rounds of the NASBL Draft

 

As we round the corner from the NASBL Draft Round 3 to Round 4 – we have some interesting insights.

The Georgia Roadkill and Johnny Miller have been dormant with no picks yet, in fact they don’t pick until Round 5, #72 overall.  Then they wait until Round 8, followed by three Round 11 picks.  Will Johnny be looking for world beaters with those picks.  I doubt Luis Robert slips that low.  Or is Johnny planning his next heist of players by drafting scraps, you know the players who can fill a needed role on his roster? or future trade chips to add with his 2022 No.1, No.2, No.3, and so on?

Who has had the best draft so far?  

Kind of a tie, depending on what you like.

Adam Leickel kicked off the draft with the Slatington Bulldogs selection of Luis Robert.  Adam had 3 of the first six picks and scored a coup with Robert, Alec Bohm, and Dustin May.  Then Adam added flame thrower Dylan Cease and acquired promising Griffin Canning in trade.

Joe Howard and the Phoenix Pony Express rode up on Kyle Tucker as its top choice at #2 and has added prized pitching prospects Jesus Luzardo, Christian Javier, and James Karinchak.

Mike Dickson and the Mount Pirongia Kiwis sitting in the 5^th seat nabbed Will Smith, the catcher not the RP.  Mike could not let Smith slip any further.  (Sorry Red!) Mike has added probably the top pitcher in the draft (by GCG estimation) in Sixto Sanchez and added Dylan Carlson who should hold a Kiwi OF spot for years to come.  Then Mike boldly took Mike Brosseau a 2B/utility guy with a bat that will help any NASBL team, especially the KIWIs.

Red Robbins and the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs grabbed Ke’Bryan Hayes, a highly regarded stud and then took Sean Murphy CA who was almost nabbed in the 1st round by the Griz.  Dallas added two solid SP in David Peterson LHer and Antonio Senzeatela (is that a Spanish name for Nutella?)

The Griz management likes Stan Pietruska’s and the Honolulu Hawaiians draft as a reentry team.  Stan’s motto must be out with the old and in with the new.  Stan grabbed the Springfield Times highly rated Zac Gallen in the 9^th slot to head his pitching staff.  How did Gallen fall so far?  Then he promptly added a new foundation to his Hawaiian lot.  The Hawaiians’ grabbed Nick Madrigal as its 2B of the future, Joey Bart as the head guy of the Tools of Ignorance Squad, Carter Kieboom for the Hot Corner, and “Give Me a Bat” Willi Castro as its long-term SS.  The foundation is poured and should lead the Honolulu team for a long time.

Doug Sherlag and the Springfield Isotopes may have pulled off the best pick in the draft with #10 overall Corbin Burnes.  The RHSP showed he deserved respect in 2020 season.  the Isotopes added solid LHSP Framber Valdez and highly regarded Tarik Skubal and thsee southpaws will wreak havoc on NASBL teams now and into the future.  But wait, the Isotopes added Kwang Hyun Kim to its staff and then punched up the Springfield lineup with OFer Tesocar Hernandez.

 

Mike Johnson used the Shawnee Crows first three picks on Kyle Lewis (AL Rookie of the Year and one of the top CFers in the game), stud RHSP Brady Singer, and Taijuan Walker who will mow down some NASBL righthanded batters.  Ken Anderson and Denville Ultras took Ultra OF Prospect Jo Adell.  Now that is a building block!!!  Ken has added a very solid RHRP in Mike Mayers (also an Angel) – is there a trend here?

Steve Beard and the Champion Lake Champlain Cannibals decided to bust out the whooping stick and took offensive minded Trent Grisham (a Gold Glove CFer), Jeimer Candelario, also owns a glove at 3B, and slugging sensation Austin Slater – OFer.  Jack Howard’s Grundy County Grizzlies went pitching first, and that is relief pitching in the form of Devin Williams, potential SP Triston McKenzie, and LHRP Victor Gonzalez, all of which should help in the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th innings if the Griz starters can keep the Griz in the game to that point.

The Outlaw Josey Wales and Mark Hildebrant appears to be a Baltimore Oriole fan picking OF slugging sensation Anthony Santander and 1B/OF slugging sensation Ryan Mountcastle off the Orioles’ squad.  Brad Sherlag and his Illinois Chow Chows quietly took two guys who going into the 2020 season were afterthoughts but made the baseball writers stand up and applaud.  Jake Cronenworth, a new SDP favorite and a man with many talents and gloves - steam rolled his way into the starting line-up spot on a very talented and strong Padre team and Dominic Smith made Met fans ask – who is Pete Alonso?

Well Ed Kilmer and the EdCouch Potatoes finally closed out the 3rd round with his selection of Aaron Civale at 48, a very talented young RHSP who was among several players who had a disappointing 2020 – throw that COVID season out the window – this is a great pick.  Ed also grabbed NL R-O-Y Tony Gonsolin a RHer who can start and relieve, and Adam Wainwright.  I think I heard of that last guy before.  Potatoe pitching is on the upswing. Kevin Burns’ and the Leigh Valley Iron Pigs were not collector of early draft picks – only drafting Daulton Varsho, a solid hitter who gives the Pigs a back-up catcher and solid OFer - a guy with a good reputation with a bat and can steal a base.

Did I forget Ken Anderson (Jr.) and the Pocono Chin Music?  No, I did not – I would like to, he beats me, but I did not.  The Chin Music took a pitching conductor in Dinelson Lamet.  He was a Maestro on the mound last season and if healthy will cause many more sleepless nights in Grundy County and the NASBL as a whole.  K-Jr. also took a very solid understudy in RP in Matt Foster.

Oh, did I mention Johnny’s Roadkill are still only picking their nose and their banjos and waiting.

 

 

-Written by NASBL Ford Frick Award nominee Jack Howard of the Bear Briefs