Surprising Keeper Choices

We have ten teams. We're each keeping six. We kept five last year, and we'll keep seven next year. We'll stop at ten keepers when we get there.


So sixty players were kept for the 2009 season. I knew that I couldn't just look at the top sixty in a ranking list, or an average draft position list because the dispersal of players. However, there were some real surprises. A lot of players cut loose that were unexpected.


The top 10 highest ranked players not kept:

10. Roy Oswalt
9. Russell Martin
8. Alex Rios
7. Mariano Rivera
6. Vlad Guerrero
5. John Lackey
4. Kevin Youkilis
3. Matt Kemp
2. Carl Crawford
1. Manny Ramirez


Crazy.


Now, my top three worst keeper choices:


1. David Price (over Manny, Crawford)
2. Alexei Ramirez (over Manny, Crawford)
3. Scott Kazmir (over Youkilis)


I think one team was just thinking too much about the years down the road.


I have the 9th pick in the first round. I'll be looking to get some power, but I'm not expecting to see Manny, Crawford, Kemp or Guerrero fall to me and I don't have a spot to play Youkilis.


Failed - my attempts to trade Longoria. Largely because I decided I want to keep him but also due a rule I didn't know existed. Apparently, if you trade 2 players for 1 player, you lose a keeper spot. Even before the Keepers are announced. Seems like the kind of thing that should probably be posted on the league site somewhere. But I guess not.

Draft day is tomorrow. It's almost like Christmas morning, but with no tree and a lot more swearing.