Collette Calls: AL Tout Recap

This article is part of our Collette Calls series.

That's why I like my AL-Only team, because the projections have me in first place. Not only that, my draft has the stamp of approval of Michael Salfino and that means more than any draft software because he doesn't like anything (just kidding, Mike).

I like @jasoncollette's AL #toutwars team the best so far by far. Draft about 90% done. Cecil will be a huge steal. http://t.co/quCsRP7lp7

— Michael Salfino (@MichaelSalfino) March 21, 2015

In all seriousness, I was able to do just about everything I had planned on doing throughout the auction and even when I wasn't able to get what I wanted, it worked out even better for me.

This is what my pre-draft budget looked like and some loose plans in each area:

• Catchers: ($16) - budget $15 for Martin or non-catcher Jaso & a $1 second catcher

• 1B/3B/CI: ($50) - buy one of Abreu, Encarnacion, & Donaldson in that order & then focus on pop

• 2B/SS/MI ($25) - didn't want to pay for the depth at the position, so planned on going with cheap options and flexibility

• OF/U ($91) - pile up as many plate appearances as I can here and when in doubt, pick up power potential

• Pitching ($78) - While targeting skills, was hoping for these six players to build the foundation of the staff: Hutchison, Salazar, Greene, Eovaldi, Bauer, D. Robertson

This is how that plan went:

Catchers ($18).I ened up with John Jaso ($14) and Robinson Chirinos ($4). This is the spot in the article when you get your Rays/Jason jokes out of the way as I drafted two former Rays catchers for $18. This is also the part where I remind you I rostered the only catcher who could get 550 plate appearances and one of the few who will be hitting out of the top two spots in the lineup most nights. My second catcher is going to be the primary catcher who tripled his walk rate in the second half of the season and hit 13 homers while driving in 40 runs in little more than half a season. Two years ago, I spent $18 to roster Jesus Montero in his second season. I can safely say I'll get a much better return on investment from the $18 spent on catchers this season.

Corners ($55). I ended up with Josh Donaldson ($30), Mike Napoli ($17) and Garrett Jones ($8). This was the trio that I had realistically planned on ending up with. My fears of Abreu and Encarnacion going too high were justified within three bids of the start of the auction, so I spread the wealth on power at the position. Donaldson does have some splits issues as he moves from a division with many left-handed starters that he kills to one with just a few lefties. He also moves from a park that suppresses right-handed power to one that enhances it. Napoli hasn't slept well since the Bush administration and had corrective surgery that should help him last better throughout the season rather than fade badly as he did last season. Jones isn't young at 34, but he's still younger than the players he will be backing up that have had trouble staying healthy in recent seasons. He will find his playing time.

Up the Middle ($23). I ended up with Luis Valbuena ($12), Jed Lowrie ($8) and Francisco Lindor ($3). Each of these guys was not Plan A's or Plan B's. That list consisted of names such as Marcus Semien ($15), Micah Johnson ($9), Everth Cabrera ($7), Xander Bogaerts ($18). I know I was planning on going cheap, but each of those prices was a few dollars above where I had projected those players. I had to go down the list and find other players I liked and ended up with the ones I got. I purchased Valbuena two bids after Semien went $15 so I went with the next flexible player on my list -- someone Ron Shandler bid me up on because he said he liked the player as well. He flashed his power potential last season, and even though he's going to ride the pine against lefties, he will still get to double-digit power, drive in close to 50 runs and gets a boost because his OBP is better than his batting aveage skills. Lowrie has done well in this park in the past, but the health is truly a risk and one magnified with the risk of taking a middle infielder who is going to open the season in Triple-A.

In the Outfield ($78). I ended up with Brett Gardner ($22), Brandon Moss ($17), J.D. Martinez ($17), Jarrod Dyson ($11), Michael Saunders ($10) and Jesus Montero ($1). This worked out nearly exactly as planned. I like Gardner more than Ellsbury, and he went for the price at which I projected him. He was the only player I had to pay full value for as I got Moss for $4 less than my projections, Martinez $2 less, Dyson $1 less and Saunders $2 less. The news has gotten better about Saunders in recent weeks, but he went for $1 less than he did in LABR and getting a starting outfielder with double-double potential for $10 was an auction surprise. Martinez was not a Plan A target, but when he was still going below projection, I jumped in. Dyson may not be a starter, but he earns his money with his legs and I was planning on ending up with either he or Rajai Davis.

The table below shows my pitching staff and their prices compared to what they went for in AL LABR.

All in all, I am very happy with how this team turned out, which makes me extremely nervous because I am accustomed to second-guessing myself.