I rarely go into an auction with a plan and to the extent I do, it's always pretty loose, something along the lines of: "Make sure to get two decent catchers who won't hurt your batting average." But this year - after observing the NL player pool and broadcasting the NL LABR auction - it was different. I was going to buy Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton and Stephen Strasburg hopefully for about $100 (but more if necessary), get at least one more star hitter - likely Troy Tulowitzki (whom Stephania Bell assures me is healthy) or Justin Upton and then target some lottery tickets like Billy Hamilton and other top prospects like Shelby Miller and Oscar Taveras. Here are the results:
| Pos | Player | $ | Comment |
| C | Brian McCann | 11 | Seems like he'll be back soon and would be a $17 player if healthy |
| C | Devin Mesoraco | 4 | Huge prospect, huge spring, could force his way to ABs |
| 1B | Todd Helton | 5 | Starting 1B for the Rockies for now |
| 2B | Darwin Barney | 8 | Maybe too much, but defense assures him ABs |
| 3B | Ian Stewart | 1 | As Erickson says: "The world needs ditch-diggers, too." |
| SS | Troy Tulowitzki | 32 | Stephania Bell promised me he was healthy |
| CI | Logan Morrison | 10 | If he's back by May 1, he should earn this easily |
| MI | Billy Hamilton | 7 | Half a season = 30-plus SBs |
| OF | Giancarlo Stanton | 37 | Pianowski knew what I was doing and bid me up; will earn this anyway |
| OF | Bryce Harper | 33 | Would have gone to 35 |
| OF | Juan Pierre | 16 | Could hit .295 and steal 50 bags; Yelich could also take his job |
| OF | Oscar Taveras | 6 | Will earn this in two months, might play 5 or 6 |
| SW (any pos) | A.J. Pollock | 2 | Could get some run, and might be ready |
| U | Delmon Young | 9 | Hit for power and avg. in Target Field and Comerica |
| P | Stephen Strasburg | 29 | What does his ceiling look like? |
| P | Jeff Samardzija | 14 | Peripherals were borderline elite last year |
| P | Shelby Miller | 6 | Good park, good environment |
| P | Hyun-Jin Ryu | 6 | Good park, good environment |
| P | Rafael Betancourt | 13 | Skill set is strong, health and environment the issue |
| P | Carlos Marmol | 8 | Brought him up for 8, got crickets. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. |
| P | Dan Hudson | 1 | Should be back for half the year |
| P | Mark Rogers | 1 | Banged up, but has upside if and when he's healthy |
| P | Jeff Karstens | 1 | See Rogers, Mark |
| R | Charlie Blackmon | R | Good minor league numbers, all he needs is an opportunity |
| R | Scott Baker | R | Should be back at some point - great command |
| R | Josh Collmenter | R | Great numbers in relief |
| R | Jon Rauch | R | If Cishek implodes, could get the nod |