Building your fantasy team for the next decade to 15 years

[ucahogfan]

For players to be eligible, they must either be 25 or young, have rookie status, or be in the minors.  This gives us the chance to see players in their primes who are already good.  The teams will have each of the 8 position players, a DH, 5 starting pitchers, 3 relievers (can currently be closers), and a closer.  It should be interesting to see how each poster builds their team.

C - Wilin Rosario
1B - Freddie Freeman
2B - Jurickson Profar
SS - Andrelton Simmons
3B - Manny Machado
LF - Bryce Harper
CF - Mike Trout
RF - Jason Heyward
DH - Giancarlo Stanton

SP 1 - Clayton Kershaw
SP 2 - Stephen Strasburg
SP 3 - Matt Harvey
SP 4 - Matt Moore
SP 5 - Dylan Bundy

RP 1 - Neftali Feliz
RP 2 - Aroldis Chapman
RP 3 - Trevor Rosenthal
CP - Craig Kimbrel

[clutch]

That's a dang good team if Strausburg stays healthy throughout his career. If not, Chris Sale wouldn't be a bad replacement. Really big on Harvey and Moore both. What Harvey is doing right now is unbelievable.... especially for a 23 year old.

[ucahogfan]

That's a dang good team if Strausburg stays healthy throughout his career. If not, Chris Sale wouldn't be a bad replacement. Really big on Harvey and Moore both. What Harvey is doing right now is unbelievable.... especially for a 23 year old.

Sale was hard to leave off.  He would be number 6.  Harvey makes 98-99 look easy.

The hardest position for me to fill was catcher.  There really are no premium catchers 25 or younger that have shown out.  Posey is 26.

I also put a premium on defense as well as offense.  Machado, Simmons, Freeman, Heyward, Trout, and Harper should all win multiple Gold Gloves when it is all said and done.

[AirForceHog]

Love the fact you have 4 Braves on that roster. Bodes well for the Braves the next several seasons to come.

[clutch]

If Shelby Miller's last outing was a look into his future then he may be one to put on the list soon.

[ucahogfan]

Love the fact you have 4 Braves on that roster. Bodes well for the Braves the next several seasons to come.

It might be more bias than anything since I'm an avid Braves fan, but I think those are the best 25 and under players at their positions in the MLB.

[ucahogfan]

If Shelby Miller's last outing was a look into his future then he may be one to put on the list soon.

With Strasburg's struggles this season, Miller could be one to take his spot.  Kershaw has the hardware to be the ace of the group.  Harvey has been the best in the game so far this year while Miller had one of the best non-perfectos ever.

[clutch]

With Strasburg's struggles this season, Miller could be one to take his spot.  Kershaw has the hardware to be the ace of the group.  Harvey has been the best in the game so far this year while Miller had one of the best non-perfectos ever.

I think I'd honestly take Harvey over any of them. He's unbelievable.

I think there is still the chance that we haven't seen everything he's got yet.

[ucahogfan]

Well, about 2.5 months have gone by and I think it is time to re-visit this list.

C - I'm going to stick with my Wilin Rosario pick here.  He has had a very solid year for the Rockies.

1B - Freeman has had a monster year for the Bravos and looks to be only getting better.

2B - I'm going with Jose Altuve of the Astros here as he is a much more natural 2B than Profar.

SS - Simmons is still my pick.  He is BY FAR the best defensive SS in the MLB and the best defender in terms of WAR overall.  He is just too good defensively to leave him off the list.

3B - Sticking with Machado.  Has proven to be one of the top 3 young stars with Trout and Harper.

LF - Sticking with Harper.  He plays out of control too much and could get seriously hurt, but is still raw defensively in the OF after spending his pre-pro days as a C.  Still have to love the power he brings.

CF - Sticking with Trout.  He is having arguably a better year than last year yet isn't even in the discussion for AL MVP behind Crash and Miggy.

RF - As much as I hate it, have to go with Puig over J-Hey.  Sure, he has only been in the MLB for 2 months, but he has been great for those 2 months.  He just oozes talent and has helped turned the Dodgers around much like Trout did for the Angels last year.  Also need to mention Wil Myers in this position as well.

DH - Giancarlo Stanton - Have too love the plus plus power he has.  For Twins fans, current #3 prospect in the MLB Miguel Sano has this type of power and could find himself on this list in a couple of years along with #1 prospect Bryon Buxton.

SP 1 - Clayton Kershaw is still the gold standard.
SP 2 - Matt Harvey just has FILTHY stuff and is right up there with Kershaw in a 2 horse race for the NL Cy Young.
SP 3 - Jose Fernandez might just have the nastiest stuff in the MLB right now.  His power breaking ball is BEYOND FILTHY.  He has gotten better as the season has rolled along.
SP 4 - Stephen Strasburg has been plagued by the Nats offense this year.  He still has very good stuff.
SP 5 - Matt Moore might win the AL Cy Young because of his win total.  When he is on, his stuff is right there with the other 4 guys, but he can experience some wild spells that hurt him.

RP 1 - Aroldis Chapman
RP 2 - Neftali Feliz - I know he is hurt right now, but he has a track record of success.
RP 3 - Trevor Rosenthal
CP - Craig Kimbrel - Easiest pick on the team.

[AirForceHog]

Blaspheme!!!! Puig over J-Hey!

[ucahogfan]

Blaspheme!!!! Puig over J-Hey!

I know!  Extreme blasphemy on my part.  J-Hey is an elite defender along with Simmons, but has struggled at the plate this year.  He has been heating up as late, but Puig has had a great 2 months.  Plus, you never know what Puig is going to do next on defense.  Today at Wrigley, he almost made a tremendous backhanded grab while sliding, but he didn't fully glove it.  Once he got back to the ball, he threw one from near the RCF wall to about 30 feet up the 1B line from home plate on a rope.  That is extreme arm strength.

[AirForceHog]

Puig is good but I will give him some time. I would take J-Hey. Especially now that he is heating up.

[ucahogfan]

Puig is good but I will give him some time. I would take J-Hey. Especially now that he is heating up.

Me too.  I hope J-Hey plays his entire career in Atlanta.  I strongly considered J-Hey with how he has been hitting since the break, but went with Puig instead.  I think I am getting caught up in Puig mania though and J-Hey and Wil Myers are better.

[AirForceHog]

Way too much hype for Puig. He does rub me the wrong way though. Sliding in after a walk off. Really??

[clutch]

Way too much hype for Puig. He does rub me the wrong way though. Sliding in after a walk off. Really??

I'm no Dodgers fan by any means, but I don't think Puig is that much over hyped.   That dude can flat out play. The scary part is that he doesn't really know how to play baseball yet. Once he figures the game out, learns to run bases, take walks, etc., he's going to be absolutely insane.

[dhornjr1]

Way too much hype for Puig. He does rub me the wrong way though. Sliding in after a walk off. Really??

I missed that. Did he really do that?

[ucahogfan]

I missed that. Did he really do that?

Yeah, last Sunday against the Reds.

[dhornjr1]

[clutch]

I missed that. Did he really do that?

He said he had a buddy in Cuba that jumped on home plate like most people do and injured himself so he was scared to do that and slide instead. Think he realized quickly that it was a bad idea too haha.

[AirForceHog]

He said he had a buddy in Cuba that jumped on home plate like most people do and injured himself so he was scared to do that and slide instead. Think he realized quickly that it was a bad idea too haha.

Yeah and pulled that excuse out of his butt.


But I do agree he will be a great ball player and as far as hype, He is getting Bryce Harper type of attention. He is a rookie playing great but the media is hyping him as the second coming of Jackie Robinson.

[Ray Piggers]

C Buster Posey
1b Matt Adams
2b Jurickson Profar
ss Kolten Wong
3b Manny Machado
of Mike Trout
of Oscar Tavares
of Yasiel Puig
dh Bryce Harper

p Matt Harvey
p Shelby Miller
p Matt Moore
p Jose Fernandez
p Carlos Martinez or Michael Wacha

rp Trevor Rosenthal
rp Aroldis Chapman
rp Neftali Feliz
rp Craig Kimbrel

I think it's obvious who I root for.

[clutch]

C Buster Posey
1b Matt Adams
2b Jurickson Profar
ss Kolten Wong
3b Manny Machado
of Mike Trout
of Oscar Tavares
of Yasiel Puig
dh Bryce Harper

p Matt Harvey
p Shelby Miller
p Matt Moore
p Jose Fernandez
p Carlos Martinez or Michael Wacha

rp Trevor Rosenthal
rp Aroldis Chapman
rp Neftali Feliz
rp Craig Kimbrel

I think it's obvious who I root for.

Haha yeah it is. I'm as big as a Cardinals fan as there is, but that list is a little biased, lol. I love our young talent, but my list wouldn't look like that.

However, if they pan out like you think they will the Cardinals will go on a run for years to come.

[ucahogfan]

C Buster Posey
1b Matt Adams
2b Jurickson Profar
ss Kolten Wong
3b Manny Machado
of Mike Trout
of Oscar Tavares
of Yasiel Puig
dh Bryce Harper

p Matt Harvey
p Shelby Miller
p Matt Moore
p Jose Fernandez
p Carlos Martinez or Michael Wacha

rp Trevor Rosenthal
rp Aroldis Chapman
rp Neftali Feliz
rp Craig Kimbrel

I think it's obvious who I root for.

Posey is 26 so he isn't eligible for this list.  The catcher spot was the toughest for me to select because of that. 

Shouldn't Profar and Wong be switched?  I thought Wong profiled as a 2B and Profar will be a SS.

And yes, your list is a little biased, but so is mine as a Braves fan.

Was Kershaw just an oversight because no under 25 list is complete without him?  He is the best pitcher on the planet right now.

Obviously, I like Freeman more than Adams because I'm a Braves fan, but he has been a star this year.

[Ray Piggers]

Haha yeah it is. I'm as big as a Cardinals fan as there is, but that list is a little biased, lol. I love our young talent, but my list wouldn't look like that.

However, if they pan out like you think they will the Cardinals will go on a run for years to come.

Oh believe me I know. I threw  a Cardinal in every chance I could.

And of course Kershaw and Corbin would get nods over Wacha and Martinez, but it's honestly not THAAAT big of stretch to think these guys won't be stars in the future. Martinez is called "little Pedro". He's got nasty stuff.

[Ray Piggers]

Posey is 26 so he isn't eligible for this list.  The catcher spot was the toughest for me to select because of that. 

Shouldn't Profar and Wong be switched?  I thought Wong profiled as a 2B and Profar will be a SS.

And yes, your list is a little biased, but so is mine as a Braves fan.

Was Kershaw just an oversight because no under 25 list is complete without him?  He is the best pitcher on the planet right now.

Obviously, I like Freeman more than Adams because I'm a Braves fan, but he has been a star this year.

I knew I was leaving someone off. Kershaw would definitely be on that roster.  I thought Posey was 25, that said. I'd probably throw Wilson Ramos on the team.

Profar and Wong would probably be switched, but with Wong the shortest road to the majors is through the SS position (With Carpenter playing the way he has at 2nd)

Adams is going to be a star. To have the stats he does, in regards to ab's is crazy good. Freeman is up there though. His ESPN commercial has been my favorite of the year so far. "Living the hug life" classic.

[ucahogfan]

I knew I was leaving someone off. Kershaw would definitely be on that roster.  I thought Posey was 25, that said. I'd probably throw Wilson Ramos on the team.

Profar and Wong would probably be switched, but with Wong the shortest road to the majors is through the SS position (With Carpenter playing the way he has at 2nd)

Adams is going to be a star. To have the stats he does, in regards to ab's is crazy good. Freeman is up there though. His ESPN commercial has been my favorite of the year so far. "Living the hug life" classic.

I had to look at Posey when making this time and was sad to see that he was 26.

Haven't seen the Freeman commercial.  Have seen the J-Hey commercial.  Freeman will probably never hit with the power Adams will, but he will challenge for batting titles (with fellow hot corner member Chris Johnson) as well as win multiple gold gloves.  The Braves have one of the weaker farm systems in the game right now, but that is because all of the young talent is already contributing on the big club.

Anyway, there is a lot of young talent in the bigs right now and is should get more exciting.

Another excellent option at 1B is Paul Goldschmidt who is probably the favorite the win the NL MVP this year.

[Ray Piggers]

I had to look at Posey when making this time and was sad to see that he was 26.

Haven't seen the Freeman commercial.  Have seen the J-Hey commercial.  Freeman will probably never hit with the power Adams will, but he will challenge for batting titles (with fellow hot corner member Chris Johnson) as well as win multiple gold gloves.  The Braves have one of the weaker farm systems in the game right now, but that is because all of the young talent is already contributing on the big club.

Anyway, there is a lot of young talent in the bigs right now and is should get more exciting.

Another excellent option at 1B is Paul Goldschmidt who is probably the favorite the win the NL MVP this year.

Freeman and Adams will be the gold standard in first basemen in the coming years I feel. They can both hit for avg (Adams has a bit more pop), and can field their positions extremely well.

Not to say Allen Craig isn't a stud, he is, but will be moved to the of when Adams becomes an everyday player.

I've always felt the Braves and Cards had the best farm systems. They don't rebuild they reload. Just plug in the next guy, and keep rolling.

Yeah Goldy will probably win it this year. Yadi was the odds on favorite, but with injuries and a slight dip in production it's likely Paul's to lose at this point.

I totally forgot about Madison Bumgarner as well. Only 24

[ucahogfan]

Freeman and Adams will be the gold standard in first basemen in the coming years I feel. They can both hit for avg (Adams has a bit more pop), and can field their positions extremely well.

Freeman is actually younger than Adams which is scary because it seems like Freeman is a year or two older.

I've always felt the Braves and Cards had the best farm systems. They don't rebuild they reload. Just plug in the next guy, and keep rolling.

Reason why those 2 organizations are the best run in the MLB.

Yeah Goldy will probably win it this year. Yadi was the odds on favorite, but with injuries and a slight dip in production it's likely Paul's to lose at this point.

Wouldn't count out a pitcher like Kershaw or the top RBI guy on a contender like Freddie Freeman or Allen Craig.  With J-Hey and Justin Upton batting in front of him, he should have plenty of opportunities to drive in a lot of runs and see good pitches with people like McCann and Johnson behind him.  There is no clear cut candidate for the NL MVP like in the AL with Miggy.

I totally forgot about Madison Bumgarner as well. Only 24

Just so much young talent it is scary.  Heck, the NL could run out a 25 or under rotation of Kershaw, Harvey, Fernandez, Strasburg, and Bumgarner and leave out excellent pitchers like Shelby Miller.

[clutch]

Freeman and Adams will be the gold standard in first basemen in the coming years I feel. They can both hit for avg (Adams has a bit more pop), and can field their positions extremely well.

Not to say Allen Craig isn't a stud, he is, but will be moved to the of when Adams becomes an everyday player.

I've always felt the Braves and Cards had the best farm systems. They don't rebuild they reload. Just plug in the next guy, and keep rolling.

Yeah Goldy will probably win it this year. Yadi was the odds on favorite, but with injuries and a slight dip in production it's likely Paul's to lose at this point.

I totally forgot about Madison Bumgarner as well. Only 24

I still like Craig better than Adams. Craig is crazy good. I'm glad that he's versatile and can be moved to OF. I'd hate for them to do something stupid and get rid of him to make Adams an everyday player. In my opinion, Craig is one of the best offensive players in the game and will be for quite a few years. His power numbers are down this year, but I think that is just going to be the exception and not the rule.

Having both of them in the everyday lineup will be great though. I figure that Beltran is on his way out and that will leave room for Craig in the OF. Hate it because he is still producing at a very high rate, but he can't sustain much longer. I thought he was washed up when we brought him in, so he has been a pleasant surprise for sure. 

The Cardinals will have some tough decisions here soon. Taveras will be ready to come up so that will throw another kink in things. Do they keep Holliday around, keep Jay around. I know a lot of people hate on Holliday, but he's still one of the best hitters in baseball. I don't really want to see him go either.

[clutch]

I've been thinking back, and I can't ever remember a time where there was such an obvious shift in star talent. Usually, the young stars gradually take place of the old stars on their way out. It seems right now that there is more young superstar talent than ever. The future of baseball is bright right now. Even with all of this steroid mess tarnishing the name of the game, the years to come look to be as good as ever.

[Ray Piggers]

Freeman is actually younger than Adams which is scary because it seems like Freeman is a year or two older.
Reason why those 2 organizations are the best run in the MLB.
Wouldn't count out a pitcher like Kershaw or the top RBI guy on a contender like Freddie Freeman or Allen Craig.  With J-Hey and Justin Upton batting in front of him, he should have plenty of opportunities to drive in a lot of runs and see good pitches with people like McCann and Johnson behind him.  There is no clear cut candidate for the NL MVP like in the AL with Miggy.
Just so much young talent it is scary.  Heck, the NL could run out a 25 or under rotation of Kershaw, Harvey, Fernandez, Strasburg, and Bumgarner and leave out excellent pitchers like Shelby Miller.

Yeah, it's weird to think that guys like Craig and Matt Carpenter are 27 and 29 cause they just broke into the league. Adams is the same way, he's just getting his shot, so he seems younger than a guy who's been in the league a few years in Freeman.

I agree that they are the best run organizations in baseball, which is why I think it will be Braves and Cardinals for the NL most years in the future.

Being on a contender has to count for something (Braun over Kemp 2 years ago), but I still think PG will take it in the end. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Yadi or Craig take it.

The talent level of these kids is staggering. Tim Kurkjian talked about this on baseball tonight last night I believe. Says there are kids in his neighborhood that are 8 and 9 that have pitching coaches. He said he's all for proper instruction, but making a kid focus solely on ONE sport isn't the answer. (Brought up Bryce Harper and Mike Trout as examples) He concedes that it works, but he thinks kids should play baseball, basketball, and football in high school. I'm of the thought process of would you rather be good at a lot of things or great at one.

[clutch]

Yeah, it's weird to think that guys like Craig and Matt Carpenter are 27 and 29 cause they just broke into the league. Adams is the same way, he's just getting his shot, so he seems younger than a guy who's been in the league a few years in Freeman.

I agree that they are the best run organizations in baseball, which is why I think it will be Braves and Cardinals for the NL most years in the future.

Being on a contender has to count for something (Braun over Kemp 2 years ago), but I still think PG will take it in the end. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Yadi or Craig take it.

The talent level of these kids is staggering. Tim Kurkjian talked about this on baseball tonight last night I believe. Says there are kids in his neighborhood that are 8 and 9 that have pitching coaches. He said he's all for proper instruction, but making a kid focus solely on ONE sport isn't the answer. (Brought up Bryce Harper and Mike Trout as examples) He concedes that it works, but he thinks kids should play baseball, basketball, and football in high school. I'm of the thought process of would you rather be good at a lot of things or great at one.

They say specializing in a sport too early hampers your athletic ability. No idea if that's true, but that is their theory for saying kids should play all sports. Makes them better athletes.

I say if you really wanted your kid to be a great athlete, have them pick the sport they like the most and just have them do gymnastics on the side. They may get laughed at, but gymnastics will make them a much better athlete. I know I wish I would have done it when I was a kid.

[Ray Piggers]

I still like Craig better than Adams. Craig is crazy good. I'm glad that he's versatile and can be moved to OF. I'd hate for them to do something stupid and get rid of him to make Adams an everyday player. In my opinion, Craig is one of the best offensive players in the game and will be for quite a few years. His power numbers are down this year, but I think that is just going to be the exception and not the rule.

Having both of them in the everyday lineup will be great though. I figure that Beltran is on his way out and that will leave room for Craig in the OF. Hate it because he is still producing at a very high rate, but he can't sustain much longer. I thought he was washed up when we brought him in, so he has been a pleasant surprise for sure. 

The Cardinals will have some tough decisions here soon. Taveras will be ready to come up so that will throw another kink in things. Do they keep Holliday around, keep Jay around. I know a lot of people hate on Holliday, but he's still one of the best hitters in baseball. I don't really want to see him go either.

I like Craig more at this point too, but Craig is more than adequate as a RF. I don't think we'll see Craig or Holliday move. I don't want to see Beltran go either, but with Tavares coming up, and Adams being ready for more innings, I think it makes the most sense at this point. Does Jay go back to his 2012 numbers when he hit .305 or is this closer to where he's projected? There's a potential logjam in the OF for the Cards with Beltran, Craig, Holliday, Tavares, and Jay. Departures are inevitable

[Ray Piggers]

They say specializing in a sport too early hampers your athletic ability. No idea if that's true, but that is their theory for saying kids should play all sports. Makes them better athletes.

I say if you really wanted your kid to be a great athlete, have them pick the sport they like the most and just have them do gymnastics on the side. They may get laughed at, but gymnastics will make them a much better athlete. I know I wish I would have done it when I was a kid.

Gymnastics would be a great side sport. I'm not saying I wouldn't want my kid to play multiple sports, but by the time you reach high school, you should have a pretty good idea what you're best at. At that point, I think it'd be safe to focus solely on one sport.

[ucahogfan]

I've been thinking back, and I can't ever remember a time where there was such an obvious shift in star talent. Usually, the young stars gradually take place of the old stars on their way out. It seems right now that there is more young superstar talent than ever. The future of baseball is bright right now. Even with all of this steroid mess tarnishing the name of the game, the years to come look to be as good as ever.

Heck, Justin Upton is 25 and hasn't been mentioned at all and he has premier talent as well.  That is how much young talent is in the game right now.  This is as exciting a time for young talent in the MLB that I can ever remember which isn't very much, but the under 30 talent right now is just unfair.  Look at all the first time All-Stars we had this year and how many of them were young talents like Harvey, Machado, and Fernandez who might turn out to be the best of the bunch.

And you never hear about PEDs with players under 30ish.  It seems like the PED era has not affected them as much as the older group of players outside of players from Miami or who played at the U.

[ucahogfan]

I like Craig more at this point too, but Craig is more than adequate as a RF. I don't think we'll see Craig or Holliday move. I don't want to see Beltran go either, but with Tavares coming up, and Adams being ready for more innings, I think it makes the most sense at this point. Does Jay go back to his 2012 numbers when he hit .305 or is this closer to where he's projected? There's a potential logjam in the OF for the Cards with Beltran, Craig, Holliday, Tavares, and Jay. Departures are inevitable

Isn't Jay the only player who would be an adequate option in CF out of those 5 so it is really down to 4 great players (or top prospects like Tavares) fighting for 2 corner OF spots?

If I were GM of the Cards, I would offer Tavares for Profar to the Rangers because of the lack of a great SS in the Cards organization while the corner OF spots are taken care of at the moment with Holiday who is under a big contract and Craig who is proven as a valuable offensive player if Adams is the future every day player at 1B.

[Oklahawg]

These are tough because you have to compare unknowns with knowns - MLB players with minor leaguers.

Given that...a few names that I'd have on my roster:
Kershaw, Fernandez, Harvey and Moore would be in the rotation. If I wanted a fifth I might go with Archie Bradley of the DBacks (and Broken Arrow, OK).

Hard to argue with a bullpen of Chapman (provided the Reds retire the annual off-season mention of him as a starter), Kimbrel, Rosenthal and I am a big believer in Kelvin Herrera of the Royals...but that is a reach on such a shallow project as this one.

1B: Mark Trumbo (LAA) or Paul Goldschmidt (AZ)
2B: Jean Segura (MIL) or Jason Kipnis (CLE)
SS: Simmons (ATL) or Addison Russell (OAK)
3B: Machado (BAL) or Xander Boagarts (BOS)
C:   Posey (SF) or Travis D'Arnaud (NYM)
OF: Puig (LAD) or Wil Myers (TB)
OF: Trout (LAA) or Oscar Tavares (STL)
OF: Stanton (FL) or Dominic Brown (PHL)
UT: Harper (WAS) or Byran Buxton (MIN)

[clutch]

Isn't Jay the only player who would be an adequate option in CF out of those 5 so it is really down to 4 great players (or top prospects like Tavares) fighting for 2 corner OF spots?

If I were GM of the Cards, I would offer Tavares for Profar to the Rangers because of the lack of a great SS in the Cards organization while the corner OF spots are taken care of at the moment with Holiday who is under a big contract and Craig who is proven as a valuable offensive player if Adams is the future every day player at 1B.

Exactly what I would do too. I was saying this at the beginning of the season. Middle infield has been a weak spot of STL for a long time now. I still think Wong is going to be a better 2b than he would ss. So even though we have Carp I'd like to see him at 2b. I have been wanting them to go after a top notch SS for a long time.

If you could do that, you could afford to give up Carp if you wanted. I'm also not sure I wouldn't instead give up Freese and move Carp to 3rd.

Out of all the OF Jay excites me the least, but like you said I think he's still the only real option at CF so he is pretty much locked in for now.

[clutch]

These are tough because you have to compare unknowns with knowns - MLB players with minor leaguers.

Given that...a few names that I'd have on my roster:
Kershaw, Fernandez, Harvey and Moore would be in the rotation. If I wanted a fifth I might go with Archie Bradley of the DBacks (and Broken Arrow, OK).

Hard to argue with a bullpen of Chapman (provided the Reds retire the annual off-season mention of him as a starter), Kimbrel, Rosenthal and I am a big believer in Kelvin Herrera of the Royals...but that is a reach on such a shallow project as this one.

1B: Mark Trumbo (LAA) or Paul Goldschmidt (AZ)
2B: Jean Segura (MIL) or Jason Kipnis (CLE)
SS: Simmons (ATL) or Addison Russell (OAK)
3B: Machado (BAL) or Xander Boagarts (BOS)
C:   Posey (SF) or Travis D'Arnaud (NYM)
OF: Puig (LAD) or Wil Myers (TB)
OF: Trout (LAA) or Oscar Tavares (STL)
OF: Stanton (FL) or Dominic Brown (PHL)
UT: Harper (WAS) or Byran Buxton (MIN)

Trumbo and Posey are both over 25 so that DQ's them. Still not a bad list though. Once again, so much young talent that it's unreal.

Also, right now if I were to pick a pitcher of the Dbacks it would be Patrick Corbin. Not really sure how he is doing it, his stuff doesn't seem all that special but he keeps throwing up solid games.

[ucahogfan]

Exactly what I would do too. I was saying this at the beginning of the season. Middle infield has been a weak spot of STL for a long time now. I still think Wong is going to be a better 2b than he would ss. So even though we have Carp I'd like to see him at 2b. I have been wanting them to go after a top notch SS for a long time.

If you could do that, you could afford to give up Carp if you wanted. I'm also not sure I wouldn't instead give up Freese and move Carp to 3rd.

Out of all the OF Jay excites me the least, but like you said I think he's still the only real option at CF so he is pretty much locked in for now.

Reason why the Braves have been so solid this year is because of Simmons playing SS.  He is probably the best defender in the MLB right now.  He just does some unreal things at SS and makes it look easy.  Plus, he is steadily improving on offense as he becomes more used to SS.

The good thing is that Freese, Carpenter, and Wong are all team-controlled for a while contract wise and would bring a higher return should you trade them.  Freese would be the best option to trade as he is the oldest, but will bring back the weakest return.

The Cards should be on the market for a SS and CF this offseason IMO and should use some of their farm system depth to make it happen.

[ucahogfan]

Trumbo and Posey are both over 25 so that DQ's them. Still not a bad list though. Once again, so much young talent that it's unreal.

Also, right now if I were to pick a pitcher of the Dbacks it would be Patrick Corbin. Not really sure how he is doing it, his stuff doesn't seem all that special but he keeps throwing up solid games.

Corbin does an excellent job of pitching to the corners, but his slider is special.  If I heard correctly, I think players swing and miss at it around 50% of the time they swing at the pitch which is the highest percentage in baseball.

Archie Bradley is going to be a special pitcher very soon.  He was the #2 pitcher in the country his senior year (behind fellow Tulsa area product Dylan Bundy who is injured and had TJ) who had signed with OU for both football as a QB and baseball.  He has the prototype build for an ace at 6-4.  He throws his fastball in the mid 90s with good sink on it.  His curveball can be a weapon, but like most young pitchers is inconsistent with it.  He is currently the #2 pitching prospect in the minors only behind Taijuan Walker in the Mariners organization.

[Ray Piggers]

Profar, so far, has been severely overhyped by the Rangers. I think they do this for a reason. Same thing they did with Justin Smoak. Landing a top shelf mlb player or prospect for an overhyped player. Works out well for one party and not for the other. At this point there is no way I'd trade Tavares for Profar. Maybe throwing Tavares and someone else at the rockies for Tulo. I could roll with that.

[ucahogfan]

These are tough because you have to compare unknowns with knowns - MLB players with minor leaguers.

Given that...a few names that I'd have on my roster:
Kershaw, Fernandez, Harvey and Moore would be in the rotation. If I wanted a fifth I might go with Archie Bradley of the DBacks (and Broken Arrow, OK).

Hard to argue with a bullpen of Chapman (provided the Reds retire the annual off-season mention of him as a starter), Kimbrel, Rosenthal and I am a big believer in Kelvin Herrera of the Royals...but that is a reach on such a shallow project as this one.

1B: Mark Trumbo (LAA) or Paul Goldschmidt (AZ)
2B: Jean Segura (MIL) or Jason Kipnis (CLE)
SS: Simmons (ATL) or Addison Russell (OAK)
3B: Machado (BAL) or Xander Boagarts (BOS)
C:   Posey (SF) or Travis D'Arnaud (NYM)
OF: Puig (LAD) or Wil Myers (TB)
OF: Trout (LAA) or Oscar Tavares (STL)
OF: Stanton (FL) or Dominic Brown (PHL)
UT: Harper (WAS) or Byran Buxton (MIN)

Really like how you went more minor league heavy than I did.  Buxton is a star in the making in the mold of Mike Trout.

Bogarts and Machado are very similar players who should be excellent defenders on the left side of the INF and be big time hitters.  Another 3B option although farther off than Bogarts is Miguel Sano.  He has 40 HR type power although we probably won't see him until 2015.

D-Arnaud has been injured a lot this year, but does have a lot of talent and was one of the centerpieces for RA Dickey along with Syndergaard who has had a tremendous year.  The Mets will have 3 aces in their rotation in the very near future with Harvey, Wheeler, and Syndergaard (Wheeler was acquired from the Giants for Beltran).

Dominic Brown is another name that has yet to be mentioned, yet he has had a huge breakout year.

[clutch]

Profar, so far, has been severely overhyped by the Rangers. I think they do this for a reason. Same thing they did with Justin Smoak. Landing a top shelf mlb player or prospect for an overhyped player. Works out well for one party and not for the other. At this point there is no way I'd trade Tavares for Profar. Maybe throwing Tavares and someone else at the rockies for Tulo. I could roll with that.

I don't think they want to pay for Tulo right now. He's such an injury risk. If he's healthy he's worth every penny. I just don't see them taking that risk though. I really wish they would. Love Tulo.

[clutch]

Really like how you went more minor league heavy than I did.  Buxton is a star in the making in the mold of Mike Trout.

Bogarts and Machado are very similar players who should be excellent defenders on the left side of the INF and be big time hitters.  Another 3B option although farther off than Bogarts is Miguel Sano.  He has 40 HR type power although we probably won't see him until 2015.

D-Arnaud has been injured a lot this year, but does have a lot of talent and was one of the centerpieces for RA Dickey along with Syndergaard who has had a tremendous year.  The Mets will have 3 aces in their rotation in the very near future with Harvey, Wheeler, and Syndergaard (Wheeler was acquired from the Giants for Beltran).

Dominic Brown is another name that has yet to be mentioned, yet he has had a huge breakout year.

I'm really big on Buxton. Dudes going to be a big time player.

[ucahogfan]

Profar, so far, has been severely overhyped by the Rangers. I think they do this for a reason. Same thing they did with Justin Smoak. Landing a top shelf mlb player or prospect for an overhyped player. Works out well for one party and not for the other. At this point there is no way I'd trade Tavares for Profar. Maybe throwing Tavares and someone else at the rockies for Tulo. I could roll with that.

Profar is only 20 right now and is younger than Tavares.  He is still very raw, but his talent is undeniable.  Tavares has a higher offensive ceiling, but Profar projects to be the better overall player.

To get Tulo, the Cards would have to take all the contract from the Rockies, give up Tavares, Wacha/Martinez, and one other top prospect and probably a proven MLB pitcher like Lynn.  Like clutch said, when healthy, Tulo is head and shoulders better than the next SS, but has dealt with a lot of injuries.  He isn't worth what the Cards would have to give up to get him.  Getting a player like him would almost demolish an organization's farm system.

[ucahogfan]

I'm really big on Buxton. Dudes going to be a big time player.

So am I.  He doesn't have the power that Trout does, but he still has plenty of it.  He is the top prospect in the game while only being in High A for a reason.  He is going to be a joy to watch in a couple of years when he makes it to the Twin Cities.  The earliest he will probably be there is 2015 along with Sano who is the #3 prospect in the game right now.

[Ray Piggers]

Profar is only 20 right now and is younger than Tavares.  He is still very raw, but his talent is undeniable.  Tavares has a higher offensive ceiling, but Profar projects to be the better overall player.

To get Tulo, the Cards would have to take all the contract from the Rockies, give up Tavares, Wacha/Martinez, and one other top prospect and probably a proven MLB pitcher like Lynn.  Like clutch said, when healthy, Tulo is head and shoulders better than the next SS, but has dealt with a lot of injuries.  He isn't worth what the Cards would have to give up to get him.  Getting a player like him would almost demolish an organization's farm system.

I hear you, but I don't know if I like the idea of trading away the best hitting prospect the Cards have had since Pujols for a wait and see type player.

[Ray Piggers]

I don't think they want to pay for Tulo right now. He's such an injury risk. If he's healthy he's worth every penny. I just don't see them taking that risk though. I really wish they would. Love Tulo.

Why not Daniel Descalso? I've liked what I've seen from him this year, and at 26, he's pretty young.

[ucahogfan]

I hear you, but I don't know if I like the idea of trading away the best hitting prospect the Cards have had since Pujols for a wait and see type player.

Wouldn't Tavares also be a wait and see type player as well?  Prospects don't always pan out at the major league level and Tavares has never faced MLB pitching like Profar has.  Tavares is projected to be a stud, but that could never happen.