[Gotham Dark Knight]

Okay, I am starting a Fantasy Baseball Draft...the only catch is, that its for the start of the year 1956. So if this game was around in 1956, you would have to say who you would pick up first...easy enough...

[Gotham Dark Knight]

I guess I can kick it off by asking if Mickey Mantle would go first pick overall?...Mantle wins the triple crown that year but headed into the season he is a .300 hitter with 37 homers the previous year, he is 23 at the time and stole 8 bases in 1955. Good enough to have made him 1st overall?

[MJHMarc]

Great pick! He is worth every penny you got!

If I wasn't allowed to pick Mantle the runner-up would be Duke Snider. This guy had an amazing season in 1956 (but not as good as Mantle). The only downside is that Snider didn't lead the league in any categories. He still had an excellent year

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Okay then its:

1st Round:

(1) Mickey Mantle
(2) Duke Snider

3rd pick is up...

[MJHMarc]

I'll be more than happy to get the third pick of this draft.

I would get a great pitcher...Close choice between Whitey Ford and Herb Score. I always liked Ford so I pick...

Whitey Ford!

[Lefty Noob]

Say hey! I'll take Willie Mays with the #4 pick.

Mays was the 1955 leader in OPS and runs created, and a darn fine fielder as well!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Say hey! I'll take Willie Mays with the #4 pick.

Mays was the 1955 leader in OPS and runs created, and a darn fine fielder as well!

Okay fielding doesn't count in Fantasy, at you at least steals...how many steals did Mays get in 1955.

[Lefty Noob]

Just 24, but he did hit .319 with 51 home runs and 127 RBI. I'd say that's worth the #4 pick, wouldn't you?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Just 24, but he did hit .319 with 51 home runs and 127 RBI. I'd say that's worth the #4 pick, wouldn't you?

Yes, and 24 steals back then was top 10 stuff, I am pretty sure.

[Lefty Noob]

Hmm... I guess so. Bill Bruton led the NL that year with 25.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

To recap:

1956 Fantasy Draft

(1) Mickey Mantle
(2) Duke Snider
(3) Whitey Ford
(4) Willie Mays

For the 5th pick I am going with Yogi Berra...he was in his prime and was coming of a 27 homer +100 RBI year in a deep yankee lineup

[Lefty Noob]

Let's see... lots of possibilities at #6, but I think I'll go with the guy who led the Majors in batting average in 1955. He was also 1st in the AL in hits, 2nd in the AL in runs scored and runs created, 4th in extra base hits and 5th in both home runs and RBI.

Who is he, you ask? Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Though his stats fell in 1956...Based on his 1955 stats I think I would have had to draft Roy Campanella this high...he was coming off a .318-32-107 MVP year at catcher. Tough to pass up though he would post bad numbers in 1956.