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Before you click “draft” or scream out your pick’s name for everyone in the room to hear, make sure you ask yourself these two questions: Is this player worth being taken in this spot? Are better options available?

Joey Gallo was one of five players to hit 40 or more homers last season (Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, J.D. Martinez and Khris Davis were the others). He had the third-highest average exit velocity (94.0), his homers traveled an average of 422.2 feet and his .372 isolated power trailed just Stanton and Judge. He also had an elite walk percentage (14.1 percent) and a 30.1 home run to flyball rate.

As impressive as all that may be, Gallo also had the majors’ second-highest strike out rate (36.8 percent), ranked 82nd in on-base percentage (.333) and had a record-low contact rate (56.3 percent). He also finished with a 19.2 swinging strike percentage, the worst among qualified hitters, and a .209 average, which ranked 141st among qualified hitters.

As of Friday, Gallo was being drafted as a top-100 player with an average draft position of 97.22, according to Fantasy Alarm, and was going for $9 in 12-team leagues. For someone with such a lack of discipline at the plate, his ADP seems quite high.

Gallo is a streaky hitter who has the ability to seduce you with his power, but what are you truly gaining by drafting him over, say, Matt Olson, Carlos Santana or Greg Bird, all of whom are available about 50 spots later? Maybe 10-12 homers? A few more stolen bases? A batting average about 20-40 points lower? Is that worth it? No way!

It is tough enough drafting a balanced roster without the gaping hole Gallo will leave in your team’s batting average. There is plenty of depth and power at first base throughout the draft, so there is no need to jump on Gallo, not when he is being drafted in a spot where you could take players like Roberto Osuna, Corey Knebel, Masahiro Tanaka, Eric Hosmer, Rougned Odor or Sonny Gray.

Gallo is a risk you should let someone else take.

Here is a look at some other players worth it and others who are not:

Rhys HoskinsAPRhys HoskinsAP

Worth it: Rhys Hoskins (43.47, $18) showed he has power (18 homers in his first 34 games), but he also showed discipline. The 24-year-old is a building block for the Phillies, and he should be for you, too.

Not worth it: Not only is Miguel Cabrera (75.44, $24) coming off the worst statistical season of his career, the soon-to-be 35-year-old had back issues last season and is playing on a team in rebuild mode.

Worth it: Moving to homer-haven Citizens Bank Park should be great for Carlos Santana (143.44, $11), who hit .249 while averaging 24 homers, 81 RBIs and 79 runs over the past seven seasons in Cleveland.

Not worth it: They say lightning never strikes twice, and it seems hard to believe it is going to start with a 32-year-old Ryan Zimmerman (143.72, $14).

Worth it: Consider Oakland’s Matt Olson (147.47, $11) the poor man’s Hoskins, who walks less and strikes out a little more.

Worth it: If Greg Bird (152.59, $16) can stay healthy, hitting behind/between Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius and Gary Sanchez certainly will not hurt.

Worth it: Baltimore’s Trey Mancini (167.84, $16) is an affordable player capable of hitting for average and power, and he is eligible at multiple positions.

Worth it: Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell (185.03, $9) set a record for homers by a switch-hitting rookie (26), but he got stronger in the second half (.274, 10 HR, 46 RBI) after a mediocre first half (.239, 16, 44 RBI).

Not worth it: Eric Hosmer (102.13, $14) has been consistent over the past three seasons, hitting .297 and averaging 23 homers, 97 RBIs and 92 runs scored, but the move to San Diego feels like it could do more harm than good.

Not worth it: The price for Milwaukee’s Eric Thames (219.13, $7) seems about right, but it is hard to trust a guy who did most of his damage in his first 63 games (.269, 20 HR, 38 RBI) and faded into oblivion when he was needed most.

Three players with ADPs above 220 who are worthy of being considered include Miami’s Justin Bour (225.75, $6), Minnesota’s Logan Morrison (281.47, $4) and Colorado’s Ryan McMahon (327.38, $3) — who is crushing it this spring while battling for the first-base gig on a team that is never short of offense because it plays in a stadium where you could hit a cotton ball out of the park with a toothpick.

Guide to Insanity

Part 4 of 5: The Roto Rage Jarad Wilk ranks corner infielders. Next week: outfielders

First base
1. Paul Goldschmidt                         ARI
2. Joey Votto                                     CIN
3. Anthony Rizzo                             CHC
4. Cody Bellinger                             LAD
5. Freddie Freeman                         ATL
6. Jose Abreu                                   CWS
7. Edwin Encarnacion                     CLE
8. Rhys Hoskins                               PHI
9. Carlos Santana                             PHI
10. Matt Olson                                 OAK
11. Eric Hosmer                                  SD
12. Justin Smoak                             TOR
13. Greg Bird                                    NYY
14. Wil Myers                                      SD
15. Trey Mancini                              BAL
16. Josh Bell                                       PIT
17. Miguel Cabrera                          DET
18. Joey Gallo                                   TEX
19. Justin Bour                                 MIA
20. Ryan Zimmerman                   WAS
21. Yonder Alonso                           CLE
22. Matt Carpenter                          STL
23. Ryan McMahon                        COL
24. Brandon Belt                                SF
25. Kendrys Morales                      TOR
26. Logan Morrison                       MIN
27. Chris Davis                                 BAL
28. Yulieski Gurriel                       HOU
29. Albert Pujols                             LAA
30. Hanley Ramirez                       BOS
31. C.J. Cron                                       TB
32. Lucas Duda                                  KC
33. Joe Mauer                                  MIN
34. Colin Moran                                PIT
35. Mitch Moreland                        BOS
Third base
1. Nolan Arenado                             COL
2. Kris Bryant                                  CHC
3. Manny Machado                         BAL
4. Josh Donaldson                          TOR
5. Anthony Rendon                        WAS
6. Jose Ramirez                                CLE
7. Alex Bregman                             HOU
8. Justin Turner                              LAD
9. Nick Catellanos                          DET
10. Kyle Seager                                SEA
11. Travis Shaw                                MIL
12. Rafael Devers                            BOS
13. Jake Lamb                                  ARI
14. Mike Moustakas                          KC
15. Adrian Beltre                             TEX
16. Miguel Sano                              MIN
17. Evan Longoria                             SF
18. Eugenio Suarez                         CIN
19. Maikel Franco                           PHI
20. Todd Frazier                            NYM
21. Ryon Healy                                 SEA
22. Matt Chapman                          OAK
23. Jedd Gyorko                               STL
24. Eduardo Nunez                         BOS
25. Chase Headley                             SD
26. Jeimer Candelario                   DET
27. J.P. Crawford                             PHI
28. Wilmer Flores                          NYM
29. Nick Senzel                                 CIN
30. Martin Prado                             MIA
31. Miguel Andujar                          NYY
32. Hernan Perez                             MIL
33. Matt Davidson                          CWS
34. Derek Dietrich                           MIA
35. Eduardo Escobar                      MIN

Team Name of the Week

Ohtani and Clyde

 

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