First, it's about a year later, let's see how these 2012 clowns are doing, and enjoy the first and final few line breaks in this whole post. What's up with that?

1.(30) Zach Eflin, RHP, Chuluota, FL

Really started to come on after an uninspiring start and holding his own as one of the youngest pitchers at his level.

2.(89) Alec Rash, RHP, Adel, IA - did not sign

Now this chaps my ass. I was in the budgetary catbird seat and could've signed nearly anyone in the draft, but those tightwads in Philly can't budget properly. Rash got shut down with elbow troubs this year, that's what you get.

2.(94) Edwin Diaz, RHP, Caguas, PR

Thin, great arm, and green as whatever the most cliched plant is. Lots of walks in rookie ball last year, it'll be fun to see what he can make of himself.

3.(124) Damion Carroll, RHP, King George,VA

Same story as above, but instead of a whippy wisp, he's built to last. 6th round pick of the Real Rays (it's a shadow draft, not a hindsight draft), will move real slow.

4.(157) Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada College

Wheels have completely fallen off after a great start in the MWL. Still has a good arm and only now college draft age, but needs to get something going.

5.(187) Josh Elander, C, TCU

Offensive minded catcher is now an outfielder, but still very offensive minded. Tearing the cover off the ball in the SAL and looking like a deal.

6.(217) Preston Tucker, OF, Florida

He was sure to hit in the low minors, and so far so good. All bat, and not a great prospect, but up to par thus far.

7.(247) Jamodrick McGruder, 2B, Texas Tech

Hit a soggy .237-.353-.281 in the NYPL but walked more than he K'd and stole 30 bases in 65 games, so the advertised skills are present at least. No full season assignment for 2013, but he could pop up as a sleeper with a BABIP correction.

8.(277) Taylor Dugas, OF, Alabama

Yankee pick I can get behind: signed for 10 Gs, and immediately established ownership of the strike zone. Borderline non-prospect but very skilled like a poor man's Mike O'Neill, or a young Brett Gardner if he were a veal calf.

9.(307) Jeremy Rathjen, OF, Rice

Athletic senior had a strong rookie ball experience, but his bat has evaporated in 2013. Still has tools and is probably a lot better than his line, but officially a coma prospect...or a blink prospect? Which is which?

10.(337) Sam Stafford, LHP, Texas

The man who brought you the Alec Rash pick, back on the field after labrum surgery. Walking the yard in A ball and now in the pen, but had a good curve and above average velocity a couple years ago. We'll wait, it's all profit.

And now for 2013. Decided to go the whole 40 this year cause I know a little more, and even if it's hard to account for everything realistically, who cares? Chalk picks are *'d

1.(26) Rob Kaminsky, LHP, Montvale, NJ

1.(32) Aaron Judge, OF, Fresno State *

1.(33) Ian Clarkin, LHP, San Diego, CA *

2.(66) Tucker Neuhaus, 3B, Tampa, FL

3.(89) Ryon Healy, 1B, Oregon

3.(103) Matt McPhearson, OF, Upper Marlboro, MD

4.(134) Trey Masek, RHP, Texas Tech

5.(164) Sam Wolff, RHP, New Mexico

6.(194) David Garner, RHP, Michigan State

7.(224) Mitchell Garver, C, New Mexico

8.(254) Brandon Thomas, OF, Georgia Tech *

9.(284) Brad Goldberg, RHP, Ohio State

10.(314) Michael Bass, 2B, UNC - Wilmington

Projectable Righties and advanced hitting gives way to Pitchable Lefties and tools. Heading into pick #26, my top 4 remaining were Kaminsky, Judge, Clarkin and Ervin, tightly bunched, and it wasn't close. Because the butterfly effect doesn't exist in shadow drafting, Kaminsky, in addition to just being at the top of my "board," was also probably the pick that was most likely to leave at least two of the others around for 32 and 33, so, success. In the real world of course, if the Yankees had picked Kaminsky, Aaron Judge might've never even been born. I think that's how that works. Easy-peasy.

I was super torn in round 2 between Neuhaus, Jan Hernandez, Tyler O'Neill (the C -> 3B, not the OF), and Jordan Paroubeck. Neuhaus is by far the least exciting of the three right now and maybe the foreseeable future, but he's super young and his slow burning potential edges Paroubeck's flash. I can't only draft outfielders. Apparently he just signed at slot for the Brewers, so that's one fish in the bag (which is an expression. fish in, cat out). Turns out Hernandez was around at #89, but I'm locked into college players with that one, and Healy is one of my faves. Athletic perhaps to the point of positional versatility (?) rarely Ks, big raw power...he Reads. McPhearson's another veteran of the Reds CMD, the DeAnthony Thomas to Judge's Rob Gronkowski. There's been a lot of tough sign talk about him around here, but this is the only place I've heard it. He's getting his money. I thought I hated Masek before the draft started (BA has him ranked 40th. What?), but apparently MLB really hates him. I like him just fine here. Would've preferred Covey, who went the pick before. Lively, who wound up going right after, was #2 in the mix but despite Masek's role uncertainty and worrying delivery, the athleticism and ability to keep it on the ground with his, uh, lively fastball won out. Then I saved a ton money, and I think that's how you do it: ML athletes and a guy named Michael Bass. I happened upon him in my research and was taken. The Pads apparently took him in the 20somethingth, so he really was a draft prospect of sorts. All the better. I anticipate leftovers, possibly significant leftovers.

Now, the less detailed, and less visually striking 11th-40th:

11.344 Edwin Diaz 2B HS

12.374 Julian Ridings OF Western Carolina

13.404 Eric Lauer LHP HS

14.434 Caleb Smith LHP Sam Houston State *

15.464 Marcus Greene C JuCo

16.494 Caleb Kellogg RHP Tampa

17.524 David Gates RHP JuCo

18.554 Gabe Speier LHP HS

19.584 Scott Silverstein LHP Virginia

20.614 Javier Reynoso LHP JuCo

21.644 Kirby Pellant SS Ohio State

22.674 Marcus Doi OF HS

23.704 Aaron Brown LHP Pepperdine

24.734 Taylor Blatch RHP HS

25.764 Luis Aviles SS HS

26.794 Jordan Mills LHP St. Marys

27.824 Bryan Radziewski LHP Miami (Fl)

28.854 Trent Garrison C Fresno State *

29.884 Nick Ferdinand OF Delaware

30.914 Andrew Dunlap RHP Hard Knocks

31.944 Christian Ibarra 3B LSU

32.974 Jake Walsh LHP Missouri

33.1004 Daniel Miles 1B Tennessee Tech

34.1034 Anthony Bazzani RHP Eastern Kentucky

35.1064 Daulton Jeffries RHP HS

36.1094 Alex Blackford RHP Arizona State

37.1124 Josh Pettitte RHP HS TX *

38.1154 Matt Wainman LHP William and Mary

39.1184 Kyle McGrath LHP Louisville

40.1214 Kyle Buchanan OF FGCU *

You can probably see the pattern: guys I targeted, guys I'd like to get if possible/we'll see, and then as it became increasingly impossible: guys of whom I've become aware/nepotism. Gotta wait for the signings to start to come in before it really takes shape. The shadow draft format kinda breaks down after 10 rounds, cause you've gotta leave room, but then it's luck of the draw as to which of signability players will actually get signed, but I can pat myself on the back when Julian Ridings and Kirby Pellant are all-stars.