2012 CodeBreaker Set Draft!

Just like last year, we were handed a very good problem to have: having to split up our 2012 CodeBreaker Set. This year, the set was a bit too big to sit down all at once, and so  G and I took to doing our draft over the long three day weekend.  I know, poor us, right?

Anyway, since it was just the two of us, we actually didn't just go right down the list taking one pick after the other.  It's fairly well known that I am (and have been) a huge Washington Nationals fan, and so G suggested I take all the Nats cards off the top-including the coveted Harper rookie Auto.  To keep things fair, G took cards of comparable worth (I appreciate him not taking the opportunity to gauge me by stocking up on Hall of Famers), followed by a little more splitting up of cards we thought went well together.  This might make more sense if you see the list though, so here we go!






GUILLAUME                         FRANK

1. Mike Trout                              Bryce Harper

Analysis:  I hope this is just one of many comparisons between these two for the next 25 years. They are both awesome ball players. 

2. Erin Andrews                          Kate Upton

Analysis:  This split happened so early just because we had been talking about it and realized we each wanted the other card.

3. David Wright                          Albert Pujols
4. Clayton Kershaw                    Jordan Zimmermann
5. Don Mattingly                        Mike Morse
6. Evan Longoria                        Ryan Zimmerman
7. Eric Hosmer                           Cal Ripken Jr

Analysis:  These cards happened all in a bunch.  G offered for me to take the Pujols (he got last year's) the remaining Nationals, and Cal Ripken (because of my proximity to Baltimore, and the fact he was the first famous player I ever saw growing up in Rochester, New York).  I told G he should feel free to take comparable players, and I think this is about right.  Getting Hosmer is probably going to be a coup for G in the long run. 

At this point the draft began in earnest, and rather than do them one at a time we did a snake style draft.  Our agreement was to finish out the Hall of Fame players first, and then move on to the rest of the set.  G got the first pick over all, and then I took the next two.  Then G picked two, I picked two, etc. until the cards were all gone.   Koufax was a no brainer for G, he had been talking about that card since the sell sheet came out almost a year ago.

8. Sandy Koufax                         Reggie Jackson
9. Stan Musial                             Nolan Ryan




Analysis:  Musial and Koufax are two of G's favorite players.  You could tell by the way he would talk about them during the entire codebreaking (and after).  Jackson and Ryan seemed just too big to leave on the board, frankly.  We felt (and said) that a lot. 

10. Hank Aaron                             Frank Robinson
11. Carl Yastrzemski                     Bob Gibson
12. Tony Gwynn                           Mike Schmidt

 Analysis:  Aaron would have been my next card if he was still on the board, but G scooped him up.  That's the great thing about this set (really we are lucky and blessed to have won it): Every card that goes out of your hand feels like you lost a big one, only to realize how many are left on the board.  In addition to being a great player, Robinson was also the Nationals first manager.  I am a sucker for intimidating pitchers, and they didn't get any rougher than Bob Gibson.  Yaz and Gwynn, what can you say about them that you don't know already?  I took Schmidt hoping I could get some Phillies fan to buy it, making the payout all the sweeter :-P

13. Johnny Bench                         Erine Banks
14. Al Kaline                                Ryne Sandberg

Analysis: It feels kind of wrong to say that Bench, Banks, Kaline or Sandberg were the last of anything taken.  But I think that just demonstrates how deep the set is.  Everyone is happy with their cards.

15. John McEnroe                        Roger Federer

Analysis: G has been lusting after McEnroe, and I wasn't about to let him have all the Tennis stars!  Plus, my friends and I have a running gag about yelling "Roger!" a la the fans at Wimbeldon.  It's funnier in person.  

16. Yu Darvish                             Felix Hernandez
17. Dustin Pedroia                       Andrew McCutchen

Analysis:  I took the most talked about pitcher this month, and G countered with the most talked about new pitcher last year.  He added fan favorite Dustin Pedroia, and I took my favorite non-National player, The Cutch!


18. David Price                            Miguel Cabrera
19. Buster Posey                          Bob Knight
20. Jose Bautista                          Prince Fielder

Analysis:  Yes, you are correct.  It took us until picks 18 and 19 to select the NL and AL MVPs, including the first Triple Crown winner in a bajillion years. Price is a baller, and I have last year's Bautista so I'm glad G got one too.  I took Knight because I am now part Hoosier by marriage, and Fielder to round out my Detroit Masher collection. 

21. Robinson Cano                      Brad Peacock
22. Arnold Palmer                       Richard Petty

Analysis: Peacock is an ex-Nat I root for, and pick 22 is the first time we've strayed to the non-baseball types (Other than Upton/Andrews).

23. Josh Hamilton                       Brian McCann
24. Brett Lawrie                          Giancarlo Stanton
25. Carlos Gonzalez                   Willie Mays
26. Jeremy Hellickson                Lefty Kreh

Analysis:  I got last year's Hamilton, so congrats to G.  I took MCCann and Stanton for the same reason I took Schmidt-spite. :)  Mays, as you might have remembered, is a HOFer-but he's a redemption so we didn't count him before as taking him runs the risk you won't get your card.  He was actually my number 1 overall want until I wasn't sure I could get him.  Also, I couldn't resist Mr. Red Herring himself, Lefty Kreh.  

27. Jered Weaver                        Paul Goldschmidt
28. Anthony Rizzo                     Jackie Joyner-Kersee
29. Yovani Gallardo                   Joe Mauer
30. Matt Kemp (redemption)                  Adrian Gonzalez

 Analysis:  Some Dodgers, and two rookies who are excellent but not named Harper or Trout. I like Kersee and hate Kemp, so it worked out :)


31. Ryan Braun                          Ken Griffey Jr (Another Redemption)
32. Aroldis Chapman                 Adam Jones
33. Michael Buffer                    Yoenis Cespedes

Analysis:  Let's get ready to rummmbblllleeeee.....

34. Jay Bruce                            Carl Crawford
35. Starlin Castro                      Jose Tabata
36. Julio Teheran                       Joel Hanrahan

Analysis: Ex-Nat Hanrahan.  

37. Allen Craig                         Kirk Hirbstreit
38. J.P. Arencibia                      Mark Trumbo
39. Elvis Andrus                       Michael Phelps

Analysis:  Seriously. An Olympic Champion without peer dropped to 39.  

40. Curly Neal                          Al Unser Sr
41. Dee Gordon                        Johnny Cueto
42. Torii Hunter                        Jose Valverde
43. Brett Anderson                   Dillon Gee
44. Max Scherzer                     Dan Uggla
45. Gordon Beckham               JD Martinez
46. Zach Britton                       Brandon Belt
47. Ewa Mataya                       Ara Parseghian
48. Marty Hogan                      Hank Haney
49. Bob Hurley Sr                    Meadowlark Lemon

Analysis: Nine picks between Globetrotters.   

50. Alexi Ogando                     Fatal1ty
51. James Brown                     Greg Gumbel

Analysis: Commentator's taken.  G was miffed because taking Brown reminded him of Shannon Sharpe.  That will ruin anyone's day. 

52. Colin Montgomerie           Vernon Wells
53. Vance Worley                    Don Denkinger
54. Daniel Bard                       Nathan Eovaldi
55. Swin Cash                         Jimmy Paredes
56. Craig Gentry                     Jordan Schafer
57. Bela Karolyi                     Dale Webster
58. Annie Duke                      Jerry Bailey
59. Rulon Gardner                  Phil Pfister
60. Keegan Bradley                Guy Bluford

That's it!  That's all of them.  Exhausting, but fun, it took us 4 days of emailing back and forth to get it all done.  Next G will ship my cards out to me, then we'll decide what to do with them.  A little last bit of rest and celebration while we wait for our 2013 Ginter Card to come out (That seems to be really happening!) and then to decide whether to conquer 2013's code as well, or not.

Questions and comments below!  Thanks!