The Value per Pick Index (V.P.I.) was developed in 1998 to measure how efficiently each individual draft pick was used. Each selection is evaluated based on pick number, talent available, positional depth, three year statistical averages, 2002 projections, and the trend analysis of the previous five N.J.R.B.L drafts. The V.P.I. does not factor in the quantity of picks a team has or the team needs. It is assumed that a team would move down in the draft to select appropriate value while meeting team needs. A perfect score on the V.P.I. is 1.0.

1. Freaks	(.88)	Best Closers in draft (Koch & Uggy) were gifts at #16 & #17, both have saveable talent; Weaver (18) was taken a little early because he is a quality B starter on a bad team
2. PC 1st Cousins	(.82)	A middle (Batista) two seasons off 40 jacks is worth the gamble at #6; Clark (25) has health issues, but you have to like that situation in Boston.
3. Monarchs	(.80)	Casey (1) has potential with some past performance; Everett (13) was OF with most upside; McGriff (14) is a time bomb between Sosa and Alou; Zimmerman was a real reach at #21; Mesa (28) and Strickland (29) created a reliever shortage which increased value.
4. Scrubs	(.75)	Alfonseca at #31 provided closer value but has plenty of question marks; Long (32) is a great pick if he avoids the lead off spot
5. Swillers	(.72)	Injury history and age of Salmon (3) make this pick overly risky; Millwood (15) provides name value for those with a good memory; Graves at #30 was excellent value if he closes; Cirillo (33) was the second rated 3B available and may improve out of Colorado.
6. Humpbacks	(.70)	Mondesi at #10 is a great pick. "Old Man" Moyer (12) has got to be a bust one of these years. Sele (11) in Anaheim and Sleepless in Seattle, one has a happy ending.
7. La-z-Boyz	(.68)	Ishii at #19 will have results closer to Irabu than Ichiro; Young (20) is more popular with fantasy publication evaluators than the VPI.
8. Beagles	(.65)	A young third baseman at #4 that starts with "B", answer is Blalock not Burroughs. Way too early for Pineiro (5); Cabrera (26) is a middle that may bat clean up; Armas at #27 was the last and best of the 4 first round starters.
9. Notorious Cuz	(.60)	Lowell (23) was top rated 3B available, very steady but has some holes. Higginson (22) provides real nice second round value in middle of round 1; Mark Quinn (24), tip off in 2 minutes, magazine open to players that begin with "Q".
10. Bombers	(.52)	Pierre at #2, 2 early for someone with 2 homers; Rollins (7) was highest rated middle in draft; Bought into the Pena hype at #8; Nick Johnson (9), of the Yankees, won the lottery
11. RH Factor	(NA)	Somebody having no picks is only way Bombers avoid basement.

Sean Casey Billy Koch Raul Mondesi Terrance Long Jimmy Rollins Scott paying for Pizza

Nick Johnson of the Yankees Mark Quinn Joel Pineiro Aaron Sele Kevin Millwood

Second Round Analysis

1. Freaks	(.86)	VALUE! Blalock at #51 will prove to be the top free; Sanders (50) was a steal, if he can get 500 ABs; D.Lee (49) projects to be a saver one of these years
2. RH Factor	(.82)	Millar (61) provides round 1 value late in round 2; Beware the curse of former Scrubs with Washburn (62); Welcome back old fave Rick Reed (66), too bad he is still stuck in Minny
3. Monarchs	(.80)	Wolf (34) was best starter in the draft; Walker (35) topped a very weak group of 2B, Moved up to grab Yan at #63, see Washburn comments above.
4. Scrubs	(.79)	Old favorites went in previous two picks; Astacio (64) is a great pick, until his arm falls off; Williams at #65 was the best closer left, do the Bucs still use a committee?
5. Humpbacks	(.78)	Ram Hernandez at #43 is the obligatory early A's pick; Kim (45) will provide great value, if he can forget about October; Vaughn (44) almost a lousy saver, nice surprise in round 2
6. Notorious CUZ	(.74)	The change of scenery philosophy! Nomo (57) should see an NL bump in numbers; A-LO (55) in Atlanta is interesting and always has Backs trade value; Ziele (56) in the thin air is a good thing, at 3B is a bad thing
7. PC 1st Cousins	(.73)	Uribe (39) may prove to be best of strong SS group; Hoping A.Boone makes like brother B.Boone at #58; Lidle (59) career year or late bloomer, VPI leans to former.
8. Swillers	(.65)	Only knock on Lawton (46) is leading off, he is VPI sleeper special; Furcal (47) provides range and steals bases, NJRBL value: minimal; Petrick (48) was taken way early, especially with Varitek still on the board
9. La-z-Boyz	(.61)	Were the 2001 numbers looked at before taking Dempster at #36? Tatis (52) will be an awesome softball player in near future; Rob Hernandez (53) puts up solid numbers every year; Larkin (54) is a very old SS that is always injured, traits that tend to kill value
10. Beagles	(.59)	Schmidt (37) was top rated arm until the usual injury popped up; Started the middle reliever run with Farnsworth (38) and Prinz (39), VPI thinks it could have waited until June
11. Bombers	(.54)	Kearns (42) lands on Bombers and sent to minors, rough month! Prior (40) and Cruz (41), let me guess the magazine was open to the page about Cubs prospects?

Reggie Sanders Juan Uribe Randy Wolf Kevin Millar Hideo Nomo Matt Lawton Greg Vaughn

Raffy Furcal Bret Prinz Barry Larkin Fernando Tatis Austin Kearns