{"id":11264,"date":"2015-10-04T20:08:00","date_gmt":"2015-10-05T00:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=11264"},"modified":"2015-10-04T20:08:00","modified_gmt":"2015-10-05T00:08:00","slug":"the-race-to-the-bottom-phillies-clinch-1-pick-in-2016-draft-and-some-candidates-for-that-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=11264","title":{"rendered":"The Race to the bottom: Phillies clinch #1 pick in 2016 draft and some candidates for that pick"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"This<\/a>

This is the most exciting thing Phillies fans have seen in the last 6 weeks. Photo phillymag.com<\/p><\/div>\n

First off; congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies, who thanks to late season collapse basically have locked up the #1 overall pick<\/a> in 2016.\u00a0 A five game game “lead” for the #1 overall pick next\u00a0 year with just nine games left on your season is pretty unassailable, especially when you look at the lineups they’re putting out as of late<\/a>.\u00a0 Here’s the Reverse Standings for 2015<\/a>.\u00a0 And here’s the official 2016 draft order<\/a> from MLB.<\/p>\n

Your Washington Nationals are drafting 18th overall.\u00a0 This is a somewhat precarious spot to be; high enough to guarantee a decent talent, low enough to tempt General Managers to punt the unprotected pick with a QO-attached free agent signing.\u00a0 Somehow I doubt the Nats will go that route but you never know; the departures of our nine projected free agents will free up north of $60M of 2015 payroll, and you have to think Rizzo will be spending some of that to bolster the squad.<\/p>\n

The top of the 2016 draft looks pretty amazing, and across the board pundits are talking about the strength of the 2016 class over the 2015 class.\u00a0 I heard one pundit say that just 2-3 of the guys who went top10 this year would also go top-10 next year.\u00a0 Here’s the leaders in the clubhouse for #1 overall pick next summer:<\/p>\n