Pick 3.11 - 59th Overall

Lance Berkman - HOU OF
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/berkmla01.shtml
 
I've decided to adopt a strategy of ignoring pitching and selecting the best available hitters when it's my turn to pick.  Thankfully, a guy of Berkman's caliber slid to me in this spot.  I had eyes on him last round.  Basically drafting him at the beginning of his long, All-Star career (he played  34 games in 1999).  In 2000, he finished 6th in the rookie-of-the-year voting, behind a pretty good crop of youngsters like Rafael Furcal, Rick Ankiel (as a pitcher), Pat Burrell, Jay Payton and Mitch Melusky (from his own team no less?).  He followed his good start by finishing 5th in the NL MVP voting in 2001 and 3rd in 2002.  Not too shabby to kickoff a career.

Berkman is a guy who just rakes.  He retired with a career OPS of .943 (Helton was .953).  Three of his first seven season he finished with an OPS over 1.0.  He was also very versatile in the field, playing all three OF positions adeptly as well as 1B.  Big Puma finished in the top-5 in MVP voting four times, and finished 7th two other times.

I couldn't be happier with the way the first three rounds has went.  Three big bats, all of whom could have arguably went in the 1st round.  Will be looking to add to the offensive firepower in round four.