Capping Round 2 with the sixth overall pick, Frank’s Shanks select longtime Lowell pol Bill Martin.
Frank: Billy has been around the proverbial block – as mayor as well as incumbant City Councilor – for a long time. Truthfully, I don’t know a lot about Bill Martin (nor local political fantasy drafts for that matter). But odds are Frank’s Shanks will be attending numerous Halloween parties together this week, a venue where I require my team to excel. My Scouting Team (Lowell Sun Column) rates Mr, Martin as a five tool player in that regard. With Danny Ballgame’s JV Basketball groupies already in tow, we’ll be unstoppable.
Most importantly, Halloween is tomorrow. I think the SOFC fan-base would appreciate his versatility. Like it or not, Billy, you kinda make a pretty good Frankenstein stunt double. So, after some exhaustive research, I did dig up a video of “Bill ” dancing at a recent political fundraiser; guessing it was Fred Doyle’s party. Spanking the planks are what Frank’s Shanks are all about (as well as rhyming, apparently).
Ned’s Take: Spanking planks? That should be worth two points on its own.
Sons of Franky Cabot 
This was a sleeper pick in the 6-slot.
In the 2012-13 Council session, he put up numbers that I would compare to a late 1980s/early 1990s Kirby Puckett — good swing selection, solid batting average, power when it’s needed, and strong overall defense that’s occasionally spectacular.
He can rein in Elliott when necessary … if he senses grandstanding on an LHA-related issue, he’ll swoop in a way that says, “Ron Gant isn’t getting this extra-base hit in the World Series.”
Losing Kevin Broderick was like losing Kent Hrbek — an opportunity to swing at even more pitches thrown right into the wheelhouse, but what’s the result? Less of a bat-on-the-shoulder posture could lead this pick to have a huge payoff. Downside risk is a comparatively blah term where he hits .275 and his RBI total never even comes near the three-digit mark.
What happened to Paul Molitor?
I had Mendonca cast in that sort of mold…a utility infielder who can play a CC race, an SC race, or run the Citywide Parent Council if Robin Yount can’t make it to the meeting.
Quiet, unassuming, but ever the professional. Racks up the hits but without being flashy. Vice-Chair, then he’s the Chair…then he’s the Vice again. If the Council needs a DH, he’s got it. But if you need someone on the hot corner, he can play an infield scorcher into a 5-4-3 without breaking a sweat.
Marty, on the other hand, is my Pete Incaviglia. Legit power numbers to point to but could flirt with 200 Ks in a summer.