It’s that time of year again, when optimism reigns supreme, when every team thinks it has a chance, even if it doesn’t.

For me, that would be my fantasy baseball team.

I don’t know why, but after every year, every draft, I walk away feeling majorly disappointed.

Not that I should. I believe I draft well. No one really knows how the draft will unfold. Just the order of the draft changes everything.

Eight, 10, 12 people in your league. That means eight, 10, 12 different ways everything will play out.

Maybe I downplay everything, because when I do all my homework, plot my strategies, envision what players are going to be great on my team, I don’t end up with them.

My favorites, my sleeper picks. Usually gone.

In Sunday’s American League-only draft, there were seven of us. I got pick No. 7.

Goodbye Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Dustin Pedroia and Carlos Santana.

To be honest, with the seventh pick, you also get the eighth selection as the order goes backward in the second round.

Still, I end up with just two of the top-20 players before I get back-to-back picks. In a one-league draft, most of the talent is gobbled up by then.

Still, it is what it is. I like to trade a lot, so I’m sure I’ll have a big turnover by the All-Star break.

This is what I have right now. My team name has always been the Khalifas, named after one-time No. 1 Pirates pick Sammy Khalifa — and we’ll see where it takes us.

C: Seattle catchers Jesus Montero and Miguel Olivo. Montero is a hitting machine who will DH and Olivo is a savvy player with good power.

1B: Kendrys Morales (Angels), Adam Dunn (White Sox), Mike Carp (Mariners) and Mark Trumbo (Angels). A method to the madness. Morales is a beast who has not played in two years because of a broken leg/ankle. Dunn, who had averaged 40 homers a year in his career, had his worse year ever, never getting on track after a spring appendectomy and Trumbo, a Rookie of the Year candidate last year, will start at third base and could prove a good backup.

2B: MVP candidate Robinson Cano (Yankees) and up-and-coming star Dustin Ackley (Mariners).

SS: Derek Jeter and Eduardo Nunez (Yankees legend and his heir apparent).

3B: Evan Longoria (Rays) and possibly Trumbo.

OF: Colby Rasmus (Blue Jays), Brennan Boesch (Tigers), Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick (A’s), Raul Ibanez (Yankees), Mike Trout (Angels), Alejandro De Aza and Dayan Viciedo (White Sox).No superstars, although Trout will start in Class AAA since the Angels have no room for him. The rest are serviceable players who have some good upside. I took a hit in the outfield to build up my infield.

Pitching staff: Los Angeles Angels. A stud staff on a team that could win 95 or more games.My best advice? Have fun. Enjoy the process of the draft, save your reaches and sleepers after already having a strong player at just about each position.Or do what I do. Draft and trade like crazy. Expect the worst. Hope for the best.Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.