Last Minute Fantasy Draft Bargains Pt 2
Sleeper Starters Will Be Big League Winners, Soon
The Reds Jonny Cueto looked so good in spring that the team pretty much had to give him a big-league job for April. He's streaky, but lights-out when his stuff is working.
If you play fantasy baseball and just finished drafting, it's a safe bet that all of baseball's best pitchers, those with proven track records, were snapped up in your league, leaving only aging ex-aces and unknowns available on your league's waiver wire.
But some of those young unknowns should be known, based on how good organizationsthey looked all spring, and how their are rumbling about their big-league readiness. Here's a quick look at some young starters who might get an early opportunity thanks to their hot springs, and who could make an impact in the majors this season.
In the AL, a lot of fringe starters got a long look for evaluation. Tampa's Edwin Jackson, for example, made six starts, and in the process won himself a spot in the Rays rotation with a 4.23 ERA and 13 strikeouts. Of course, he also walked 11, which should give Rays fans pause.
His teammate Matt Garza, one of the highest ranked prospects entering last season, fared even better, with a 2.45 ERA over 26 innings and a fine 20:6 strikeout to walk ratio. Tampa will expect Garza to line up behind ace James Shields this season, but he might be the team's real ace.
The Yankees Ian Kennedy outshone last year's rookie Phil Hughes with an ERA of exactly 2.00 in five starts. Hughes stumbled to a 5.82 spring.
John Danks, the maybe-maybe-not White Sox starter, looked impressive all spring, striking out 23 batters in 24 innings. He was matched pitch for pitch and K for K by Kevin Slowey of the Twins, who whiffed 25 hitters in 24 innings. Both young pitchers will be successful players in the rotation this season, though not right away.
Oakland's Dana Eveland is usually overshadowed by higher-hype prospects like Gio Gonzalez and Fautino de los Santos, but Eveland outpitched both of those young men in spring training, striking out 17 batters and walking only five in 21 innings of work. His spring ERA ended up at a league-best 1.29. He's a real sleeper to help out the Oakland rotation later in the year.
Danks, Slowey and Eveland are all sleepers who deserve a little more consideration based on how good they looked in March.
In the National League, Cincinatti owned the headlines, with young Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez (stolen from Texas) lighting up radar guns and racking up strikeouts. Both deserve spots in the MLB rotation based on their spring work, and it's likely both get a chance next week.
The Giants two-headed titans, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, both looked sharp all spring, ranking among the league's strikeout leaders. That's a good thing, because Giants fans won't have much else to cheer about during the pains of rebuilding.
The Dodgers Chad Billingsley showed the same mix of power and lack-of-command that made him a disappointment last season. In 22 spring innings, Billinsgley walked 10 and posted a nasty looking 6.85 ERA. Young Clay Kershaw, though, raised a lot of eyebrows by dominating in limited use. He didn't start a game, but was used as a mid-game left-handed specialist. He thrived in the role, striking out 19 hitters in only 14 innings. The Dodgers might look at using him in the bullpen very soon.
Speaking of lefthanded strikeout artists, Milwaukee's Manny Parra gained two notches in the rotation contest this spring, but posted mixed results, looking stellar in some outings (19 strikeouts) while being shelled in others (10 walks). He really needs another year in the minors, but the Brewers can't really afford that, so he's likely to see a lot of major league action this year. Expect the same mixed results.
Colorado's pair of heralded young starters, righty Ubaldo Jimenez and lefty Franky Morales both looked quite awful all spring, though this went largely unnoticed in the face of the billion-plus runs the Rockies kept on scoring in support.
Because of the combination of youth, overwork and a rocky spring, we're advising caution with the Rockies twosome for now. Parra, Kershaw, Cueto and Volquez all look like better bets.
As you can see, it's easy to fill out your rotation or add some extra depth by taking a look at who looks hot in spring, and who's getting a chance sooner than expected. Good luck!
