Name That Pitcher

by Wonderboy on May 15, 2009 · 0 comments

I am always on the lookout for good starting pitching.    It’s always a great feeling having a consistent ace on a good team that can provide the bedrock for solid pitching stats.  The problem with those guys is they are usually hard to acquire.  Nobody wants to give up Albert Pujols to get a CC Sabathia or Tim Lincecum.   So how do you get good pitching?  In keeper leagues, I try to reach in the draft for targeted pitchers I think show potential.   For example, last year in different leagues I reached to pick Chad Billingsley and John Danks and was rewarded with solid, improving players who I kept for this year.  (I kept Danks as an exemption player because of his limited innings pitched.)   This year I drafted Matt Garza, Jon Lester and John Maine in different leagues and hope they show ace stuff this year .

During the season, however, usually only mediocre or poor arms are available on the waiver wire or free agent pool.  That’s why I was surprised when this player was available in a deep league where good starting pitching is at a premium.  He was definitely worth a pickup and I’ll show you why.  Take a look at the chart below which shows results from last July 15 after the All-Star break through last week.

Player GS W L IP H BB K ERA K9 WHIP BB9 HR9
Player A 20 12 6 131 116 28 138 2.26 9.46 1.10 1.92 0.27
Player B 20 9 6 112 103 37 104 3.04 8.31 1.24 2.96 0.56
Player C 18 7 6 108 86 54 103 3.23 8.53 1.29 4.47 0.50
Player D 19 6 6 115 122 26 100 3.60 7.83 1.29 2.03 1.25
Player E 21 10 5 128 111 67 133 4.35 9.33 1.39 4.70 1.05
Player F 17 6 7 103 120 30 106 5.07 9.26 1.46 2.62 0.70

Player A obviously is the best of the bunch showing great control with low BB/9 and overpowering stuff with a high K rate.   Player A is everybody’s favorite recovering depression patient, Zach Greinke, and he has been awesome.

The rest of the players are Josh Beckett, Cole Hamels, Edinson Volquez, Wandy Rodriguez, and Jorge de la Rosa.  Can you match the player to their line?

The only pitcher with the losing record is Player F, other wise known as Josh Beckett, who really has been hittable lately.  The other ace, Cole Hamels, is player D, with the highest HR rate.  Wandy Rodriguez is B, Edinson Volquez is E and the player I picked up is Player C- Jorge de la Rosa.

If de la Rosa can cut down on his walks by a little bit I should have something really special.  He shows the ability to keep the ball in the park and miss bats, both attributes are needed in Colorado.  He starts tonight at Pittsburgh.

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