Ubaldo Jimenez threw 8 strong innings yesterday for his fourth consecutive win and appears to be taking continual steps forward in his young career. A guy perceived by many to be a bit of a flamethrowing inconsistent younger he improved to 11-9 on the season, with an impressive 3.41 era on the season, 1.23 whip and 145 Ks in 166 innings. Jimenez has now allowed 3 earned runs or less in each of his last 8 outings. Last year, Jimenez posted a 12-12 record with 172 Ks in 198 innings, a dismal 1.43 whip and respectable 3.99 era. The key to his success so far this season seems to be his ability to limit walks – in 198 innings last season he walked 103 batters, so far this year 64 walks in 145 innings, though it could improve further, it is a nice step that has lead to a much improved whip.
Yes, Jimenez pitches in the thin air of Coors, but at 25 years old Jimenez and on pace for 200 Ks and a sub-4 era Jimenez flies under the radar and appears not only to be a strong bet for a solid finish to the season, but a nice SP to keep in mind for next years draft. In fact, there may not be a better mid-round SP selection than Jimenez who looks to continue to perform ast a very solid fantasy pitcher and could continue to develop into a legitimate ace.
{ 0 comments… add one now }
You must log in to post a comment.