So you don’t think late-season call-ups can made a difference to your fantasy team? Imagine if you had started Clay Buchholz, right, on Saturday. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

With the September 1 deadline having now passed, and roster expansion to the 40-man roster occurring, I felt it was prudent to take a quick look at some of the first wave of call-ups and their potential fantasy impact.

With most of the Triple-A teams wrapping up their regular seasons at the beginning of next week, this list is but a preliminary one as more promotions will be announced in the next several days and weeks.

Do they, and can they make a difference to your fantasy squads? You betcha!

It is now September 2, and to those that gambled early on Saturday’s starting pitchers, the rewards have been huge. In two of my leagues, league owners who weren’t glued to either their televisions or computer monitors last night, woke up this morning to the news that their starting pitcher for the Red Sox, Clay Buchholz, had in fact pitched a no-no in his second career start. Does that somehow transcend into some nice fantasy numbers? Without a doubt. Something tells me that Buchholz is going to be one hot pickup in the next several days.

Mike Pelfry of the Mets pitched a one-hitter through six innings with seven Ks in his first game back in the bigs. Ian Kennedy replaced the ineffective Mike Mussina and pitched seven strong innings of five-hit ball with six Ks and only one earned run — a very nice effort and this probably guarantees at least a couple more starts down the stretch.

Now don’t, of course, take this as a ringing endorsement of these guys; they’re all young and are going to be prone to the growing pains associated with their recent promotions to the bigs, but without a doubt all three are solid prospects and, at this time of the year, the game we play can be decided by the narrowest of margins.

To those who risk and gamble go the rewards. Over my 17 years playing this wonderful game, I have seen league titles been won by as little as one RBI, one SB, two Ks, and in one year, the BA title went down to a difference of .0003. Last year, in my 20-team league, in which I managed to squeak out a victory by the slimmest of margins, the team in second trying to track me down started nine starting pitchers on the last day and came up two wins short of beating me.

Differing depths and strategies to leagues make any and all pickups in these last few weeks all potentially both big winners and losers. When looking at the potential of many of these call-ups, my belief is that playing time is of the utmost importance and focusing on this aspect will allow us to weed through the enormous level of player movement. The teams out of contention will be giving most often ample looks to the guys they’ll be assessing in the spring, and in those final couple weeks as teams clinch, the veterans will be rested, again giving those September call-ups an opportunity to display their talents.

As we head into the final weeks of our season the risks are great, as are the rewards, and sometimes in that heated battle, those Fall call-ups can and do make the difference to those final fantasy league standings. Enough intro already - let’s get on to taking a quick scan through the first wave of call-ups.

Mike Pelfry: There were no bats in the pelfry last night as Mike was on a roll. Is this a forerunner to a more consistent and solid approach or a one-timer? He most certainly has the potential to post solid numbers in September for the Mets.

Clay Buchholz: Okay, now that the construction crews have moved into Fenway and commenced work on the statue and shrine, my guess is he’s going to see a bit more action in the immediate future.

Franklin Morales: Okay Todd, this one’s for you. The Rockies will probably be taking a serious look at this guy in September. With a quick return to the rotation for Aaron Cook now ruled out, this 21-year-old southpaw should get an opportunity.

Edinson Volquez: Add Volquez to the list of winners yesterday, although his effort fell into the less-than-spectacular category. Look for him to be a regular fixture in the starting rotation for the Rangers in September.

Matt Chico: Those first-half numbers before the demotion were certainly a good indicator that the potential is there, but when is the future? This 24-year-old lefty had a nice run through May and June and the Nats are hoping for a return to form here.

Kevin Slowey: In eight starts since his demotion to Rochester, Slowey has given up one or less earned runs every time out. There is nothing left for him to prove at the Triple-A level and with the mighty Boof Bonser struggling, expect to see Slowey get an opportunity to start in the next several weeks.

Cliff Lee: Watch this one rather carefully, as the Indians are going to have him working out of the pen for the next while. Some decent innings pitched could lead to a start or two down the stretch.

Jonathan Sanchez: The Giants are most certainly going to be resting those young arms down the stretch, and in his most recent start, Sanchez had a decent outing, going 5 1/3 with seven Ks. With 32 Ks in 23 IP in the minors this year, he could be of help in both the win and strikeout categories.

Ronny Cedeno, Eric Patterson, Geovany Soto: All three of these players are coming off outstanding seasons at Triple-A and should be a big part of the Cubs’ plans for ‘08. With the Cubs in a serious pennant chase, the playing time opportunities will probably not be there, but all three should be owned in deep keeper formats. I especially like Soto and that Pacific Coast League MVP award. With 26 HR, 109 RBI and a .353 BA, the future looks very bright for Soto in Chicago.

Garrett Olson: His Norfolk Tide numbers were very solid with a 3.16 ERA and 120 Ks in 128 IP. He has been roughed up pretty good so far in Baltimore, but looks to be locked into the rotation for the duration of the season.

Adam Lind: Hitting .368 for the Syracuse Chiefs in the month of August should guarantee some playing time down the stretch, especially with the Jays out of the race and Vernon Wells hurting.

Julio Franco: From a fantasy perspective, Franco’s contributions should be fairly minor, but any MLB hitter that is still playing at age 49 at least deserves the recognition here in my opinion. Congrats on a great career, Julio!

Dana Eveland: Those outstanding minor league numbers have yet to translate at the MLB level. He’s probably a long shot at best to get any more starts with Arizona this year, but most certainly should be on “watch” lists heading into next spring.

Jacoby Ellsbury: Ellsbury posted a solid average with 41 SBs at two levels in the minors. With the BoSox outfield currently hurting, this should lead to some playing time over the balance of the season and offer help for those looking for some last minute stolen bases.

Chris Volstad: With only six starts at the Double-A level, any contributions this year would be a surprise, but he should get several starts over the final couple weeks of the season.

Josh Anderson: With the ‘Stros seriously missing a speed element, those 40 SBs at Round Rock could translate to some opportunities in Houston.

Jason Bulger: Bulger could be an asset in allowing a bit of rest to the Halos’ pen down the stretch. What gets my attention are those 81 Ks in 51 IP.

Ian Kennedy: He’s seen a rather dramatic ascent to the majors this year, moving up through three levels in the minors and enjoying a very successful debut for the Yankees. In 146 cumulative innings in the minors, he allowed only 91 hits and struck out 163 with a combined ERA of 1.91. It looks like he might be sticking around for a bit.

PS: Wayne, you’re dragging your feet on those call-ups, were you listening?

September 2nd, 2007
Categories: BASEBALL, Rookies . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 1 Comment

It’s now mid-August, so the time has come to start thinking about season-ending MLB awards, always a fun process of speculation and friendly debate (read: ultimate fighting).

Today, we’re going to look at who we believe to be the top 10 National League position player rookies. We’ve spent much time already assessing rookie pitchers in both the American League and the National League, so it’s time to pay homage to the young bats of the Senior Circuit. Later, if the mood strikes us (or if we remember) we’ll check out the AL class of rookie bats (which, by the way, pales in comparison to this list).

So, now that our long-winded intro is through, let’s check out the top 10 NL rookie hitters (for dramatic purposes, we will count up):

Honourable mentions (includes players who either don’t have enough PT yet to qualify for serious consideration or those who are bubbling just under our top 10): Luke Scott, Houston (currently on fire); Chris Duncan, St. Louis (not just some pitching coach’s kid after all); Chris Coste, Philadelphia (is making the Phillies think that Mike Lieberthal is expendable); Stephen Drew, Arizona (probably a slam dunk for ROY if he had been up all season); Russ Martin, Los Angeles (a good Canadian kid who has taken over as the Dodgers’ catcher of the future); Eli Alfonzo, SF (what’s this? A homegrown Giant position player? At a premium position — catcher — to boot!); Matt Kemp, LAD (have you seen this kid? What a beast! Looks like he could run through a wall and hit a ball 600 feet); Angel Pagan, CHC (deserves a nod, but doesn’t really have one outstanding skill to hang his hat on); Ryan Spilborghs, COL (while it’s true that Rockies hitters are not obvious selections anymore, Spilborghs shows good BA and power potential, so I don’t care where he plays).

10. Nate McLouth, OF, Pittsburgh — The speedster has been slowed by an ankle injury of late, and probably won’t return until mid-September, so doesn’t offer much for the rest of the year. However, he’s just 24, and showed top-of-the-order skills last year at Triple-A (almost .300 BA, .364 OBP, 34 steals, good strike zone judgment). Worst case scenario for next year is Pittsburgh has McLouth and Chris Duffy battle for the CF and lead-off job. McLouth showed enough (50 runs in just 270 at-bats, with 16 doubles and 10 steals) to have the inside track for 2007.

9. Josh Barfield, 2B, San Diego — Known as Jesse’s son around these parts, the 23-year-old keystone cornerman is second among NL rookies with 16 steals, and his .280 BA has been better than I expected. However, he’s managed just nine homers and that’s something I’d like to see him develop over time to become a top-tier fantasy second baseman. As usual, Barfield’s strike zone judgment (24 BB/64 K) is weak, but again, not nearly as bad as I anticipated. He had been scuffling a bit this month until some decent performances earlier this week.

8. Andre Ethier, OF, LAD — The Dodgers simply stole this kid from Oakland, and all they had to surrender was Milton Bradley, a player who has talent but may be possessed by demons, and Antonio Perez, a good, but ultimately spare part. Ethier has a chance to be a very special hitter, with seriously high averages and some modest power potential. The 24-year-old had excellent minor league numbers, but nothing that would suggest this kind of MLB performance. Looking at NL players who have at least 300 plate appearances, Ethier ranks 13th in OPS. That’s among all players, not just rookies. Can he maintain this pace? I strongly doubt he’s a .545 slugger long term, but Ethier may be a bit better than the A’s thought, and Billy Beane doesn’t make many player evaluation mistakes.

7. Josh Willingham, OF, FLA — Depending on your league rules, Willingham may qualify at both first base and, more importantly, as a catcher this year, something that significantly boosts his fantasy value. He’s shown power (.480 SLG), more patience than I expected (in fact, he’s third among qualifying rookies in pitches per plate appearance) and will not hurt you with that .270 BA. For the sabremetric-heads among you, Willingham ranks third among rookies in RC/27 at 5.76, which essentially means that a complete lineup of Josh Willinghams would score 5.76 runs for every 27 outs, or normal nine-inning game. Now, I have no idea whether you’re turned on or not by the prospect of nine Josh Willinghams batting back to back to back, but this much is certain: he’s a pretty damn fine player. Willingham is 27, so there’s not a ton of room for improvement, except perhaps in the power department, but if he keeps qualifying at catcher, he becomes a very useful asset in many leagues going forward.

6. Mike Jacobs, 1B, FLA — Not to tip our hand too much, but Jacobs, the former Met farmhand, is the second of four Marlins to make the list. Talk about rebuilding in a serious hurry. The 25-year-old is batting .270 and has shown good power, with 31 doubles, a triple and 15 homers (.480 SLG). His strike zone judgment isn’t bad, but I’d like to see some improvement before I believe Jacobs will move to the next level. Still, if this is as good as it gets, it’s a solid rookie effort.

5. Conor Jackson, 1B, ARZ — Here’s a guy who’s all about strike zone judgment. Jackson shows a grasp of the strike zone that you don’t often see in a young player, and that makes me believe he has tremendous upside as a high average hitter. While he could become the next Mark Grace — a perennial .300 hitter, there’s a chance that as the 24-year-old increases his strength, he’ll be Rafael Palmeiro-lite and consistently put up 25+ HR seasons to go along with that high average. (Offhand, would becoming Palmeiro-lite involve taking a smaller dose of performance enhancement “supplements?” Just thinking out loud here, people.)

4. Hanley Ramirez, SS, FLA — I wonder if Boston is missing its shortstop of the future yet? With Josh Beckett surrendering more home runs than the NSA has wiretaps, do you think the Bosox are second guessing this deal considering the impact Ramirez has had at the top of the Marlins’ order? (Don’t forget that Florida also got the emerging starter Anibal Sanchez plus a couple of other young arms in this deal.) Any pre-season questions that Ramirez was ready for prime time are now ancient history. This kid is the real deal, a bona fide lead-off hitter with tremendous speed (38 steals). He’s shown gap power (26 doubles, 11 homers) and fantastic patience (4.1 pitches per plate appearance, tops among all rookies), which is a huge asset at the top of the order. Ramirez will learn to walk more (45 so far this season) as he matures, and that will help him rival another great shortstop and lead-off hitter in the NL East — Jose Reyes. Ramirez is still just 22, so the sky’s the limit once he starts getting on base at a clip of .370 or higher.

3. Prince Fielder, 1B, MIL — Fielder is the second son of an ex-Blue Jay to make the list, although father Cecil was just slightly more known for his exploits as a Tiger. And it was at that time that we first heard what seemed to be urban legends at the time — stories of a 13-year-old Prince launching balls out of old Tiger Stadium during BP. I’m sure that led an owner or two to draft him out of junior high in extreme keeper leagues. Well, Fielder is now 22, and he’s finally arrived in the Show, and so far he’s been showing us that his power is for real. His 22 jacks paces all rooks and he’s slugging almost .500, but he’s not one of those all or nothing power hitters. Fielder knows the zone, as evidenced by a .349 OBP. Hell, he’s even swiped five bags! Not bad for a kid who once reportedly weighed more than 300 pounds, thereby qualifying him for a Homer Simpson mumu. His current listed weight is 260, which is still plenty to pack onto a 6′0″ frame. That’s obviously the primary concern for Fielder when looking at his career path — can he maintain a sub-Super Size It weight or will he break down with injuries because of the extra poundage?

2. Dan Uggla, 2B, FLA — Surprise. The top-rated Marlin on the least is perhaps the least-touted of them all (even though he did make the All-Star team). And I admit it, I was one of the doubters. Last year when the former Diamondback showed up as a Rule 5 draft pick in Florida and was touted as the primary candidate to man second on the Marlins, I was skeptical. Uggla? What kind of a name is that, I remember saying to myself or anyone who would listen. I put him on my sleeper list, but only because he was battling Pokey Reese for the job. Anyone remember that one? Perhaps you recall that Reese actually went missing in Spring Training, thereby giving Uggla the decision by acclimation. Pokey? Has anyone seen Pokey? Well, regardless of Pokey Reese’s whereabouts, Uggla has showed himself to be a real find. He’s got power (19 homers, six triples), can definitely hit (.291 to pace all freshmen), and knows how to get on base (.349 OBP). It may come as a surprise to many, but Uggla leads all rookies in OPS, total bases, Runs Created and RC/27, among the serious hardcore-fantasy categories. So it was real close whether Uggla should rank second on this list, or go straight to the top. In the end, I decided that as impressive as Uggla has been this year, he’s already 26, so won’t improve much. So I settled instead for…

1. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, WAS — Zimmerman’s tender age (21) and broad range of skills were the deciding factors here. He came into the season highly touted after batting almost .400 in a 20-game trial last season, and while he hasn’t maintained that pace (big shock there, eh?), Zimmerman has combined batting average (.286), power (37 doubles, 16 homers, .480 SLG), run production (78 RBI), speed (nine steals, although he’s been caught seven times), patience (3.92 P/PA), on-base skills (49 walks, .356 OBP) and, reportedly, some superb defense at third base. By any means of performance evaluation, Zimmerman leads this year’s NL rookie class. But what most impresses me is the fact that he’s been showing improvements as the season has progressed. And considering Zimmerman has been legally drinking for less than a year (of course, were he from Canada, he could have been drinking since 19, but that’s another story), he has the potential to grow into one of the bigger fantasy studs in the game. Think .320, 30 HR, 120 RBI, 15 SB kind of potential. And that makes him the top NL rookie hitter for RotoRob’s money.

August 18th, 2006
Categories: BASEBALL, Rookies, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

Yesterday, we reviewed the phenomenal 2006 rookie pitcher class for the American League. Now it’s time to tackle the Senior Circuit.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

East

Florida: Well, we may as well start with a team that’s buzzword is opportunity, for that’s where the rookies will play. After all, there’s almost no veterans on the roster. Having said that, the performances the Marlins have got from their rookie pitchers has been unbelievable. Taylor Tankersley has fanned 15 batters in just 12.2 IP, and looks like he’s settling in nicely in a set-up role. Carlos Martinez has also found his niche as a set-up man, although he’s allowing too many baserunners. Josh Johnson was given a chance to start and has run with it, fanning 80 in 90.2 IP. Anibal Sanchez, a key component of the Josh Beckett deal, has been inconsistent, but has looked brilliant at times. Last night, for instance, he threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball at the Nats. Scott Olsen, when he’s not getting in Miggy Cabrera’s face, has been solid, with 85 Ks in 96.2 IP. Logan Kensing is another rookie hurler excelling as a set-up man. Ricky Nolasco has also looked sharp at times.

Atlanta: The Braves are another team where opportunity knocks for any pitcher — especially a reliever — who can actually get anyone out. Atlanta went el cheapo on its bullpen this year, and the results have shown. But it’s created a situation where unproven pitchers are getting their shot. And some of them have succeeded. Ken Ray, for instance, looks like he’ll get save chances for the time being. Starter Chuck James is not striking out as many as I’d like to see, but he’s getting outs. Relievers Kevin Barry and Tyler Yates are enjoying success, a rarity in the Braves’ pen this year.

Washington: Pitching highlights haven’t been plentiful in Washington this season, but Mike O’Connor has held the team in quite a few games, and he’s managed six quality outings among his 15 starts.

Philadelphia: Cole Hamels has pitched a bit better of late, and he’s averaging a strikeout per inning.

New York: This mostly veteran squad was getting superb work from Brian Bannister before he got hurt. More recently, last year’s top pick, Michael Pelfrey, has begun to make a contribution with a pair of solid starts.

Central

St. Louis: The Cards have had some pitching issues this year, but recently recalled Anthony Reyes has helped stabilize the rotation and looks like he’ll stick all season. Reliever Adam Wainwright has possibly been St. Louis’ most consistent pitcher in 2006 and he’s worked his way into a set-up role.

Milwaukee: The Brewers have failed to take the next step forward this year, and a big reason why is their pitching failures. But Jose Capellan has finally delivered on his promise and looks like a solid set-up man. Swingman Carlos Villanueva, up earlier in the season, showed a lot of promise. Expect him back soon. Probably sooner than Neil Smith’s tenure as the Isles’ GM.

Houston: Fernando Nieve has performed admirably in a swing role while Taylor Buchholz’s periperhals suggest a much better season than his ERA does. A propensity for throwing the gopher ball has hurt Buchholz, but if he can reduce the long ball rate, you can expect greater results in the second half.

Chicago: Pitching, the Cubs main strength in recent years, has let them down this season in a very forgettable 2006 campaign. On the plus side, however, injuries to veteran hurlers have opened the door for a pair of rookies to make their mark. Carlos Marmol has had his command issues, but a low hit rate has paved the way for his success. Sean Marshall hasn’t been quite as fortunate in overcoming command issues of his own, but he has won five games and as a result has worked his way into the Cubs’ plans on a more long-term basis.

Pittsburgh: The Pirates have built quite a collection of young arms. Now if they could just keep them healthy (Sean Burnett, John VanBenschoten, etc.), maybe they’ll finally turn the franchise’s fortunes around. Last year brought Ian Snell and Zach Duke and this season a new wave of Pirate youngsters has descended, including Matt Capps, who looks like a very solid reliever in the making; Paul Maholm, who’s taking his rookie beating, but has potential; also Tom Gorzelanny, another young arm with a bright future that’s taking his licks right now. Sleeper alert for reliever Jonah Bayliss, up earlier this season and a potentially dominant pitcher.

Cincinnati: The Reds haven’t gotten much out of any rookie pitchers, but they just acquired one in the Austin Kearns deal. Bill Bray has been a bit wild, but effectively so to date, getting decent results in his rookie season.

West

San Diego: The Padres have put together the second best pitching staff in the NL and several rookies have played key roles this year. Reliever Brian Sweeney, a former Mariner farmhand, is hardly dominant, but he limits the baserunners he allows, and has experienced good success as a result. Cla Meredith, stolen from the Bosox who were desperate to get back Tim Wakefield’s personal catcher (Doug Mirabelli), has tremendous potential as a reliever. As for the starters, both Mike Thompson and Clay Hensley have enjoyed some success, but I would like to see both of them improve their command.

Los Angeles: The great Dodger prospect machine has been very active of late, and this year it generated a trio of arms who are making significant contributions to the club. Takashi Saito, while hardly a kid at 36, is technically a rookie because MLB refuses to recognize that professional ball exists anywhere outside of North America. Either way, he’s been tremendous, taking over as the closer when Eric Gagne went down. Jonathan Broxton is one of the best young pitchers in the game and now that he’s made the transition from starter to reliever, it’s just a matter of time before he’s closing. He has future closer written all over him. Finally, Chad Billingsley, despite some serious command issues, has been getting decent results in his first taste of big-league ball. He will probably settle in as a strong second or third starter.

San Francisco: Jonathan Sanchez looks almost unhittable. He’s another potential closer. Matt Cain has gotten mixed results, but he’s held opponents to a .220 mark and that bodes well for his future.

Colorado: The Rockies have actually had a decent pitching staff this year, which is rare footage indeed. I love what I’ve seen from reliever Ramon Ramirez, who has quickly moved up the depth chart with his excellent results.

Arizona: Enrique Gonzalez has not been overmatched. His low WHIP suggests that his ERA is currently inflated, so I’d expect it to lower over the course of the second half.

July 20th, 2006
Categories: BASEBALL, Rookies, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment

While perusing yesterday’s boxscores, something amazing jumped out at me. The names of the pitching heroes all seemed to share a common theme.

Jon Lester’s amazing one-hit shutout, finished off by Jonathan Papelbon; Francisco Liriano coming within one out of his first complete game; Chad Billingsley tossing seven superb innings for his first career win; Joe Saunders throwing an excellent seven innings with just four hits allowed; Shaun Marcum firing five innings of shutout, one-hit ball; Carlos Marmol earning a win by throwing six strong innings with 6 Ks; Mike Pelfrey winning on the strength of a solid six-inning outing; Clay Hensley chalking up a victory based on six strong innings.

Notice anything interesting about all this? The fact that every single one of those gems was put up by a rookie leads me to believe that we could soon be entering a new golden age of pitching.

In recent years, high-end fantasy pitching has been dominated by the Geritol set: Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, Curt Schilling, Tom Glavine, Jamie Moyer, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and the like.

Now these vets are all still quality options, but the rookie pitcher crop of 2006, unlike any I’ve seen in many, many years, suggests that the baton is about to be passed to a new generation of mound stars.

Of course, that doesn’t even factor in second- and third-year pitchers who have already or will soon establish themselves as aces (such as Scott Kazmir, Jeff Francis, Francisco Rodriguez, Huston Street, Felix Hernandez, etc.) or minor league prospects still waiting their chance (Homer Bailey, Phillip Hughes, Scott Elbert, Jason Hirsch, etc.)

This wave of young, talented arms certainly answers the question that many fantasy owners have had for years: where is all the young pitching? Well, it’s arrived.

But they’re not just here. They’re real, and they’re spectacular.

Every major league team has at least one freshman hurler who’s made a contribution this season. Let’s run through the Show and recap the highlights of the rookie class of 2006.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East

Boston: Papelbon has been all that, and more. He’s ruining his chances as a future starter because he’s just so damned lights out as a closer. After yesterday’s gem, Lester is now 5-0, 2.38. Who would have thought the Bosox would find the answer to their rotation depth within their own system? Having already dealt away Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia in the Josh Beckett deal, and Cla Meredith to get Doug Mirabelli back, the Sox left themselves fairly thin in the pitching prospect ranks. Or so it looked. Other young Bosox hurlers to step up this season include Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen, who have helped stabilize the bullpen.

Baltimore: Rockin’ Leo Mazzone’s presence hasn’t exactly had the positive impact on the starting staff as many (myself included) expected, but the bullpen looks solid thanks to great work from a trio of rooks: Chris Britton, Kurt Birkins and Sandy Rleal.

Tampa Bay: Tim Corcoran has fit in well as a swing man, while Jon Switzer and Ruddy Lugo have each earned more important roles as set-up men for the Rays.

Toronto: Casey Janssen has been inconsistent, but he’s kept the Jays in many games, especially when he was first called up. And although he’s since been farmed out, reliever Francisco Rosario opened some eyes in the Toronto organization.

New York: Matt Smith gave up only four hits in 12 scoreless innings, but was sent down because the club needed outfield help. He’ll be back.

Central

Detroit: The Tigers’ renaissance this year has been built upon their arms, and rookies have played key roles, from Justin Verlander excelling as a starter to Joel Zumaya looking like the heir apparent at closer with his 100 mph+ heat. Despite some command issues, Jordan Tata showed promise as a middle reliever before getting demoted. Zach Miner gives Detroit a second rookie in its rotation, and he hasn’t looked overmatched in the least.

Cleveland: It’s been a tough year in Cleveland, but on the plus side the club may have found its long-term closing solution in Fausto Carmona. He’s been elevated to a set-up gig and should Bob Wickman be dealt, Carmona could get a shot at some saves. The bullpen has also been bolstered by freshman Edward Mujica and, earlier in the season, Rafael Perez.

Minnesota: Forget about being the top rookie, Liriano looks like he’ll be the best pitcher in baseball in short order. He won his 11th game last night, cutting his ERA under 2.00. What are they feeding those young twirlers in Twins Land?

Chicago: Closer Bobby Jenks is proving his playoff run last season was no fluke. How about 50 Ks in 42.1 IP?

Kansas City: There’s not much to be excited about in KC these days. Joe Nelson has been the club’s best rookie pitcher, but he’s 31 years old. Yup, like I said. Not much to get jacked about.

West

Texas: The Rangers have plenty of pitching prospects on the way (Edison Volquez, Thomas Diamond and John Danks, for instance), but this year, the pair who have shone brightest are relievers Bryan Corey and Wes Littleton. Corey, of course, is not exactly a long-term prospect at the age of 32.

Oakland: The A’s had a great rookie pitching class last year with Joe Blanton and Street. This year, the only notable contribution came from Ron Flores, who pitched well, but was sent down to Triple-A a couple of days ago.

Seattle: Jake Woods has made the most significant contribution to the Mariners among rookie pitchers. If he gets his control under wraps, his value will increase.

Los Angeles: Jered Weaver has made a huge splash, not only for his brilliant pitching, but also because the Angels had him replace his own brother!

Tomorrow, we’ll recap the National League rookie pitcher class.

July 19th, 2006
Categories: BASEBALL, Rookies, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 1 Comment