Pitchers I'll be "watching" in ST

[deansdaddy]

Okay - gave my wife the chocolates and flowers - now on to the real business at hand.

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS!!!

Every year I make a list of the SP's and bullpens I want to keep track of during ST. Usually I've got a few drafts in the books already, which will inevitably give you a few more names to add to the list. This year I was fortunate to draft in a couple of Captain Hook's early drafts. Needless to say there were plenty of names that came out late in these drafts that I will be tracking this Spring Training. These names will be the guys coming back from injuries or battling it out for rotation spots. Hot shot prospects, non-roster invitees and post-hype guys will also come into play here. If you are like me, when the reserve rounds of your drafts arrive (especially deep NFBC/WCOFB drafts) you look to grab a bunch of high upside arms hoping to cash in on a quality starter at a bargain price. So here's a team by team look at some names I'll be keeping tabs on. Some I have already taken a chance on, so I will be watching to see if I made some good calls. The rest will be those that I look to draft in March and/or keep in the back of my mind in the early goings as I look to FAAB to bolster my various staffs. Feel free to add your own names to this thread - the more names the merrier.

BAL - Justin Duchsherer, Chris Tillman

BOS - Dice K, Rich Hill

CLE - Justin Masterson, Carlos Carrasco, Alex White and Drew Pomeranz (Tribe's last two #1 picks)

CHW - Chris Sale

DET - Phil Coke, Brad Penny

KC - Jeff Francis, Danny Duffy

LAA - Ervin Santana

MIN - Brian Duensing, Kyle Gibson

NYY - AJ Burnett, Ivan Nova, Andrew Brackman, Freddy Garcia

OAK - Brandon McCarthy

SEA - Michael Pineda, Erik Bedard (must resist even if he looks good)

TB - Chris Archer, Wade Davis, Kyle Farnsworth/Jake McGee

TEX - Alex Ogando, Dave Bush, Derek Holland, Brandon Webb

TOR - Kyle Drabek, Zach Stewart, The whole bullpen

ARI - Jarrod Parker

ATL - Brandon Beachy, Julio Tehran, Kimbrel/Venters

CHC - Casey Coleman, Jeff Samardzija

CIN - Travis Wood, Mike Leake, Ardolis Chapman

COL - Esmil Rodgers, Jorge De la Rosa

FLA - Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez

HOU - Jordan Lyles, Bud Norris

LAD - Blake Hawksworth, Jon Broxton

MIL - Shane Marcum

NYM - Dillon Gee, CHris Young, Boof Bonser

PHI - Kyle Kendrick

PIT - James McDonald, Sean Gallagher

SD - Tim Stauffer, Cory Lubeke

SF - Madison Bumgarner

STL- Motte/Franklin, Jaime Garcia, Ian Snell (Dave Duncan to the rescue again?)

WAS - Jordan Zimmerman, Drew Storen, Tom Gorzelanny

[aburt19]

It might be a good idea to add the Orioles bullpen to the watch list. With Gregg, Uehara and Gonzalez (although he
probably won't get the job), it's muddled as to who has value and how much.

[deansdaddy]

Don't disagree - but I think it's Gregg's job to lose.

Florida bullpen bears watching as well.

[AllstonRockCity]

Rich Hill - Lester,Beckett,Lackey,Bucholz,DiceK,Wakefield - That's 6 starters already. In order for him to have any value whatsoever he needs to stay healthy (good luck) and 2 of these guys need to go down. I realize we are talking reserves here, but the likelihood of him seeing the mound at Fenway is remote, there are probably much better darts to throw (even in an AL only)

I disagree 100% that the BAL closer gig is Gregg's to lose. Uehara was flat-out dominant in that role to end last season. He got the job not long after Schowalter took over and rewarded his new boss nicely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I personally view the situation as being Uehara's to lose. I will add that Uehara has a hard time staying healthy and I could see Gregg getting 10+ Saves, but that would be in Uehara's absence.

Great post though.

and don't talk about Kyle Gibson again, shhhhhhhhhhhh,

[deansdaddy]

With regards to Hill - I'm only watching him because outside of Papelbon - there aren't a lot of stories to follow in Boston. Hill intrigues me - that's all. I am not saying to draft him or that he'll have value. But as a lefty who can still lift a ball and throw it - he will likely have a job somewhere when the Spring ends. He very well might end up as a lefty specialist out of someone's bullpen and as such he could be a sneaky source of Holds for any leagues that use them.

For clarification - I have bolded the players that I think are likely to be drafted in 15 team drafts. The others, like Rich Hill should be put on a wait and see list and filed away for later in the season.