Did you underrate Kyle Davies

[Tampa Bob]

Do you think Kyle Davies is underrated in AL-only leagues? He went for $3 in my 10 team league and now that I'm looking for a pitcher (we can only drop when a player is on the DL or sent to the minors) to replace Scott Lewis I was thinking of offering Adam Lind for him.

Otherwise I'd keep Scott Lewis (bad idea - who knows when he'll be back) or pick up either Andrew Bailey or Dotel.

Since I have hitting out the wazoo I thought I could easily spare Lind. I can't see owners of Meche, Grienke, Verlander, etc. trading for a hitter right now. I DID get an offer of Kazmir for Miggy Cabrera but but I'm not inclined to make that deal.

Thanks ~TB

[Todd Zola]

I'm not sure any SP in the AL is underrated, expect if you pitch for Texas or Baltimore

The good news is Davies is continuing a trend he showed in September last year.

The not-so-good news is historically, his K/BB is not stellar and he is not an extreme GB or FB guy (an extreme FB guy is sometimes actually better than a 50/50 guy).

With some, like Danks last season, we had some tangible reason (new pitch) to hope the turnaround was real. Davies is at an age that suggests he could be "getting it", but past that, I have nothing, anecdotal or otherwise.

So while signature suggests I do not recommend throwing darts, sometimes in deep leagues that is all we can do.

That said, I have thrown an Andrew Bailey dart in a few deep leagues. Not saying I prefer him over Davies, more confirming I also see something there.

[CubFan]

Hey TB! Our league may have underrated him a tad. He went for $6 in our 12 team AL only keeper league. By the time he came out I was close to dollar days on players. I was there to $5. I for one am a believer in him. Being in the KC area I get to read/hear stuff some others don't. Personally, I think he now has confidence in what he can do at this level. Last fall he made an adjustment, not to his mechanics but to his attitude. Don't underestimate the latter. He decided to trust his stuff and go hard after the hitters. You be the judge as to whether or not his performance since last September is real. Hard to argue with the results so far. Success breeds success. He now believes he can get the other guy out. Will he have a rough outing or two.....you betcha. I'll be watching to see how he handles that.

As for Bailey, I like him and will be putting in a bid today for him to replace Kevin "gas-can" Jepsen.

[Tampa Bob]

I confess I had to look up Jepsen. Sure is a big difference between a 10 team and a 12 team league. I laughed at a line from the Sept 7 Rotoworld blurb... "He does lack command". Looks like you'll be able to dump him before his ERA goes over 60.


When I was bidding on Uehara and Scott Lewis I couldn't bring myself to go a couple of extra bucks on Davies. One looks at their auction's mistakes and think, "Next year I'm not going to do something that stupid." Then the next year comes and you do something different, and equally stupid.

Thanks for the insight!

~ TB

[Tampa Bob]

Well the guy that owns Davies in my league doesn't undervalue him. My offer of Adam Lind ($6) and Scott Lewis ($2) for Davies ($3) and Matt Joyce (who cares) was refused with accompanying mockery. He dropped Joyce for Griffey.

Looks like I'll either keep Lewis or drop him for Aardsma or Bailey if I go RP - or -Dallas Braden or Edwin Jackson of I go SP.

I think it's Bailey or Braden. I have until Saturday to decide. Not having free drops changes one's thinking.

[Todd Zola]

Personally prefer Jackson over Braden for SP.

[HotCornerHero]

I agree with Todd.
Edwin Jackson is finally getting it. He's been hot to start the year.
1-0, 2.14era, .809whip, 13k, 5bb.

But it also raised the question of whether the performance is real or not. Given that he performed well at the beginning of last season, not quite to this extent but close.

First Half- 5-6, 3.93 era, 1.38 whip, 65 k’s, 5.3 K/9, 3.85 BB/9, 1.38 K/1BB
Second Half- 9-5, 5.15 era, 1.69 whip, 43 k’s, 5.3 K/9, 3.69 BB/9, 1.43 K/BB

Either he's finally figured it out and just needed another change of scenery and a defined role within the team.

Personally, I think that he's got the skills to maintain this, albeit with a higher era, but some where along 2008's first half performance.

[Todd Zola]

FWIW, EJax has also begun throwing a cutter.