Yesterday, the fantasy baseball guide looked at top free-agent hitters available to join new teams for the 2010 season. The free-agent pitching class is much thinner but still offers a few arms that could pay fantasy GMs dividends on draft day depending on where they end up.
John Lackey
We know Lackey still has ace stuff and he’s a winner, having captured a World Series ring in 2002 and pitched in the playoffs almost every year. He is, however, an injury risk every season. As a result, whatever salary he commands - $15 million? – should make him a major bargain or major bust, but nothing in between. He’ll either return to ace form and be a bargain or get hurt and be a cash drain. Fantasy-wise, his solid control gives him a chance to post good numbers wherever he goes.
Rich Harden
He’s intriguing in that, while he’s as much of an injury risk as any pitcher in baseball, he’s so injury-prone that he could come at a discount. When Harden is healthy, it’s not exaggerating to say he’s as dominant as any pitcher in baseball. In 25 starts in 2008, he went 10-2 with 181 strikeouts in 148 innings. Harden struggles with the long-ball, so fantasy owners should cross their fingers and hope he ends up in a pitcher’s park.
Randy Wolf
He isn’t flashy but he’s certainly a valuable middle-of-the-rotation innings eater who can pitch like a No. 2 starter in stretches. Fantasy owners should realize that a repeat of 2009 is Wolf’s absolute best-case scenario, as he played for a first-place team in a pitcher’s park. I see more fantasy downside than upside here.
Joel Pineiro
He’s a sneaky play for fantasy owners. Some GMs will think he won’t repeat his success since he pitched for a contender and had the help of pitching coach Dave Duncan. But Pinerio’s newfound extreme groundball tendencies can translate to any park. He could be a good No. 4 or 5 fantasy starter again in 2010.
