A one-time Cardinals farmhand, Walters was tossed into the Edwin
Jackson/Colby Rasmus deal last year. He was cut by the Blue Jays over the
winter and signed by the Twins. Walters earned his shot with six decent starts
in the minors, but is more of a non-prospect/organizational depth type than
someone who will run with an opportunity. On the other hand, his strikeout
rates are decent and he pitches in a terrific park. His G/F rate is also up
this year; Walters will need to generate a lot of grounders to even survive as
a fifth starter. Walters is a fringy option even in
A.L.-only, but if you need to take chances he's a match-up play at home.
On the morning of May 6, 2000 the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Steve
Trachsel had a lifetime 4.40 ERA and a 6.15 ERA on the season. That afternoon,
he outdueled Pedro Martinez in a 1-0 shutout of the Red Sox at Fenway, putting
up 11 strikeouts and allowing six base runners. Five days later, Trachsel
tossed seven shutout innings against the New York Yankees in another 1-0 win,
only striking out five. This wasn't part of some grand, mid-career turnaround. Trachsel finished his career with 4.39 ERA.
Kevin Millwood now is what Steve Trachsel was then: a serviceable
Major League pitcher. Serviceable Major League pitchers will have games - or
even multiple games - where they seemingly defy logic by beating superior
line-ups or winning in tough venues. It's certainly unusual. But it's not
unprecedented. Millwood deserves more respect in A.L.-only than he currently
gets. He's typically a free agent even in A.L.-only and should probably always
be on someone's roster or reserve list. But no one should be having a eureka moment. Millwood is going
to have some good stretches and he's going to have some bad ones. And he's
going to have games like he had against the Rockies and Rangers. Those games
are the outliers, though, not the norm.
Six hundred and twenty-three innings into this career of his and I don't know what to
make of Feldman. Everything you know about him is wrong. You'd assume that he'd be better in the bullpen...but his career
numbers are slightly better as a starter. You'd think he's a victim of
Arlington...but no, his home ERA is significantly better than his road ERA. Why do I
even care about a pitcher with a career 6.3 fWAR? When Feldman's on, I get
sucked in, thinking that he could be better than he is and maybe put up a 3.50
ERA and be Mike Maddux's next successful project. Years ago, I would have had
my heart broken by Feldman - picking him up and dropping him, buying him at
auction and FAABing him - for years and years and years until several seasons
of ERA and WHIP - along with my hopes for a title - were dashed. Years of hard experience in the mid 90s taught me
to stop getting sucked in and going with my gut and using the numbers instead.
Feldman is the latest in a lone line of Ranger pitchers who'll kill you even if it's not because of the park or the role. He's standing in for the ghosts of Ryan Drese, Roger Pavlik and many others that I'm too tired to remember or go to Baseball Reference to look up. Maybe he'll be adequate, but it's more likely he'll screw
with your season and break your spirit in the process. Leave him on the waiver wire. Leave him on the waiver wire.
In the Minors
Wil Myers' promotion got more of the headlines among Royals' farm
watchers, but it's possible that Odorizzi is the guy who makes more of a
fantasy impact this year. John Sickels' write-up in early May mirrors what I've read
elsewhere: good 90-94 MPH fastball with good movement, and improved secondary
pitches that Odorizzi can throw for strikes. Odorizzi sounds like he's a future
#3-4 starter if everything breaks right. With guys like Will Smith trotting out
to the bump for the Royals, it's only a matter of time before Odorizzi takes
the hill for Kansas City. There are no guarantees for '12, but you should at
least monitor.
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