In Season Free Agents: Pitching Edition

Last time I looked at the best hitting free agents from last season. But what about the pitchers?

Top 10 A.L. Free Agent Pitchers 2011

	Player	$	Sal	+/-	CBS	LABR	TW	2010
1	Sergio Santos	$17						$3
2	Alfredo Aceves	$17						$3
3	Matt Harrison	$16						$0
4	Josh Tomlin	$14	0	14	1			$4
5	David Robertson	$14						$4
6	Greg Holland	$14						-$1
7	Jim Johnson	$14						$2
8	Philip Humber	$14						$2
9	Guillermo Moscoso	$13						-$1
10	Bruce Chen	$11						$9
	Average	$14	0	14	0			$3

The list starts out with Harrison and a bunch of relievers...but then the starting pitchers rally. Not surprisingly, most of the starters here are of the low K variety. Rotisserie owners will almost always chase strikeouts above all else.

Unlike with the hitters, I'm a little less surprised that some of these pitchers didn't get purchased. Robertson - a high strikeout pitcher on a perennial winner - is the biggest surprise. Many of these pitchers emerged as the season went along so it's understandable that no one took a $1 stab on almost all of these arms.

Notice that there aren't any prospects here. Moscoso was the closest thing, but he wasn't anywhere near the top of the A's minor league list.

Top 10 N.L. Free Agent Pitchers 2011

	Player	$	Sal	+/-	CBS	LABR	TW	2010
1	Fernando Salas	$19	0	18		1		$1
2	Ryan Vogelsong	$17
3	Kyle Lohse	$16	1	15	1		1	-$9
4	Josh Collmenter	$15
5	Vance Worley	$14						$3
6	Antonio Bastardo	$13						$1
7	Edward Mujica	$12	0	11		1		$9
8	Jeff Karstens	$11						-$1
9	Eric O'Flaherty	$11						$5
10	Javy Guerra	$11
	Average	$14	0	14	0	0	0	$1

The National League had the same 5/5 split between starters and relievers. Once again, some similar trends emerge. The starters aren't high K guys, the relievers are mostly middle relief arms and not closers (though Salas and Guerra did close at some point), and there aren'tany top prospects here.

Unlike with the hitters, it's more difficult to come to any definitive conclusions about either one of these lists. I don't know what kind of advice would lead me or any other analyst to help you find the 2012 versions of Ryan Vogelsong or Josh Collmenter, but it's probably not very sound advice. I'll say what I say all year round, though: don't forget the middle relievers, particularly in deep leagues. Eric O'Flaherty earned that $11 in 44 innings last year. The drip, drip, drip might not seem worth your time; the earnings and the evidence say that the drip most definitely is.