In my line of work I run into fantasy baseball players who have never played simulation games like Strat. To the common roto player, most of these players are not worth a roster spot. These are the common right-handed relievers. If they were better pitchers they would be starters or closers, but they aren’t. To a Strat player, especially those in keeper leagues, a trusty reliever you can count on year after year is golden.
Before I talk about them, I want to talk about different strategies for drafting relievers. Over the years, I have switched between two strategies, draft relievers for now or draft relievers as prospects
For the past couple of years, I have focused on drafting relievers as prospects, but waiting until late in the draft to do it. I’ve been reasonably successful with that strategy, having picked up Scott Proctor, John Grabow, and Chad Qualls late.
So, what I will do is split the relievers into a couple of piles. I’ll rank them as prospects, but also split out the older guy with good cards. How you draft them is based upon your needs.
Chris Bootcheck
2007 Role: Righty-Specialist
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
After failing to stick in the Major Leagues three previous times, Chris Bootcheck finally made the team and stayed all season. He started out in middle relief and was reliable. The Angels started to use him later in the game. Scouts at one time liked his stuff, so it is possible that he’s a late bloomer. As he was once considered a prospect, the Angels felt comfortable using him in key situations and his ability to get out right-handers, he may we worth picking up late in the draft.
Ryan Braun
2007 Role: Triple-A
2008 Role: Unusable
Career: Triple-A
Classification: Non-Prospect
You know, I would love someone to call out Ryan Braun’s name on draft day and make a point to take this Ryan Braun instead. That would be hilarious. Please, don’t draft him.
Andrew Brown
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Prospect
He’s got a nice mid-90’s heater, but he keeps getting traded. He’s been part of a Gary Sheffield trade, a Milton Bradley trade, and a Josh Barfield trade. His ERA was rather high for someone who gave up only one homerun in 41 innings. He was used quite a bit with Oakland and I expect more of that next year.
Jared Burton
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Setup
Career: Setup / Possible Closer
Classification: Prospect
In last week’s article on closers, I forgot to mention Jared Burton. A Rule V pick, Burton has a low to mid-90’s fastball, slider and cutter. The Reds started using him in the eighth inning and they even said “Possible Closer of the Future”. His control needs some work as he walked 22 in 43 innings, but if he doesn’t give up any hits, I don’t mind a walk.
Kevin Camerson
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
He throws hard but walks too many. He pitches in San Diego, and that makes a big difference. As a hard throwing reliever, he’s the type of guy I’m looking for in the 10th round.
Santiago Casilla
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
Some players lose their prospect status slowly, in Casilla’s case, he lost it in a day. Last year, he was Jairo Garcia, a 23-year-old skyrocketing through the minors. He gave up too many homeruns, but the other numbers aren’t bad, so he may be useful in a pitcher’s park.
Lee Gardner
2007 Role: Righty-Specialist
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
Gardner has been stuck in the minor leagues for a long time. He made the roster out of Spring Training when Taylor Tankersley was placed on the DL. He even earned the first save of the Marlin’s season. From a Strat perspective, he’s a right-hander who can’t get out left-handers. With a couple of saves on his card, he makes a bullpen as a righty specialist.
Jensen Lewis
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Prospect
I was reading an interesting article on strikeouts and pitch type on the Hardball Times. I can’t find the article now, so I can’t send you there. What was interesting was that it was much easier to strikeout a hitter with a slider than a fastball. That explains Lewis. He has a fastball that tops out at 90 MPH, but he has a plus-plus slider. That explains the strikeouts. He’s not going to have a big role in Cleveland next year, but I think he’ll make the roster. He’s done nothing but succeed in the minors and was very good in the majors.
Matt Lindstrom
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever /Setup
Career: Setup / Possible Closer
Classification: Veteran
He has a fastball that has been clocked in the triple digits and a good slider. As his curve and changeup never developed, he moved from starter to reliever. He probably would have made the roster last year, but he broke his arm in the AFL. Good stuff, okay card. Sounds like a late pick to me.
Brandon Morrow
2007 Role: Triple-A
2008 Role: Middle Reliever / Possible Starter
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Prospect
Morrow has a high-90’s fastball, a good split-finger and a changeup. He’s working on a slider. He’s got the goods but 50 walks in 63 innings? Eeek! There should be few hits on the right-side of the card, but a stack of walks. Still, the stuff says late speculation draft pick.
Peter Moylan
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
A useful card to have. At 31, his career is limited, but the card will be nice. Plenty of innings as well.
Chris Schroder
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
Schroder is a flyball pitcher who has given up too many home runs in his career. Last year figured something out and pitched better than he ever has. He followed up on that development this year. He’s a possible late bloomer, so picking up his card isn’t the worst thing you can do.
Joseph Smith
2007 Role: Middle Reliever
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Setup
Classification: Prospect
A third-round pick for the Mets in 2006, Joseph Smith made the Major Leagues in his first full season. He’s a submariner, so that means good success against right-handers but poor against left-handers. Unlike most submariners, he can throw with a mid-90’s fastball. I wonder what rubbing your knuckles in the dirt while throwing in the mid-90’s feels like. Do you think he has calluses on his knuckles? The Mets couldn’t wait to get him up, so he can pitch. His card won’t be the best, but he’s playable.
Brian Wolfe
2007 Role: Righty-Specialist
2008 Role: Middle Reliever
Career: Middle Reliever
Classification: Veteran
The Brewers signed him as a minor leaguer and he was traded to the Blue Jays for Corey Koskie. He muddled around in the minors and was called up to pitch middle relief. He gave up 4 home runs and 7 doubles in 69 at-bats to lefties, but right-handers hit only .130 off of him. So, one side of the card will have nothing on it and the other will be deadly. He’s the kind of guy I pick up in the Sporting News Strat game for the league minimum and get 40 good innings off of him because HAL will always take him out against left-handers. Not much future value, but he can help you in the right role.
Right-handed Relievers Analysis
Not much here, either. I’m kind of surprised. I expected more. There is some stuff here for now and some stuff for the future. I’m going to split them between card value and prospects. There are some older players here who have very limited value, but good cards.
Righ-handed Reliever Rankings
Grade-A
Grade-B
Jared Burton
Matt Lindstrom
Joseph Smith
Jensen Lewis
Grade-C
Brandon Morrow
Andrew Brown
Kevin Camerson
Chris Bootcheck
Chris Schroder
Santiago Casilla
Cards for Now
Middle Relief
Peter Moylan
Specialists
Lee Gardner
Brian Wolfe
Next week, I’ll finish up this series with left-handed relievers. After that, I’ll start formulating my draft worksheet.
JP Kastner is the winner of the 2007 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Online Expert League World Series. In five seasons of SOMBOE, JP Kastner has five winning seasons, four playoff appearances, three World Series appearances and now one World Championship. He is in his second season in the Tout Wars mixed league.