Kuzul

Finding pitchers who help in the WHIP department is not always an easy task; finding one late in your draft (after Round 18) is even tougher.  Here are five pitchers who I have projected for a 1.30 WHIP or better who are available late in your draft (based on Mock Draft Central’s ADP):   Brian Matusz – Baltimore Orioles He may be a tough sell, considering that he is entering his second full season and is pitching in the AL East.  Still, in the minor leagues he posted a 2.55 BB/9 and 9.64 K/9 (the higher the strikeout rate, the lower the dependence on BABIP in regards to the WHIP). Those two numbers have the makings of an elite mark. While he wasn’t quite that good in his rookie year, he was good enough, with a 3.23 BB/9 and 7.33 K/9. Coupled with a .292 BABIP, he ...

Because they’re the Twins, people generally expect their rotation to come through as expected.  But let's quickly run though their five projected starters:Francisco Liriano is simply put, Jekyll and Hyde. Scott Baker has missed time in every season but one because of injury and has a career ERA of 4.32. Carl Pavano is 35-years-old and recently went five years between double-digit win seasons. Kevin Slowey has a career ERA of 4.41 and almost never hits 90 mph. And to wrap up the rotation is Nick Blackburn who was banished to the minors last year and has never had a winning record. Unless they change their minds and go with Brian Duensing, a converted reliever who was very solid in the second half last year.But, it’s the Twins, and they know how to win, just don’t put *too* much stock in their fantasy prowess. Except for Liriano, that is. Though he ...

Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey will battle for the final spot in long relief in the Twins' bullpen once the American League playoffs begin next week, according to manager Ron Gardenhire. The team will start Francisco Liriano in Game 1, Carl Pavano in Game 2, and Brian Duensing in Game 3 of their ALDS matchup with either New York or Tampa Bay.Gardenhire also noted that right-hander Nick Blackburn would get the Game 4 nod if necessary. Gardenhire's decision-making has gotten to be nearly beyond reproach: He has led the Twins to six division titles in nine seasons and perennially gets the most out of his personnel in order to overcome high rates of attrition among his most talented players. If he doesn't win the Manager of the Year award this season, there ought to be an investigation. That said, Gardenhire is wrong on this point. Blackburn has had a great ...

The Minnesota Twins appear to be on their way to winning back-to-back division titles and for the first time in two years, not having to go to a game 163. With the Twins sitting comfortably in front of the Chicago White Sox they will have the opportunity to rest pitchers down the stretch and set their rotation however they would like for the postseason.There's a good chance Francisco Liriano will be thrown out in Game 1 against either the Tampa Bay Rays or New York Yankees. The other option would be Carl Pavano, who has been a godsend for the Twins' rotation with the way he eats up innings.The postseason is creeping up closer and closer, which means it's time to grade the pitching staff up to this point. Francisco Liriano—B+It was a tough choice not to give Liriano an A especially seeing how well he's pitched since the All-Star break. ...

Scott Baker has to be one of the most frustrating pitchers for any fantasy owner this year. When he is on, he is lights out (Sunday vs LAA 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4K), but there is another side to Baker that doesn't exactly sit well with owners. I personally dropped him in my league on June 11th, after a dismal outing against the Kansas City Royals where he gave up five runs in five innings. Of course, the next game Baker pitched his best outing of the season, giving up only two hits and striking out 12. I kicked myself for a few days, but then happily smiled when he gave up 20 hits and 11 runs combined in his next two starts against the Brewers and the Mets.It's frustrating watching a guy like Scott with so much potential. Although he may end up with a second season of ...

When the Twins struggled their way into the All-Star break, going 8-13 and falling to third place in the American League Central division, things were looking pretty bleak. All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau hasn't played a game since July 8 after suffering a concussion.  Currently infielder Nick Punto and Gold-Glove second baseman Orlando Hudson are on the disabled list. Compound that with Joe Mauer sitting out a couple of games, and then limited to the DH role the next two with a sore throwing shoulder, and you might think things could not get any worse.  The Minnesota Twins have been a different team since the All-Star Break. Patching together makeshift lineup after makeshift lineup, Manager Ron Gardenhire has the Twins playing the best baseball since the All-Star break. After splitting a four game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Twins are 15-6, the best record in the American League among playoff contending teams. Currently one and a half games behind the Chicago White Sox, it appears ...

  During a year in which pitchers are being sold for remarkably low prices, the Minnesota Twins announced last night that they had traded Wilson Ramos to the Washington Nationals for closer Matt Capps. On the face of things, it seems a very high price to pay for a closer. Ramos, 22, was one of the most-blocked prospects in baseball. Being a catcher in Minnesota's organization doesn't exactly qualify you for much playing time, and Ramos was a virtual lock to be traded eventually. That he was only able to bring Matt Capps as a return, though, is disappointing. Many thought Ramos was worth much more than an expensive relief pitcher, but a lot of that can probably be attributed to a fan base overvaluing a prospect's worth. The fact is, Ramos hasn't helped the Twins out much this year. By hitting a paltry .241/.280/.345 in Triple-A Rochester this season, Ramos' value has either ...

Heading into the All-Star Break, Twins fans split into two camps. The “oh God, it’s all over” camp reacted to the hometown nine’s recent run of form—a poor one, dropping them into third place in the decent AL Central. The other camp was the “Second Halfers.”  They’ve seen this team really catch fire in the second half of the season and remember pretty well how the performance of several starting pitchers (like Scott Baker) started to pick up rapidly after the annual midsummer classic. It took the "Brothers ‘No," Francicso Liriano and Carl Pavano (along with his sidekick, Super Mario’s moustache), to breathe life back into the Twins starting rotation and help point the club toward the usual second half rally.  Although not in a hole nearly as deep as last season’s at this time, the Twins desperately needed solid starting pitching to reappear in the four game series with the ...

The second half of the season is set to begin. For Minnesota Twins' fans, the hope is for a three-team race for the division title. The Twins and White Sox open a crucial four game series at Target Field. For the White Sox, a sweep gives them a huge cushion over the third place Twins and could go a long way to making this a two-team race. For the Twins, this is a chance to quickly get back in the race, letting the White Sox and Tigers know they are not going away.  The race for the American League Central Division is going to come down to starting pitching, and as the trade deadline approaches, all three teams are rumored to be in the hunt for starting pitching. The loss of Jake Peavy leaves a big hole in a White Sox rotation that has only used six pitchers to start a game so far this season. Freddy Garcia leads the ...

The Twins closed out the unofficial first half of the season salvaging the third game against Detroit with a 46-42 record. Good enough for third place in the AL Central. One definition for 'frustration' is when expectations exceed reality.  For Twins' fans the first half of 2010 has been a lesson in dealing with frustration. Even before the first pitch was thrown in 2010 the expectations were high. The opening of Target Field came on the heels of an unprecedented surge to win the 2009 AL Central Division by forcing, and winning, game 163 to break a tie with the Detroit Tigers. Expectations were made greater with the signing of hometown hero, three-time batting champion, and reigning AL MVP, Joe Mauer to a contract extension that will keep him in Minnesota for a long time.   Once the season began the expectations were cranked even higher. The Twins started by winning the first six series they played, and eight of the first nine, giving them a 19-9 record, good enough for ...