9. Scott Kazmir - Tampa
Bay Devil Rays (23 years
old)
Kazmir has the tools to be one of the elite pitchers in this league. He
comes with the baggage of injury concerns, but a 22 year old that sports a
10.14 K/9 and a 3.24 ERA in 24 Major League starts is someone special.
Projections for Kazmir will be conservative due to the aforementioned injury
issues, but his ceiling is within the top 5.
Scott Kazmir 2007 Projections
|
GP
|
GS
|
W
|
L
|
Sv
|
CG
|
Sho
|
IP
|
RA
|
ER
|
BB
|
K
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|
30
|
30
|
9
|
12
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
178
|
89
|
81
|
75
|
173
|
1.40
|
4.10
|
10. Javier Vazquez - Chicago
White Sox (30 years old)
Vazquez is so underrated it's absurd really. As an example, in a twenty team
dynasty league I play in, he was cut this offseason. So he can be prone
to the long ball in a hitters park…he also strikes out better than eight
batters per nine innings, has ridiculous run support, great control, and was
extremely unlucky with balls batted into play last season. Fantasy pitching is
all about strikeout pitchers on good teams, and few fit that bill better than
Javy.
Javier Vazquez 2007 Projections
|
GP
|
GS
|
W
|
L
|
Sv
|
CG
|
Sho
|
IP
|
RA
|
ER
|
BB
|
K
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|
32
|
32
|
12
|
13
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
204
|
118
|
109
|
49
|
174
|
1.32
|
4.80
|
11. Jered Weaver - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (24 years old)
Jered Weaver was simply dominant in his rookie debut. His strikeout
ratios were excellent, he didn't walk many, and he gave up only 6.88 hits/game.
Weaver did benefit from solid defense when he pitched, and allowed a little
over one homer per game, so don't be surprised if there is a slight regression
for him in 2007. He only pitched 123 innings in 2006, so he may deal with
fatigue later in the season. Keep that in mind if you need to move some
pitching for offense at midseason.
Jered Weaver 2007 Projections
|
GP
|
GS
|
W
|
L
|
Sv
|
CG
|
Sho
|
IP
|
RA
|
ER
|
BB
|
K
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|
26
|
26
|
14
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
163
|
74
|
68
|
45
|
149
|
1.21
|
3.78
|
12. A.J. Burnett - Toronto
Blue Jays (30 years old)
Burnett has some of the filthiest stuff in either league, but he also has had
serious problems staying out of the trainers room. When healthy he can be
as good as anybody in the league, regardless of the fact that he plays in the
AL East. He's the cream of the crop in terms of high risk / high reward type
pitchers (see also: Ben Sheets, Mark Prior, Kerry Wood...). What's your
tolerance for risk?
A.J. Burnett 2007 Projections
|
GP
|
GS
|
W
|
L
|
Sv
|
CG
|
Sho
|
IP
|
RA
|
ER
|
BB
|
K
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|
30
|
30
|
13
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
187
|
96
|
88
|
63
|
158
|
1.36
|
4.25
|
