Jose Valverde (RP-DET): Valverde signed a minor league contract with the Tigers yesterday afternoon. The contract reportedly has no major league commitment and will have him report to extended spring training before moving to AAA Toledo. Also, if Valverde is not in the majors by May 5, he has an opt out clause in the deal. This risk-free deal comes on the heals of Bruce Rondon's wild spring and Phil Coke's blown save, so if Valverde shows solid velocity and command of his splitter, there is a chance he finds some save opportunities in mid-late April. He did save 35 out of 40 games last year during the regular season, but with a pedestrian 16.3% K rate and a horrendous 5.01 xFIP that was exposed during the postseason. He's worth a speculative add in AL only and deeper mixed leagues, but I'd temper my expectations.
Casey Janssen (RP-TOR): Janssen, who was questionable to begin the season, picked up his first save of 2013 in last night's wild victory over the Indians. The Jays closer pitched a perfect 9th while striking out 2 batters to preserve the 10-8 victory. His control and command look to be in midseason form. However, in recovering from shoulder surgery, Janssen is averaging less than 90 MPH on his fastball, a sign that the Jays may not pitch him on back-to-back nights too frequently early in the season. In fact, before the game, his availability was uncertain. While the start to the season is encouraging, keep an eye on his velocity and usage patterns moving forward.
Andy Pettitte (SP-NYY): Pettitte was masterful on Thursday night against the Red Sox, going 8 strong innings, allowing only 1 earned run on 8 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts. It was classic Pettitte, as he beautifully kept hitters off balance throughout the night, working both sides of the plate. He induced 12 ground ball outs vs. 8 out via the fly ball, and compelled Red Sox batters to swing at pitches outside of the zone at a 33.2% rate. Pettitte hasn't thrown more than 129 innings since 2009, so owners should expect him to miss some time. However, he looks healthy in the early going and makes for a great addition to the back end of your rotation.
Ryan Dempster (SP-BOS): On the flipside of Pettitte's masterpiece was Dempster's mixed-bag of a start. The Sox hurler tossed 5 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits and 4 walks, striking out 8 Yankees. While he averaged less than 90 MPH with his fastball, Dempster's breaking pitches looked sharp, inducing a swinging strike rate of 14.9%. Part of the damage of course came on a Brett Gardner homerun that barely cleared the short porch in right field. The take away is Dempster is risky to leave in your rotation, especially in parks such as Yankee Stadium (his ground ball rate has decreased each year since 2008). However, he could be a useful spot starter, depending on the matchup.
Brian Roberts (2B-BAL): Roberts exited Thursday's game against the Rays after injuring his right hamstring while attempting to steal second. The oft-injured second basemen appeared to be in a great deal of pain, struggling to put any weight on the right leg. He'll undergo tests on Friday, but this definitely does not look good for Roberts and his fantasy owners. Before the injury, Roberts had a solid spring and was off to a promising start to his season, going 5 for 12 in his first 2 ½ games. While there is no timetable for his return, Roberts owners should look at grabbing Alexi Casilla, who took over at second after the injury.
Follow me on Twitter @walterkuberski
There are over 100 players covered each day in the member area. If you're not already a subscriber, join us today!
