Number 5 is Alive!

For all of you in deeper leagues, there are a couple of number 5 starters to look at.

Charlie Haeger, L.A. Dodgers: When a pitcher fans 12 batters, you have to give at least a little attention. Well, Haeger struck out 12 Marlins in 6 innings with his knuckleball! He also gave up 3 runs and 4 walks (all in all, a quality start). He is not known to strike out batters at the pace he showed on Sunday, so temper some of those expectations. He plays in a nice pitchers park, a team that has an above average (if not good) offense, in a division that is not terribly strong. All of this gives Haeger the potential for double digit wins. Owned in less then 1% of leagues, he should be available.

Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds: Leake has no minor league experience. None. He went straight from college to spring training and won a spot (over Chapman no less). Not many have done this, but Leake has been given a shot. In his first start he only gave up 1 run and struck out 5 in 6.2 innings. Sounds good. However, he also walked 7 batters. Yep, 7. Amazing that he only gave up 1 run! Still, you have to imagine the guy was battling some nerves. All in all, we're not sure yet what we will get with Leake, but again, a number five starter available in about 98% of leagues.

BONUS: Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals: I've mentioned him before. He's good. In his first start he went 6 innings, 5 Ks, 1 earned run, 3 BB, and got the win. He's still available in 99% of leagues. If your league has any depth at all, grab him now.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Reminder - Jaime Garcia

Well, it's finally official. Jaime Garcia has been named the 5th starter for the St. Louis Cardinals. The choice for the spot was between Garcia and Kyle McClellan. With this announcement, McClellan is bullpen bound. In my opening article for the season, I advised watching this race. So now I'm reminding you again now that the race is over. Go grab Garcia.

Why the attention for a #5 starter? A young pitcher for a good team with good defense. Nice combo. Consider, Garcia was the last person the Cardinals wanted to win the job, not because he's not good, but because of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Being that they chose him anyway, means he really impressed them. Also, he is adaptable. Huh? Garcia can strike people out (almost a batter per inning), but when conditions/situations call for it, he can get the ground ball outs. Yes, his 'A Game' is good, but so is his 'B Game'. Lastly, the proof is there in his spring numbers: 18.2 innings, 4 Earned Runs, 5 Walks, and 16 Ks.

Being that Garcia is still recovering, you must consider that he will probably have an innings limit. This could hurt at the end of the year, but it should be a nice ride until then. I like his upside and believes he should have a spot in leagues that are at least of average depth. Should be a nice late pick with big upside potential. Keeper leagues should value him a little more.

-Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)

Welcome 2010!

Hello all and welcome to spring! Baseball is around the corner and it's now time to start thinking about your draft and/or the up and comers who you should know about in your keeper league. I'm here to help you along. I'm the Scout Monkey.

Question: Why listen to your advice?

Answer: I do lots of research.

Question: Is that the only reason to listen to your advice?

Answer: No, but that is the best. I do the research so you do not have to. Read enough articles about a guy and you start to get a nice impression of what to expect. Couple that with being a baseball fan for 30+ years, and I usually come up with some solid stuff.

Question: How was your advice last year?

Answer: Much more good then bad (Nobody's perfect).

Good Advice: J.A. Happ, Jordan Zimmerman (prior to injury), Joba expectations (and Sell High advice), Kendry Morales, Cliff Lee (pleaded with people to not trade him after his bad start to the season), Shin-Soo Choo. - To name a few.

Bad Advice: Daniel Murphy (way off), Kris Medlen (AAAA pitcher I guess), Derek Holland (wasn't a bust, but I had higher expectations), Mets (pretty much anything with them).

Clearly I'm not perfect, I'm certainly not psychic, but I can throw down some decent knowledge to keep you informed.

Question: How about some advice now?

Answer: Keep an eye on the Cardinals 5th rotation spot. The two prime candidates are Kyle McClellan and Jaime Garcia. McClellan has more experience and has pitched very well in relief. His four pitches can keep hitters guessing even after the first time through the lineup. Garcia is younger and has the higher ceiling, but has had only limited time to show his stuff since his return from Tommy John surgery. What Garcia has shown, though, has been very good. Usually you don't focus too much attention on a number 5 starter, but both of these guys can pitch better then the spot they are vying for (not to mention a good offense and a good defense to back them up).

Question: Is this the end of the article?

Answer: Yes.

- Scout Monkey

( scout_monkey@gmx.com)