2008 Best Fantasy Rookie Pitchers
Joba Chamberlain, Clay Buccholz and Ian Kennedy Are Still Rookies
Here are six pitchers who are still rookies for the 2008 season. Each of them can help your fantasy team in 2008.
The Top Three Rookie Pitchers
Clay Buccholz, Boston Red Sox
Because of Curt Schilling's shoulder injury, Clay Buccholz will likely enter the season in the starting rotation, which should be good news for fantasy baseball owners. Buchholz compiled a 7-2 record with a 1.77 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 116 K's in 86 innings at AA Portland before going 1-3 with a 4.01 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 55 K's in 38 innings at AAA Pawtucket. That's a combined total of 8-5, 2.44 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 171 K's in 125 innings pitched.
In his major league debut, Buchholz beat the Angels, and then he was sent back down to the minors for two weeks. When he came back, the kid no-hit the Baltimore Orioles in just his second major league start. The Red Sox only allowed him pitch in two more games before shutting him down to avoid arm fatigue. As you know all too well, nothing is guaranteed for guys in their first full season, but it’s a good bet that Buccholz will battle top A.L. rookie honors in 2008. And his biggest competition will be this guy .
Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees
Last year, the 21-year old Chamberlain began the season in A ball and finished the year in the MLB playoffs. That’s a meteoric rise, and it surely looked as if the big guy got better with every rung he climbed.
Overall, Joba posted a combined record of 11-2, an ERA of just over 2.00, a WHIP under 1.00 and 169 Ks in 112.1 IP at the four professional levels. In his 19 big league games, Chamberlain pitched 24 innings and put up these truly remarkable statistics: 2-0 record, 1 save, 24 innings, 34 Ks, 0.38 ERA, 0.750 WHIP.
The Yankees are going to be careful with Chamberlain this year, and will limit his overall innings to avoid overuse and injuries. Team general manager Brian Cashman told reporters on the first day of spring training that, “there will be a strict plan in place for Joba this year." The plan, at least as of late February, is that he will begin the year in a set-up role and then transition into the rotation sometime in May or June.
If you hear through spring training that Joba is going to be moved into the rotation right away, he moves ahead of Buccholz and may be the best rookie pitcher in years.
Ian Kennedy, New York Yankees
Kennedy is the least advertised of the trio of young Yankee starters, but he shouldn’t be ignored by fantasy owners. The Yankees plan to insert Kennedy into the starting rotation from day one, which could make him more valuable from a fantasy perspective than Chamberlain. Like Chamberlain, Kennedy pitched his way from A ball to the major leagues in 2007, posting a combined record of 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA and a WHIP of 0.97. Kennedy also struck out 165 batters in 149 minor league innings.
Then, in his three starts with the Yankees, Kennedy was 1-0 with an earned run average under 2.00 and a WHIP of 1.158. He also proved that he could deliver the Ks by striking out 15 hitters in 19 innings. Kennedy could be the rookie hurler who flies under the radar. Don’t let him.
Three Minor League Pitchers to Keep an Eye On
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers System
Kershaw dominated at the single-A level in 2007 (9-5, ERA just over 2.00) and also pitched very well in AA ball, posting a 3.65 ERA in five starts. He's got a live fastball that tops out about 95-96 MPH, and he's currently listed as the Number Two Prospect in the Dodgers Organization. He'll get a big league call up when one of the Dodgers injury-prone starters blows out an elbow, shoulder or hamstring. He's a sleeper that you want to keep your eye on all year.
Gio Gonzalez, Oakland A's System
The A's traded Nick Swisher to the White Sox for three prospects, the best of whom is Gonzalez. In 2007 AA ball, Gonzalez was 9-7 with an ERA of 3.18, and he struck out 185 batters in just 150 innings. Gonzalez relies on a healthy fastball that tops out at 94 MPH, and a devatstaing 12 to 6 curve that resembles the one Mike Mussina had in his youth. The A's are thin on starters, and Billy Beane knows young talent. Look for him to make a splash by May or June.
Adam Miller, Cleveland Indians System
Miller pitched well in AAA last year, going 5-4 with 68 strikeouts in 65 innings. Miller mixes three above-average pitches: a 94 MPH fastball, an 88 MPH slider and a heavy sinker. Watch for him to come up mid-season with the Tribe.
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2008 MLB Fantasy First Basemen
2008 MLB Fantasy Second Basemen
2008 MLB Fantasy Third Basemen
