Fantasy Baseball 2012: Maximizing your RP spots

What’s a roster without some flexibility. While we all like to plug and play pitchers on certain days and take advantage of a favorable 2 start match-up, what’s nicer than having a SP fit nicely in to the RP spot. Now I am a realist and you can say all you want, innings limits and maximum starts, hurt my cause. Well here is a list of guys that will start off the season having RP eligibility only but gain SP eligibility soon there after. Also included are the pitchers that have both already(SP/RP), now not all the names are as sexy as they should be for a 12 team league, but these are names to remember for you deep leaguers to maybe cast an eye towards late in the draft.

RP- (Guys who are presumed to be starting that have only RP eligibility)

Chris Sale White Sox- Is all legs and elbows to the plate. K/9 rate should continue to hover above 10. Era in the low to mid 3’s, and you get that for 150 plus innings to boot. Raise your hand who wouldn’t want that?

Aaron Crow KC- Decent K rate, Pitched slightly over his head last year. Innings is the key here. Figure an easy 10 wins with 140 K’s and decent ratios. All that wrapped nicely in a RP spot, better than speculating saves I say.

Aroldis Chapman CIN- Who really wants to sit through 30 starts of Homer Bailey. I know I don’t. Noticing a pattern yet? Yea all these guys are high K guys who throw hard. Potential potential potential. Low innings cap here, figure 130 tops which is still 20-22 starts.

Daniel Bard BOS- Hated when school started so he decided to have a melt down in Sept. Career minor league numbers as a starter aren’t good, but that’s was so 2007. It’s 2012, Da Sawx still have a great line-up but you will hear that again in a second.

Alfredo Aceves BOS- Getting some good pub lately as a sleeper candidate. Buyer beware, huge innings jump last year and his success as a SP is how you say, shaky. The good is the line-up behind him should score some runs, yea there is an echo.

Andrew Cashner CUBS- Missed most of the year with shoulder problems. Returned to pitch effective in Sept. K per inning isn’t out of the question, with mid to high 3’s ERA.

RP/SP- (Guys with dual eligibility)

Kyle McClellan STL- A go-between for the Cards. Gives you the good with some bad mixed in.

Felipe Paulino KC- High K sleeper for a team that over-achieved last year. 12 wins is a cross your fingers wish. The 160 K’s to go with it are awesome.

Cory Luebke SD- Has been given the keys in all leagues. Petco is a beautiful thing.

Kyle Kendrick PHI- Needs an injury to really be relevant, but still value there for deeper leagues of 14 plus.

Carlos Villanueva TOR- Much like McClellan as a swing guy fill in starter. Can prolly be ignored except for spot duty.

Anthony Swarzak MIN- Swing guy with not much to offer outside of maybe AL only leagues.

So my take on all of this is pretty simple. When you have a guy eligible for RP spot but gives you decent ratios as a SP don’t turn a blind eye because running stats are running stats. While this isn’t a universally believed practice by all its always helpful to have multiple strategies for the your upcoming drafts.