Minnesota Twins

Kevin Kouzmanoff for Kevin Slowey?

FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball Slowey and Steady

Kevin Slowey had a solid year for the Twins, posting a 3.99 ERA in 160 innings. Slowey’s biggest strength is his impeccable control – he issued only 24 walks in 160 innings, the lowest walk rate (1.35 per nine) of any pitcher who pitched at least 100 innings this year.

However, Slowey also struck out his share of hitters, accumulating 123 strikeouts. But what’s more, Slowey appeared to improve his strikeout rate as the season wore on.

I don’t know if there is a pitcher in baseball better suited for PETCO Park than Kevin Slowey – a flyball pitcher who attacks the strike zone. Slowey predictably pitched very well on June 24 in San Diego, allowing no runs or walks in six innings, and striking out seven. And for only the second time all season, Slowey induced ten swinging strikes in his start.

Leading up to the 2007 MLB amateur draft, there were three Puerto Rican players considered to be head-and-shoulders above their fellow country men in terms of potential: Reynaldo Navarro, Neftali Soto, and Angel Morales.

Just a little Chatter today, simply because the last few times out, I sorta went on a bit of a vent, and I don't want this column to be that type of thing. Unless warranted of course. I realize that not a lot of people are actually reading this yet, but one day when I am King of California, my daily Chatter will be forced reading. Much in the way Los Dodger fans must read Bill Plaschke.

Torture?

call it what you will ..

Game of the day

Minnesota Twins, 72-54, 2nd, 1 GB, ½ GB in WC @  Los Angeles Angels, 77-48, 1st, 15½ up

I am still dinking around with the format for these Chatters, I haven't really come up with anything I really like yet, but this is close. One thing about my chatters, is there will be a daily dose of Padres, there is no escaping that, sorry.

Everyone is looking at Francisco Liriano's service time, and most believe the Minnesota Twins are keeping him in AAA due to his potential Super Two status. All of that is in debate of course.

But the issue should be innings pitched. Liriano is approaching 130 innings pitched on the season. Do they really want Liriano to come up and toss another 50 or so innings in a pennant race, in his first season back from TJ surgery?

This is where the discussion should be. Not his "Super Two" status

Here lies the problem with relying on rookies in fantasy baseball. They are always the rage in fantasy circles every season, but yet they rarely live up to the hype. For every Evan Longoria or Ryan Braun, there are numerous failures, Justin Upton, Homer Bailey and Ryan Shealy, just to name a few off the top of my head, that most team owners simply forget about, no matter how much they overpaid for them at draft.

In my money league, I got burned by two of them season. Justin Upton and now Carlos Gomez.

I love this kid.

Did I mention I own him in my dynasty league for $1.00, over the next three seasons.