Francisco Liriano: It looks like Liriano, who is on the DL with an elbow injury, is done for the year. Back in 2006, at the young age of 22, Liriano looked like the next great pitcher in baseball, 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA. However, he was derailed by Tommy John surgery and is struggling to regain his skills, 2006/2008/2009 K/9’s 10.7/7.9/8.1, BB/9’s 2.4/3.8/4.1, and GB%’s 55%/42%/40%. With a 64% strand rate and a .316 BHIP%, he was not as bad this season as his 5-12 record with a 5.80 ERA would indicate. He will still only be 26 years of age at the beginning of next year so there is a chance that he can recover his pre-injury skills, but the further he moves away from his elbow surgery, the riskier it becomes that we will ever see those outstanding skills from 2006.
Pedro Strop: Despite allowing 11 ER in 12.2 Triple-A innings, the Rangers have promoted Pedro Strop to the major leagues. While he has shown an ability to strike out batters, Double-A/Triple-A K/9’s 8.4/9.2, it is hard to believe that someone with a 5.1 BB/9 in Double-A and who was hit hard by Triple-A hitters will find success against better hitters in the major leagues. You can safely ignore him in all formats.
Lyle Overbay: After a couple of average power seasons, 2007/2008 AB’s 425/544, Doubles’ 30/32, and HR’s 10/15, Overbay has bounced back with a nice season, 13 home runs and 25 doubles in just 319 AB. When you combine his nice approach at the plate, 17% BB% and a 79% Ct%, with the power, Overbay makes for a nice option at a thin first base position in all formats.
Curtis Granderson: At the age of 28, it looks like Granderson is settling in as a player with above-average, but not dominant, power and speed, 2008/2009 AB’s 553/485, Doubles’ 26/15, home runs’ 22/25, and stolen bases’ 12/20. With similar power and a nearly identical approach at the plate over the last two seasons, 2008/2009 BB%’s 11%/11% and Ct%’s 80%/77%, the lower batting average this year, 2008/2009 #’s .280/.256, can be explained by his BHIP%, 2008/2009 #’s .247/.235.
Edwin Encarnacion: After a strong power output last year, 29 home runs and 26 doubles in 506 AB, Encarnacion has taken a step back this year, 6 home runs and 8 doubles in 198 AB. He has missed time with a wrist injury, which also appears to have affected him when he has played, 2008/2009 FB%’s 50%/45% and HR/FB%’s 13%/9%. If his wrist and hamstring, which has him on the DL now, fully heal in the off-season, Encarnacion, who will be just 27 years of age at the beginning of next year, could bounce back in the power department.
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