|
Other than fantasy football kickers, middle relievers are
one of the most derided fantasy positions to ever exist. Most of the criticism is founded in logic –
other than an occasional win or save, many middle relievers simply hold very
little value.
Owners will often acquire a middle reliever as a flier to
take over 9th inning duties if the incumbent closer is removed, so
that’s a worthy strategy for save-hungry leagues. And, if you are in a league that counts “holds,” that’s an
entirely different story altogether.
But most leagues don’t count the statistic so many owners are left
wondering if a middle reliever can fit the bill.
Does anyone remember Scott Bankhead’s 1992 season for the
Cincinnati Reds? Of course you do.
Bankhead produced starter-like statistics in a middle relief role going
10-2 over 54 games with a 2.93 ERA & 1.22 WHIP. That production is valuable whether it comes from a reliever or
starter – you just care about the bottom line.
This year’s middle relief standout has been Tyler Clippard
who has an 8-3 record with a 1.61 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP. However, 4 of Clippard’s 8 wins came as the
result of a blown save – a “vulcher” win for those in the know. In Bankhead’s 10-win 1992 campaign, not a
single victory came from a blown save.
As you can see, win totals are deceptive no matter if it’s a
starter or reliever – you simply have to dig a little deeper. I figure if you are going to use a middle
reliever, you should be targeting WHIP and K/9 marks. Clippard shouldn’t be on your team because of the 8 wins, he
should be rostered for the healthy K/9 ratios of 9.99 and 10.58 over the past
two years. Throw in a 1.13 and 1.01
WHIP over the same time span, and you have a player who not only doesn’t hurt
your staff, but actually helps the squad.
Here are a few other middle relievers that should be
considered if you have some roster holes.
Luke Gregerson (SD) – 39.1 IP/51 K, 0.51 WHIP
Daniel Bard (BOS) – 39.2 IP/ 42 K, 0.86 WHIP
Sean Marshall (CHC) – 37.1 IP/43 K, 1.04 WHIP
Matt Thornton (CHW) – 32.2 IP/45 K, 1.04 WHIP
 |
|
