Ahead In The Count

Farnsworth Fallout and King Felix

Baseball's most disappointing trade deadline in recent years came to a close this afternoon.  Can anyone remember a year where the trade market was so dry?  Drop me a line if you can think of any year that compares to 2005.  The biggest position player dealt was Matt Lawton, and Kyle Farnsworth topped the pitchers on the move.

It's a far cry from Carlos Beltran and Randy Johnson, but there are some fantasy baseball ramifications nonetheless.  First let's examine the Farnsworth deal. 

Chris Reitsma still has a vote of confidence from Atlanta.  The 27 year old former starter is 14 for 18 in the saves department.  He isn't a big strikeout pitcher, but he is stingy with the walks.  That has resulted in a nice WHIP near 1 and an ERA around 3.  All in all, a decent closer but not someone who was made for the job.

Kyle Farnsworth was brought in in his contract year and has been declared a set-up man.  The 29 year old flamethrower has put up ridiculous strikeout numbers in his career, around 11 Ks per 9 innings recently.  His control has been spotty ever since his starting days.  Farnsworth has been annoyingly inconsistent throughout the years.

Farnsworth should flourish in the pitching-friendly Atlanta environment, and it's likely his and Reitsma's roles will be reversed before season's end.  If you're a Farnsworth owner, don't abandon ship just yet.  However, it's not worth a waiver wire pickup for a potential month of closing.  Farnsworth is not likely to be retained by Atlanta after 2005. 

Meanwhile in Detroit, Fernando Rodney steps into the closer shoes.  This is his first season showing any signs of success, as he's managed to hold his walks down.  He strikes out plenty of hitters, but is a bit of a question mark as a closer.  But remember, it just takes a decent pitcher to rack up some low-pressure saves and earn the nice shiny "closer" label.  Just ask Dan Kolb.

Another exciting fantasy baseball development is the reported call-up of Felix Hernandez.  Scout.com's Seattle correspondent is saying that King Felix will take the place of Aaron Sele this Thursday against the Tigers.  If it's true, Hernandez will try his hand against one of the lesser offenses in the league in a definite pitcher's park. Get ready for a mad scramble to pick up the young phenom - he hasn't even been added in Yahoo leagues at this point.  Whether you're a contender or playing for 2006, squeeze Hernandez onto your pitching staff as his abilities are impressive.

 Tim Dierkes posts daily updates to his fantasy baseball blog as The Roto Authority.  Check out the site at:

http://www.rotoauthority.com

for in-depth player analysis, Major League Baseball trade rumors, and unique fantasy baseball strategy articles.  E-mail him at dierkes@gmail.com with questions, comments, or anything else.