Little known facts about Sky. Not only does he do some Deep League thinking, he plays in a keeper league. A deep keeper league, if you will. And for those new to the Razzball world, he also writes on the Fantasy Football side. But if you’re new to the site, everything is news to you. In fact, I think I could lie my arse off. Maybe we should play one lie, two truths as a way to get to know each other? But then again, why would we want to do that? Let’s just stay friends…well maybe distant friends…better yet, let’s not be friends. I’ll go with casual internet acquaintances. I have problems with commitment…but of course when it comes to keepers, my Sterling Archer-like mommy issues go out the window and I fall head over heels for guys that I want to hold and snuggle tight to my bosom. Wanna know another truth? I drafted Matt Harvey in my keeper league last year in the 8th round and was downright ecstatic. Then he pitched like he did and I was straight up twitterpated over the man. But then September hit, his arm basically fell off, and my heart felt like it had been ripped through my backside via roto-rooter. All this to say, I’m not keeping him and chances are many players in keeper leagues will do the same as me and throw him back into the draft day pool. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be mine again. Oh yes, he will be mine again. So here’s why I’m targeting Harvey the wonder pitcher in keeper leagues for 2014 Fantasy Baseball…
I’m gonna throw some names out at you and you try and recognize the pattern, m’kay? First, Adam Wainwright. Next, Stephen Strasburg. And for a wrap-up, let’s just go with Francisco Liriano, shall we? Alright, still not sure? I’ll give you the option of multiple choice then. Is it A) Pitchers Grey has ranked in his Top 20 Starters for 2014 Fantasy Baseball, B) Pitcher’s who’ve had Tommy John Surgery, C) All of the above, D) Do you really need to think that hard about this? Of course the answer is C. Needless to say, TJ surgery used to be a scary thing to consider for pitchers but due to advancement in technology and learning from the past, coming back has become a cleaner path than it had been. Of course, no one can promise you success upon return – Liriano took a bit to get things together and leaving a ‘pitch to contact’ mess in Minnesota – but a return to dominance is possible and promising for Harvey. The thing is, it’s not gonna be in 2014 as these surgeries typically take a year to recover from. But that doesn’t mean you don’t wanna get in via your draft or at least as a pick up in season in your keeper leagues. Harvey made huge strides in his 2013 campaign, reducing his walk rate from high 3’s down to a miniscule 1.51 BB per 9 last year while maintaining a 9+ K/9 rate along the way. To put these things in perspective, there were 16 pitchers with a BB/9 ratio of under two. And of those 16, only two – Harvey and Chris Sale – had K/9 rates of 9+. That’s rarefied air, peeps, and it doesn’t come along all that often.
Now a bit of the negative and I’m not referring to Type O. You’re gonna need to keep him on the DL all year AND you’re gonna have to put up with probably a lumpy few months to start 2015 with so league size matters (that’s what she said!). In some with only one DL spot and a standard size of league in the 10 to 12 range, you’re probably drafting him and dropping him. In those leagues, just keep him in the back of your mind all year and pick him up when the time is right or you’re out of the running for the year early on. For me, my keeper has 12 teams but 30 per roster and 3 DL spots so I don’t mind spending a late pick on his 2015 potential this year, especially since I can keep him in whatever round I draft him in. Whatever your league setup is, Harvey should still be circled in your keeper draft portfolio as a player to target in 2014, even if its for 2015 and beyond.
