Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove: Jeremy Hellickson, Craig Kimbrel, Jamey Carroll

November 14, 2011 @ 13:13:29

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Tim Heaney

Your fantasy baseball draft isn't far off. KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove surveys free agency, trades, salary arbitration and injuries that will affect your rotisserie or head-to-head baseball league. You're cleared for your MLB offseason program: The Arizona Fall League, Baseball Winter Meetings, Rule 5 draft and more will shape your fantasy baseball rankings.

Your NL ROY: Atlanta Braves RP Craig Kimbrel

This was just a formality. The right-handed howitzer notched 46 saves in 54 opportunities and fanned 127 in 77 innings. Kimbrel, who turns 24 in late May 2012, recorded a 2.10 ERA, a 14.84 K/9 and a 3.74 BB/9.

RooKie of the Year

The Bravos' closer was expected to share those duties with left-hander Jonny Venters coming out of spring training. It quickly became clear that Fredi Gonzalez had no desire - or need - to follow through with that arrangement, though.

Kimbrel stumbled through September (4.76 ERA, three blown saves). Still, in 2011, he reined in the control rate that had been a thorn in his side for two seasons, between the minors and majors, and posted a .176 average against.

He may very well be the first closer off fantasy baseball draft boards in 2012, as Lord Zola pointed out. There's little to dislike, although roto managers should brace for some possible pullback in the walks area. They'd also be wise not to bank on so many save chances. His club's 77 save opps were easily the greatest total in the NL and about 20 more than the club averaged in the previous two seasons.

Tampa Bay Rays SP Jeremy Hellickson named AL ROY

There was some definite uncertainty about who would earn this honor, with Michael Pineda, Mark Trumbo, Eric Hosmer and Ivan Nova also perhaps worthy of votes. ESPN.com's David Schoenfield gave sound reasoning for why the Rays' right-hander would earn his vote.

The saber darling, thanks to his stellar minor league control rate, wasn't nearly as imposing in his first full big-league season, with a 5.57 K/9 and a 3.43 BB/9. His average on balls in play against (.223) and left-on-base rate (82.0 percent) helped him post that sweet 2.95 ERA but will immediately fuel concerns about his 2012 prospects.

Are those concerns justified? Steve Slowinski, of DRaysBay, examined the reasons for Hellickson's difficulties versus left-handed batters. But, in his age-25 campaign, he stands to improve his rate of strikeouts accrued. A significant gain in K/9 and some improvement against left-handed batters seem to be in the cards.

Plenty of folks will expect more good things in 2012 and be willing to pay for it. It's a good bet, surely. Just remember that a roto manager doesn't need to be tops in that bidding battle to win the waged war.

Minnesota Twins agree to multi-year deal with INF Jamey Carroll

Carroll, who'll be 38 next season, has been a quality fill-in for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the past two seasons and, prior to that, at times for the Cleveland Indians and Colorado Rockies. In 2011, he batted .290 with a .359 OBP, 52 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in 510 plate appearances.

The Twinkies are reportedly ready to move forward with Carroll as their starting shortstop. It's a spot that the club for a couple of years has tried to fill with a reliable glove man and capable bat. The right-handed hitter isn't much more than a stopgap, especially because of his age.

The promise of regular at-bats will probably drive up Carroll's AL price a touch, considering that low-dollar speculation drove his NL tag. That would make him no more than a stable, low-end investment without prospect for profit and a bit of downside. Boring, but in many cases, he'll do the job.

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Nicholas Minnix

KFFL's baseball editor plays in LABR and Tout Wars and won the FSWA Baseball Industry Insiders League in 2010.

The University of Delaware alum is a regular guest on Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio and Baltimore's WNST AM 1570. Follow him on Twitter.

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