Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Henry Rodriguez

September 28, 2011 @ 11:20:48

By Nicholas Minnix
Edited by Tim Heaney

Your fantasy baseball cheat sheets are no longer of use. KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market series gives you tips on fantasy baseball players available as free agents, on waivers or for your FAAB dollars in your rotisserie or head-to-head baseball league. It's time to replace your fantasy baseball busts.

Key

Acquire	Add player (in most circumstances)
Consider	Add for speculation or because of need
Watch	Track player, consider if trend continues
Pass	Do not add player (in most circumstances)

 

Pitchers

Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals

Store Storen's fill-in

Davey Johnson is having his staff groom Rodriguez, 24, to be Drew Storen's setup man and fill-in closer for 2012. According to the Nats' official site, the long-time skipper praised his young right-hander's durability and dependability. Combine that with Rodriguez's heater that touches 100 mph and his pretty nasty slider, and you have yourself a backup punctuator.

The former Oakland Athletics prospect has posted a 3.56 ERA and a 9.59 K/9, along with two saves, in his 65 2/3 frames this season. Rodriguez seems to have refined his game in conjunction with his move to the District. It's worth noting, however, that despite his encouraging numbers, his 6.17 BB/9 remains a glaring piece of kryptonite hanging from the amulet around his neck. The fireballer's lack of control has long been a problem for him, but this season, he's used his other-worldly arsenal to eliminate mistakes efficiently.

Is Rodriguez's 0.14 HR/9 this year a big reason for his success? He's limited the long ball (0.28 HR/9 in 97 1/3 stanzas) in his limited MLB career and generates the kind of batted balls that suggest more success in that area. Washington, with Tyler Clippard and Sean Burnett in tow, still values the supreme talent that Rodriguez brings to the table and will place the man who owns it in a promising fantasy role in the short term. Storen has already been trade bait in his limited professional experience, so who knows?

Rodriguez comes with a ton of intrigue but also some real pitfalls. If his club is going to give him a role that would potentially increase his fantasy baseball usefulness, roto owners have to side with the upside and tuck it away if possible.

Shallow mixed: Pass

Deep mixed: Consider

NL-only: Acquire

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

 

---

What do you think? We want to hear from you!

Name: E-mail: Please, enter the number that you see

Comment Guidelines

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.

Talk Sports 24/7!
KFFL Sports Forums: Over 24,000 strong and growing!

One Day FREE Fantasy Contest - $350 in cash prizes (05/25)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Orioles locking up Adam Jones (05/25)
Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: Joel Hanrahan, Addison Reed, Aroldis Chapman (05/25)