Fantasy Baseball Draft Sleepers 2010 - Pitchers

Everybody is looking for a sleeper in their fantasytakes his job by year end.
baseball draft. Whether you win the fantasyMadison Bumgarner, SP, Giants -- The Giants may
baseball league or not, having bragging rights forsoon have somebody to add to the best 1-2
finding that rookie sensation is a nice consolationpitching punch in the majors in Lincecum and Cain.
prize, even if you don't end up winning theThe 6' 4" lefty has a 27-5 record and 1.65 ERA in
pennant.his two seasons since being the number 10 pick in
While finding that unknown diamond in the rough isthe 2007 draft. Madison Bumgarner has a fastball
great for your ego, you're more likely to find ain the high 90's with a great tail on it. He is
dud than a stud.working to improve his curve and slider and has
4 Seamer: Brian Matusz will earn a rotation spotjust started throwing a change up. His work ethic
for the improved Orioles.Here's a look at some ofis top notch. The Giants gave Bumgarner a call
the top 2010 fantasy baseball pitcher sleepers andlate in the 2009 season, despite being of the
fantasy baseball pitcher prospects for your 2010tender age of 19. For the Giants, they must
fantasy baseball draft.consider him to be untouchable and he won't
Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals -- Its hard tospend the entire season in the minors; expect him
say Stephen Strasburg is a sleeper, but he is ato be a mid-season addition.
newcomer. Probably the most highly-toutedKyle Drabek, SP, Blue Jays -- He was the first
pitcher to ever put on a uniform, Strasburg willround pick of the Phillies in the 2006 draft and has
likely start the season in the minors, although thean impressive bloodline being the son of Doug
hype has never been higher for a first yearDrabek, NL Cy Young winner in 1990. He throws
pitcher. We've been writing about Strasburg forin the mid-90's and possesses a sharp curve. Last
almost two years now and his potential is clearlyyear, mostly with Reading, Drabek was 12-3 with
unprecedented. Strasburg will have some rougha 3.19 ERA. He's never pitched at Triple-A, but
patches along the way, but he's clearly the futurecould fit into the Jays rotation this year as a
of the Nationals along with Ryan Zimmerman.fourth or fifth starter. More likely, however, he'll
With an improved lineup in Washington, he maystart in Triple-A this year and be a late season
actually win some games too once he's called upcall-up as the Jays allow him to spend another
in May or June.season in the minors to develop since Toronto
Aroldis Chapman, SP, Reds -- We have alreadyisn't going to compete this year anyway. The
told you a lot about Aroldis Chapman in previousPhillies hated to give up on Drabek and it took the
articles, as he was negotiating and ultimatelybest pitcher in baseball to get the Phillies to bite
signing with the Cincinnati Reds in what may havewhen Philadelphia tossed him to the Jays in
been the most surprising signing of the Hot Stoveexchange for Roy Halladay. During Spring Training,
season. In Chapman's debut, he hit 102 on theDrabek has a baseball card of Halladay hanging
radar gun in front of less than 2000 Springabove his locker to remind him of the enormous
Training fans. Chapman is the Cuban pitcher whoexpectations being placed on him in Ontario.
defected in the off-season and signed a lucrativeDrabek may not start the year with the Jays, but
5-year deal with Cincinnati. It's a signing that ishe'll be active at some point in 2010.
making Reds fans feel like they have a legitimateWade Davis, SP, Rays -- Wade Davis came up
shot of winning a mediocre NL Central title thislast year for one spot start and had the Tampa
year. Expect Chapman to start 2010 in thefans talking thanks to an electric curve ball. He's a
minors, but only be there for a month beforeworkhorse and is the possible # 5 starter for the
getting the call to Cincy.Rays this season if he can beat out Andy
Brian Matusz, SP, Orioles -- Brian Matusz is 23,Sonnenstine. Davis doesn't rank with the elite
left-handed, and went 5-2 with a 4.63 ERA inprospects, but could end up as a consistent
2009. He has a mid-90's fastball to go with aperformer. He'll get his chance to earn a rotation
nasty slider and a solid curve. He just needs tospot for the Rays this season and one fantasy
work on improving his change up. Matusz is thebaseball site actually thinks he could become the
fifth ranked prospect, according to the MLB webROY.
site, was the top pitching prospect out of UC-SanIan Kennedy, SP, Diamondbacks -- Ian Kennedy,
Diego in 2008, and is part of an improving Orioles25, was a first round pick in the 2006 draft. With
pitching staff. Look for Matusz to open as thethe #4 and # 5 spots in the D-Backs rotation up
Orioles # 4 starter and to compile some solidfor grabs, Kennedy has a chance to win one of
numbers in 2010.those. Kennedy is more famous than most
Neftali Feliz, RP, Rangers -- Feliz held opposingpitchers with 12 lifetime MLB starts, but that's
minor league and major league batters to abecause he's spent parts of the last three
microscopic.140 batting average in 2009. Heseasons as a Yankees emergency call up pitcher.
fanned over 11 per 9 IP. Feliz came to Texas inThis should be Kennedy's first legitimate shot at
the Mark Texeira deal and he did not disappoint inbeing a permanent major leaguer.
his major league debut in August when he struckCarlos Carrasco, SP, Indians -- Carlos Carrasco
out the first four hitters he faced; that's the firstcame to the Indians from the Phillies in the Cliff
time that has happened since 1962. Feliz was 1-0Lee deal. He was the Phillies #1 pitching prospect,
with a 1.74 ERA in 31 IP while fanning 38. He gavejust ahead of Kyle Drabek. Carrasco is said to
up just 14 hits in those 31 innings and earned twoalready be major league ready, but his 2009 stats
saves. Frank Francisco is pegged as the Rangers'did nothing to impress. In 22 IP, he was 0-4 with
closer for 2010, but don't be surprised if Feliza 8.87 ERA and a 2.28 WHIP. Yuck!