Sleeper Watch

A pitcher who served as a team’s primary closer for the past year and a half and posted respectable numbers on the way normally wouldn’t be considered a sleeper, but Curtis Leskanic (RP, Milwaukee Brewers) may be the exception. The news for Leskanic hasn’t been good recently: he’s still recovering from shoulder surgery, and even when he returns, he’ll have to contend with closer-in-waiting Chad Fox (also on the disabled list with elbow trouble) and whoever picks up saves to start the season, most likely a combination of Mike DeJean, Luis Vizcaino and possibly even Jose Cabrera. This may not sound like a good situation to gamble on Leskanic, but he has two things going for him. First, he’s the incumbent, a bonus that would come into play if another candidate shows signs of faltering. And second, he’s likely to return to action earlier than Fox. If he pitches well upon his return, he could wind up receiving the bulk of the Brew Crew’s save opportunities for the rest of the season. Will it happen? It’s far too early to tell, but considering that he went undrafted in a surprisingly high number of leagues this year, he could be worth a pickup, especially if you can stash him on a disabled list until he returns.