Sleeper of the Week

We really would have liked to wait until, say, Thanksgiving to offer our thoughts on Jimmy Gobble; the only problem is that by then the rest of your league will have heard of him as well…

There are a number of very exciting young pitchers in the minors or just beginning their major league careers at the moment, including such standouts as Rich Harden and Jesse Foppert, yet it’s still surprising just how little attention Gobble is attracting. The twenty-one year-old lefty was already ranked 20th (7th among pitchers) in our 2002 Minor League Rankings, and his performance so far this season has only elevated his stock.

In his first four starts for the AA Wichita Wranglers, Gobble has gone a perfect 4-0 to lead the Texas League in wins, posting a 2.16 era and allowing just 17 hits through 25 innings pitched. He has also notched 21 strikeouts with only 6 walks, solid numbers indeed.

Perhaps even more encouraging is the way Gobble performed in his last outing against Frisco. After falling behind 5-2 after giving up a three-run home run to Paul Ottavinia, Gobble shut down the RoughRiders the rest of the way and earning a 6-5 victory. That kind of poise on the mound is a very good sign, especially coming from such a young pitcher. The Wranglers’ ace has both the skills and the mentality to succeed in the big leagues, and may be called up for his first taste of the big show later this season.

It’s been quite some time since Kansas City has had such an excellent pitching prospect in its minor league system. If Gobble’s development isn’t rushed, he’ll be a key member of the Royals’ pitching staff for years to come. If you’re able to grab him now before the hype sets in, he could become a fixture on your fantasy team as well.