Sleeper of the Week

Holds have become a popular roto stat recently, and fantasy owners have plenty of options when it comes to that particular category. Since holds tend to be difficult to predict, strikeouts per inning pitched are often a good way of evaluating middle relievers, particularly in leagues with a low IP cap. Players such as Francisco Rodriguez, Chad Fox, or Luis Vizcaino will all compile a high K/IP ratio, making them valuable fantasy assets.

Chris Reitsma, on the other hand, won’t post a gaudy K/IP mark, yet he might still be among the most valuable MR options. Reitsma, now with Atlanta after spending his first three years with Cincinnati, has something going for him that Rodriguez, Fox, and Vizcaino can’t match: thanks to three starts made with the Reds last year, he qualifies at both SP and RP in many leagues which make such a distinction.

The advantage of this dual eligibility shouldn’t be underestimated in leagues with daily transactions. On days when less than your full contingent of SPs is on the mound, Reitsma can take the place of a starter, essentially giving you an extra RP slot and an extra chance to pick up a hold.

In all likelihood, Chris Reitsma won’t be among the top middle relievers when final dollar values are calculated at the end of the season. Yet although we’ve become accustomed to measuring a player’s worth by that figure, sometimes dollar values don’t tell the whole story. This is one of those cases. If your league settings are right, a dual-eligibility pitcher can give you a significant edge, and Reitsma is among the best available.