Sleeper of the Week

When casual baseball fans think of Bronson Arroyo, they think first and foremost of the pitcher who had the ball slapped out of his glove by New York’s Alex Rodriguez in Game 6 of last year’s dramatic AL Championship Series. Yet Arroyo is more than just a footnote to playoff history. He ate up valuable innings for the Red Sox rotation last season, and might not be a bad choice to round out a fantasy pitching staff this year, either.

He may have run out of steam in the playoffs (7.82 ERA in 12.2 IP), but Arroyo’s second-half performance in 2004 is worth noting. The right-hander not only lowered his WHIP slightly from 1.27 to 1.17, but more importantly, also raised his K/BB ratio from 2.39 to an extremely impressive 3.95. To put that number in perspective, only eight starters posted a higher mark over the full season: Ben Sheets, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Brad Radke, Jon Lieber, Johan Santana, David Wells and Greg Maddux. That’s not what you’d call bad company.

If Arroyo, who turns 28 on February 24, can continue to hone his arsenal of pitches while maintaining such excellent control, he could provide solid value in the late rounds of this year’s fantasy drafts. Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive player with upside to back up your aces or you’re searching for bargains for a full LIMA plan, Arroyo’s name is worth keeping in mind.