The outcry has been strong, Razzball nation, and it is finally being heard. Sky, we’re used to your Deep League Thoughts and Under the Greydar posts from long ago about pitchers…and by ‘long ago’ we mean 2012. Where’s this year’s Homer Bailey fantasy? This year’s Chris Capuano fantasy? This year’s Jon Niese fantasy? We’re also used to calling you ONC and looking at a magnificent picture of Buhner? What’s with the grainy pic of a unibrow guy? Bring back Bones! Well, minus that last part, my people, your fantasy baseball prayers have been answered. Today’s discount double check is a review of a guy who could/might/should/maybe/dear Gawd I hope is in the starting rotation for the Milwaukee Brewers this year. So without further self-reference/deprecation, let us all take a look at a man by the name of Wily Peralta and whether or not his current 339 ADP is a bargain or accurate for 2013 fantasy baseball…
Fair warning, this next paragraph is going to contain big jokes. No, not as in ‘OMG, that’s the best joke you’ve I’ve ever read in my life’ jokes; I don’t have many of those. What I mean is Wily is a big guy. If you’re offended, try being the same height as Peralta but about 2/3rds the weight. My nickname amongst my frenemies is Skinny Burrito which, to be fair, is something that wouldn’t hurt Peralta to consume more of (and the big jokes begin!). In all seriousness, when you look to starting pitchers this deep, you’re looking at the K’s and Wily has plenty of those. Since 2006 and across 4 minor league levels and 1 major league stint in 2012, Peralta has managed about an 8.4 K/9 ratio. To put that ratio in perspective, Edinson Volquez has an 8.65 career K/9 ratio at the MLB level. Why talk about Edinson? Well of course you can’t talk about him without talking about walks and we can’t talk about Wily without mentioning he should go for more (big joke #2!). Overall, his BB/9 is close to 4 over that same timespan so control is an obvious issue with Peralta around the plate. Dinner plate or home plate, take your pick (ok, I’ll stop now). Guys like Wily can go one of two ways. They can go the way of Volquez (career 4.93 BB/9 ratio) or they can try for some healthy living and do some YoGa. You see, Yovani Gallardo’s big breakout came back in 2009 when he sported a 9.89 k/9…along with a 4.56 BB/9 ratio. Now I’m not making any comparisons between the two…well, other than they both feel like they’re missing a letter from their first name. Anyone else try and put two ‘n’s in Yovani? Just me? But I digress, I’m not saying Wily is going to be Gallardo this year or even for his career but he could be YoGa-Lite. If you can stomach the WHIP and the BB that comes with it, Wily could be that late round find that gives you a line akin to Bud Norris’ 2011 season with a few less innings. Of course, Norris’ 2010 could be in store for you, as wel (no, it is two L’s there). In my book, for the price paid and the potential involved, Peralta is getting priced too low if Lucas Harrell is getting taken before him and by ADP standards he is. So go out there and draft Willy Peralta as a late round flyer…I mean Wily. Seriously, did he get hungry and eat the second ‘l’? Zing.
