Tucked within the small-market confines of Pittsburgh lies one of the most unheralded pitchers in the majors — 24-year-old left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, who has turned plenty of heads this year despite suiting up for the hapless Pirates.
Despite owning just two career wins heading into the season, Gorzelanny showed the potential to be a breakthrough pitcher for the Pirates after posting a stingy 3.80 ERA in 11 starts in 2006. The promising ERA numbers, however, often went for naught pitching for the offensively challenged Pirates, as evidenced by Gorzelanny’s 2-5 record last year.
This season, despite a continued lack of offensive help (the Pirates are scoring just 4.1 runs per game over his 12 starts), Gorzelanny has managed to rack up six of the Pirates’ 25 wins.
His inexperience was a red flag for most fantasy baseball owners heading into the season, butGorzelanny’s sparkling 2.53 ERA (good for fourth in the National League) has helped him make a steady rise in most experts’ rankings.
Gorzelanny’s calling card this season has been his consistency — he has given up more than three earned runs in a game just once this season and he has surrendered two runs or less in nine of his 11 starts.
Also, his recent showdown against Brad Penny of the Los Angeles Dodgers — in which Gorzelanny gave up just three runs in 6²/³ innings (he didn’t factor in the decision of the Pirates’ 5-4 loss) — proves that the young star would not wilt in a high-profile matchup.
Although not an overpowering pitcher, Gorzelanny does possess an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio of
about 2:1, and is a good ground-ball pitcher (45 groundouts versus 33 flyouts).
There are concerns from fantasy owners about picking up Gorzelanny, namely his youth (his 12 starts this season already mark a career high) and his team’s anemic offense (the Pirates rank 14th in the NL in runs scored) — but that hasn’t slowed them from putting this guy on the roster.
Picking up a young, underrated pitcher is always good — especially in keeper leagues.
WHO’S HOT?
» Jonathan Broxton, RP, Dodgers
» Sergio Mitre, SP, Marlins
» Homer Bailey, SP, Reds
» Casey Blake, OF, Indians
» Carlos Pena, 1B, Devil Rays
WHO’S NOT?
» Armando Benitez, RP, Marlins
» Salomon Torres, RP, Pirates
» Gil Meche, SP, Royals
» Sammy Sosa, OF, Rangers
» Boof Bonser, SP, Twins
