There is a good chance that Juan Nicasio is not owned in your fantasy league, or if you have not drafted yet, that he will still be available at the end of your draft. That won't last long. You might want to run, not walk, to your leagues FA list and pick him up immediately. If your draft is coming up soon, he will be well worth a higher grab than your last pick or more than $1 in an auction.
You may remember Juan Nicasio as a pitcher that Coors Field broke. Well, he is out of Coors Field Hell and he may have landed in the perfect spot to not just resurrect his career, but become the star he looked like he might become years ago with the Rockies. Last year, he pitched for the Dodgers, mostly in relief. He put up a line of 1-3, 3.86, 58.1 IP, 10.03 IP, 4.94 BB/9. Yes, the walk rate is worrisome, but this year he's in Pittsburgh where pitching coach Ray Searage has become the guru of reduced walk rates. Imagine that same K/9 with a BB/9 of say, 3.00. Now we are talking. Of course he will almost certainly not sustain his 2% HR/FB, but hear me out.
Nicasio started the spring penciled in as long man for the Pirates bullpen, but then he put up a 0.00 ERA with 24 K's in 15 IP. Today, manager Clint Hurdle named him to the starting rotation with Ryan Vogelsong, a guy who knows something about resurrecting a career being sent to the bullpen. Juan Nicasio, major sleeper!
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Big news out of New York where the Yankees plan for world domination via their bullpen was already reeling from Aroldis Chapman's suspension. Now comes word that interim closer Andrew Miller has suffered a chip fracture of his right(non-pitching) wrist and will likely miss some time at the beginning of the season. The obvious choice to close games until Miller or Chapman get back is Dellin Betances who was already a nice fantasy RP option despite is non-closer status due to his ability to go multiple innings, rack up K's and keep his WHIP and ERA at minuscule levels. I drafted Betances for $1 in my league. Go get him!
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The Rockies announced that Jason Motte will start the season on the DL with a right shoulder strain. They had been planning on a true closer-by-committee with Motte and LHP Jake McGee being the main components, but now it appears the closer job is McGee's alone. He may not be the most exciting option out there, but he'll still be dirt cheap and the worst fantasy closer is almost as valuable as the best. McGee is still on my league FA list.
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