Mike Hampton

Hampton underwent successful shoulder surgery in September to repair a full tear of his rotator cuff and damage to his labrum. He'll miss all of the 2010 season and it remains to be seen whether he will attempt another comeback in 2011.

Hampton finally got healthy after missing three years with elbow and other injuries. He had a 32:19 K:BB ratio in 58 innings in his final nine starts, so we wouldn't get too excited even if you forgive his first few ugly starts when he came back in July as shaking off some rust. Despite his return to Houston with the signing of a one-year, incentive-laden deal, he'll turn 37 at the end of the season and has been injury prone the past few years, so keep expectations to a minimum.

Hampton has missed the last two seasons with elbow problems. He had Tommy John surgery in fall 2005 and then had surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his elbow in April. He was throwing last fall but lasted just one inning in the Mexican Winter League before a hamstring injury. He'll battle for a fifth starter role in spring training. However, he's 36 years old and coming off two elbow surgeries, so keep your expectations to a minimum.

Hampton missed all of 2006 while coming back from Tommy John surgery in fall 2005. If healthy, he'll start the year in the Atlanta rotation. But he'll be 34 next season and Leo Mazzone, the pitching coach who revived his career, isn't around, so temper your expectations.

Hampton will likely miss the entire 2006 season after Tommy John surgery.

Hampton got off to a slow start in 2004 with a 5.11 ERA in the first half, but returned to form going 9-1 with a 3.13 ERA after the break. Despite tearing cartilage in his left knee late in September, he was able to pitch well in the playoffs in two starts (2.45 ERA). He had surgery this offseason, but is expected to return to full strength by spring training. His strikeout rate is declining but there's at least another worthy season for him under Leo Mazzone.

Hampton revived his career in Atlanta and should have most fantasy owners thinking his Coors Field numbers were a mirage. After a slow start, Hampton found renewed confidence in his sinker thanks to his work with pitching coach Leo Mazzone. After the All-Star break, Hampton went 9-3 with a 2.91 ERA, improving his command. Many thought Hampton's career was over after two horrible seasons in Colorado, but his 2003 season looks very similar to his years in Houston. His turnaround will be Exhibit A in making the case for Mazzone as the best pitching coach of all time.

Hampton's change of scenery and opportunity to work under Leo Mazzone might make him attractive to fantasy owners, but there are a couple of nagging negatives.
1. Hampton actually pitched better at Coors than on the road last year (Home: 69.2 IP, 1.64 WHIP, 5.68 ERA, 36 K, 35 BB, 7 HR; Away: 109 IP, 1.88 WHIP, 6.44 ERA, 38 K, 56(!) BB, 17 HR).
2. A couple of sources said that Hampton's arm slot was incredibly erratic last year, leading to speculation that he was trying to conceal some sort of arm injury.