Scott Elarton

Elarton had a terrible season come to an end in mid-July with a partially torn rotator cuff. He's fought back from rotator cuff surgery before and he's only 31, so a return is certainly possible. Whether there will be room in the rotation for a pitcher working to regain form is the question.

Elarton eats innings, gives up home runs and was a an adequate pitcher in a pitcher's park. A stellar September during a late playoff run somewhat erased a horrible August that saw him allow eight home runs and post a 7.31 ERA in six starts. Think Jeff Suppan with less upside, but a move to Kansas City may not help his stats.

After being bombed out of Colorado, which is an accomplishment, Elarton stabilized his career in Cleveland. They signed him for 2005 to soak up some innings at the back end of their rotation and buy some time for their younger pitching prospects. Elarton's "short-arm" delivery makes him a perennial health risk, but he is also big and strong and ended 2004 healthy. He could pitch 200 innings and win 15 games in 2005, but his ratio and ERA won't be pretty.

After winning 17 games in 2000, Elarton was traded to the Rockies, blew out his shoulder, missed the 2002 campaign and eventually fought his way back to make 11 starts in '03. Three years removed from his brief brilliance, most forget that he was a first-rounder, albeit ten years ago (1994). There no reason to believe that Elarton isn't back to 100%, but he struggled with his mechanics for the bulk of the 2003 season and needs to show once and for all that the injury didn't cost him any of his velocity, command or mechanics. If he can do that, with a good spring, he could become a big factor in the Rockies rotation this season.

Trying to return from rotator cuff surgery in March 2002, competing for the fifth starter's job. It generally takes two full years to fully recover from such a surgery - wait until 2004 before trying to recapture his past potential.