Guillermo Mota

Mota finished last season with a 3.81 ERA and a 77:30 K:BB ratio over 80.1 innings, although he wasn't used all that much in high leverage situations. He'll turn 39 years old this season but was brought back on a one-year, $1 million deal to provide depth for San Francisco's bullpen in 2012. If his FIP in recent seasons is any indication, Mota should continue to deliver an ERA in the low-4.00 range in a similar role.

Mota finished 2010 with a 4.33 ERA and a 38:22 K:BB ratio over 54.0 innings, as his strikeout rate was way down for the second straight year. He's unlikely to return to the Giants in 2011 and is currently a free agent. Mota will help some team in middle relief, but he's without fantasy value.

Mota finished with a 3.44 ERA and 39:24 K:BB in 65.1 innings for the Dodgers. Mota averaged close to 94 mph with his fastball, so despite the age (36) and his being left off the 2009 playoff roster, Mota may be in line for a major league deal in 2010. He just won't have much in the way of fantasy value.

Mota started hot in 2008, then blew up to the point of almost being released, and then finished the season by allowing three earned runs in his last 18 innings. He struggles to consistently repeat his delivery, which causes him to struggle with his command, walk too many batters and ultimately run into problems when he's not getting close to a strikeout per inning. He's effective enough that he'll find himself in the bullpen of some team in 2009.

Mota opened 2007 serving a 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy and his season didn't get any better from there. While his velocity was fine, Mota struggled with his command, leaving too many pitches up and over the middle of the plate, which led to a 5.76 ERA and eight home runs allowed in just 59.1 innings. Mota pitched with a strained groin for part of the year, but felt that it didn't inhibit him in any way. Whatever the reason was for his poor campaign, the Mets were ecstatic to trade him (along with his $3.2M salary) to Milwaukee for Johnny Estrada, where he may fill a set-up role in front of closer Eric Gagne.

After struggling in Cleveland, Mota resurrected his career with a trade to the Mets and was relied on heavily by manager Willie Randolph down the stretch and in the playoffs. It looked like Mota's rediscovery of his change-up was what made all the difference in his turnaround, but that was prior to Mota being suspended for 50 games due violating baseball's drug policy. New York re-signed Mota to a two-year deal confident that his turnaround was not aided by steroids and impressed with the accountability that he exhibited for his transgression. Your guess is as good as ours as to how Mota will pitch when he comes off his suspension but you might want to let others take that risk.

Mota was handed a chance to close heading into 2005 and promptly spit the bit, losing then-manager Jack McKeon's confidence before eventually winding up on the DL with an elbow injury. On the surface, his numbers aren't too dissimilar to 2004's, with just a handful more hits allowed -- the problem was, just about all those extra hits seemed to be rockets (his ISO allowed rose from .105 to .191). If he's healthy and focused, he'll be a big weapon for Boston in a set-up role; if not, he'll be Heathcliff Slocumb version 2.0.

Mota will get first crack at the Marlins closer job now that Armando Benitez has ridden off into the free agency sunset, but the team does have other options (notably Tim Spooneybarger, if he's fully recovered from Tommy John surgery) so don't assume Mota's a lock to be The Man in the Marlins 'pen.

A truly wonderful season by Mota. He established career-highs in nearly every category and has solidified his spot in the Dodgers bullpen. A great end game pick to fill out your staff.

He did an adequate job filling in for an injured Omar Daal in 2002 but after getting shifted to long relief, was sent back to AAA where he had a great second half. At 29, he's good insurance for the Dodgers.