Kip Wells

Wells was limited to just nine starts due to a blood clot in his throwing shoulder and then subsequent foot problems with Texas following a trade from Pittsburgh. Control problems continue, walking 21 batters in 44.1 innings, which will limit his success going forward. He signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals in November.

Blessed with a mid-90s fastball and a sharp-breaking slider, Wells has always had the potential to be a No. 1 starter. Unfortunately, he's never garnered command of his considerable talent. In 2005, Wells tossed way too many five-inning games with 120-plus pitch counts. As a result, he finished the season with a major-league high 18 losses. He won just eight games and sported a 1.57 whip in 182 innings. New Pirates manager Jim Tracy has had some success with reclamation projects in Los Angeles, such as Jeff Weaver, but Dodger Stadium may be one of the best pitcher's parks in the NL. While Wells went 10-9 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.25 whip in 197 1/3 innings back in 2003, a change of scenery might be best for both the pitcher and the team. He'll become a free agent after the season, making it all the more likely that Wells will be wearing a new uniform before the end of the 2006 season.

Last season was frustrating for Wells, who went 5-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 24 starts after finishing 11th in the National League with a 3.28 ERA in 2003. The Pirates expect the righty, who was bothered by finger and elbow ailments, to be at full strength when pitchers and catchers report and assuming he is healthy, there is a very good chance that he’ll bounce back as a solid No. 2 starter behind Oliver Perez. Given what figure to be lower expectations, you can probably grab Wells cheap in your NL auction or late in your draft and he should provide solid fantasy value once again.

If the Pirates can organize some offense for him this year, Wells has sleeper potential. Wells quietly finished 11th in the league in ERA last season while going 10-9. Before we label him as just a .500 pitcher, it's worth noting that his record could have easily been better. In his nine losses, the Pirates scored just 14 runs. Wells left seven other games with the lead, only to have them blown by the league's worst bullpen. A true homer, Wells led all National League pitchers with a 2.12 ERA while pitching at home. He also held opponents to a .233 average, which ranked 10th in the league. Expect more of the same, with a few more wins, this season from the Pirates' underrated hurler.

Part of the Todd Ritchie heist, Wells provided the Pirates with the rotation anchor they sorely needed. He threw a lot more groundballs with the Pirates than he had with the White Sox, accounting for a good deal of his improvement over 2001. He should be a reliable mid-rotation guy for years to come.