Vin Mazzaro

When a wave of injuries hit the back-end of the Royals rotation early in the season, Mazzaro was called upon to fill a long relief/spot starting role throughout the year. Though he had some occasional positive moments, he struggled and posted just a 5.73 ERA with an extremely unimpressive 1.4 K/BB. While he was able to keep the ball in the yard for the most part, Mazzaro was extremely hittable, posting a 1.68 WHIP with a career-worst 27.3 percent line drive rate. He was kept around due to a lack of better alternatives last season, but traded to the Pirates in November. Perhaps he will find a little more success in the National League, but with a career 5.22 ERA and just a 5.5 K/9, he does not project to be much of a commodity.

Mazzaro had a 2011 to forget as he spent his time at Triple-A Omaha searching for his control and his time in the big leagues searching for the showers. His low point was giving up 14 runs in just 2.1 innings in a May start against the Indians. He has trouble missing bats and is prone to giving up the long ball. Unless he can find a pitch to start getting lefties out, it's unlikely that Mazzaro holds much fantasy value in 2012.

Mazzaro projects as a rotation filler after another decent-but-nothing-special season with the A's. Of particular concern is the 31 homers he's allowed in 213.2 major-league innings, not to mention the poor 138:89 K:BB rate as well. Shipped to Kansas City as part of the David DeJesus trade, Mazzaro's numbers don't figure to improve now that he's out of Oakland full time, but his hold on a rotation spot has become more firm.

Mazzaro nearly won a rotation spot last spring, but was sent to Triple-A Sacramento to start the season where he made 10 appearances before being called up in early June to join the A's rotation. He was solid thru his first six starts, posting a 1.173 WHIP and 2.95 ERA, but faltered thereafter by allowing 89 hits in 54.2 innings, walking 27 and fanning just 31. He was shut down in September with shoulder tendinitis, though he's expected to be ready for spring training. It's unlikely that the A's will send him back to the minors unless he really struggles on the mound or with lingering shoulder issues this spring. We'll need to see better results before we can recommend him, however.