Randy Wolf

Wolf finished 2011 with a 3.69 ERA in 212.1 innings, but saw his strikeout rate drop for a third consecutive season. He kept his walks and home-run rate under control, which allowed him to have a better ERA than the secondary stats indicated. Wolf will fill the fourth starter spot in Milwaukee's rotation in 2012, but there's a good chance he won't duplicate his 2011 numbers.

Wolf did not pitch well during his first season in Milwaukee, but finished strong and could be a sleeper candidate for 2011. Wolf had a 3.71 ERA with just eight home runs allowed after the All-Star break. He'll head into the 2011 season as Milwaukee's fourth starter, but we think his 2010 numbers more accurately provide a baseline for what you can expect than his 2009 ones do.

Signed to a one-year deal late in the process last offseason, Wolf rewarded the Dodgers with a 3.23 ERA and 160:59 K:BB in a career-high 214.1 innings. Wolf sputtered a bit in the playoffs, but overall, he was very consistent and he has struck out at least 160 batters in every season (five) in which he's been healthy enough to toss 190-plus innings. After signing a three-year deal with Milwaukee, he'll help a Brewers rotation that didn't go too deep last year, perhaps a great deal, but be careful with the park effect change he'll go through. He's leaving one of the league's best pitching parks.

Wolf defied conventional wisdom by enjoying plenty of success with the Astros, going 6-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 70.2 innings after being acquired from the Padres, where he went 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA, despite pitching in Petco Park. He was a free agent at press time, and depending on where he lands, he�ll be rosterable in AL- or NL-only leagues given that he's still got strikeout stuff (7.66 K/9IP in 2008), but his upside in mixed leagues is limited by his vulnerability to injury and inconsistent command (3.36 BB/9IP).

Things didn't go quite as planned for the hometown boy in Los Angeles, as Wolf went 9-6 with a 4.73 ERA before being shut down on July 3 with a sore shoulder. Wolf eventually underwent surgery in early September and is expected to be ready for spring training. The Dodgers bought out his 2008 option, and Wolf was quickly signed to a one-year deal by the rival Padres.

Wolf worked his way back from Tommy John surgery and pitched acceptably in 12 starts. He did allow 13 dingers, although that ratio will decline in 2007 when he throws in Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles signed him to a one-year deal, and as a fly ball pitcher in baseball's best pitcher's park he merits consideration as a late-round draft flier.

Wolf's elbow soreness from 2004 didn't go away, and after toughing it out through two months he required Tommy John surgery in July. He'll miss the customary year from the date of the surgery, which makes him all but a non-factor for 2006. Wolf is a fine pitcher when he's healthy, but he won't be 100 percent healthy until April 2007, at the earliest.

Wolf started 2004 well but had his season sabotaged by a sore elbow. The injury didn't require surgery, but he did require minor surgery on a nerve in his right foot after the season. Wolf is a flyball pitcher with a nice motion that spins out a good curve, changeup and 90 MPH fastball. He could be a bargain if he his healthy. Check on him in spring training.

After an All-Star performance in the first half of the season, Wolf cooled off in the second half. He rang up a 3.30 ERA before the All-Star break, but hit the skids with a 5.60 ERA in the second half. Ten of his 16 victories came in the first half while two-thirds of his 177 strikeouts came before the All-Star break.

Wolf became the Phillies most consistent starter last season and that earned him a nice, fat four-year contract in the off-season. He started slowly with tendinitis, but eventually posted 11 wins and had 14-of-15 quality starts after the All-Star break. Opponents only hit .223 (righties, .216) and he struck out 172 batters (17th in majors) with a 1.12 WHIP in 2002. He's not the first name that comes up when we think of starting pitchers, so he might sneak by in your draft/auction. We expect Wolf to start Opening Day, but we're concerned if he has to face the other teams' dominant starters series after series.