Fix My Team...Ubaldo or Weaver?

        

Kenny wrote to Fix My Team that he is in a 12 team Keeper league that is allowed to keep 2 IF, 2 OF, 2 RP, and 2 SP. His dilemma is deciding who to keep at his last SP position. He already has Lincecum locked up and has narrowed his choice for his 2^nd SP between Ubaldo Jimenez and Jared Weaver. Let’s take a look and see who emerges as the better Keeper.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	BAA
JIMENEZ	728	604	307	285	320	655	3.52	1.27	0.227
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	BAA
WEAVER	896	828	375	353	252	779	3.55	1.21	0.243

Jimenez      8.1 K/9       BB/9  4.0   HITTERS BALL PARK 1st

Weaver      7.9 K/9       BB/9  2.5   HITTERS BALL PARK 27^th

Here are the facts: Era is virtually even over their careers. Ubaldo has a higher WHIP but lower BAA which tells you he gives up many many more walks. With that in mind and the fact that he pitches in Coors Field (the worst park statistically to pitch for a SP) expect his peripheral numbers to rise. He cannot keep walking that many players in that field to not have it come back to haunt him. Weaver pitches in the 27^th worst park (4^th best for a SP) to pitch in, advantage Weaver. Here is the BB/9 for each Ubaldo 4.0 Weaver 2.5 for their career. Big edge to Weaver. K/9 are once again virtually even with Ubaldo at 8.1 and Weaver at 7.9 that basically gives Ubaldo 4 more Ks a year if they both pitch 200 innings. I personally discount Wins for a pitcher due to the fact that there are too many variables involved to get one. But we can look at team Defense and both teams are above average in that stat so advantage no one. So we are left with ERA, K, and WHIP being our only criteria. When all weighed, slight edge to Weaver due to WHIP and the fact that Ubaldo will not continue his current ERA giving up so many BB combined with pitching in that park. My Keeper pick…Weaver.