After going 11-4 as a rookie, there were high hopes for Tommy Hanson going into last season. Despite 75 more innings pitched, he finished with one fewer win en route to a 10-11 season.
It would be easy to be disappointed by the sub-.500 record, but there was more to the story. Despite a difference of 0.257 in winning percentage, his ERA went up just 0.44 to a rock solid 3.33. His WHIP actually dipped a bit from 1.18 to 1.17.
While he struck out fewer per nine innings, he made great strides in his control, picking up just 10 additional walks in those extra 75 innings.
A look at his splits are proof at how wins can be overrated. Take a look:
Before the All-Star Game: 4.13 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, .271 BAA
After the All-Star Game: 2.51 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, .205 BAA
Clearly he was 2-6 in the first half and 8-5 in the second half. Wrong. Despite pitching remarkably better in the second half, he won just two out of eight decisions.
What impresses me is the fact that he got better as the season went on. He did not wear down like some young pitchers tend to. His best month came in September when he went 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP and a .159 BAA.
So will his win total bounce back in 2011? It’s hard to say. Just ask Matt Cain or Felix Hernandez about how tough wins can be to come by sometimes. The addition of Dan Uggla and the continued development of Jason Heyward should help.
I would not recommend him as your No. 1 fantasy SP, but he makes for a solid No. 2. He’s currently ranked 24th in my starting pitcher rankings, with the potential to jump into the top 15 or better.
What do you expect from Tommy Hanson in 2011?
Also check out:
- 2011 Fantasy Baseball Profiles
- 2011 Fantasy First Basemen Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Second Basemen Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Third Basemen Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Shortstop Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Catcher Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Outfielder Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Starting Pitcher Rankings
- 2011 Fantasy Closer Rankings
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments