After being shipped off to the from the stacked Tampa Bay Rays rotation, upped his game and showed why the Rockies were willing to give up one of their top pitching prospects.
Hammel isn't a big name among the starting pitching ranks, part of that has to do with the loaded Rays pitching staff he was lost in. Another reason is that he now plays for the Rockies and we all know that pitching and Colorado are not a marriage made in heaven.
Fantasy owners need to be aware of what went down in Denver last season. Not only did post one of the top lines of a starting pitcher in the big leagues, but Colorado's other three qualified SP's posted ERA's below 4.40. The tide is turning in the Mile High City and it might have something to do with the .
Where does Hammel fit into all this? His 10 wins, 133 Ks, 4.33 ERA, and 1.39 WHIP doesn't seem all that special up front but let's take a deeper look.
2009 marked the first season where Hammel secured a role as a starter for an entire season. The move to Colorado allowed him to show the fantasy world what he can do as a starter. His first half numbers were obviously kind of shaky. His batting average against of .301 was not pretty for a starting pitcher but he kept his ERA at a manageable 4.43.
The second half was a different story for Hammel, it may not appear that amazing but it warrants attention in fantasy drafts. He dropped the batting average against to .277 while the ERA fell a bit to 4.23. The most impressive stats showed his control. His WHIP lowered from 1.46 to 1.32 and his strikeout rate increased from 6.2 K/9 to 7.4 K/9.
Hammel's groundball rate held steady over the past two season at 47% and 46%, respectively, signifying he's going to stay a groundball pitcher. That's not such a bad thing in Coor's Field.
Don't draft Hammel expecting Ubaldo like numbers in 2010 but expect him to be a solid #4 or #5 pitcher in most leagues. Your other managers won't have Hammel on their radars so use that to your advantage.
I wouldn't be surprised to see 195 innings, 155 Ks, 3.97 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 15 wins next season for Hammel.
Currently at MockDraftCentral, Hammel is being taken around pick 334, which is the 27th round in 12-team leagues. He's going after pitchers like and , who are both coming off injuries, and , who isn't assured of a starting spot in 2010.
Hammel is a solid starting pitcher on the rise. Don't be afraid to take him later in the draft and reap the benefits in 2010.
