Bartolo Colon

2013

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2012

Colon came out of nowhere to stabilize the Yankees rotation in the first half of 2011, going 5-3 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.072 WHIP in his first 11 appearances. He wasn't the same after injuring his hamstring in mid-June, however, going 3-7 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.488 WHIP the rest of the way. It's possible he just ran out of gas, as Colon hadn't pitched more than 99.1 innings since 2005. Colon showed good movement and location on his fastball for much of 2011, and his resurgence makes him an intriguing endgame option for deeper formats if it's clear that he'll get an opportunity to start again this season. He'll get that opportunity in Oakland, where he signed in January.

2009

Colon had some modest success in May and June, throwing harder than the Boston organization thought he would, before landing on the disabled list with a strained back, suffered while swinging a bat during an inter-league game. It took two months to get over the back injury, but there were no spots in the starting rotation for him when he returned. Rather than relieve, as the club wanted, Colon left the team in September for a personal trip to the Dominican Republic and never returned. He'll try to become a starter again and compete for a spot in the White Sox rotation this spring.

2008

Colon's 2007 season was one he'd like to forget. After missing the second half of 2006 with a torn rotator cuff, Colon struggled with ankle, triceps and elbow injuries. He finished 6-8 with a 6.34 ERA and was even demoted to the bullpen late in the season. Don't expect Colon to resemble anything close to the pitcher that won the AL Cy Young award only three seasons ago. He'll need to prove he's healthy to win a rotation spot this spring.

2007

That'll teach him to steal other people's awards. A year after winning Johan Santana's Cy Young, Colon missed most of the second half with a torn right rotator cuff. He's rehabbing instead of undergoing surgery, the riskier path. There's little chance he pitches effectively in 2007.

2006

The 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner (courtesy of the run support that Johan Santana didn't get), Colon was kept off the Angels ALCS roster by a strain in the back of his pitching shoulder. He began a throwing and rehab program in mid-November with no negative reports at publication time. If he returns healthy, look for him to return to the upper-echelon of starting pitchers again in 2006.

2005

Maddeningly inconsistent yet reliably overweight, Colon is far too hittable to be a marquee frontline starter anymore, fantasy or otherwise. He'll turn 32 in the spring, so the Colon we saw for 2003 may be as good as it gets. Since he pitches on the Angels, he might fit as part of a wins-and-strikeouts plan, but even then he could be a net negative. On the plus side, he'll probably be available later than usual in drafts, so he won't be a major gamble. And if he has a solid April, deal him before he implodes.

2004

Colon won 'only' 15 games in 2003, and an inflated homer rate lifted his ERA (3.87) back to its usual level, but his K and BB rates were actually better than his 'breakout' 2002. Colon definitely seems to be improving with age, and 2004 could very well be the true breakout.

2003

Colon became only the second pitcher in history, and the first in 57 years, to win 10 games in each league in the same year. His numbers between the two leagues were uncannily similar (10 wins, 4 losses, 75:31 K:BB ratio in 116 AL innings; 10 wins, 4 losses, 74:39 ratio in 117 NL innings). He'll be the Opening Day Starter for the White Sox following their trade for him in January.