Shawn Chacon

2013

There was no outlook written for Shawn Chacon.

2008

In a rare twist, Chacon (a free agent) actually wanted to stay with the Pirates more than the team wanted him this past winter. Why? Perhaps because his home earned run average of 2.28 was less than half of his road mark of 5.84. Chacon put up spotty overall numbers for the Pirates last year, fashioning a respectable 3.94 ERA despite a mediocre 1.490 WHIP. But he really didn't pitch as well as his numbers indicate. Chacon blew five saves after the beginning of August and saw his earned run average rise from 3.59 before the All-Star break to 4.76 following the mid-summer classic. Only a truly desperate team would give him a chance as a late-inning reliever and the Pirates already had Matt Capps. He also could get a look as a starter, though his 5.59 ERA in four starts did little to distinguish himself in 2007.

2007

Surprisingly, Chacon was offered arbitration by the Pirates, a result of ballooning pitching salaries more so than a true desire to have Chacon throw for the Bucs. Hoping to catch lightning in a bottle -- Chacon went 7-3 with the Yankees in 2005 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP -- the team could consider using him as their fifth starter or long reliever. The 29-year-old righty's career numbers, including a 5.12 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP -- suggest he may not last long in any role the Pirates decide upon, regardless of his affordability.

2006

Chacon, along with teammate Aaron Small, was an absolute savior of the Yankees' season after coming over from the Rockies, going 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA. Funny thing, breaking pitches start moving a lot more when you get out of the thin air. Chacon isn't a big strikeout pitcher, and expecting him to keep his ERA under 3.00 in 2006 is probably unrealistic, but his late season success has given him a world of confidence. He'll start the year with a spot in the rotation for the Yankees, where there's always a high level of wins in store.

2005

Chacon was all over the place in 2004. As if closing games in Denver isn't hard enough, Chacon made it even tougher by issuing 52 walks in 63 1/3 innings. The Rockies say Chacon will not be the closer in 2005, so he'll have little fantasy value if he stays with the Rockies. Chacon's future may be as a starter.

2004

Chacon put together a very impressive first half last season before elbow problems effected his delivery and his numbers. The Rockies finally shut him down in August, following a two month stretch that saw him fail to record a win, but by then it was already too late. Chacon was originally placed on the DL with tendinitis in his elbow, but there's a concern among roto projectionists that the problem is more severe than the diagnosis describes. The Rockies made the surprise announcement in December that Chacon will close for them, which gives them the added bonus of watching his elbow closely while getting maximum innings out of him.

2003

Chacon's sinking fastball and nasty curve got him to the majors, but he had a hard time harnessing it in his sophomore season. His role in a bar fight over the offseason jeopardizes his status with the Rockies.