Santiago Casilla

2013

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2012

Casilla posted a 1.74 ERA and 1.123 WHIP last season, even recording six saves when Brian Wilson was out with an injury. He still struggles with control and just 2.6 percent of his flyballs went for homers, so he was a bit lucky, but clearly he's tough to hit. Casilla will return to San Francisco in 2012 once again in a middle-relief role.

2011

Casilla really enjoyed his first year in the National League last season, posting a 1.95 ERA and 1.193 WHIP with a 9.11 K/9IP mark and a strong groundball rate (1.86 G/F). His average fastball velocity was among the highest in baseball (96.6 mph), although he continues to struggle with his control (4.23 BB/9IP). The Giants are expected to offer Casilla arbitration, so he'll be back in 2011 to act as one of the team's top setup men.

2010

Continued control problems finally knocked Casilla out of the Oakland bullpen picture, and his 1.779 WHIP and 5.96 ERA in 48.1 innings in 2009 continued the slide that began as soon as he aged three years and changed names several winters back. There's nothing to recommend here.

2009

Casilla's continued control problems (55 walks in 112 career major-league innings now) resulted in another poor season. He'll keep slipping further and further back in the A's bullpen, and might find himself ahead of only Jim Mecir and Billy Taylor by the end of the 2009 season.

2008

Casilla pitched well out of the A's bullpen after being called up mid-season, but it's hard to see exactly where he'll fit if Kiko Calero and Justin Duchscherer return to health, especially considering his struggles after the All-Star break (7.04 ERA, 18 walks in 30.2 innings). There are safer staff-filling options out there.

2007

Casilla, the pitcher formerly known as Jairo Garcia, aged three years in January when his true age and name were revealed after problems with his visa, which helped explain his meteoric rise through the minors. Shoulder tendinitis sidelined him after mid-June, but he still managed a nice 32 Ks and 10 walks in 33 innings. He struggles at times to keep the ball on the ground, and he's pretty well blocked by quality right-handed relievers in Oakland. Now that he'll be 27 years old in June, there's a lot less to like.

2006

Garcia failed to break camp with the A's and actually started the year back at Double-A Midland. He was lights-out there (30 K in 16.2 IP) and posted excellent peripherals at Triple-A Sacramento as well (73 K, 20 BB in 48.1 IP) despite a 4.47 ERA in 44 games. There's not a lot of room in the Oakland bullpen with Huston Street, Jay Witasick, Kiko Calero and Justin Duschscherer already established so Garcia's best bet for immediate value might be in a trade.

2005

Garcia enjoyed a Francisco Rodriguez-like ascent up the minors in 2004, minus the success in the big leagues during September and October. He struggled with his control a bit at the upper levels and his brief trial in Oakland didn't go well either. He needs a half-season at Triple-A in all likelihood. His eventual role with the A's will largely be determined by whether Octavio Dotel remains beyond his arbitration years and how quickly Huston Street develops.

2004

Although Garcia has spent the bulk of his pro career as a starter, the undersized right-hander will ultimately be a relief pitcher. Minor shoulder difficulties have plagued him throughout his career, but he has a live 95 mph fastball with a developing splitter and slider that allows him to maintain a high K-rate. He could climb to Double-A in 2004 with a stint in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League likely in 2005. He should eventually work his way into a late-inning role with a shot at closing a possibility for the future.