Ian Snell

Snell came to the Mariners in a deadline deal last season, joining the rotation for the final two months. He had some initial struggles, but ultimately proved decent, giving up two runs or less in seven of his last nine starts. Not that he impressed; his K:BB was a poor 28:27 in those final nine starts. Still, as a fifth starter, the Mariners could do worse. Fantasy rosters, though, don't always have that luxury. Snell will go to camp with an eye on the last spot in the rotation and the hope of resurrecting his career. If he doesn't land the job, he'll probably have to head back to Triple-A Tacoma.

Snell sunk fantasy teams in 2008 with a total lack of control. After a 2007 campaign in which the diminutive righty struck out 177 (with 68 walks) and registered a 3.76 ERA in 208 innings, Snell fell apart with a 5.42 ERA, 135:89 K:BB ratio and a 1.76 WHIP. An unwillingness to pitch inside seems to allow batters to take their cracks at Snell, something that new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan says he promises to change. Snell did close out the season on a minor run in September -- going 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in 27 innings -- but he has plenty of questions to answer in 2009. Snell features a good fastball and slider, so if he's able to regain some confidence he could prove to be a fantasy bargain.

Snell moped his way to a 9-12 mark with a 3.76 ERA and 1.332 WHIP in 2007. Although only seven of the 87 runs he allowed were unearned, the defense behind Snell was consistently terrible. He's better than a 9-12 pitcher, but he showed his immaturity by constantly complaining about his teammates through the media, though he claimed to be providing leadership. There's no reason to not expect a rebound from him and he might come at a discount, given his final numbers. Prior to the All-Star break Snell went 7-5 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.170 WHIP in 116.2 innings. At some point in his career the 26-year-old figures to put up those types of numbers over the course of a season. For that to happen in Pittsburgh this summer, however, everything will have to break the hard-throwing hurler's way.

Snell's chip on his shoulder paid off in 2006 as he proved his doubters wrong. After getting off to a miserable start in April -- his earned run average sat at 5.79 after five starts -- the temperamental Snell turned into the Pirates' most reliable starter. The 25-year-old righty with a sharp-breaking slider and a mid-90s fastball finished with a 14-11 record, collecting 169 strikeouts in 186 innings. He's got plenty to work on, as evidenced by a 1.46 WHIP, but Snell did better than anyone other than himself expected in 2006. With three other starters throwing from the left side, Snell benefits from pitching righthanded. Because of his strikeout ability, Snell has plenty of long-range potential and should post numbers similar to last year's in 2007.

The Pirates finally gave Snell a chance to see what he could do in 2005, and the results were spotty. He went 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA in 42 innings, as opposing hitters seemed content to wait for a nice fastball -- the only pitch he consistently threw for strikes. Snell had a standout season at Triple-A prior to his recall, notching a no-hitter and an 11-3 record with a 3.70 ERA. Despite his lack of size (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), Snell struck out 104 in 122 innings. If Snell can improve his repertoire of pitches - he's working on a changeup, then he has a decent shot of becoming an effective pitcher at the major-league level. He's expected to compete for the fifth starter's spot in spring training.

Snell, who made two relief appearances and one start for Pittsburgh late last year, has a solid chance of making the opening day roster, if not as a starter, as a middle reliever. The knock on Snell is his slight frame, but he has good stuff (mid-90s heater) and a good makeup, which has placed him on a fast-track to the bigs, where down the road he may end up providing as much, or more fantasy value than some of the more heralded arms in the Bucs system.

Snell, who was named the Pirates' minor-league pitcher of the year, went 10-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 20 starts at high Single-A Lynchburg and 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA in six starts after being promoted to Double-A Altoona. Combined, he had 145 strikeouts and 43 walks in 153 innings. Size has been a knock against the 5-foot-11, 163-pound righty, but it was for a young Pedro Martinez as well. Consider him if you are in a keeper league and can afford to stash him.