David Aardsma

Control remains a big issue for the 32-year-old Aardsma, as his 4.3 BB/9 with the Mets last season matched a career-best, but he can punch batters out at a good clip (9.0 career K/9) and is relatively tough on lefties (career .240/.356/.324 batting line against). He'll have to fight for a spot in the bullpen this spring, but he has a chance to carve out a low-leverage role with the big club after signing a minor league deal with Cleveland in January.

Aardsma had a run of success as Seattle's closer in 2009 and 2010, but took nearly two years to come back from Tommy John surgery. While he's likely to be no better than third or fourth in line for saves in the Yankees' bullpen, Aardsma has averaged over a strikeout per inning for his career, and he could pitch his way into higher-leverage situations as the year goes on. If he shows the same kind of stuff post-surgery as he had in 2009 and 2010, his strikeouts could give him some value in very deep AL-only leagues.

Aardsma missed all of last season, first with a hip injury and then with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in July. As a result, he'll sit out most of 2012. Signed by the Yankees in February, Aardsma could enter the bullpen mix during the second half of the season if everything goes as planned with his rehab.

The surprise late-December announcement that Aardsma needed surgery for a torn hip labrum killed any chance to trade the valuable closer and it created the possibility that the Mariners might be without their ninth-inning reliever come the season opener. Aardsma will be sidelined for four weeks following the January surgery, which the Mariners hope won't impact his spring development. If it does, Brandon League likely would get the closer call. Aardsma had a rough start to the season last year, but from mid-June on he blew just one save in 20 opportunities with a 1.80 ERA and a .155 BAA. His season ended in mid-September with what was thought to be an injured oblique, now known to be a hip injury. Despite that, and an awful team around him that lost more than 100 games, Aardsma still converted 31 saves, seventh in the American League. As long as he's healthy and not traded mid-season to be a setup man, Aardsma likely will provide good fantasy value again this season.

Lacking a closer entering spring last year, general manager Jack Zduriencik brought a handful of candidates to camp, content to wait for a closer to, in his words, "emerge." It took an injury and ineffectiveness by Brandon Morrow, but Aardsma finally emerged as the ninth-inning answer by early May. He finished fourth in saves in the AL, while his 2.52 ERA ranked fifth among AL closers and his 10.1 K/9IP was fourth. He enters 2010 as the team's closer, though one standout season by no means makes him a lock for another. If he falters, the newly acquired Brandon League could take over the closer duties.

Despite giving up 25 walks in 39 innings, Aardsma was having a very nice year for Boston with a 2.77 ERA, one homer allowed and a .230 batting average against when he hurt his groin in August. Unfortunately, the groin never got right, causing his numbers to balloon in August and September. He'll be part of the middle relief answer in the bullpen, but the walks could become an issue.

Aardsma started off great with an ERA of 1.84 on May 18 before two disastrous outings against the crosstown Cubbies started the slide and he eventually became one of the scapegoats for what went wrong on the South Side in 2007 after a few other bad outings. He was sent packing to Triple-A for good in July with a 6.40 ERA and never resurfaced. He put up impressive numbers at Triple-A, but saw his ERA balloon to 4.33 thanks in large part to seven homers. The White Sox are revamping their bullpen in the offseason and it'll be tough for anyone from last year's pen not named Bobby Jenks to get a fresh shot, but Aardsma probably deserves one. He's headed for a middle relief role with the Sox after they signed Scott Linebrink to setup Jenks.

Aardsma has a fastball in the mid-90s and a sharp breaking curve, but control problems and a tendency to give up fly balls have done him in. He's shuttled back and forth from the high minors to the majors and a move to a hitter's park in the American League doesn't help.

Aardsma has a fastball in the mid-90's and a sharp breaking curve, but control problems have kept him from an extended stay in the major leagues. He's only 25, so he might eventually iron that out, but 10 walks in 18 innings in the Arizona Fall League were further evidence that he still needs more work.

After spending sporadic time in the Giants pen last season with a high ERA, Aardsma headed to Triple-A Fresno for more work on his control. He was better in the Arizona Fall League (2.93 ERA with 17 K, 9 BB in 15 1/3 innings), but will likely see limited appearances for the big club this season. He's still a closer-in-waiting despite rough patches in his time in the majors, something that was predictable given his early call-ups and lack of pro experience.

The Giants' #1 pick in last year's draft blew away the Cal League in his 18 innings there. A closer on Rice's College World Series champion, it's unclear whether Aardsma will be a starter or a reliever in the majors. Given Brian Sabean's propensity for trades, that will be determined by another organization. Off-radar until at least 2005.