Wandy Rodriguez

Not very long ago, Rodriguez was one of the most durable starting pitchers in the major leagues. Prior to 2013, he averaged 30 starts in his first eight seasons. That tenure is over. The lefty made 12 appearances before complaining of a sore left forearm. His numbers were good -- 3.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 46:12 K:BB ratio in 62.2 IP, but he didn't pitch after June 5. A strained left flexor tendon and general arthritis ended Rodriguez's season prematurely. The Pirates expect the 35-year-old to be ready for spring training. His performance and more importantly, his health, will be closely tracked in the Grapefruit League. Rodriguez will likely slip in fantasy leagues and he could provide surprising value.

Rodriguez went from flop to favorite in his two months with Pittsburgh. He lost three of his first four starts, posting a 5.47 ERA and 1.80 WHIP and then registered a 2.86 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over his final 50.1 frames. For the season, the southpaw registered a 3.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 205.2 innings. At 34, he's no longer the strikeout pitcher he once was, as evidenced by a 6.0 K/9 that was his lowest since his 2005 rookie season. He has enjoyed five straight sub-4.00 ERA's, however. Rodriguez's 3.49 ERA at PNC Park bodes well for fantasy owners, but keep in mind that his strikeout numbers are on the decline.

Though the Astros couldn't seem to get much of anything going in 2011, Rodriguez was his usual self, striking out 166 while going 11-11 with a 3.49 ERA. His fastball is becoming a little bit more hittable with age and his strikeout rate has been on a downward trend since 2008, but when you factor in his high strand rate (79.2 percent), he makes up for it just fine. It will be interesting to see what the Astros do with Rodriguez, as his contract is not so favorable that they will command elite prospects if he is dealt. He figures to anchor the Astros' 2012 rotation, posting similar numbers to his last two seasons in Houston. It's worth noting that Rodriguez's $13 million 2014 club option becomes a player option if he is traded, which could curtail his trade prospects.

Rodriguez got off to a rough start last year, piling up seven losses in his first 10 starts, but he got better as the season wore on, posting a 2.11 ERA and 1.036 WHIP with an excellent 3.61 K/BB after the break. His strikeout and walk rates were in line with his career numbers, meaning it would be reasonable to expect more of the same from him in 2011. Don't forget that Rodriguez was a late bloomer, and that he'll already be 32 by the start of the season.

Rodriguez posted the best numbers of his career in 2009, setting a career-high for innings pitched and narrowly missing his first 200-strikeout season. He is something of a late bloomer, having his breakout season in 2008 as a 29-year-old. For the second straight season, he pitched much better at Minute Maid Park than on the road (2.08 / 1.06 Home vs. 4.05 / 1.44 road in 2009). Nevertheless, he posted an 8.4 K/9IP and nearly a 3.06 K/BB over the course of the season, showing that the tools are there to dominate. He has all the right stuff to be a solid No. 2 starter, and should continue his career growth with the Astros in 2010.

Rodriguez missed time with an oblique injury in 2008, but was steady when he did pitch, going 9-7 with a 3.54 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 137.1 innings across 25 starts. Just as in 2007, his home/road splits were telling once again, as he posted a 2.99 ERA and 1.20 WHIP at Minute Maid Park while notching a 4.34 ERA and 1.46 WHIP everywhere else. Rodriguez is a good matchup play, and is actually a very reliable guy to throw out there at home. He's rosterable in NL-only leagues, and is a good spot starter in mixed leagues, particularly in those that allow daily transactions.

Rodriguez had an average year in 2007, going 9-13 with a 4.58 ERA in 31 starts. He was a different pitcher at home than he was on the road, as the home cooking of Houston provided him with a 6-3 record and a 2.93 ERA. Conversely, he went 3-10 with a 6.37 ERA on the road. He slots second or third in Houston's rotation behind Roy Oswalt and perhaps Woody Williams. In fantasy terms, he's likely nothing more than a spot starter.

It was a shaky year for Rodriguez, as he went 9-10 with a 5.64 ERA, starting 24 games and appearing in an additional six. He simply allowed too many baserunners, evidenced by his 1.60 WHIP. He projects as the #4 starter in Houston's rotation this year, but will have to hold off Matt Albers and Fernando Nieve to remain a starter.

Rodriguez had to throw too many important innings for the Astros last year. He's a swingman, 10th-man guy, someone who can throw multiple innings out of the pen and spot start. He shouldn't have much fantasy value, and he could well disappear shortly.