Nick Bierbrodt

Bierbrodt showed a lot of promise when he came to Tampa Bay in the Albie Lopez deal in August 2001, pitching well in September and looking to be a lock to make the Rays' 2002 rotation. Then, in the middle of spring training, all of a sudden, Bierbrodt couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, walking or hitting 15 batters in two one-inning stints. Rays' coaches tried to break down and reconstruct his delivery in an attempt to head off "Steve Blass disease," and after three months, Bierbrodt looked as if he'd shaken it off. Then Bierbrodt was severely wounded in a drive-by shooting incident. The good news was that Bierbrodt escaped death or permanent injury; however, that obviously ended his season. He'll get a chance to make the major-league rotation in 2003, and he's got just as much promise as he did this time last year, but watch his spring outings before you put him on your draft charts.