Miami starting pitcher Jose Fernandez is a twenty year old force of nature but it’s selling time for fantasy owners.
Analysis: Through two starts Fernandez has posted a 0.82 ERA in 11.0 innings pitched with 13 strikeouts and allowing just 5 hits and 3 walks. Fernandez is just twenty but he has elite tier stuff. His fastball averages 94.8 MPH thus far and he also has a plus slider and a solid curve and change. But now we must consider what he’s up against.
Over the last ten years only four pitchers aged twenty or younger have pitched over 130 innings. Of those four pitchers only King Felix recorded an xFIP under 4.25. We must also consider what Jose has done in the minors. He hasn’t pitched in anything above Advanced-A ball which he did last year for 55 innings. He only pitched 134 innings in 2012 and he shouldn’t be pushed much beyond 150 in 2013 if he stays healthy. Miami will be awful this year and he is the future so there is no reason to send him out there thirty plus times.
Fernandez is available in 20-30% of fantasy leagues. If you have him or can pick him up it’s selling time. There is always one owner in every league who falls in love with the idea of what a guy like Fernandez can do as opposed to the reality of the facts.