Adam Wainwright won twenty games last year with the Cards so how many less save opportunities will closer Ryan Franklin have this year?
Analysis: The Adam Wainwright injury is devastating to keeper league owners but Ryan Franklin’s fantasy value take a pretty big hit as well. Franklin will see fewer save opportunities and have smaller leads to work with. Franklin goes from a closer that has averaged 32.5 saves over the last two years and a middle tier reliever to a guy that is a Chris Carpenter injury away from being Ryan Madson with a higher ERA. Sure he’ll get you some saves but if Carpenter was to get injured you’d think the Cards would move in a differerent, younger direction at closer.
Projection: The potential loss of Wainwright for the year moves Franklin from a middle tier 17th-24th ranked closer to having as much value as a Kevin Gregg. Franklin isn’t a strikeout pitcher with his 5.8K/9IP line last year and for a guy who won’t touch thirty saves don’t bother touching him on draft day.