Tag: Alfredo Simon

Selling Alfredo

Alfredo Simon is 4th in the major leagues with a 0.86 ERA and 7th with a 0.81 WHIP.

Analysis: There are plenty of red flags to consider in regards to Alfredo Simon. He does have that 0.86 ERA but he is sporting a 3.91 xFIP this year through three starts. Simon’s career ERA is 3.92, his career xFIP is 4.20. We also have to consider that Simon’s strikeout rate is down this year to a 5.57 K/9 mark. His walk rate is surprisingly low at 1.71 BB/9. So, is he turning into the next Bartolo Colon with his sudden new found command as he ages?

What we do know is that Simon has always been inconsistent. Expect his ERA to shoot up in the coming months as his LOB% starts to come back down to reality. He’s stranding 90.4% of baserunners at the moment which is 11th in baseball this year. His career strand rate is 74.7%.

Currently, Alfredo Simon is available in 50-75% of fantasy leagues. There are plenty of solid, consistent lower tier options available on the wire that are not capable of Alfredo-esque implosions. He has the talent but can he be trusted?

Rumors of Alfredo Simon Release Are Premature

Rumors had been circulating earlier in the week that Baltimore reliever Alfredo Simon would be released from a Dominican Republic jail within the next 7-10 days, allowing him to participate in spring training and be a part of the Orioles bullpen come Opening Day. Simon, charged with manslaughter in a fatal New Year’s Eve shooting, has been held without bail since January 3. However, city prosecutor Victor Mueses told ESPNDeportes’ Enrique Rojas that Simon will remain behind bars and that they have “strong evidence to incriminate him in this bloody event.”

Analysis: The 6’4 righty, who saved 17 games for a beleaguered O’s pen in 2010, was placed on the team’s Restricted List this past Friday. The stories of his potential release spread quickly, and a level of optimism surfaced among the team as well as the Baltimore faithful. Unfortunately for Simon, these rumors appear to have lacked validity and his future in professional baseball is once again in question. Hopefully this situation is rectified in a timely fashion, and justice is served one way or another.

Projection: Expected to compete for a late-inning role this spring, it now looks as if Simon will be a non-factor for the fans at Camden as well as Fantasy owners. If the newly acquired Kevin Gregg becomes Buck Showalter’s choice to close out games, this most likely leaves the setup man competition between Mike Gonzalez and Koji Uehara. Although the team was high on Simon’s arm and was looking forward to his progression, this new development is certainly not a crushing blow to a roster that has been restocked and should make some noise – even in the AL East. Maintain a watchful eye on how the 8th and 9th inning spots shake out on Buck’s list throughout camp, but scratch Simon’s name off of your depth charts.