New 'Battery' Components: Value of Starting Pitchers on the Move

Filed under: MLB Sleepers, MLB Value Machine, Draft Advice

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, we should examine the new surroundings for some big-name battery components, and just how the change of scenery might affect their fantasy value.

For Part 1, I've identified 12 pitchers (in various fantasy tiers) who start the 2011 season in new cities -- and for a few, new leagues. Some are almost certain to flourish, making the analysis a tad simpler, while others need a closer look to see if they'll be getting homesick by mid-May. In Part 2, we'll examine catchers.

No-Brainers

1. Cliff Lee (Texas Rangers to Philadelphia Phillies)
Lee makes his triumphant return to the National League and brings his luminary 10.28 K/BB ratio and steadily decreasing FB% with him. While new (and former) Phillies teammate Roy Halladay tops many lists for NL Cy Young candidate, Lee could give him a run -- along with Tim Lincecum and couple other guys (who happen to be on this list).

2. Zack Greinke (Kansas City Royals to Milwaukee Brewers)
Like Cliff the Big Red Lefty, Greinke will be happy to be pitching in the NL on a team that'll give him the run support he needs to flirt with 20 wins and some hardware. In Kansas City, Greinke's high strikeout numbers and low FIP (2.33 in 2009 and 3.34 in 2010) were wasted on a team that just couldn't score runs. In Milwaukee, the young fireballer's fastball/slider combo will return to the 2009 form that won him the Cy Young -- an award that's again within his grasp.

3. Matt Garza (Tampa Bay Rays to Chicago Cubs)
Garza's breakout 2010 campaign was primarily about run support (he won seven more games than 2009 with essentially the same ERA) but improved control and a more effective fastball point to continued success, especially now that he's out of the mash-happy AL East. He's under team control for the next three years but will still be going through the arbitration process. He is scheduled to make $5.95 million this year.

Jennifer Gimenez Katie Cassidy Estella Warren Cinthia Moura Monica Potter