Fantasy Baseball Insiders

Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one-by-one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.

More than three years removed from Tommy John surgery, Francisco Liriano finally returned to near pre-surgery form in 2010.

• 2006: 10.71 K/9, 2.38 BB/9, 2.55 FIP, 55.3 GB%
• 2010: 9.44 K/9, 2.72 BB/9, 2.66 FIP, 53.6 GB%

The key to Liriano’s 2010 success was his slider, which was nearly as effective as it was in 2006:

• 2006 slider: 23.0 runs above average (2nd in MLB, min. 120 IP)
• 2010 slider: 19.0 runs above average (1st in MLB)

Liriano even dominated plate discipline stats, emphasizing the nastiness of his pitching arsenal:

• O-swing rate: 34.4 percent (5th)
• Contact rate: 73.4 percent (1st)
• Swinging strike rate: 12.4 percent (1st)

Despite Liriano’s obvious talent, there are a few remaining concerns. 2010 was the first time the 27-year-old topped 140 big league innings in a single season (although he did accumulate 199 1/3 innings between High-A, Triple-A and Minnesota in 2008).

Further, Liriano appeared to wear down late last season, posting a 4.69 ERA in his last 10 starts. Also, as Ken Rosenthal recently noted, “rival scouts say his delivery always will trigger health concerns, and perhaps prevent him from ever developing into a workhorse.”

Liriano was scratched from his first throwing session this spring due to shoulder tightness, and he admitted to not keeping up with his strengthening exercises this offseason. He made his spring debut in a B game last Friday, though Liriano himself wasn’t happy with the results.

Looking forward to the 2011 season, I’m crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. When healthy, Liriano is one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. He is also, however, one of the greatest risks. Draft with caution.

Image courtesy of: Century Club

Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ 2011 Big Board:

• Top 50 Fantasy Baseball Projections
• Nos. 51-60: Jimenez, Verlander, Carpenter or Sabathia?
• Nos. 61-70: Weaver, Haren or Latos?

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Previous articles from Fantasy Baseball Insiders:

• The Sub-2.50 ERA Curse: Why Five Elite Starting Pitchers May Regress in 2011
• 2010 Batting Average on Balls in Play Leaders: What to Expect in 2011?
• 2011 Closer’s Corner: Papelbon, Cordero & Rivera Are the Only Reliable Options