Justin Verlander falls flat in 2014, high expectations lie ahead
by Christopher Ziza | Astros Correspondent | Tue, Dec 2nd 12:40pm EST
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander's season couldn't had ended quick enough as he fell flat in 2014. Heading into the first year of his highly-lucrative extension, big expectations are lying ahead for the 31-year-old veteran. (CBSSports)
Fantasy Impact:
This will be the biggest year of Verlander's career as he tries to correct the downward-spiral that his performance has taken over the past two seasons. Being named the AL MVP and Cy Young award winner in 2011 and being the strikeout leader for both the 2011 and 2012 seasons, we have watched his innings pitched (206) as well as his strikeouts go down (159) while his earned run average (4.54) has risen. He enters 2015 with a contract that will now pay him close to $30 million dollars annually. Hopes are that his late-season surge is a sign of things to come, but a dip in his velocity as well as stats warns otherwise. When on his game, Verlander is one of the best in fantasy baseball. But after last year he will fall into the latter part of most fantasy drafts which gives him a chance for comeback player of the year and possibly being a fantasy bargain. If not, he will quickly become the most hated man in Detroit next to Kwame Kilpatrick.
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